Exercitations concerning the name, original, nature, use, and continuance of a day of sacred…

(1) Because thereon, God as it were calleth us aside out of the World, unto an immediate converse with himself. Israel never had a more dreadful Day, than when they were called out of their Tents, ⟨p. 437⟩from their occasions, and all worldly concerns, [Greek or Hebrew], in occursum Jehovae, to a meeting with the Lord, Exod. 19. God called them aside to meet and converse with him. But it was unto Mount Sinai that he called them; which was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended in fire, vers. 18. Hence although they had been preparing themselves for it sundry Days, they were not able to bear the terror of Gods approach unto them. But under the Gospel, we are this Day called out of the World, and off from our occasions, to converse with God, to meet him at Mount Zion, Heb. 12. Here he doth not give us a fiery Law, but a gracious Gospel; doth not converse us with Thunder and Lightning, but with the sweet still voice of mercy in Jesus Christ. And as this requireth due thoughts of heart in us to prepare us for it; so it is in it self a great and unspeakable Privilege, purchased for us by Christ. And herein have we a pledge of Rest with God above; when he shall call us off from all Relations, all occasions of life, all our Interests and Concerns in this World, and eternally set us apart unto himself. And undoubtedly that it may be such a pledge unto us, it is our duty to take off our minds and souls, as far as we are able, from all occasions of life, and businesses of this World, that we may walk with God alone on this Day. Some indeed do think this a great bondage. But so far as they do so, and so far as they find it so, they have no interest in this matter. We do acknowledge that there are weaknesses attending the outward man, through the frailty and imbecility of our natures, and therefore have before rejected all rigid, tiresome services. And I do acknowledge that there ⟨p. 438⟩will be repining and rebelling in the flesh against this duty. But he who really judgeth in his mind, and whose practice is influenced and regulated by that judgement, that the segregation of a Day from the World, and the occasions of it, and a secession unto communion with God thereon, is grievous, and burdensome, and that which God doth not require, nor is useful to us, must be looked on as a stranger unto these things.