Perkins - BX9318 P47 1613 v3

- ~------·--·.-·-----·----·-----,---- I r ! V~~.l . 1 0. ~ ther. Chap.iftbe'R._evel. ! ·i'r·t ----------------==--:r-- ....----- ...., . ....,....-... I ----· I formed. But thcfe linnc greatly ~gainll lhc Lord: for herrby they pcruertthecnde of the Lords day: It fhould be kept holy and glori' ous to the Lord, buc they rurne le to the wor· lhip and feruice ofthe deuil. The fccond fort here rcprooucd; are thofe ' which loue more ciuilitic then.th~ former; but yet they thinkc they may doe wl1ar they will on the Lords day; as eo take tho,ir iourncys thercon, and imploy chcmfclues in then· ordi 7 nary affaires; pcrfw:1ding thcmfelucs they maY fcruc God with as good an hc2rt when they arc alone about chcir bufindfe, as they doe ~rd10 goc to the Church. But thcfc men finnc gricpoufly again!l the fourth commandcmcm; for hele~y they make their own day whi<h is the Lo•tls: A third{ort here reprooued, though not fo bad as the former, arc thofc who thinkG: it nccdfUll to fcruc God at thofc ordinartc times of the Saboath which the !awesof the Land inioync vnto men,and therefore theywil come duly to ·morning,and eucning prayer, {hin– king that they arc not bound bclide.ro hearc th~ word of God preached, and that all ,the rd1:ofthe day they.may do what theywil per– taining either to their profit or pleafurc. 0 f this fott arc our ignor:mt peopk, and a great numb_cr cucrywhere. But they {in grieuoufly a0ainfi God, for the Saboath day is called the Lord! day, bccaufC it iS\-\·hoUyconfccrated to A when we fha:Il rakc_c!_ther wholchr J':'ll't ~f _hiS l holid1y,and nnply lt 1n o~r ~ufinc:Hc:? A-T113lll: ~ caufc why n13ny profit httlt by the pubhkc 1 ri1iniJ1cric, is w:mt of priuatc fandipcaridl~- off this day.Thcrcfbrc we mi.JH: lcarnc w fanCtlfic the Sabbath ofthe Lord, for cifcj•c fha! ncucr incrcJfc in faith, knb'wlcdg~.~ obct.bCncc if we lh.ould:for the begetting & incrc_:dCwhc.~r.: oftlus day hath bin fct aparc,& flnc\i!icdfrom the beginning. . . ... OGieflion . 2. Why dtd rhe·Lord lhew thto vi!ion vmo John rather on thls day thCn any o– ther? Anf Though John were >:bt'cnt from tit< Church in regard ofbodily prefcnce: yet hci: was prcfcnt in fpirit with all the fai1hfull, and thcrcfor~ no doubt in thi'sdt~y he ga1ie hi·mfc1fc: B to prayer, &other du.ticS·\Vhich he could per-– forme forthe glcirie of G;id in that folitark pla;:e. Now it i-; the L?rds n·ra·nner whenhi1 fcruanrs are thus humbled; then to co~"\,~and' reucale himfdfc vnto them in fpt-ciall manner; So hcc did vmo Danitl, D:m. 9; and (o Cor..:· nelius, .Aft 1 o. and to Peur praying alone ifr the houfcroppe, ACt. 1 o. II. And fo d~ubP lelfe finding John thus imployed· this Lord~ day, bee reuealcd his will vnto hi"m touching: the !bte of the Church to the ende ohh~ wot!d. . . Hence we lcarne fundry inGrudions : Fi'rG, whereas John beeing in a folit~rie Jfland kept the Saboarh: we may ob[er,uc, that all p<rf<>ns who are fcuered from the alfemblies of the C Church: asrhe prifoners and thofe which are licke ofa dead pallie, or 9th<r great difea(cs: as mariners though theybe in the rniddcfi 0f the fca,fhould kcepe holy the Lords Sabbo:!th by performing fuch duties os God requir~th;as prayer)confetlionof finnes~and thankfg-iuJng; whereby God may be glorified, though they cannot come to thepublickcminifieric of. die v.:ord. " ,· :1 ... : his worfhip, but they pan G'Jkes with the Lord, aod giue him butaparrofhisown day, anq thatthcleffer, taking the reG vmo them– fdue·s, which they mifpend vpon their luGs. Now asthefeviccs muG be abhorred,fo on the comrarie, wee mufr with all confcicncc kccpe the Lords Saboth holy according_tothe fourth commaundemcnt. And therefore wee mull thcrcon ceafe from ail workes of finnc, and from the workes of our callings; and fanC\ifie this day wholly by applying it all to the ho– nour and worO>ip of God. And here we muG I remember, that there is adouble f:lllt:lification oftbc Saboath, publtke, and priuate. Publfke, when men •Jcmblc thcmfclucs together pub– likely, to hearc Gods word forthc incrcafe of I fa~tb and knowledge i and to .call on Gods namefor furth.crgraces; as alfo to giue him D thanks for his mercics,and td receiue his facra– tnems. Priu2te,whe11 men in their priuatc.pbccs implpy themfelues in holy duetics of praycr,rf.ading, meditation vpon Gods \'t'ord .secondly,in that lohn rcceiurd his "i'flon •Oft the Lords day, when hec gaue. him(eift: (6 prayer and holy duties: Hencearifhh a cbhfi– dcration to Gods Church, thAt God drawtth neere to thtm that draw neere to him, :ts lames 4· 8. And let vs humble out fel~cs, and draw neere to the Lord byprayer,and thankfgiuings - and the Lord in mercie wil fhew himfclfe fun– dry .. ~ ..aies,and draw necre v!"lto ~s-. ~ ' • ' The caufe why men hauc fo little raG of Gods rnercie and·JOue toward them,is1 be~a:ufc they doe not draw neetevmohim,byd~ng rhofe duties which te requireth at thm bonds. For when men draw backc fromGod;·is it not good rcafon he fhould draw back from them? and wot~e.s; whereby God is hbnoured, and their fo\1lcs. edified; and both thcfe muG be perfqrtljed to t\>e Lord euery Saboath day of cucry man; For we·r>ay not abridge God of t\~at um~ wherein glorie fhould bee giuen to h1s name, If the officers fhould take our fer– uan~s ill the wccke day fromourpiiU:ltc bufi – ncflc, a:1~ imploy them inpublik-e affaires, ·we would thmkc:: 1nuch at it, though i[ were for I the commongood. And !hall we not thinkc chat God wil t:tkc himfclfc di!bonoured ofvs, This therefore mufi !hrrevp our heartS,and moouc vs to come often to God by prayer and tbankf.oiuing:for by vfe in thefe duties fl>al we get act}uaintance "'ith.th~ Lqrd.Thus muchof the circutn!lanccofthisv1.Gon. A1;d I heard bchtndmee a grtttt voice, tU it had"""' a trumpet. Firtl-, here followeth the parts ofchc vifion,which ;trc t'-''o; The beg\~~ nin 3 g._,_____ 1

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