MEDITATION V.

J

Upon John xx. 20. And when he fo faid, he fhewed them his bands and his feet. Then were the difciples glad, when they faw the Lord."

THIS was the first Christian Sabbath, and upon it the difciples met for the work and duties of the day, prayer and Godly conference. Well, did the difciples meet for this work? Chrift will not let them part with out his peace and bleffing. He comes in the midst of them, when the doors were fhut, no doors nor bands can fhut out Chrift's prefence from his difciples; and what is his falutation to them?" Peace be unto you." A most comprehenfive bleffing! This was the legacy he had left them a few days before, and now he makes prompt and ready payment of it to them, he will not be long awing it. Queft. What fort of peace is it? Anf. Peace with God, peace of confcience, and peace with one another. This was a bleffing moft fuitable to them, who were fo full of fears and disorders.

After this falutation, he gives them a moft comfortable difcovery of his pierced hands and fide, to convince them of the truth of his refurrection, which they were fill in doubt of, by the marks and fears of the wounds which had been made a few days before by the naifs and fpear he fhews them that the body they now faw alive, was the fame individual body they and many others had feen dead on the crofs a few days before. From this,

"

Obferve 1. That Chrift retained the fears of his wounds after his refurrection. He was not ashamed of them, but gloried in them, as conquerors glory in the marks of their wounds after bloody battles. Moreover, Chrift had ufe for them; 1. They were to speak on earth, and demonftrate the truth of his refurrection to the world, particularly to convince unbelieving Thomas. 2. They were to fpeak in heaven, by the interceffion that he makes for his people there, in doing whereof he

thews

fhews his wounds, and therefore he afcended with them, and now appears in midft of the throne as a lamb flain, with his wounds as it were bleeding afresh, Rev. v. 6. 3. Nay, he retains them, that he may come back with them, for it seems they will be then vifible, that enemies may look on him whom they pierced, Rev. i. 7. "Behold he cometh with clouds: And every eye fhall fee him, and they alfo which pierced him."

2. Obferve the condefcenfion and pains of a crucified Jefus to fatisfy his difciples: he fhewed them his hands, he is at pains first to open his hands, to let them fee the marks of the wounds he got by the nails driven therein. Next he opens his breaft, to let them fee the wound he got in his fide by the fpear that was thrust into it. O the condefcenfion of our Lord, to confirm the faith of his poor ftaggering and doubting difciples.

3. Obferve the effect and impreffion of this fight up. on the difciples," they were glad when they faw the Lord." It revived their drooping fpirits, it convinced their doubting hearts, and ftrengthened their faith, and faith produces joy, Rom. xv. 13. 1 Pet i. 8. Now Chrift fulfilled what he faid, John xvi. 22. " I will fee you again, and your heart fhall rejoice.":

Doctrine. A believing and appropriating view of the wounds of a crucified and rifen Jefus, is a moft joyful fight.

Queft. What grounds of joy have we in this fight? Anf. 1. This fight fhews that Chrift hath loved us, and given himself for us, who were objects of wrath. 2. This tells us, our debt is paid, jultice is fatisfied, our furety is rifen, and let out of prison,

3. We have ground of joy, that we fee a fhelter against all the challenges of the law and juftice of God; for Chrift has wrought a law bidding and juftice fatisfy ing righteoufnef. Here's our city of refuge against the avenger of blood. How glad was the manflayer at this fight!

4. Thou art fure of accefs and acceptance with Got Why? Here is a powerful ground of interceffion, the Wounds and blood of the Son of God, which fpeaki eth better things than that of Abel," the wounds are

like a mouth still open for thee; the blood like a tongue ftill fpeaking for thee.

5. The fifth ground of joy is, that the covenant is confirmed, whereby thou art fafe from the deluge, the rainbow appearing, even the fcarlet-coloured wounds and blood of Chrift, which is a fure token of God's

covenant.

Inference. Then we have reafon to blefs God for the approach of the Sabbath; and more efpecially for the news of a communion Sabbath approaching, wherein we may fee, in a remarkable manner, the wounds of a crucified Jefus difcovered to us. O that is the most joyful fight the world ever faw! Let us welcome the Sabbath, and efpecially a communion Sabbath, which brings us fuch a fight. Every Lord's day is lovely and defireable; but a communion Sabbath is in a special manner a day of the Son of man, a folemn and high day, a day to be remarked and remembered, by all the difciples of Jefus. As the Sabbath is the most excellent of all the days of the week, fo a communion Sab bath is the most defireable of all the Sabbaths of the year: For, upon fuch a day, a crucified Jefus is móft evidently fet forth before our eyes; then he appears in his dyed garments, glorious and red in his apparel, a moft lovely fight to the eye of faith. Thefe are days, in God's courts indeed, far better than a thousand elfe where.}

MEDITATION VI.

On the Sabbath its being a delight, from Ifaiah lviii. 23. "Call the Sabbath a delight."

GREAT ftrefs was always laid upon the due obfer vation of the Sabbath-day; and it, was particularly required from the Jews, when they were captives at Babylon, that by, keeping this day they might diftinguish them felves from the worshippers of the Gods, which

have

have not made the heavens and the earth, Ifa. lvi. 1. 2.' We must put all honour and refpect upon it, and call it a delight, not a task or burden. We must not only count it a delight, but call it so, by openly profeffing the complacency we take in the day and duties of it. We mult call it a delight, 1. To God, in a way of thanksgiving to God for it, and earnest defire of his grace to enable us to do the work of the day, because we delight in it. 2. We must call it fo to others, to invite them to come and share with us in the pleasure. of it. 3. We must call it fo to ourselves, that we may not entertain the least thought of wifhing the Sabbath gone, that we may fell corn and wine.

Quest. 1. What is imported in calling the Sabbath, a delight? Anf. 1. A belief that God is the author and inftitutor of it. 2. A knowledge of the ends and defigns of it, that it is in honour of God the Creator, and of Chrift the Redeemer, and for our good. 3. A thankful fenfe of God's goodness in inftituting the Sabbath, it being a day of communion with God. 4. A high efteem of the Sabbath, as the best day of the week. 5. A chearful compliance with the work and duties of the Sabbath. 6. A thinking on the Sabbath, looking, longing, and preparing for it, before it come. 7. A confcientious and willing performance of all the Sabbath-duties. 8. A hating and avoiding all thofe evils and practices that are contrary to Sabbath-fanctification.

Quest. When may it be faid that the Sabbath is our delight? Anf. 1. It is our delight, when we esteem it a privilege and favour from God to have the Sabbath; when we fay, O what a favour from God is this to me, that when I have been wearying myself fix days for the world, God hath appointed this day, that we may refresh ourselves from fuch labours, mind our fouls, and feek after heaven. If we value God above the world, and the joys of heaven above the pleafures on earth, fo we will certainly value this day above all other days.

2. It is our delight, when we make it a day of vifit. ing God, and keeping communion with him in his or

dinances.

dinances. The people of the world find delight in vifiting their friends, and converfing, and holding fociety with them; but much more may we have in vifiting God, and feeing him in the fanctuary, and holding fweet fellowship with him there.

3. When we are not fatisfied this day with a bare approach to God; but when we go to Gad this day as our exceeding joy, Pfal. xliii. 4. and place our happiness in the ferving of God, and enjoying of him; and when we go with joy to draw water out of the wells of falvation.

4. When we draw forth our graces into holy actings and vigorous excercife: the more we are employed this day in the actings of faith and love, and hope of heaven, it will be the more delight to us.

*

5. When the work and duties of the Sabbath are our element and recreation; when we are in David's frame, Pfal. cxxii. ." I was glad when they faid unto me, let us go up into the house of the Lord." This is prophefied of believers under the gofpel, that they flock to ordinances on the wings of delight, as doves to their windows,” Ifa. lx. 8. How great was David's delight in them, when he "defires it as one thing, that he might dwell all his days in God's houfe, to behold the beauty of the Lord," Pfal. xxvii. 4. that is, that he might always have free access to God's house, and enjoy communion with God there. Hence he counts " a day in God's courts better than a thousand elsewhere." David had many earthly things to delight in, fuch as, 1. Great victories over enemies, which generals and warriors do greatly delight in. 2. He had palaces and gardens, which great men do delight in. 3. He had inftruments of mufic of all forts, which great musicians (fuch as David the fweet finger of Ifrael was) do delight much in Yea, he invented to himfelf all forts of mufical inftruments, Amos vi. 5. Well, but though David knew as much of thefe earthly delights as n:oft men, yet he delighted most of all in the Sabbath, " a day in God's courts.

6. It is a delight, when we find increafe and growth of grace in and by the ordinances. We fee men delight

in