his servants upon is reasonable and easie and pleasant and delightful 't is the works of Piety and Charity that he requires to love God above all and our Neighbours as our selves These are the two great commands and upon these hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.37 c. Love is the fulfilling of the Law Rom 13.10 And is not this a pleasant and delightful duty and is it not reasonable that we should love God our great Benefactor in whom we live and move and have our being and our Brethren that are of the same flesh and blood To believe in him also is our duty and is it not reasonable when we can never prove that ever he deceived any To praise him also is our work this is an Angelical work fit for Heaven and Heaven-born Souls and will be the work of Eternity where Saints and Angels shall make up one quire to Trumpet out the prayses of God To hold communion with him this is a Christians happiness here and to converse with him in Glory is Heaven it self 'T is no wonder then that the Service of God is called perfect Freedom and his Servants are called his Free-men 1 Cor. 7.21 'T is no wonder that Christ tells us his Yoak is easie and his Burthen is light Mat. 11.30 for all those that feel it find it so through Divine Assistance I know to a Carnal Heart and unsanctified Soul it appears otherwise but 't is the Galls Sores and Putrified Corruption of Nature that makes it so the easiest Yoak upon a galled Neck seems uneasie Learn but this one Lesson get but this one Qualification to love God above all and all the rest will prove easie Love makes Labour light the Love of Christ constrained the Apostle Paul and made him willing not only to be bound but to dye for Christ then Prayer would be no difficult Duty for who would not willingly go to him he Loves and pour out his requests into his Bosom when he knows he shall have a supply and hath such promises as those ask and you shall have seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Psal 50.15 Praise also then will be a delightful Duty how apt are we to Commend those we Love and speak well of them Hence it is that the Saints and Angels in Heaven are not weary of this work even to Eternity Communion with God is no toylful but delightful Duty for Union and Communion with God is the Souls Happiness nay 't is here a Heaven upon Earth and will be their Heaven for ever which is sweet here though much interrupted what will it be then when we enjoy him Face to Face and see him as he is here it fills the Heart full of such Joy as no Stranger shall ever meddle with Prov. 14.10 I know the world brags of their pleasures in the Devils Service and are afraid to be Christians for fear of losing them but this is but one of the Devils Lime-twigs in which he fetters them and one of the deceits of the Father of Lyes a true Christian finds by Experience more true Joy more ravishing delight in one days Communion with Christ than ever he did in the Service of sin for in the midst of laughter the sinners heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is Heaviness But a Believer may eat his Meat with Joy and drink his Wine with a merry Heart for God accepteth his Work Eccl. 9.7 And with joy they can draw waters out of these Wells of Salvation Isa 12.3 Yea shout for joy if he be of an upright Heart Psal 32.11 There is none in the world that has more true Cause of Joy than they have here they are under the Divine Protection of God and are sure to want nothing that is good and when this Earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved they have a Kingdom prepared for them But what is the Devils work which he imploys his Servants about 'T is the basest drudgery the most servile Slavery the most sordid unreasonable Dangerous work in the world he sets them to hate God who is the chiefest good to hold up weapons of defiance against him from whom they have their Life and Breath and Being to Blaspheme his Name abuse his Creatures break his Commandments Persecute his Children both by Hand and Tongue pluck the Stars out of his Right Hand the Signet of his Finger the Apple of his Eye his Jewels those whom his Soul Loveth yea to de-throne him and set up the Devil in his place yea he makes them so mad upon it that they will venture Life and Limb in the Prosecution yea Liberty and Estate and Ruine their own Souls and as many more as they are able and will not be perswaded by Ministers Parents or their Godly Friends from such Courses when the Devil enters into these Swine they run headlong till they Ruine themselves 4. Motive Thou shouldst serve the Lord because he best deserves thy Service he hath done more for thee than all the World besides and that which all the World cannot do It was he that Created thee and gave thee a Being when thou wast nothing It was not long since there was nothing heard of thee and God had no need of thee he was Infinite in his Perfection and Glory before thou wast and thou hast added nothing to his Happiness and wilt not own him for thy Creator Yea he hath made thee a Rational Creature when he might have made thee a bruit Beast he made thee capable of Communion with himself yea in his own Image when he might have made thee a Dog or Toad or Serpent or the most despicable Worm that crawls under thy Feet what Excellent Faculties hath he bestowed upon thee As Undestranding Will Affections Memory Conscience and such like Yea he hath made thee Little lower than the Angels Psal 8.4,5 Thou wast the Clay and he was the Potter he might have made thee a Vessel of dishonour and shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Not only so but he hath given thee thy Limbs and thy Senses when thou mightest have been Blind or Lame or Deaf or Dumb and is not this a Mercy thou hast the use of Reason when others run raging in the street Mad Frantick or Lunatick Yea 't is he that maintains thee at his own Cost and Charges 't is his Corn and his Wine that feeds thee his Wool and his Flax that Cloaths thee 't is his Silver and his Gold that inriches thee all is his and all is his free-gift thou deservest not the Crumbs that fall under thy Table and is all this nothing Hos 2.5 c. Yea hadst thou these things of thy own they could do thee no good without his Blessing Food could not nourish nor Cloaths keep thee warm he gives thee Peace when thou mightest have been in bloody War Health when thou mighest have been on thy sick Bed and
practice it as they ought we might bring you examples from the beginning of the World to this day of the godly in all Ages that have thus worshipped thus served God though many in all Ages the more is the pity have given that to the Divel which is due to God alone many have sacrificed to Devils and worshiped and served the Creature more than the Creator blessed for ever Rom. 1.25 To prove that 't is so now I need not instance in the Indians that know no better nor in the Papists that worship stocks and stones and the works of their own hands which iS forbidden Exod. 20.5.6 Isa 2.8 And swear by God and our Lady as the Israelites did by God and Malchon and some other Mediators with Christ but how many may we find serve the Devil the World and the Flesh though they covenanted to fight against them in their Baptism if the Devil bid them sweaty they will swear if he bid them be drunk they will be drunk or if he bid them lye or steal or decieve they will obey let God say what he will to the contrary Yea though he set them upon the hardest difficultest dangerous work they will do it though they venture life and limb in his service but let them at the end brag of their wages that so love the work but as with Paul Acts 24.14 In the way which men call Heresie so worship the God of your Fathers 2. Motive Thou shouldest serve God for he is the best Masters yea there is no other that deserves thy best service but him The tongue of Men nor Angels cannot express the excellency that is in God our Cockle shells cannot comprehend this Ocean what qualifications canst thou desire in a Master that are not to be found in God as the abstract for all the excellency that is to be found among the Creatures is but as a drop of this Ocean a ray of this Sun and a spark of this fire Wouldst thou have one that is able to defend thee and see that thou art not wronged Here is Omnipotency it self if he set thee on work he can bear thee out The Devil may shake his chain and wicked Men may gnash their teeth at thee hurt thee they cannot all the powers of darkness can do thee no wrong The Devil could not touch one of Jobs cattel without Commission sealed in Heaven and if thou faithfully serve him he will never grant any Commission but what shall be for thy good Rom. 8.28 He is El Shaddai a God able to destroy or remove all rubs out of his way But no other Master can defend thee against him Or wouldst thou have a merciful loving or tender hearted Master the World cannot afford thee such another never was there indulgent Father or tender hearted Mother more careful over their only child than God is over all his servants Isa 49.15 Can a Woman forget her sucking child that she shall not have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord. Behold I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hand thy walls are continually before me Never was Goldsmith more careful of his gold that it shall not be in the Furnace longer than need is than God is of his People they shall be no longer in the Furnace of affliction then necessity requires till their dross is consumed and they refined Or wouldst thou serve a wise Master One able to direct thee and instruct thee in thy work One able to counsel thee what to do and what to forbear Here is one that is Wisdom it self yea the Fountain of Wisdom The foolishness of God saith the Apostle is wiser than the wisdom of Man 1 Cor. 1.25 That is that which in the eyes of the World is foolishness he can over wit and over work all his Enemies and thou canst not be in such a strait but he can help thee nor in so much danger but he can deliver thee as he did Israel at the Red Sea Daniel in the Lions Den the three Children out of the fiery Furnace Jonah out of the Whales belly and Peter out of Prison Or wouldst thou serve a Master that is faithful and just that will make good his word and fulfil his promise God is such a one he is more faithful than the Sun and Moon in their courses Hath he said it and shall he not do it hath he spoken it and shall he not bring it to pass Heaven and Earth shall fail before one tittle of his word shall fail till all be fulfilled The experience of five Thousand years cannot produce one example when God hath falsified his word Or wouldst thou serve some honorable Person God hath the highest titles of honor he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the Ruler of Princes he is the Lord of Heaven and Earth the Castles of a thousand hills are his yea all the Beasts of the Forrests all Nations to him are but as a drop of a Bucket or the small dust of the Ballance Never fear then he is able to pay thee thy wages David delighted more in being his servant than in being King of Israel never any lost by his service wouldst thou serve one that is loving and kind why he is love it self see one act of his love John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed in him should not dye but have everlasting life See the love of the Father in giving and the love of the Son in dying and wouldst thou serve a patient Master He is infinite in Patieâ—ce if thy heart be right he will bear with much Now what Master in the World wilt thou compare to him if none why wilt not serve him and yet alas most men serve the Devil his sworn Enemy one of these two thou must thou dost serve for these are the two grand Commanders and the one or the other all Men obey The Devil is thy sworn Enemy and seeks thy Soul to destroy it 1 Pet. 5.8 He offers much indeed but cannot pay thee he hath nothing of his own but his vitious qualities what he shews thee is but what he baits his hook with or with the Fowler his snares not to feed thee but to entrap thee he hunts for thy Soul like a blood hound and nothing will serve him but thy dishonor The World also will deceive thee and promise pleasure and pay pain it will never pay thee thy wages and wilt forsake such a Master as God is and commit thy self to such known cheats Heaven and Earth may stand amazed at thy folly well remember thy wages they will give thee 3. Motive As he is the best Master so he sets his servants about the best work when the Devil sets his about the basest drugery A wise servant before he is hired would know his work that he may demand answerable wages Now the work which God sets
Plenty when thou mighest have been in pinching want and is all this nothing Why now doth he do this for thee but that thou mightest Serve him Hast thou now a better Friend or greater Benefactor to bestow thy Service upon Can the Devil or the World or thy Friends or thy Wealth do thus for thee I know they cannot why then are they preferred before him Nay this is not all when thou hadst Revolted from God and sold thy self a Slave to Satan when thou wast in thy Bloud and no Eye pityed thee when thou couldst not help thy self and wast unworthy to be helpt he sent his own Son to Redeem thee out of thy Slavery to suffer what was due for thy sins even the pains of Hell and the cursed Death upon the Cross and that when thou wast his Enemy and all to free thee from the guilt and filth of sin and from the punishment due for sin from the Curse of the Law the wrath of God the Slavery of Satan and from everlasting damnation and is all this nothing Yea all this was done that thou mightest Serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of thy Life Luke 1.75 Nay further he bestows upon thee many helps and furtherances he gives thee his Word his Ordinance his Sacraments his Ministers the motions of his Spirit the checks of thine own Conscience and the Example of his People Promises Threatnings Mercies Judgments and all to this End and yet doth he not deserve thee Hath the Devil or the World done more for thee than he hath Why then wilt thou serve them Did they Create thee or art thou theirs by right of Redemption Do they preserve or maintain thee Do they Feed or Cloath thee Or pay thee Wages No no all thy Friends in the World nor all the Angels in Heaven could not satisfie for our sin did they Love thee better than he that laid down his Life for thee Or will they make better Provision for thee than God will Or pay thee better Wages Then Serve them and spare not but deceive not thy self they cannot do it what canst want if thou be God's Servant He is every way furnished to help thee art thou ten thousand Talents indebted and canst not pay a farthing Christ will be thy Surety and discharge thy debt hast thou Scarlet sins lying upon thy Conscience Here is Blood to wash them away 't is he and he alone that can forgive sins Here is the Bread of Life to feed thee and the Water of Life to refresh thee the Spiritual Manna fit Food for thy Soul the true Nectar and Ambrosia he that eats of this shall never Hunger and he that drinks of this shall never Thirst Here is Rich Robes to Cloath thee and Eye salve to make thee see and Gold tryed in the Fire to make thee Rich Rev. 3.17,18 Here are Graces as Jewels to adorn thee the Wedding-Garment to make thee a welcom Guest he is Mecor Majim Chajim A Fountain of Living Water Jer. 2.13 Tzur gnolanim a Rock of Ages Isa 26.4 All the water of Consolation is in this Sea all the Light is in this Sun and all Comfort in this God Canst find such another Master that hath done and will do for thee as he hath and will do the Devil and the World will deceive thee if they promise to do it 5. Motive Thou shouldst serve God for as he hath the best work so he gives the best Wages and Servants usually seek for such Masters something he gives in hand as earnest of the Bargain and incouragement in the work and reserves most to the Years end when he will plenteously recompence all thy pains and remove all cause of repining in hand he gives his Servants his Spirit this is the mark he knows them by those that have not the Spirit of God are none of his Rom. 8.9 This is called the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 't is called the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts this is called the Comforter John 15.27 and 't is given to instruct us and to lead us into all Truth John 18.13 And doubtless those cannot want Comfort that have such a Comforter they cannot lose their way that have such a Guide he it is that dictates their Prayers for them for they know not what to ask yea God for the Comfort and Consolation of his Servants here in the World gives them an Interest in the Promises Recorded in the Word of God which are more worth than the World the greatest King on Earth cannot make and perform such Promises to his greatest Favourite they are well called great and precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 For great things are promised in them that believe that apprehends an interest in them may live upon his faith and his hope in the absence of all Creature enjoyments these are his Fathers Legacy 't is true Believers have but little in hand yet much in a Promise but little in Possession yet much in Reversion they have Heaven and Earth in a Promise here they have a Promise they shall not lack but at Death they shall receive their Inheritance yea Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither is entred into the heart of Man to conceive what God hath provided for those that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Here they have a Promise and God hath put his hand to it they shall not want protection nor provision God hath promised he will never leave them nor forsake them Heb. 13.5 And if God be for us who can be against us yea that they shall want nothing that is good Psal 34.9 The young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a Shield he giveth Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withold from them that live uprightly If we have sincere hearts if wealth be good for us we shall have it and if poverty be good why should we not be content somtimes Physick is as necessary as food They have a Promise of Deliverance out of Trouble Many are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivers them out of all Psal 34.19 and 50.15 Take one place for all Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to those that love God What matter then is it what our sufferings are when we are sure we shall get by them God that brought Light out of Darkness and Order out of Confusion can work Good to us out of Evil there is no Condition a servant of God can be in but in the Scripture he may find Comfort or Company or both yea God bestows his graces upon his servants which are better than the most Orient Pearls or costly Jewels these they are adorned with and no other did ever wear them they have the rich Robes of Christs Righteousness the Garments of Holyness this is Gods Livery and all his
this is not the Blood of Christ we must have some better shelter to keep off the storms of God's fiery Indignation the Prophet tells us all our Righteousness is as filthy Rags or a menstruous Cloath Isa 6.6 And will God think you delight in this The Heart which is the Fountain is Corrupt and never cleansed from Original Corruption and can we think the streams thence issuing can be sweet This bitter Root sends many branches of Actual sin which mix themselves with our best duties and make them abominable in the Eyes of God These are the dead Flyes that spoyl all the Oyntment we cannot do a duty but we spoyl it in the doing and if we could unless we could do every duty thus to the end of our Lives what Advantage should we have by that one We must Live free from evil thoughts vain words and evil Actions or we cannot stand approved by God nay if we could do so and Live free from the least Transgression for the future this will not discharge us of our fore-past Debt will the constant payment of Rent for the future clear up the arreares that are behind 'T is a vain thing to think to be saved by our own good works or justified by our good duties Alas they are too much defiled with sin and self to be satisfactory to God and yet how ready are Men to lay hold upon any thing that will give them the least hope and trust to good hearts and good duties and good meanings when there is no such thing and loath they are to come out of themselves confess themselves to be such Bankrupts as indeed they are but the vanity of these hopes I shall give you in the words of an able Divine who speaks fully to my purpose who tells thee that thou canst not bring in perfect Righteousness into the presence of God and hast no Christ to trust unto thou must desire and pray till Heaven and Earth shake till thou hast worn thy Tongue to the stumps endeavour as much as thou canst and others commend thee for an exact Christian mourn in some Wilderness till dooms day dig thy Grave with thy nails weep Buckets full of hourly Tears till thou canst weep no more Fast and Pray till thy skin and bones cleave together promise and purpose with full resolution to be better yea reform thy Head Heart Life and Tongue leave some nay all sin Live like an Angel shine like a Sun walk up and down the World like a distressed Pilgrim so that all that see thee may commend and admire thee dye ten thousand Deaths lye at the Fire back of Hell as many millions of Years as there are Grass piles upon the Earth Sands on the Sea shore Stars in Heaven or Motes in the Sun I tell thee not one spark of Gods wrath will be quenched by all these Duties for they are not the Blood of Christ c. Shepherd Sincere Convert CHAP. III. Directions in Hearing the Word HAving given you some general Directions necessary in all Duties without which no duty either to God or Man can be acceptable to God I shall next descend to some particulars which God requires at our hands and lay down some Directions how they may be performed to God's Glory and the Souls Advantage for 't is not the meer doing of a duty but the well doinging of it that attains these ends The first I shall mention is that great duty of hearing God's Word As for the Preaching of it I shall give Directions among those Relative duties which God willing I intend to Treat of in it's place If I could sufficiently instruct you in this I need not speak much of the rest for this would be a help in all the other for in the Word are Directions for the other also I need not stand to prove this is a duty I hope few will deny it As for those that are above Ordinances so as to neglect them Time hath discovered their Folly doth not God send his Messengers to Preach and is it not our duty to Hear The Apostle tells us Necessity is laid upon him and woe to him if he preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.18 And is Preaching their duty and is not Hearing ours Yea doth not Christ himself teach us how to Hear And gives us Cautions to that purpose to take heed how we hear And what we hear Mark 4.24 Luke 8.18 And oftentimes calls upon those that have Ears to hear that they should hear and in many Parables gives Directions about hearing as in the Parable of the Sower and the Seed of the good Seed and the Tares and many more But my business is at present only by way of Motive to put you on to the Duty and by way of Direction to help you in it I shall at present use those Motives drawn from the benefit of the Word for who is not moved with Profit and Gain But here is the greatest gain to be had 't is the ordinary means to bring Men to Christ I say the ordinary means for God is not tyed to it Rom. 10.14,17 Faith cometh by hearing to this end God sends Paul to the Gentiles to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.17,18 When Christ met with Paul in the way Acts 9.9,10 He doth not Instruct him himself but sends him to be Instructed by Ananias and when he sent an Angel to Cornelius it was not to Preach the Gospel to him but to direct him to Peter Acts 10.35 It was by Preaching that Peter Converted 3000. at one time Acts 2.37.41 The Word is the Seed that being sown in a good heart fructifies abundantly Mat. 13.8 The neglect of this is threatned Mat. 10.14 Whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words c. It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of Judgment than for them and few are brought in that neglect this Duty Nay 't is of daily use to those that are Converted to build them up it is the Milk that must nourish them and make them grow for where there is Life there must be Food David by this means became wiser than his Teachers and had more Understanding than the Antient and what condition soever a poor soul is in here he may find directions Art thou in sorrow and distress here consolation is to be had here the Soul by faith sucks sweetness out of the Promise art thou in affliction here are Cordials to uphold a fainting heart directions to bear them well and promises of a seasonable deliverance if thou run astray here thou maist hear a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk in it God hath here set way-marks to guide thee If thou be dead or dull here are rousing considerations to quicken thee if thy faith be weak here it may be strengthned if thy Soul be sin sick here is a Physitian directed to and a Potion prescribed
Seeds-man and the Word to the Seed Now you know the Ground must be prepared before the Seed be cast in otherwise thou canst not rationally expect a Crop The Body must be prepared and the humours gathered to an head before Physick work kindly what business of moment can be done without preparation And can we think in this business of so great concernment it is sufficient to rush hand over head without consideration Some preparation should be made before the Sabbath came in setting thy Heart as well as thy House in Order the Command is to remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy And when the day is come there are some Duties required before thou rush into the Congregation perform those Duties in thy Family and in thy Closet that are required beg of God a blessing upon the Ordinance and upon the Minister that he may speak a word in season to thy Soul that it may meet with thy Corruption and may strengthen thy Grace and benefit thy Soul how canst expect a Blessing that dost not beg for it This is one cause that many go away barren because they came unprepared Lay thy Heart open before God say as Samuel speak Lord for thy Servant heareth In thy Prayer open thy Soul to God unlap thy Ears and desire a Plaister offer up thy Sin-sick Soul to this Physitian that he may pour Oyl and Wine into thy Wounds who knows but this may be the Time of Love wherein God may say unto thy Soul Live Come with a resolution to deny thy self thy Carnal wisdom and whatsoever shall be found contrary to the will and Command of God Come not with a Resolution to oppose God in any thing though it be never so cross to flesh and blood or to thy Carnal will or Interest or be never so opposite to thine own Natural Inclination or Appetite Why should we come to know our Duty if we will not do it Or our sin if we will not leave it The word of God seldom works upon a fore-stalled affection If thou knowest and know thou mayst if thou carefully observe it what hath usually hindred thee in times past from profiting by the Word take heed of that for the time to come Sometimes thou wilt find that it was Pride thou sets up thy own will against God Sometimes passion this put thy Heart out of Frame for the Duty Sometimes Worldlyness this filled thy Heart with vain thoughts Beware of these for the time to come Especially beware of these sins which are most predominant in thy Soul for this will spoil the Duty Come with a strong Resolution to Obey God in every thing When he forbids any sin resolve to leave it when he Commands any Duty set about it for to what end else dost thou hear if it be only to know thy duty and not to practice it it will but procure thee the more stripes but many are like those silly Women mentioned by the Apostle ever Learing and never come to the knowledge of the Truth And they are like Balaam let God deny them never so oft they will come again faln they would have a dispensation to sin and go to Heaven in a sinful way But we must with good Old Ely say 'T is the Lord let him do with me as he listeth Or like Paul Lord what wouldest thou have me to do Come also with a good stomach then the Word would be savoury to thee such a man will not strain courtesie and carve all from himself but greedily feed upon something Now he meets with such a man saith one now he hit such a one home but what is this to thee Is nothing there that thou canst eat Get also some Acquaintance with the state of thine own Soul how the matter stands between God and thee or otherwise thou canst hardly divide the Word aright and apply it there are threatnings for obstinate sinners and there are promises for the penitent there is Milk for Babes and strong meat for Men. How wilt know thy own portion if thou know not the state of thine own Soul If a sick man come to an Apothecary's shop and may make choice of what Medicine he pleaseth and yet neither know his Disease nor what will Cure it he may as well take nay 't is more like that he will take that which is hurtful than that which is helpful So a poor humbled sinner oft-times lays hold of the threatning which belongs not to him and the presumptuous man of the promise And lastly when Death comes say to the World stand by as Abraham to his Servants I will come again 5. Direct If thou wouldest profit by the Word Preached come to the Ordinances with an hungring thirsting desire after it this is the Food of Life and 't is only the hungring Soul that is rightly qualified for it The full Soul loatheth the Honey-Comb Prov. 27.7 What should a full stomack do at a Feast Or a full Soul at a Sermon How sweet how good how precious was the Word to David Psal 19.10 And to Job better than his appointed Food Job 23.12 And how pitifully doth David complain when he found the want Psal 120.5 And how earnestly did he desire it And thirst after it Psal 42.1,2 As ever Chased Hart did for the Water-brooks and hadst thou ever tasted the sweetness of the word or rather of God in the word I needed not words to have perswaded thee to love it But that I may set some edge upon thine Appetite I shall desire thee to consider with me these few things first consider whose word it is is it not the word of that great God that made Heaven and Earth and all things therein contained One that is able to make it good both in the promises and threatnings and is also Faithful and will make it good Heaven and Earth shall fail rather than one tittle of his word be un-fulfilled and shall we slight a Message sent from such a one Had a Potent Prince sent a Message whether a promise or threatning how diligently should we have read it And how greatly should we have been affected with it with Joy or Sorrow Now God sends his Messengers with a Message of peace if we will accept it if not they are to denounce war yea and threaten everlasting ruine and destruction and yet who regards it Read the contents of his Letter Deut. 28. throughout Nay the matter of this word of God is of greatest concernment were it but for trifles it were no matter but it is concerning Life and Death nay the everlasting Salvation or Damnation of Soul and Body and therefore not to be slighted they are Fools that Jest with such edged Tools Here are Instructions drawn up how you may avoid Hell and attain Heaven how you may get rid of sin and get out of the Slavery of Satan how you may have a Remedy for your sin-sick Souls and a Plaister for your Wounds how you may get an Interest in Christ
Angels Psal 8.1,2 c. Such occasional Objects were the grounds of many of Christs speeches and Sermons And a Christian by this means may learn something from every thing he either sees or hears That Meditation that is set and solemn is when a man separates himself from other Imployments and sequesters himself and thoughts from worldly affairs to consider of some portion of Scripture or some point of Divinity or some work of Nature for his own satisfaction and his Souls good That this is a Christians Duty few Christians will deny that it is a beneficial duty all that have tryed it in good earnest will easily confess experto crede Roberto That 't is too much neglected we may acknowledge with shame and sorrow Joshua was Commanded to Meditate in the Law of God day and night Josh 1.8 This was David's practice Psal 119.59 And this he makes the Character of a Godly and Blessed man Psal 1.2,3 It was Isaac's Custom as also Paul's and Peter's and many others This is the way to digest the meat we eat and can meat nourish if not digested This is the chewing of the Cud when we ruminate upon what we hear or see Meat undigested in the stomack feeds Diseases when 't is digested it feeds the Body What is the Reason so many good Sermons are lost amongst us And so many gracious Providences pass un-observed but for want of this Doubtless one Sermon well digested by Meditation would bring more nourishment to the Soul and breed more good Blood than now twenty do By Meditation a man searches and ransacks the Soul and finds out every dust-heap every Corruption and sees whether those Divine qualifications necessary to Salvation be there or no when others are strangers at home by this he gets light into the Understanding heat into the Affection and it puts Life into all his Duties By this he comes to see the Vanity of the World the emptiness of the Creature the vileness of Sin the beauty of Holiness and the fulness of Christ By this the Heart is taken off the World and set upon Heaven and sees by the Eye of Faith those things which are invisible By this he tramples upon sublunary things and fixes his Eyes upon things within the vail By this Stephen saw God and Moses talked with God and Paul was carried up into the third Heaven By this Afflictions are made light and the Cross easie and Christ's Yoak delightful this makes a man chuse Sufferings rather than sin and pain rather than sinful pleasure this helps the Soul to fly to Heaven and hold Communion with Christ himself and like the busie Bee to gather Honey from Flowers and Weeds which to effect take these following Directions 1. Direct Concerning Occasional Meditation though it be not what I chiefly intend yet being of daily Use I shall speak something of it at present A Christian that Trades for Heaven may have much Goods brought home in this Ship He may get Advantage by all he hears or sees or observes for there is nothing in God's Book or in the Book of Nature but will Instruct us in some necessary Lesson concerning God or our selves and mind us of something that may conduce to our Advantage And he that can make a good use of every thing he sees or hears and pick some Spiritual Food and refreshing from it must doubtless be a flourishing Cedar in the House of God and enjoy Heaven upon Earth and Spiritualize all the Creatures How often in Scripture may we read that Christ by occasional occurrances minds his Hearers of Spiritual things from a Well of water he Instructs the Woman of Samaria concerning the water of Life And by occasion of Bread he minds them of the Bread of Life and from a Sower and his Seed shews that a bad Heart is the cause that the Word proves unfruitful and many more such like David as before was hinted beholding the Heavens is raised up in his Meditation to God himself and his Love to Man Psal 8.1,2,3 c. Solomon sends the Sluggard to School to the Ant or Pismire that gathers in Summer for Winter And Christ sends those that are distrustful of their Fathers Providence to observe the Fowls of the Air how he feeds them And the Grass of the Field how he Cloaths it and no doubt but a wise man may make a Sanctified use of all these If a good wit can make a good use of every thing much more a good Heart Had we but this Art of Meditation every thing would yield a suitable object we have the whole world before us the greatest want is of a good Heart to improve these Objects that offer themselves to our view the least Creature would be useful if we were not wanting every day that passeth over our Heads may put us in mind of our latter end Thy Bed may mind thee of thy latter end and the time when thou must lye in the dust and thy rising up may mind thee of thy Resurrection The rising Sun may mind thee what a glorious day that will be when Christ with his Saints and Angels shall appear at Judgment each one shining as the Sun in his Lustre When Night approaches it may minde thee that thy daies are numbred and that thou hast now one fewer to spend than thou hadst in the Morning and mind thee what account thou canst give of it and make thee consider that the World cannot recal it Every Pain and Grief Ach and Trouble yea every gray Hair may mind thee of thy Mortality and how little beholding thou art to sin which brought all this into the World When thou seest the Heavens adorned with those beauty spots the Sun the Moon the Stars thou maist think if the Porch be so glorious what is the Pallace if the Pavement be so beautiful what is the Court the Throne it self When thou considerest their Beauty Altitude Magnitude Selerity and Influence thou maist well admire the Creator and with David cry out Lord what is man c. Who can but admire when he looks upon the Earth the Huge and Massy Globe the unweiley Creatures hanging in the midst of the Air of nothing distinguished into Hills and Dales and Woods and Rivers furnished with such variety of Trees and Grass and Herbs and Flowers and the numberless number of living Creatures Birds and Beasts and Fishes and creeping things and all provided for by the great Householder Who can behold the Rageing Sea kept within his Banks in the Ebbings and Flowings and view the Streams and Fountains the Springs and Rivers and not cry out the finger of God now among all these there is not one Fly or Flea not one Graspile or Leaf of a Tree but yields matter of Meditation and Admiration Ah! what a rich Soul will that be that gathers fruit from all these 2. Direct If thou wouldest perform thy duty well 'T is necessary thou set upon it with due preparation I speak not now of occasional
of Hatred will close with it as it's object for the Understanding when 't is informed in the Nature of the thing according to it's apprehensions and conclusions sends down report unto the Heart where the affections dwell and every affection closes with it's proper Object Love with good and Hatred with evil Good things difficult to be obtained stir up desire evil likely to some stir up fear Rom. 7.24 O wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death This will make thee bewail thy miserable Condition when thou canst not enjoy the thing desired yet long and hunger and pant after it as David did for the enjoyment of God Psal 42.1 He that tasts the sweetness of it and cannot get it must needs earnestly long after it Whether it be the removing the Judgment or the Sin that causeth it or whether it be the attaining the gifts and graces which we want it will work in us a Resolution to our power to endeavour the obtaining of the thing we want and when we find it is not in our own power this will put us on to a Resolution to go to God in whose power it is to dispose of these things to confess our wants and failings and imperfections and dis-ability and like a Beggar unlap our sores to move pity and to Petition him to grant us those things which we so earnestly desire and rest confident we shall enjoy the Mercy desired the ground of which confidence is the promise of God who bids us ask and we shall have seek and we shall find knock and it shall be opened to us And the Experience of the Saints in all Ages who have thus prevailed And this also will work in us a strong Resolution to use all Lawful means and all possible endeavours for the attaining of our desires 'T is a faint wish indeed that is not seconded with endeavour This will make us be careful of our selves for the future when we consider our miscarriages for the time past this was the result of David's Meditation Psal 119.59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Psal 42.5.11 And without this our labour is lost 't is not enough for a Traveller to know he is out of the way but he must return into it 6. Direct In Meditation beware of those things which usually prove hinderance in the Duty for whosoever shall make Trial of it shall find enough to do to manage it well and perform it well as it ought to be The Devil that knows how much he is disadvantaged by it will never suffer thee to do it without opposition he lays many snares to intangle the Heart and render it unable and unfit for the work If he can divert the Heart which is the most necessary Instrument in the work he is well enough hence often he steals it away and as in Prayer when we should seek God we had need to seek our own hearts So also in Meditation for the Heart many times like a sloathful Servant gives us the slip when there is most work to do Sometimes the Devil fills the Heart with distracting cares and thoughts of the world which commonly croud in upon us when they should stand back and give place this is an hindrance in all duties but especially in this wherein the whole man is required and the Heart cannot be spared here we should have an heart in Heaven but how can it mount up when her wings are clipt And her feet fetter'd and clog'd How can our thoughts soar aloft when they cling fast to the Earth How unstable to the duty is it when we come with a Fancy of some Earthly Happiness Or hug some thriving Project in our Brain And solace our selves with some Worldly Advantage while we pretend to have our Conversation in Heaven and our Communion with God The Scripture tells us The Friendship of the World is Enmity to God and he that is a Friend to the World is an Enemy to God James 4.4 The Apostle adviseth not to Love the World nor the things of the World and if we Love the World the Love of the Father is not in us 1 John 2.15 Beware therefore of this snare entertain no Discourse with the World till thou hast finished the work that lies before thee Do as Moses leave thy shooes behind thee when thou comest into God's presence Exod. 3.5 Or as Abraham all at the foot of the Hill when thou ascendest this Mount of contemplations say stand by Profit stand by Pleasure stand by World till I come again and though these knock at the Door open it not come not with a Love or liking to any known sin this is a notable hinderance in this case and will spoil thy Duty this dimmeth the eye of the mind that it cannot see Spiritual things As it hinders Prayer so it hinders Meditation also Psal 66.18 If I regard Iniquity in my Heart God will not hear my prayer neither will he succeed thy Meditation Those that will preserve precious Liquors put them into clean Vessels and those that will store up clean and Holy Thoughts must put them into pure Hearts what Communion hath Light with Darkness or what Fellowship hath Christ with Belial If thou use violence to thy Conscience thou art a stranger to an Heavenly Life Laziness also is another hinderance to this work when men are loath to take pains with their own Hearts and Meditation cannot be managed well without much pains there is scarce any thing hinders knowing men more than this when men cannot away with diligence they either omit or slubber over the Duty and as good never a whit as never the better few men are willing to sequester their thoughts and affections from the World and to be intent upon the Duty and Exercise their Graces in their Order or their Affections upon their proper Objects and hold them there till they find success The Heart of man will prove false and Treacherous and is hardly brought unto or kept upon the Duty it will find some starting hole or other and frame some excuse to be gone if we use not violence to force it How lazily will it demean it self How ready will it be to depart before the work be done and make some Vagaries or entertain the thoughts of the World or divert it self to some more pleasing Objects and if thou look not about thee will pass away the time idly and give over before the work be brought to any perfection but thou must deal by thy Heart as thou wouldst do by a sleighty Servant perswade command threaten and chastise force it into the presence of God and let it not stir till the work be done 7. Direct When thou hast thus wound up thy heart by Meditation to the highest pin and work'd thy Affections into a heat and brought thy work into a good posture and gathered Observations for thy use Take heed of letting thy heart flag too suddenly
overwhelmed in the Sea Exod. 14.21 Over Amalek Exod. 17.12 Over Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.32 It hath with-held Rain from the Earth for a long time and after procured it James 5.17,18 It hath brought Angels from Heaven for the help of man thus to Daniel Chap. 9.21 For Hezekiahs help 2 Kings 19.35 where an Angel slew in one Night in the Camp of Sennacherib a hundred forty and five thousand And to Elisha 2 Kings 6.17 where the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of Fire about Elisha It hath brought Fire from Heaven to consume the Enemies 2 Kin. 1.10.12 It hath procured Bears to devour those Children that mocked the Prophet 2 Kings 2.24 It is the way to cast out Devils Mat. 17.21 and to work strange deliverances as Jonah out of the Whales belly Jonah 2.10 Peter out of Prison Acts 12.5 c. By this the Widdows Oyl was increased 2 King 4.3 And Miracles might be wrought Mark 11.23 This is the way to recover the Sick James 5.15 To divert Judgments felt or feared thus Moses oft stood in the gap This is the way to procure pardon of Sin Luke 18.13 To avoid the Temptations of Satan Mat. 26.41 To have deliverance out of Troubles Psal 50.15 To procure the Spirit of God Luke 12.13 To get Wisdom James 1.5 Who now would not set upon such a Duty Now to perform this Duty well take these Directions 1. Direct There are several Qualifications requisite to every one that would rightly perform this Duty of Prayer in an acceptable manner without which a Blessing cannot be expected for though Christ bids ask and we shall have seek and we shall find knock and it shall be opened to us Yet St. James tells us we ask and have not because we ask amiss It is necessary in the first place that thou be a Child of God and have the work of Grace wrought upon thy Heart or otherwise thou hast no assurance of being heard The blind man John 9.31 could say God heareth not Sinners I know 't is the Duty of others to pray and the Apostle incourageth Simon Magus to the Duty if perhaps the thoughts of his heart might be forgiven But till the Heart be brought over to God we have no assurance that God will hear us the Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God till then we cannot comfortably call God Father nor come with boldness to the Throne of Grace neither will Christ Mediate or Intercede for us while we remain his Enemies neither will the Spirit of God assist us in the Duty Rom. 8.15 It is in Christ and through Faith that we have boldness and access with Confidence to God Eph. 3 12. 'T is necessary also that we hate sin if we come to God for he is a devouring Fire to his Enemies and will not be reconciled to those that are reconciled to Sin How can we heartily pray against Sin and for Holiness if we love Sin and hate Holiness As all unconverted Sinners do This is dissembling with God when the Heart is not with him If I regard Iniquity in my Heart saith David God will not hear my Prayers Psal 66.18 Yea God who is Holiness it self requires Holiness in all those that draw near to him and he being a Spirit will be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Without Holiness no man shall ever see God with Comfort Heb. 12.14 Knowledge also is requisite for God cannot abide the Blind and the Lame in Sacrifice without this the mind cannot be good nor the Service acceptable without this a man knows not what to pray for or what to pray against what to seek or what to shun what is sin or what is Duty what he wants or what he hath and what blind worship is he like to offer he can never Pray as he ought Self-denial also is necessary he should in all things subject his will to the will of God A notable Example we have in Christ himself whose Meat and Drink it was to do his Fathers Will. So when he had prayed that that bitter Cup might pass from him yet adds not my Will but thine be done and thus he hath taught us to pray Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Faith also is requireâ— for if those shafts of Prayer are not headed by Faith they will never reach Heaven this is the Condition required whatsoever you ask believingly you shall receive and without Faith 't is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Nay further Patience is also required we must wait for an Answer not like those short-winded Bethulians that set God a time and will wait no longer but refer all to his Will who best knows his own time yea the best time and fittest Season He ought also to be an Humble man for God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace to the Humble He that hath not low self-denying thoughts of himself God will have low thoughts of his Service he fills the hungry with good things but the Rich he sends empty away He must also beg for the power and assistance of the Spirit Rom. 8.26 God knows the voice of his Spirit Come not in thy own strength Thou must also be painful and Laborious not only pray for Mercies but endeavour for them a few faint wishes will not serve turn Sin must be fought against as well as pray'd against endeavours must be used 2. Direct Before thou come to this Duty of Prayer prepare thy Heart to meet the Lord thy God in so solemn a Duty Wert thou but to meet some Prince or Noble Man thou wouldst make some Preparation much more shouldst thou when thou art to meet the great God one that knows the Secrets of thy Heart and thy Ends and Motives in the Duty What business of Concernment is there but needs some preparation Much more when the Soul is so deeply concerned in it Examine therefore what Relation thou standest in to God whether he be a Friend or an Enemy Who can come with boldness to him that hath offended him and is not Reconciled If thou hast not a Mediator to Intercede for thee and a Surety to undertake thy Debt how darest thou approach to the Creditor to whom thou owest ten thousand Talents and canst not pay a Farthing How dar'st approach this Consuming Fire that art but Chaff and Stubble And what hopes hast of speeding if thou be not within the Covenant The promise belongs not to thee But when thou canst find an Interest in God and in the Covenant and in Christ canst call God Father yet rush not rudely into his Presence but study well what things he hath promised for those thou maist boldly ask Heaven and Earth shall pass but his Word shall not pass till it be fulfilled But if thou ask amiss that is what he never promised no wonder if thou receive it not acquaint thy self well with the Attributes of God his Power Goodness Justice and Truth c. This will be an Excellent
Foundation for thy Faith And when thou art come before him set thy self as in his Presence and let thy Heart be affected with awful Reverence of him who is the Searcher of the Heart and Tryer of the Reins There 's many that come to him in prayer and little consider with whom they have to do Come also with a full purpose and Resolution or else never come to leave and forsake all those sins thou shalt confess For if thou regard Iniquity in thy Heart God will not hear thy Prayer Psal 66.18 'T is a vain thing to think to get pardon for those sins thou wilt not leave or a dispensation to Sin Meditate before hand of the Number Nature and Quality of thy Sins Of the Purity of God's Law the Justice of God his Threatnings against Sin and Sinners and the punishments he hath brought upon the World for sin the little Good that Sin hath done thee and the great hurt c. These Considerations may work in thee a loathing of sin when thou seest that it is the cause of all thy Miseries then wilt thou put up real desires to have it Mortified and till then thou wilt but dally with God Study well before-hand what are thy wants which thou wouldst have supplyed by God Let it be thy daily work to think what Sin and Corruption is strong in thee and what Grace is weak or wanting and what thou wouldst beg at God's hands and have not thy Errand to seek when thou shouldst do it Study well also what Mercies thou hast received and forget not to render to God the Tribute of Praise Thankfulness for one Mercy is a real Petition for another Many like the Lepers will come in a Petition for Mercies they want but few in Thanksgiving for Mercies received Most men are like the Swine under the Tree they eat the Crabs or Acorns but look not up from whence they come And where as 't is a Commanded Duty to Pray one for another 't is necessary that we sympathize one with another Mourn with those that Mourn and Rejoyce with them that Rejoyce It was Nehemiah's practice and he should herein be our President when all went well with him in his own particular the Afflictions of the Church could wring Tears from his Eyes Nehem. 1.4 And if any jarr be between thee and another be Reconciled this is Christ's Counsel Mat. 5.23 Mark 11.26 Come thus prepared and there is great hopes of speeding 3. Direct Wouldst thou put up a prevailing Prayer See that thou make it to God alone and not to Saints or Angels or any Creature whatsoever This is that Homage which he hath reserved to himself and that Honour that he will not give to another Many are the Commands which are in Scripture for this Duty Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of Trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt Glorifie me And Christ bids us go to our Father in Secret and our Father which seeth in Secret will reward us openly Mat. 6.6 This was the Refuge which the Godly run to in all their streights Hither Abraham Isaac and Jacob went Gen. 18.27 28.3 32.11 Hither Moses goes when God threatned Israel Exod. 39.11 Yea Joshua Hannah Samuel David Solomon Elijah Jehoshaphat Hezekiah Peter and Christ himself and thus he taught us to do Mat. 6.9 Our Father which art in Heaven Many are the Promises which are made to those that go to God in the Name of Christ and many are the Experiences which Believers have had of the Return of Prayers made to God But in the whole Book of God there is not one Precept for or approved Example of any one that sought either to Saint or Angel nor any Promise to any that do so or any Experience that any have had any Return to their Prayer no nor encouragement to provoke us to believe that God approves it but the contrary There is nothing in Scripture to ground our Faith upon and what is not of Faith is Sin We may find God himself stiled A God Hearing Prayers A Title given to no Creature in Heaven or in Earth God is Omniscient and knows all things the very thoughts and wishes the sighs and breathings the longings hungrings and pantings of a broken Heart are known to him and he knows when Prayers proceed from unfeigned Lips he is Hoker Lebh Scutator Cordis The Searcher of the Heart Jer. 17.10 And 't is a Priviledge that no man on Earth can claim neither have we any assurance that Saints or Angels in Heaven can do it Again he is every where present at all times and in all places which the Angels themselves are not being finite Creatures and therefore is always in a readiness to help We know he hears our Prayers but have no assurance that the others do He is Omnipotent and able to help us he is El shaddai God All-sufficient Gen. 17.1 Able to remove all rubs out of the way but the Creature cannot help us they are but the Cistern he is the Fountain they have no more than what he puts into them Yea all Religious Worship is due to him alone whereof Prayer is a principal part and cannot be given to another without offence 'T is from him that we receive every good and perfect gift James 1.17 and therefore unto him we should go to beg it who keeps the dispose of them in his own hands and will be sought unto before he part with them God is the Object of our Faith and should be of our Prayers for How can we call upon him upon whom we have not believed Rom. 10.14 The very Heathen by the Light of Nature acknowledge this Priviledge this Duty was due to God alone they put up their Petitions to those they esteemed gods as the Mariners in Jonah's Ship called every man upon his god and advised Jonah to do so also Jonah 1.5 And God himself threatens the Families that call not upon his Name Jer. 10.25 And in their distress threatens to send them to the gods they serve How much then are those to blame that Pray to Saints and Angels as the Papists or offer up Religious Worship to any other but to God alone but till they can prove it a Duty by direct precept or approved Example till they can prove they are Omnipresent always at hand Omniscient and know all things Omnipotent and can help us in all our straits which they will never do lets us never leave the Fountain that is all this and go to the Cistern that cannot help us 4. Direct If thou wouldst speed in Prayer then go to God in the Name of Christ if thou take him not along with thee thou wilt not be welcom if thou come not cloathed in thy Elder Brothers Garments thou wilt return without the Blessing We are by Nature Enemies to God and he is a consuming Fire to his Enemies and Christ must be the Skreen to keep us from burning 't is he alone that can
God's Blessing upon their Endeavours is great encouragement he would never succeed them in so sinful a Course were it such nay the remarkable Judgments of God upon Sabbath-breakers bespeakes God for the Author for none in the World could Lawfully have done it without him Thus I have shewn you I hope sufficient grounds to Build upon I proceed now to Direct you to keep it as a Sabbath 2. Direct If thou wouldst Faithfully Sanctifie the Sabbath as God Commands thee make preparation for it before it come for there is hardly any thing of great Concernment well done without some preparation and much more here we prepare the Body for Physick before we take it we provide in Summer for Winter and lay in Provision in Harvest we prepare in the Day for the Night and work when we have the Light We prepare in Health for Sickness and in Youth for Age And were we to appear before some great Man we should make preparation accordingly and shall we only be wanting in the Service of our Lord and Master and rush into his Presence without prepared Hearts God bids us remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy or to Sanctifie it as 't is Deut. 5.12 The word Remember signifies either to call to mind something past or to commit to Memory something for the Future and both are necessary to this business God sets this Memento upon it to Teach us that those that will keep it well when it is come must Remember it before it come or otherwise our Nature is so Corrupt that it will take hold upon some Occasion or other to draw us aside from the Duty in hand We can fore-cast for Fairs and Markets sometimes long before and make preparations for them according to our needs whether to buy or sell We consider our wants to have them supplyed and make preparations accordingly and yet how few make preparation for the Market day for the Soul Many tire themselves in the Labours of their Calling in the Week days and then use the Lord's day no otherwise than a Beast only Rest from their Labours for their Spirits being spent and their Bodies tyred they are more fit for sleep than any Holy Duty and rushing rudely out of the World into the Service of God they bring so much of the world with them that it renders them incapable of any Spiritual Duty But thy Care should be to sequester thy Heart Thoughts and Affections from the world and set them upon God and empty thy Heart of worldly Cares and Troubles that thou maist mind the business God sets thee about The want of this is one Cause why Men get so little benefit by the Ordinances and hear so much and profit so little because they come not with empty Hearts a full Vessel can receive no more when the Prophet multiplied the Widdows Oyl when there was no more empty Vessels the Oyl stayed When the Head and Heart are full of the World this Water of Life will run over But our Duty is to prepare the Heart for so great a work as the Entertaining our Lord and Master the great God of Heaven and Earth who invites himself to Sup with us He is the Searcher of the Heart and the Tryer of the Reins Before the Sabbath come use such fore-sight diligence and Meditation and dispose and seasonably dispatch thy Worldly business that thou maist be more free and fit for the Duties of the day We find Israel did thus prepare to Sanctifie the Sabbath Exod. 16.22 and gathered Manna enough the day before and this was usual among the Jews Luke 23.54 And that day was the Preparation and the Sabbath drew on Thus Nehemiah prepared against the Sabbath that it should not be prophaned Nehem. 13.19 And Gods Example in this is binding to us he finished his works before and so should we and should not meddle with any unnecessary Worldly business then either with Hand or Heart that our Duties be not pestered with the World but that we may be as free to serve the Lord if possible as if we had no worldly business to look to but many fore-cast business for that day or make it necessary through their former neglects but this will appear to be their Sin and their Folly Solomon bids us look well to our Feet viz. our Affections when we go into the House of God Eccl. 5.1 And 't is good to consider whose Presence we come into and with Holy David wash our Hands in Innocency before we compass his Altars Psal 26.6 Examine how the Case stands between God and thy Soul and venture not into his Presence in an unregenerate Condition or having sin unmortified or unrepented of lest he break thee in pieces and there be none to deliver thee Consider what sin thou hast Committed especially in the week past and be humbled for them lay aside thy worldly business betime on the Eve when others only sweep their Houses do thou sweep thy Heart Set some time apart for Reading Meditating Conferring Instructing thy Family and Praying with them reconcile the Differences if there be any in the Family between Husband and Wife Parent and Child Master and Servant yea Neighbour and Neighbour that your Prayers be not hindred for God can hardly be well served where the Members of a Family Live at Discord In a word prepare thy Heart to meet God the day following 3. Direct Wouldst thou Sanctifie the Sabbath Take heed thou do nothing that is unlawful upon that day This is appointed by God for a day of rest and not only as some say from sin which should be Committed no day but also from Labour which at other times is Lawful the works of our Calling yea unnecessary recreations are forbidden Exod. 20.10 In it thou shalt do no manner of Work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy Man-Servant nor thy Maid-Servant thy Cattle nor the Stranger that is within thy Gates Jer. 17.21,22 Neither do ye any work but Hallow the Sabbath day c. Neither will a bare cessation from work serve the turn for rest is Commanded for an Higher End that we might serve God with more Freedom and therefore Idleness is a sin worse than Bodily Labour upon that day and when Men use not rest as a means but as an End 't is an egregious breach of the Fourth Command and 't is a gross mistake to think that is an acceptable Duty on that day which is a great sin any day He that keeps the Sabbath only by resting from his Labour keeps it but as a Bruit Beast yet the most of Men spend great part of the day in Idleness or what is worse and think if they give God their Bodily Presence for an hour or two it 's sufficeable but God will not be mocked we should think it were an unprofitable Servant that would work but two or three hours in the day God gives us six whole days for our work and shall not we give him one whole
others and derived a poysonful Nature even from them for though they themselves may be Gracious yet they begat not their Children as they were Gracious but as Men and Women the sinful Off-spring of Adam 't is Nature and Corruption and not Grace that is derivative A Man will never prize a Plaister that knows of no Wound nor Physick that knows not that he is Sick nor this Remedy till he know of the Disease The knowledge of this will make a man admire God's Goodness to himself and Children and to bewail the inward Distempers of the Soul and wrastle with God for the Pardon of this Corruption and for his Sanctifying Grace and Spirit when others little regard it and bless God that hath provided such a Remedy sent such a Saviour into the World and entred into such a Covenant not only with Believers but their Seed and given such a Seal to it for the confirmation of their Faith For though it abolish not Sin utterly as some Teach yet hath it a tendency to the Mortification and the weakning of it They should know also by what Right their Infants enjoy this Priviledge this should put them upon it to clear up their own Interest and improve it to renew their Covenant to Act Faith and suck sweetness from the Promises which are made to Believers and their Children and upon this Confidence that God is their God and the God of their Seed they should Offer up their Children unto God and Dedicate and Devote them to his Service as I said before List them into his Army and Enter them into his School desiring of him not only to allow them the external badge of Church-Members but also make them Members of the Invisible Church yea Living Members of Christ's Mystical Body And be earnest with God to Baptize them not only with Water but also with the Holy Ghost and lay claim to the Ordinances upon this Account and not only so but 't is their Duty to endeavour what in them lyes to make them his Servants by Training them up in his Fear and to Teach them their Duty both to God and Man For as Parents usually Covenant for their Children about the Affairs of the World and Interest them in Earthly Priviledges so do they here Enter them into the Covenant and Interest them thereby into the Blessings of the Covenant except afterwards they wilfully revoke it Parents neglect of this was formerly accounted a great Sin as we see in Moses Exod. 4.24 when God would have killed him for neglecting Circumcision and threatens such a Soul that is not thus Dedicated to be cut off from his People Gen. 17.14 And where God changed his mind or relaxed this Law is not easily found But alas how careless are most Parents of this Duty Some Scruple it and so neglect it but most bring their Children to the Ordinance as they themselves come to Church meerly for Fashion sake as they beg for nothing so they expect no benefit by it 't is more of Custom than Conscience and more of Ceremony than Service 't is blind Obedience they yield not knowing what God requires at their hands 3. Direct In this Duty aim at God's Glory the strengthening of thy Faith and the good of thy own and thy Childrens Souls Many a good Action is spoyled for want of a good End as I told you the Fasting Prayers and Alms of the Pharisees were Mat. 6.1,2 c. In this Ordinance God aims at the foresaid Ends his Glory is his ultimate End and should be ours He annexes this Seal to his Covenant to strengthen our Faith use it therefore to this End And by this our Children are Entered into Covenant As we Live and Move and have our Being from him so we should Live and Move and Act for him not only in this but in all other Duties This is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace and in this it excels all the Water in the World For our Baptismal water though not in regard of it's Essence yet in it's Use and Efficacy passeth all other though never so precious others may Comfort the Heart but cannot Sanctifie it Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus may be more beautiful to the Eye than the River Jordan yet cannot heal Naaman's Leprosie it had not that Sanctive virtue put into it by God So this Baptismal water is set apart and Sanctified to an Holy Use even to Seal the Covenant of Grace to Believers in which Covenant God offers Christ to be our Lord and Saviour and promises with him to give us pardon of Sin Regeneration Adoption Sanctification and Redemption yea Heaven and Glory and thereupon sets to his Seal in this Sacrament And Man on his part promiseth to take Christ as he is offered in the Gospel to be his Lord and Saviour and promises to believe in him to be Ruled by him to forsake all other for him and to be his Faithful Servant to his Death and thereupon accepts of the Offered Element and so puts to his Seal to the Covenant and by so doing devotes himself to his Service So that this Sacrament is an engaging Sign and Seal of the Covenant between God and Man All the Blessings of the New Covenant are included here for the Seal is of as large an extent as the Covenant it self and as a Seal accepted to an Evidence makes it Authentick much more God's Seal annexed to his Word is firm and sure Heaven and Earth may pass away but God's Word thus Ratified shall never fail We have God's Promise under Hand and Seal and if we perform on our part doubtless God will never fail on his he assures us hereby that he will be a Reconciled Father to us in Christ and we shall be his Adopted Sons and Daughters he will be our God which is more than can be expressed in words or conceived in mind Now from this Covenant thus ratified a Believer in the saddest Affliction may fetch Comfort and refreshing The Spirit it self being the Keeper of this Seal produceth it many times to a Christians Comfort and enables him to read his Name in the Covenant and shews him the Great Seal for it Thus David could fetch Comfort from his Circumcision when he was to Encounter with Goliath what is this Vncircumcised Philistine c. And why may not we from our Baptism in our Conflicts with the Goliath of Hell God is not a Man that he should lye nor the Son of Man that he should Repent Now that this is a Seal of the Covenant see Rom. 4.11 where Circumcision is Called the Seal of the Righteousness of Faith in which place Baptism succeeds See also Col. 2.11,12 wherein we see We are Buried with him in Baptism and with him also raised again And that all the Blessings of the New Covenant are Sealed by this is evident also Gal. 3.27 For as many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Rom. 6.4,5 where the Benefits both of
Covenant Now if thou perform thy part God will doubtless perform his Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one tittle of his Word shall pass especially that given and ratified under his Hand and Seal but if thou break with him and accept not of those Mercies upon the required Conditions God is not engaged to make good what is thus Conditionally promised in the Covenant unless thou canst prove it to be an absolute grant that all that are thus Baptized Live how they list shall be saved and then the Ministers Scriptures yea Spirit and all are of little use No no God will cashire and disband such Souldiers and cast out such Non-proficients out of his School and such unfaithful Servants out of his Family But alas how many of these may we find in the World That Vow Obedience to Christ and perform Service to the Devil If he bid them swear they will swear if he bid them be drunk they will Obey Yea many that though they would be loath to break their word with Man much more their Vow or their Oath yet make nothing of these Sacramental Vows But consider God will not lose by thee neither thy sin or Obedience can hurt or benefit him but the benefit or damage will accrue to thy own Soul 7. Direct Make a right Use of thy Baptism and improve it through the whole course of thy Life for the Efficacy of it is not limitted or bound up to any moment of Time but is a Flower that never loseth savour a Jewel that never loseth it's virtue 'T is a Fountain that never is drawn dry And breasts of Consolation where thou mayst suck and be satisfied Those that use it onely as an Idle Ceremony that never improve it or look after it when 't is once past and make no Advantage or Use of it are more foolish than those that take great care to have the Evidences of their Land Sealed and never make use of the Inheritance thereby conveyed Use it therefore for the best Advantage for thy Soul This is a needful though much neglected Duty The serious Consideration of the End and Use of Baptism and the benefits and priviledges Sealed up by it to us and ours and our own ingagements therein to God may be of great Use to us in the whole course of our Lives in many cases and conditions Baptism may be compared to the Marriage knot by virtue whereof the Wife lays claim not only to her Husband but whatsoever is her Husbands and 't is as a Seal to an Evidence which ratifies it and makes it Authentick and adds force and Efficacy to it Baptism though not to be iterated or renewed yet the Covenant thereby once Sealed remains Authentick for ever till we pluck off the Seal or renounce the Covenant This is a notable means to put us on to mourn for our Sins and therefore 't is called the Baptism of Repentance as it doth oblige us to Repent for the consideration of our Miscarriages towards God since we gave up our selves to him and the falling short of what we have promised and might have been and done may well keep us humble and penitent When we are tempted to sin and to break the Commands of God by sin we may look back to our Covenants to the contrary and the Vows which we have made and it may terrrifie us to think that we should break such a Covenant with God when we make some conscience of Promise to Man Think with thy self have I dedicated my self to God What Sacriledge is it What perfidious Treachery is it now to Serve the Devil his sworn Enemy Hast thou Vowed Obedience to thy Maker and promised to renounce the Devil the World and the Flesh how then canst thou think to look God in the Face at the last day if now thou sidest with his greatest Enemies Was thy Body washed with water signifying the blood of Christ and shall thy Soul be still defiled Wilt thou return with the Dog to the Vomit and the washed Sow to her wallowing in the Mire How may the consideration of this fill thee with shame and sorrow Hence also thou mayst set Faith on work to fetch virtue from the Death and Resurrection of Christ to kill sin in thee and raise thee up to newness of Life for if thou be Buried with him in Baptism 't is thy Duty thus to do Rom. 6.3,4,5 When Corruption is strong fetch strength hence to weaken it when Grace is weak hence thou mayst strengthen it This is an excellent means to assure thee of thy Salvation of the Pardon of thy sins and the rest of the Mercies promised in the Covenant for the Covenant being ratified and Sealed what should hinder the performance God doubtless is real in his Promise and true in his Covenant he did not intend to deceive thee by an empty Ceremony or set his Seal to a blank No no nor if thou revoke not he will not revoke Is not this the Sacrament of Regeneration Is it not called the Laver of Regeneration Signifying the washing away of sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be Baptized and wash away thy sins Yea of Salvation 't is said to save us 1 Pet. 3.21 Hath not God given thee a pledge in thine Hand of his Gracious meaning towards thee And what need hath he to dissemble with thee Doth he gain any thing by thee Yea though thou art relapsed yet look back to thy Covenant and return See God's Advice in such a case Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers yet return unto me saith the Lord. God will not depart till thou art willing to let him go And from hence also you may fetch Arguments for Brotherly Love among Saints we are all Baptized by one Spirit into one Body and therefore should sympathize each with other as the Members do Those are some of the daily Fruits you may gather of this Tree many more grow upon it CHAP. X. Directions in Receiving the Sacrament THE next Duty to be spoken to is the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which is an Ordinance of God wherein by the External signs of Bread and Wine set apart and Sanctified to that End and Use and duly Administred by God's appointment the Lord signifieth and Sealeth up the Truth of his Covenant to his Elect and they Seal up their Covenant with him This Sacrament is a Sign to Represent a Seal to Confirm and an Instrument to convey Christ and all his Benefits to a Believing Soul The principal Efficient Cause or Author of this Sacrament is the whole Trinity but especially Christ who is the Angel of the Covenant he it is that made the Covenant and ratified it with his Blood and therefore it must be he that adds the Seals he makes the Promises and must make them good The Essential parts or Matter of the Sacrament are either External or Internal the one perceived by our Bodily Eyes the other by the Eye of Faith The External is
gives thee Christ and thou givest him thy self if thou hold God will not flinch He promises Heaven and Happiness and thou promisest Love and Obedience And those Vows which thou madest in Baptism and renewest in this Sacrament must be fulfilled 't is an horrible thing to prove Treacherous to this God and to break Covenant with him God will avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant 'T is a dangerous thing to have God for an Enemy and our Consciences for our Accusers resolve therefore to make good thy Engagements and fulfill thy Vows Consider in the Sacrament what Entertainment thou hast met with from God and what welcome he hath given thee hast thou sped or no Did he meet thee in the Ordinance or hast thou had an Answer of thy Prayers or hast been frustrated of thy hopes and expectations If so examine thy Preparations and demeanour before and after the Duty haply thou maist find some miscarriage if so humble thy self and be more careful for the future take notice of the repulse and be humbled yet despair not Sometimes the Ordinance may be more beneficial after than at present as the Sacrament of Baptism usually is If thou hast met with some Fruit but not so much as thou expectest or desirest consider thou art not to be thy own Carver he deals his Mercies as he sees best thou must wait upon him in a longing Posture it will come in the most suitable Season if thou hast found any 't is more than thy desert bless God for it from whose bounty it proceeds If it be not so much as thou expectest 't is more than thou deservest 't is to be owned he that is not thankful for a little God will not trust him with much Thou givest him thanks for Bodily Food and wilt be thankful for Crumbs and not for Christ For Temporal Favours and not for Spiritual Mercies And this should be expressed in deeds as well as words thou shouldest live thanks as well as speak thanks And as Christ gives himself to thee so give up not only thy Name but thy Heart to him keep alive in thy Soul the Spiritual Fervor and maintain thy ground against thy Corruptions See how thy Graces grow and how thy Corruptions dye this is the way to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Walk in the strength of one Ordinance to another and thus doing thou wilt be a growing Christian and thou wilt find through the Blessing of God upon thine Endeavours that the Sacrament which many get little benefit by is indeed a Soul-fatting Ordinance CHAP. XI Directions about Oaths THE next part of Divine Worship that I shall Direct you in is the right Use of an Oath for though rash swearing be an horrible sin as I intend God willing elsewhere to demonstrate Yet an Oath in it self is Lawful and necessary yea a Commanded part of God's Worship Thou shalt fear the Lord and serve him and shalt swear by his Name Deut. 6.13 The like we find Deut. 10.20 My work therefore in the first place will be to shew you what an Oath is and then to prove it Lawful and afterwards to give you Directions in this as I have done in other parts of God's Worship An Oath is a part of that Religious Worship which we owe to God in which being Lawfully called thereunto we call God to witness the Truth of what we Assert and our real intention to perform what we promise and to reward or punish us according to the Truth or Falshood of what we say That it is a part of Religious Worship the Texts before quoted serve to prove 2 Cor. 1.23 Moreover I call God for a Record upon my Soul that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth 2 Chron. 6.22,23 If a Man sin against his Neighbour and an Oath be laid upon him to make him Swear and the Oath come before thine Altar in this House then hear thou from Heaven and do and Judge thy Servants by requiting the Wicked by Recompencing his way upon his own Head and by Justifying the Righteous by giving him according to his Righteousness Lev. 19.12 Ye shall not swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God Exod. 2.7 You see 't is a part of Religious Worship for herein God is called to be a Witness to Justifie or to Condemn who only knows the Integrity of the Heart and the sincerity of the Intentions yea sometimes 't is put for the whole Worship of God Isa 19.18 Where swearing to the Lord is meant worshipping the Lord Nay we have the consent of all Nations that always have esteemed an Oath Sacred and Venerable Poets Philosophers Heathens and Infidels make Conscience of this Religious Band and Reason shews it also for hereby we acknowledge the Wisdom Power and Justice of God His Wisdom in Searching the Heart and knowing the hidden thoughts and intentions of it His Power in being able to punish it and his Justice in giving every Man accoding to his desert and this Worship he will not give to another Jer. 12.16 They taught my People to Swear by the Name of Baal Amos 8.14 Zeph. 1.5 The Lawfulness of an Oath is confessed by most and denyed by few and those Contemptible we have Scripture warrant for it yea the Command of God as you have heard Exod. 22.10 Where an Oath was to be taken in the Case of lost Goods Isa 45.63 Vnto me every Tongue shall swear Isa 65.16 He that sweareth in the Earth shall swear by the God of Truth Now God would not have Commanded any thing that was sinful in it self as a part of his Worship Nay he doth not only Command it but lays down the qualifications of an Oath Jer. 4.2 Thou shalt swear the Lord Liveth in Truth in Judgment and in Righteousness and in what Cases it ought to be required Exod. 22.11 Neither can there any Reason be given why 't is not Lawful as well in Gospel times as under the Law it was not Ceremonious nor Typical neither in the Matter Form nor End Nay we have Examples of God himself and therefore 't is not intrinsâ—…cally Evil Gen. 22.16 By my self have I sworn saith the Lord Heb. 6.13 Because he could swear by no greater he sware by himself Jer. 44.26 I have sworn by my great Name saith the Lord Amos 4.2 The Lord hath sworn by his Holiness We have the Example of Christ Mat. 5.18 For Verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth pass one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass till all be fulfilled compare this with Heb. 8.14 Surely Blessing I will Bless thee c. This is called God's Oath and frequent are the Asservations of Christ Verily verily we have the Example of the Holy Angels also Dan. 12.7 The Angel lift up his Hand and sware by him that Liveth for ever The like we have Rev. 10.6 we read of the Saints Swearing Gen. 14.22
cry out Lord what is Man c. Psal 8.3,4 Look upon the Earth hanging like a Ball in the open Air stayed upon nothing see how 't is garnished with Trees and Plants and Herbs and Flowers Inhabited with a Hundred sorts of several Creatures all Cared for by the great House-holder Behold the Subserviency of one Creature to another and every one seems rather made for another than himself the Sun and Moon and Stars pour out their Influence on the Earth the Earth again yields Grass and Herbs and Fruits for Man and Beast the Beasts are for Food or Service to Man there is no Corner of Nature's Garden but yields Matter of Admiration and Praise also to God The Works of his Providence also are full of Mystery and Wonder and may fill the Heart with Admiration and the Mouth with Praises to see how the World is Governed and the Creatures all provided for But especially Observe his Providence to his Church in all Ages which is a Bush on fire and not consumed Lambs in the midst of Wolves and yet safe See his Providence to Noah when the whole World was drowned to Lot when Sodom was burnt to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to the Church in Egypt and in the Wilderness To Joseph and to David to the Jews in Haman's time to the Apostles Athanasius Luther and generally down from the beginning of the World to this day descend to our own Nation how wonderful hath his Mercies been to us How strange was his bringing us out of Popish darkness How wonderful his preserving us from being reduced back again How great his Deliverance from the Spantsh Invasion and after from the Powder Treason and many other Hellish Plots hatc'd in Hell against God's People upon Earth How hath he continued our Peace our Plenty our Health our Liberty yea the Gospel among us notwithstanding the Rage and Malice of the Devil and his Instruments If we consider our own particular Mercies and that as we are Men or as we are Christians As a Man thou art his Creature and shouldst bless him for thy Creation he made thee of nothing when he had no need of thee he made thee a rational Creature capable of Communion with himself when he might have made thee a Dog or Toad or the most despicable Creature that ever fell out of his hands And doth not this deserve praise He covered thee in thy Mothers womb and through him thou wast born David blesseth him for that Psal 139.13 Thou wast born in an Age of Light under the Gospel thou mightest have been born in Turky or India or the most barbarous place in America he provided for thee when thou couldest not provide for thy self he gives thee Food and Raiment and blesseth them to thy Use without which they could not Feed thee or keep thee warm he hath given thee thy Limbs and Senses when thou mightest have been blind or lame or deaf or dumb Thou hast thy health and strength thy wit and reason when thou mightest have been upon thy Bed of Languishing or running raging in the Streets thou hast fire and water two great Favours were they wanted thou hast the ground to tread upon the Air to breath in which thou hast not deserved and many thousand other Mercies and canst not yet see Cause to be thankful Peace and Plenty Health and Liberty is given in to thee But if thou art a Christian thy Obligations are much more thou shouldest then praise God for his Electing Love when he past by thousands and set his Love on thee for sending his Son into the world and for Christs Suffering for thy Sins for his Redeeming of thee with his precious blood for his Adopting thee to be his Child his Calling Sanctifying and Justifying thee for the Grace he hath given thee the promises he hath made to thee for the Gospel of his Son given to thee for his Spirit to direct thee his Ministers to teach thee thy own Conscience to check thee the Company of his Servants to encourage thee and generally for all the helps thou hast in Heavens way strength against Temptations Corruptions and Alurements Now Christian canst see any Cause of thankfulness Doubtless thou maist especially if thou consider all this is given thee freely without any desert on thy part 7. Direct Having sounded forth the praises of God for his Mercy which thou hast Received from him and blessed him for Church Mercies for State Mercies for Family Relation and Personal Mercies thy next work is to go to God to Petition him for the continuance of those Mercies that are enjoyed and granting those that are yet wanting for preventing the judgments feared and begging the removal of those that are felt when thou hast paid one Debt and Cancelled one Obligation thou maist go the bolder to borrow again In private thou maist tell him what Sins thou wouldest have mortified and what Graces strengthened and Increased what Temptations vanquished what doubts resolved and what other wants thou wouldst have supplyed for thy self thy Family thy Relations and Friends who lye under Sins or Sufferings or Temptations as also for the place where thou Sinnest the Nation of which thou art a Member For the removal of the judgments felt or feared the continuance of the Mercies enjoyed and the bestowing of those that are wanting The Reformation of what is amiss in Church or State the infatuating of the Counsels of blood-thirsty Enemies the Continuance of the Gospel in the power and purity of it for a supply of Faithful Labourers in God's Harvest and a blessing upon their Endeavours for a blessing upon the Government upon the Kings Majesty and his Royal Relations upon his Counsels Magistrates Ministers and all in Authority for the preservation of the Land in Peace and Plenty Health and Liberty and for the Church in general That God would protect them by his power direct them by his Spirit spread abroad the Gosspel to the Ends of the Earth make all the Kingdoms of the world the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ that he would root out every Plant which he himself hath not Planted and purge his Ordinance from every thing that offends and bring down the Potent Enemies of Christ and set Christ upon his Throne and pull down the Throne of Anti-Christ and bring in Jews and Gentiles to be one Fold under one Shepherd Jesus Christ the Righteous and finish those sinful days wherein we Live And in the Conclusion we should ingage our selves by Covenant that if God shall give in a return to those our Requests then will we praise and magnifie him and devote our selves more to his Service and in the Close of the Duty remember the Poor This is also a necessary work of the Day and that which God expects at our hands as a testification of our Thankful hearts and with what Conscience canst deny God this one Request who hath bestowed so much upon thee This was the Practice of the Saints in
received take notice of your unworthiness the more to exalt the Mercies received But Confession of Sin so as to Afflict the Soul with them is not suitable to the day Bring thy Family in due time to the Publick if it be publickly Observed otherwise carry it on in Private and pay your Vows in the great Congregation and behave your selves in the remaining part of the day as be-you were Directed in the Observation of the Sabbath for this time is Consecrated and made Holy to God and should be wholly spent in his Service And thou shouldest be as careful of thy Thoughts thy Words and thy Affections as though it were a Sabbath for there is no danger of keeping them too intent upon God When thou comest into the Congregation thou maist say as Jacob Gen. 28.17 This is no other but the House of God and the Gate of Heaven for here is done the work that shall be done in Heaven As for the oher expressions of Joy as Ringing of Bells shooting off Guns making of Bone-fires c. they are so far Lawful as they help forward the Work and raise the Heart to an higher pitch of Joy and rejoycing in the Lord. 5. Direct Having thus disposed and prepared thy Heart for the Work and set thy self as in the Presence of the ever-living God that sees and knows and takes notice of thee set thy self then upon the work of Glorifying God and render thanks to him from thy Heart for all the Benefits thou hast Received Praise is comely for the Saints And this Religious Thankfulness of which we speak is thy Duty Now 't is either External or Internal the Internal is to carry a thankful Heart to God and this is every days Duty External is when the Thankfulness of the Heart is expressed in Words or Actions the former without the latter is not sufficient the latter without the former is little worth Now the External manifestation of thy thankfulness is either Private or Publick Private by thy self or Family Publick in the great Congregation and this also is either Ordinary or Extraordinary Ordinary and this should be done at every time when we come together to Worship of God The Extraordinary is upon Extraordinary Occasions as some great Deliverances or the obtaining some great Mercies or the bringing down some great Enemies of the Church this the Church ought to bless God for and Offer this Sacrifice of Praise in the Name and Mediation of Christ who prays over all our Prayers for us and Offers our Praises performed with the Incense of his own Righteousness Now 't is requisite as I said before that a Catalogue of those Mercies God hath given in as a return of Prayers be laid up either in a Book or in the Memory for if we neglect or forget them how shall we speak of them to God's praise 't is not enough to remember them but we must also mention them to his praise Thus David I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul He acknowledgeth God the Author of his Mercies and doth not Sacrifice to his own Nets as many do and burn Incense to his Drags Hab. 1.16 But as the Church not unto us Lord not to us but to thy Name be the Praise he acknowledges frequently his own worthlessness that he may exalt God Lord saith he what is Man that thou shouldst be mindful of him Or the Son of Man that thou regardest him Psal 8.4 I am less than the least of thy Mercies saith Jacob I am less than the least of thy Saints saith Paul Yea when it comes let it be a Free-will Offering do it chearfully readily willingly as the Saints and Angels do it in Heaven heartily not heavily God Loves a chearful giver and matters not grumbling Service Be as willing to return Thanks as ever thou wast to have the Mercy Set thy Heart on Work in this Duty stir up thy self like the Psalmist Psal 103.1 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me Praise his Holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits 'T is not enough to Praise him with the Lips or bring our Bodies before him but the Heart and Life should Praise him the Heart should Indite thy Praises and thy Tongue utter them and thy Life and Conversation Seal to them thou shouldst do thanks and Live thanks as well as speak thanks this is every days Duty especially when we receive signal Mercies we should return answerable thanks when National Mercies National thanks should be returned Psal 50.15 Moses did so at the Deliverance at the Red Sea Exod. 15.1 Deborah and Barak did so Judg. 5.12 The Jews also when delivered from Haman's Plots Est 8.11.17 And there is great reason it should be so for Praise is due to none but God and to him the Vow should be performed all our Springs are in him and all our Mercies are from him yea every good and perfect gift and this is the very End for which he gives them and 't is all he requires for them this Pepper-corn of Homage is all his Rent who is the great Land-Lord and though it be due from all yet he expects it from his own People especially he will extort his own from others in another way and none but his People can do it to please him This is to his Saints a fore-tast of Glory where it must be their constant Work 'T is a beneficial Duty also for Thanksgiving for one Mercy is a real yea a prevailing Request for another Those that Offer praise Glorifie God And yet we see how negligent most are in this Duty few take notice of the Mercies they Receive but like Swine eat the Acorns or Crabs and regard not whence they come Ten Lepers were cleansed and but one returns thanks many are sensible of their wants and with the Horse-Leach cry give give yet are not sensible of their enjoyments to return thanks yea suffer some petty Cross to hide a thousand Blessings and keep them out of their sight 6. Direct When thou art thus prepared thus fitted go on in re-counting the Mercies thou hast Received and bless God for them this is the main Work of the Day Now forasmuch as Mercies are various all Men receive not alike yet all receive some for which they should be thankful give me leave to lead you by the Hand a little and shew you some the rest you may Observe your selves Bless God for what he is in himself and what he is to his Creatures in himself admire his Essence for fathom it thou canst not the like we may say of his Attributes his Eternity Immutability his Power Wisdom Holiness Justice and Truth c. Thou maist spend thy days also in Admiring him in the Works of his Hand lift up thy Eyes to Heaven and see the Sun the Moon and Stars those Glorious Lamps those Beauty spots of Heaven observe their Distance Courses Influence and Virtues and well thou maist