Quest. LXXXII. How should the Lord's day be spent in the main?
Answ. I have so far opened that in the family directions, that I will now only say, 1. That eucharistical worship is the great work of the day; and that it should be kept as a day of public thanksgiving for the whole work of redemption, especially for the resurrection of our Lord.
2. And therefore the celebration of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper was always a chief part of its observation in the primitive churches: not merely for the sacrament’s sake; but because with it was still joined all the laudatory and thanksgiving worship. And it was the pastor’s work so to pray, and praise God, and preach to the people, as tendeth most to possess their souls with the liveliest sense of the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, on the account of our redemption.
3. Though confession of sin and humiliation must not be the chief work of the day, yet it may and must come in, as in due subordination to the chief. 1. Because there are usually many persons present, who are members only of the visible church, and are not fit for the laudatory and rejoicing part. 2. Because while we are in the flesh, our salvation is imperfect, and so are we; and much sin still remaineth, which must be a grief and burden to believers: and therefore while sin is mixed with grace, repentance and sorrow must be mixed with our thanksgivings, and we must “rejoice with trembling.” And though we “receive a kingdom which cannot be moved,” yet must our “acceptable service of God be with reverence and godly fear, because our God is a consuming fire.” 3. Our sin and misery being that which we are saved from, doth enter the definition of our salvation. And without the sense of them, we can never know aright what mercy is, nor ever be truly glad and thankful. But yet take heed that this subordinate duty be not pretended, for the neglecting of that thanksgiving which is the work of the day.
Psal. xcii. 1-5; cxviii. 1-3, 15, 19, 23, 24, 27-29; Acts xx. 7, 9; Rev. i. 10; Acts xxiv. 14, 25, 26, &c.; Psal. xvi. 7-10; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.
Psal. ii. 9-11; Heb. xii. 28, 29.