When he gives a special day, it is for special work. "Today if ye will hear his voice," such a day or season consists in a concurrence of sundry things:

(1.) In a peculiar dispensation of the means of grace: there are sometimes special effects of providence, of Divine wisdom and power, making way for it, bringing it in, or preserving it in the world. The "day" mentioned in the text was that which the people enjoyed in the wilderness, when the worship of God was first revealed to them and established amongst them; this made that time their special day and season. The like works for the like purpose at any time will constitute the like season. When God is pleased to make his arm bare in behalf of the gospel; when his power and wisdom are made conspicuous in various instances for its introduction into any place, or the continuance of its preaching against oppositions, then doth he give a "special day," or season to them who enjoy it.

Again: When there are eminent communications of the gifts of the Holy Ghost to those by whom the mysteries of the gospel are to be dispensed; and that either as to the increase of their number, or of their abilities, with readiness for, and diligence in their work. When God thus gives the word, "great is the army of them that publish it:" for the church in its work and order is (a) “as bannered ones” that is, as bannered armies, "armies with banners," Cant. vi, 10. Such was the "day" that our apostle calls the Hebrews to consider. It was not long after the ascension of Christ, when the gifts of the Spirit were poured out upon the multitudes of all sorts, as was foretold, Acts ii, 18, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet: And it shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and

your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall prophesy." The extent of the communication of the Spirit at that season is emphatically expressed in those words, “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh." As the act of pouring denotes abundance, plenty, freedom, largeness; so the object all flesh" signifies the extent of it to all sorts of persons. And when God is pleased to give, or "pour out" of the gifts of his Spirit upon many, for the declaration and preaching of the word of truth, then doth he constitute such a special day or season.

(2.) When God is pleased to give signal providential warnings to awaken and stir up men to consider or attend to his word and ordinances, such a season becomes a "special day." For the end of extraordinary providences is to prepare men for receiving the word, or to warn them of impending judgments for the contempt of it. This conspicuous mark did God put upon the season respected by the apostle in the passage before cited. For to the mention of the pouring of the Spirit, that of signs and judgments is adjoined, Acts ii, 19, 20, "And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath, blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke: the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come." The things here spoken of, were those signs, prodigies, and judg ment which God shewed the Jews before the destruction of Jerusalem, as foretold by our Lord, Matt. xxiv. And what was the end of them? It was evidently to put a signal mark upon the day and season of grace which was then granted that people. For so

it is added, ver. 21, "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved;" that is, whosoever shall make use of these warnings by signs and wonders, shall be saved; when others that are negligent, rebellious, and disobedient, shall utterly perish.

(3.) When it is a season of the accomplishment of prophecies and promises for effecting some great work of God in the outward state of the church as to its worship. The "day" whereunto the application of these things is made by the apostle, was the season wherein God would make that great alteration in the whole worship of the church, by the last revelation of his mind and will "in the Son." This was a day great and signal. So also when the time comes of the fulfilling of any special prophecy or prediction for the reformation of the church, it constitutes such a season. Something of this nature seems to be expressed, Rev. xiv, 6-8, "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwelt on the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people; saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." The time is approaching wherein Babylon is to be destroyed and the church to be redeemed from under her tyranny, as also to be freed from her pollution, and from drinking any more of the cup of her fornication, which is the greatest change or alteration that the outward state of it is capable of in the world. The everlasting gospel is to be preached with such glory, beauty, and efficacy, as if it were delivered from the midst of heaven; and hereby men 46

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have an especial day of repentance given them.

And

thus it is also at sundry times, wherein the Lord deals with his churches in one place or another, by way of preparation to what shall follow in his appointed time amongst them all.

$24. It is declared in the observation, that such a day or season is to be diligently improved; and the

reasons are,

1 Because God expects it. He expects that our applications to him in obedience should answer his to us in care and tenderness; that when he is earnest in his dealings with us, we should be diligent in our observance of him. Every circumstance he adds to his ordinary dispensations is weighty: and in such a day there are many, see Isa. v. 12, "My well-beloved hath a vineyard (10o 13 173) in an horn of a son of oil; planted in a fat and fruitful soil," that is, furnished with all possible means to make it fruitful. And "he fenced it;" protected it by his providence from the incursion of enemies; "and gathered out the stones thereof;" removed from it whatever was hurtful; it may be, the gods of wood and stone in an especial manner out of the land; "and planted it with the choicest vine;" in its order, ordinances, and institutions of worship: and "built a tower in the midst of it;" the strong city of Jerusalem in the midst of the land, which was built as "a city that is compact together, (all as one great tower) whither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord to the testimony of Israel, Psal. cxxii, 3, and also made a wine press therein;" the temple and altar continually running with the blood of sacrifices. "And he looked that it should bring forth grapes;" his expectations answer his care and dispensations towards his church. Ascribed to him, it only signifies what is just and equal, and which

in such cases ought to be. such a vineyard ought to bring forth grapes answerable to all the acts of God's care and grace towards it.

2. Such a day is the season that is allotted us for special work and duty. So the apostle informs us, 2 Pet. iii, 2, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness!" What manner of persons we ought to be? Judge in yourselves, and act accordingly. Great light, great holiness, great reformation in hearts. houses, and churches are expected in such a day. All advantages of this season are to have their use and improvement, or we lose the end of it. Every thing that concurs to constitute such a day, hath advantages in it to promote special work in us, and if we answer them not, our time for it is irrecoverably lost; and what bitterness will this be in the end!

3. Every such day is a day of great trials. The Lord Christ comes in it with his fan in his hand, to sift and try the corn; "his fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather in his wheat into his garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The fan of Christ is his word; and by the preaching of it, he separates the precious from the vile, the wheat from the chaff. He comes into his floor, the church, where there is a mixture of corn and chaff; he sifts and winnows them by his word and Spirit, casting off light, empty, and fruitless professors. Such a day is described by Daniel, chap. xii, 10, “Many shall be purified, made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand. but the wise shall understand." Many, that is, of the saints, shall be purified, (773) purged, made clean from such defilements as in their affections or