t9O eìtreatifof the Sabboth. follieof hharifees,faying, when it is yefay, Faire weather:for the skeisred. ;..eud in the morningyefay,Ta dayfhall bea tempeft: for theske is red& louring. O bypoctites,ye can difcerne theface ofthe ske,. andcanye not difcerne thefignesof the times ? True it is, that this h rituall vie and holy meditation of the creatures of God lhould be our whole life : howbeitbecaufe our diffra&cionsin cur lawf'uhl and ordinarie callingswill not per. lo tlns fo fully in refpea of our finite nature,wee muf rememberon the Sabbothday tovie arecouerie, andby Chrifhian diligencetomakerecompencefor our fanner negli. .genre herein. Andin lbheauenlya varieties which both by precept and pra6tife wee haue receiuedof our forefathersfor thispurpofe, wee Mall much profit and fet forward this esercife, if in wifedome of the fpifitweendeuour to frameour meditations efpecially about thofe things, whereof byseafonof our callings, in refpea ofourcountries, incon- Iidcration of the feafons of theyeere wee haue moltfpeciall occahonoffered. Now if by reafonoffome dnines or deadues,by thecorruptionofnature andfecret punilhmentoften Totumid dud- incident to thedeareft children ofGod,wecannotfo reuerently,cheerefully3comforta- nesanddead- blydo thefedueties requiredbyour felues alone,we mayhumblyvfe the remedy,whichby ne to thé P%i- the communion of Saintsthe Lord in this cafebath prouided, that fo frequenting the ho- uateeserafer 1y companie ofthegodly, learned and zealous, vnto whomthe Lord bath giuen greater feke the ' libercie both ofgraces and of fpint, wee may bee humbled in regard ofourovinewants, communiondr and take thefupply by themand in them, that ifwe cannot eytherfor ignoranceor bloc- fellomfhipo f kifhnes read the thingsheard, comparetheplaces by publikeminifteríereceined,prayfor- She galY. thefruitof them ;ifweebeenot able torefrefhour fèhteswith con(idering theworkes of God; thenwemutt attend upon the reading,conferring,and praying, thankfgìuing,fin- ging, and meditationsof others; that fo at thehaftwemay eitherhaue our iudgementes elected, or our affethions better thrred vp. Neither muft wee biufli or bee abalbed to acknowledge ourwantsvnto our brethren, butwith all hnmilitie earneltlydeale with them, and enquireof them, howthey can compare and reconcile the places deliuered, howthey canamplifie itbymeditation, howthey feeletheir affeétions renued, how they canframe aprayerof it, how they cangather ofthe creatures and workes of. God fome fruitful! matterof thankfgiuing,that by their godly participation wee mayhaue eyther our ignorance helped,or our infirmitiesrelieued. For vndoubtedly this is thecaufe, why fomanydoe ratherinignorance and deadnes beare theSabboth as a burthen, euen in that they are afhamedby asking the helpeofothers to bewray their ignorance, ordifplay that corruption of nature, which índeede they fee and ferle themfelues . Againtt which worldly and carnal! thamewee mull fight,if euerwee willtriumph suer that endleffe Theme of the wicked, and prcuoke our felues by that helefome and mutuail focie- tie,which:becommeth tilt childrenof God, either for the increafe of fpirituall-gifts, or fora charitable fupporting of the infirmities one ofanother. And there briefly be theex- ei-cites offaithand repentance,whereby wemayeither ttirre vpour fehues, or beltirred of others. Now itremained' tointreate of theduetiesofIoue,becaufe theLord hisSabboth is not but a ofthedutios altloofdoitnrgthegodbypraótifing :andchefeldutseseitherrefpetìtheperlonsof,our oflnua bretixrn,orthey concerne fuch thingsas areabout our brethren. The-thingsconcerning their perlons, are eitherin regardof their foulesor oftheir bodies ; theexercifes refpedfing the thingsthat are aboutthem, are either appertaining to theirgoods, or totheir credite. The dúetiesvotothe foulesof our brethren, are toteach the ignorant,to bring (inners to repentance,tobind vp the wounds ofthem that are affliéfedin fpirit,tocomforttheweak, to ltrengthen the hands thatfall downe,.andthe knees that are readie tofaint,to ftirre vp thewwhich be dull,co adinonifhthe vnruly,toconfirme thefaithofthem that beleeue, to encourage theni in weldoing, which lianebegun weil,and torebuke thewilfull offenders. And though thete fhould betheexercifes ofeueryday, yet efpecially they belong, to the Sabboth, wherein we make a fupplyofthe wants, whichwehaue on theweekedaies.The duties of loue required to the bodiesofour brethren, are the vifiting ofthe fieke,the re- lieuing of the imprifonedithe helpingof theposteand naifirable, thefeedingofthehull- grit,
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