to know thee who art the fountaine of life of holinesse that wee might be like thee whose beeing is an independent selfe-happinesse and immortality that we might in thy presence enjoy thy favour eternally for thy gratious providence which in thy rest from creation is ever active in our preservation for that as it was thy pleasure to forme all creatures on earth in the aire and those unseene paths of the deeps for our sakes so by the powre of the same word which at first said let them be made and they were so thou still preservest them in their severall kinds for our use releife and comfort nor is thy goodnesse lesse considerable in those remoter lights of heaven the greater and the lesse which thou hast made to distinguish and measure times and seasons to rule the day and comfort the unked shades of night O Lord the heavens declare thy glory and the firmament sheweth thy handy worke in wisedome and great power hast thou created all things the unseene multitude of those glorious Angels which thou hast made ministring spirits and sent them out to pith thâ—ir tents about us night and day for out defence and preservation are the worke of thy hands they and we live move and have our beeing in thee who art the incomprehensible beeing of beeings Above all thy workes is thy mercy and above all instances thereof is that for which we are this day to praise and glorifie thy holy name the accomplishment of the greatest worke our redemption by the resurrectioâ— of thy Sonne Jesus from the dead our creation had not profited us if our redemption had not repaired us when we were fallen in our creation thou gavest us our selves and beâ—ings but in our redemption thou not onely restoredst us to our selves but gavest us thy selfe in Christ the some of thine eternall love Lord what is man that thou so regardest him or the sonne of man that thou so visitest him Who is able to declare thy goodnesse and to set forth that praise which is worthy of thee Thou hast also made the Sabbath for man for whom thou madest this universe thou hast sanctified it and given it to be a time of rest and a signe betweene thee and us that we might knowe that thou art he who sanctifieth us that we might herein meet together in thy publike worship to learne thy holy wil for our salvation to present our supplications severall necessities before thy throne of grace and mercy â—â—ffer up the incense of our prayers and thankesgiving that wee may rest from sinne and our daily labours and being disburdened of all the cares and distractions of this world may approach neere unto thy sacred Majestie with pure hearts and hands But O Lord our God who among the corrupted sonnes of men is worthy to appeare in thy holy presence who art the searcher of hearts and a God of pure eyes O Lord we humbly acknowledge our vilenesse and unworthinesse beseeching thee for thy sonne Christ Jesus sake to forgive us all our sinnes and throughly to purge us from the old levin of our iniquities give us such a measure of thy grace and sanctifiing spirit that we may rest assured of our calling and election to eternall life repaire thy decayed image in us every day more and more enabling us to serve thee in true holinesse mortifying and subduing all our carnall affections which resist the motions of thy good spirit in us make us comfortably sensible of the vertue of Christs resurrection in us quickning us to newnesse of life in a perfect and entire obedience to all thy holy commandements that in assurance of our sinnes remission in Christ our peace we may enjoy a comfortable rest in true peace of conscience and our reconciliation to thee by a justifying faith in him To this end wee humbly pray thee to blesse thine owne ordinance to us this day Lord give thy spirit of prayer and prophesie unto thy messengers therein appointed to entreat a blessing for us and to declare thy will unto us distill the dew of heaven into their hearts and tongues that they may minister faithfull directions for the recalling those that erre confirmation of those that stand and sound comfort to the afflicted consciences of those that mourne in Zion Lord who bountifully findest seed to thy sowers grant that they may finde the hearts and affections of thy people not stony or thorny but fruitfull ground be thou present with us by thy sanctifying spirit this day that thy Sabbath may be our delight and thy word our soules food comfort and refreshing that this and all our daies we may walke worthy of our high calling in Christ and have our conversations in heaven where hee sitteth at thy right hand that this Sabbath as it is a representation of that which shall be an eternall rest from all our sorrowes cares and labours may also be a meanes to direct and bring us to the same even to the end of our hopes the salvation of our bodies and soules the fulnesse of joy and eternity of true happinesse in thy presence through the merits of thy sonne our Lord Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father of mercy and the holy Ghost the comforter of the elect be ascribed all honour praise dominion and glory this day and evermore AMEN To the ordinary evening Prayer may be added this private prayer for the Sabbath O Lord God of mercy and compassion we render all humble hearty thankes to thy gratious Majestie for all thy mercies and favours as in our whole lives so specially this day bestowed upon us for our peace health and opportunity to serve thee that in thy tender mercy sparing us thou hast not according to our deservings by our neglects of thy holy ordinance and sundry profanations of thy Sabbath made this day unto us as unto many others a day of dread and terrour of trouble and flight but a day of comfort an holy rest and refreshing to our bodies and soules in a peaceable and plentifull use of thy holy word and ordinance O good Lord continue thy goodnesse to us herein give us true repentance and reformation of all our lives forgive us our many sinnes and sundry â—ailings in our duties so sanctify our memories that wee may receive and our affections that we may readily obey thee according to thy holy will now declared in those portions of thy holy word which have this day beene opened unto us Lord who only givest the encrease to the planting and watring of those who faithfully labour in thy vineyard blesse that which wee have heard so that wee may walke in the strength thereof and give us a setled resolution to obey the same to submit our selves wholy to thy will and word to have our conversation so ordered thereby that sin may dye in us and the life of grace shew it selfe in an holy and sincere obedience of our thoughts words and ictions untill we come
and to guide all thy thoughts words and actions so that waking thou maist walke sincerely in his presence and sleeping rest confidently in his protection 2. Prepare and arme thy selfe against these encounters of tentations with the whole armour of God look before hand for tryals thou hast to resist flesh and blood principalities and spiritual wickednesses it is a conflict by so much more terrible by how much more hidden and with an unseen puissant unwearied and restlesse enemy with whom thou canst have no safe truce therefore cast before-hand like the wise builder to lay the foundation upon the rocke against which no windes stormes or floods can prevaile The sea-man doth not contrive his shippe for calmes onely but also against furious storms and rough seas prepare thee good ground-tackle the anchor of the soule hope to lay hold on Christ who therefore suffered and was tempted that hee might deliver thee from and in temptations get the ballast of patience and all things necessary for tryals which thou must in reason look for before thou canst make thy port It were great incogitancy to thinke that Satan who could not abstaine from tempting Christ in whom hee found no sinne will ever give thee rest from temptations in whom hee conceives some hopes of prevailing because some sinnes to foil and grieve thee though not to make thee finally his 3. Watch least yee enter into temptation your adversary continually watcheth to destroy you be not lesse vigilant for your own salvation Many a man not marking whether a mischievous temptation carrieth him hath been surprized and led into some desperate sinnes which waking hee abhorred and trembled at looke for more and more assaults Satan leaveth men sometimes to returne with seven worse spirits that security may destroy them whom nothing else could 4. Be not precipitated into any sudden undertaking but consult with God's Oracles first and resolve to be directed thereby Let them be as the cloudy pillar to Israël where that designeth thy stations or marches there rest or thence advance 5. Resist the devil and hee will flee if thou yeeldest or givest him the least ground hee is tyrannous flee from thy lusts they are like serpents there 's no safe debate with them except by fasting and praier the best way is flight stop thine ears to the enchanting Syrens make a covenant with thine eies not to see that which thou maist not desire in thine heart Take heed of all incentives and occasions thereto beware of Tamar's waies and Delilah's embraces the curtisans invitations and presented opportunities suspected company lascivious entertainments betraying gifts and whatsoever may lead thee to the pathes of death 6. As the subtile enemy sets his snares according as hee findeth men inclinable to be taken therewith as hath been said so be thou carefull most to fortifie thy selfe where thou findest him placing his main batteries there most carefully watch over thy selfe where hee most frequently assaileth thee and be constant herein because hee is so in his malice to destroy thee he sometimes changeth his artifices now hee cometh like a mischievous fruiterer with his destructive commentaries on the forbidden fruit sometimes like an holy prophet with lying visions to bewitch the foolish and unstable sometimes like a beguiling courtier with large promises of worlds of honor and wealth sometimes hee plaies the pander shewing a naked Bathsheba sometimes the secret conspirator and puts into Judas heart to betray the King of Kings and presently the executioner presenting the desperate traitor an halter to make away himself the rule therefore is be careful and search again and again into his gifts whatever they are feare the enemy as Saul said of David See his place where his haunt is for hee dealeth very subtilely he never offereth any good but for some mischievous end hee is a great studier of men where hee findeth a gentle nature hee tempteth to luxury where an ambitious to some high and impious designes where an angry to revenge be thou as cautious learne thy selfe well and where thou art most weake most fortifie thy selfe against him 7. Take heed of idlenesse that lazy mother of all evil ever set thy selfe about something which is good that the tempter as I said may never finde thee at leisure to entertaine him What fearful advantages found hee on David in his few houres vacancy to staine so glorious a life 8. Dally not with temptations happy shall be hee who dasheth them yong as Elisha said of Jehoram's messenger Looke when hee cometh shut the doore and hold him fast there is not the sound of his masters feet behinde him So must we do with Satan's messengers sent to take away our lives wee must destroy the cockatrice egges least breaking out into a fiery serpent wee cannot overcome it but say too late as the Turke of Scanderbeg this enemy should have been subdued in his minority a tentation is nourished that houre it is not mastered 9. Pray constantly and fervently leade us not into temptation oft-times these are a divine revenge on some precedent unrepented sinne against which the Saints usually pray and if as often as Satan assaileth wee could betake our selves to hearty prayers wee should beat him at his owne weapon and hee should give us frequent alarms to awaken us to a stronger guard and occasions of fleeing to the shadow of God's wings The first enemy that assailed Israël in his way to Canaan was overcome by prayer when Moses held up his hands Israël prevailed the greatest of our enemies shall so be repulsed Mat. 17. 21. An ejaculation fit to be used as sonne as thou wakest LOrd be merciful unto us blessed be thy name as for all thy mercies so for thy gracious preservation of us this night continue thy goodnesse to us this day keep us from sinne and shame preserve us bodies soules and estates let no evil come neer our dwellings let not the mischievous tempter gaine any advantage upon us or ours this day but direct thou all our thoughts words and actions by the continual presence of thy holy spirit that wee may wholly spend this day to thy glory and our comfort Preserve the Church this family and all those whom thou hast stirred up to shew thy goodnesse to us or appointed to receive it of us blesse us all and keepe us this day through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN After thou hast strictly examined thy conscience what good dueties thou hast omitted or what evil thou hast done in the day and hast heartily repented of the sin compose thy last waking thoughts with such an ejaculation LOrd forgive us all our sinnes and failings this day seal up our redemption by thy good spirit the comforter of thine elect give us that peace of conscience which may cause us to rest securely on thy mercies let our sleep be reâ—reshing and comfortable unto us restrain the enemy that
called none would answer When I spake they did not heare the best that a contemner or neglecter of Gods Word can expect is to be severely afflicted that at last hee may hearken and learne to acknowledge with David before I was troubled I went wrong but now have I learned thy testimonies as Elihu said Job 36. 15. he openeth their eares in oppression 2. God will cut him off Act. 3. 23. Jer. 7. 13. 15. Deut 30. 17. 18. they are none of Christs sheepe who will not heare his voyce they dispise Christ Luk. 10. 16. whose word it is Math. 16. 20. therefore shall it be more tolerable for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for them 3. God will not heare them when they crie unto him in distresse Though they cry in mine eares with a lowd voyce yet will I not heare them and againe he saith as I cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare saith the Lord Zach 7. 13. 8. 8. The fruits of hearing are very necessary and most comfortable The Tempter laboureth to keep us from Church by presenting us many lets pleasures profits and the like whose losse he pretendeth if we spend an houre to heare but upon a due account it will appeare that never any faithfull hearer lost by performing this duty for 1. Faith is by hearing Rom 10. 17. faith apprehending all the riches of Gods mercy in Christ. 2. Hereby thou shalt understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God sound wisedome and understanding to preseâ—â—â— thee and deliver thee from the way of the evill man 3. Hereby thou shalt abide in Christs love and live as it is written encline your eare heare and your soule shall live I will make an everlasting covenant with you see Joh 15. 10. Rev 3. 20. 4. It is the better part that one necessary thing which shall never bee taken away Luk 10 39. what ever else with expence of pretious time we get shall puickly bee taken from us but the treasure we gaine in hearing Gods word shall goe with us to eternity 5. The holy Ghost accompanieth his owne ordinance though â—ot alwaies in visible effects as Act. 10. 44. c. yet in that which is better to the hearers justification by faith whereby Christ becommeth ours to his sealing with the spirit of promise and being made fruitfull to all good workes all which is better then faith of miracles which a man may have and yet be a reprobate Math. 7. 22. 23. 6. They are blessed who heare the word of God and keepe it blessed with health and plenty peace wisedome an attentive care makes a prudent heart He that hearkneth unto Councell is wise and which is best confidence in Christ who never faileth trust 7. Their prayers shall be heard If yee abide in me and my word in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall bee done unto you it was the answer of God to Josias by the Prophetesse Huldah because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy selfe before God when thou heard'st his Words against this place I â—ave even heard thee also saith the Lord lay up his words on thy heart saith Eliphaz Job 22. 22. 27. thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall heare thee The lets unto the right performing this duty are 1. Hardnesse of heart as 't is written they refused to hearken and stopped their cares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law and againe this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearing and againe if yee Will heare his voice harden not your hearts Miserable is the state of those deafe adders who refuse to be charmed who is so deafe as hee that will not heare The deafe heart is incomparably worse then the deafe eare this is an affliction that a sinne this a bodily infirmitie that a spirituall and fearefull curse there may bee true comfort in this there can be none in that The deafe man is secure from the dangerous voices of railers and slatterers and though he be deafe to man may listen and freely speake to God have his comfortable soliloquies wherein hee may confer with his own soule as by writing he may speak to others and by reading heare others speake nor can I more doubt concerning the inward comfort of the naturally deafe then of the infant who though he cannot understand the outward ordinary meanes yet is capeable of the spirit of sanctification and consequently of salvation as may appeare in Jeremie sanctified from the wombe and John Baptist in the wombe As it is in not receiving the sacraments which represent Christ to the other senses so in not hearing the word it is not the privation but the contempt which condemneth Where God denieth either meanes or capacity hee can save by some other way of applying Christ to the elect then he hath revealed to us whom it concerneth not we being made capable of the word preached therefore unexcusable if we will not hearken and obey that we may be saved 2. Unbeleefe if we beleeve not Gods threatnings and promises neither the law nor Gospell can profit us The faithfull Minister prepareth to give amongst others to unbeleevers also the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby but as the true mother to the dead child when I rose in the morning to give my child sucke behold it was dead said she 3. Want of discerning spirit and true wisedome the word of God is a reproach to the uncircumcised eare the carnall apprehended it not hee that is of God heareth his words therefore yee heare them not saith Christ because yee are not of God he that is not of God heareth us not hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour every one that is of the truth heareth Christ's voice When for mens obstinacy God giveth them over hearing they shall not understand 4. Corruption of a carnall heart ever resisting the holy spirit we are naturally deafe to Gods word till Christ say to our spirits as to deafe man Ephphata be opened a naturall Gileadite hath taken the passages of the soule and nothing can enter which speakes not it Shibboleth which pronounceth not according to its custome and affection the itching eare cannot endure wholsome doctrine Herod cannot endure to heare his incest reproved nor Ahab his murder the Pharises their hypocrisie nor Demetrius his artifice of silver shrines the Grecians must have wisedome the Jewes signes and wonders the nice compture of the words witty and pleasing things because they bring only a carnall eare the Atheniaus some newes the Gospell to Gallio is but contention of words and questions of names Jeremies preaching truth
and amity that they give not scandal to others nor create mutual bitternesse to themselves Mutual love is gods blessing on thy family a praeludium of heaven in thy house a comfortable pattern to thy children like the sun-beams on thy possession as the dew of heaven on thy fields which maketh all look cheerfully and be fruitful a state that cometh neerest up to that blessed Paradise-oeconomy of Adam innocent a blessing which maketh every estate such without which no store is blessed k Pro. 15. 17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is then a stalled oxe and hatred therewith l Pro. 17. 1. Better is a dry morsel and quietnesse therewith then an housefull of sacrifices with strife 4. That they do cheerfully and willingly communicate in all that which God hath given them in prosperity advising in adversity comforting each other with such sympathy in joy and sorrow as is in them who are truely one flesh 5. That they bear each others infirmities never taking things spoken or done in the worst sense nor making every trivial matter an occasion of quarrel or alienation of affection but passing by them so as that they may seem rather covered in love then excused in judgement or approved in stupidity in which practice Satan may be beaten with his own weapon while that every occasion which hee administred in hope to former discord being prudently used to demonstrate the invincible love of the party suffering and willing rather to put up injury then to admit the least breach of amity by retaliation more endeareth them to each other 6. That they join hands and hearts to assist each other in the way to heaven See 1 Cor. 7. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 7. 7. That they mutually defend each other so Michol preserved David when Saul sought his life so prudent Abigail endeavoured Nabal's preservation they must not be false Delilahs to conâ—ederate against the lives or estates of their husbands 8. That they neither unjustly take nor justly give occasion of jealousie which ever embittereth the otherwaies most happy families Jerom's rule is here to be commended to women m Etsi negagata non feceris tamen deforme putes testimonium si rogeris Hier ep 2l 9 though thou yeeld not being asked yet think it an odious testimony to be asked hee comes to neer who cometh to be denied The Duties proper to the Husband may appeare in these following Rules 1. Let the n 1 Pet. 3. 7. husband dwell with his wife according to knowledge giving honor to her as the weaker vessel as being co-heires of the grace of life that their prayers be not hindred where there needeth reproof let it neither be rough odious injurious publick clamorous nor disgracefull but allayed with such wisedome and opportune perswasions as may not only reform but endeare in the most happy wedlock there may be some matter of just dislike and therefore due cause of reproof it much concerneth thee to know thy wives faults but not to hate her for them let the rule be either beare thy wives faults if tolerable with patience or amend them with direction if they are intolerable in this thou makest her better in that thy selfe 2. Let a man love o Eph. 5. 33. his wife as himselfe esteeming nothing too good or dear for her good as Christ loved his Church which concludeth nothing for them who impiously and cruelly afflict their wives with stripes or otherwise for God saith p Col 3 19. Husbands love your wives and be not bitter against them it is uncertaine whether they have evil wives but certain that they deserve such who can no otherwise governe then by blowes Neither doth this binde any man to an indiscreet much lesse an impious and dangerous indulgence to his wife wherein she desireth that which needs must or probably may hurt her self her husband or family it is love and wisedome to deny her that 3. Let a man maintain his wife in cloaths and necessaries according to his estate so as shee may live cheerfully with him not as servant but as a partner in his estate 4. Let the husband use all comity holy gratious prudent and peaceable language as a pattern to all his family so specially as a pledge of love to his wife neither like rugged Nabal nor fond and vaine which commonly changeth into fits of extream bitternesse for who can like such inksome levity 5. Let the man heare the wife's advice but never be transported beyond better reason nor carried thereby against the holy will of God as Adam whose dreadfull sentence bare this cause in the front q Gen. 3. 17. because thou hast hearkned to the voice of thy wife as r 1 King 21. 25. Ahab hearkned to the voice of Jezaâ—el as s 1 King 11 3 Solomon whom his wives most fearfully corrupted t Anilâ—e mihi liber videatur cui mulier imperat cui leges imponit praescribit iubet vetat qui nihil imperaâ—â—i negare potest nihil recusare audetâ—â— ego verò isâ—um non modò servum sed nâ—quissimum servum etiamsi in amplissima â—amilta natus sit appellandum puto Cic. pared omnes sapientes liberos esse c. The Orator could say of a man so awed by his wife I doe think that hee ought to be called not onely a slave but truely the worst of such Concerning the proper dueties of Wives I sinde these three principle rules 1. Let the wife be u Eph. 5. 22. Col 3. 18. subject to her husband as unto the Lord in every thing for the man is the wife's head w 1 Tim. â— 9 12. shee was made for man God permitteth not the woman to usurpe authority over the man this duety comprehendeth love x Eph. 5. 32. reverence aiâ— and assistance doing her husband good endeavouring to content please and comfort him See Pro. 31. 11. contrary to which is the imperious command of the domineering wife unreverend speech or action neglect of her charge through pride sloth or riotous wasting her husbands estate 2. Let her be chaste modest and silent the Scripture expresseth this by y 1 Pet. 3. 5 6 1 Pet. 3 1 c. 1 Tim. â— 9 10 chast conversation coupled with feare impudency and chastity are rarely compatible and modest apparreling which becometh women professing godlinesse andâ—let the women learn with all subjectionâ— a meâ—k and a quiet spirit are of high esteem in Gods sight this is God's rule by what law they live who think it religion and good policy by their loud and quarrelsom tongues bitter spirits of contradiction and otherwise to master their husbands and cantonize themselves I know not it is certain these are heavy crosses and no better then the sad furies possessing and so restlesly haunting the house of a wretched man that hee may well take up that old bemoaning z Hei mihi nec sine te nec tecum vivere possum Woe is
mee that I can neither live well with thee nor without thee Such dishonors of the lovely sex disgraces of woman-hood caused some wise men besides the over-wived a Interrâ—gatus utrum melius esset uxorem ducere néâ—ne inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 D. Laert. l. 1. Socrat l. 2. Psal. 128. Socrates to judge that there is matter of repentance both in wedlock and single life but the good woman openeth her mouth with wisedom and her tongue is the law of kindness Prov. 31. 26. 3. Let her b Tit. 2. 5. keepe at home like the fruitfull vine upon the walls of the house breeding up her children and providing for them it is that which God enjoineth that they be discreet chaste keepers at home it is the harlots character Prov. 7. 11. Shee is loud and stubborn her feet abide not in her house now shee is without now in the streets and lieth in waite at every corner Thus much of the duety of the married to the Widow I have to say she is free to marry again but advise her to take heed that 1. Shee marry not to low least suspicion brand her with the obloquie of some former familiarity 2. That shee marry not too soon least shee that can so quickly abolere Sichaeum be thought for want of love to make such short exequies Valeria being demanded why she married not againe could say My Servius is dead to others not to mee 3. That shee sell not her children to want and her selfe to misery by an ungodly concourse of lust and avarice 4. That shee consider well that which deterred Cato's daughter from second marriage I cannot easily said shee finde that man which loveth mee so much as my estate A Praier for the married O Lord God who didst create man and woman joyne them in marriage sanctify and blesse us whom thy providence hath joyned together Lord give us one heart to love thee and one another in thee that we may be heires together of the promise that thy blessings of heaven above and earth beneath the blessings of peace vnity and plenty may be upon us and all that thou givest us Lord Jesus who didst furnish the wants at the Cana marriage with a bountiful supply supply all our necessities with those things which thou knowest necessary for us that in every estate we may finde a cheerful sufficiency Keepe us bodies and soules from all the snares of Satan the distractions of the world corruptions of flesh and blood and the power of sinne that we may live unblameably toward all men and holily before thee to the good examples of sanctity and sobriety to our families and mutual comforts and blessings to each other through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen CHAP. XXV Concerning the duties of Parents and Children § 1. What honor to Parents want of Children good Parents of evil Children § 2. Duety of the Parent Rules thereto belonging § 3. Dueties of Children Rules thereof Motives thereto 1. HOnour thy father and thy mother saith the Lord. Under this name are comprehended all superiors and governers parents by nature order or institution as under the name of children all inferiors sonnes daughters subjects pupills servants c. and honor importeth all dueties respectively to be performed 2. Want of Children is a great affliction to some therefore Hannah wept and prayed in bitternesse of soul it was then a reproach and affliction to the just and a curse on the wicked When God said unto Abraham Fear not I am thy shield and exceeding great reward hee replyed Lord God what wilt thou give mee seeing I goe childlesse Give mee children or I die said impatient Rachel Shee knew not then what 't was to have a Benoni a sonne of sorrow Children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward hee maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyfull mother of children as the fruitful vine on the sides of the house with children like olive branches God maketh the just mans wife Great blessings if good or greatest afflictions if otherwise certaine cares uncertain comforts a lovely possession but ever bringing the most happy possessor many cares feares and troubles to some most bitter sorrowes if God give thee no children hee hath given thee the lesse care and occasion of sorrows which in their losse sitteth heavily even on the hearts of those mourning parents who may say as that Shunamite Did'I not desâ—re a sonne of my Lord did I not say doe not decceve mee Be thankful for that which God hath given thee no man hath all happinesse some thou hast the greatest if hee hath given thee Christ thy Redeemer and Saviour how justly may hee say that of Elkanah Why is thy heart grieved am not I better to thee then ten sons 3. That good parents have sometimes evil children appeareth in Noah's Cham Elie's and Samuel's sons David's Amnon and Absolom Jehoshaphat's Hezekiah's Manasse and the like Thus God pleaseth either to punish their neglects in breeding them or to exercise their patience and humble them so likewise to manifest to the world that sanctity is by no natural propagation but free grace Sometimes wicked parents have holy sons as appeareth in Josiah sonne of Amon and many others that none may despair of whatsoever family he come 1. The duety of a Parent toward his children is to nourish and breed them up providing necessaries for them to teach them the feare of the Lord 1 Tim. 5. 1. Tit. 2. 4. Gen. 18. 19. Exod. 12. 27. Exod. 13. 8 14. Deut. 4. 10. Deut. 6. 7 20. Deut. 11. 19. Deut. 32. 46. Josh. 4. 6 7 21 22. Josh. 22. 24. Psal. 74. 4. Isai. 38. 19. Joël 1. 3. Ephes. 6. 4. to reprove their â—innes 1 Sam 3. 13. Prov. 13. 24. Prov. 29. 17. Hebr. 12. 9. Gen. 34. 30. to pray for them 2 Sam. 12. 16. Job 1. 5. to lay up forâ—them 2 Cor. 12. 14. Gen. 24. 36. 2 Chron. 21. 3. to bestow them in marriage Gen. 24. 2 3. Gen. 21. 21. Gen. 28. 1. Judg. 14. 3 5. Therefore these following rules are necessary for parents concerning the same 1. Study thy family that thou maist not be a stranger at home first it is necessary for thee to proportion the expences thereof and the breeding of thy children according to thy estate lest thou build higher then thy foundation will beare it hath been the evident ruine of many families that parents have bred their children in so great an heigth as that the meanes they were able to leave them could not maintain them It is not a little wisedom to live within thy fortunes and to use thy children to a condition rather much too low then the least little above thy estate the minde will easily greaten and rise with the fortunes but very hardly lessen or descend it is an evident danger to beare a saile
and how canst thou correct thy children for imitating thee when thou doest worst in teaching by example When they learne cursing swearing profanation intemperance rude and foul language which hath cost many a life obscence and â—ilthy talke irreligion and neglect of all good duties from parents they think themselves justified by their sins Hence usually is hatched an evil egge of a bad bird a corrupt and cursed seed Hence cometh it to passe that children doe not more commonly inherit their fathers patrimonies then their vices and sooner are they possessed of these then them those come to them after their fathers death these in their life so have they descended to them true vices before those things which are but falsly called good Woe worth such parents and miserable are their children beyond those who by their parents impious superstition passed through those Moloch flames wherein a soon dying body perished but here is the danger of body and soul eternally perishing in hells unquenchable fire The heathen would have taught these seeming Christians better Let nothing said he uncomely to be spoken or done so much as touch these doors within which there is a childe If any evil in thy family happen to be done it ought with much discretion to be drawn to a present example of detestation of that sinne as the Spartans woont to shew their drunken servants to their children that by their discomposed deportments and loathsome deformity they might learn to detest drunkennesse 10. Pray continually for thy children O that Ismaël might live in thy sight cryed Abraham Gen. 17. 18. Job rose up early every day to sacrifice for his sonnes lest they should beare some inexpiated sinnes Job 1. 5. Thine owne experience of the folly and frailty of youth their ignorance pronenesse to error and sinne their many dangerous temptations should stirre up thy natural affâ—ctions to this duety unexcusable before God are they that neglect it and damnable they who instead of praying for them curse them on inconsiderable and lesse grounds then that which instigated Micha's mother thereto Jud. 17. 2. No wonder said the heathen that so many children prove impious seeing they grow up among their parents curses It is true the causelesse curse shall not come and that God can turn a Balaam's curse into a blessing yet Jotham's curse fell on the wicked Shechemites and heavily fell good Noah's on Cham and his posterity yea impious parents commonly see the fruits of their rash curses in their childrens ruine 11. Look on thy children as the blessings which God hath given thee we are all the sonnes of Time which devoureth all it own brood we have here â—o continuing city wee must all part again until wee meet in eternity when God took away Job's dear children he said The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord It is no little bitternesse to flesh and blood to loose hopeful children but we must in such case consider how much more happy they who rest in Christ are then we who survive to mourne for them It is one of the most incongruous acts of a reasonable soule to bewaile those whom wee beleeve blessed Next we must consider God's justice afflicting us for loving things humane too much and his mercy in taking them away from evils to come disburdening us of the care he entrusted to us for a time nor can any say what a childe may prove there are Adoniahs and Absoloms still sweet children but rebellious men there are lovely Dinahs and fair Tamars pleasant children but in their maturity bitter break-hearts Neither may wee sorrow as men without hope wee have not lost them but their company for a time David who bewailed an impious sonne bitterly comforted himself in the death of his harmless infant I shall go to him he shall not return to me Do not deceive thy self God hath given thee a short use not any lasting propriety in things secular when they told a prudent heathen of his deare sonnes death he replyed I knew I had begotten a mortal sonne Thou canst not want examples of mortality in thine own family wherein thou missest many of thy Ancestors and friends let nothing seem unsufferable or strange to thee which is both common and inevitable be sure thou want not the true use thereof which is a due value of all things present and making haste to provide thy selfe and children for a better life in the want of a good childe rather rejoice that thou hadst such an one then lament that hee is gone into God's kingdome of glory before thee while thou enjoyest their company remember to instruct them for eternity he said true An aged father is a fugitive pleasure and so are yong children thou knowest not when they goe out of thy sight whether ever thou shalt see them again till thou meet them in the kingdom of heaven there all teares shall be wiped from thine eies there shall be no more sinne sorrow curse nor fear of deaths parting deare friends there shall be blessednesse without measure or end A Parents praier for his Children O Lord God everlasting father of mercy of whom is named the whole family in heaven and earth abundant in goodnesse and trueth shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love thee and keep thy commandements Give mee grace to be upright and holy before thee that it may according to thy promise who canst not deceive go well with me and my children after mee Thou who art the God of my fathers and hast preserved me from my mothers womb who hast blessings in store for all that fear thee for their generations who depend on thee plant thy fear in every one of their hearts and sanctifie them bodies and soules whom thou hast given mee so that in whatsoever state and condition thy providence shall set them it may be my comfort and assurance that they are thy faithful and elect servants that thou maist be pleased to dispose of them as thine own to their several places and callings to which thy fatherly providence hath assigned them Lord season their tender years with grace and trueth help them and blesse them with blessings of heaven above and the earth beneath and let my blessings prevail above the blessings of my fathers give them assurance of their adoption in Christ Jesus keep them and order their steps in the way which thou wouldst have them walke in let thy faithfulnesse and mercy be with them all the daies of their lives be thou a father and rock of salvation unto them keep them by thy sanctifying spirit holy and sincere before thee uphold them that their foot-steps slip not be thou the guide of their youth keep their tender years from sinne and shame take not thy mercy and thy trueth from them preserve them from the houre of tentation in life and
death from the power of sin the snares of Satan the world and the flesh heare the voice of their praiers when they cry unto thee helpe them against all their enemies blesse their substance and accept the worke of their hands be thou ever their refuge and save them Thou who dividest the earth among the sonnes of men whose providence descendeth unto the feeding and preserving the poorest of thy creatures feed them with bread of their stature thou who encreasedst the oile and the meale so that it failed not in all the famine whether it be much or little which thou shalt be pleased to give them let thy blessing be with it that in every estate they may faithfully depend on thy gracious providence which never faileth them that trust in thee and finde such a sufficiency therein that they may live cheerfully and contentedly that they may never want that which thou knowest necessary and comfortable for their bodies and soules Lord give them hearts faithfully to seek thy kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof that all these things may be administred unto them O Lord God who hast promised to be a father of the fatherlesse who hast planted thine owne image of love and compassion in the hearts of parents towards their children heare the praiers of a poore father for his children and deny not the requests of my lips when thou shalt be pleased to take me from them leave them not destitute shew thy selfe their keeper directer and counseller that they may never swerve from thy commandements as thou hast shewed me mercy and compassion all my daies so holy father let not thy mercy depart from them but keep them in thy faith fear and love that as thy providence hath brought us together in this family so when this mortal life shall be ended we may by thy mercy all happily meet in the eternal communion of Saints in thy kingdome of glory through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour AMEN 1. The crown of the aged is children and the duety of children toward their parents is honor reverence fear obedience gratitude châ—erishing them in their age love and patience all this is comprehended in the fifth precept of Gods law honour thy father and thy mother who are comprehended under these titles I have already shewed I have here to speak of duety to parents 2. These rules of practice are hereto observable for the guidance of those children which feare the Lord and expect the promise their made to the obedient 1. Honor thy father and mother it is Gods expresse command and a dictate of nataâ—e this importeth reverence in thy bodily gesture before them as King Solomon rose upto meet his mother Bath-sheba and bowed himself vnto her as Moses went out to meet his father in law and did obeisance reverence in thy speech toward them and thy behaviour before them that it be not rude and such as becometh not the presence of those whom God will have honored as his vicegerents in the family So saith the Apostle Wee have had fathers of the flesh and wee gave them reverence none but a cursed Cham will behave himselfe unreverently before his father or mother or any waies tell or discover their failings to discredit or dishonor them but will goe with blessed Shem and Japhet with the vaile of discreet piety to conceale them Glory not in the dishonor of thy father saith the sonne of Sirach for thy fathers dishonor is no glory unto thee for the glory of a man is from the honor of his father and a mother in dishonor is a reproach to the children When God commanded Israel to be holy hee thus beginneth Ye shall fear every man his mother and father here indeed religion beginneth toward those whom God hath set in his own room on earth to nourish and give lawes to them and to receive their first tribute of obedience due to him by them there is little hope of it when it here blasteth in the bud the breach of this law carrying a fearefull curse with it as being a sinne against God and nature therefore the heathen Decius when he was offered the imperial crown refused it saying I fear lest being made an Emperour I should forget to be a sonne I had rather be a dutiful son then an Emperour let my father rule my Empire is to obey 2. Obey thy parents in all things not prohibited by God Hearken unto thy father that begat thee Forsake not the law of thy mother Children obey your parents in all things 3. Patiently beare their infirmities where age maketh them pettish where they erre not gain-saying or answering againe contend not irreverently with them though thou art in the right when they are angry with thee overcome that anger with patience 4. Be such to thy parents as thou wouldst have thy children to thee commonly it will be so an evil sonne seldom proveth an happy father Whoso honoreth his father shall have joy of his own children but as God rewardeth the duety of children according to his promise so will he their impiety and disobedience according to his justice because hee is true in both all sinnes have their severe punishments following them and when God's justice is most slow it is most sure but there are some sins which are more destructive to humane society which God the preserver thereof usually punisheth in this life that hee may deterre men from committing them so it is observable that cruelty oppression and murder seldome goe unpunished here but most closely acted sometimes they are discovered by extraordinary meanes and disobedience to parents may hence appeare odious to God and man that it is commonly punished by the like deportments of their children an example thereof is commonly found in every family of the disobedient O Sonne cryed the father beaten and dragged out of doors by the haire of the head draw mee no further for thus farre I drew my father 5. Love thy parents tenderly though the reflexes of this love are not so strong yet doe them all the good thou canst love them next after Christ above him thou maiest not No man can requite his parents and teachers yet shew thy love and gratitude to them if they want nourish them so did good Joseph so tender ought thy care to be of them that it should be thy grief if thou do any waies grieve them My son help thy father in his age and grieve him not as long as he liveth Thou must be cheerful to them not violate this piety so much as with an ill looke A necessary document for those prodigals which will not be warned from ryot and lewd company until they bring their parents hoary head with sorrow to the grave and necessity bring them home in rags as also to the profane Esaus whose impious matches are a griefe of minde unto Isaac and make
Rebecca cry I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. Now though it be true he that doubteth whether he ought to worship God and honour his parents rather wanteth stripes then arguments yet seeing the corrupt nature of man is prone to all impiety I will hereto adde some motives to this duety 1. It is the only commandement with promise of reward Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee that it may goe well with thee the son of Sirach saith Honour thy father and thy mother that a blessing may come upon thee from them 2. This is just before God and pleasing to him releeving thy father shall not be forgotten in the day of thy affliction it shall be remembred 3. A third motive may be taken from the contrary curse to him that any way dishonoreth father or mother 1. Cursed is he that setteth light by his father or his mother there is no more evident signe of an impious minde then contempt of parents 2. He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother is a son that causeth shame and whosoever robbeth father or mother and saith it is no transgression the same is the companion of a destroyer 3. The eie that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out 4. Whoso curseth his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure darknesse every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death his blood shall be upon him so he that smiteth father or mother there is no lesse punishment severe enough for such an unnatural prodigie as a parricide or hee that retributeth injury where he oweth highest gratitude 5. Lastly I wish all disobedient children to read Deut. 21. 18 c. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him and bring him unto the Elders of his city c. and the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he dye so shalt thou put away evil from among you A Praier for children to use O Lord God who hast ordained strength in the mouthes of babes and sucklings sanctifying them from the womb open our lips that wee may shew forth thy praise holy Lord Jesus who taking up children into thy sacred armes declaredst that unto such belongeth the kingdome of God who for our redemption becamest an infant and for our instruction obedient to humane parents who art the eternal son of God have mercy on us sanctify us bodies and soules unto thy kingdom and service keep us in our tender years by thy holy spirit from all the errors sins and pollutions of youth make us sincerely obedient to our God that in him wee may honor and obey our parents in all things in reverence and thankefulnesse for their tender care over us blesse their endeavours to provide for us spare them that they may live to bring us up in thy faith feare and love that thy great name may be glorified and they comforted in us and we with them preserved unto thine everlasting kingdom through Jesus Christ our ever blessed Lord and Saviour AMEN CHAP. XXVI Of the wounded spirit or conscience afflicted by the apprehension of Gods wrath against some great sinnes spiritual wants or fear of tentations § 1. What a wounded spirit is how great an affliction what the conscience is how comfortable the peace thereof why God afflicteth his § 2. What things principally wound the conscience § 3. What they who are afflicted with the apprehension of Gods wrath against them must consider § 4. What they must examine § 5. What they must practice 1. I Have spoken concerning the guidance of the Thoughts Words and Actions in generall and in some particular relations to external dueties I shall now endeavour to give directions suitable to some conditions first of the inward man and next of the outward The spirit of man will bear his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare saith Solomon The word signifieth a smitten contrite or broken spirit It is a manner of speaking borrowed from bodily afflictions by stripes contusions bruises or wounds wherein by cutting or hurting the sinews and veins the body weakened and endangered without cure to death disabled so that it cannot support it self is apt to inflammations and distempers every light touch hurteth it it depriveth a man of rest so that he is impatient of this present posture and more grieved at the change To expresse the intense sorrow of the soule weak confidence and enfeebled life of the spirit God calleth it a wounded spirit 2. This affliction is so great as it exceedeth all other temporal sorrows and is such as none can truely judge of but they who have with David seen confinia inferni as he saith Psal. 116. 3. The sorrowes of death compassed me and the paines of hell gat hold upon me or found me Other sorrowes may be eased by giving the afflicted something equivalent to that whose losse grieveth him as where one treasure is lost and another found or by some compensation and repair as Job had a second brood and encrease of wealth Elkanah intimated such a medium consolationis when hee said to afflicted Hannah Am not I better to thee then ten sonnes but so can this never be if you give a man of an afflicted spirit riches company of dearest friends or that which might relieve refresh or delight some others you do no more ease him then you could the broken bones by putting on some purple or rich robes no no the grief is within and there must be cured nothing external can do it in other griefes time will mitigate sunt verba voces excellent lenitives of sorrow in some other kindes wine merry company musick or the like meanes may have some part as the wise man saith Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of heavy hearts let him drinke and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more So Davids harp could for the time refresh Saul and charme the evil spirit but this grief admitteth of no efficacy in such comforts In other pressures wee may be eased or conveyed away from the evil as Paul was from the Jews conspiracy as David from Saul but there is no flight from a wounded spirit Whither ever we goe we carry our affliction with us our secret tormenter in us In fine as it is in sense of a separation from God the reality whereof is the second death so no creature in heaven or earth can cure it there can be
come and leave no roome for good counsel and resolution Here thou maist finde some liberty to serve God as Paul and Silas did to pray and sing Psalmes at least and who can say that God did not therefore confine thee seeing thee too attentive to the world and carelesse of holy duties that the prison might teach thee devotion which thy liberty could not There are many things which may befall thee for thy good and there are unexspected revolutions both in prosperity and adversity out of the prison hee cometh to reigne whereas also hee that is borne in his kingdome becometh poor Thou maist securely exspect that which God knoweth best for thee it may be there is but one doore into the prison there are many out either mercy or violence innocency reward favor of men or the Angel of God either man or death which hath a key to open every doore shall set thee free if nothing else enlarge thee that will not faile thee at the appointed houre and variable are the conditions to which the prison rendreth men as I. Caesar to an Empire Marius to a consul-ship Regulus and Sâ—crates to death I need not these who read of Pharoah's servants James Peter Joseph John Baptist the prison sendeth some to heaven some to destruction sooner or later one way or other it rendreth all I only note that the most infamous temporal end it rendreth men unto can be no obstruction and hindrance to their eternal happinesse in Christ who therefore submitted himselfe to the then most infamous death that hee might take away the curse of the law which saith cursed is every one which hangeth on a tree The main skill therefore is and the only certain comfort against imprisonment or death to gain assurance that thou arâ— in Christ in every place and condition doing those things which may further thy certainty thereof to which observe such like rules 1. Keepe innocency that if thou suffer it may be wrongfully for this is thanke worthy if a man for conscience toward God endureth griefe suffering wrongfully if when yee doe well and suffer for it yee take it patiently this is acceptable to God And if thou hast lost the first parts of innocency despaire not but lay hold on the second table of repentance the penitent theefe on the crosse who confessed hee justly suffered yet heard of Christ this day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise 2. Search thy heart diligently least some secret sin causeth this affliction in case it appear not that thou justly sufferest of men See Isai. 42. 22 23 24. 3. Think how long these imperious masters can hold thee there and feare not them who only can imprison and destroy the body but fear and trust in him who can cast body and soule into hell and save thee from thy oppressors prepare thee to entertain death cheerfully hee shall once come like the Angel to Peter and take thee out in spight of the most rigid keepers there the prisoners rest together that shall free thy body from a loathed prison and thy soul from an afflicted body 4. Improve thy time to some good some birds sing sweetest in the cage that excellent monument which beareth the title of the first part of the worlds general history is an example hereof 5. Keep thy minde free from all reigning sin and in spight of all geives and fetters and the bespattering of black and unhallowed mouths thou shalt have a more happy freedom in prison then thy persecuters have in their liberty besides that their accompt with the eternal justice of God is to come and yet not closed nothing but sinnes can miserably enthral wee may well say to them as Sampson to the men of Judah Swear to mee that you will not fall upon mee I fear none other bonds hee is a free-man whose conscience accuseth him not God's service in every state is the best freedom 6. Subject thy minde to inevitable necessity by patient bearing the way to make bonds more heavy and intolerable is vainly to struggle with them if thy minde were to stay within thy confinement were no prison it were a punishment to command thee out if thy minde be reluctant thou straitnest thy selfe a nè exeat regnum may make some man think England a prison the old man who had never gone out of the city gates receiving a warrant from the Prince prohibiting his going out could not rest till he had stollen out it was his city before but the restraint made it a prison to an impatient minde if thy minde having a willing compliance thy prison becometh no prison to thee an impatient wearisome minde maketh a kingdome no more 7. Be thou meek in affliction and thou shalt be temperate in thy liberty if God restore it so this shall not corrupt thee more then that break thee however if thou canst but learne this one lesson as thou hast the best tutor that ever suffered so shalt thou finde the best fruit rest to thy soule 8. To conclude let the prison make thee more zealous in Gods service more fervent in prayer more attentive in hearing more charitable and pitiful to others that suffer and more fruitful in all good works and thou shalt owe thanks to thy persecuters and oppressors more then thy friends deserved of thee it skilleth not much who bettereth thee if thou be indeed made better for whosoever be the instrument it 's Gods favour to thee Hee is never wanting to them that call upon him faithfully but surely he is neerest them that are in greatest troubles hee heard Jonah out of the whales belly Daniel out of the lions denne the three Israëlites out of the fiery fornace the Disciples in the storme Joseph Jeremy Paul Silas all his servants in prison the Churches praiers brought an Angel from heaven to deliver Peter No wards can shut up thy praiers remember you that are free what you owe to Christs prisoners little comfort will he afford them who cannot his earnest praiers remember you that are in bonds what you owe your selves it is in you to make the prison evil or good to you be you holy and it shall make you happy pray instantly God hath promised to heare and helpe you The prisoners Petition O Holy and merciful Lord God who hast made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is which keepest trueth for ever which excusest judgement for the oppressed givest food to the hungry raisest them that are down and loosest thy prisoners though thou afflict and try thy children thou wilt not cast them off for ever though thou causest grief yet thou wilt shew compassion according to thy mercies thou afflictest not willingly nor grievest the children of men to crush under foot the prisoners of the earth to turn aside their right and subvert them in their cause our sinnes have provoked thy justice and put this rod into thy fatherly hand thou wouldst not the
that we may know him and feel in our souls and consciences the comfortable power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death in the mortification of all those corrupt and sinful affections which continually resist the working of thy regenerating spirit in us O Lord our God being deeply sensible of our own disability to save or helpe our selves wee â—ast all our care and confidence of present protection preservation and future salvation on the merits of thy son Christ Jesus in assurance that thou art faithful who hast promised as by him to save us so through him to hear and help us in all our wants and distresses O Lord God of trueth and mercy who hast commanded us to aske and promised to grant accept our obedience and confidence in asking and according to thy trueth grant our requests in forgiving all our sinnes and giving us all those blessings which thou knowest needful for us that wee may serve thee cheerfully sanctifie our bodies and soules to thy service that in them both wee may cleave to thee please thee and rest assured by the testimony of thy holy spirit and the powerful working thereof in us that thou hast sanctified called and elected us to life everlasting Lord give us experience of thy trueth which never failed give us lively and justifying faith to apprehend Christ Jesus and all his merits give us perseverance therein that no trials of life or death may ever separate us from thy love nor any powers of hell be able to overthrow our confidence therein And now O Lord our God who makest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee wee humbly thank thee as for all thy mercies and favors spiritual and temporal continually poured out upon us in our election creation redemption calling from the kingdom of darknesse our sanctification preservation from daiely imminent dangers of body and soule our liberty peace health and all those temporal necessaries for the comfort sustenance of us and ours which thy fatherly providence hath bestowed upon us so also for that it hath pleased thee to preserve us this night past from the powers of darknesse terrors of night and all the ovils thereof Lord continue thy mercy to us safely brought to the begining of this day the day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the sunnâ— O Lord our refuge let no evil befal us this day let not any plague come neer our dwelling give thine Angels charge over us to keep us in all our waies that wee may in nothing displease thee as thou hast put away the late darknesse which covered the face of the earth and waters by the comfortable appearance of this great light which thou madest to govern the day that men may follow their several labours therein so blessed Father of lights cause the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus to arise on every one of our hearts thence to chase away the remainders of ignorance darknesse of minde and unbeliefe to open our eies that wee sleep not in death to enlighten us with a sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternal life and salvation that we may arise and shake off the dangerous security in sinne and conscionably walk with thee who hast called us to thy kingdome that we may please thee being fruitful in every good worke encreasing in the knowledgâ— of thee strengthned to all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse and thankfulnesse for that thou hast made us partakers of the inheritance of thy saints in light that wee may walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called with all holinesse and meeknesse love and charity toward all men endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bâ—nd of peace so labouring in our several callings as being ever careful first to seek thy kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof in assurance that so all temporal necessaries shall be administred unto us in all our endeavours expecting the blessing from thee without which it is but lost labour to rise early late take rest eat the bread of carefulnesse and deprive our souls of ease Blesse all the creatures to us this day make them good and prosperous unto us direct us so in all our thoughts words and actions that wee may glorifie thee preserve a good conscience and give an example of holinesse to those with whom we converse that in nothing the trueth of religion with which thou hast blessed us be evil spoken of through our failings but that we may by our integrity stop the mouths of all adversaries and adorn the Gospel by walking unblameably toward all men and sincerely before thee ever remembring that of all our thoughts words and actions we must give a strict inevitable account at the dreadful day of judgment now kept from the knowledg of all men that they may every day live as if it were their last keeping a constant and careful watch in exspectation of that houre which shall come like a theefe in the night wherein thou wilt assuredly bring to light things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of all hearts manifest judging every man according to his workes Neither pray wee for our selves only but wee also beseech thee for thy whole Church and all thy distressed servants whether their afflictions be in body minde or estate comfort now and in thy good time enlarge all prisoners and captives which suffer for or with the testimony of a good conscience Lord God of all consolation assure them that when thy will and work is done in them thou wilt shew thy self their gracious deliverer and comforter Lastly we pray thee O Father of mercy blesse this family wherein by thy providence we are blesse us all from the first to the last with all those whom thou hast made neer unto us prosper us O Lord and our endeavours upon us feed us with bread of our stature that which thou knowest necessary and convenient for us give us a faithful dependance upon thy fatherly hand which never leaueth them destitute who trust in thee give us a prudent holy and thankefull use of all those good things which thou hast bestowed upon us that thou maist be pleased to continue thy mercy and providence over us give us contented mindes free from covetousnesse and distracting cares in assurance that thou wilt never forsake us and good Lord as thou art pleased to adde this day to our transitory lives so adde that grace to this day which may direct and guid every one of us in our bodies and souls that we may spend it and the remainder of our daies to thy glory and the comfortable assurance of our consciences before thee so that having our present conversation in heaven and walking with thee in sincerity of heart when these fleeting daies are ended we may live with thee in thy kingdome of glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Short Evening Praier O
Lord God wee humbly pray thee for Christ Jesus sake to pardon all our sins and failings in our dueties this day strengthen our faiths unto our ends and in our ends Suffer us not for any tryals to fall from thee neither lay thou more upon us then thou wilt make us able to beare cheerfully create clean hearts in us renew right spirits mortifie all our corrupt affections subdue and subject them all to thy holy will and pleasure enable us daily more carefully and holily to serve thee so that the neerer we draw unto our deaths the more conâ—idently we may rest assured of immortality and eternal life in the world to come assist us with a measure of thy grace proportionable to our tryals so that at our last houre against all the feares and terrors paines and sorrows of death we may be enabled to render up our soules into thy gracious hands in full assurance of thy mercy and our redemption and salvation in Jesus Christ. Blesse the universall Church specially that part thereof in Great Britan and Ireland let thy blessing and mercy rest on this family from the first to the last Keep us bodies and soules forgive all our sins let our sleep be refreshing and comfortable this night grant us grace to plant all our confidence in thee that wee may love thee fear thee and rest in thee assured of thy gracious protection whose providence sleepeth not into thy hands O Lord wee commend and commit our selves bodies and soules all that we have and are sleeping waking living and dying let us be ever thine through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN An Evening Praier for a Family more enlarged O Lord God great and glorious who hast made the heavens thy throne and the earth thy foot-stoole God of justice and mercy terrible in thy wrath against obstinate sinners but long-suffering and of great mercy to them who with sincere hearts can seek thee and thy saving health our miseries compell us and thine owne gracious mercy inviteth us wretched creatures to call upon thee in the day of trouble But O Lord thou art a God of pure eies and canst not behold iniquity and wickednesse in which as we are conceived and born the children of wrath disobedience so have we continually walked therein and wherewithall shall we now come before our Lord and how our selves before the high God a thousand burnt-offerings and ten thousand rivers of oile cannot satisfie an infinite justice for the sinne of one soule and we are a sinful nation a people laden with iniquity wee have forsaken the covenants of our God and provoked the holy one of Israel to anger wee have gone backward and revolted more and more from the sole of the foot unto the head there is no soundnesse in us but dangerous wounds bruises and putrifying sores ripe for the lancet of thy judgments so that we deserve to have this good land laid waste that we who have forsaken thee should as thou hast threatned be consumed with the sword famine and pestilence until this numerous people be leâ—t as a cottage in vineyard a besieged city like Sodom and Gomorrha sad monuments of the fire of thine indignation that thou shouldst take no delight in us when we tread in thy courts and appear before thee with petitions for mercy but that our oblations of praise and incense of praiers should be abomination and our solemne assemblies a tâ—ouble and wearinesse unto thee that when wee spread forth our hands and make many praiers with strong cries thou shouldst hide away thy face from our miseries and stop thine ears to our cries as we have done ours to those gracious conditions of mercy which thou hast continually offered us by thy Prophets whom thou sentest to warn us that wee might retur from our vaine and unprofitable wayes and not die wee humbly acknowledge that such are we that the severest curses of the law and all the judgments sealed up therein are due to us confusion and helplesse destruction in this present woâ—â—d and unspeakable torments in hell fire in the eternity to come And now whereas wee must all appeare before thy judgement seat what shall wee plead before thee O thou great and just Iudge of all the world what can wee but guilty what shall wee say unto thee O merciful preserver of men what can wee more then be merciful unto us for our Lord Jesus sake Wee know O Lord that wee neither doe nor can deserve any favour at thy gracious hands whom wee have so often and so wilfully provoked to shew thy justice on our sinnes but therefore didst thou give thy sonne Christ Jesus that his merits might satisfie for us wee condemne our selves that thou maist spare us for his sake who dyed not in vaine O Lord though our iniquities testifie against us deale with us according to thy name wee have sinned against thee O thou hope of Israel and the saviour thereof in the time of trouble wee acknowledge our sinnes are for greatnesse unmeasurable and for multitude innumerable but as is the price of our redemption so are thy mercies infinite abhorre us not for thine owne mercy sake thou art our strength and refuge in the day of affliction correct us not in thine anger chasten us not in thy heavy displeasure but heale us that we may be saved Lord though we have many waies failed yet thou knowest all things thou knowest that the desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee through thine owne grace giving us that desire we would above all things in the world become so holy that we might no more displease thee O our God who only canst make us holy and unblameable give us ability to do that which thou hast given us grace to desire thou hast caused us to put our confidence in thee O God who canst not deceive trust let us not be disappointed of our hope restrain not from us thy zeal thy strength and the multitude of thy mercies and compassions O Lord our God if thou wilt thou canst make us clean cleanse us from all our iniquities that we may put away the wickedness of our doings from before thine eies that we may indeed cease to do evil and learn to do well that thou mayest make our scarlet sins twice died in original and actual guilt white as snow in Salmon that we may consent and obey and so enjoy the good things of this land and not be devoured by the sword as we are this day for our transgressions Though we deserve that the fire of thine anger should consume us as the stubble that our root should be as rottennesse and that our blossom when we hope should go up as the dust until our cities become desolate and our houses without a man because we have cast away the law of the Lord of hostes yet O Lord unto thee belongeth mercy and the issues from death though thou hast been terrible in thy
he may neither perplexe nor disturb it Lord whose providence sleepth not preserve us and ours sleeping waking living and dying that in every estate it may appeare wee are thine through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN The prayer of a wounded spirit against temptations O Lord God Almighty all-seeing examiner of the heart and reines who knowest before wee aske what wee have need of who by thy holy spirit helpest our infirmities who know not what to pray as wee ought and thereby makest requests for us according to thy will with nnutterable groanes which thou only understandest helpe my infirmities endite my praiers and restraine the busie malice of the tempter Direct my praiers as incense in thy sight let them come into thy presence through Jesus Christ our onely redeemer and advocate Trueth it is O Lord that all things shall worke together for the best to them that love thee and are called according to thy purpose for thou hast said it and that it shall be good for mee which thou doest to mee I am confident O my God that it shall once appeare that it is happy for mee that I have been in trouble when after the tryal of my faith and exercise of my patience thou shalt give mee the quiet fruits of righteousnesse I beleeve that they shall not finally miscarry who trust in thy mercy this is the voice of my faith in thee whom I beleeve and know to be the God of trueth but O Lord thou best knowest that I am also fraile flesh and blood full of infirmities feares doubtings and failings because mine iniquities have taken such hold on mee that I cannot looke up they are more in number then the haires of my head so that my heart faileth mee neither have I to deale with flesh and blood onely Lord thou knowest those unseen powers of darknesse which wth restlesse encounters assault my soule to destroy it O Lord God of my salvation be not thou farre from mee shew thy power and deliâ—iver mee from the messengers of Satan which are too mighty for mee rescue mee bridle their insolent malice binde the stâ—ong man and deliver thy vessel from his usurping tyranny that I may in every faculty of my soule serve and please thee pardon all my sinnes for thy holy sonne Jesus sake who died for mee heale my wounded soule which hath to the present sorrow of my heart so often sinned against thee hide not thy face from mee in the time of my trouble forget not my bitter affliction which maketh mee goe mourning all the day long while the insulting enemy oppresseth mee thou art my King command deliverances I am poore and needy destitute of helpe and strength to resist Satan's fiery darts put thy whole armour upon mee that I may be able to stand arise for my helpe O thou Preserver of men redeeme mee from the devouring lyons mouth for for thy mercy sake thinke upon mee make haste to helpe mee make no long tarrying O my God suffer mee not for any tryals to fall from thee lay no more upon mee then thou wilt give mee strength patience and perseverance to beare cheerfully confirme mee unto my end that I may be blamelesse unto the day of our Lord Christ give mee a blessed effect of and issue out of every tryal that the more thou permittest mee hereto the more certaine experience I may have of thy mercy and the greater assurance that thou wilt never faile mee nor forsake mee that I may through him who hath by suffering vanquished death hell and him who had the power of death overcome all these spiritual wickednesses which fight against my soule I have trusted onely in thy mercy holy Father who hast ordained strength in the mouths of babes and inâ—â—â—s strengthen mee unto the end that my heart may rejoyce in the salvation spare mee that I may recover my strength put thou a new song into my mouth that I may praise thee for my deliverance and declare unto afflicted sinners what thou hast done for my soule Lord heare mee and have mercy upon mee Lord who art ever more ready to give then wee can be to aske deny not the requests of a poore sinful soule crying unto thee for Jesus Christ his sake our only Lord and Saviour AMEN CHAP. XXIX Concerning the guidance of the minde in the encrease of wealth § 1. Afflictions common their fruit in good men Poverty a great tryall riches great temptations commonly mistaken § 2. How to guide thy selfe in the encrease of riches or a full inheritance 1. TEmporal afflictions are common to the just and wicked wee are here like the clean and unclean in Noah's ark shut up in one condition into afflictions wee goe like Israël and the Egyptians into the red-sea to events most contrary deliverance or destruction to the saint they are but as the raine to the arke the more it fell the more that was lifted up Being sanctified they give understanding and are though rough-handed yet excellent masters of vertue like biting frosts to the trees restraining the luxuriant sap and rendring them more fruitfull 2. Among other afflictions in this life want and poverty as among temptations wealth is not the least These are commonly the minds Scylla and Charybdis the two great and antient diseases of Republicks Families and incautious soules there being great hazard in either concludeth a necessity of a right guidance of the minde herein so great as that the wise man deprecated both extreames Give mee not poverty nor riches Having spoken of those things which appertain to man are in man or incident to him within it is requisite that wee consider him in the discomposures which proceed from things external as poverty imprisonment banishment old age sicknesse and death In these first estates which I proposed my purpose is to lay down some rules directing how happily to use the one and bear the other 3. Because riches are great temptations and men are commonly deceived in judging of them too much admiring and affecting these and as much impatient of poverty whereas indeed they are neither absolutely good nor alwaies signes of an happy owner but good or evil according to their use and therefore are they commonly evil because as Aristides said Many use riches ill few can well therefore it highly concerneth those who enjoy encrease or great riches to mark and practice these and the like rules 1. If riches encrease set not your heart thereon Psal 62. 10. where they have the heart there is no place for faith charity humility equity modesty or honesty He saith not Get not riches but set not your heart upon them for so they carry it away from God many of the Saints have been rich but their rule was not to trust in uncertain riches all earthly possessions often change their owners often desert and leave them to wants The heathen Solon told Croesus as much though he could not beleeve
mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that wee may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith wee our selves are comforted of God 1. That Gods dearest servants have been imprisoned others had tryals of cruel mockings and scourgings of bonds and imprisonment being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthy True Christians must suffer persecution in this kinde Ieremy Ioseph Michaiah Iohn Baptist and the Apostles might be cited for examples but that wee have so many modern and now sighing in their bonds 2. The Heathen boldly affirmed that it could not be a prison in which Socrates was I am certaine it can be no lesse then an happy place and condition in which Christ is as hee was with Joseph in prison so hee is still with his and hee giveth them favour oft-times with men as hee did to Joseph Jeremy Paul and Silas sometimes deliverance as hee sent his Angel to Peter with an habeas corpus and enlarged him the word and power of God cannot be bound neither canst thou any more imprison an holy minde or shut out Christ from it then binde up the sun-beames Christ is imprisoned with his servants as he saith When I was in prison yee visited mee the prison cannot shut out thy praiers from heaven nor Christ from thee and therefore is it thine honour not thy unhappinesse 3. No man knoweth the value of liberty who never wanted it nor commonly the true use of it we best know Gods blessings by wanting them for a time and so intermitted liberty is sweeter then continued 4. There hath no tentation overtaken you but such as Christ fore-told should come for the tryal of his They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into prison the time cometh saith hee that whosoever killeth you will think that hee doth God service this hee fore-told that wee might not be scandaled and that wee might be assured that hee whose providence layeth these things on us is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above that wee are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape so that wee may be able to beare it 5. Better is an injurious prison then an impious liberty the prison hath been a Sanctuary to some whose liberty was beset with dangers so that experience made them sorry that their imprisonment was no longer which before they esteemed too long all enlargement is not alike successfull as the examples of Pharoah's servants shew the worst prison is to be shut up within the command of our own sinful affections sinne is the worst bond they are not stone-walls locks bolts chaines geives fetters or manacles which make the worst prison Manasses was most dangerously bound when hee had most liberty to commit those purple-faced sinnes and so most free when hee was in bondage chaines and captivity the mindes pure freedome is the best hee is the most wretched vassal who is taken captive at Satan's will or subjected to his own the guilty conscience followed as the impious Aristobulus or bloody Nero with the memory of horrid acts is more straitned then the prisoner whose bodies consinement impeacheth not but sometimes advanceth the blessed liberty of his minde The rich Libertine is the basest captive it is not happinesse to have power over other mens lives and liberties of which that odious L. Sylla gloried that he could proscribe and kill so many thousand citizens but over a mans own he whose wealth is a snare to him furnishing him with meanes and opportunity to sin is the most wretched captive bound Darius-like with golden chains as heavy restraining as the most vulgar in the mindes captivity by so much more heavy and destructive by how much more of value an immortal soul is then the body The old prosecuters wont to binde a dead body to a living Christian so that it might be not only his burden but his perpetual torment to death a thousand-fold worse is the burden which sin layeth on a captivated soule Wretched man that I am cryed Paul who shall deliver mee from the body of this death External bonds and imprisonment can make a man unhappy if so much but a little while Sinne if not here discharged will to eternity Bonds and prisons to the servant of Christ are but exercises encreasing their mindes more happy liberty and resolution I had rather he any mans captive then mine owne 6. If thou make a good use of thy imprisonment thou maist finde many considerable advantages therein it will teach thee which are thy fast friends it enlargeth a well resolved minde it bringeth to minde the errour and abuse of former liberty that thou maist thereby be disposed to repentance for the same it acquainteth thee with exercises of patience fixeth in thee holy resolutions guards the eare from many turbulent clamours which torment the more free eare it restraineth the roving eies from seeing that vanity of the world which made Democritus laugh and Heraclite continually weep it restraineth many from destructive liberty it is a riged and unpleasing but profitable school of temperance and patience It is the glasse that more truely sheweth a man himselfe then liberty ever can not to deject the minde to despair and worldly sorrow but to raise it to a due consideration of the causes of Gods judgments which being ever just must bring a good man to the deep consideration of the end of his suffering and prove an happy stimulus to repentance as it did to Manasses who found his best liberty in prison and captivity It may be God permits it to try thee then it must raise and comfort thy minde to a ready meeting with Gods will therein It may be for the testimony of the Lord Jesus and his trueth then it must highthen thy resolution to an unmoved constancy to be ready not to be bound only but also to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus Great and good mindes cannot be subject to servile captivity either they will in their strength and invincible resolution grounded on the reward they look upon and assured on them by the trueth of God endure the crosse and despise the shame and sufferings which are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in them or make such use of God's fatherly corrections as shall render them no lesse then happy in the quiet fruits of righteousnesse lastly it will teach a man how subject this vaine world is to perpetual changes and wean him from the pernicious love thereof 7. The Prison is the conâ—ines of death in health and so must teach a wise man to prepare there before the evil daies and restlesse paines death's importunate harbingers