( 89) dl!rly-, peaceably, and foberly obferved, by fome _that ~ave more time or care of their fouls, then the reil of thetr ne1gbbours ; fure you.will not for ibame imagine, that neighbours may law– fully meet ,to make merry, and fcail, and fport, and conferr about: their worldly bufinefs, and yet may not meet to, pray,and pra1fe God and repeat what infirud:ions they have received of their Teachers, and prepare for and improve the publick Ordinances? Hear what the Spirit faith alfo in this. In the te).·t here you find juft fuch ameeting, wbere Chri£1: was teachi?g, and .(v:!ary and his Difciples hearing, and Mart ha cumbred wtth provtdmg for the company, and blamed for neglecting the advantage for her foul. Ach 12. 12. Peter eame out of prifon to thehoufe ofMary,where many wtre gathered together.. praying.] Acts I o. 24. [ Cornelim cailed t(jgether his kjn[men and near friends] to bear Peter; who there preached to them, converted and bJ~pti~ed them, I need to inilance in no more , becaufe this was the ordinary praElice of Chrift and the Apofiles. If you fay, Thofe were times of perfecn– tion : I anfwer, True: But, 1. yet fuch times in which publick A.lfemblies were ordinarily held, and publick preaching ufed. 2. And as thegood of mens fouls reqnired it in times. of perfe~ cution~ fo when the good of fouls requires- ir, in times of ltber– ty, it is from the fame general reafonaduty ; but never forbidden by Chrifl: in any times of greatefi profperity and peace. 6. Is it the holy obfervation of the Lords day that is the precife– nefs that you cannot away with? Of aft men, it befeems not them _ to quarrel at this, that own our Homilies, and with the Common– prayer~ ufe after the fuurth Commandment to fay, ELord hll~e mercy upon w, and encline our hearts to k._eep thu Law ; J When they have heard, [Remember that thrm kfep holy the Sabbath day , tho1-1, thy Son, thy daughter, thy man-fervant,tby m.-zid-fervant, tbf cattle~and t~e ftranger that u within thy g~etes. J You fee all rhe.. forefa1d Giut1es rnufl: be performed , and pubbck Affemblies for Gods wodhip and our inil:rut'tion continued : And therefore · there mufi be fome k!zo"Wn appointed time for thefe. And dd" yot'! know any other day that is finer ? I think you will not pretend eo that : You would not hll'lJe another. day infie ad of this ; but you wou~d have no d~ty at all for fuch holy works ; b~t a day for eafe, and td~enefs, and fports, and vain difcourfe ' a,rtd pleafures, with for:ne ltttle formal p1:1blick worfbip intermixt ~cheat yotir fouls. It ts not then the D.'ly, but the ferious, diligint, holy emplo)merrt , N . and
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