and dross for Christ 1 Joh. 5.4 5. 23 Have I really set death before me My life as a vapour a shadow if I should die dayly what preparation have I made for it Am I sure but this is my last night If God should shut mine eyes by death how is it like to be with my soul Dare I lie down with the guilt or filth of any one sin Is there any returning from the Grave to amend No certainly 2 Cor. 4.14 16. I Cor. 15.54 c. Prov. 27. 1. 24 Can I tell how great the day of Judgment will be how glorious and terrible And dare I meet Christ coming in flaming fire with ten thousand of my sins to take vengeance Can I hold up my head Are my graces sound and of the right kind All is not gold that glisters Have I this day searcht judg'd and condemn'd my self 1 Cor. 11.31 2 Cor. 5.10 11.2 Thess 1.8.9 10. 25 Do I believe Hell torments dreadful and eternal Its flames unspeakably scorching It s misery endless and easeless And do I not fly from this wrath to come Rev. 14.10 11. 26. Have I ascended in the triumphant Chariot of Faith this day and beheld the new Jerusalem Gods glorious Palace Did I live love think and talk as an Heir of this kingdom Eph. 1.18 19. 27 Have I not in all I have done minded man more then God Have I not minded only the clean-sing the outside Eph. 6.5 6. 28 Dare I lie down this night without praying earnestly to God for the pardon of my sins the blessings of the night and the salvation of my soul Directions for the strict observation of the Lords Day For Preparation 1 ORder all your week business so wisely before hand that you may have no unnecessary work on Gods day that your hands may be as free as possible from worldly work and your heads from worldly cares and thoughts Exod. 20.8 9 10 11. 2 Think seriously What a weighty work am I going about My week-affairs are but Toys and Trifles to this What are Sheep Oxen or Shops to Grace Christ or Heaven Can I be too careful and serious in Gods Work in Soul-salvation work Surely no. How holy should my thoughts be how heavenly my discourse how earnest mine endeavours all the day long Isa 58.13 14. 3 Therefore prepare with all your might search your hearts and lives 1 Chron. 29.1 2.1 Find out what your sins are to confess mourn over and pray against Lam. 3.20.2 What the Mercies are you want for soul or body for your Friends Families and Nation account this a Market day for your souls Rev. 3.17 18.3 What blessings received and what thanks to be returned Psal 116.12 4 Think with your self What good did I get by former yea by the last Sabbath Was my heart then broken or warm'd with love to God and the like What did I then learn and how have I practised it in the Week Have I fully digested by meditation firmly believed and faithfully obeyed the truths were last taught me Isa 1.11 c. 5 Beg earnestly of God that he would help you to sanctifie a Sabbath that this may be the best Sabbath you ever kept That your heart may be more tender humble and heavenly that the out-goings of your soul may be more free strong and fixed and the incomes of Heavenly grace and comfort more abundant that God may reap more glory and you receive more good then ever heretofore That the holy keeping of this Sabbath may be an earnest to you of keeping a never never-ending Sabbath with God in glory To this end pray especially for these four things 1 That God may prepare a suitable word for your soul that the Ministers mouth may be opened and his heart enlarged and his message full of goodness That it may be the pure plain and powerful Word of God Ephes 6.18 19. 2 That God would fill his own Ordinances with his own presence and blessing that he would touch your heart when man speaks to the ear Drop yea stream down h eavenly grace through these Conduit Pipes Isa 48.17 Luke 16.14 3 That you may have the hearing Ear the seeing Eye and the understanding Heart that you may be teachable willing to learn and apt to receive what God delivers Jam. 1.21 22. Psal 110.3 4 That your souls enemies may be kept off at least resisted and kept down That your hearts may not deceive you the Devil divert you nor the World distract or disturb you Having thus in some measure prepared your hearts for the Solemn work of this great Day observe and practice these following directions as ever you hope to have the blessing of the Sabbath 1 As soon as you awake fix your hearts and eyes heaven-ward bless God that you see the light of one day more especially Gods day wherein you may labour to have your sins pardoned and purged and your souls furnisht with grace and so fitted for glory Call the Sabbath your delight Psal 118.23 24 Psal 59.16 2 Beg heartily of God that he would strengthen you by his grace to do what he requires as he would have it done that he would pardon your unpreparation bear with your infirmities accept of your poor services and Crown all with his blessing 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. 3 That you be fitted for the holy and heavenly work of the day affect your heart with some or all of these Ten following things 1 With the Majesty of that God whom you are to wait upon Psal 95.2 3 c. 2 With the vileness of sin and of your selves because of sin 3 With the sweetness of Christ and the greatness of his Love and Mercie 4 With the excellency of that heavenly work you are going about and the gain of godliness 5 With the vanity of the world and all things therein 6 With the worth and high value of your immortal souls 7 With the rage subtilty and diligence of your souls enemies 8 Especially with the deceitfulness of your own hearts 9 With the Terrour and Torment of Hell 10 With the unspeakable and everlasting glory of Heaven 4 Carefully and conscienciously perform Family Duties Josh 24. 15. 1 See that your Servants and Children of age waste not away the Morning in sleep or idleness 2 Cause them to joyn together in Prayer Reading or any other Godly Exercise Gen. 18.19 3 If you have time you may Catechise them or discourse to them of any of those former Ten things Deut. 6.6 7. 1 Inform your selves and them what a great and glorious Majesty and Master you are to serve Mal. 1.14 2 What a blessed and heavenly work you go about that it's heart work Joh. 4.24 and therefore hard and difficult work and yet that its pleasant and excellent Prov. 3.17 Chap. 8.34 35. Oh the fatness of Gods house and the beauties of holiness 3 What an abundant and unspeakable reward attends the well-doing even life everlasting Rom 6.22 and how fearful a thing it is
the cries of my self and all my friends the strength of the Angels the riches of all the world it would be as nothing to make up this woful breach Christ alone can do it 12. Believe it that Christ came to seek and to save such as we that were lost That he is not only able but willing and ready to give forth his rich grace What made him leave his Fathers bosome put off the Majestick Robes of his glory but love to poor souls What made him drink the dreadful cup of his Fathers wrath make such loud calls such rich proffers wait and send be rejected and wait cry earnestly and wait long but love to sinners Joh. 6.35 37. 'T was love to souls made him give up his body to be broken that precious box of oyntment which fills both heaven and earth with its sweet savour and pleasant perfumes Having throughly weighed and believed these foregoing propositions then come to Christ these 13 ways Directions how to close savingly with Christ 1. COme to Christ a poor lost and undone wretch hopeless and helpless as to an onely able and merciful Saviour Cry out as one sinking under the Waves and boisterous tempests of sin Master save or else I perish If thou wilt thou canst Heb. 7.25 Say with Thomas My Lord and my God my Christ and my Saviour put the hand of thy Faith into Christs pierced and bleeding sides Joh. 20.27 28. Say as they Joh. 6.68 Whither should I go but unto such a Saviour thou hast eternal life Thou canst help me out of the deep and miery ditch of my sins and over the fiery and fearful gulph of Gods wrath and canst bring me into the blessed presence yea into the gracious arms bosome and embraces of the God of glory I stretch out the weak arms of my Faith to thee O stretch out the strong arm of thy power and mercy and come and save me 2. Come as an humble broken and relenting sinner to an offended Majesty Come trembling with tears in your eyes and deep sorrow in your heart Come as one vile in the sight of God your self men and Angels As the poor Publican not worthy to look up to heaven smite on thy wicked heart As the Centurion say I am not worthy thou shouldest come under the roof of my heart As the Prodigal I have sinned against Heaven and am not worthy to be an hired servant Yet there is mercy enough in my Fathers heart and thy merits Isa 61.1 I have let flie many poysonous bullets and bitter arrows of sin against thee I have by sin fetcht as it were blood from thy precious heart afresh though it ran so freely and abundantly for my sake but now a sight of thy pierced side breaks my heart with sobs and sighs My sins are now as so many pricks in my side thorns at my heart and ropes about my neck 3. Come as a filthy polluted loathsome creature to a cleansing Fountain of Grace Lazarus in all his sores or Job on the dunghil with his scabs and botches were not so filthy and abominable in the eye of man as I am through the running sores and plagues of my heart and life in the sight of an holy and pure God I am more vile then the Toad then the stinking carrion in the ditch How doth this filth stream through every duty and mercy I drop the filthiness of sin whereever I go Oh wash cleanse and purifie in thy blood Iob 15. 16 42. Unclean unclean Thy body was broken to let out thy blood for my sake and shall not my heart be broken to let out the filth and gore of my sin 4. Come as a bond-slave drudge and vassal to Christ as to a Redeemer Complain of the Devils cruel usage and Sins tyrannizing Say Lord thou hast paid a price sufficient Thou hast redeemed me by thy precious blood that is more worth then ten thousand worlds Knock off these iron fetters rescue me out of this hellish Dungeon of sin I have now no command of my head or heart of my tongue or passions How do lusts domineere Luke 4.18 Heb. 2.14 15. Rom. 12 13 14. Here I lie staked down to the earth by a carnal heart 5. Come as a sin-sick-soul to Christ as to the only able Physitian As sick persons crying out of an aking head or griping bowels So complain Oh the plague of an hard heart The galls and gripes of a wounded conscience the wounds and stabs I have given my soul by sin Here I am sick to the very heart fainting and perishing Oh a drop of thy blood that is a cordial indeed the soveraign Balm of Gilead These many years yea all my life have I been diseased with the bloody issue of sin and all others are Physitians of no value but if I may but touch the hem of thy righteous Garment I shall be whole Matth. 9.20 21 22. I come to thee with mine Ulcers and Imposthumes to be lanced that the rotten members of my body of sin may be cut off 6. Come weary and heavy laden with your sins to Christ for rest and ease Mat. 11 28 29. Good Paul groaning under the weight of sin makes many heavy heart-burning complaints Rom. 7.18 19 and 24 but yet in the 25. v. he triumphs in Christ Holy David restless and disquiet roars under sin Psal 38.1 to 9. Those sins that were as jewels in your eye yea as your right hand or eye are they now as milstones and loads to your soul 7. Come as a poor needy and naked creature to Christ as the poor to the rich mans door for alms Come quite stript naked of your own righteousness Rev. 3.17 18. Cry out of your spiritual poverty Lord not one penny of grace to help my self Never a poorer wretch came to thee for mercy Grace I want if I perish it shall be at thy feet begging and praying I will not be thrust away from thy door Behold want of Faith Patience Love c. Not able to think or speak to do or suffer Oh let the sweet gales of thy spirit bring thy rich promises fraught with incomparable grace and comfort to unlade their heavenly treasure into my bosome Give me the key of Faith that I may unlock thy rich Store-house and fetch what I want 8. Come as an hunger-starv'd soul for bread of life thirsting and panting for soul-refreshing grace Isa 55. Beg cry out Bread Bread In some Countries through great want they cry Give and cut me holding out their arm give and kill me Cry Give Lord and strike me Give me heavenly food and do what thou wilt with me Say Lord if but as a Dog I may receive crumbs that fall from thy full Table of Grace Thirst and behold in every bleeding deep wound of Christ a fountain of rich flowing mercy Each heavenly promise steept in that sweet blood of Christ by faith can afford a full satisfying meal of joy and comfort to thy pining hunger-bitten Soul Apply
to trifle and be careless in it Lev. 10.3 Mal. 1.8 13 14. Heb. 12.28 29. Acts 20.9 4 Exhort and command them to be at all good exercises yea watch over and look after them Remember the fourth Commandment binds you to look to all within your care and power Man-servant Maid-servant c. If God had no more pity and mercy to the souls of children and servants then many bloody Parents and Masters they must needs swim in the direful Gulph of their sins into utter destruction 5 Repair to the publick places of Worship If you have no Minister in your own Parish go where is the most soul-seaching heart-melting and sinner-rowsing Preaching c. Isa 2.3 Take these Rules with you 1 Throughly weigh these four things 1 Consider I am this day to wait on God the King of Glory and not on man and therefore am I to come with all fear and care what an infinite greatness am I to admire and reverence What rich goodness am I to love and delight in what depths of wisdom to look into what infallible truth to rest upon and believe what a wrath and fiery indignation to tremble at God is glorious in holiness and of pure eyes Isa 6.1 2 3. 2 What a poor worthless worm and wretch am 1 How should I come crawling crouching and trembling to the Throne of Grace What am I but dust and ashes but putrefaction yea a sink of sin Isa 6.5 Job 42.5 6. 3 I have not onely an empty heart void of all good but an envious heart full of all mischief and perversness Rom. 8.7 8. 4 Yet what preparation have I made Have I not spent more time and care to dress my body for the eye of man then to deck my soul for the eye of God Job 11.13 14 15. Psal 10.17 2 As you are going to Gods house 1 If you are alone fill your heart with heavenly Meditations hunger and thirst after the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 Mat. 5.6 Think if God should meet my soul and bless it Oh that he would 2 If you are in company talk of God and his Word but without pride or affectation Or hear others heavenly discourse but if they are such as savour only of Earth and scorn Godliness either reprove or leave them 2 Cor. 6.17 3 As you enter Gods presence really expect his goodness to pass before you See Exod. 33.18 to the end Chap. 34.67 Earnestly look for the light of his Countenance Psal 4.6 Say Lord thou hast promised to be in the midst of thy people Psal 133.3 Matth. 18.20 Bow the Heavens and come down Let thy greatness aw us and thy goodness refresh us By Faith behold God in the highest Heavens surrounded with glorious Saints and Angels and take heed to thy self Eccles 5.1 2. and yet through Christ come with boldness and cry Abba Father Heb. 4.15 16. Chapter 10.19 20 21 22. 4 Make a Covenant with your eyes that they gaze not about to see who is in the Congregation and what Clothes they wear and the like Take heed of a wandering departing heart Matth. 15.8 9. Fix your Eyes on the Minister your Ears on the Word and your heart on God Psal 123.1 2. 5 Be reverend in the gesture of your bodies bow your knees as well as your hearts before the Lord if the place be not convenient for kneeling stand upright 1 Cor. 14.40 6 Whatever Spiritual work you set about do it with all your might and soul Eccles 9.10 Rom. 12.11 As 1 In Prayer while the Minister is confessing and bewailing sin let your hearts even melt bleed and break Joel 2.13 When he begs Mercy let your souls breath and pant after it Psal 42.1 2. When he returns thanks and praise let all that is within you bless Gods holy Name Psal 103.1 2. 2 If Singing let your hearts make melody to the Lord Take heed when your voice is high your heart be not dead flat and low Col. 3.16 Ephes 5.19 3 When the Word is read or preacht mind This is the Word of God 1 Thes 2.13 1 It is his Command and dare I disobey it Oh that my ways were directed Psal 119.4 5. 2 Doth God threaten these Judgments and denounce these curses on sinners And must I not tremble 3 Are these his calls and invitations his rich promises and great love and shall I refuse all Doth God knock at the door of my heart Let the everlasting doors thereof fly open that the King of Glory may come in 4 While the Minister is pronouncing the Blessing post not away a fault too common every where but hope desire and believe it shall come down upon you Psal 133.3 Prov. 8.33 34 35. 5 Take heed afterward that Satan may not steal away the good seed sown that the thorny cares of the world may not choak it Mark 4.14 to 20. Let not the World get into your mouths as soon as the Word is out of the Ministers Some have been sin-sick when they hear a row-sing Sermon when the Word flashes Heil-fire in their faces a little startled but it 's as men are Sea sick vomit up the Word and come ashore to the World and all is well again 6 As soon as you come home beg of God to bless the Word you have heard that it may not be as water spilt on the ground but that your memories may retain it your hearts love and your wills obey it 1 Cor. 3.6 That it may tear rent and fetch blood from your lusts that it may fire your hearts with love to and zeal for God and that love may fill your mouths with good words and your hands with good works Rom. 2.13 7 When you sit down to dinner having begged Gods blessing on the food of Soul and Body Matth. 14.19 1 Eat no more then will fit and enable you comfortably and lively to serve God Luke 21.34 Many fill their bellies so at this time that they are fit only to lay their drowsie heads on the Devils pillow of sloth 2 Talk of Gods Word sitting down and rising up Let your hearts be heavenly and your discourse savoury seasoned with Grace A Table without some good discourse differs little from a manger Isa 5.12 8 After Dinner either repeat the Word heard or read in the Bible or in some other good book and call your own heart and your family to an account for what you have heard Deut. 6.7 8 9. 9 In the time appointed go with your Family to the publick as in the Morning Think not half a day enough for God and your souls 1 If you come to the Congregation before the Minister spend not away the time in idle imaginations or worldly discourse or any vain stories but either meditate on God or his Word or talk heavenly and holily It 's sad to see a Church-yard filled with idle persons to hear nothing but of this or that person and family The great Questions are how Corn was sold the last Market day and what
Corn in such a field and the like Poor barren empty souls have you no better things to employ your heads and tongues about Rather ask What a good Word we heard this day How are we now to provide for Heaven The Devil is so busie in the Church-yard sowing his seed that Gods seed takes little place and rooting in the Church Can you do the Devils work now and the next hour Gods I am perswaded the seasoning of persons hearts with vanity and frothy discourse before Sermon hath been a very great hindrance to the efficacy of the Word and the good of many poor souls 2 Warm your hearts with love to God and delight in the work think not that falling down on your knees at your entrance and tumbling over a few words is a sufficient preparation It 's an harder work then most imagine to fit the soul for God 3 When you are waiting on God take heed of drowsiness deadness or distraction Remember a careless heart a drowsie body dull affections and dead services are not fit for a living God Think Do I pray now as for Heaven hear as one hearing God speaking from Heaven Is my heart such as God may love and delight in It 's to be fear'd many can tell where the windows and seats are broken what spots on the walls and the like better then what the Text Doctrines or Heads of the Sermon were 4 Take heed how you spend the Evening The heart is very apt to be vain after serious Duties If God hath set home any sin shewn you any duty run that over and over in your retired thoughts Psal 1.2 10 When you are about your necessary worldly work as serving your cattel and the like Take heed of carrying a worldly heart into the field Turn all things you see or hear heavenly If your cattel stray think How apt am I to go out of Gods way If you behold the Heavens see therein Gods power and wisdom c. Psal 19.1 Think or talk of the Word Psal 19.7 to 11. 11 Look on all you have done as far short of what God deserves and requires What heavenly fervent zealous prayers doth such a God deserve and such rich mercy call for God is worthy of a better tongue then mine to praise him and a better heart to love him Could I have done all commanded and never so well I were but an unprofitable servant Luke 17.10 What am I then when I come so infinitely far short when every duty is filled up with abundance of sin and fearful failings 12 Rest on nothing you have done for acceptance or salvation but on Christ alone Disown all confidence in your own righteousness and expect all the blessings and promises streaming to you alone in the blood of Christ Phil. 3.8 9. 13 Before you lie down at night look over the days work Search back into every hour and duty of the day Humble your self and be heartily sorrowfull for any miscarriages bless God and be unfeignedly thankful if you have received any good and still look out for more Take the shame of failings to your self and give God the glory of any enlargements 1 Chron. 29 10 11 c. FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for H. Brome at the Gun in Ivy-lane DIodates Notes on the Bible Fol. The New Common-Prayer with choice Cuts in Copper newly engraven suited to all the Feasts and Fasts of the Church of England throughout the year in a Pocket Volume Doctor Sparks's Devotions on all the Festivals of the year in 8 with Cuts The Alliance of Divine Offices exhibiting all the Liturgies of England since the Reformation by Hamon L'Estrange Esq in fol. Justice revived or the whole Office of a Country Justice in 8. The Exact Constable with his Original and Power in the Offices of Church-wardens Overseers of the Poor Surveyors Treasurers and other Officers as they are now established by the Laws and Statutes of the Land both E. Wingate Esq Dr. Browns Sepulchral Urns and Garden of Cyrus in 8. Floddan Field in nine Fits c. Mr. Richard Brome his Royal Exchange The Jovial Crew English More Love-sick Conceit New Exchange Covent Garden Weeded Queen and Concubine All the Songs on the Long Parliament and Rump from 1640. to 1660. the second edition enlarged Songs and other Poems by A. Brome Gent. Mr. Boys Translation on the sixth Book of Virgil. AEneas his Voyage from Troy to Italy an Assay upon the third Book of Virgil in 8 The Pourtraicture of His sacred Majesty King Charles the second from his birth 1630. till this present year 1661. being the whole story of his escape at Worcester his Travels and Troubles Chisul's danger of being almost a Christian in 12. Choice occasional Sermons Mr. Grenfields Sermon in behalf of the Loyal Party Mr. Glovers Assize Serm. His Sermon on Jan. 30. Mr. Stones Sermon at S. Pauls Octob. 20. 1661. against Rebellion Mr. Walwins Sermon on the happy Returnâ— of King Charles the second Eighteen choice Sermons preached by Bishop Usher in Oxford in the time of War in 4. A Treatise of Moderation by Mr. Gaule in 8. S. Boneventures Soliloquies in 4. Speeds Husbandry in 8. The glories and Magnificent Triumphs of the Restitution of King Charles the second shewing his entertainments in Holland and his passage through London and the Country comprising all the Honours done to and conferred by him by James Heath formerly Student of Ch. Ch. in Oxon. The covenant discharged by J. Russel in 4. The compleat Art of Water-drawing in 4. The Harmony of the World in 8. in 3 parts The Temple of Wisdom useful for all persons being a Magical Discourse in 8. both by John Heydon Esq Jews in America by Mr. Thorogood in 4. Blood for Blood in 35 Tragical stories the five last being the sad product of our late Rebellion in 8. A Discourse of all the Imperfections of Women in 8. Mr. Mortons Rule of Life in 8. A Geographical Dictionary of all the Towns and Cities in the world Arithmetical Tables fitted to the capacity of such as are unskilled in the Art of Numbers by H. Walrond Esq in 8. Holy Anthems sung in all Cathedrals and Collegiate Churches in England Schiverius Lexicon Greek and Latine the fourth Edition much enlarged A learned Exposition on the Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles and the Major Prophets by John Trapp M. A. The Crams of Comfort The History of the Bib'e The List of the Loyal Party And Case A brief Chronicle of the Turkish War From July to January 1663. Turned out of High-Dutch Together with his Imperial Majesties Reasons for the undertaking of the War and a Map for the better understanding of the Story