A65285:2245
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Secondly. Spiritually. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, that is, If thou turn away thy Affections (the Feet of thy Soul) from inclining to any worldly Business.
Secondly. Spiritually. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, that is, If thou turn away thy Affections (the Feet of thy Soul) from enclining to any worldly Business.
(2.) From doing thy Pleasure on my holy Day.] That is, Thou must not do that which may please the Carnal Part, as Sports and Pastimes. This is to do the Devil's Work on God's Day.
(3.) And call the Sabbath a Delight.] Call it a Delight, that is, esteem it so. Tho the Sabbath be not a Day for Carnal Pleasure, yet holy Pleasure is not forbidden. The Soul must take pleasure in the Duties of a Sabbath. The Saints of old counted the Sabbath a Delight. The Jews called the Sabbath, Dies Lucis, A Day of Light. The Lord's Day, on which the Sun of Righteousness shines, is both a Day of Light and Delight. This is the Day of sweet Intercourse between God and the Soul. On this Day a Christian makes his Sallies out to Heaven, his Soul is lifted above the Earth; and can this be without Delight? The higher the Bird flies, the sweeter it sings. On a Sabbath the Soul acts its Love to God; and where the Love is, there is the Delight. On this Day a Believers Heart is melted, q. d. quickened, enlarged in Holy Duties; and how can all this be, and not a secret Delight go along with it? On a Sabbath a gracious Soul can say as Cant. 2.3. I sat under his shadow with great delight, and his Fruit was sweet to my taste. How can a Spiritual Heart choose but call the Sabbath a Delight? Is it not delightful to a Queen to be putting on her Wedding Robes in which she shall meet the King her Bridegroom? When we are about Sabbath-Exercises, we are dressing our selves, and putting on our Wedding-Robes in which we are to meet our Heavenly Bridegroom the Lord Jesus? And is not this delightful? On the Sabbath God makes a Feast of fat things, he Feasts the Ear with his Word, and the Heart with his Grace. Well then may we call the Sabbath a Delight; and to find this holy Delight, is to be in the Spirit on the Lord's Day.