A25478:650
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1676
Sermon 6 › Rules drawn from the Negative part of this model.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Call it so, we are not to account the Sabbath as an ordinary and common thing, but to put a very high and precious valuation upon it, as, delightful, the holy of the Lord, and of honourable renown.
A delight, thy delight, we must call it so, account it so, or make it so.
The Sabbath must be a delectable thing to us; a nest of sweetnesses, the delight of our eyes, the joy and rejoicing of our hearts; a day, wherein all our comforts and pleasures do concentre, all our fresh springs must be in it. And this I humbly conceive the Holy Ghost doth most significantly oppose unto the pleasures forbidden before in this same verse.
If thou turn away thy foot from doing thy pleasure, &c. q.d. must we be excluded and shut out from all pleasures and delights upon the Sabbath. No, saith the Holy Ghost, sanctify the Sabbath of Jehovah, and thou shalt not need to fear the want of pleasure, neither shalt thou need to be beholden to the flesh or the world for delights. The Sabbath it self will be incomparably more sweet and delectable to thee, than all the sensual and luscious contentments and satisfactions which this whole sublunary world can afford. Make the Sabbath thy delight, and thou shalt need to knock at no other door for pleasurable entertainments. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, call my Sabbath thy Delight, he would make his day unto thee a spring of sweetness, that shall always be flowing out to eternal life: a day well spent with God will fill the soul with joy unspeakable and full of glory.