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A77773 Short and plain directions for the observation of the Lords day as they were delivered in a sermon in the church of Mallow, in the diocess of Cloyne : suited to the capacity of the common people / by John Bulkelly, M.A. and rector of Cloyne. Bulkelly, John. 1697 (1697) Wing B5402; ESTC R42873 10,718 19

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SHORT AND PLAIN DIRECTIONS FOR THE OBSERVATION OF THE LORDS DAY As they were delivered in a SERMON IN THE CHURCH of MALLOW in the Diocess of CLOYNE Suited to the Capacity of the Common People By JOHN BULKELLY M. A and Rector of Mallow DVBLIN Printed by Jos Ray in Essex street for William Norman Bookseller in Dames street 1697. To my Well-Beloved the Parishioners and Inhabitants of Mallow Dearly Beloved AS the whole design of penning the ensuing Discourse was for your advantage and promoting the Service of God in that Congregation which he hath called Me to the Cure of So the publication of the same without any sinister or by end of Credit or Profit to my self tends only to your use and edification that what was once transiently delivered and therefore according to that saying might slip in at one Ear and out at the other and so be easily forgotten may be now presented to your constant view and accordingly to your meditation and study Thence it is that I aim at no other Patron but your selves nor will I apologize for my Stile or Language which the plainer it is it so much the better fits a mixt auditory I design not the delight or encomiums of some but the benefit of all and therefore hope the sense will be attended to more than the words The wisest of Men tells us Prov. 11.30 That he that winneth Souls is wise i.e. that he that perswades is the best Orator So that if this Discourse hath its intended effects upon your Lives and Conversations I fear no critical remark and censures but have my end in being diligent in my Ministry and shewing my self in every thing but especially in relation to your Souls and Spiritual Concerns Your most faithful and affectionate Servant J. B. TO THE READER I shall speak a little concerning the change of the Sabbath from the last to the first Day of the Week and then refer you to the following Discourse for the sanctification thereof God the Almighty Architect no sooner finished his Work in which he took up six days but he proclaimed a Rest on the seventh Which Rest signifies First a Temporal one that Man having spent six days in his own Employment in making provision for Himself and Family was on the seventh day obliged by Divine Institution to muster up all the faculties of his Soul and then to imploy them in the singular and most spiritual worship of God his Creator Secondly It signifies a Spiritual Rest a Rest from the drudgery of sin and that mean and slavish work which the Devil our grievous Task-master exacts of us Thirdly It signifies an Eternal Rest in Heaven of the spirits of just men made perfect where they rest from their labors from all the Troubles and Calamities of this World in the enjoyment of the ever blessed God in the bosom of their Saviour But it is only the Temporal Sabbath that I treat of which with good ground and upon good authority is changed from the last to the first day of the Week from Saturday to Sunday now commonly known by the name of the Lords Day because it was that day of the Week on which the great Saviour of the World rose from the dead In memory of which and in a grateful acknowledgment of the great mercy of our Redemption fully compleated by his Resurrection the Sabbath which was solemnized on the last hath been translated to the first day of the Week and accordingly since our Saviours time hath been celebrated in all Christian Churches throughout the World Mark then that as the Jewish Sabbath was sanctified because of the finishing of the work of Creation so was the Christian Sabbath because of the finishing of the work of Redemption which is of far greater importance Man by it being born again with more wonder than he was first made and therefore deserves more to be celebrated than the other This then being a day that the Lord hath made for himself therefore let us be glad and rejoice therein Vale. Short and Plain Directions for the Observation of the Lords Day as they were delivered in a Sermon c. Exodus XX. Vers 8. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy THE sanctification of this day consisteth in a holy Rest and the performance of holy Duties as appears by the ninth Verse Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the tenth Verse proclaims a Rest a Cessation from all Work But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt do no manner of work And this Rest may be termed a preparation unto the sanctification of this day as a remedy against distraction because unless we rest we cannot sanctifie The sanctification therefore of this day with the duties to be performed therein belonging either to the Pastor or to the People The whole Congregation will come under that division as to the publick sanctification of this day The Pastors or Ministers are to be chief actors in the publick sanctification of the Sabbath but it is not necessary at this time to treat of their duty Because I speak to Laymen who desire rather I suppose to hear of their own duty than be inquisitive after the duty of others As also Because every man now adays doth take upon him to teach ●●e Minister his duty even he that will be ranged in no duty himself And lastly Because Pastors and People being Relatives the duty of the one will in a great measure appear by the explication of the duty of the other The consecration then of the Sabbath's rest consists in performing three sorts of Duties ●●rst Before 2dly At. 3dly After the publick exercise of the Church The Duties to be performed before the publick Servics are First To rise up early to prepare our selves as also to consecrate as much of the Lords day unto the Lords service and worship as may be Of the Prophets the Lord saith Jer. 7.25 I have sent unto you all my servants the Prophets daily rising up early and sending them Our Saviour Mark 1. in the morning before day arose and prayed so long and came into the Synagogue which may be concluded to be on the Sabbath by comparing the 35th Vers with the 38th and 39th And those devout Women Luk 24. upon the first day of the week very early in the morning came to the Sepulchre to seek their Saviour Let these Examples induce us not to mispend any part of this day but to rise sooner on this day than on other days by how much the service of God is to be preferred before all earthly business for there is no Master to serve so good as God and in the end no work shall be better rewarded than his service Secondly Let us examine our Consciences and confess our Sins to God and renew our Vows to walk more conscionably that we may bring into the presence of God and his Assembly being that of Saints the peace of a
the death of the Apostles their writings also were read in the publick Congregation as the Fathers of the Church do witness While the word is audibly and distinctly read you must listen attentively thereunto and with submission yield your selves to be governed and directed thereby But reading of the word is not all that is required of the Minister but if he will sanctify this day he must preach Under the Law Moses of old time had in every City them that preacht him being read in the Synagogue every Sabbath day Acts 15.21 For it was the manner of the Jews to read a piece of the Pentateuch every Sabbath and being distinctly read one of the elder Levites did interpret and expound it unto the People as you may read Neh 8.4.7 8. This Custom Philo Judaeus mentions who was contemporary with the Apostles when the Priest or one of the Elders had read some part of the Law saith he sigillatim exponit he expoundeth it particularly And what are the writings of the Prophets but the abridgments or summary heads of their Sermons Our blessed Saviour when he read his Text closed the Book and made application to the People he proved from his Text that he was to preach the Gospel to preach Deliverance to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. In the primitive Church after the writings of the Apostles and Prophets were read the President or Chief Minister made a Sermon wherein he instructed the People and exhorted them to the practice of those Dutys then taught and delivered When the Minister calls upon thee to hear Gods word and read his Text stand up Neh. 8.5 When Ehud pretended a secret errand from God unto the King Eglon rose out of his seat Judges 3. While the Preacher is expounding and applying the word of the Lord look upon him for it is a great help to stir up thine attention and to keep thee from wandring thoughts So the eyes of all that were in the Synagogue are said to have been fastned on Christ whilest he preached and all the people hanged upon him when they heard him chasing away all wandring thoughts omitting reading praying or being otherwise employed And lastly forbearing conference or drowsiness listen with all readiness and attention six in thy memory the coherence and connexion of the Text with what went before the division of it into its several parts and the main doctrines or points of Instruction the proofs that ratify the truth and certainty of the Doctrine the reasons that evince it and the uses or applycation thereof for the benefit of thine own Soul If thou canst not comprehend all these mark dilligently the Doctrine and uses let not these slip thy careful Observation When the Sermon is ended beware thou depart not like the nine Lepers till that for thine Instruction to saving health thou hast returned thanks and praises to God by an after prayer and singing of a Psalm St. Aug. accounteth it totum opus Sabbathi as if the Sabbath was made for nothing else but only for thanksgiving and prayers David desireth Deliverance Psal 35.18 and promiseth that being heard he will sing his praise in the Congregation Of singing Psalms in the Church the Apostle speaks 1. Cor. 14.26 For singing of Psalms to God we have both the precept and the example of our Lord and his Apostles and the Enemies of Christianity in the Infancy of the Gospel acknowledg that the Christians had their meeting before break of Day to sing unto Christ and unto God Lucian Philopater When the Blessing is pronounced stand up or kneel to receive thy part therein and hear it as if Christ himself whose Minister he is did pronounce the same unto thee and by no means depart without the Blessing The Prince was not to go forth out of the Temple till the whole Congregation went forth he had no privilidge to depart thence more then the meanest in the Congregation till the solemn service was ended When Solomon in the dedication of the Temple had made an end of praying all his prayer 1. King 8.54 they went not out but stayed for the Blessing In the primitive times he that should go out of the Church before Sermon were ended was liable to Ecclesiastical censure What good will the Service or Sermon do thee if thou want the Blessing When the Blessing is pronounced adore bowing thy Head or bending thy Knee with some short ejaculatory prayer and thanksgiving to God and so either depart with reverence or proceed to the celebration of the Lords Supper if it be that day administred Turn not thy back upon the Lords Ordinance refuse not to come when invited to his Table It is one thing not to receive often by reason it is not the custom of that Church wherein thou livest to administer often and another thing to refuse to come though invited and to turn thy back upon those dainties when prepared What preparation we must make to receive with comfort and what are the pleas which hinder us in this Duty I shall e're long declare unto you and then endeavour with the best skill I can to remove all those pleas and hinderances in the interim be admonished in the action of kneeling standing sitting and such indifferent ceremonies for the avoiding of scandal the continuance of charity and in testimony of thine obedience to conform thy self to the manner of the Church wherein thou livest When I come to Rome saith St. Ambrose I fast on the Sabbath when I am here I do not fast so do thou unto whatsoever Church thou chance to come observe the Rites and Customs thereof if thou wouldst neither give nor take offence Also remember always to be present at the Baptism of Infants 1st That thou mayest omit no part of Publick Worship of God but pray with the Church and Congregation 2dly That thou mayest outwardly grace God's Ordinance and countenance it as it were with thy presence and not disgrace or seem to scorn it by turning thy back unto it 3dly That God's publick Ordinance may be publickly and not privately performed and that thou mayest assist the Church in praising God for grafting another Member into his Mystical Body 4thly That thou mayest shew thy self to be a Freeman of Christs Corporation having a voyce or consent in the admission of others into that holy Society 5thly That thou mayest repay thy debts in praying for that Infant which is to be Baptiz'd as other Christians did in the like case for thee that God would give him the new effects of Baptism by his Blood and Spirit 6thly That also thou mayest hereby call to mind thy Covenant with God in Baptism and Gods Covenant made with thee and examine what fruit thereof appears within thee that thou mayest bless God if thou find the same effectual and be humbled to labour unto it if thou find it to be small Lastly Remember to cast thy mite into the poor mans Box Deut. 16.16 There is a charge to Aaron that whensoever they came to appear before the Lord none of them should appear empty handed Lev. 8.31 There is mention made of a Basket of sanctification in which were reserved those things that afterward they would consecrate to the Lord. The very same order was taken by the Apostles 1. Cor. 16.12 On the Lords day there should be Collection for the Poor this was adjudged the proper day for Alms and Charitable Distributions When thou art returned home ponder a while that which thou hast heard read or preached Hide the Seeds of Gods Word in the ●urrows of thy Heart that Satan steal it not away use sobriety of Meat and Drink and careful temperance this day above all other times that the Body may be strengthned and better disposed to do the duties of Godliness When thou art entred upon any discourse with thy Neighbour let it be concerning what was delivered that day or discourse about some other points of wholesome Doctrine tending to Edification In the afternoon return to Church and there behave thy self at the Evening service as is already prescribed After this is ended and thou art come home confer with thy Family and see how they profit read some part of the holy Scripture joyn in prayers and praise to Almighty God for the benefit of that days favour and when thou art wearied with prayer and reading and preaching is ceased spend the remainder of the day in meditation this is to continue the whole day and still findeth matter to work upon Meditate on the Judgments of God how many Families who formerly wallowed in ease and plenty are now reduccd to Beggary and Want Meditate on the mercies of God how we have been as Firebrands snatched and rescued out of the Fire delivered from the burthen of Tyranny and Popery by the over ruling hand of Providence Let us I say meditate on these Judgments and Mercies whether they extend to our own Persons or come on our Fathers House or the place wherein we live or the Church round about us There are none of these but afford us a subject of meditation Meditate also on the Creatures of God from the Less to the Greater You may be supplyed with fit objects of your meditation Solomon in all his Glory was never arrayed like some of them and they never were ungrateful to their maker and if they be thankful how much more are we bound to him If any Neighbour be sick or in any heaviness go to visit him If any be fallen at variance help to reconcile them Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God When the time of rest approacheth desire God to forgive thy defects in his service and to grant thee a quiet repose and comfortable refreshment this night that being raised to the comfort of the next morning thou mayest return refreshed and strengthned to thy wonted Labour and dedicate both it and the remainder of thy days to Gods service and honour Laus Deo Amen FINIS