The sabbaths sanctification

These in one respect may be accounted works of piety, namely as they are instructions, directions and reprehensions gathered out of Gods word: but in another respect they are works of mercy, namely as they tend to the relief of our brother in regard of his spiritual distress and need of his soul. The matter of them makes them works of piety, the end whereto they tend makes them works of mercy.

These in one respect may be accounted workes of piety, namely as they are instructions, directions and reprehensions gathered out of Gods word: but in another respect they are workes of mercy, namely as they tend to the reliefe of our brother in regard of his spirituall distresse and need of his soule. The matter of them makes them workes of piety, the end whereto they tend makes them workes of mercy.

There is therefore a double bond to tie us to a diligent performance of all these on the Lords day, as we can find any occasion of doing them: one, the bond of piety: the other, the bond of mercy. Yea as the soul is more excellent then the body, and the good of the soul more necessary then the good of the body, so these works of mercy which so much concern the good of the soul, ought with more diligence to be done, then those which concern the good of the body: which yet we must not neglect. These we ought to do, and not leave the other undone.

There is therefore a double bond to tye us to a diligent performance of all these on the Lords day, as we can finde any occasion of doing them: one, the bond of piety: the other, the bond of mercy. Yea as the soule is more excellent then the body, and the good of the soule more necessary then the good of the body, so these works of mercy which so much concerne the good of the soule, ought with more diligence to be done, then those which concerne the good of the body: which yet we must not neglect. These we ought to doe, and not leave the other undone.