[G.J vSixtiily and lastly, The children of Israel rose up early in the niwrninfi on the Sabbath-day, to offtr up burnt- offerings and peace- offerings to an idol, Exod. xxxii. 4-G. So ])apists, Turks, and heathens are early in the mornings at their devotions ; and the harlot ri.ses early in the morning to trepan the lustful youth : Prov. vii, 15, ' Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thee' — or, ns it runs in the Hebrew, ' In the morning came I forth to meet thee.' Kow how should this put Christians to a holy blush, to see the very basest and worst of people to take more ])ains to go to hell than them- selves do to go to heaven. Shall they rise early to serve their idols ; and shall not we rise early to serve our God, and save our souls ? 0 sirs, did you but love Christ more, and Sabbaths more, and duties more, you would then be more early in yom* communion with God, as the spouse was, Cant. vii. 11, 12. Mary Magdalene loved Christ much: Luke vii. 47, anil she came early to the sepulchre to seek him. She came to look after Christ as soon as it began to dawn. Mat. xxviii. 1 ; Mark xvi. 1, 2 ; Luke xxiv. 1 ; John xx, 1. Men that love the world can rise early to gain the world. Now shall nature do more than grace ? Shall ihe love of the world outdo the love of Christ ? The Lord forbid. And thus I have done with those considerations that should quicken you up to sanctify the Sabbath, by rising as earl}' in the morning as your age, health, strength, ability, and bodily infirmi- ties will permit. But,
5. Fifthly, You must sanctify the Sabbath, by a religious perfoi^m- ance of all the duties of the day.
Quest. What are they ?
Quest. What are the public duties that are to be performed on that day?
[1.] First, To assemble yourselves luith the people of God to hear his word, Neh. viii. 1-9 ; Mat. xiii, 54 ; Joel i. 13, 14 ; Luke iv. 16, 17 ; John xx. 19, 26 ; Acts ii. 1, 44, 46, and v. 12 ; 1 Cor. xi. 20.
[2.] Secondly, Prayer, Ps. v. 7, xHi. 4. and cxviii. 24-26 ; Isa. Ivi. 7 ; Mat. xxi. 13 ; Acts i. 13, 14, ii. 46, 47, and xvi. 13 ; Heb. xiii. 15.
[3.] Thirdly, The administrations of the seals, Acts ii. 46, and xx. 7 ; 1 Cor. xi. 20, 33.
[4.] Fourthly, Singing of psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs, Ps. xcii. 1 ; Mat. xxvi. 30; 1 Cor. xiv. 15; James v. 13; Heb. ii. 12.
[5.] Fifthly, Works of mercy and charity,'^ eh. viii. 9-12; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.
[6.] Sixthly and lastly. The ccnsitres of the Church, as casting out of communion the obstinate, and in receiving such into communion as the Lord hath received into commum'on and fellowship with himself, 1 Tim. v. 20, 21 ; 1 Cor. v. 4; 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7 ; Rom. xiv. 1, and xv. 7, <fcc.
ISA. XLII. 24, 25.] THE LATE FIERY DISPENSATION. 293
Quest. What are the private duties that are to be performed on that day?
Ans. [1.] First, Prayer «7i our families and closets, Col. iii. 17; Luke xviii. 1, 2; 1 Thes. v. 18; Eph. vi. 18. See my treatise on Closet Prayer, &c.i
[2.] Secondly, Reading of the zuord, Josh. i. 8 ; Deut. vi. 6, 8-10, xi. 19, and iv. 10 ; John v. 3.5 ; Col. iii. 16 ; Kev. i. 3.
[3.] Thirdly, Meditation, Ps. i. 2, and cxix. 97 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 5 ; 1 Tim. ii. 11, 18.
Quest. But on what must we meditate ?
Ans. (1.) Upon the holiness, greatness, and graciousness of God.
(2.) Upo7i the person, natures, offices, excellencies, beauties, glories, riches, fulness, and sweetness of Christ.
(3.) Upon the blessed truths that ive either hear or read.
(4.) Upon our own emptiness, nothingness, baseness, vileness, and unworthiness.
(5.) Upon the loorks of creation and redemption.
(6.) Upon our spiritucd and internal ivants.
(7.) Upon that eternal rest that is reserved for the people of God, Heb. iv. 9.
[4.] Fourthly, Instructing, examining, and preparing of your fami- lies, according to the measures of grace you have received, Deut. vi. 7, and xi. 18, 20 ; Gen. xviii. 19, 20 ; Josh. xxiv. 15.
[5.] Fifthly, Singing of psalms, James v. 13; Col. iii. 16; Eph. v. 19.
[6] Sixthly, Holy conference upon the word, Luke xiv. 8-12, 15, 16, and xxiv. 14, 17, 18 ; Col. iv. 6 ; Mai. iii. 16, 17, &c.
[7.] Seventhly, Visitiiig and relieving the sick, the p)oor, the dis- tressed, afflicted, and imprisoned saints of God, Mat. xv. 34-40 ; James i. 27, &c.'
Now mark, when the public ordinances may be enjoyed in Christ's way, and in their liberty, purity, and glory, it will be your wisdom so to manage all your family duties and closet duties, as that you do not shut out more public worship. It is more observable that the Sab- baths and public service are joined together: Lev. xix. 30, ' Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary : I am the Lord.' Now what God hath solemnly ' joined together, let no man put asunder.' Every Christian should make it his great care that private duties do not eat up public ordinances, and that public ordinances do not shut out private duties. More of this you may see in my discourse on Closet Prayer.^ But,
6. Sixthly, You must sanctify the Sabbath, by managing all the duties of that day as under the eye of God.^ God's eye is very much upon his people whilst they are in religious duties and services. Therefore, in the tabernacle, the place of God's public worship, it was thus com- manded, Exod. XXV. 37, ' Thou shalt make seven lamps, and they shall light the lamps, that they may give light:' to teach us that nothing there escapes his sight ; for in his house there is always light : and so
1 Vol. II.. as before.— G. " Vol. II., as before.— G.
=» God is totus oculus, all eye. As the eyes of a well-drawn picture are fastened on thee which way soever thou turnest, so are the eyes of the Lord.
294 London's lamentations on [Isa. XLII. 24, 25.
"svhen the temple was built, ' Mine ej-es,' saith God, ' shall be there j)erpotually,' 1 Kings ix. 3. It was an excellent saying of Ambrose, ^ ' If thou canst not hide thyself from the sun, which is God's njinister of light, how impossible will it be to hide thyself from him whose eyes are ton thousand times brighter than the sun!' ^Subjects will carry themselves sweetly and loyally wlien they are under their sovereign s eye ; and children will carry themselves dutifully when they are under their jjarents' eye ; and servants will carry themselves wisely and pru- dently when they are under their minister's- eye. God's eye is the best tutor to keep the soul in a gracious frame. It is good to have a fixed eye on him whose e3'e is always fixed on thee, Job xxxi. 5, 6 ; Prov. XV. 9, and v. 21. The best way on earth to keep close to God's pre- cepts, is always to walk as in his presence. No man on earth, by day or night, can draw a curtain between God and him. There is a three- fold eye of God that is present in the assemblies of his people. As,