Seven times a day. If this be used on any day, doubtless on the Sabbath day, because in respect of our callings, other days are full of distractions, neither are the minds at such liberty as they are at other times. The Apostle Ephes. 5. 16. saith, Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be ye fulfilled in the spirit; 29. speaking unto your selves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, &c: as if he should say, whereas other men cannot be merry, unless they ⟨p. 587⟩be mad, and they can find no solace, without their own conceits; yet it is good for you in your most mirth to be plentiful in the spirit & in good affections. The same thing is urged Colos. 3. 16 Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing your own selves in Psalms, &c. What shall now become of them? who think they do God great good service, to come twice on the Lord his day to the Church, and think it a sufficient discharge for them, seeing the Prophet protesteth, that he came seven times a day to praise God: that is, Often he resorted to this sacrifice: for this phrase of speech is usual in the word to set down a certain number to express an uncertain thing. These remember not the often frequenting of private prayer, thanksgiving, conference, admonition, preparation, visiting of the sick, alms giving, which be duties of love, annexed with the former public duties of religion, and as well to be used in the Lords day as the other. If this then be not to be done on the Sabbath day, when should we do it? True it is, that with the good servants of God David and Daniel, we take up every day at morning, noontide and evening to praise the Lord, but especially we must remember to speak of these wonderful works of the Lord in the Sabbath: as that 92 Psalm, which is a Psalm of the Sabbath, doth teach us. Thus see, how the Sabbath should wholly from morning to night be spent in these exercises, and therefore is it set apart from all other days, because that worship of God which we do but in part on other days, may now wholly be spent on the Lord.
Seuen times a day. If this be vsed on any day, doubtlesse on the Sabbath day, because in respect of our callings, other dayes are full of distractions, neither are the mindes at such libertie as they are at other times. The Apostle Ephes. 5. 16. saith, Be not drunke with wine, wherein is excesse, but be ye fulfilled in the spirit; 29. speaking vnto your selues in psalmes, hymnes, and spirituall songs, &c: as if he should say, whereas other men cannot be merie, vnlesse they ⟨p. 587⟩be mad, and they can finde no solace, without their own conceits; yet it is good for you in your most mirth to be plentiful in the spirit & in good affections. The same thing is vrged Colos. 3. 16 Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you in all wisedome, teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes, &c. What shall now become of them? who thinke they doe God great good seruice, to come twise on the Lord his day to the Church, and thinke it a sufficient discharge for them, seeing the Prophet protesteth, that hee came seuen times a day to praise God: that is, Often he resorted to this sacrifice: for this phrase of speech is vsuall in the word to set down a certaine number to expresse an vncertaine thing. These remember not the often frequenting of priuate praier, thanksgiuing, conference, admonitiō, preparation, visiting of the sicke, almes giuing, which be duties of loue, annexed with the former publike duties of religion, and as wel to be vsed in the Lords day as the other. If this then be not to be done on the Sabbath day, when should we do it? True it is, that with the good seruants of God Dauid and Daniel, wee take vp euery day at morning, noonetide and euening to praise the Lord, but especially wee must remember to speake of these wonderfull workes of the Lord in the Sabbath: as that 92 Psalme, which is a Psalme of the Sabbath, doth teach vs. Thus see, how the Sabbath should wholy from morning to night be spent in these exercises, and therefore is it set apart from all other dayes, because that worship of God which we doe but in part on other dayes, may now wholy be spent on the Lord.
