of Honour from them Deo servire est regnare saith Augustin And David accounted it a greater honour to be Gods Servant then to be Israels King Psal 18. Title The great God is the most honourable Master who Employs his Servants in this most honourable work and will undoubtedly pay them with the most honourable wages even with an hundred fould in this life and in the World to come with life everlasting Mark 10. 30. I have no cause to doubt but that you are both of you already true Spiritual Pilgrims in this Divine walk and work And I cannot but be confident that you both do Ardently affect what soever may promote your Progress herein O that my poor Labours might contribute any thing to further your passage If but some few steps I could then wish every word were Ten every line a Leaf and every Leaf a Volum and that both my Tongue and my Pen might have ten-fold more of the Divine tincture upon them to be serviceable to you thereunto Your God and the God of your Fathers hath already done singular things for you and therefore he doth expect singular things from you Math. 5. 47. Where the Husbandman bestows his greatest cost there he expects his largest crop Your Trading and your Talents should be proportionable to whom much is given of them much is Required Luke 12. 48. I beseech you therefore as ye have received how ye ought to walk and to work in this paradise of christianity into which the second Adam hath graciously restored you as the first Adam cast you out in himself from thence so ye would abound more and more 1 Thes 4. 1. According to the Divine directions herein presented you That ye may follow the foot steps of your Father Abraham who followed God blind-fold when called as you have been out of one Land into another Heb. 11. 8. That ye may be called at last from Earth to Heaven in Soul and Body as ye are already in Spirit after ye have walked out your generation-work in Abrahams steps to be safely lodged in Abrahams bosom that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the hearts of your Son and Daughter and of their seed for ever and that your Walls and theirs may be continually before the Lord of the whole Earth Isa 49. 16. All this is the unfeigned desire and hearty Prayer which shall never be wanting of Your Worships sincerely and thankfully Devoted Christopher Nesse To the READER Candid and Christian Reader HEre I present you with the Walk and Work of a Christian upon Earth till he get to Heaven Wherein 1. Observe the matter And 2. The method hereof 1. The matter is twofold 1. Your Walk and 2. Your Work 1. As to your Walk there be three remarkable phrases in the holy Scriptures that all concern your Christian Walk 1. A walking with God 2. A walking before God And 3. A walking after God The first was that Walk of Enoch who is said to walk with God Gen. 5. 22 24. as a man walks with his friend with whom he is well agreed Amos 3. 3. hand in hand and heart in heart aequis passibus in equal pace and equipage And this he did not only for an hour or a day or a week or a month or a year but for 300 years Alas we can neither watch with Christ nor walk with God for the space of one single hour Mat. 26. 40. The second was the Walk of Abraham who is bid to walk before God Gen. 17. 1 that is to set himself evermore solemnly in Gods Presence as having the great God always in his Rear his Lieutenant-General and for his rereward Isa 52. 12. Thus the people of the God of Abraham had the cloudy pillar behind them in their passage through the red Sea Exod. 14. 19 20. where Jehovah himself brought up the Rear of 600000. Now to know that you are ever under Gods eye and ever before him this must needs make you walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurately Eph. 5. 15. and not to take up one foot until you know where to set down the other walking exactly by line and by rule and as it were in a frame footing it rightly and uprightly as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Gal. 2. 14. striving to get to the very top of Godliness The third was the Walk of Israel who were commanded to Walk after the Lord Deut. 13. 4. as after the Captain-General of their salvation Heb. 2. 10. Thus the pillar of glory went before them through the wilderness and they followed after it in all their removes Exod. 13. 21 22. Thus Caleb with a better Spirit than that of the World walk'd after God fully Numb 14. 24. as the needle doth after the Load-stone that draws it Cant. 1. 4. Joh. 6. 44. you walk after a good guide while you walk after your good God and in so doing you cannot easily wander in this wilderness of the World This will be a blessed Antidote to you against cursed Apostacy 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. and thus God must be your All and in All Col. 3. 11. he must be with you before you and behind you also that you may be as a Ship under Sail carried end-ways strongly by a favourable Wind and fearing neither Rocks nor Sands in the River of Gods Paradise Psal 46. 4. Gen. 2. 10. to 15. This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Revel 10. 9 10. Or little Book is a rude draught or Plat-form or Land-Skip of the Gospel-garden of Eden the true Spiritual Paradise of pleasure the sublimest Spring-garden of Scriptural-Holiness wherein you have not only pleasant Rivers as above but also delightful walks far surpassing the best gardens and galleries that can be found in this Chabul 1 King 9. 12 13. or dirty world Herein you are directed not to be Idle nor to stand still but to go forward as walkers do and to walk Arm in Arm as it were not only with God but with his holy Angels Zech. 3. 4 5 7. Mat. 22. 30. Isa 57. 2. And that not in one walk only but in many Delectable walks whereof this blessed Paradise of Piety consisteth insomuch that as the laborious Bee in a fruitful field of fragrant Flowers when Tyred with one Flower flyeth to another even so you when wearied with one walk or duty for you may be weary in it when you are not weary of it then may you pass to another without nauseating upon any one only you may walk Orderly out of one Ordinance to another Secondly as to your work which is as the walk the best work in the World though it be least minded by the World 't is a work wherein you serve the most honourable Master that employs his Servants in the most honourable work and will reward them with the most honourable wages to wit with an hundred fold in this life and in the world to come again with life everlasting Mark 10. 30. yea 't
womb the Hebrew word Shuach mentioned in Gen. 24. 63. which our Translation Reads to Meditate the Septuagint the Geneva Translation and Tremellius in his Marginal notes upon it reads it to pray the word signifies both which showes they are near a-kin lying in the same word as twins in the same womb they consort well together for Meditation is a blessed Improvement of Meditation you may suppose Isaac had his Oratory in the field this private place for secret Prayer now upon this Important occasion of Marriage quasi marrage he uses deep Meditation to make servent Prayer thus ought you to do now as the Patriarch Isaac did then and as the Prophet Daniel did afterwards first open the windows of your Soul by Divine Meditation and then kneel down to praying work Dan. 6. 10. There practice is your Pattern when you have fill'd your water-Pot to the full by Meditation then draw out by prayer as Joh. 2. 7 8. 2. As Faith is call'd the best of graces so Prayer is call'd the best of duties if other duties be pennies this is a pound in many respects First as it gives God the glory of his three great Attributes 1. It gives him the glory of his Omnisciency that he knows all your wants that he whose Throne is in Heaven yet hears all your Petitions presented to him upon Earth 1 King 8. 30. 2 Chron. 7. 14. yea when you pray only heart prayer which man heareth not knoweth not as Moses Exod. 14. 15. The Lord said wherefore cryest thou unto me when he spake not a word so Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 13. Psal 38. 9. all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee 2ly it gives him the glory of his Omnipotency it presupposes that God is able to supply all your wants you spread before him Eph. 3. 20. The very act of Prayer saith to God as Job I know thou canst do every thing Job 42. 2. 3ly It gives him the glory of his merciful goodness or bountiful benevolency that he is willing as well as able to supply your wants Divine might and Divine mercy are the two Pillars that the House of Prayer stands upon as the Temple of Solomon stood upon Jachin and Boaz. 1 King 7. 21. which signifies stability and strength 2 Chro. 3. 17. Exod. 22. 27. 3. The second respect that makes Prayer the best of duties is that a kind of Omnipotency is ascribed to it as Luther said when 't is the Prayer of Faith and so acted by that best of graces you may stand and wonder what the Scripture attributes to Faith and Prayer or Prayer of Faith It can do more then all the Witches in the World can do for it can set God at work whereas they can but set the Devil at work none knows what Prayer can do but those that know what God can do in this sense Prayer is said to be Omnipotent as it sets Omnipotency at work it hath had command over all the four Elements as 1st Over the Air in Elijah Jam. 5. 17. to whom God gave this Key to open and shut up Heaven at his pleasure 2ly Over the fire which the same Elijah fetchs down at pleasure by his Prayer one time in a way of wrath 2 Kin. 1. 16. and another time in way of mercy and merciful acceptance 1 Kin. 18. 37 38. 3ly Over the water in Moses Exod. 14. 15 16. And 4ly Over the Earth in the same Man of God who by his powerful Prayer first cleaves the Sea asunder to save Israel and then the Earth asunder to destroy the complices of Korah Numb 16. 29 c. Psal 106. 17. As those two great consorts of Christ on Mount Tabour Moses and Elias Math. 17. 3. had command over the four Elements So Joshuah over the Sun it self Josh 10. 12. as by Moses Prayer he had command over Amalek before Exod. 17. 11 12. Yet higher Elishah by Prayer hath command over the Angels fetching them out of Heaven for his Protection and comfort 2 Kin. 6. 17. but yet higher than that over god-man the Angel of the Covenant the Lord of Angels in Jacob. Gen. 32. 24 25 26. Who as Sckindler Interprets Hos 12. 4. Bacah wept and Supplicated Jacob saying let me go for the day dawneth Gen. 32. 25. 4. The Lord Christ there askes him his Name as if he had said thou art such a fellow as I never met withal and therefore he confers the honour of Knight-hood as it were upon him in saying to him kneel down Jacob rise up Israel having power with God and prevailing Thus also the Lord Christ was overcome by the power of the Canaanitish womans Prayer of Faith Matth. 15. 26 28. Insomuch that he gives her the Key of his Treasury and bids her go in and take what mercy she pleased he turns her loose as it were into his fullness and all sufficiency and not only his own Omnipotency is at her beck but also Devils and all must stoop to her if she pleased O woman great is thy Faith in Prayer be it unto thee even as thou wilt You must know How Jacob as this Syrophaenician woman outwrestled Christ for 't was his wonderful condescension to put forth more of hiw own strength in Jacob against himself then he did in himself against Jacob. This redeeming Angel as Jacob calls him Gen. 48. 16. held him up with one hand as he strove against him with the other and voluntarily yeilded himself as conquered by the Patriarch's Prayer otherwise the same Divine power that disjointed Jacobs thigh could as easily have unclasped his hands O how can you but admire this glorious vouchsafement 5. Lastly God himself speaketh as if his hands had been tyed up by Prayer Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone c. As if Moses had held him from his purpose and had laid fetters and restraints upon Omnipotency and as Austin glosseth upon the place brings the Almighty to bespeak his own freedom yea indenting with Moses and offering him a Composition for his silence and his own liberty saying if so I will make of thee a great people as if Moses's Devotion had been stronger then Gods Indignation which shews that great is the power of Prayer 't is able after a sort Fifthly another gloss to transsuse a dead Palsy into the hands of Omnipotency this cannot be through the prevalency of Human power against Divine but through the condescension of Divine grace to poor Mortals bidding us concerning the work of his hands to command him Isa 45. 11. Which is a wonderful expression rather to be admired with an holy Reverence then strained into a rude blasphemy undoubtedly it would be no less then black blasphemy in us to say so had not God himself said it for us and Gen. 19. 22. 6. All this shews you both the excellency and the efficacy of right Prayer the Apostle James tells you it avails much Jam. 5. 16. Yet doth not tell you how much you
Gentile ended in this New and Honourable Name which before was promised to Sion as above There was a Coalition of Jew and Gentile into one Church and by Consequence an abrogation of the differing Names Hence this common Name was given to both believing in Christ by God himself according to his promise but Oh what a shameful thing it is that this New and Honourable Name should be at this day a Name of Reproach amongst the Papists in Rome and Italy by whom it is usually abused to signify a fool or a dolt as Dr. Eulke on Act. 11. in his Annotations upon the Rhem. Testam plainly proveth out of their own Authors Thus those same who have changed Gods glory into their own shame as to things in their Superstition and Idolatry have done no less as to Names in their ignorance and debauchery by a righteous Judgment of God upon them 2 Thes 2. 11. 35. But you must know that a Worthie Title is put upon you an Honourable Name is given to you in your becoming and being a Christian which signifies the Anointed of the Lord even the sacred Name of Christ of whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named Eph. 3. 15 is called upon you A name that will honour you if you honour it and that will highly exalt you if you exalt it Austin tells of one who had a Crown set upon his head consisting indeed of many Crowns as he was an Emperour yet he made not all this the Crown of his rejoycing but prefer'd this as a greater Crown that the name of Christ was called upon him this he accounted his greater honor and the Title to Psalm 118. shews you that David accounted it a greater honour to be the servant of the Lord than to be the King of Israel The highest Title or name upon the Earth is nothing to this no though it should endure so long as the Earth endures here 's Eternity of Honour and such an Honour as reaches from Earth to Heaven 36. The great difficulty you will find is to Answer this Name to honour and exalt this Name that it may honour and exalt you 't is an easy matter to be a Christian in name but to be a Christian indeed there 's the difficulty to have our natures to Answer our name as to have self to crucify self is no easy work if you be but almost a Christian as Agrippa you shall be but almost happy too You will not find it easy to offer an holy violence upon your self even to the plucking out of your right Eye and the cutting off of your right Hand Yet this you must do if you will Answer your name and be a Christian indeed and enter in at the strait gate by an holy violence your heart is Weak Ezek. 16. 30 as well as your hand and no less than the mighty hand of God can enable you for this mighty Work 37. Therefore I must tell you the Holy Scripture owns none to be Christians but such as be according to Christ and as the Anointed of the Lord there is a powerful influence in true Christianity that must spread it self over three things 1. Over your Conscience Heb. 13. 18 and therefore there must be the answer of a good Conscience 1 Pet. 3. 21. 2. Over your Communication Prov. 10. 20. your Tongue must be as choice Silver having a good Sound by a tincture of the Spirit of Christ upon it And 3. over your Conversation Eph. 4. 1. you must be of a Christ-like Conversation walking worthy of that high calling Phil. 4. 13. Of a Religious Godly and Christian Conversation in the General CHAP. II. 1. AS all those three names aforesaid to Wit Religion Godliness and Christianity do joyntly agree in this one great truth that man must serve his Maker both in heart and life according to his revealed Will not only in the harsher dispensation of Moses whose first Miracle was the turning water into blood but also and that especially in the sweeter dispensation of the Messias whose first Miracle was the turning of water into Wine that cheers the heart of Man and therefore Christianity the last of the three doth contain in it the whole duty of Man to God yea in the nearest and dearest Relation to wit in Christ even so the last of those three to which Christianity communicates an effectual influence to wit conversation may in its Latitude comprehend the concerns of Conscience and communication also as appears by the Sequel 2. The Apostle Peter tells you of all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15 and of all holy Conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11. Those two Expressions are extensive comprehending the whole duty of Man Relating to God to himself and to others in thought word and deed all conversation and all manner of conversation There is one conversation of your thoughts another conversation of your words and a third conversation of your deeds and all respecting either your God or your self or others in wharsoever capacity or Relation you stand either in Church or World 3. Touching your conversation in the general before I descend into particulars you must know it must be a worthy conversation worthy of that sacred name that is called upon you the more unworthy that a Christians conversation is the greater pollution is cast upon that Sacred name which is put upon him the more Sacred his name is the greater is his guilt and the more accursed Such an one is the basest of Men and like a wither'd Vine good for no use Ezek. 15. 4. Or like Unsavory Salt not so much as good for the dunghil Matth. 5. 13. but to be trodden under foot 4. 'T is a good conversation that commends a Christian and that only heart-service doth indeed please God best but never without life-service too which honours God most Matth. 5. 16 where the heart is made Suitable to Gods nature there the life will be Subject to his Law If Christ have his throne upon your Conscience his Scepter will appear upon your communication and upon your conversation also Thus an holy conversation doth not only commend a Christian before God Angels and Men but it also commends the God of the Christians to the World they glorify their Father Matth. 5. 16. Esa 61. 9. Peil 2. 15. 5. Besides your Christian conversation must not only commend you for a Christian but it must prove you to be a Christian It would not be Miracles if you could work them nor Revelations If you could be dignified with them nor signes and wonders if such a power were given from above to you that could any or all severally or joyntly prove you a Christian All those have been given to workers of Iniquity and such as have cast out Devils have been cast out to Devils themselves at last as Judas who was a Devil himself Matth. 7. 22 23. Joh. 6. 2 70. So then 't is the conversation which is all in all and justifies before Men
Ananias goods to God it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for your own use Act. 5. 1 2 5 10. and not keep it wholly and in every part of it holy to the Lord. 17. The fifth Direction is make this day a day of your delights as before a day of desires delight in the day and in every duty of the day account the Sabbath not only your duty but also your priviledg not only your work but your wages too Isa 58. 13. Call the Sabbath your delight and if it be not so you may not call it so surely it was not so to those Worldly wretches that cryed when will the Sabbath be over c. Amos 8. 5. as if they had been in the stocks all the while they were keeping a Sabbath The Greek word for delight is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag Psal 37. 4. c. Which comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Paradise or place of pleasure to intimate the Lord and his Sabbaths may not be as stocks to you but as a Paradise and a place of pleasure you should take as much delight therein as in walking the Round in the choicest Spring-garden O how should you bless God for the Sabbath as Neh. 9. 14. and rejoice in it as in the day the Lord hath made for Spiritual delight Psal 118. 24. counting it so and making it so not only a delight but also holy and honourable and because holy therefore honourable O may you but be in the Spirit on this Lords day as Rev. 1. 10. and tast how good the Lord is Psal 34. 8. in the dainties of holy duties and in his heart refreshing and Soul-ravishing Ordinances you will find most incomparable pleasure therein and far-far exceeding all the dirty delights of sensualists and Sabbath breakers Prov. 14. 10. Job 27. 10. 18. The sixth Direction be not weary of it before it be over The whole Sabbath should be spent without weariness in works of Piety mercy and necessity and in none else here 's variety to prevent nauseating in works of Piety you may pass from one Ordinance to another as the Bee flys from one flower to another and not be weary and from works of Piety you may go to works of Charity and from thence to works of necessity for your own natural nourishment O then here is no need of crying out what a weariness is it as Mal. 1. 13. or when will it be over as Amos 8. 5. as if in little ease all the while Carnal hearts know not indeed how to wear out the Sabbath 't is such a weariness to them and therefore they wish it over full loth would they begg Davids office out of his hand of being a door-keeper in the house of God who must be first in and last out Psal 84. 10. and what would they do to spend an everlasting Sabbath in Heaven that are so troubled and tyred with a short one on Earth not without a world of wilful distractions but the Spiritual heart that is rapt up and ravished in Spirit Rev. 1. 10. and is in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the holy Ghost all the day long Prov. 23. 17. can wish with Joshuah that the Sun stood still on that day for more killing of Sin and quickning of grace 19. The seventh Direction is be sure you make it a right day of restraint to you as it is called Deut. 16. 8. Jomegnatsereth diem Interdicti a day of prohibition from all Improper work the same word is used Numb 16. 48. and the Plague was stayed or restrained by either 1 Intreaty as 2 Sam. 24. 21. or 2 By Authority and Commands or 3 By strength and force all these ways you should Remember to keep the Sabbath if you keep not your heart with all keepings Prov. 4. 23. You can never keep the Sabbath holy The Plague of your heart mentioned 1 King 8. 38. will not be stayed or restrained unless you 1 Offer upon Christ your Altar Heb. 13. 10. Your Intreaties to God with David 2 Sam. 24. 21. and 2 Unless you lay Gods charge and command upon your extravagant heart to keep within compass Cant. 2. 7. Yea and 3 You must use holy force and Violence going but in Gods stregth Psal 71. 16. to restrain your loose slippery and treacherous heart both from wicked and from worldly work on that day for in the former work you keep the day to Satan and in the latter to your self but not to your Saviour in either besides every wicked work is cursed Sin any day but 't is doubly so on the Lords-day the season being a great aggravation of the Sin like that in Est 7. 8. 't is a ravishing the Queen of days before the very face of the King of Kings and every Worldly work done on Gods-day can never expect Gods blessing but will be a Canker and may say with Jacob I shall bring a curse and not a blessing Gen. 27. 12. he that did but gather a few sticks a small business some may say was paid home with stones because he did presumptuously on that day Numb 15. 30 32 35 36. If you must do no manner of work save only the three works of Piety Charity and Necessity no manner of Worldly work much less wicked work O do not eat forbidden fruit when you may eat of all the Trees in the garden on your six days do not your own works but cease from them Heb. 4. 10. nor speak your own words on this high and holy day Isa 58. 13. Exod. 31. 14. 20. The eighth Direction is never satisfie your Soul with spending one Sabbath without enjoying something therein of the Lord God of Sabbath never content your self with Elijahs Mantle without the Lord God of that Mantle 2 King 2. 14. O let it not be enough to you as it was not enough to Absolom to live in Jerusalem 2 Sam. 14. 32. without seeing the Kings face cry with David in every duty of the day O when will God come unto me Psal 101. 2. To miss of a good friend is sad to meet him is joyful Psal 73. 25. If you miss of this your best friend this will justly fadden you as it did even Saul himself 1 Sam. 28. 15. If you meet him and miss him not If your friend the King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. Sit at your Table then your Spiknard will send forth the smell thereof Cant. 1. 12. Such a sign of sweet friendship and fellowship must needs fill your heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory as it reminds and represents your Communion in Heaven and make the Sabbath a delight indeed to you then shall you delight your self in the Lord and he will not only cause you to ride upon the high places of the Earth but also upon the heights of the Heavens where you shall keep an everlasting Sabbath in which all Sabbaths meet and whereof there is no evening Is
Christopher Nesse aetatis Succ 56 1678 Minnister of the Gospel in fleet Street London A Christians Walk AND WORK on EARTH Until he attain to HEAVEN Which May serve as a Practical guide and a plain Direction in his Pilgrimage thither through his personal and Relative Duties Marvelously useful to all persons and Families of all Ranks and Qualities both in City and Country By Christopher Nesse Minister of the Gospel in Fleet-Street-London 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Torah Or Lex Lux Prov. 6. 23. Gods word is Davids Lantern and Candle Psal 119. 105. Blessed is he that Readeth Revel 1. 3. Printed for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultrey 1678. To the Right Worshipful and Worthily Honored Sir William Waller Knight Living in Westminster c. And to the Right Worshipful and very Vertuous and Religious Lady his comfortable Consort c. And to their two hopeful Olive-Plants Mr. Richard and Mris Katherine Waller Grace mercy and peace be Multiplyed Noble Sir YOu are a blessed branch of an Honourable stock whom I hope Divine Providence hath thence extracted for some more than Ordinary Generation-work and will after all your Interchanges of Occurrencies that now attend you in due season fix you as an Orient Star in your proper orbe and station to diffuse some delightful light and benign influence to your Generation The ground of my Hope hereof for I profess against speaking either at Random or in Flattery as fearing my Maker is this Besides your Natural Candour Sublime Temperature and sweetness of Disposition I have observed in you something that is supernatural both of parts and of Piety 1. Of paris in the Excellency of your Pen both in publick Print and in private Manuscripts your true Relation of the sad estate of the Reformed Churches in forrain Countrys is the former and your graciously composed Letter you sent me from France when you laid under great weakness there is the latter Testimony 2. Of Piety in your owning avouching and acknowledging the great Jehovah to be your God Deut. 26. 17. Pro. 3. 6. I do personally know that you have made Prayer to God your Refuge while under misery and praise of God your Recompence when under mercy From hence I do both hope and conclude that your God whom you serve will assuredly own and Honour you There is an eternal truth in that blessed word of God they that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2. 30. 't is a bargain of Gods own making we may bind upon it such as acknowledge and avouch the Lord for their God God will undoubtedly acknowledge and avouch them for his Servants God never gives such Excellent endowments in vain but he honours them with Suitable Exercises and opportunities in the World Fame follows Vertue closer then the shadow doth the Body and true Piety is as a thousand Eschutcheons in it self Godliness of it self is great honour as well as gain though no more be gained but Godliness it self Honored Madam THe very bosom-Disciple of Christ dedicates his second Epistle unto the Elect Lady one undoubtedly Eminent both in favour with God and in Estimation among the Churches for her shining Faith and Holiness which are rarely found in great Persons and to her Children rejoiceing in their Gracious carriage and Conversation 2 Ep. Joh. v. 1. 2. both the Honourable Mother and Her Honourable Children had this Elders the Apostles unfeigned and well-founded Love In Saluting therefore your Lady-ships hands and the hands of your dear and delightful Children with this Dedication is no untrodden path wherein not only this beloved Disciple but also the Fathers of the Church Jerome especially hath walked before me I doubt not to say without Vanity that you are an Elect Lady having known your manner of Conversation for some few Years both in your devotion to God publickly and privately and in your Communion with Saints together with your Religious Education of your sweet Children I know you have taught them the good ways of the Lord. Gen. 18. 19. that neither of them might become degenerat plants but both of them the Heirs of the same promise Heb. 11. 9. By all which you have confuted that fond conceit of the World to wit that goodness and greatness are Inconsistent things whereas they have an happy and a comely Conjunction in you without Controversy greatness hath nothing greater in it then both an Heart to be willing and a power to be able to do good how much you are capacitated and Qualified by your first Birth which was honourable as to Earth but especially by your New-Birth which is more highly HoHonourable as to Heaven even your greatest Credit and Comfort in both Worlds hath been Manifest in many Fair and Legible Characters of long candour and kindness to me and to my Family But to bring those two streams into one Channel as God hath by his Covenant of Marriage made your two persons to be one Flesh Though I might say much more in a just commendation of you both yet I forbear not only lest I should so much as seem to give Flattering Titles which indeed I know not to do I have as little Art in it as heart to it in so doing my maker might snatch me away in that dangerous Sin of Flattery Job 32. 21 22. But chiefly because your modest Ears and humble Hearts do not love Salutations in the Markets Math. 23. 7. Ye would not have it published upon the House-tops either what God hath done for you or what ye have done for God Therefore I shall only crave your pardon for affixing your Honourable Names to this little Book which is not done either altogether to seek your Patronage as the manner is for it hath License to go abroad into the World or to beg your hand to help me higher in the World for I am less then the least of those mercies of my God that I do already enjoy and I would lay at Gods foct as the righteous Man did Isa 41. 2. in these things but 't is to express my gratitude to you who have both watered this work and furthered it with your sweet Influences I do here present you with the Walk and Work of a Christian upon earth until he come at the end to Heaven both these are weighty and worthy of all Acceptation First The Walk here doth infinitely transeend the best walk in your garden or in the best spring-garden in the whole World 'T is a walk wherein you may not only walk hand in hand with the Angels of God both those that are Terrestrial to wit Christians and those that are Coelestial to wit Cherubims but also with the God of Angels himself even as a Man walks hand in hand with his friend thus Enoch walked with his God Gen. 5. 24. Secondly The work here is verily Angelical as well as Evangelical work a work that is Honourable to the most Honourable upon Earth giving more of Honour to them then it can receive
is a work that is wages to it self as you will find within Psal 19. 11. In as well as for keeping Gods commands there is great reward 'T is verily as the work of glorified Saints and of glorious Angels it being of the same nature with theirs whose work is their wages O then you may rationally conclude with your self from hence What a shame it is that I who am created to an Eternal being and that do possess an Immortal Soul should spend 20. 30. 40. or 50. Years in Vanity if not in Villany all the time wearing the livery of a cursed Master being a Slave to Sin and Satan and never look up to God the best Master and the Supreme good Alas you may hop from Mountain to Hill Jer. 50. 6. And go Satans round Jab 1. 7. yet find no rest with Noah's Dove for the Soles of the Feet of your Soul until you come to the Ark of this blessed work your Soul is Created with such vast Capacities as nothing bears proportion either to ' its being or to ' its wants below God no Created being hath Room enough in it to entertain so ample and so endless a guest 't is of such unlimited desires that nothing but the Immortal God can satisfy an Immortal Soul Secondly Observe the method which is first general in the whole duty of Man to God this is held out in those three general Names 1. Of godliness 2. Of Religion 3. Of Christianity Together with the necessity of each then Secondly you have more particularly the many good duties of Man to God both personal and relative Treated upon and that with as much perspicuity and plainness as so little a Book would admit of If you meet with any passage that seems obscure ascribe it to the Curtnes of my stile who indeavours to say much in a little and after some acquaintance herewithal with a little pondering you will be able through grace to understand the darkest Sentence If you desire direction in natural and civil Actions c. As well as in Religious I refer you to my little piece called the Crown and glory of a Christian If either in that or in this any thing may be blest to your Soul and bring you further of from Sin and nearer God which is the best thing in the World Psal 73. 28 both for Living and Dying let God have all the glory for the gift how mean soever bestowed on me how unworthy soever 2 Cor. I. II. And let me have the Relief of your Prayers for further abilities and your faithful Improvement of those poor performances which I commend to your Candour and your Soul to God and to the Word of his grace Subscribing my Self to be Yours in the best Bonds Christopher Nesse London this 10th of April 1678. Short Rules for your general Direction Let your Thoughts be Divine Awful and Godly Talk be Little Honest and True Works be Profitable Holy and Charitable Manners be Grave Courteous and Cheerful Dyet be Temperate Convenient and Frugal Apparel be Sober Neat and Comly Will be Ready Obedient and Constant Sleep be Moderate Quiet Seasonable Prayers be Short Devout and Frequent Recreations be Lawful Brief and Seldom Mind be Suitable to your Means Memory be Of Death Judgment and Glory Conscience be Void of offence to God and Man Task be Always doing or receiving good Conversation be In Heaven while your commoration be on Earth Latter-End be That of the Righteous Hopeful in the Lord not Hopeless in Sin A well-wish to your weal in both Worlds Utinam Saptres Praeterita Malum Commissum Bonum Omissum Tempus Amissum Intelligeres Praesentia Vitae Brevitatem Salvandi Difficultatem Salvandorum Paucitatem Praevideres Futura Mortem quâ nihil inevitabilius Judicium quo nihil terribilius Infernum quo nihil intolerabilius I wish you would First make a wise use of things past to wit evil committed good omitted and time lost and gone Secondly consider things present to wit the shortness of life the difficulty of Salvation and the fewness of those that are to be saved Thirdly Foresee things to come to wit death than which nothing is more unavoidable the day of Judgment than which nothing is more terrible the pains of Hell than which nothing is more Intolerable A Christians Walk and Work on Earth c. CHAP. 1. 1. YOU must know that Man is the master-piece of the Worlds ' Maker God calls as it were a Counsel in Heaven saying Let us make man Gen. 1. 26 Us all us the whole Wisdom of the Trinity was exercis'd in the making of Man The consultation and deliberation therein plainly demonstrates that there was then the bringing forth of a piece of work of greatest moment and importance and therefore what is said of Behemoth He is the chief of the ways of God Job 40. 19. may more eminently be said of Man he is the chiefest of the ways and of the works of God The Sun Moon and Stars are but the work of Gods fingers Psal 8. 3. But man is the work of his hands Psal 139. 14 15. Job 10. 3. 8. Hence David speaking of Man first wonders and then speaks and when he hath done to speak he hath not done to wonder Psal 8. 1. 9. 2. Every Creature of God is indeed a wonder yea little Creatures those Decimo-sexto's of the Creation are great wonders as well as the great Behemoth and other large Folio's thereof for the infinite Wisdom and Power of the Creator is manifest in couching up both life and motion in such a little compass as in Insects Flies Ants c. But Man is the greatest wonder as having the excellency of all other Creatures in him he is the abridgment of all wonders You believe that God is a Spirit and you see that the World is a Body Man is an Epitome of both 1. Of God in respect of his Spirit And 2. of the World in the composition of his Body as if the great Jehovah on purpose to set forth a plain mirrous of himself and his work designed to bring into this one narrow compass of Man both the infiniteness of his own nature and the vastness of the whole world all together 3. The soul of Man resembles the circumference of Heaven as being everywhere over the little world his brain the Sun that gives light to this little world and the senses stand round about it as so many Stars His heart represents the Earth in its Center his liver is as the Sea from whence flows the blood in all its circulations the like correspondency you may easily imagine in all other parts too long to particularize Hence is it that Tertullian calls the World a great Man and Man a little world Man the Microcosm is Gods Text as it were and all other Creatures in the Macrocosm or great world are as so many plain Commentaries upon that dark Text. 4. You may learn a little further herein if you would have yet more
keep them in the legal way This is the one thing needful Luk. 10. 41 and 't is the bonum hominis the good of Man as well as the whole of Man to do justly to love mercy and to walk humbly with his God Mic. 6. 8. 'T is not only the good but also the chiefest good of Man attainable in this life to wit Conformity to God and Communion with God in the Duties of the first and second Tables of the Law 12. This whole and good duty of Man to God hath commonly three Names 1. Religion 2. Godliness 3. Christianity 1. 'T is call'd Religion a Religando from binding as it is a sacred bond that binds Man in his Duty to God There is indeed the cursed bond of iniquity Act. 8. 23 which binds the heart of Man to Sin and Satan But that may seem needless seeing Man's heart doth so naturally love the service of sin and you do not find your heart so apt to slip from the service of Satan so less need of this bond of iniquity as you are apt to slip from the service of God As therefore you cannot love the service of God unless it be supernaturally given you so a Religious principle must both bring you near to who in the fallen nature are afar of from God Eph. 2. 13. Psal 73. ult But also must bind your shppery heart fast to God that you may be Gods bundle tyed up on Earth to be carried up to Heaven Religion is the girding up of the loins of your mind Luk. 12. 35. 1 Pet. 1. 13 and he that is thus ungirt is certainly according to the Proverb unblest also 13. There is 1. A Natural Religion whereby Man fashions his thoughts words and deeds according to the light and law of Nature hereby also he hath a good or a bad opinion of himself according to the Conformity or Inconformity to Natures light and law And the more that the understanding of Man is enlightned the stronger is the obligation or bond to all duties of this Natural Religion But alas such darkness hath befallen the Gentile Natural Religion that they have made Gods of men and when they have so done brings down those Gods to play the men in murders thests and rapes as their own Poets are not ashamed to tell us 2. There is the Jewish-Religion which binds them to conform to all those Laws Moral Judicial and Ceremonial and to observe them according to the intention of the lawgiver and to judg of themselves by their having or wanting Conformity to those Laws 3. The Turkish-Religion in a word makes sensuality the best happiness and therefore to be abhorred by all that love Holiness 14. 4. The Popish-Religion which is almost as bad as the Mahometanism or the Turkish as Opander in his Epitom 12. Centur. pag. 275. large quarto sheweth by its Doctrine of Merit and Supererogation c sets up Man and not God yea makes God a debtor to Man to say nothing how it is pompous and flesh pleasing allowing of equivocations of buying and selling of pardons how it relies on the Infallibility of wicked Popes it hoodwinks the Laity it worships stocks and stones it overthrows Christs Humanity by giving to it ubiquity it destroys Christ's Satisfaction by purgatory and perfection it befools Temporal Princes it denies assurance it tolerates open stews it damns all Infants that dye unbaptized and much more of the same bran therefore it is not obligatory or binding to you as the word Religion signifies being a mere cento of Judaism and Heathenism and a composition of lying Doctrines 'T is Divine Truth and not Humane Error that binds the conscience 15. 1 There is the Protestant-Religion which truly abases Man and exalts God Those be the two Properties of the true Religion and such as do not so are always to be suspected for false Religions This last teaches us that a man being united by faith to Christ believes in him both for Satisfaction and Salvation though he come short of Gods Glory and his own Duty hoping to be saved by the Righteousness of Christ and not by any Righteousness of his own It holds out reconcilement to God and communion with God as the end and the Covenant of Grace as the means to that end Thus doth it bind God and Man together after the great breach by the fall yea it binds Man to God after his breaking from God and teaches him rightly to worship God the Father Son and Holy Ghost according to the holy Scriptures 16. There is but one true Religion that is binding to your soul Diversity of Religion is against the Essence of God which is but one there is but one Truth one true Religion that hath life and power in it all other are but carcasses yea spectrum's and phantasms You must know every difference in opinion makes not up a false and a differing Religion Those that agree together in fundamentals cannot be said to be of different Religions there may be a ruffling the Fringe in circumstantials where there is no rending the garment in substantials Abraham and Lot may take several ways yet be brethren still yea and be ready too to rescue each other from the common Enemy 17. Plato blessed God for three things 1. That he was made a man and not a beast 2. That he was a Gracian and not a Barbarian 3. That he was a Philosopher and not a Rustick You may add to this God-blessing work not only that you are born in a Region of Religion the land of Goshen and valley of Vision but that you are acquainted also with the power of it in your own heart For 1. Religion is the beauty and bulwark of your Nation 't is to it what the Palladium was to Trey which could never be destroyed so long as they possessed it 'T is as Sampsons lock which while he retains he retains his strength also and is unconquerable therefore as the Gracians first stole away that Image of Pallas from Troy and then destroy'd it and as the Philistines cut Sampsons lock and then conquer'd him So the Enemy of Truth would rob our Nation of Religion which is its muniment as well as its ornament Zeph. 2. 5. and then destroy it Religion is our turris a tuendo a Tower of defence Isa 5. 2 which is a Fort Royal against all Invaders So long as the Tabernacle stood in Shiloh the Kingdom flourished and there were no Ichabods in it but the Canaanites were subdued before them Josh 18. 1 c. as if the stability of the Tabernacle had given stability to the Kingdom The fall of the Tabernacle was the fall of the Kingdom Psal 78. 60 61 62 and that tribe perished first that lost the tabernacle first ver 67. Sion was double-top'd on the one hill stood the Temple and on the other the Pallace of the King as if the latter had its lustre and safety from the former that Nation that hath God nigh them in
Religion is a great Nation Deut. 4. 7 and desolate Nations may say as Mary said in another case Oh Religion if thou had been here our Nation had not dyed nor been destroyed Though every shower on our land were a shower of gold every stone in it a pearl every beggar therein an honourable Senator every fool as wife as Solomon every weakling as strong as Sampson yet wealth honour strength and wisdom yea all is gone when this Ark Religion is gone you may then sing a doleful lamentation with Phineha's wife 1 Sam. 4. 21. the Glory is gone from England Oh you would not live to see Religion dye better you dead and gone a hundred times than Religion be dead and gone 18. Religion to wit in the power of it gives both a Relative and a real worth to your self in particular as it gives beauty and safety to your Nation in General 1. Real worth it makes you of Gods treasure Exod. 19. 5. of Gods jewels Mal. 3. 17 whereof the world is not worthy Heb. 11. 31. This makes you of the Blood Royal of Heaven not only in Alliance but in Union though never so poor in the world 2. Relative-worth this makes you more excellent than your neighbour though never so great and honourable if irreligious Prov. 12. 26. Hereby Abraham was a Prince among the Hittites Gen 23. 6. When others are in Scripture call'd vile you are precious others chaff you wheat others reprobate silver you refined gold others briars and thorns you a noble vine though your condition be never so mean in the world A living dog in this sense is better than a dead lyon Eccles 9. 4. The Jews say Those seventy souls that went down to Egypt with Jacob were of more worth to God than all the seventy Nations that were in the world besides They are the excellent of the earth Psal 16. 3. better Gentlemen as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Act. 17. 11. truly honourable Isa 43. 2 3. the very Chariots and horsemen of Israel One religious man saves a land Zech. 12. 5. Job 22. ult Jer. 5. 1. And if God could have but found ten righteous and religious persons in five wicked Cities he would not have destroyed them 'T is remarkable Abraham lest begging before God left baiting he might possibly have brought God to a lower number yea if but one in Jerusalem Jer. 5. 1. he would have saved it 19. You must therefore put an high estimation on Religion 't is the field wherein the pearl of great price lyeth and you are a wise merchant if you purchase that field Matth. 13. 44 45. Whatever it cost you you cannot pay too dear for this gold nay for this that is better than gold yea than the finest gold Job 28. 15. five several sorts of gold are there mentioned intimating if there be one sort of gold finer than another as indeed there is yet the finest thereof is not comparable to this heavenly wisdom yea 't is more precious than Rubies Prov. 3. 13. 8. 10 11. Solomon by his advantage of sublime wealth and wisdom had even ransacked the whole Creation to find out the most exquisite excellency of all created beings yet he proclaims the vanity and insufficiency of them all and prefers this above them all and Paul that great trader by sea and land 2 Cor. 11. 23 25 26. counts all but dung and dross yea dogs-meat as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Phil. 3. 8. in comparison of the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8. If the mountains of the earth were all pearl and the might rocks thereof were Rubies yea if the whole Globe of the Earth were one sparkling Diamond yet all this could not be weighed against the worth of Godliness one grain of grace is better than all the vast Entrado's of Spain then the gold of Ophir yea than all the riches of both Indies 't is better to be rich in faith than in gold and a man with a gold-ring is not comparable to a man with a gracious heart faith is more precious than gold 1 Pet. 1. 7 3 3 4. Gold is indeed the King of mettals and outshines them all on Earth as the Sun outshines all the Stars in Heaven yet is it but the shadow of this spiritual thing Zech. 4. 12. Exod. 25. 17. Cant. 5. 11. Revel 21. 18. Now there must be more worth in the substance than in the shadow therefore do not think you make a bad bargain though you part with all your treasure to purchase this field of treasure 20. In a word 1 'T is your best inheritance that hath most satisfaction and most duration in it and therefore must you say with Naboth God forbid I should part with my inheritance 1 Kings 21. 3. 'T is just so much the best of blessings as much as God is the best of beings hold it then as your life 2 'T is your best friend that will not only abide with you in this world for there are no bankrupts herein that ever truly received its power but 't will also accompany you into a better world Rev. 14. 13. Your first friend Riches cannot do so though desired that can only give something towards the journey to wit a winding-sheet and a Cosfin your second friend Relations can only bring you a little on the way to wit accompany you to the grave But this third and best friend Religion will go along with you to your journeys-end and stand before the Lord as being recorded in Gods Book of Remembrance 3 'T is your best teacher teaching you 1 to own the Lord as your right owner and true proprietary you had not your being from your self but from the first of beings and so your being must be for God as it was from God you are not your own 1 Cor. 6. 20 but you are his not only by Creation but also by choice purchase and conquest 2. To acknowledg him your just governour 't is meet the Artificer should govern his own workmanship however he deal with you and he is too kind to do you harm and too just to do you wrong 3. To avouch him your best benefactor more than a friend a master a father or a husband yea a God that gives you a being and well-being too Oh cry with David The God of my mercy Psal 59. 10. Therefore Religion must be your business all other things but your by-busines Aristotle studied Philosophy as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the morning Eloquence as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the evening only No concern like Salvation of the Soul 21. The second Name is Godliness this hath life and power in it There may be many carcases and forms of Religion but there is but one life one power ther is a forme of knowledg Rom. 2. 20. and a forme of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. yet both may want the power you may live by a
forme but you cannot die by a forme T is the power of godliness that is godliness indeed Godliness quasi Godlikeness it makes you like God as ungodliness makes you unlike God holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. 22. As Godliness is the recovery of the Image and likeness of God which man lost by ungodliness in eating the forbidden fruit So 't is the whole frame of grace spreading like blessed leven over all the three measures of meal not only the understanding will and memory but also the Body Soul and Spirit Matth. 13. 33. 1 Thes 5. 23. through the gracious overshadowings of the holy Ghost Godliness is as it were God manifest in the Flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. as God was manifest in the flesh of his Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Col. 2. 9. Joh. 1. 14. So God is manifest in the Flesh of his Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritually as the Father Son and Holy Ghost are all said to take up their abode and to live to dwell to tabernacle and to temple in them Joh. 14. 23. 17. 23. Gal. 2. 20. Eph. 3. 17. Revel 21. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 19. Rom. 8. 11 c. 23. Godliness is a compound of all the graces of the Spirit as so many Ingredients to the making up of this blessed Composition 't is the life and exercise of every grace of faith and love of joy peace and praise of Self-denial and devotion of patience and obedience of hope and perseverance It containes in it your trusting in God your worshipping of God and your obedience to God yea lastly your very Victory and Triumph over all your Enemies the flesh the World and the Devil Godliness therefore must be the main thing that you must look for and labour after as 't is the main thing that God looks after Psal 14. 2. God looked down from Heaven what for Not to see how fair how strong how Rich how great how Honourable Men were but how good how godly how Righteous how Religious they were 24. Hence Solomon tells you that wisdom is the principal thing and with all your getting you must get it principally Prov. 4. 7. and one greater than Solomon even your blessed Saviour bids you Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added unto you as paper and pack-threed are cast into the bargain Matth. 6. 33. Godliness is the Sublimest wisdom 't is wisdom that is from above Jam. 3. 17. and the fear of God is the beginning of this wisdom Psal 111. last Deut. 4. 6. Yea 't is not only the beginning of it but 't is also the middle and the ending thereof too Say the world what it will Godliness is the greatest gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. and brings a great deal of gain with it besides it self though it self be great gain Godliness is great gain of it self though no more be gained but it self having the promises of both lives annexed to it 1 Tim. 4. 8. 'T is a fat land and fruitful of all sorts of blessings at its gates are all manner of pleasant fruits laid up for those that do inhabit it Cant. 7. last 'T is a tree of life on which do grow Temporal Spiritual and Eternal blessings and you may count all the Stars sooner than all the mercies that come flying upon the wings of Godliness 25. Yea Godliness is not only great gain but 't is better than gain for you cannot carry your gain 1 Tim. 6. 7. out of the World but you may your Godliness and your works of Piety shall follow you into a better world Revel 14. 13. besides Godliness is such a blessed thing in it self that it is a reward to it self in as well as for keeping Gods commandments there is great Reward Psal 19. 11. therefore look upon it as not only your duty but also your priviledg not only your work but your reward too Wickedness is a punishment to it self in the many Cordoliums and heartquakes that do attend it but Oh the peace and pleasantness that is found in the pathes of Divine wisdom Prov. 3. 17. a sweet tranquillity of mind doth always attend upon a Godly life 26. You may aske all those blessed spies which the Lord hath sent to spie out this Land of Godliness as they did the Land of Canaan Numb 13. 17 18 19 20 27. they can tell you that the Land is a good Land a fat not a lean Land a land that floweth with Milk and Honey and they can shew you some of those blessed clusters of Canaans grapes saying this is the fruit of the land The plagues of the Lord fall upon those that bring an evil report upon this good land Numb 13. 32. with 14. 37. The Apostle tells you that Godliness is profitable unto all things The Babylonians faith Plutarch make 360 commodities of the Palm Tree but there is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thousand benefits to be got by godliness Riches Honours Delights Pleasures life and length of days Seed and posterity are all entailed upon godliness Prov. 3. 15 16. Oh who would not then turn Spiritual purchaser and with all his gettings get Godliness with any pains and for any price the least dram whereof is saving and so better worth then the Riches of both Indies 27. They bring up an evil Report upon this good land that slanderously say Godliness doth beggar Men whereas 't is more truly said that ungodliness doth begger Men. That this contrary is the truth the Vales of Godliness are above the wages of wickedness the gleanings of the former is above the whole Vintage of the latter do but look into the world and you may behold many fair Estates have been melted away by Whoredom Idleness Pride and Drunkenness Such ungodly wretches are doubly undone by their own ungodliness they are undone in this life and undone in the life to come while the little that a godly Man hath by a special blessing of God upon his godliness doth encrease to a thousand Psal 37. 16. Abraham Job David and others were richer than any and so might Men be now If they could or would be as godly as they were They sought godliness and Gods Kingdom first and therefore other things sought them and so they would do us would we or could we but run the same method They did not read Gods truth backward making Earth their Throne and Heaven their footstool as the Heathens Vertue after Money Philosophy teaches to seek first bona Animi the good of the Soul and Divinity Regnum Dei the Kingdom of God then the over-plus shall be added as the wise God Judges meet the Proverb of blind Popery shall shame those slaunderers Meat and Mattens never hinders thrift 28. Another evil report upon godliness is that it destroys all mirth delight and pleasure alas Swine think that sheep have no pasture because they feed not upon draff as they do So the wicked World accounts godliness a Melancholy fancy
yea and glorifies God too 6. Our Lord saith thus of himself if I do not the works of my Father believe me not Joh. 10. 37 his works should testify of him what he was Luk. 7. 20 21 22. His works must be the standard by which they must measure him whether he were the Christ or no and so a fit Foundation for their Faith Christs Vicar the Pope who causelesly calls himself so will not say thus as Christ said but will have all his precepts dispatched not disputed obeyed not examined though we be bid to try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4. 1 and although by his evil Example he drew thousands to Hell yet none must say so much as what dost thou 7. Whereas works must be the standing standard whereby all Men as well as Christ yea the Pope himself must be measured whether they be in Christ and Christ in them If you do not the works of Christ to wit such as he hath proposed for your Example Imitable works 't is a vain belief yea a mere conceit only to think your self a Christian and you do but put an everlasting cheat upon your own Immortal Soul your works tell the World what you are for those the World sees and hears and by them you either glorifie your Father in Heaven or give clear evidence that you have denied the Lord that bought you 2 Pet. 2. 1 and would Redeem you from a Vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18 2 12. 8. T is true you may be a Christian in truth though something of Sin remain in your heart yet then it must not be liked there Rom. 7. 15. and although something of Sin remain in your life yet then it must not Reign there Rom. 6. 14. And for the main course of your life you must be chast modest temperate meek gentle kind and pittiful You must bridle your passions mortifie your inordinate affections and in a word exercise all the graces of his Spirit in you and Godliness 1 Tim. 4. 7. 9. Your practice must be answerable to your profession You who carry Christs name that Sacred worthy name how exactly should you carry your self and what manner of person ought you to be 2. Pet. 3. 11 even a person to admiration as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies how accurate and how elevated above the Ordinary strain You must have your feet where other Mens heads are Prov. 15. 24 the way of life is above to the wise you must be a choice person as you have a choice name that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him 2. Thes 1. 12. This glory of Christ shall rebound unto your glory and Christ accounts himself glorified therein 10. You must therefore be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. your very civility must favour of Sanctity and your common commerce relish of Religion Holiness to the Lord should be Writ upon your Bridle when you Ride and upon your Cups when you Drink Zech. 14. 20 21 you should as 't is said of a Reverend Divine Eat and Drink and Sleep Eternal life Those very common Actions are as so many Steps in your Christian walk and way and therefore you should not despise them but with all seriousness refer them to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31 do all to God and his glory 11. Such as name the name of Christ should depart from Iniquity 2 Tom. 2. 19 and this loose professours not doing doth exceedingly promote Atheisme There is nothing enlarges the Gulf of Atheisme more then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wide passage between the profession and the practice of pretenders to Christianity how can the profession of that be looked upon by others to be Honourable the practice whereof is not looked on by themselves to be so If the Sum of Christianity be good why do they not practice it and if it be not good why do they so much as profess it 12. See then that your Conversation may be in Heaven while your commoration is on Earth Phil. 3. 20 't is so Ish Exemplarily while you are Writing by Heavens Copy and 2dly Analogically according to Heavens Rule living by Heavens Laws yea 3dly Theologically going about your Earthly matters with an Heavenly mind which a carnal heart that makes Earth his Throne and Heaven his footstool can never do a Fly cannot make that of a flower that a Bee doth The Carnal man is like to the Duke de Alva that said he had so much business upon Earth that he had no leisure to look up to Heaven but you must have so much business in Heaven as to have no time to look down so as to love the vain and vexing things hereupon Earth 13. You must set Christ before you as the most perfect pattern of an Holy and Heavenly Conversation who as Athanasius said of him while he went about doing good upon Earth carryed about him every-where an Heaven you must resemble Christ If you be a Christian and walk as he walked you must live as one that comes down from Heaven to Earth and expects to go up from Earth to Heaven Christ did his Fathers will upon Earth and it was meat drink to him to do so Joh. 4. 34 as the Angels doth it in Heaven you must Imitate Christ and though you cannot do so in his Miracles yet you may and must in his Morals you must walk in Christs steps here or never expect to rest in Christs bosome hereafter 14. You must be the true Picture of Christ as every true Christian ought to be Every dawber cannot draw the Kings Picture some such make strangers think strangly of the Kings Person because of his dawbed ill-favoured pourtraiture And shall those dawbers be punished for Exposing a Mishapen Picture of the Kings person to open View then what shall become of those titular yet loose and licentious Christians whose lives should be a lively Representation of Christ If by their Carnal careless and scandalous Conversations they do cause the Name of Christ to be blasphemed among Unbelievers that do Judg of him by this counterseit mishapen Representation Surely Christ will not own those workers of Iniquity Though they have prophesied in his Name and eat and drunk in his presence Matth. 7. 23. Men use to hang out their well-drawn Pictures of some special friend in the most conspicuous place that it may appear to all beholders they rejoyce in it as a grace and ornament to them So must you shew forth the praises of him that hath called you 1 Pet. 2. 9. If the Image of Christ be stamped upon your heart you must shew it in your life in a good Conversation Jam. 3. 13. 15. Thus you ought to aske your own heart whose Image and Super-scription is this Is it Christs or is it Satans God forbid that Satan should Imprint his limbs and lineaments upon your Soul unrased out by Christ you have born the Image of the
must find out that both by your own experience and by the Experiences of others It certainly availeth much though happily it availe not always God hath indeed said that the Children of Moab shall go into his Sanctuary to pray but shall not prevail Isa 16. 12. But he hath avowed before all the world that the Children of Sion shall not do so Isa 45. 19. They shall not seek the Lord in vain their Prayer shall be like Jonathans bow it shall never return empty God ever hears their Prayers always ad Salutem as Anstin saith though not ever ad Voluntatem he always hears their Prayers according to their well when he doth not hear them according to their Will 7. First the manner of Prayer Now that your Prayer may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a throughly-wrought effectual and available Prayer to work wonders in Heaven and Earth Jam. 5. 16. yea after a sort Omnipotent as Luther said take these following Directions for managing this duty aright first before duty as to the manner of it before in and after it First of those that are Antecedent or before Prayer Direct 1. You must be New born a New Creature until the Child be come out of the womb it cannot Cry no more can you Cry Abba Father so long as you are in the womb of a natural state Rom. 8. 15. God first accepts the person and then the Action or offering Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. your person must be accepted as Abel was and then your Prayer will be acceptable you must be Righteous in Christ 't is the Prayer of the Righteous that prevaileth Jam. 5. 16. as it is the Character of the unrighteous that they call not upon God Psal 14. 4. Paul was never said to pray till Converted from his Pharisaical State Act. 9. 11. So if at any time they do pray their Prayer is an Abomination Prov. 21. 27. and therefore 't is not accounted Prayer The long Prayers that Paul had while a Pharisee were not reckoned Prayer at all you must first be a Temple of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. and then you will be an House of Prayer for so the Temple is called Naturalists tell us of a Jewel that when put into a dead mans Mouth loseth all its Vertue So prayer a pretious Jewel in it self in the mouth of one that is dead in Sin hath no force nor efficacy God will not hear Sinners Joh. 9. 31. he will not take them by the hand Job 8. 20. Margin Hebr. and Geneva Biblt 't is but a Multiplying lies daily Hos 11. 12. a compassing God with lies to call God Father when we are not his Children and while we are without Christ You must pass through the merits of the Son into the mercies of the Father 8. The second Direction before duty is prepare to meet your God in duty Amos 4. 12. The Jews had their preparation for the Passeover Joh. 19. 31. So should you have for prayer setting some time apart as well to prepare for Prayer as for prayer it self 't is coming to duty with a common Spirit and with an Ordinary frame of heart that makes us lose many a duty 2 Chron. 12. 14. Ezra did better then Rehoboam herein Ezr. 7. 10. the latter lost all the former sav'd all hereby Labour therefore your heart into a praying frame before prayer this is done by getting First the Majesty of the great God before whom you are going wrought truly and throughly upon your heart Consider seriously he is a great King Mal. 1. 6 14. and a God that will be Sanctified of all that draw nigh to him Levit. 10. 3. this may help you to a God sanctisying frame of Spirit David prepared with all his might why the reason is rendred The Temple was not to entertain man but God therefore must it be more Magnificent and he more exact in all preparations for it 1 Chro. 29. 1 2. Christ tells you he is gone to prepare a place even a Temple a Mansion of glory for you Joh. 14. 2 3. and will not you prepare a place for him in that poor heart of yours Consider also Secondly his purity that the God with whom you have to do in prayer is a God of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. he cannot look upon it but he must loath it he cannot behold it but he must punish it this calls for a reverential heart Psal 2. 11. Before him who is in Heaven and you on Earth Eccles 5. 2. cover your face if Angels do so that are holy and blessed Esa 6. 2. Much more you that live in an House of clay and drinks up iniquity like water Job 4. 19. 15. 16. Tremble to bring along with you any Sin unrepented of unpardoned lay aside all filthiness Jam. 1. 21. as the Serpent her poison when she goes to drink yet with this difference she after drinking reassumes it again you may not do so with the Poison of Sin when you have been drinking of the Rivers of Gods favour this is to return with the Dog to his Vomit 2 Pet. 2. 22. you must know it again no more Gen. 38. 26. nor have so much as a leering look towards it Psal 66. 18. much less allow of it or wallow in it 9. Would you have leave with God in prayer then leave Sin and that for ever you may not say concerning your Sins as Abraham did concerning his Servants and the Ass which he left at the foot of the Hill Gen. 22. 5. saying I will come again to you but you must take an everlasting farewel of your Sin when you come to your God and with David keep your self for ever from your Iniquity Psal 18. 23. and as he wash'd his hands in Innocency when he did compass Gods Altar Psal 26. 6. So must you wash your heart in that fountain that is opened Zech. 13. 1. Thus Ruth did wash and anoint her self before she went up to Boaz. Ruth 3. 3. and Esther purified and persumed her self for acceptance with Ahasuerus Esth 2. 9 12. and the Captive Damosel was to pair her nails c. Before she became a fit bride for an Israelitish Bed Deut. 21. 12 13 14. and the Rabbies say that a Man might not come into the Mountain of the House of God with his staff nor with his Shoos nor with his purse nor with dust upon his Feet hence Lavers were set at the door of the Tabarnacle for washing off defilements at their entrance thither Exod. 30. 18 19. and Bernard used to say at his entrance to his publick Devotion O wordly thoughts ad templi Januam manete vos stay ye here at the Church door alluding to Abrahams words Gen. 22. 5. and to Moses deed Exod. 3. 5. as above in Meditation Thus also Solomon saith keep your foot when you enter into the House of God Eccles 5. 1. that is look well to your affections those feet and out goings of the Soul
duty of Prayer in particular The second relates to the duty of Prayer in the general touching the first your heart must be constant in prayer O the backwardness of the heart of Man to praying work 't will take a dispensation for a discharge from duty any small Interruption for a while to stop the mouth of Conscience is an excuse from prayer and O the lubricity and slipperiness of the heart of Man in praying work as the heart naturally hangs off from it so it usually when it comes into it slips out of it again 't is like Reuben as unstable as water Gen. 49. 4. though it be not so liquid as water to be poured out as water before the Lord 1 Sam. 7. 6. Psal 62. 8. which is the proper Notion of prayer to wit the pouring out of the heart unto God there is too much of the stone in the heart that is yet undissolved into tears and tenderness Ezek. 36. 26. you will find by woful experience that your heart will not be stedfast with God but it will start aside like a deceitful bow Psal 78. 37 57. you cannot watch with Christ in praying work one hour Matth. 26. 40. you cannot serve the Lord without distraction Nor attend upon him in prayer 1 Cor. 7. 35. 14. Therefore as your heart stands need of whipping to Prayer it stands as much need of binding in prayer never did the Sacrifice stand more need of binding with cords to the Horns of the Altar Psal 118. 27. then doth your loose and slippery heart of binding with all Spiritual bonds to this Religious duty Hence it is that David begs of God Lord unite my heart to fear thy Name Psal 86. 11. he found it as hard to fix as the Chymist doth Quick-silver which hath a principle of motion in it but not of Rest and therefore you are commanded to watch unto prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. Satan will be Interrupting you as the Pythonisse did Paul Act. 16. 16 and as the Enemies did Nehemiah Neh. 4. 17. he built and watched and watched and built So should you pray and watch and watch and pray Satan is always busiest at the best work if you stand up in prayer before the Lord he will be sure to stand up against you Zech. 3. 1 2. If you be at Gods right hand Satan will be at your right hand he will thrust himself in among the Sons of God Job 1. 6. but suppose he tempt you not your own heart so far as 't is unrenewed will be a tempter to it self and will wander from duty the Man in the Ecclesiastical History that was to have an horse given him if he could say his Lords Prayer without a wandring thought cryed in the midst of the prayer dabis ephippium you must give me the saddle too so lost both horse and saddle this divided heart Hos 10. 2. makes us lose many a duty 15. The second branch is constancy to prayer you must give your self to prayer as David did Psal 109. 4. Hebr. Vaani Tephillah but I am prayer as if he had been made up of nothing else but been a meer compound of prayer or as if he had done nothing else in all the world but poured out his heart to God in prayer Chrysostome moves this Question why David is called a man after Gods own heart more then Moses or Abraham c. And for his Answer to it he gives this Reason because he was more Conversant with God in both praying and praising work he above all others turns every providence into a prayer and his whole Book of Psalms consists either of Hosannas in praying to or of Hallelujahs in praising of his God He is the greatest favourite to an Earthly King that is oftnest conversant with him Thus David was Gods darling his special minion and favourite that was much in Gods bosom in his Divine Colloquies So that he would be up and at this praying work three times in a day Morning Noon and Night Psal 55. 17. and as if this had been too little for him he will be at it seven times a day Psal 119. 164. that is very often as often as God reard him up an Altar so oft he had ready his Sacrifice not as Formalists do that make means their Mediators in a cold careless and customary manner walking the round of duty as the Horse in the Mill but David roused himself and cryed aloud not only precem fundere but also Coelum tundere to batter Heaven by his prayers Psal 3. 4. 107. 6 13. 120. 1. 130. 1 c. 16. You are commanded in Scripture to pray always evermore every where without ceasing continually Eph. 6. 18. 1 Thes 5. 17. Rom. 12. 1. Col. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Phil. 4. 6. There is no duty so oft commanded as Prayer it must be your constant Trade and that Divine breath which you must constantly draw Paul speaks 1 Thes 3. 10. night and day praying exceedingly as if his practice had been nothing but prayer It may have Intermission but never any cessation in sound sense not as the Euchites of old and Monks of late hath imagined as if God would have men to cast off all care and callings and do nothing else but pray For the Thessalonians whom the Apostle bids to pray without ceasing 1 Thes 5. 17. are commanded also to work with their hands 1 Thes 4. 11. And the Apostle tells them if any will not work neither shall he eat 2 Thes 3. 10. Men cannot be as Angels in this World that need no Food no nor yet as Lillies which Christ speaks of that neither Card nor Spin Sow nor Reap toil nor take pains yet are nourished and arrayed Every good Man must have a particular calling to honour God in his Generation-work Acts 13. 36. which may not be justled out by any duty of his general calling 17. But the true sense is 1st that you should observe stated times of prayer morning and evening in this sense the word continually is used 2 Sam. 9. 7. thou shalt eat bread at my Table continually you cannot imagin that Mephibosheth did nothing else night and day but eat at Davids Table for so he had been an unparaleld Cormorant but only that he should observe his set and appointed meals 2ly 't is an Hyperbolical speech exhorting to frequency of prayer Thus 2 Tim. 1. 3. Paul remembred Timothy in prayer night and day Thus he did remember the Romans Rom. 1. 9. as before the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3. 10. you should be as frequent in Supplication with your Spiritual Father as your Spiritual Enemies are frequent in Temptation with you as the flesh world and Devil some or all do assault you continually So you had need pray against their assaults continually to fetch in strength and relief against them from God 18. The third sense is that your prayer should spread it self over all your concernments As the Temple that House
of prayer Sanctified the Gold and all other Materials and Utensils in it Matth. 23. 17. So this holy duty of prayer doth Sanctify all things 1 Tim. 4. 5. All Ordinances all Providences all Enjoyments all Employments prayer doth not only Gild them over but also turns them into the finest Gold So that to pray continually is to carry this Temple as Austin called it about with you at all times in all places upon all occasions and in all conditions yea all your life even to your very death this Spiritual breath must conterminate with your Natural For the last work of a dying Christian is to breath out this prayer Lord Jesus receive my Spirit 19. The fourth true sense of praying always and continually is the keeping of your heart in a praying frame continually so that upon all occasions that occur you may be lifting up your heart your thoughts and affections unto God whom you have set always before you Psal 16. 8. and darting out frequent Ejaculations to the Throne of grace Thus your Harp or heart should be ever kept in Tune for prayer as the Souldier hath his Armes ready by him and right fixed upon any Assault of the Enemy and as the fire in your guest Chamber it is always prepared though it do not ever burn or blaze out upon your friends coming to be blown up into a Flame thus you may pray when you do not set your self a-part to pray even in the works of your callings and besides your set Meals for your Soul in your Morning and Evening prayer called the continual Sacrifice Numb 28. 3 4. as well as for your body you have many other refreshing morsels to wit occasional Apostrophes and Ejaculations to nourish the inner man and to make it increase with the increasings of God through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 19. Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. 20. Thus to pray continually quoties aliquid occurrit as Dr. Willet senses Rom. 12. 12. as oft as any thing falls out that calls for Divine assistance 't is not only your duty but your priviledge 't is like the herb All-heal an universal remedy against all diseases a choice yet a cheap Catholicon and Antidote both against the evil of sinning and off suffring This is the best and most blest Expedient to avoid dangers to overcome difficulties and to procure both safety and success in all your honest designs Thu Nehemiah before he opens his mouth to the King even in the Kings presence first opens his heart to God Neh. 2. 4. his sudden and secret Ejaculation he darted up to God for ordering his speech and speeding his Petition is called his praying to the God of Heaven and this was his frequent practice upon several other providences Neh. 5. 19. 6. 14. 13. 29. Thus Abrahams servant darted out desires to God that he might prosper in his Enterprize Gen. 24. 12. 26. Thus Moses cryed to God yet said nothing Exod. 14. 15. Thus Hannah was not heard yet prayed and thus wherever God sets you up an Alter you must be ready to offer Sacrifice crying either mentally or vocally Lord prosper me in this work Lord protect me in this Journey Lord direct me in this duty c. Thus Christ often did for you 21. The fourth Direction is your prayer must be earnest and intent or instant you must not only pray but cry Psal 130. 1. out of the depth have I cryed unto thee David crys there and in many other places unto God with his utmost strength out of the depth of his heart You must be servent in it as well as constant to it neither the frequency nor the fervency of prayer ought to be abated prayer is cal'd wrestling which requires your utmost strength as well as skill it requires the very strength of your affections you must be fervent in Spirit while you are serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. and be instant as well as constant in it Ver. 12. your heart must be seething-hot as the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies your heart must be boiling a good matter as Davids Psal 45. 1. in the Hebr. Reading this will be the best cure of wandring thoughts Flies sieze not on Honey while it boiles nor Beelzebub the Prince of flies upon your heart while 't is boiling any good matter in prayer God loves not cold prayers as some men love not cold dishes yea even lukewarm hearts are Nauseous to him Revel 3. 16. every offering that is of a sweet Savour is made by fire unto the Lord Levit. 1. 9 13 17. 'T is three times over every Sacrifice must have fire in it aswel as Salt Mark 9. 49. the fire of Zealous Devotion as well as the Salt of truth and sincerity yea the Sacrificer as well as the Sacrifice must have both those Ingredients Salt and Fire in him You must have the grace of truth Psal 51. 6. which as Salt must dry up those evil humours in you that would breed the never dying Worm and you must have the grace of Zeal which as fire must burn up those corruptions in you that otherwise would carry you to that unquenchable Fire Mark 9. 43 44. 45 46 47 48. 22. This blessed Spirit of burning so cal'd Isa 4. 4. that makes a true and through combustion among your fleshly corruptions must prevent you of everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. as the Sun of the Firmament with ' its hot Beams will eat out the Kitchin-Fire that is upon the Hearth So this Coelestial Fire of Zeal and fervency for God in prayer which is indeed a warm beam of the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. will eat out the stinking fire of Sin that is in your heart This fire of Heaven will devour that fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. in you a live-Coal must touch your heart as well as your lips Esa 6. 6. and you must be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 4. 11. Act. 2. 3 4. Elijahs Sacrifice had not only much water out of Kishon but also fire from Heaven to Render it an acceptable Sacrifice 1 King 18. 33 to 30. So you must not only have the water of godly sorrow and Gospel repentance but also the fire of Zeal and servent Devotion to make an acceptable prayer unto God The fire of Aetna and the water of Nilus are said to be the Hieroglyphicks of those choice Ingredients of a rightly compounded prayer God requires hot bread to be set before him daily 1 Sam. 21. 6. 23. The breath that a pair of bellows breaths out is cold breath and so is it not properly breath but wind accordingly cold prayers that are carelesly breathed out are not truly prayer but wind and vanity the breath of a living Man is not cold as bellows breath but warm the lack of servency is the loss of prayer God will be cold and careless in accepting and answering if you dare be cold and careless in
asking his face and favour Paul tells you of your great need both of the shield of Faith that is defensive Armour and of the darts of prayer which is offensive Armour Ephe. 6. 16 18. Now this dart will not wound your Spiritual Enemies unless it be well-pointed steeled and sharpened with Zeal when the Souldier strikes with his full strength then doth he give his Enemy the Mortal wound Solomon saith what you do you must do with all your might Eccles 9. 10. you must much more pray the best of duties with all your might David danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6. 14. surely he much more prayed with all his might he prayed and cryed with his whole heart Psal 119. 58 145. Sampson also bowed himself with all his might at the pillars of Dagons Temple Judg. 16 30. and surely had he not prayed with all his might likewise Ver. 28. he should never have been enrolled in that little Book of Martyrs amongst those great Favourites of Heaven Hebr. 11. 32. 24. You must therefore go forth in praying Work as the Sun in its strength Judg. 5. 31. and come as a Prince to God Job 31. 37. you should ask as a Son Isa 45. 11. as a Kings Son Judg. 8. 18. Jacob as a Prince had power with God and prevailed Hos 12. 4. and so should all the seed of Jacob do putting forth all the strength both of Soul and Body as he did in wrastling work Christ prayed so earnestly that he prayed himself into an horrid Agony so as to sweat clods of blood Luke 22. 44. Daniel prayed himself sick Dan. 8 27. and Nehemiah prayed himself pale Neh. 2. 6. Hannah also was so transported in prayer that old Eli thought she had been drunken 1 Sam. 1. 13 14. lastly Elijah put himself into such a posture of prayer as could not but strain all the strings of the heart he puts his head between his knees to pray 1 King 18. 42 45. and by this renting of his heart Joel 2. 13. so prayer is called and earnest prayer Jam. 5. 17 18. he procures the Key of Heaven to open and shut it at pleasure he prayed in his prayer as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports there was the prayer of his heart in the prayer of his Tongue or he prayed and the Spirit prayed too in his prayers according to Rom. 8. 26. while we make Intercession in our prayers the Spirit makes Intercession in and for us lastly he did not say his prayers but he prayed his prayer Thus must you set all your faculties and graces at work which all should be exerted and exercised in prayer do not poure out your Speech only but your Spirit also into your Fathers bosom Rom. 1. 9. then only is it an heart-transforming duty Luke 9 29. and then also thundrings comes out of the Temple Revel 11. 19. then breaks he Mighty Arrows Psal 76. 3. 25. Thus must you be Instant in prayer as well as constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies extension First of the duty Secondly of the affections in the duty Act. 26. 7. serving God Instantly with a vehement extension of Soul and you must continue instant Rom. 12. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constant as well as instant a Metaphor from hunting Dogs that give not over the game till they have got it all along pursuing it with their utmost strength and skil The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same Root Eph. 6. 18 signifies invincible constancy or continuing in utmost strength So Col. 4. 2. you must not only be constant in respect of the time of your prayer but also be instant in respect of the strength of your affections you must keep up your heart upon the Wing of elevated affections desiring with David that your raised frame may be kept for ever upon your heart 1 Chron. 29. 18 when Divine wings are given you as Revel 12. 14. and you have a Divine wind the breathings of the Spirit in your Divine wings as Zech. 5. 9. then keep in the wind and upon the wing you may not flag and flatten in the duty If the world whisper in your Ear or if the tempter jog you on the elbow Answer them both as Nehemiah did the Adversary I am about a great work and I cannot attend you Neh. 6. 3. why should the work cease while I come down to you a Bell may be long in Raising but when once at the height it Rings most Tuneably but all the difficulty and skill is to keep it there that it cease not before the time 26. In a word as prayer is your Embassadour to Heaven so it must be accomplished as an Embassadour 1. It must be the Action of your Soul bodily exercise profits little 1 Tim. 4. 8. much Action and little affection availes not soul-Soul-prayer when 't is alone is accepted but wo to Body-prayer when 't is alone Soul-prayer is necessary and Body-prayer is comely for you are to glorify God with both 1 Cor. 6. 20. you must lift up your heart Psal 25. 1. as well as your hands to your God 2. Not only your Soul must be in it but an intent Soul your heart-strings screwed up to the highest note Thus prayer is called a striving to an Agony as the Greek word imports Rom. 15. 30. and a wrestling so Rachel wrestled with God in prayer as well as her Husband Jacob Gen. 32. 24. Gen. 30. 8. with great wrestlings she obtain'd a Son and called him Napthali i. e. my wrestling every mercy you win by wrastling in prayer you may name it Napthali my wrastling 3. You must pray with your understanding as well as with your affections 1 Cor 14. 15. otherwise 't is but Barbarisme you bring to God and Psal 47. 8. you must understand your wants and your weaknesses and have the sense of them upon your heart This will make you cry and cry loud and your Soul will follow hard after God and his mercies Psal 63. 1 8. 4. Be clothed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. walk humbly through the work of prayer Micah 6. 8. Come in forma pauperis Thus did Abraham Gen. 18. 27. the Centurion Matth 8 8. and the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 27. Content with Crums if she may not have bread and content to be a Dog so she may be but Christs Dog 5. In faith Jam. 1. 7. you aske and miss because you aske amiss not beleiving that as Gods love mov'd him to make the promise so his truth binds him to perform it 6. By the help of the Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Mary would not serve alone she would have Martha's help Luke 10. 40. So you must have the help of the Spirit being all infirmity in your self you must go forth in his strength Psal 71. 16. get his hands on your hands and heart as 2 King 13. 16. to draw the bow of prayer and leane on him Cant. 8. 5. not on self Prov. 3. 5. 27.
Prayer As this review of your frailty in Prayer may humble you so it may help you against both resting in and trusting to your Prayer alas in so doing you have been drawing nigh to Prayer not drawing nigh to God which is the true notion of Prayer and you do verily rest in it and trust upon it when your admiring thoughts do after duty run out more upon your prayer then upon your God hearing prayer Psal 65. 3. you must forget your Prayer and remember your God can you but Consider the iniquity of your holy things then Prayer will be your nothing and Christ your all and in all Col. 3. 11. If it stand for any thing It must be only for an Evidence not a Saviour 32. The second rule or direction is wait patiently for an Answer to your Prayer When David had Marshald as the Hebr. Gnarach signifies his Petitions and set them in good Order in Battel-aray then did he Saphah look up Speculando Spectavit as a Spy on the Watch-Tower to see whether he carryed the day and prevailed Psal 5. 3. you must mind your Arrow you shoot up to Heaven whether it fall short or over as Jonathan did his 1 Sam. 20. 21. what becomes of your Rich-Ship you adventure to the Cape of good hope as the Merchant doth his how it fares with your precious seed so Prayer is called Psal 126. 6. that you sow upon the Throne of grace a far more fruitful Soil then that of Isaac which brought forth an 100. sold Gen. 26. 12. as the Husbandman doth with his Noah minded what tidings his Dove brought him and every Man minds what message his messenger brings him you may not cast the Angling rod of Prayer into the vast Ocean of Divine love and never observe what it brings to your hand if rightly hooked and bated you may not be as Pilate who scoffingly asked what is truth but waited not for an Answer Joh. 18. 38. 33. You must therefore look up after Prayer and observe what becomes of your Prayer what access it hath to God what acceptance it hath with God and what returns it brings from God If you believe that God hearkens what you speak to him Mal. 3. 16. there is much Reason that you should also hearken what God will speak to you Psal 85. 8. you must look out of yourself and up to God that looks out of himself and down to you Psal 113. 6. and though this posture of looking up be a wearisom posture yet must you not be weary of it wait patiently Psal 40. 1. as those that wait for the morning Psal 130. 6. in due season you shall Reap if you faint not Gal. 6. 9. for God waiteth on you that he may be gracious in the best season Isa 30. 18. your waiting on God is there called blessed work and if the great God wait on such a worthless worm as you tantus tantillum Job 25. 6. how much more must you wait on him and not offer up Bethulian Prayers as in the Apocryphal Judeth Chap. 7. 30. limiting God to 5. days or give up all which ought not to be done Psal 78. 41. to limit God is but to Tempt him his delaying is not denying 't is but a commending his mercy you beg to you Cito data Vilescunt Mercies lightly Obtained are but lightly esteemed and it may be God stays to bring a great many mercies together and you will surely look up and not lose that mercy which long waiting hands in to you 34. The third Direction is work diligently in the use of the means that leads to the end ora labora is the Christians Rule and the very Heathens could say admotá manu Invocanda est Minerva you must do your part if you expect God to do his David will set a Watch over his lips Psal 39. 1 2. though he beg of God to do it for him Psal 14 1. 3 the duty is yours but the ability is the Lords the care of the means belong to you but the care of the end to God and 't is not only careless oscitancy but a plain tempting of God to neglect any means that God gives you to accomplish the end you may not expect to stumble upon mercy you do not so for the body sometimes overusing means why should you for your Soul You are bid to Aske seek and knock Matth. 7. 7. you must Aske with confidence seek with diligence and knock with perseverance In the sweat of your brows you must eat your Spiritual bread as well as Corporal as you lift up your hands in Praying for the end so you must lift up your hands in practising the means that have a tendency to the end be sure you do not first pray against your Sins and then go away and Sin against your Prayers this is but a mocking of God and he will not be so Gal. 6. 7. 35. The fourth Direction is wear thankfully all that you win by Prayer what you win by Prayer you must wear with thanksgiving as you have made Prayer your refuge so must you make praise your Recompence Davids Psalms were not all Hosannah's or Prayers to God but he had his Hallelujahs also his Psalms that were praises of God as before Prayer is the seed of praise and ' its pity that when the joy of harvest which is paralel to the joy of Marriage and to the joy of Victory doth come that the God of all joy and comfort should not have his thank-offering God took it unkindly from Hezekiah that he Rendered not to the Lord according to his loving kindness to him 2 Chron. 32. 28. and he took it kindly from David that he made it his Spiritual Study and project how to render to the Lord what shall I Render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116. 12. the blessed Man was in an holy Extasy and in a deep demur with himself what he might do best for so good a God He had nothing to give so faith what shall I Render and he had nothing good enough to Render to him who is the chiefest good Ten Lepers cryed for healing Luke 17. 12 17. But when all were healed but one returned to praise Christ and he is praised of Christ God hath but the tenth of praises and 't is ten to one whether you practice his praise 1 Pet. 2. 9. Of Hearing the Word CHAP. V. 1. THe third Religious duty wherein you must serve God is the Hearing and Reading of his Word that you have the word of God to Read and Hear you must prize as a precious priviledg and praise the Lord for it with your heart lips and life God hath deposited a Rich Treasure with you in lending you his Word and Gospel You might have been begging drops of mercy in Hell at this time when behold God offers you Oceans of grace on Earth in his Word and Gospel O what would the damned give even ten thousand Worlds if they
trivial trash to this true treasure 8. The sixth Reason to enforce this Gospel-duty is as it is an Ordinance that is comfortable to Man oft sweetning his Spirit for God and Godliness so it is an Ordinance very acceptable to God not only Solomons Prayer to God but also his praising of God had a most gracious acceptance with God The fire that came down from Heaven upon his Sacrifice 2 Chron. 7. 1. as a visible evidence of acceptation was after both his praying and praising work 1 King 8. 55 56. 62. He blesses the Lord in a standing posture as well as the People when he had done praying to the Lord in a kneeling posture Ver. 54. 56 57. and this Ordinance of Singing praises to God is the more acceptable to him as it hath a more copious and ample profession of Piety in it then in other Ordinances when the word of Christ dwells in us Richly to make us Sing indeed Col. 3. 16. for 't is an Ordinance that contains in it an universal personal performance and Action every one must be an Actor in sounding out the praises of the God of Israel Psal 148. 11 12 13. both Princes and Peasants both young Men and Maidens both old Men and Children None are two high to do God Homage in their persons not by a proxy but as they are bound to do it as men so they are doubly-bound to it as great men and none are two low to pay this tribute of personal praise to God Hereupon the Psalmist Summons in all things to pay their Rent to God Factouring as it were among all Animate and Inanimate things to bring forth their proper praises to God 9. This duty hath such acceptance with God that he hath put a double honour upon it 1. In this World 2. In the world to come 1. Here God hath honour'd it with gracious effects far above the reach of either Nature or Art in two things 1. In allaying the evil Spirit 1 Sam. 16. 24. The sound of Davids Harp which could not be available alone was quickened with the spiritual Song wherein the breathings of the Spirit were these altogether made Saul well altogether 2. In Ministring to the good Spirit 2 King 3. 15. Elishah finding himself indisposed calls for a Minstril supposed to be some Godly Levite skilful in singing Davids Psalms upon his Instrument of Musick this prepared him for Prophecying which without Divine influence he could not have effected 2. Hereafter God honours it with making it the only and whole work of the other World where sighing is turned into singing sighing Hosannas into singing Hallelujahs David awakes up his glory to sing on Earth Psal 57. 8. but singing in Heaven shall be glory it self 't is a grace here as 't is glory hereafter it will be work and wages both 10. The seventh Argument for the singing-Ordinance is 't is prositable to the Church as well as comfortable to Man and acceptable to God in as much as it hath a greater Communion unto mutual edification in it then in other Ordinances Eph. 5. 19. speaking to your selves herein c. And Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another hereby this is done not only as there is a personal performance of every ones part in this duty above others but also as there is a shoring up of one anothers Spirits and Affections in it like City-buildings that bear up one another not like those in the Country that stand alone and bear up themselves upon their own single bottom besides when this singing work is carryed on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with joint consent this heaves upward every Petition more forcibly and takes Heaven as it were by storm and violence especially when Melody is made in the heart which is the best Tune to every Psalm Can the roaring Boys of the World stir up and provoke one another to Mad Merriments among their Cups by their loose and lewd Catches and may not the Saints provoke one another Heb. 10. 24. unto a Spiritual jollity in a sober sense to be expressed in Psalms When Spiritualized unto Spiritual Songs this is good fellowship of the best sort 11. 'T is pitty then that this honouring God with our glory as David that sweet singer of Israel calls it Psal 57. 7 8. should have so much dishonour and disgrace cast upon it either as to manner or as to matter either by those that are good or by those that are evil The Papists and Popish persons do indeed deride us for singing Geneva Jiggs as they stile the singing Psalms And others cry the duty down as a Novelty whereas the Antients tell us that Christians in their times were wont to sing Psalms in their very journeyings And that Maids and Servants made it their practice in their dayly work assuredly the Devil would do to the Church now as Balak with the Devils spel-man Balaam would have done to the Church in the Wilderness who when he could not cut off the whole Camp of Israel would be content to have part thereof cursed Num. 23. 13. 27. Thus Satan when he cannot Plunder the Church of all the Ordinances at once he will play at smaller-games rather then be Idle and endeavour only to cut her off from this Ordinance and the blessing of it 12. Now to Answer the Objections which is the second thing propounded The first Objection is that singing is comely for the upright only Psal 33. 1. So none else ought to Sing praises but they Answer the first the word only is not in the Text and it may be duty in sinners as well as comely in Saints 't is true high Speech so praise is being the proper work only of glorifyed Saints and of glorious Angels becomes not a fool Prov. 17. 7. Or a Nabal Hebr. that is a sapless or worthless fellow in whom all true worth is withered God likes not fair words that come out of a foul Mouth why do such take Gods word in their Mouth when they hate to be Reformed Psal 50. 16 17. The lepers lips should be covered according to the Law Levit. 13. 45. and laudari ab illaudato to be praised by a praisless person is no praise at all Christ silenced those Devils that confessed him the Son of the most high God Mark 5. 7. Luk. 4. 41. O then rather cover your lips with the leper or resolve to reform and let not your life give your lips the lie be not as the Blacks that are white in the Mouth only 13. The second Answer to this first Objection is all persons both Saints and Sinners do lay under an Obligation to this duty as it is both a natural and a moral or instituted duty as before 't is a duty enjoined upon all though all cannot perform this duty a like and after a comely manner or with an Evangelical Spirit 'T is true the old heart cannot sing the new Song Psal 3 3 3. the new Song before the Throne Rev. 14.
it 'twixt the brain and the heart that it might take counsel of both neither will he suffer Children to speak till they have wit and understanding to guide them in their speaking and those that are deaf are also dumb because they cannot hear Instruction nor learn wisdom that they might speak advisedly and to Edification 4. Consider that especially God regards rewards and Records what the Saints speak one to another of him in the duty of holy conference as well as what they spake one with another to him in holy Prayers Mal. 3. 16. This duty should be often done 't is well pleasing to God for 1. Elijah was taken up into Heaven out of this Ordinance 2 King 2. 11. not either out of Prayer or Meditation but as they were going on and talking he knew best what was fittest to be done and happy is that man whom his master when he commeth shall find so doing Mat. 24. 46. and 2 The two Disciples going to Emmaus and talking together of Christs death as Elijah and Elisha of his Translation Christ comes to them and made the third Man and they had fire as the other had a Chariot of fire came to them and made their hearts burn with in them Luke 24. 14 17 32. Christ was known to them and stayd with them and he will be still in the midst of two or three that meets for holy Conference Mat. 18. 20. Yea 3 Christ himself who is a whole cloud of witnesses in himself hath Sanctifyed this Ordinance by his conferring with Moses and Elias about his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 departure as of Israel out of Ehypt Luke 9. 31. at this Sacred Synod wherein Moses and Christ the Law and the Gospel did well agree was Christs glorious Transfiguration let this Ordinance be one of your Gospel-walks and Divine fire a Chariot of fire yea Transfiguring grace and glory in Gods presence may come upon you be a Companion of those that feare God Psal 119. 63. Nosciture Socio c. A man is known hereby and by conference as the Bell whether crack'd or found by 't is Ringing Gods Jewels conser Mal. 3. 16 17. The sixth walk of a Christian is in the two Sacraments CHAP. VIII 1. THough the word Sacrament being a Latin word as Ornament Element not a Greek or Hebr. word in which Language the Scriptures were written be not found in the Scripture yet may it not be quarelled with on that account for neither the words Trinity Omniscient and Omnipotent c. are found in it and 't is enough the things though not the Names be found therein for God doth not bind us up to the latter though we should hold fast the for me of sound and wholesome words 2 Tim. 1. 13. but to the former which are variously expressed according to the various Idiome or propriety of speech in every Nation and Language that Translates the Original Hebr. Oth. in the Old Testament and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek words in the New Test signifies all of them Sacrament Gen. 17. 11. Rom. 4. 11. So likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3. 21. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8. 5. 9. 23. have the sense with the Latin word Sacrament but to find Latin words in the Hebr. or Greek Bible none can Rationally expect There is no thing more clear in Scripture then this that God hath instituted visible Signs and Seals of the promises of his grace to man that are as visible Sermons to him for the more effectual exciting of our dull minds Hence Augustin calls a Sacrament quasi Visibile Spectabile Verbum God hath Added Sacraments to his word to be as a visible word 1 Assuring us that he dallieth not with us in his promises 2 Propounded Spiritual things to us after a corporal manner as Chrysostome faith and 3 To make his promises more Authentick and of greater validity to us as the deed drawn by the Notary is forcible when the Hand and Seal are fixed and annexed to it Yea lastly to be Symbols of the true Religion distinct from that of Infidels and Indians thus Adam had his Sacraments even in his state of Innocency for being made up an earthly body he had earthly Elements to instruct him as the Tree of Life was a Sacrament of Immortality and Incorruption and the Tree of knowledg of his probation and Tryal of his Obedience Gen. 2. 17. 3. 22. 2. If the first man stood need as the wisedom of God then Judged of visible Signs in his state of perfection how much more do we stand need of them in our state of Imperfection we shall certainly need them till we come to Heaven so long as we are not as yet come to our Rest and to our Inheritance Deut. 12. 9. Heb. 4. 3 8. our Sacramental Manna must not cease till we eat of the Corn of the land of promise Josh 5. 11 12. In Heaven indeed when that which is perfect is come then that which is Imperfect shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 14. when we are become all Spiritual then we shall have no need of Sacraments but Christ will be our all in all no Temple shall be seen in the state of glory for the Lord and the Lamb shall be the Temple of it Rev. 21. 22. but while we are here in the Church Militant and not come to the Church Triumphant made perfect in Heaven Heb. 12. 23. we have need of all the helps that God hath provided and Christ hath purchased for us we have need both of the word and of the Sacraments 1. Of the word to convert us and 2. Of the Sacraments to confirm us the word is the Spirits Instrument to beget and begin life and therefore is it propounded unto every Creature Mark 16. 15. but the Sacraments are the Spirits Instrument only to nourish life begun and begotten and therefore administred to those only that in the Judgment of Charity are supposed to be New Creatures to wit such as be members of the Church Heb. 13. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 2 3. with Chap. 10. 11. 3. The Sacraments which present to the Eye as the word propounds to the Ear are a part of Divine worship some duties whereof are natural as Prayer c. But this is properly Instituted worship proceeding from the Nomothetical or Legis lative Authority of God Esa 33. 22. who only hath power to appoint Sacraments Those of the old Testament had a Divine appointment and institution to wit Circumcision in Gen. 17. 9. and the passeover in Exod. 12. 12. So likewise the two Sacraments of the New to wit Baptisme in Math. 28. 19. and the Lords Supper in Math. 26. 26. and the things signifyed in both those forts of Sacraments old and New Testament were one and the same to wit Christ and his benefets although the Rites and outward materials were differing yet the Divine Image and Super-Scription was equally stamp'd upon both to make them current
2 Cor. 6. 10. when you have got the Divine Art of contentment Phil. 4. 12. O Remember how the great Architect of the World had not a house to put his head in though he was the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. and the builder of all Heb. 11. 10. Math. 8. 20. Phil. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 8. 9. and how those great Favourites of Heaven wandred about in Sheep-skins c. Heb. 11. 37. 38. Having no certain dwelling place 1 Cor. 4. 11. Suppose you have none or but a mean one on Earth yet have you one and that a Magnificent one in Heaven 2 Cor. 5. 1. 6. The second Direction is having an habitation appointed you of God be sure you make the Lord your Counceller about a yoke-fellow whether you be Male or Female if you have a call thereunto Marriage quasi Marre-age or Merry-age 't is the making or marring of you for your whole life of all your civil affairs there is none of the like Importance as this having an Influence upon all your days you live in the World 't is like a stratagem in War that cannot be recal'd when you will according to your choice of a good or evil Spirit you bring into your bed and bosom you make your house a lasting Heaven or Hell You are mine and I am yours brevis quidem est Cantiuncula longum vero Epiphonema is a short Song but it hath a long undersong therefore an Errour herein being Irrecoverable you have need of Argus his hundred Eyes as well as Briareus his hundred hands and of Gods Counsel above all that you lay not the foundation of a lasting sorrow thereby and that your Conjugium prove not a Conjurgium a continual crossing instead of comforting one another when two are in one yoke and each draws contrary ways to the other Hereupon some say that Adam in his deep sleep was praying for a meet help Gen. 2. 21. and the Scripture saith expresly that Isaac went out to confer with God in Prayer and Meditation about this weighty matter Gen. 24. 63. a good Wife is from the Lord Prov. 19. 14. And so is a good Husband 7. The third Direction is let not that Doctrine of Devils that forbids to Marry 1 Tim. 4. 1 3. hinder you as if it were better to live upon the Common or as if the unmarried estate were more honourable without regard to the proper and peculiar gift 1 Cor. 7. 7 9. for Marriage is honourable unto all c. Heb. 13. 4. and God himself not Cecrops Lycurgus or Numa was the first Author and Institutor of it and that in Paradise yea and before the fall Gen. 2. 22. hence 't is cal'd the Covenant of God Prov. 2. 17. and though Paul the unmarried qua talis as 't is said went up to God which was a great honour yet Moses that was married had God to come down to him which was greater honour despise not this Divine medicine which if rightly applyed is your Arrival at the fair Haven marriage quasi merry-age the sweetest passage of your life a rest and center of your affections Ruth 3. 1. that it may be well with you this is desireable as well as honourable in both Sexes for the man misses his rib and would recover it and the woman the rib would be in her place under the Arm again 8. The fourth Direction is be careful to enter in by Gods way into Gods Covenant not as some that enter into Gods Ordinance to wit Marriage by the Devils portal to wit fornication so lays the Foundation of a curse and not of a blessing the Apostle faith let them marry only in the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 39. you must not marry in Pluto the God of Riches nor in Venus the Goddess of pleasure as the Heathens feigned but in the fear of the Lord the Rabbins observe that in the names of Ish and Ishah the Hebrew names of Man and Woman is included Jah the name of God and that if you take out Jod and He whereof the name Jah consists there remaineth nothing but Esch Esch which signifies fire fire the moral of it is good signifying that if you marry in any manner but in the Lord whose name is Jah Psal 68. 4. there will be nothing but fire fire nothing but brawling and doleful dissention a fire that burneth to the fire of Hell but if you marry in the Lord you marry also with the Lord and he cannot be absent from his own Marriage it was Christs presence at a marriage that turn'd water into Wine Joh. 2. 2 9. Jesus must be Invited to your Marriage as the principal guest but by no means invite the Devil quasi do-evil who is Abaddon and Appollyon Rev. 9. 11. the destroyer of all good Except the Lord be with you to build your house even in your foundation work which is always serious and weighty work all your indeavours will be but Arena sine Calce sand without lime that cannot hang together but like untempered Morter will fall asunder and you build in vain Psal 127. 1. 2. Except and except c. 'T is vain and 't is vain c. Should found in your Ears 9. The fifth Direction is if God have made you the husband of a Wife especially of such a one as hath the seven qualifications of a good one to wit grace race face arts parts portion proportion then 1 Be thankful to your God for so great a blessing Psal 116. 12. this was one of the first real and and royal gifts that God bestowed on Adam and that upon deliberation of Divine wisdom Gen. 2. 18. the Trinity in the unity had consulted before about mans first being let us make man c. Gen. 1. 26. Now the Unity in the Trinity consults about mans well-being and determins 't is not good for man to be alone I will make him an help-meet for him a piece so exactly cut out for him as answers him rightly in every Joint no such glorious Creature could Adam find among all the Creatures that passed before him hence the woman is the glory of a Man 1 Cor. 11. 7. O bless God for such a glorious Creature and rejoice at the recovery of your lost Rib Cant. 3. 11. Rejoice in the Lord the giver of that mercy 1 Cor. 1. 31. for marriages are made in Heaven before they be Solemnized on Earth 't is the work of God the Creator to provide an help-meet for Man his Creature Gen. 2. 18. Prov. 18. 22. Prov. 19. 14. And 2 Live with your Wife that God hath graciously given you as a Man of knowledg 1 Pet. 3. 7. where should knowledg and wisdom be but in the head if you have found by seeking God in Prayer as Isaac did a Wife that is a good Wife as name is used Eccles 7. 1. for a good name and Wool Esa 1. 18. for white Wool you have found a good thing a fit and faithful yoke fellow is a singular blessing and you have
obtained favour of the Lord Prov. 18. 22. as this calls for abundance of praise to your God so for abundance of prudence to your Consort which is the weaker Vessel and so ought to be handled as a Venice glass with all tenderness even as Christ and his Church Eph. 5. 29. 10. The sixth Direction is if God make you the head and Governour of an house and Family then learn in the first place to rule your little house well to wit your self he that hath no rule over his own Spirit is very unfit to take the rule over others Prov. 14. 29. 16. 32. and Eccles 7. 9. Anger may rush into a wise-mans bosom but it shall not rest there he dare not let the Sun go down upon so evil a guest and Counseller sury dwells and domineers in no house or heart not only till the Sun go down a whole day but while it go round a whole year Eph. 4. 26. but where a fool is the Master of the Family a troubler of his own house that brings all to nothing Prov. 11. 29. his livelihood by a secret curse Vanishes into Smoak and if not his life by fretting yet his liberty goes away for he shall be servant to the wise in heart none Triumphed in Rome but such as had five Victories nor you in Heaven without Victory over your five senses 11. The seventh Direction is be careful to lead an Exemplary and a convincing Life that you may be a pattern of Piety to your whole Family patterns are so prevalent both to good and evil that Pelagius did think though amiss Sin came into and is continued in the World by imitation and not by propagation be sure you shew Piety at home as well as abroad 1 Tim. 5. 4. and be not like the stage-Players that act the part of both great and good men upon the stage but follow them into the Tiring-House where they dis-robe themselves and then it will appear they are but very Rogues and vile-Varlots every man is what he is at home and in private If Godliness be writ in a fair Character and in large and lovely Letters in the leaves of your life 't will invite your Children and Servants to Read like and love it who otherwise possibly would never have heeded it the Master of a Family is the Ordinary Looking-glass whereby the whole Family do dress themselves Regis ad exemplum totus Componitur Orbis as is the politick-head so are the People the body and as is the domestick-head so usually is the houshold good or evil as it is with a fish if the head be sweet all 's sweet if it stink all 's putrifying The Office of an head is great in guiding and going before the whole body in Josephs dream Gen. 37. 9. behold the Sun the Moon and the Stars c. the Father of the Family should be as the Sun full of Heavenly light in himself and communicating of his light to enlighten the Moon his wise and the Stars of several Magnitudes his Children yea and the Air and the Earth too to wit all his Servants 12. The eighth Direction is if you be the Wise or Mother of the Family you must be of a wise Conversation which wonderfully wins as well as wooes all you are related to towards Conversion as well as Conviction 1 Pet. 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. you must be as the Moon in Josephs dream shining out in your Orb in your husbands absence and yet vailing to him as the Moon to the Sun when he is present and in his power being Subject to him in all his lawful commands or restraints O that you may be fair as the Moon Cant. 6. 10. Shining bright in all Vertues and Graces while you are ordering your Family-affaires as Sarah and Abigail c. And though you may have sometimes a dark side towards the Earth yet as the Moon in her very Ecclipse you may have a bright side towards Heaven which may never be Ecclipsed you should be to your Husband what Davids harp was to Saul in his fury and Phrensy 1 Sam. 16. 23. when your Husband is at any time as who is not at some time transported into passion see that you cast Milk and not Oile upon the flames of his Anger that you may quench that fire and not more enflame it by adding another fire your own anger to it 't was once a blessed Expedient in a godly Couple though both Cholerick to live lovingly together for forty years without ever any fallings out betwixt them by yeilding evermore to each others passions and never being angry both together 13. The ninth Direction is to both the Sun and the Moon the Husband and the Wife jointly that you live together as heirs of the grace of life that your Prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3. 7. Alas you are Men and Women Subject to many passions and infirmities Act. 14. 15. Jam. 5. 17. and not Angels freed from all frailties of the Flesh and therefore you have need to be enriched with all grace whereby you may perform the duties enjoy the comforts undergo the cares and resist the Temptations that do attend your persons and conditions as becommeth the Gospel you profess Phil. 1. 27. and your praying much with and for each other without hindrance 1 Pet. 3. 7. will with Gods blessing wonderfully encrease and Spiritualize your mutual affections one to another either jarring will make you leave praying or praying will make you leave jarring Isaac and Rebeccah were the most loving Couple we Read of Gen. 24. 67. For they were a praying Couple Gen. 25. 21 22. he prayed for his Wife constantly as the Hebrew signifies and she prayed down her passions prudently he got the mercy desired and she the Oracle Abraham obeys God in things grievous to him Gen. 21. 11 22. 2 3. and Sarah hindered him not by saying why do you so for she was a straight Rib and Satan cannot use it to break the head As the Husband must be a Son of Abraham so the Wife must be a Daughter of Sarah 1 Pet. 3. 6. O happy house with such Couples and where there is but one will the Wives swallowed up in the Husbands and the Husband in the Lords will 14. The tenth Direction to both is neglect not to let up the Worship of God in your Family this is not only to entertain the Ark of God but even God himself the Ark was the sign of Gods presence no sooner is David settled on his Throne but he will settle Religion and therefore sends for the Ark 2 Sam. 6. 1 2 3. 'T is come to Obed edoms Ver. 10. And brought a blessing with it thither V. 11. David then crys O when wilt thou come unto me Psal 101. 2. he would have the blessing Ark come to his house as well as to Obed-edoms and not only the Ark of God but also God himself Arise thou and the Ark of thy strength Psal 132. 8.
where Religion is set up that house is a Beth-el an house of God and there is the gate of Heaven Gen 28. 16. 17. not only for your Prayers ascending up to God but also for his blessings descending down upon you for he is Rich unto all persons and Families that call upon him Rom. 10. 12. Job 8. 6. whether you be small or great God is not an Austere Master but a liberal pay Master but that house wherein the Worship of God is not nor any calling upon his Name 't is not a Bethel but a Beth-Aven Hos 10. 5. an house of Sin and God will poure out his curse upon it and not his blessing Jer. 10. 25. Neglect of Family-duty doth as it were uncover the roof for Gods curse to be rained down upon a Mans Tables Beds all things he hath or doth Prov. 3. 33. yea Brimstone is is scattered upon his habitation Job 28. 15. which the wrath of God may soon give fire to Psal 11. 6. and hale in Hell at ' its Heels 15. Secondly a short word of Direction to the Governed as they stand related to the Governours 1. In General to all such whether Children or Servants c. The first Rule is account it your mercy and priviledg and not your burden that you live in Religious Families where Prayer Reading Catechizing yea order and discipline are observed Gen. 16. 8. 18. 19. Children of many Prayers and Servants of many Prayers and Spiritual helps may not say what a weariness is this Mal. 1. 13. 't was cursed Jeroboam that said 't is too much to do so 1 King 12. 28. Yea 't was the mad and raging Heathens that cryed let us break these bands asunder and cast away those cords from us Psal 2. 3. Those are Children of Belial that like not to be yoked as the word signifies no not with Christs easy yoak and those are the Redeemed of the Lord that look on Family duties not as Cords and Bands but as garters and girdles to confine them where they ought to be Rom. 7. 22. Christ left this pattern for all Families by the ordering of his own as 1 To worship God Joh. 4. 22. 2 To keep the Sabbath Luke 4. 16. 3 To pray with the Family Luke 9. 18. alone there is meant apart from the Multitude for his Disciples which were his Family were with him 4 To pray privately or secretly by himself Luke 5. 16. 5 And that morning and evening Mark 1. 35. Math. 14. 23. And 6 This was his practice and custome Luke 22. 39. yea 7 Sometimes all night long Luke 6. 12. And lastly with Submission and Devotion as a Servant of God Math. 26. 39. Governours and governed learn of him Math. 11. 29. he is your best Master all this Practice of Piety 't is no matter how dull the Scholler be if but desirous to learn so Christ himself be but your Teacher 16. Secondly in particular First to Children the second Rule is Obey your Parents Eph 6. 1. as Isaao did Abraham in submitting to be Sacrificed though he was then grown up and might have resisted and as Christ became obedient even to the death of the Cross Good Children help to lengthen their Parents days as Joseph did Jacobs God therefore in the first Commandment promises by way of requital to lengthen theirs Remember you are stars in Josephs dream who was himself a whole constellation of graces O be a bright and morning Star in Christ who is so called Revel 22. 16. be a morning-seeker in the morning of your life Prov. 8. 17. and grow in wisdom as well as in stature and in favour with God and man as the Child Jesus did Luke 2. 52. but be not a blazing meteor not a falling but a fixed Star not Sancti Juvenes Satanici Senes not degenerate plants Jer. 2. 21. Degenerating not only from your Godly Parents though a Child of many Prayers cannot easily miscarry as Ambrose told Monica concerning Austin her Son while a Manichee But from your seeming godly self in your younger years a falling Star falls not to the Earth only but as the Star wormwood Rev. 8. 11. bitter to Parents and self into the bottomless Pit also and is it not pitty that any one chip of the good old blocks should become fewel for everlasting burnings 17. The third Rule is be a Serving Son Mal. 3. 17. 't is an old and yet a true saying that God Parents and School Masters can never be requited both for your being and for your well being Parents have power to require the service of their Children and as it is the Parents priviledg to command service so 't is Childrens duty to do service even churlish Laban had serving Sons Gen. 30. 35. and so had the old seducing Prophet 1 King 13. 13. yea and the Prince or Priest of Midian had serving Daughters Exod. 2. 16. This is the honour that God commands Children to pay to their Parents Exod. 20. 12. Children can never do enough for their Parents that have done so much and also suffred so much for them 't is very remarkable that good Jonathan who was otherwise a truly serving Son was taken by Lot 1 Sam. 14. 42. the whole disposing whereof is of the Lord Prov. 16. 33. and this may well be supposed to be some Reason that God hereby did shew how tender he is in allowing the least shew of disobedience to Superiours and to make Children fear and avoid even the Rash and causeless curses of Parents which by a secret Judgment of God are sometimes inflicted a wise serving Son makes a glad Father c. Prov. 10. 1. every Son should be an Abner which signifies his Fathers light and every Daughter an Abigail which signifies her Fathers joy O then whether you be Son or Daughter do not bring down the gray hairs of your Parents with sorrow to the grave Gen. 42. 38. 44. 31. 18. The fourth Rule is you must nourish your Parents in their old Age that nourished you in your youth and as you expect that your Children should nourish you when you are old good Joseph is a blessed pattern Gen. 45. 9 10 11. Saying to his old Father come down to me and be near to me and there will I nourish thee and he did so Gen. 47. 12. and Obed was a restorer of life to old Naomai whose life had been long a lifeless life as it had been joyless and a nourisher of her old Age Ruth 4. 15. See Davids love herein 1 Sam. 22. 3. And Christs also the mystical David Joh. 19. 27. This the Apostle commends as a thing not only good before men but also acceptable unto God 1 Tim. 5. 4. and Christ reproves the neglect of it Math. 15 4. and Paul calls such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural affection Rom. 1. 30. 2 Tim. 3. 3. The stork hath a singular affection to the Aged sire as Pliny Relateth Lib. 10. Cap. 23. The contrary carriage