most apt to commit Help me to withstand Temptations and make me wise to avoid all Occasions of sin Seeing my life is but short on Earth Lord suffer me not to sin my Soul into Hell Bless all those I am bound to pray for my Friends and Kindred in the Flesh Do good to all that are good and requite all those who have done me Good let all the Benefits I have received from them be redoubled into their own Bosoms Bless this House and Family wherein I live Preserve thy Servants to whom Thou hast committed the Care and Government of the Family and all that belongs to them in safety Grant Lord that I may so shew all good Fidelity to them that I may find Favour with Thee who alone canst make me truly Happy for ever And now Blessed be thy Name O Lord who hast as well appointed the Night for Rest as the Day for Labour Keep me I beseech Thee this Night from all Evil. Give me that comfortable Rest and Refreshment which may fit me for the Duties of the following Day And grant Lord that where after a few days I shall sleep in the Dust my Soul may rest with Thee in Glory through the Merits of my Blessed Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ to whom with Thee O God the Father and God the Holy Ghost be Glory and Majesty Dominion Power and Praise now and for evermore Amen If thou art weary and sleepy or not being able to Read canst not learn the foregoing Prayers by Heart rather than lie down at Night like a Beast and rise up in the Morning and go out to thy Work without any serious Remembrance of God or pious Acknowledgment of thy Dependance on Him Acts 17.28 in whom thou livest movest and hast thy Being and without whose up-holding Hand thou canst not subsist a Moment without dropping into Dust and if in thy Sins into Hell Kneel down on thy Knees and say At Night Blessed be Thy Name O Lord God who hast kept me this Day past Forgive me I beseech Thee all my Sins and keep me from Sin and Danger this Night and raise me up refresht with quiet Rest and Sleep to serve Thee better the following Day to Thy Glory and my Salvation thro' Jesus Christ my onely Lord and Saviour Amen In the Morning Blessed be thy Name O Lord who hast kept me in Safety and refresht me with Rest and Sleep this last Night Now be with me I beseech thee and keep me this Day from all Evil. Guide me in all my ways and bless me in all my Works and bring me in the end to everlasting Life in Heaven thro' Jesus Christ my Lord and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for the Lord's Day O Most Holy and Glorious Lord God Thou art great in Thy Self and yet good to man Thou art gloriously exalted above the greatest of Kings and yet hast a gracious Regard to the meanest of Thy Creatures The Heavens O Lord are the Work of thy Hands and Thou hast made the Earth and all things therein Thou art great in Power Dreadfull in Majesty and glorious in Holiness Psal 8.4 Lord what is man that Thou remembrest him or the Son of man that Thou regardest him 39.5 Verily every man at his best State is altogether Vanity And yet how wonderfull are Thy Works 107.8 O God which thou hast wrought for the Children of men For man thou hast made the World and replenisht it with a rich Variety of Creatures both for his Use and Delight Thou hast appointed all things to serve him that he might with more chearfulness and Delight serve Thee For man thou hast sent and slain Thine own Son that guilty lost man whom Thou mightest have justly thrown into everlasting Darkness in Hell might for ever live with Thee in a Paradise of Divine Pleasures in a Heaven of Bliss and Glory O Lord grant that I thy poor Creature may so love Thee and serve Thee here that I may at length enjoy Thee fully and praise Thee eternally in heaven In Order to this End I bless Thy Name O Lord that Thou hast appointed a Day of Rest from all worldly Labours that I might attend upon Thee in the Duties of thy solemn Worship and Service O Lord make this Day of rest to be to me a day of spiritual Refreshment and holy Delight Grant that I may this Day hear the Voice of my Saviour calling to all that labour and are heavy laden to come to Him that he may give them Rest Mat. 11.28 and make me so sensible of the Burden of my Sins that I may betake my self to Him by a hearty Repentance and lively Faith and may obtain a Holy Rest in the Remission of my sins and the salvation of my soul Keep me this Day O Lord from Vanity and Idleness from foolish-speaking and evil-doing and make me very diligent and serious in the Duties of Thy service that I may not let slip a happy opportunity of insuring my salvation nor mispend that Time which Thou vouchsafest me for the Good of my soul but seriously employ it in the Duties of true Piety for the getting and encreasing of Knowledge and Grace and treasuring up for my self Glory in Heaven Keep me O Lord from all vain worldly and wanton Thoughts which may take off my Minde from a serious Attention to Thy Word and hinder me from joining with a Holy Devotion in Thy worship Grant that I may enter into Thy House as into Heaven and demean my self there as in Thy sight and Presence and Lord send me not away without Thy Blessing Grant O Lord that to Day Heb. 3.13.18 even while it is called to Day I may hear Thy Voice Thy word with a serious Resolution to obey Thy will in all Things lest Thou swear in Thy Wrath that I shall never enter into Thy Rest O let me not go from Thy House Gen. 28.17 the Gate of Heaven into everlasting Darkness in Hell But Lord speak to Thy servant this day those words which may effectually conduce to my salvation Grant I humbly beseech Thee that I may so serve Thee this Day and all the dayes of my Life that in the End I may be truly Blessed for ever through the Merits of my onely Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with Thy self and Holy Spirit Be Glory and Honour Dominion and Power Thanksgiving and Praise now and for evermore Amen A Prayer before Reading the Holy Scriptures OPen my Vnderstanding O Lord Luk. 24.45 2 Tim. 3.15 that I may understand the Scriptures which are able to make me wise to Salvation Grant that I may so believe Thy word as to do Thy will and walk in that way which will bring me in the end to Life eternal Eternal through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen A Prayer at the first Entrance into the Church LOrd Luk. 18.13 be merciful to me a sinner and forgive me my sins that make me
2.18 and constant Obedience to His Holy Commands all the daies of my Life Q. 5. 5. Brotherly Love Do I entirely love all the Children of God as my Brethren in Christ even because they are God's Children bear His Image and are beloved by their Heavenly Father A. I have a Love for all men Rom. 13.9 and do Desire to love my Neighbour as myself 1 Joh. 3.14 but for those who truly fear-God I have a great esteem of them and a hearty Love to them Psal 16.3 I account them the onely excellent Ones in the Earth And the more excellency I see in them the more my Heart is endeared to them I chiefly delight in their Company and when I can enjoy mine own Choice psal 119.63 I am a Companion of them that fear God and keep his Commandments Q. 6. 6. Charity Luk. 6.37 Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.21 1 Cor. 5.8 Am I in Charity with all men Can I freely forgive them that have wrong'd me and find in my Heart to do good to them who hate me and ahve done and would do me Hurt A. I thank God I bear no Malice in my Heart to any man I do freely forgive them who have wrong'd me and account it but a very small matter if my Lord will graciously be pleased to remit me a Debt of Ten Thousand Talents Mat. 18.23 35. to forgive to my fellow-Servant a Debt of an Hundred pence And God knows my heart if it lay in my power I could freely do Good to the worst Enemy I have in the World If he was in Danger I would do my best to preserve him If I knew him to be in any Extremity I would to my Ability Rom. 12.20 very freely relieve Him I know I more need mercy from God than any man can need Mercy from me and I am ready and willing to shew Mercy to any man Jam. 2.13 as I do expect and desire to obtain Mercy from God in the Forgiveness of my Sins and the Salvation of my Soul Q. 7. Defire of Christ 7. Have I an Appetite to my Spiritual Food Have I an earnest Defire to have Communion with Christ and to partake of his saving Benefits in his Holy Supper A. Without Christ alas I am an undone Creature Ah Lord God! What wilt thou give me if I go Christless Give me therefore O give me Christ or I die It is Pardon and Grace and spiritual strength and Comfort which he is pleased to communicate to Believers in his Holy Supper These I want these I earnestly defire 1 Cor. 15.10 I must have Pardon or perish Without Grace I can do no good Peace with God is an inestimable Priviledge without this I cannot hope to see His Face in Heaven I want Strength to do my Duties conquer my Corruptions bear my Burdens and withstand my Temptations And my Soul thirsts after those Holy Comforts which are far sweeter than all worldly Joys Psal 4.7 These are the Blessings I earnestly defire These are the Benefits of my Blessed Lord and Suviour Jesus Christ And I am willing to part with the Pleasures of Sin for ever to partake of these Holy Comforts and there is no Treasure in the whole World that I prize or desire in comparison of these inestimable Priviledges which I beseech God to communicate to me in this Holy Feast Psal 63.5 Luk. 1.47 Jude v. 25. So shall my Soul be satisfi'd as with Marrow and Fatness and I shall greatly rejoyce in God my Saviour to whom be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power both now and ever Amen Now if upon this serious Self-Examination thou canst from thy Heart make these Answers to these Questions doubt not but God will accept thee as a worthy Communicant and thou shalt beâ—◠〈…〉 Guest to the Lord's Table God in that Blessed Ordinance of Christ's Holy Supper will seal up to thy Soul the Pardon of all thy sins and that Covenant of Grace whereby he assures thee of a Kingdome of Glory for thine etenal Inheritance Conclude this Work of Self-Examination with that Confession and Prayer which is fitted for that Purpose Christian-Devotion IN Some short Forms of PRAYER PRAISE Prayers for Children A Prayer for the Morning O LORD God and my Heavenly Father I give Thee humble and hearty Thanks for that Thou hast preserved me this Night past and rais'd me up in Health and Strength this Morning whereas Thou mightest in the Darkness of the Night have cut me off for my Sins and cast me into everlasting Darkness in Hell Pardon O Lord all my past Sins and keep me from sinning for the time to come Guide bless and keep me this Day in Thy Fear and grant that I may demean my self alwaies as in thy Sight And seeing I must at length appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive according to my Works and must then give an Account of every idle VVord grant that I may keep my self this Day from all foolish-speaking evil-doing Especially grant that I may keep my Heart with all Diligence seeing out of it come those evil Things which defile both Body and Soul Keep me O Lord by thy Grace from all wanton thoughts Words and Looks and from all those fleshly Lusts which will defile my Soul and make me loathsome in thy Sight Oh keep me from my special sin and quicken me to every good Duty Keep me from mispending my precious Time in Vanity and Idleness seeing upon this little Moment of my Life depends an Eternity of Joy or Torment Sanctifie me throughout by Thy Holy Spirit and enable me by thy Grace to live to thy Glory Plant in my Heart a Hatred of Sin and Love to Holiness that I may delight to do Thy Will O my God! Psal 40.8 Joh. 4.34 and account it my Meat and Drink to be employ'd in well-doing Grant I may love Thee with all my Heart and Soul and serve Thee with all my Strength all the Daies of my Life that in the End I may be happy for ever Make me like Christ in meekness Patience Humility that I may be like to Him hereafter in Glory Keep me this Day from Sin and Danger and give me all things both for my Soul and Body which Thou seest to be needfull and good for me Make me ever Thankfull for Thy Mercies and truly contented with my Condition Do good O Lord Psal 125.4 to them that are good and convert Sinners from their evil waies that they may be saved Bless my Parents Give them Health Prosperity and Length of Days here and everlasting Happiness in Heaven Bless all my Friends and dear Relations give them Grace and all good things both for Body and Soul Bless me even me also O my Father with the Blessings of thy Love and guide me in thy Holy ways to Life eternal through Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom with Thy Self and Holy Spirit be all Honour and
of the City and mocked him and said unto him Go up thou bald-head go up thou bald-head And he turned back and looked on them and cursed them in the Name of the LORD and there came forth two She-Bears out of the Wood and tare fourty and two Children of them 2 Kin. 2.23 24. VII You must not mock your Parents nor despise them no not in their old Age much less curse them or strike them but cover their Infirmities and do all you can to preserve their Honour Hearken unto thy Father that begat thee and despise not thy Mother when she is old Prov. 23.22 Remember Eli's two Sons were wicked and they despised their Father in his old Age not regarding his Reproof and God destroy'd them both For it 's said Eli was very old and heard all that his Sons did unto all Israel and how they laywith the women that assembled at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation And he said unto them Why do ye such things For I hear of your evil Doings by all this people Nay my Sons it is no good Report that I hear ye make the LORD's people to transgress If one man sin against another the Judge shall judge him But if a man sin against the LORD who shall entreat for him Notwithstanding they hearkened not to the Voice of their Father because the LORD would slay them 1 Sam. 2.22.25 And accordingly it came to pass For the Philistines sought and Israel was smitten and they fled every man into his Tent and there was a very great slaughter for there fell of Israel thirty Thousand footmen And the Ark of God was taken and the two Sons of Eli Hophni and Phinehas were slain 1 Sam. 4.10 11. To despise the Admonition and Reproof of your Parents is a great Sin but to mock at your Father or Mother is a greater And therefore it is said The Eye of him that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Prov. 30.17 It is written in the Law Cursed be he that setteth light by his Father or his Mother and all the people shall say Amen Dent. 27.15 And every one that curseth his Father or his Mother shall surely be put to Death he hath cursed his Father or his Mother his Bloud shall be upon hun Lev. 20.9 And again Whoso curseth his Father or his Mother his Lamp shall be put out in obsecure darkness Prov. 20.20 That is he shall have no Child to call him Father and so dying without Children his Memorial shall perish and his Name shall be blotted out from under Heaven And He that smiteth his Father or his Mother shall surely be put to Death Exo. 21.15 Remember how the Sons of Noah carried themselves towards him and take Notice why that one was Cursed and the other Blessed As it is said Noah began to be an Husbandman and he planted a Vineyard and he drunk of the wine and was drunken and he was uncovered within his Tent. And Ham the Father of Canaan saw the Nakedness of his Father and told his two Brethren without and Shem and Japheth took a Garment and layd it upon both their shoulders and went backward and they saw not their Fathers Nakedness And Noah awoke from his Wine and knew what his younger Son had done unto him And he said Cursed be Canaan a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren And he said Blessed be the LORD God of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. Gen. 9.20 27. VIII If your Parents fall into wants you must be ready to releive and support them Thus the young Storks feed and sustain the old ones Thus in the years of Famine Joseph nourished his Father and his Brethren and all his Fathers Houshold with Bread Gen. 47.12 Our Saviour thus blames the Pharisees Ye say If a man shall say to his Father or Mother It is Corban that is to say a Gift to the Temple by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me he shall be free from an Obligation to relieve them And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his Father or his Mother making the Word of God of none effect thro' your Tradition Mark 7.11 13. IX You must not wrong your Parents by taking away any thing of theirs without their Consent For Whoso robbeth his Father or his Mother and saith it is no Trangression the same is the Companion of a Destroyer Prov. 28.24 X. You must be kindly affectioned towards your Brethren and Sisters There must be no strife nor Anger amongst you and you must not call one another by any bad Names For saies the Psalmist Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in Unity Psal 133.1 And Abram said unto Lot Let there be no Strife I pray thee between me and thee for we are Brethren Gen. 13.18 Said Joseph to his Brethren whom he treated with great Kindness notwithstanding their ill usage of him See that ye sall not out by the way Gen. 45.24 Mind the words of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause shall be in Danger of the Judgement and whosoever shall say to his Brother Raca that is Thou vain or empty fellow shall be in danger of the Council but whosoever shall say Thou Fool shall be in Danger of Hell-fire Mat. 5.22 Thus Children you see your Duties Now be it your Care to do them And then you shall not only be beloved of your Parents but God himself will love you and bless you and give you the Kingdom of Heaven for your Inheritance The Duties of Servants NOW you that are Servants Know if you will fear God and serve him God will accept you and honour you He will take you to be His Sons and Daughters and great shall your Reward be in Heaven But if not it will not be possible for you to escape His VVrath and Hell-fire Know then These are the Duties which God in his Word requires from you I. You must honour your Masters giving a due Respect to them For saith the Scripture A Son honoureth his Father and a Servant his Master Mal. 1.6 And therefore Let as many Servants as are under the Yoke count their own Masters worthy of all Honour that the Name of God and his Doctrine be not blasphem'd And they that have believing Masters let them not despise them because they are Brethren but rather do them Service because they are faithful and beloved Partakers of the Benefit 1 Tim. 6.1.2 II. You must readily obey their lawfull Commands without Gain-saying or Contradiction For the Gospel requires Servants to be obedient to their own Masters and to please them well in all Things not answering again Tit. 2.9 Again saith the Apostle Servants be obedient to them
Glory now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Noon BLessed be Thy Name O Lord my God that Thou hast preserved me this Day hitherto Blessed be Thy Name for all the Blessings which Thou hast bee stowed upon me Forgive me all the Sins which I have committed and keep me the rest of this Day from all evil Grant O Lord that I may continue to serve Thee faithfully and truly this Day and all the Days of my Life that it may be well with me for ever and ever thro' Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour to whom with Thy self and Holy Spirit be Glory and Honour Power Praise and Thanksgiving both now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Night O Lord my God I humbly and heartily bless and praise Thy Holy Name for thy merciful Preservation of me this Day past and for all the Blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon me I bless Thee for my Health and Strength Food and Raiment Peace and Safety and above all for my Redemption by Jesus Christ and my Hopes of Salvation by Him Forgive me I beseech Thee all the Sins which either in Thought Word or Deed I have committed against Thee this Day Forgive me that I have neglected any good which I might and ought to have done or negligently done it I have forgotten Thee O Lord and I have done evil in Thy Sight But I am heartily sorry for all my Sins and do earnestly desire and seriously resolve to serve Thee better for the Time to come Remember not against me any of my past offences but be in Christ fully reconciled unto me And give me Thy Grace that I may henceforth walk in thy Ways and obey Thy Will in all Things Take me into Thy Tuition this following Night Keep me when I cannot keep my self Keep me O Lord from all evil Thoughts and hurtfull Lusts Keep me from the Power of Satan the Prince of Darkness Let Thy Holy Angels be my Guard and thy mighty Power my Defence Defend me from all Dangers and Disquiets Hide me under the Shadow of Thy Wings Psal 17.8 and keep me as the Apple of the Eye When I am awake let me remember that Thine Eye is upon me Psal 139.2 and that Thou see'st my down-lying and discernest my secret Thoughts Give me O Lord quiet Rest and Sleep and raise me up the next Day with renewed Health and Strength to do Thee Service Continue thy Favour to me through all my Life and in Death shew me thy Salvation Bless and keep Thy whole Church Continue Truth and Peace in this Land Bless and preserve my Parents in Life and Health Let all my dear Friends and Relations be Happy in Thy Love and Favour Bless me O Father and save me for Thy Mercies sake in Christ Jesus my Redeemer To whom with thy Self and Holy Spirit be Honour Glory and Praise for ever and ever Amen Prayers for Servants A Prayer for the Morning O Lord God I heartily bless Thy Holy Name for keeping me this Night past in Safety and raising me up with renewed Health and Strength this Morning Hadst Thou dealt with me O Lord according to my Deserts Thou might'st have sent me into the Land of Darkness and I might have made my Bed in Hell But O Lord as Thou hast mercifully kept me when I could not keep my self so take me I beseech Thee into Thy Holy Tuition and keep me henceforth from all Evil Pardon my Sin and preserve me to Thy everlasting Kingdom Direct me O God and lead me forth in Thy Fear and so bless and prosper me in all the Works and Businesses of this day Grant that I may faithfully and diligently discharge the Duties required of me in the Place wherein Thy Providence hath set me Keep me O Lord from all evil Thoughts which may defile my Heart and from all evil Words and Actions whereby I may offend Thee and deprive my self of Thy Blessing and Favour Grant that I may so remember Thine All-seeing Eye as to demean my self always as in Thy Sight studying and endeavouring to please and honour Thee in all things that at the last Day I may give up my Account with Joy Protect Thy whole Church by thy Power and bless all Thy People with Peace Bless this Land and preserve the true Religion Bless this House and Family wherein I live with all Temporal and Spiritual Blessings Bless guide and keep thy Servants to whom Thou hast committed the Care and Government thereof Give me Grace O Lord to look upon them as standing in Thy stead to me that by the Honour and Obedience which I yield to them according to Thy Command I may serve and honour Thee and according to thy Promise receive my Reward in Heaven Grant O Lord that the Beauty and Goodness of Thy Government of Thy Houshould the Church may appear in their wise and good Government of this House and Family committed to their Charge that this House may be to me and all that live therein as the Gate of Heaven and Way to everlasting Happiness Let thy Blessing O Lord crown all the Labours of thy Servants with good Success that whatsoever they do may prosper and man may have Occasion to say The Lord be magnified which hath Pleasure in the Prosperity of His Servants Psal 35.27 Bless all my Friends and Relations and all that have been Instruments of Good to me let all who have shew'd any Kindness to thy unworthy Servant be ever Happy in Thy Love and Favour Now O Lord be with me I beseech Thee this Day and bless me both in Body and Soul Put Thy Fear into my Heart that I may not sin against Thee Give me Health and Strength that I may chearfully serve Thee And when Thou hast finished Thy Will with me on Earth fulfill my Desire O Lord and make me perfectly happy with Thee in Heaven thro' the Merits of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To whom with Thy Self and Holy Spirit be Glory Power and Praise now and for evermore Amen A Prayer for Night O Lord God who art Great in Power and rich in Mercy I Thy Poor Creature do here humbly cast my self down at Thy Footstool beseeching Thee for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake to forgive me all the Sins of the Day past yea all the Sins which I have ever committed against Thee Forgive me O Lord all my loose Thoughts all my rash Words all my irregular Actions whatsoever Thy pure Eye hath at any time seen amiss in me and be in Christ fully reconcil'd to me For I confess my Transgressions and am heartily sorry for my Sins Give me Grace O Lord for the time to come to serve and honour Thee by a better Obedience Heb. 8.10 Put Thy Laws in my Mind and write them in my Heart That I may know and do Thy Commandments Restrain me O God by Thy Grace from those sins to which I am most inclin'd and keep me from those Evils which I am
shall be wise but a Companion of fools shall be destroyed If it be known that a man has the plague or some infectious disease upon him will not every man shun his society Sin is the disease of the Soul not less infectious than the Plague Should you not have more care of your Soul than of your Body Is a Temporal Life in this World to be preferr'd before Eternal Life in Heaven Can you touch pitch and not be defil'd familiarly and delightfully converse with sinners and not contract the guilt of sin 'T is impossible Do you seriously reprove them for all their Oaths and Curses all their evil words and actions all their vanities and vitious excesses If so their company will soon become unpleasant to you and yours to them If not know you go away guilty of all their sins in the sight of God Oh! What a load of guilt do men carry home with them from ill Company Now are not thine own sins enough to damn thee How then wilt thou hold up thy head at the Judgment Seat of Christ when thou shalt be charg'd with all the horrible sins of that Company with which thou didst delightfully converse For he that keeps another Company in sinning heartens and hardens him in his sins and so at once promotes his and his own Damnation Surely if thou saw'st the Wrath of God and his Judgments hang over the heads of these sinners if thou saw'st those Black Devils that stand at their Elbowes to prompt them to wickedness if thou saw'st the burning Lake which is kindled underneath them into which they are ready to fall every step they take every sin they commit thou would'st be afraid to come into their Company and no Gold should ever bribe thee to become one of their Society If thou art wise and hast any regard to thy own welfare Eph. 5.11 12. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret Keep thy distance then from them and bind thy self with firm resolutions altogether to refrain their Society Hear the Counsel of the wisest of men Solomon and know therein thou hearest the voice of God Prov. 4.13 14. Enter not into the Path of the wicked and go not in the way of evil men avoid it pass not by it turn from it and pass away Observe here the wise man repeats expressions of the same import no less than six times to engage thee to shun the Society of sinners as if he should cry out aloud to thee and say fly fly fly fly fly fly evil Company if thou lovest the life of thy Soul or otherwise thou art a dead man utterly undone for ever Know for certain such as the Company is in which thou delightest in this World such shall thy Company be hereafter either the Saints in Heaven or the Damned in Hell If thou knowest not where to have Society with good men know its far better to remain solitary and to hold converse with God wherein the Pious Soul ascends to Heaven than to be travelling on with a great deal of merry Company towards Hell IX Be very serious and constant in the Duties of God's Service Know the service of God and the Salvation of your Souls are your great work and business in this World which you are to mind above all other things And be sure what you do in these matters you do with all your might No man will endure a negligent and slothful servant who is still mindless and heedless in what he goes about Trifling with God in matters of Eternal Consequence is utterly intolerable Be very diligent in attendance on the solemn Worship and Service of God on the Lord's Dayes and be constant in the performance of the duties of Religion Prayers and Praises to God on your own daies also but be sure you serve God in both with all humble Reverence Holy Seriousness and hearty Devotion God's Service is the most excellent employment and you must alwaies attend it with the greatest earnestness of Spirit Stir up your self to serve God with all your strength employ all the powers of your Soul in the duties of Religion Gen. 32.24 30. Hos 12.4 Jacob wrestled with God in Prayer and so gain'd a Blessing If you play the Hypocrite in your Prayers you must expect nothing but the Portion of Hypocrites in Hell-fire Mat. 24.51 When you approach the presence of God remember he is that great and dreadful God who is Glorious in Majesty and Infinite in Excellency and so address to him with all possible Reverence and Humility Heb. 12.28 Let us have Grace saith the Apostle whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear For our God is a consuming fire Psal 95.6 And O come saith the Psalmist let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the LORD our Maker How intolerable is the Pride and Arrogance of some Persons in this duty of Prayer The greatest Subject of the Kingdom if he have a request to the King presents his Petition to him on the Knee But you shall see a sorry Servant to a Mortal man that will not be perswaded to bow his Knees to Almighty God when he should joyn with the Assembly in Publick Prayers The rude Carriage of such persons in the special presence of the All-Glorious God plainly discovers a profane and Atheistical Spirit Such an one though he be come to God's House Gen. 28.17 which is the Gate of Heaven sits there upon the brink of Hell 'T is a great instance of the Divine Patience that such a Person is not smitten with death in the place where he sits Lev. 10.1 2 3. Nadab and Abihu the Sons of Aaron we know for a like presumption were both punished with sudden Death For saith the LORD I will be Sanctifi'd in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be Glorifi'd And therefore as you tender the Honour of God and the good of your own Souls approach Gods presence with great Reverence and Humility and serve him with great seriousness and sincerity of heart in all the Duties of Religion X. Let all your Actions and Employments your Labours and Delights even your most pleasant Recreations be season'd with the Fear of God and a serious Remembrance of Death and Judgment Where ever you are whatsoever you do remember the Eye of God is upon you and so demean your self as in his sight and presence For His Eyes are upon all the wayes of the Sons of men Jer. 32.19 to give to every one according to his wayes and according to the Fruit of his Doings Remember the day is coming when you must give an account before all the World for whatsoever you have done in the Flesh Do nothing now which you would be afraid or asham'd to own then When in the most secret place you