hath vouchsafed to thee in the whole course of thy Life whether Spiritual or Temporal And here seeing Gods Mercies are like himself infinite it will be impossible for me to set down any definite number of them and therefore I shall leave it to every particular person to make his own Collection and Observation But certainly the Spiritual Advantages will be very great to intermix the remembrance of Gods Mercies with the remembrance of his own Sins especially at such a time of Humiliation it will conduce much to the augmenting of his sorrow and contrition for sin for when the pious Soul shall thus reason with himself Lord I have daily provoked thee to displeasure by my sinful and wicked Life though thou hast followed me day by day with thy Mercies I have crucified my Blessed Saviour afresh and put him to an open shame though he thought it not too much to suffer such great things and at last to die for me to rescue me from everlasting Damnation I have grieved thy holy Spirit by my frequent Oppositions of his blessed Motions who would have led me to Repentance and hath often courted and invited me to it and when I have run wilfully into Sin O what earnest solicitations hath he made unto me to forbear Thus and thus O Lord hast thou done for me but yet what unworthy returns have I made for all this love of thine O my Soul canst thou think of this without remorse Canst thou forbear condemning thy self and justifying God And to say Thou O Lord art Righteous but I am Vile and Wicked thy ways are upright and equal but mine very crooked and unequal thou hast not dealt with me after my Sins nor rewarded me according to my Iniquities This was the Method that God himself took with David to work him to a true Compunction of Spirit after he had been guilty of Adultery and Murder 2 Sam. 12.7 8. where you have God reckoning up the Mercies he had confer'd on David I anointed thee King over Israel and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters House and thy Masters Wives into thy Bosome and gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things which in the 13. v. made him with sorrow of heart confess that he had sinned So in Deut. 32.6 Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee hath not he made thee and established thee Do ye thus requite the Lord O foolish people and unwise Directions for Saturday THings of great moment are never so well performed as when there hath some preparation gone before to usher them in Hence it is that we read John 19.31 of the preparation of the Passover which was the day before it was to be celebrated and Mark 15.42 of the preparation of the Sabbath Moses taught the People over Night to remember the Sabbath Exodus 16.23 and our Saviour himself sends Peter and John before-hand to prepare the Passover Luke 22.8 Here is a memorandum annex'd to this Commandment which is not to any other as if God had said Remember before-hand to keep holy the Sabbath day A Man must not think he can step from his Shop-board or his Plough or his Recreations into the Church and perform a Sacrifice well pleasing to God Alass our hearts are so corrupt and our memories so tenacious of the vanities and things of this World that it is no easie matter to give them a dismission and I fear when we have done our utmost even our best preparations are very mank and imperfect and certainly I cannot easily be induced to be lieve that he designs to sanctifie the Sabbath who without some manifest and necessary hindrance doth not make some preparation for it before it comes You may therefore in order to it make use of this following Method The Forenoon and till Three in the Afternoon which if I mistake not was the beginning of the preparation of the Sabbath among the Jews you may spend as you do other days only it may be your care so prudnetly to dispose of your common Affairs that they may be about that time at an end The remaining part of the day and till you betake your self â—o rest which should be earlier than on â—â—her days that you and your Family may rise the earlier the next Morning â—ou cannot do better than spend in priâ—ate Prayer for Devotion Sincerity â—aith Thankfulness and other Graces which are fit for the Actions of the following day or that you find your self â—o stand in need of or in publick Prayâ—rs in the Church if there be any as 〈◊〉 is great pity there should not in reading the Scripture or some other good Book in Meditation and the like holy Exercises In the close of your Evening Devotions desire God to fit and prepare you for the great business of the ensuing day that he will banish all vain and and worldly Thoughts Desires and Cares that he will fill thy Soul with Affections suitable to thy Duty that so lying down in his fear and being awak'ned to the Comforts of the succeeding day thy Soul may be affected with the Majesty of it and thy Mouth filled with his praise that he will abstract thy thoughts from all the Vanities and Concerns of this World and sublime them to a higher degree of Purity that so beginning his day in his fear thou may'st wholly spend it in his Service and end it in his favour to the Glory of his great Name the discharge of thy Duty the comfort of thy Soul here and everlasting Happiness hereafter in and through Jesus Christ Having thus prepared thy self thou may'st not fear to want the Assistance of Gods Spirit in the Duties of the following day which though thou art not so strictly able to perform as God requires yet thou mayst do it so as he will be pleased to accept in and through Jesus Christ Directions for the Lords Day AS soon as you are awaked in the Morning lift up your Soul to God by some Devout Ejaculations or short Prayer and say This is the day which the Lord hath made I will be glad and rejoyce in it Psal 118.24 Grant That as Christ was raised up from the dead by the Glory of the Father even so I also may walk in newness of Life Rom. 6.4 Because thou livest I shall live also Joh. 14.19 Thanks be to God who hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live with him 1 Thess 5. â— 10. Knowing that he which raised up â—he Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus 2 Cor. 4.14 and shall present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Jude 24. Glory be to God on high on Earth peace good will towards Men Luk. 2.14 Thou art my God and I will
thank thee thou art my God and I will exalt thee Psal 118.28 Then rise out of your Bed and that too more early than upon any other day in which you follow your Worldly Emplyments to shew your greater readiness to serve God than your self When you are dressed retire to your Closet and keep a strict guard over your thoughts that you suffer nothing if possible of any Worldly thing to enter there but meditate that you are to keep this day in the blessed memory of your Lord and Saviour's Resurrection and of the great goodness of God in vouchsafing you the liberty of another Sabbath day the continuance of his Word and Ordinances whereas there are many thousands which yet sit in Darkness and the Shadow of Death And therefore resolve with thy self to spend it intirely to his Glory and in his Service and that not only in general but in particular and draw out as it were a platform of thy holy performances that day and resolve with thy self thus and thus to spend the day as first I will read and meditate then I will offer up unto God my Morning Sacrifice of prayer and praises in private by my self afterwards with my family Then I will spend the time between this and the publick prayers in examining my self concerning any unrepented Sin in Reading Meditation Singing Psalms or the like Then betake thy self humbly to thy knees and pray fervently and earnestly unto Almighty God and praise his name desiring God in the conclusion to inflame thee with a spiritual zeal and affection that thou may'st enter into his Gates with thanksgiving and into his Courts with praise that thy soul may be satisfied with the fulness of his House as with marrow and fatness That he will give thee reverence in his House and a holy dread and awe of his more immediate presence there that he will give thee fervency in thy Devotions attention unto his Word a retentive memory and grace to reduce the same to practice â—n thy Life and Conversation In a word that he will so assist thee with his holy Spirit that thou may'st perform all those duties God requireth of thee so as they may be well-pleasing and acceptable in his sight that so at the end of the day upon examination of thy self thou may'st not find any thing to charge thy Conscience with whereby thou hast omitted any part of thy duty or committed any sin against God Forget not to pray also for all the faithful Ministers of God's holy Word that God would open their Lips that their Mouths may shew forth his praise that they may deliver his word with power and efficacy to the convincing the most obdurate sinner and comforting the feeble minded and in particular pray that God who knows the several Conditions of all Men that he would be with the Spirit of that his Servant who is to be the Dispenser of his Word unto thee that day and put a Word into his Mouth which may particularly respect thy own Condition and give thee grace to apply it to thy self and to practise it and finally that he will be with all Congregations that are that day assembled in his faith Fear c. A prayer comprizing these Petitions you have in the subsequent pages At the time appointed for Divine Service call thy whole family together and go towards God's House but not without considering where thou art going Keep thy Foot Eccl. 5.1 and go not without longing Desires and hearty Ejaculations and though thy tongue should be silent yet thy heart should speak the louder and let it say As the Hart panteth after the Water-Brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God My soul is a thirst for God yea even for the living God when shall I come and appear before him One day in thy Courts is better then a Thousand I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God than to dwell in the Tents of ungodliness c. As thou art Entring say Surely the Lord is in this place Surely this is no other but the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven When thou art Entred into the House uncover thy Head and if thou followest the Custom of the Greek Church to put a distinction between the House of God and that which is profane or common and bowest thy self lifting up their Ejaculation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God be merciful to me a Sinner thou wilt shew thy reverance to the Place and him that is said to dwell in it and give no offence to truly pious Christians who do not esteem any essential but a relative holiness inherent in it When thou comest into thy Seat kneel down and use this or the like short Prayer O Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel who dwellest between the Cherubims and yet are pleas'd not only to permit but to invite thy poor sinful Creatures to draw near unto thee even for their own soul's Good I who am not worthy to tread thy Courts am here bold to present my self to hear what the Lord will say unto me O Pardon all my sins and frailties which make me unworthy to appear in thy presence and so assist me with thy holy Spirit that I may so perform all those duties thou requirest of me here that they may be well-pleasing and acceptable in thy sight through Jesus Christ Amen Be sure to go early to the house of God at least before the Minister begins with the prayers of the Church and if any over-plus of time remain before spend it not in gazing about or in vain worldly discourse as is too common or in sleeping or the like but take thy Common Prayer Book and thy Bible and turn to the Service of the Church the Lessons Epistle and Gospel and if there be yet spare time read over the latter and see how fitly the prudence and piety of the Church have adapted them to the day and treasure up all those good Lessons and Instructions contained therein in thy mind When the Minister is about to begin say O Lord be with the Spirit of thy Servant in the Discharge of his present duty and open thou his Lips that his Mouth may shew forth thy praise When the Minister begins with the sentences stand up as also at the reading or singing of the Psalms which was a Custom used by the Ancients and now continued by many good Christians because they are of a sublime nature and full of holy Prayers and Ejaculations stand up likewise at the Hymns Creed and Gospel kneel at the Confession Absolution Litany the Decalogue and all the Prayers and content not your self with that slovenly posture of sitting or careless leaning too common with many God who made both for his glory expects the worship of the body as well as that of the Soul and certainly where there is real devotion and spiritual affection in the heart it will discover it self by an outward reverence in the body At the end
of every prayer say an hearty Amen a Custom which our times which pretend to so much zeal hath quite laid aside not following our Saviours example Matth. 6.13 who placed it at the end of his own Prayer nor the commands of the Apostles 1 Corinth 14.16 Be very attentive to the Absolution and when the Minister pronounceth those Words And hath given power and commandment to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his people being penitent the absolution and remission of their sins He pardoneth c. Do thou thus ejaculate O Lord confirm now I beseech thee this power unto thy Servant Do thou ratifie and establish in Heaven what thy Servant doth now on Earth Amen even Amen Lord Jesus Make your alternate responses with an audible voice and still bear your part in the Doxology Glory be to the Father c. Do not slubber over your Devotions but regard the manner as well as the matter pray with fervency and that for others in any Sickness or Affliction as well as for thy self and as if thou wert in the same condition thou wouldest desire them to do for thee sing and praise God with the Spirit Attend unto the Word of God read and preached with all diligence and carefulness and as unto the Word of God and not of Man Suffer not thy Eyes to rove and wander or any vain thoughts to enter within thee to choke the good Word and to that end fix thy eyes constantly on the Minister and what things are profitable for instruction revolve often in thy mind that thou mayest remember them or if thou be so disposed write down the Sermon Shew respect to the Place and Ordinance by keeping thy head uncovered 〈◊〉 never knew any take Cold in the Church Depart not from God's House without the final Blessing which receive according to the primitive manner upon thy knees and rise not till thou hast made his short prayer BLessed be thy Holy name O Lord for all thy mercies chiefly for this thy gracious opportunity O Lord accept of my weak and imperfect Services pardon their frailties and imperfections Sanctifie unto me all thy Ordinances and continue such thy mercies unto me for Jesus Christ his sake Amen As soon as thou returnest from the Church retire into thy Closet offer up a short prayer of thanksgiving again unto God praising him for his mercies and desiring him to sanctifie unto thee that good Word thou hast heard that it may bring forth Fruit in thee to the amendment of Life that so it may in the end prove to be the Savour of Life unto Life and not of Death unto Death that he will bring again to thy rememberance what profitable Instructions thou hast heard and write them in thy mind and by the power of his Grace dispose thy Soul to a constant obedience of them Then if thou hast omitted to do it before commit to Writing what mos◠practical Lessons thou hast been taught Then receive the good Creatures provided for thee with chearfulness and thankfulness yet keeping a more strict Watc◠over thy self than on other days tha◠thou be not guilty of vain idle an◠worldly discourse Eat moderately 〈◊〉 as not to make thy self dull or drowsie in the remaining Duties of the day but so that thou may'st return unto them with greater cheerfulness and gladness of heart After a little Parenthesis or Breathing betake thy self again to thy Retirement and offer up thy Meridian Sacrifice of Praise and Thanksgiving as well for the Refreshments of thy Body as the Soul and desire God to go with thee again into his House and to be present with thee by the Assistances of his Holy Spirit in the remaining Duties of the day c. Then call thy Family together make each read a Chapter and read thy self unto them out of some good Book or explain those places of Scripture they have read or if thou art not able to do it thy self make use of an Expositor When the time calls thee again to the Church repair there with cheerfulness holy Meditations and Ejaculations behaving thy self there as directed for the Forenoon When thou returnest home again give Thanks meditate on what thou hast heard and consider whether nothing particular to thy condition hath proceeded out of the Ministers mouth which hath been the effect of thy former Prayer if so give God thanks that he hath heard thy Prayer and be sure to make particular Application of it to thy self Spend not the residue of the day as too many loose and profane persons do either in Recreations or Pastimes or which is worse at the Taverns and Ale-houses but either in Reading Medicating holy Conference Visiting the Sick praying either with them or in private for them especially for any who have that day desired the Charity of the Publick Prayers pray also for those Graces thou seest thy self to stand in most need of as Faith Hope Chastity Temperance Patience Charity Preseverance c. After Supper call thy whole Family together examine each person what they have learn'd that day and make them give thee an account Encourage those that have done wcll and reprehend those that have been faulty If they have not been Catechiz'd at the Church Catechize them at home and instruct them in the Principles of Faith and other their Duties Spend an hour or more in repeating the Sermons reading to them out of the Bible or some Practical Author or causing them to read and then conclude with a Psalm Then you may with-draw and suffer your Family to do so too for a little while that both your self and they may have time to meditate on what hath been read or taught Examine now your own Conscience impartially concerning the Sins of Omission and Commission of the day and of the Mercies received both Spiritual and Temporal that so you may beg pardon for the former and render praises for the latter Then offer up your private Evening Devotions which being done prepare your self for publick Prayer in your Family by Meditation not only of the subject Matter of your Petitions but even of the most accomodated Expressions especially if you do not pray by a Form and if you do you may before-hand consider of a convenient place to insert such Petitions as either the extraordinary occasions of the day or the particular necessities of any of your Family require which you should be watchful over to understand Then close the duties of this day with your publick Family Prayers in which you may find a place also to insert a Repetition of some profitable Truths that you have learned from the Minister You may pray against that Vice that hath been condemned or for that Grace which hath been commended and desire God to write his Law in your inward parts and to give you all Grace to practise it in your Lives and Conversations Pray to God also for the pardon of your Frailties and Imperfections in the discharge of your holy Duties