and Men that in special do want our Prayers in publique and private Calamities Object But we must ask according to the Will of God Resp Yes according to his revealed Will We must not cannot look into his secret Will to see who are there excluded from his Mercy but those who are excluded in his revealed Will we must not sue for as the Devils and those who have sinned against the Holy Ghost if we knew them Object But do we not worship God in vain when we pray for whom the Lord will not hear us Resp I answer No Our Prayer shall return into our own bosoms as it was with the Psalmist when he prayed for his Enemies III. To whom must we pray I answer Unto God who is there called a Father a Word of Nature or Person In the former sense taken for the Holy Trinity in the latter for the First Person Here ye may understand it both ways in a compound sence 1. That you are to direct your Prayers to God the whole Divine Nature Father Son and Holy Ghost And then withal to the Father first in order through the Son by the Holy Ghost All are here condemned who pray unto any other None is to be prayed unto but whom we may call our Heavenly Father which is not due to any Creature IV. Through whom I answer Through Christ alone For through him and none other is God become our Father By Him we have the priviledg of Adoption and are made Sons and Daughters We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Prepitiation for our Sins 1 John 2.1 None can be our Mediator of Intercession unto God but He that is the Propitiation appeasing him and satisfying his Wrath due unto our Sins and therefore no Saint nor Angel must be employed in this Office There is but one Mediator of Redemption and Intercession between God and Man even Christ Jesus who is both God and Man V. How we must pray Resp 1. As to a Father 2. As to a Father which is in Heaven And therefore To one that is willing and ready to help infinite in Majesty and Soveraignty seeing and knowing all things our Hearts our Wants This should teach you to pray with Boldness Confidence Reverence Understanding Sincerity Pray with Boldness as to a Father with Confidence and Reverence as to an Heavenly Father with Sincerity and Understanding as to him that seeth your Hearts The things that we are to pray for every Morning at least one reduceth them to these Heads viz. That you may not offend God this Day That you may not want Grace Light and Courage to resist those Temptations which most assail you and those Sins to which you are most inclined That you may practise those Vertues which are most necessary for you That you may be guided this Day by God's good Providence in all that concerns your Soul Body and Estate That you may obtain new Favours and Assistance for the Necessities of your Neighbours which you may then set before him This kind of Supplication among other Commodities hath this withal that it daily reneweth in the Soul some good purposes and desires of Vertues and moveth it to be the more earnest to do that thing which he hath so frequently and so earnestly desired Chrysostom saith Such as pray earnestly in very deed will not suffer their Hearts to commit any thing that is unseemly for such an Exercise but ever have their Eyes upon God with whom a little before they talked and were conversant And so by that Cogitation they put away from them all the Suggestions of the Devil when they consider what an hainous matter it were that he that had a little before talked with Almighty God and desired of him Chastity and Holiness with all other Vertues should immediately run to his Enemies side and open the Gates of his Soul to receive in filthy and dishonest Delights and suffer the Devil to place him self in that Heart which a little before was the Temple of the Holy Ghost A form of Petition composed by Thomas Aquinas O God give unto me and unto all those whom I commend in my Prayer an understanding to know Thee and affectionate devotion to seek Thee a Wisdom to find Thee a Conversation to please Thee a Perseverance boldly to wait on Thee a Faith happily to embrace Thee My God so order it that I may be wounded with Thy sufferings in Repentance that in this Life I may use Thy Blessings in Grace and enjoy in the other Eternal Joys in Glory Amen SECT XIX Of Offering our selves to God ONe act of true Devotion is That a Man should every Morning offer up and make a Resignation of himself unto God which is an absolute parting with himself and a putting himself under the Power Wisdom and Soveraignty of God to be commanded ordered and disposed in all things by him according to his Will This work of Resigning our selves to God must be always doing whilst we are in this World When God hath wrought upon the Heart by effectual Perswasions and by his mighty Power the Lord saith to the Soul I am thy God and the Soul answers in truth And I am Thine As David Psal 116.6 O Lord I am thy Servant I am thy Servant Now is the Resignation actually made But though this be done yet it is still always doing whilst we are here upon Earth nay to Eternity For it is a thing that consists of an iteration of multiplied Acts. As Wedlock is not one single Act of Persons giving themselves each to other but if they live as Married Persons ought there is a daily giving of themselves each to other Their Hearts go out every day with Complacency and Delight willingly renewing the Bond and making the Contract yet firmer and firmer The end of this Resignation of your selves to God is that in all things you may be Commanded Ruled and Governed by him to have the Will of God to be your Bounds and to have it for your Rule and Pattern To be Bounded by God is to do nothing but what God doth either Command or Warrant All things are not Commanded a Christian that he may do But Commands and Warrants are the utmost Latitude of that Liberty which is left us we have no further to go and we need not there is scope enough to keep within these Limits Psal 119.16 Saith David I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad It is as if he had said I have walked over the fair Plains of every Creature I have viewed the extent of all Excellency in them and I could look beyond it But when I look upon the Commandment of God as it is either Mandatory or Promisory it is of so vast Dimensions so exceeding great that it exceeds all things in the World there is room enough for the Spirit of a Man that is in true subjection unto God Now as we need not step
Condition of those that want the Means of Knowledge is plainly expressed by the Apostle Eph. 4.17 18. where he sheweth that the Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their minds having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart Where you may consider that they are so far from having such knowledge as doth guide them unto Life and Salvation that they are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them 1 Cor. 1.21 It is said that the World by wisdom knew not God They had a kind of Wisdom wherein many of them excelled whereby they knew many Secrets of Nature many Affairs of State and Government c. But all their Wisdom for want of the Word did not teach them the right Knowledg of God in a saving way Consider also that as the Heathens that wanted the Word so the Unregenerate that live under the Ministery of the Word do remain in darkness the Day doth not dawn unto them nor doth the Day-Star arise in their Hearts or elss if the Day do dawn in their Brains it is dark Night in their Hearts if they do get some knowledg of the Gospel and Mysteries of Salvation yet this Light doth not pierce so as to win them to the Love of that Truth and Light which appeareth unto them and to subject their Hearts unto the Power of it Now in the Regenerate the Gospel being revealed to them by the Spirit is as the dawning of the Day and the rising of the Day-Star in their Hearts in comparison of that Night of Blindness which was in themselves before Regeneration and is yet in others that are unregenerate for first the Day dawns in their Understandings and then the Day-Star ariseth in their Hearts then the Night begins to wear away and the Day breaks and dawns upon them then they begin to see what they could not see before and to see that far more clearly and effectually which they saw in some imperfect measure before Now the Spirit having caused the Day to dawn in their Understandings he proceedeth also to enlighten the lower Region and to cause the Day-Star to arise in their Hearts as in the Night time when the Sun is on the other side of the Earth it shineth brightly and enlightneth the Stars as we see yet the Body of the Earth being between the Sun and us maketh it dark here below so when the Spirit enlightens the Understanding of an unregenerate Man with the knowledge of the Gospel even at the same time there is a Body of Death in his heart and a Mass of sinful Corruptions which casts a Shadow and keeps the Heart and Affections in miserable darkness Now as every Coruption is a degree of Darkness so every Grace is a Beam of heavenly Light for God is Light and every Grace is a Part of the Image and Likeness of God and so is Lumen de Lumine Light issuing from the Fountain of Light Consider what St. Paul saith to the faithful Ephesians Ephes 3.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness but now ye are Light in the Lord their present Condition Ye were Darkness dark all over dark Understandings dark Judgments dark Hearts and Affections they had a dark Vail of natural Blindness upon their Judgments a dark Cloud of worldly and fleshly Lusts and Corruptions upon their Hearts but now they are Light in the Lord lightfom Understandings and lightsom Hearts and Affections SECT V. At the Breaking forth of the Light COnsider with thy self that there is a fourfold Light spoken of in Scripture and that God is called Pater Luminum the Father of Lights James 1.17 1. There is Lux materialis a material Light that which God created in the beginning and of which he made the Sun and Moon to be as Fountains and Vessels that with the Beams proceeding from them the World might be illuminated Consider how God was the Father of this in the first place Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light He commanded Light to shine out of Darkness saith the Apostle And it is said Gen. 1.15 He set two Lights in the Firmament of Heaven a greater Light to rule the Day and a lesser Light to rule the Night 2. There is Lux naturalis that which we commonly call the Light of Nature and it is that same knowledg and Conscience that was at first planted in the Mind of Man by which he was made able to distinguish between Good and Evil. Of this also God is the Father it is he that hath created in us Understanding to discern and Conscience to bear witness of Good and Evil. 3. There is Lux supernaturalis or spiritualis that which we commonly call the Light of Grace and from this there arise two Beams 1. That which shines into our Hearts to dispel the darkness of Sin in us of which I have spoken before It is in this sence that the Children of God are called the Children of Light and the holy Conversation that they lead is said to be a walking in the Light Now of this also God is the Father it is he that by his Spirit enlightens our Hearts with Grace as I spake before 2. There is a Light that shineth in our hearts to chear us with the assurance of God's Love and Favour Light is sown to the Righteous and joy to the upright in Heart Psal 27.11 Light and Joy are sown together in the same Furrow Of this also God is the Father it is he only that can make us to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness So David prayeth Lord do thou lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me The light of his Countenance is the light of his Favour where the light of his Favour shineth no clouds of Affliction can darken our Joy it will make our Hearts merrier than Corn and Wine 4. There is Lux immortalis or Coelestis we may call it the Light of Glory It is that same Light which God dwells in the Light inaccessible the Light that none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 Yet that Light that God's Children shall one day dwell in also Light we may call it for it is where Darkness never made his Pavilion a Light more glorious than the Sun or Moon For it is where though no Sun shall be yet where no Night shall be The Glory of God lightens that place and the Lamb is the Light of it Rev. 21.23 Now of this Light likewise God is the Father He that Inhabits it he Created it and he hath prepared it to be an Habitation for his Saints that as many as shall be Citizens of the New Jerusalem may rest under the Glory of it The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day saith the Prophet nor for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee the everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Isa
than the Fire more hardned than the Stone more cruel to himself than the wild Beasts more spiteful and venemous against others than the Cockatrice He hath neither feared God nor regarded Man He hath not been contented alone himself to be injurious to God but would have many others to be partakers with him in sinful Practices Now what shall be said of his other abominable Practices Such hath his Pride been that he refused to be in subjection unto God he would not submit his Neck under the sweet yoke of his Obedience but would rather live as he listed and fulfil his own Will in every point rebelling against the Lord vexing his holy Spirit How exceedingly was he enraged if God did not grant him all his desires or if he sent any Crosses or Troubles for his Trial and Exercise He loved to be applauded in all his doings whether good or bad And now consider O my Soul whether all Creatures may not justly cry out against thee and say Come let us destroy this wicked Wretch from off the face of the Earth that hath done so much wrong to our Creator May not the Earth say Why do I bear such a cumbersome Wretch May not the Water say Why do I not drown him May not the Fire say Why do I not burn and consume him May not Hell say Why do I not swallow him up and torment him Alas miserable Wretch that I am What shall I do Whither shall I go seeing all Creatures are in Arms against me Where shall I hide my Head Who will receive me who have offended all Creatures The great God I have despised the Angels I have grieved the Saints I have dishonoured Men I have offended and scandalized and all Creatures have I most wickedly abused Whither then shall Iflie for shelter for as much as I have made all things to become mine Enemies I look round about me and can see nothing that will take my part yea even mine own Conscience barketh against me and all my Bowels do accuse me and rent me in pieces Wherefore weep continually O my Soul lament thy wretchedness like a poor miserable Creature never cease weeping so long as thou livest in this Vale of misery be still in expectation when thy merciful Saviour will vouchsafe to turn the Eyes of his Compassion towards thee and with all possible humility and shame cast thy self down at his Feet and cry out Oh! where can I find Punishment enough to be avenged on my self and Tears enough to wash away mine offences O Lord I am that great Enemy of thine which hath committed most wicked and abominable Offences before thy Face I acknowledg my self guilty before thee I beseech thee O Lord to cast the Mantle of thy Mercy over me thy poor wretched miserable Creature and let the greatness of thy Goodness overcome and cover my wickedness Let the most sweet loving Father rejoyce at the coming home again of his Prodigal Son Let the good Shepherd rejoyce at the recovery of his lost Sheep Oh! how happy and joyful shall that Day be when thou shalt cast thine Arms about my Neck and give me the sweet embraces and kisses of Peace I will now take Arms against my self therefore and be more cruel and rigorous against my self than any other I will loath and despise my self and from henceforth the face of Sin shall be more hideous to me than Hell and I shall desire to be despised and punished of all Creatures for as much as I have despised the Creator of them all I am contented that all Dishonours Reproaches and Punishments do run upon me on every side so that by them I may be brought to my most Sweet and Merciful Lord. And as for all Honour Pleasure and Worldly Delights they shall be quite banished away from me in so much as the very Names of them shall be heard no more in my House I will seek nothing else but the Honour of my Lord God and the Contempt and Confusion of my self Hitherto or almost to this effect are the words of that Devout and Ancient Father SECT XXI Of Family-Worship HEre I shall commend unto you the advice of a Reverend Divine of ours Let Family-Worship be performed constantly and seasonably twice a Day at that Hour which is freest from Interruptions not delaying it without just cause But whensoever it is performed be sure it be Reverently Seriously and Spiritually done If greater Duty hinder not begin with a brief Invocation of God's Name and craving of his Help and Blessing through Christ and then reade some part of the holy Scripture in order and either help the Hearers to understand and apply it Or if you are unable for that then read some profitable Book to them for such ends and earnestly pour out your Souls in Prayer c. Pretend not necessity against any Duty for it is but unwillingness or negligence that makes Men remiss in Family-Worship The lively and constant performance of Family-Duties is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of Godliness in the World all which decayeth when these grow dead slight and formal Those Families wherein this Service of God is performed are as it were little Churches yea even a kind of Paradise upon Earth And for this purpose Philem. 1 2. St. Paul writing to Philemon Greeteth the Church that is in his House And in like manner he sendeth Salutations to the Church of Corinth from Aquila to Priscilla and the Church that was in their House 1 Cor. 16.19 On the other side where Family-Worship is not used but either for the most part or altogether neglected those Families may be termed no better than Companies of prophane and graceless Atheists who as they deny God in their Hearts so they are described by this Note That they do not call upon the Name of the Lord Psal 14.4 And the Prophet prayeth thus unto God Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name Jer. 10.25 Many Parents take care only to enrich their Children to make them great and honourable in the World to leave them large Portions and Estates to provide rich Matches for them but take no care to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Nay many Parents are afraid their Children should prove Religious Some Parents cannot abide their Children whom they see to look a little towards Sion Such Parents as one saith are the Devil's Children But every Parent ought to say of his Natural Children as St. John doth of his Spiritual Children Epist 3.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth SECT XXII A Calling and Business of what Importance IT becometh every one to be truly Diligent and well employed in some lawful Calling God himself both Father and Son are said to Work John 5.17 and will admit of no Loiterers or Idle Persons He that will have his Penny
heed of placing your Affection on any of them For be the Recreations in themselves never so honest it is a Vice to set your Affections on any of them But thou mayst take Recreation in playing for the time thou playest otherwise it would be no Recreation but thou must not eagerly desire or long after them nor yet study on them nor vex thy self about them And when thy Recreation withdraweth thy Mind from walking in an honest Calling or eateth up the Time which might be far better spent in doing those things as might tend to the good of thy self or others either in respect of this Life or the Life to come it is a manifest Intemperancy and want of Moderation And if so strict an account must be given of idle words at the Day of Judgment as our Saviour tells us how strict a reckoning must be rendred of idle Actions And all actions of Sport are idle when they are Immoderate All Christians are bound to redeem the time not thus idly and vainly to trifle and pass away the time And Heaven is appointed as a place for Men to rest in from their Labours not for those to sit down in who have here spent a great part of their days in Sports and Pleasures Ye may see the lawful use of outward Comforts Recreations and Pleasures allowed to the Godly and the ungodly Man's unlawful and voluptuous course of living in Pleasure shadowed forth to us in the difference that 's between a Bird's and a Fish's using of the Waters 1. The Bird doth but touch the Water and sips only for refreshment but the Fish wallows and tumbles in it and delighteth to drench and cover her self therein 2. The Bird only toucheth the Waters but resteth not upon them but quickly speeds her self away again but the Fish resideth in them as in its proper Element 3. The Bird as she flieth lighteth down and takes up a little Water in her flight by the way but the Fish lieth continually swilling and sucking in it So he that lawfully useth those things which God hath given for our Delight and Refreshment in a Christian moderate way he takes them more sparingly whereas others do even glut and cloy themselves with them God's Children do take but a little of these and but by the way as they are in running the Race that is set before them as they are in their flight towards Heaven their Souls being then upon the wing and raised to Heavenly-mindedness when they do taste of the sweetness of these things And if they herein transgress and sometimes glut themselves too much with these things their Failing doth more trouble them than their Pleasure doth refresh them On the other side He that lives in Pleasure as the Fish in the Waters he is then at rest when he is enjoying some sensual Delights he is then in his proper Vbi and Element when his Heart is even drench'd and immersed in some such Pleasure as is adapted to his Sensual Affections And when he is in the Service and Worship of God he is like a Fish on dry Land out of its place he is in such a Course as is not pleasing to him his Heart acquiesceth in the midst of his Delights being not at all exercised in any Heavenly Imployment his Heart is not any way born up with any lively and Heavenly Affections SECT XXVII Of the Conversation of Parents and Elders EVery one in the Family ought to serve God according to his Abilities as his Place gives him occasion or advantage Many a one if he were Head and Master of a Family as he is but an Inferiour would do more good than there is done Therefore they that have such advantage of place should glorifie God accordingly And they should be like those Wheels in the Clock which move first of all and carry round all the rest with them They should be Leaders in Praying in Reading in Meditation in holy Conference in Humility in Zeal in Sobriety in Admonition in an Heavenly Conversation Parents should pray earnestly unto God to heal their Childrens Souls They should also be very careful to purge out the vanity of their Hearts and Conversations that so albeit they could not prevent the running Issue whereby they conveied Sin to their Children at the first yet they may take heed of increasing it by an evil example By a vain and evil Conversation thou dost no less than confirm and even water those roots of Sin which thou thy self hast planted in them 1. Evil Examples are most dangerous which are practised by Men that have most Authority Now the Child especially when he is young in his Childhood when his disposition receiveth its first shape looketh upon his Father as his Prince as it were he feareth and regardeth more than any Prince and so his Look his Word and especially his Example is a Law unto him and he looks for no better Warrant Maxima debetur pueris reverentia It hath been said Much reverence is due to Children We say and that truly that Children owe great Reverence to their Parents and Elders And 't is as true Parents and Elders should carry it reverently toward Children because their Example emboldens Children to imitate them in a likeness of Speech or Behaviour 2. That Example is most dangerous that is most commonly in sight Now the Child looketh upon the Father and Mother almost every Day when they rise up lie down go forth come in talk eat drink c. he is still with them Other Mens Courses he seeth but now and then these always Now when unmortified unrestrained Vanity shall break out in every passage of their Lives and their Children be witnesses of it is it not likely that they will be followers of it also The Child perhaps hears a Neighbour Swear once in a Week or Month but when he shall hear his Father every Day dishonour God this way this is very dangerous 3. Evil Examples are most dangerous in those whom we specially love for Love is a cover for many Blemishes in Persons and Things that are beloved Now whom doth the Child love so much as Father and Mother therefore their evil Examples will foon take with them That which is evil in Parents seemeth good to their Children because of their Natural Love toward them Therefore ye Parents how careful should ye be of your Carriage in regard of your Children Ye would have your Children love you and so they ought But take heed lest ye make their Love to you an occasion of Destruction to them That were a most wicked unnatural Parent that knowing his Child should love something as should poyson it would purposely lay it in his Child's way that he might swallow it down So when a Parent knows his Children love and embrace him and that which he doeth his Courses and Actions what a woful thing is it if he shall defile himself and his actions with Sin and Wickedness and so occasion his Children
And among all other Creatures Man is most cruelly bent against Man What abundance of Engines Artillery Weapons and Munition have Men devised for their own defence and to offend others In so much as when we are not molested with the Air nor the Elements Men become Wolves and Devils to one another Tully speaks of a notable Philosopher who wrote a Book concerning the Deaths of Men wherein he reciteth the occasions of Mens Deaths that have hapned in the World as by Inundations Sword Famine Pestilence diversities of Diseases destructions of Cities concourse of Wild-Beasts which rushing in suddenly upon some Nations have utterly devoured them And yet in the close of all he concludeth That a far greater number of Men have been destroyed by Men than by all the other kind of Calamities though they were all joyned together But if in this Discourse I should run through all the Miseries and Calamities that are incident to all the Ages and Conditions of this Life Men might yet find themselves in a far worse case And here we should never make an end if we should set forth the little satisfaction that is to be found in each of these and that eager desire that every one hath to change his Condition with the State of others The consideration whereof made St. Bernard say That he thought this Life little better than the life of Hell it self were it not for the hope that here we may have to attain to the Kingdom of Heaven VII Lastly Meditate on Death it self which succeedeth after other Miseries Who is able to declare the manifold Miseries that are included in this Misery alone At present consider what an holy Father saith by way of Exclamation against Death O Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee How suddenly dost thou steal upon us How secret are thy Paths and Ways How doubtful is thy Hour How universal is thy Dominion The Mighty cannot escape thy Hands the Wise cannot hide themselves from thee and in thy presence the Strong lose their strength Thou accountest no Man Rich for no Man can ransome his Life of thee for Money Thou goest every where Thou searchest every where there is no place where thou art not Thou witherest the Herbs thou drinkest up the Winds thou corruptest the Air thou changest the Ages thou alterest the World thou stickest not to sup up the Sea All things do increase and diminish but thou continuest always at one stay Thou art the Hammer that always strikest thou art the Sword that never blunteth thou art the Snare whereinto every one falleth thou art the Prison whereinto every one entreth thou art the Sea wherein all do perish Thou art the Pain that every one suffereth and the Tribute that every one payeth O cruel Death why hast thou no pity of us but stealest suddenly upon us to snatch us away in our best Times and interrupt us in our best Affairs Thou robbest as much from us in one Hour as we have gained in many Years Thou cuttest off the succession of Kindreds and Families thou leavest Princes and Kingdoms without any Heirs thou fillest the World with Widows and Orphans thou breakest off the studies of great Clerks thou overthrowest good Wits in their ripest Age thou joynest the End with the Beginning without giving place to the Middle Thus He. How should the consideration of these things make us willing to part hence when Death shall sound the Retreat Chrysostom saith elegantly Chrys Hom. 2. in Epist Pauâ—i ad Col. This Life is a Nest framed of Straw and Morter we are the little Birds shall we putrifie in the stench of this filthy Nest If Devotion hath made us Wings why are we slothful Let us soar aloft and take that flight which our Eagle tracked out to us in the Day of his Ascension Remember that the quintescence of all Wisdom is the Meditation of Death It is a business we should learn all our Life-time to exercise it once The faults therein committed are irreparable and the loss without recovery SECT XXXVI Of returning to Family-worship in the Evening LEt every Christian return to the Worshipping of God in the Family and in secret in the Evening as in the Morning Under the Law a Lamb was offered up Morning and Evening Exod. 29.38 R. Menachem fol. 115. Day by Day continually Of this the Hebrew Doctors say The continual Sacrifice of the Morning made Atonement for the Iniquities that were done in the Night And the Evening-sacrifice made Atonement for the Iniquities that were by Day This should teach us daily to renew the application of the Sacrifice of Christ typified by the Lamb once offered to the Father for us Receive him feed upon him and make daily Application of him even Morning and Evening make an humble confession of your Sins with much holy Contrition and godly Sorrow and then present Christ and all his Merits unto God and sprinkle thy Conscience afresh with his Blood Renew thy hold of him and embrace him more strongly let your Faith be daily exercised upon Christ The Lord did meet with the People and speak with them in the place where the Lamb was offered continually Exod. 29.42 So if we daily Morning and Evening by a true and lively Faith do renew the Application of Christ's Sacrifice to our Souls we may be sure that Christ will meet with us there and speak with us there Oh how do we wrong our selves when we with-draw and do not give Christ a meeting when we absent our selves Morning or Evening and neglect those holy Duties wherein we should meet Jesus Christ and hear him speaking to us Peace and Pardon Reconciliation and Salvation What sweet comfort is to be found in all Estates when thus we shall draw near to the Lord in these holy Duties When we shall meet him and hear his sweet Expressions of Love by his Spirit to our Souls it should make us loth to depart even hard to be pulled away from the Door of the Tabernacle unwilling to end these exercises or turn our thoughts another way were it not that other things must be done Therefore sanctifie your selves every one and come to this daily Burnt-offering Morning and Evening continually that ye may meet the Lord and hear him talk with you words of Peace and Love Many complain that Christ is strange unto them they cannot see him nor hear any word of Comfort from him but the fault is in themselves they fail to give him a meeting or to come in that holy manner as they ought Moreover it is said ver 43. That hereupon the Tabernacle should be sanctified by the Glory of the Lord when they should come before him daily with this continual Burnt-offering and he should meet them and speak with them In like manner a Family a Christian is sanctified by the Glory of the Lord through this daily Intercourse with him If ye daily meet the Lord in Humiliation in renewing the Application of