XV. Concerning the worthy receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper XVI. The Second Part on the fame Subject XVII. For WHITSUNDAY.-Upon the De- Scent of the Holy Ghost, and the many Gifts thereby conveyed to Mankind XVIII. The First Part of the Sermon for Ro- gation Week, and an Acknowledg- ment that every good Thing we enjoy XIX, The Second Part for Rogation Week, DISCOURSES ON SEVERAL SUBJECTS. DISCOURSE I. Upon the Place and Time of Prayer. ISAIAH lvi. 2. 7. 2 Bleffed is the man that doeth this, and the fon of man that layeth bold on it, that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and his hands from doing any evil. Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. W E read, in the first book of Mofes, that in the beginning God, by his almighty power, wifdom, and goodness, created both heaven and earth, the fun, the moon, and ftars, the fish in the fea, and all other creatures for the use of man; that he also created man in his own image, and gave him power and rule over the reft of the creation, in order that he might use all these good creatures according A 2 according to the command he had received, and that he might prove himself thankful and obedient for all the benefits fo liberally and graciously beftowed upon him, without any defert or merit of his own; for as to his bodily compofition, he was made out of the duft of the earth, and all the good in him proceeded from the pure infpiration of the breath of God, by which he became a living foul, or an animated creaturé, indued with powers and virtues which he could not otherwife have obtained. Now though we ought at all times, and in all places, to have in remembrance, and to be thankful to our gracious Maker, according to the words of the Pfalmift, I will magnify the Lord always; and again, wherefoever the Lord beareth rule, O my foul praife the Lord: yet it appears to be God's good will, that we fhould gather ourselves together at ftated times, and in particular places, for the purpose of magnifying his name, and that his glory may be publifhed in the congregation of his faints or faithful fervants. As to the time which the Almighty hath appointed for his people to affemble folemnly together, for the purpose of his holy worship, it is clearly established by the fourth commandment; Remember, faith God, that thou keep boly the Sabbath day; upon which day, it is very clear, from what we find in the Acts of the Apostles, that the people were accustomed to refort together, to hear diligently the law, and the prophets read unto them: now although this commandment of God doth not in all cafes oblige chriftians to observe the laws concerning the Sabbath fo very ftrictly as the Jews did, either in refpect of refraining from fome acts of work (which are allowable in cafe of pofitive neceffity), as of keeping particularly the feventh day, after the manner of the Jews (fince our Sabbath, or day of reft, is the first day of the week, or Sunday, fet apart and kept in honor jointly of our Savior Chrift, who, as he made the world, 4 fo |