q6 An Expojition upon the 2. r . '· Neither ar'e we to forbear any Work ofChari.ty to their Bodies, and outward Man. And therefore we find how feverely our Saviour rebukes the Supcrllitious Hypocri~ fie of the Pharifres, who murmured againil him as a Sabbath-hrcJker, becaufc he f1ad healed fame of their Infirmities on the Sabbath-Day, Luke 13. T4, '), i6. T he R!der of the Synagcgue fai.d to the .Pcopl~ with Indignation, bcca~fo 7efm had kaled on the Sabbath Day, T/Jcre ttre S1.'1: Dttp m wh1ch /lfcn Oul{ht to work ; m them therefore come and be healed, and nor Oil the Sabbath-Day. See how' our Lord takes them up, Thou H;•pocrite, doth mt every one of you on the Sabbath loofc his Ox ? &c. And ought not thi1 Woman, T?ho U a Daughter of .Abraham, to be loofc~ from thi5 Bond on the Sabbath Day? And fo agam, Matth· 12. To. Chrift healed a lllan that had a 1llithered Hand, and Jllftificth. this Work of Charity to t his Man, by their Works of Mercy to their Bcafts ; J.nd aHhts, ver. 12. It is lawful to do well ort the Sdbbath Dap· Yea, he appeals to their very Confcicnces in this, whether a Benefit done to a poor helplefs Creature, could be counted a Breach and Violation of the Sabbath, Mark 3· 4· hit lawful ro do good orz the Sabbath Days, or to do evil? to fave Lift, or to kill? Certainly, it is a right Sabbath Days Work to do good, and to put our felves to any Work and Labour that may .tend to the faviog of Life, or eafing of Pain, or healing the Difeafes and Sickncfs of our Brother. And our Saviour hath told us, Mark 2· 27· That the Sdbbath WM medc f or Ma11, not mau for the Sabbath. The ftrid and pundual Obfervation of the Sahbath, .is to give place whenfoever the Exigence or Good Gf our Neighbour doth require it; for God prefers Mercy before Sacrifice. Thus you fee what Rdl: is required from us on the Lord's Day, and wh:tt \:Vorks may be done on it without any Violation of the Law, or Prophanation of the Day: And this is the fidl: Thing in order to our fanCl:ifying the Sabbath, vh· That we onght. to rcft from the common and fervilc Works of our ordinary Callings and Vocauons. Secondly, Tlole Sandification of the Sabba th dbth cfpccially confift in a dil igent and confcientious Attendance upon all the Ordinances of God, and the Duties of his \Vorfhip, appointed to be performed on this Day:· A'nd that whether in Publick, or in Private, or in Secret. ' Firft, Confider what Duties you are to be ingaged in, in the Publick and Solenm Worfhip of God on this Day; for in them a great and principal Part of the S:m&ification of it doth confift. This I mention in the firfl: l'lace as U1ofl: preferable. For certa inly, as long as through the Mercy of God, we have the Publick and Free Difpcn f<lt ion of the Gofpcl, we ought not to flight , nor turn our Backs upon t hi s v ifi blc Commun ion of the Church, but to honour and own the Freedom of t he Gofpcl, by our conlhnt Attendance on the Difpenfations of it; left, def}J ifing the Mercy of God in giving them to us fo publickly, we provoke him, at length, mofl: juftly to neceilitate us to thofe Retirements, which now fo very many, out of Slo th or Faaion, do fo much affi:Cl:. I pray God, that this prove not the fad and direful .Confequcnce of that Contempt, that is call:: upon the Pnblick by fomc Perfons, whofe only Stndy and Bufinefs it is to divide Chrifi; , and m:1ke Rents and Schifms in his Body the Church. . Now the Publick Duties, which are necelfary to the right Sanctifying of the Lord's Day, are thefe: Firft, .e,.ffi:ttionate Prayer, in joining with the Minifl:er, who is our Motlth unto God, as well as God's Mouth unto us: For as he is intrnfl:ed to deli ver his Sovereign W ill and Commands,~ fo likewife to prefent our Requefts tmto the Throne of his Grace. We ought heedfnll y to attend to ·every Petition, to dart it up to Hcavcn·witli onr moft earneft Defires; and to clofe and feal it up with our afttCt:ionate Amen, So be it. For though it be the Minifter alo!:!e that fJ.?eaks, yet .it is not the Minifter alone that prays, but the whole Congregataon by him, and With him; and whatfoever Petition is not accompanied with thy moll: Sincere and Cor~ia l AffeCtions, it is as much mocking of God, as if thine own Mouth had uttered It without the Concurrence of thy Heart, which is moft grofs Hyopocrifie. Confider what Promifes arc made to particular Chriftians when they pray Jingly, and by themfeh•es; J¥hat[oeveryeJludl ask the Father in my name, he wiflgyant it you, John I 5· 16. and I 6. 23. What
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