ment, and maintain a watch over ourselves, that the world do not encroach, as it is very apt to do, Isai. Iviii. 13, 14. 3. We ought to spend the time in religious exercises. This is the more ultimate end of the Sabbath: We are to keep our minds separate from the world, principally for this end, that we may be the more free for religious exercises. Though it be a day of rest, yet it was not designed to be a day of idleness: To rest from worldly employments, without employing ourselves about any thing, is but to lay ourselves so much more in the devil's way. The mind will be employed some way or other; and therefore doubtless the end for which we are to call off our minds from worldly things on the Sabbath is, that we may employ them about things that are better. We are to attend on spiritual exercises with the greatest diligence. That it is a day of rest, doth not hinder us in so doing; for we are to look on spiritual exercises but as the rest and refreshment of the soul. In heaven, where the people of God have the most perfect rest, they are not idle, but are employed in spiritual and heavenly exercises. We should take care therefore to employ our minds on a Sabbath day on spiritual objects by holy meditation; improving for our help therein the holy scriptures, and other books that are according to the word of God. We should also employ ourselves outwardly on this day in the duties of divine worship, in pubHic and private. It is proper to be more frequent and abundant in secret duties on this day, than on other days, as we have time and opportunity, as well as to attend on public ordinances. It is proper on this day, not only especially to promote the exercise of religion in ourselves, but also in others; to be assisting them, and endeavoring to promote their spiritual good, by religious conversation and conference. Especially those who have the care of others ought, on this day, to endeavor to promote their spiritual good: Heads of families should be instructing and counselling their children, and quickening them in the ways of religion, and should see to it that the Sabbath be strictly kept in their houses. A peculiar blessing may be expected upon those families where there is due care taken that the Sabbath be strictly and devoutly observed. 4. We are on this day especially to meditate upon and celebrate the work of redemption. We are with special joy to remember the resurrection of Christ; because that was the finishing of the work of redemption: And this is the day whereon Christ rested and was refreshed, after he had endured those extreme labors which he had endured for our perishing souls. This was the day of the gladness of Christ's heart; it was the day of his deliverance from the chains of death, and also of our deliverance: For we are delivered in him who is our head. He, as it were, rose with his elect. He is the first fruits; those that are Christ's will follow.... Christ, when he rose, was justified as a public person, and we are justified in him. This is the day of our deliverance out of Egypt. We should therefore meditate on this with joy; we should have a sympathy with Christ in his joy. He was refreshed on this day, we should be refreshed as those whose hearts are united with his. When Christ rejoices, it becomes all his church every where to rejoice. We are to say of this day, "This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." But we are not only to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, but the whole work of redemption, of which this was the finishing. We keep the day on which the work was finished, because it is in remembrance of the whole work. We should on this day contemplate the wonderful love of God and of Christ, as expressed in the work of redemption; and our remembrance of these things should be accompanied with suitable exercises of soul with respect to them. When we call to mind the love of Christ, it should be with a return of love on our part. When we commemorate this work, it should be with faith in the Saviour. And we should praise God and the Lamb for this work, for the divine glory and love manifested it, in our private and public prayers, in talking of the wonderful works of God, and in singing divine songs. Hence it is proper that Christ's disciples should choose this day to come together to break bread, or to celebrate the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, Acts xx. 7, because it is an ordinance instituted in remembrance of the work of redemption. 5. Works of mercy and charity are very proper and acceptable to Christ on this day. They were proper on the ancient Sabbath. Christ was wont to do such works on the Sabbath day. But they especially become the Christian Sabbath, because it is a day kept in commemoration of the greatest work of mercy and love towards us that ever was wrought. What can be more proper than that on such a day we should be expressing our love and mercy towards our fellow creatures, and especially our fellow Christians. Christ loves to see us show our thankfulness to him in such ways as these. Therefore we find that the Holy Ghost was especially careful, that such works should be performed on the first day of the week in the primitive church, as we learn by our text, SERMON XXVII.* A Divine and Supernatural Light, immediately imparted to the Soul by the Spirit of God, shown to be both a Scriptural and Rational Doctrine MATTHEW xvi. 17. AND JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, BLESSED AKT THOU, SIMON BARJONA: FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT UNTO THEE, BUT MY FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN. CHRIST says these words to Peter upon occasion of his professing his faith in him as the Son of God. Our Lord was inquiring of his disciples, who men said he was; not that he needed to be informed, but only to introduce and give occasion to what follows. They answer, that some said he was John the Baptist, and some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. When they had thus given an account Preached at Northampton, and published at the desire of some of the hearers, in the year 1734. who others said he was, Christ asks them, who they said he was? Simon Peter, whom we find always zealous and forward, was the first to answer: He readily replied to the question, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. Upon this occasion, Christ says as he does to him, and or him in the text: In which we may observe, 1. That Peter is pronounced blessed on this account. BLESSED ART THOU...." Thou art an happy man, that thou art not ignorant of this, that I am CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIV ING GOD. Thou art distinguishingly happy. Others are blinded, and have dark and deluded apprehensions, as you have now given an account, some thinking that I am Elias, and some that I am Jeremias, and some one thing, and some another; but none of them thinking right, all of them misled. Happy art thou, that art so distinguished as to know the truth in this matter." 2. The evidence of this his happiness declared; viz. That God, and he ONLY, had REVEALED IT to him. This is an evidence of his being BLESSED. FIRST. As it shows how peculiarly favored he was of God above others; q. d. "How highly favored art thou, that others that are wise and great men, the Scribes, Pharisees, and Rulers, and the nation in general, are left in darkness, to follow their own misguided apprehensions; and that thou shouldst be singled out, as it were, by name, that my Heavenly Father should thus set his love, on THEE, SIMON BARJONA. This argues thee blessed, that thou shouldst thus be the object of God's distinguishing love." SECONDLY. It evidences his blessedness also, as it intimates that this knowledge is above any that FLESH and BLOOD can REVEAL. "This is such knowledge, as my FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN only can give : It is too high and excellent to be communicated by such means as other knowledge |