The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

A Good Wish to the Lords day.

Hail thou that art highly favoured of God, ¹thou map of Heaven, thou golden spot of the week, thou Market-day of souls, thou Day-break of eternal brightness, thou Queen of days; the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among days. I may say to thee what the Angel said to Daniel, ²O day greatly beloved. ³Thou art fairer then all the Children of time, grace is poured into thy lips; God, even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oil of gladness above thy fellows. Of the Jewish Sabbaths and other Festivals, in comparison of thee it may be spoken, They perish, but thou remainest, and they all wax old as a Garment; ⁴And as a vesture hast thou folded them up, and they are changed, but thou shalt (maugre the malice of men and Devils) continue the same and thy years shall not fail. As the Temple succeeded and exceeded the Tabernacle; this was fleeting, that was fixed; so dost thou all former Sabbaths, they were but morning stars to usher in thee, the Sun, and then to disappear. Other Festivals in all their Royalty are not arrayed like unto thee. All the graces triumph in thee, all the Ordinances conspire to enrich thee; the Father ruleth thee, the Son rose upon thee, the Spirit hath overshadowed thee. Thus is it done to the day ⟨p. 397⟩which the King of Heaven delighteth to honour. Thou hast not only a common blessing with other days by the law of nature, but a special blessing above all other days, from the love of thy Maker. Let thousands mark thee for their new birth-day; ⁵be thou a day (as it was said of that night to the Jews) much to be Remembered, much to be observed to the Lord, for bringing many out of worse then Egyptian bondage;