thy best friend in the World was so inhumanely used so barbarously but chered thou shouldst cry out as David in a holy passion As the Lord liveth the man the sin that hath done this thing shall surely be put to death When Antonius after Caesar was Murdered in the Senate house brought forth his Coat all bloody cut and mangled and laying it open to the view of the people said Look here is your Emperors Coat and as the bloody-minded Conspirators have dealt by it so have they dealt with Caesars body Upon this they were in an uprore and cryed out to slay the Murderers and took Brands and ran to the Houses of the Conspirators and burnt them down to the ground and as they apprehended the Murderers put them to death Reader thou seest at the Sacrament the wounds and blood of thy blessed Redeemer the dreadful painful death which thy Soveraign underwent O what canst thou do less then vow to be revenged on his Murderers thy corruptions and in an holy anger endeavour their speedy execution if thou wouldst have a full sight of sins filth and sinfulness go to Mount Calvary and behold thy Saviour hanging upon the Cross and good Lord what thoughts wilt thou have of thy lusts Physitians in unseemly convulsions advise their Patients to look into a glass that beholding their deformity they may strive the more against it The world never had such a glass as the sufferings of Jesus Christ for the discovery of sins loathsom ugly features and its horrid hideous hellish face now how should this light provoke thee to loath and hate sin O what Child would not abhor those weapons which murdered his dearest Father It was the glory of Alexander that as soon as ever he had opportunity he slew the Murderers of his Father upon his fathers Tomb. Truely Reader a Sacrament day is a special opportunity and thou wilt shew but little love to thine everlasting Father if thou dost not now put his Murderers to death upon those Monuments of his passion Now thou art at the Table think of thy unthankfulness ambition hypocrisie covetousness irreligion and infidelity and the rest how these crucified the Lord of glory and resolve through the strength of Christ that these Hamans shall be all hanged that these sins shall be condemned and crucified CHAP. XX. What a Christian ought to do after a Sacrament I Shall speak to thy duty after the Supper Thirdly Which consisteth mainly in these two things Thankefulness and Faithfulness 1. Thankefulness After such a Banquet as this is thou mayst well give thanks The Jews at their Passover did sing the hundred and thirteenth Psalm with the five following Psalmes which they called the Great Hallelujah A Christian should in every thing and at all times give thanks but at a Sacrament the great Hallelujah must be sung then God must have great thanks then we must with our souls bless the Lord and with all within us paise his holy name O Reader call upon thy self as Barak and Deborah did Awake awake Deborah Awake awake Barak utter a song and lead captivity captive thou son of Abinoam Judg. 5. Awake my love awake my joy utter a song a feast is made for laughter and wine rejoyceth the heart of man Friend is not this a rare feast where is thy chearful face Is not here good wine a cup of Nectar indeed the blood of the Son of God what mirth what musick hast thou to this Banquet of Wines Antiently it was the beginning and ending of Letters Gaudete in Domino Rejoyce in the Lord. It will be an excellent conclusion of this Ordinance to rejoyce in the Lord. O let thy soul magnisie the Lord and thy spirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. The cup in the Sacrament is called the Eucharistical cup or the cup of blessing let it be so to thee Let thy heart and mouth say Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people Luk. 2. Canst thou think of that infinite love which God manifested to thy soul without Davids return VVhat shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits His heart was so set upon thy salvation His Love was so great to thy soul that he delighted in the very death of his Son because it tended to thy good It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 Valde delectatus est Junius reads it He was exceedingly delighted in it Surely the mind of God was infinitely set upon the recovery of lost sinners in that whereas other Parents whose love to their children in comparison of his to Christ is but as a drop to the Ocean follow their children to their graves with many tears especially when they dye violent deaths he delighted exceedingly in the barbarous death of his onely Son in the bleeding of the head because it tended to the health and eternal welfare of the members Friend what manner of love hath the father loved thee with He gave his own Son to be apprehended that thou mightest escape his own Son to be condemned that thou mightest be acquitted his own Son to be whipped and wounded that thou mightest be cured and healed yea his own Son to dye a shameful cursed death that thou mightest live a glorious blessed life for ever Glory to God in the highest peace on earth and good will to men Alass how unworthy art thou of this inestimable mercy Thou art by nature a child of wrath as well as others and hadst been now wallowing in sin with the worst in the World if free grace had not renewed thee nay thou hadst been roaring in Hell at this hour if free grace had not repreived thee Thy conscience will tell thee that thou dost not deserve the bread which springeth out of the earth and yet thou are fed with the bread which came down from heaven with Angels food O infinite love Mayst not thou well say with Mephibosheth to David VVhat is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am For all my fathers house were as dead men before my Lord yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own Table Lord I was a lost dead damned sinner before thee liable to the unquenchable fire and yet thou hast been pleased to set me among them that eat at thine own Table and feed on thine own Son O what is thy servant that thou shouldst take such notice of such a dead dog as I am Look abroad in the World and thou mayst see others refused when thou art chosen others past by when thou art called others polluted when thou art sanctified others put off with common gifts when thou hast special grace others fed with the scraps of ordinary bounty when thou hast the finest of the floor even the fruits of saving mercy As Elkanah gave to Peninnah and to all her sons and Daughters portions but to Hannah he gave a worthy portion because he loved her
special treasure into the hands of the Children of men that they might obey his will and know the just one And Reader it is thy duty to search and study this book When Kings send out their Proclamations either concerning acts of grace or some Law which their Subjects ought to obey they expect that all should take notice of them and give them the reading and hearing What an affront dost thou offer to the King of the whole World if thou turnest thy back upon his word I must tell thee it is no less then crimen loesae Majestatis He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 10.16 Thou mayst think possibly that by neglecting to hear thou dost onely contemn the Preacher but beleive me it is a contempt of thy Maker Ministers are Gods Embassadors Now to deny an Embassador audience is one of the greatest disrespects which can possibly be offered him nay it is an affront to his Prince on whose errand he cometh and whose person he representeth and what is the conclusion usually of such bad premises but a bloody War Confider what thou dost when thou refusest him that speakest from heaven for if thou shuttest the windows of thine eyes from reading and the door of thine ears from hearing God may clap such a padlock of a judiciary curse upon them both that thou shalt never open thine eyes nor ears till thou comest as the rich Glutton to see Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom and to hear and bear thy part in those dreadful screechings and howlings which are in Hell It is a mercy that the Tree of Knowledge the Word of God is not forbidden but commanded fruit nay that it groweth in the very path to the Tree of life O why shouldst thou then like the Pharisees reject the counsel of God against thy own soul If thou art a childe of Adam I am sure thou hast thy deaths wound now by neglecting the Word thou like a frantick Patient throwest away that plaister which onely can cure thee Do not say thou wast not warned of thy danger and duty I do here shew thee the hand and seal of the King of kings to that Warrant to which I require thy obedience The Scripture is the Word of Christ and God commandeth thee upon thine allegiance to hear him Colos 3.16 Matth. 3.17 The Word is the Cabinet in which thy Saviour that Pearl of infinite price is laid up and therefore thou art commanded to look into it for this Jewell Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me John 5.39 The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speaketh such a diligent search as covetous men make for silver they spare for no labour that they may attain their Deified Treasure What shouldst not thou do for durables Riches and Righteousness But Reader if thou art a childe of God I doubt not but thou delightest to look into thy Fathers will and weightest every Word in it as knowing that in his Testament there is a great charge committed and a great legacy bequeathed to thee It is thy daily Companion and Counsellour thou darest not go without thy cordial being liable every day to faint nor without thy weapons being called every hour to fight The Scriptures are the light by which thou walkest and the tools with which thou workest Let me perswade thee to persevere in this gracious practice Take the counsel of the Author of it who is fittest to give Laws for thy carriage towards it Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly Colos 3.16 The Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifieth to keep house with you Do not leave thy Bible as some do at Church and hear nothing of it all the week long but bring it home to thy house let it dwell with thee Let not the Word be as a way-faring man to tarry with thee but for a night and so be gone but let it be an inhabitant one that accompanieth thee to bed and board and with whom thou conversest continually as thy familiar and intimate friend Make thine heart as Jerome saith of Nepotians by his assiduous reading and hearing the Scriptures Bibliothecam Christi The Library of Jesus Christ I cannot but think that thou hast found the Bible so bountiful a Guest to pay thee so liberally for its board that thou hast bid it heartily welcome and wouldst not part with it for the whole world Agesilaws is commended saith Xenophon because he never went to bed nor rose up before he had looked into Homer whom he called his Sweet-heart Advise thou with a Divine at least as often as he did with a prophane Author Kings have their Counsellors and great men their Remembrancers Let Gods testimonies be the men of thy council Psa 119.24 Let not others negligence abate the least of thy diligence but rather by an Antiperistasis let their extreme coldness double thine inward heat As the fire is hotest when the weather is coldest so Davids heart boiled with zeal after it when the waters of others affections to it were frozen They have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Commandments above gold yea above fine gold Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right Psal 119.126 127 128. O consider what love the Saints of God have ever had to his Law Luther said That he hated the Books he made and could wish them all burnt lest the time spent in reading them might hinder the reading of the Scriptures O how love I thy Law saith David The godly have meditated therein day and night they have esteemed it above the sweetest honey and the finest gold the Martyrs in England have given much of their Estates for a few leaves of it and they laid down their lives before they would lose the precious fruit in it The French Protestants saith their Historian burnt in zeal to the Word whilest the bloody Papists burnt them for the Word Scipio Africanus was applauded for having usually in his hands the books of Xenophons Institutions of Cyrus O let this Book of books be often before thee and always in thee let it be thy mediation all the day One would think that he who knoweth and believeth the contents of the Word should hardly ever let a Bible be out of his hand at least he will lay it up as the two Tables in the Ark in his heart Scriptura est cor ipsa anima Dei Greg. One of the Fathers calls it The heart and soul of God Indeed as a man by his word discovereth his minde and will so God by the Gospel which is his Word revealeth his eternal good will to men It is the Copy of his everlasting love of which his Decree is the Original containing all his pecious thoughts before the foundation of the World of redeeming miserable man with the blood of his Son and making him an heir
puddle water Reflect on them thy self and compare them with the Law of God and thou wilt find cause to pray over thy prayers to weep over thy tears to be ashamed of thy shame and to abhor thy self for thy self abhorrency Do not think with thy self I have examined my heart faithfully and find that I do not come short of the grace of God I have acknowledged mine iniquities and been sorrowful for my sins and therefore I cannot miscarry at this Sacrament Such a trusting of thy self would be a tempting of thy Saviour and would certainly hinder the success of the Sacrament It would be to thee as the cutting off Sampsons locks was to him Judg 16.20 He thought to have gone forth as at other times and shake himself And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Thou mayest think after such self-confidence to go to the Lords Supper as at other times but alas what wilt thou do for the Lord will depart from thee and then what sport will Satan and sin those uncircumcised ones make with thee Reader let me perswade thee when thou hast been diligent in the trial of thy spiritual estate and hast with many tears bewailed the pollution of thy nature and transgressions of thy life to cast thy self wholly upon Jesus Christ for assistance in the duty As Jehosaphat when he had 50000. men ready Armed for the battel cryed out O Lord our God we have no might against this great company 2 Chron. 20.6 neither know we what to do but our eyes are unto thee So after thou hast made the greatest preparation possible as beleiving the weight and worth of the supper the purity and Majesty of the Master of the Feast do thou look up to Christ and say Lord I have no ability no might for this great supper for a right performance of this great ordinance neither know I what to do but my eys are unto thee When Asa had an Army of two hundredand fourscore thousand men of valour to fight with the Ethiophians he prayeth and trusteth to God as if he had not one man Lord it is nothing for thee to help whether with many or with them that have no power Help us O Lord God for we rest on thee 2 Chron. 8 1. and in thy name we go against this great multitude So do thou say Lord I have no power for this holy Supper help me O Lord my God for I rest on thee and in thy name I go to this great and weighty Ordinance Truely couldst thou after all the provision thou hast made disclaim it wholly in regard of dependance and cast thy self on Christ for assistance I durst be the Prophet to foretel a good day The gaudy flower which standeth upon its own stalk doth quickly wither when the plain Ivy that depends upon the house and leans on it is fresh and green all the year He that trusteth to his own legs in this duty is as sure to fall as if he were down already the weak child walketh safest that all the way holdeth by and hangeth upon its parent If thou wert now going to receive be advised to write after Davids Copy He looked up to God both for assistance and acceptance I will go in the strength of the Lord I will make mention of thy righteousness yea of thine onely Psa 71.16 Let thy practice be sutable to his when thou goest out of thy house And let thy prayer be the same with the Spouses when thou art entring into Gods house O then look up to heaven and cry mightily Awake thou Northwind and come O South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Cant. 4. ult CHAP. XIX How a Christian may exercise himself to godliness at the Table I Come to the second particular about the Lords Supper Secondly and that is thy behaviour at the Table or in the time of receiving In reference to which I would advise thee 1. To mind the sutable subjects which are to be considered at it 2. To observe the special graces which are to be exercised in it There are three principal subjects of meditation when thou approachest the Table in order to the three graces which must then be acted The Subjects of meditation are Christs passion his affection and thy own corruptions The three graces are Faith Love and godly sorrow Christs death is sure footing for Faith Paul never desired better 1 Cor. 2.2 it is not onely an elect and precious but a tried stone and a sure foundation on which whosoever beleiveth shall never be confounded Isa 28.16 Faith picks excellent food from this heavenly carkass The love of Christ displayed in his death causeth and calleth forth the love of a Christian Faith bringeth the soul that is like a dead coal near to the live coals of Gods burning love in giving his onely Son and Christs burning love in giving himself and by these it is turned into fire all in a flame of love as the Eccho answereth the voice it returneth the love it receiveth Our own sins meditated on stit up the third grace which is godly sorrow Though indeed this liquor will run from any of the three Vessels if they be but peirced When Christ hung upon the Cross under the weight of Gods wrath water came out of his sides as well as blood Who can think of his sufferings without sorrow and of his blood without tears His love in its heat may well thaw the most frozen spirit but sin the cause of his sufferings will like a knife cut and prick to the heart indeed but First I begin with the subjects of meditation and among them in the first place with the passion of Christ First Meditate now on the suffering of thy Saviour the wound of Christ out of which came precious balsom to heal all thy sinful sores ought never to be forgotten but the remembrance of them is never so seasonable as at a Sacrament One end of the institution of this Ordinance was the commemoration of Christs death As oft as ye eat this brrad and drink this cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 27. The Sacrament is a lively crucifix wherein Jesus Christ is evidently set forth crucified before thine eyes When thou seest the bread and wine consecrated and set apart consider how God the Father did from eternity set a part his onely Son for his bloody passion and thy blessed redemption Consider he was a Lamb slain before the foundation of the World When thou seest the bread and wine upon the Table consider that as the Corn was ground in the Mill to make that bread and the grapes squezed to make that wine so thy Saviour was beaten in the Mill and Wine-press of his Fathers wrath before he could be meat indeed and drink indeed to nourish thee unto life everlasting When thou seest the bread broken
sinners love their friends who love them and wilt thou be worse then Publicans and sinners Consider seriously Jesus Christ loved thee when thou wast in a loathsome estate Ezek. 16. when thou wast wallowing in thy blood when no eye pitied thee then was his time of love he passed by thee and said unto thee Live yea when thou wast in thy blood he said unto thee Live And wilt thou not love him Ponder the heat of his love possibly the greatness of that fire may warm thy heart and thou mayest reflect some heat back again for indeed love is a Diamond which must be written upon with its own dust He loveth thee as a servant surely this is a favour for he hath thousands of glorious Angels who count it their honor and happiness to serve him To be made one of his hired servants was the great priviledge desired by the Prodigal Ye call me Lord and Master and ye say well for so I am John 13.13 but though this may be somewhat it is not enough for him He loveth thee as a friend Ye are my friends John 15.15 I have not called you servants but friends Friends love entirely witness Jonathan and David Jonanathan loved David as his own soul Friendship is one soul in two bodies saith the Philosopher This is much but his love to thee is more then so he loveth thee as his Brother He is not ashamed to call them brethren I will declare thy name unto my brethren Heb. 2.11 Some Brethren are knit very close in the bond of love Camh. Brit. In Queen Elizabeths Reign in a fight between the Earl of Kildare and Earl of Ter Owen two of the Earl of Kildares Brethren were slain which he took so heavily that he dyed shortly Some write that there is no such love in the World as between Foster-Brethren in Ireland This love is great but his love is greater He loveth thee as his childe the stream of love descendeth most swiftly from Parents to their children He shall see his Seed Isa 53.10 How tender is the Mother of her childe Can the Mother forget her childe that sucketh her breast The Mothers bowels will yern towards her childe the Mothers breasts will put her to pain if not drawn and thereby minde her of her childe But though the Mother may prove a Monster and like the Ostrich leave her young to be destroyed yet will I not forget thee saith the Lord Thou art engraven upon the palms of my hands thy walls are ever before me Isa 49.13 14 15. Children have you any meat If not lo here is my body Thou mayst say of Christs love to thee as David of Jonathans Thy love to me is wonderful it far surpasses the love of women for he loveth thee as his Spouse Men do or at least should love their wives above all relations For this cause shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife But who can conceive Christs love to his Spouse Thou art all fair my love thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse How fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse Cant. 4.8 9 10. The nearest affinity is Spouse and the nearest consanguinity is Sister to shew that his affection is like that of the nearest relations If this be not enough Reader he loveth thee as himself nay above himself he did as it were hate himself out of love to thee He denied himself displeased himself and gave himself to be buffeted scourged condemned wracked crucified and to be a sacrifice for thy sins Well is it possible for thee to read of this infinite love without love When wood hath been laid a sunning it takes fire presently Hast not thou been so fitted by the warm hot beams of this Sun that now upon the very thoughts of Christ thou art all in a flame Truly it would be as great a miracle for thee to be in such a furnace of love and not fired with love to him as for the three Worthies in Daniel to be in the midst of the fiery furnace and not burnt Christ loved thee so unspeakably as thou hast read as a servant as a friend as a brother as a childe as a wife as himself nay above himself all this when thon wast a sinner without strength yea his enemy which threefold gradation the holy Ghost taketh special notice of Rom. 5.6 8 10. and wilt thou ever give him cause to complain of thee as Paul of his Corinthians the more I love the less I am beloved Love him dearly love him entirely love him above all love him more then all say with the Spouse Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love and with holy Brandford sprinckle thy trencher thy food with tears that thou canst love so loving and so lovely a Saviour no more 3. When thou art at the Table Exercise repentance what sorrow for and anger against thy sins should the sight of a crucified Saviour cause Some tell us that if the murderer be brought near and touch the body slain by him it bleeds afresh O when thou who art indeed the murderer of the Son of God dost touch and taste his body and blood shouldst not thou fall a bleeding a weeping a fresh Behold his broken bleeding body with an eye of faith and thine eye cannot but affect thine heart with grief I am confident thou canst not see it with dry eyes Was his soul exceeding sorrowful heavy even unto death for thy sake and is not thine friend for thy sins Did he drop so much blood and canst thou drop never a tear the very rocks were rent at his sufferings and is thy heart harder then those stones Is it possible for the head to be so pained and peirced and the members not be affected with it surely Deep calleth unto Deep Deep sufferings in Christ for deep sorrow in thee O Christian If his body were broken to let his blood out thy soul may well be broken to let it in They shall see him whom they have peirced and mourn for him as one that mourneth for his onely Son Zach. 10.12 His love may make as Davids kindness even a Saul to lift up his voice and weep It is so great and so hot a fire that one would think it would distil water out of thee wert thou never so dry an herb When Christ sat at Supper in the Pharisees house Mary washed his feet with her tears When Christ and thy soul are supping together thou mayst well weep in remembrance of thy unkindness and wickedness But the cheifest reason why I mention repentance now to be exercised is not so much for thy contrition or sorrow for sin though when the sweet sauce is a little sharp with Vinegar the meat will rellish the better for it as for thine indignation and anger against sin When thou considerest that thy dearest Saviour in a cold night lay groveling on the ground all over in a bloody sweat that
to the precept Lord Deut. 6.6 7. let my house on thy day be like thy house employed wholly in thy Worship and let thy gracious presence so assist us in every Ordinance that the glory of the Lord may fill the house I wish 5 Discipline in a Family That I may manifest my love to the Souls in my family by manifesting my anger against their sins My God hath told me Thou shalt not hate thy brother Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Lev. 19.17 If it be my duty not to bear with the corruptions of neighbours much less of my servants and children Should I suffer them in unholiness I should bring them up for Hell Those deepest purple sins many times are those which are died the Wool of youth O the sad aches which many have when they are old by falls which they received when they were young Let me never like Eli honor my sons or servants above my God lest my God judge my house for ever for the iniquities which I know because my children or servants make themselves vile and I restrain them not Lord let me never be so fand and foolish as to kill any in my family with Soul-damning kindness but let my house be as thine Ark wherein there may be not onely the golden pot of Manna seasonable and profitable instructions but also Aarons Red suitable and proper reprehension and correction I wish 6 See that all be well employed That I may never expose my family to the suggestions of Satan by allowing any in laziness but may be busie my self in my particular vocasion and see that others be diligent in their distinct stations The lazy Drone is quickly caught in the honeyed glass and kild when the busie Bee avoideth that snare and danger O that I and mine might always be so employed in the work of our God that we may have no leisure to hearken to the wicked one Adams store-house was his work-house Paradise was his place of labour Lord since thou hast intrusted every one in my house with one talent or other wherewith he must trade cause me and mine to labour and work in this and to look after rest in the other World I wish 7 Peace and love must be maintained in the family for the furthering of holiness and purity in my house That I may be careful to keep it in peace Our bodies will thrive as much in Feavers as our Souls in the flames of strife Satan by the Granado's of Contention will hope in time to take the Garrison Where strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3.16 O that love which is the new Commandment the old Commandment and indeed all the Commandments might be the livery of all in my family That there might be no contention there but who should be most holy and go before each other in the path which leadeth to eternal pleasures Because marriage is a fellewship of the nearest union and dearest communion in this World and because the fruits of Religion will thrive much the better if cherished by the sweet breath and warm gale of love in this relation Lord let my wife be to me as the loving Hinde and pleasant Roe let me be ravished always with her love Let there be no provocation but to love and to good works Let our onely strife be who shall be most serviceable to thy Majesty in furthering one anothers eternal felicity Enable us to bear one anothers burthens and so fulfil the Law of Christ and to dwell together as fellow-heirs of the Grace of life that our prayers be not hindred In a word I wish That I may like Cornelius Conclusion fear the Lord with all my house So govern it according to Gods Law that all in it may be under the influence of his love and heirs of everlasting life Lord be thou pleased so to assist and prosper me in the management of this great and weighty trust that my house may be thy house my servants thy servants my children thy children and my wife belong to the Spouse of thy dear Son that so when death shall give a bill of divorce and break up our family we may change our place but not our company be all preferred from thy lower house of prayer to thine upper house of praise where is neither marrying nor giving in marriage but all are as Angels ever pleasing worshipping and enjoying thy blessed self of whom the the whole family in heaven and earth is named to whom be glory hearty and universal obedience for ever and ever Amen FINIS AN Alphabetical Table of the principal Heads contained in this Treatise A HOly affections requisite in Prayer page 172 173 A Christian should be Holy in his Apparel page 427 The ends of Apparel are four page 428 Sins about Apparel page 430 The Vertues to be exercised in Apparel page 435 Natural Actions vide Natural Two helps against Apostacy page 4 5 No Atheists in Principles page 2 B REligion bringeth a blessing along with it page 520 C A Christians duty to be godly in his particular Callings page 466 Men must be diligent in their Callings page 467 Righteous in their Callings page 474 Particular Callings must not incroach upon our general ib. To steal away the heart 476 Or time page 478 God must be sought to for a blessing on our particular Callings page 484 God must have the glory of success in our particular Callings page 487 Men must be Contented how ever God dealeth with them in their Callings page 490 A good Wish about a particular Calling page 493 A good Wish about a Ministers Calling 497 A threefold Care page 470 Charity to be minded 322 412 413 414. Christs great love to mankind 493 to 499. Christs sufferings largely described page 285 to 293 Constancy required in prayer page 178 D DRunkenness abouding 417 Its Mischiefs page 418 Holy Dutys require much Diligence page 106 Grace must be acted in Dutys page 117 118 Dutys are considerable in a twofold respect and must accordingly be minded for a two-fold end page 128 to 135 A good Wish about Religious Dutys page 136 No Duty should satisfie without Communion with God page 369 Vide Lords Day E A Christian must be holy in Eating and Drinking page 401 402 Christians must Eat and Drink Sacredly 403 to 415 Soberly 315 Seasonably page 425 Affairs of Eternity of great weight page 57 Self Examination a duty page 266 F FAith specially requisite in holy duties page 120 125 Faith necessary in hearing page 226 Faith necessary at a Sacrament page 271 Faith hath a three-fold act 303 Faith tried page 272 Religion must be set up in Families page 515 Irreligious Families do much hurt page 517 Irreligious Families are cursed page 521 Religious Families are blessed page 520 Those that would make Religion their business as they are Governours of Families must be careful whom they take into their
good of others Fire in the chimney warmeth the whole room but it is burning hot on the hearth Grace in a Saint will make him useful to sinners but chiefly though not solely to his own soul Timothy be not like a burning glass to put others into a flame whilst thou thy self remainest unfired but work hard to exalt holiness in thine own heart Exercise thy self Vnto godliness Godliness is taken in Scripture either strictly or largely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Verum rectum dei culium significat maxi â—â— socris Scrip 〈◊〉 Hâ—braea phâ—asi timor domini vocatur Svâ—us interp justitiam vo cat Est in loc 1. Strictly and then it includeth onely the immediate worship of God or obedience to the First Table and is distinguished from righteousness Tit. 2.11 12. so ungodliness is distinct from unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 2. Largely And then it comprehendeth our duty to our neighbour as well as to God and obedience to the Second as well as the first Table so righteousness is religion and in our dealings with men we may do our duty to God it s taken thus 1 Tim. 6.6 and in the Text. The good Husbandman makes no balks in the field of Gods precepts Timothy must make it his trade to pay God and men their due He must not like the Pharisees seem as tender of the First Table as of the apple of his eye and trample the second as dirt under his feet they prayed in Gods house all day to prey upon the widows house at night nor as some whom the world call honest men who will not wrong their neighbours of the least mite and yet wickedly rob God of many millions they steal from him both time and love and trust and bestow them on earthly trifles the bird that will flye well must use both wings the Waterman if he would have his boat move rightly must ply both oars the Christian if he would make any thing of his heavenly trade must minde both Tables The Truth that I shall draw from the Text is this That Godliness ought to be minded as every ones main and principal business Exercise thy self unto godliness Religion must be our cheif occupation The great Trade that we follow in this world must be the Trade of Truth It is observable that the more noble and singular a being is the more it is imployed in a suitable working God who is the highest in perfections is not onely the holiest but the most constant and diligent in his operations Hitherto my Father worketh and I work Joh. 5.17 His work indeed is without weariness his labour without the least lassitude as they say of Heaven Coeli motus quies all Gods working days are Sabbaths days of rest but he is a pure act and he is every moment infinitely active from and for himself Angels are next to God in being and so are next to him in working They do God the most service and they do him the best service they serve God without sin and they serve him without ceasing he makes his Angels spirits and his Ministers a flame of fire Heb. 1.7 spirits are the most active creatures with life fire is the most active creature without life a flame is the most operative part of the fire Thus active are Angels in working for God Some by fire understand lightnings by spirits winds As winds and lightnings presently pass through the earth so Angels presently fulfil Gods holy Will Now as he hath given man a more excellent being then the rest of the visible world so hath he called him to follow after and abound in the most excellent work God hath appointed contemplation or vision to be mans reward in heaven To see God as he is and to know him as he is known of him but service and action to be his work on earth to exercise himself to godliness Some read that Job 5.7 thus Man is born to work as the sparks flie upward Indeed it is the decreed lot of all mankind to labour Adam was called to industry in his state of innocency Gen. 2.15 and since mans fall Non est panis cujusquam proprius nec summi quidem re gis nisi strenue laboret in vocatione sua Rol. 1 Thess 3.6 his work which was before his pleasure is now his punishment if he eat not his bread in the sweat of his brow or his brains he steals it He that like a body louse lives upon others sweat is like Jeremiahs girdle good for nothing But the main work which God commandeth and commendeth to the children of men is to glorifie him upon earth by exercising themselves to godliness This is Gods precept and this hath been the Saints practice This is Gods precept Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.12 In which words we have the Christians end eternal life Salvation and the means to attain it diligent labour work out your salvation he had need to labour hard that would attain Heaven Non dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operaminised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acurate magnoque cum studâ—o operamini cum mâ—â—ta dilâ—gentia solicitudine pergite vestram operari salutem A Lapid in Phil. 2. Godliness must be not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his by-business but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his main business The Jews have a proverb alluding to Manna which was to be gathered the sixth day for the seventh because on the seventh none fell from heaven He that gathereth not food on the Sabbath eve shall fast on the Sabbath day Intimating thereby that none shall reign in Heaven but such as have wrought on earth This hath been the Saints practice Our conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.18 Though our habitations be on earth yet our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our negotiation is in heaven As a Merchant that lives in London drives a great trade in Turky or the remotest part of the Indies So Paul and the Saints traded and traffiqued afar off in the other world above even when their abodes were here below Godliness was their business Christianity was minded and followed as their principal trade and calling It is the calling of some to plough and sow and reap The Christian makes and follows it as his calling to plough up the fallow ground of his heart to sow in righteousness that he may reap in mercy Hos 10.12 The trade of others is to buy and sell the godly man is the wise Merchant trading for goodly pearls that sells all to buy the field where the pearl of great price is Matth. 13.43 For the Explication of this Truth That religion or godliness ought to be every ones principal business I shall speak to these three things First What Religion or godliness is Secondly What it is for a man to make Religion his business or to exercise himself to Godliness Thirdly Why every Christian must mind Godliness as his main business CHAP. III. What Godliness is FOr the first what Religion is
sinking into the boundless bottomless Ocean of destruction and misery through his falseness and treachery When lo on a sudden the Glorious God out of the superabundant riches of his mercy resolving that the Devil should never rob him of the honor of that manifold Wisdom unsearchable Goodness and Almighty Power which had been manifested in the work of Creation did provide and cast out the Covenant of Grace a plank sufficient for his poor shipwrackt Creature to swim safe to shore on As all the Rivers meet in the Sea and all the lines in the Centre so do all the comforts of Mankind meet in this Covenant The whole Scripture is sincere milk but this Covenant is the Cream of it All our mercies are contained in it all our hopes are sustained by it and our Heaven is at last attained through it The blessed God doth not onely enter into a Covenant of mercy but out of compassion to our infirmities hath been pleased to confirm it by his hand and seal By his hand in his word by his seals by the privy-seal of his Spirit and by the broad-seals of the Sacraments that by these immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6.18 The Lords Supper is a sign and seal of the Righteousness of Faith or the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4.11 When the blessed Saviour was taking a doleful farwel of an ungrateful world as a lively resemblance of his sufferings for his and as an undeniable evidence of his love to his he instituted this Supper 1. As a lively resemblance of his passion for his people A crucified Christ is the sum of the Law and the substance of the Gospel the knowledge of him is no less worth then Eternal life Now as he was crucified by the Jews and Souldiers actually and by unbelieving Gentiles who live amongst us interpretatively so he is crucified in the Gospel declaratively and in the Sacrament representatively This Cup saith Christ is the new Testament in my blood 1 Corinth 11.25 The Old Testament was sprinkled with the blood of Beasts but the New Testament with the blood of Christ Hebr. 9.15 19. This precious blood which was the costly price of mans Redemption which is the onely path to Eternal Salvation which was promised to Adam believed by the Patriarchs shadowed in the Sacrifices foretold by the Prophets and witnessed in the Scriptures is drunk received signified and sealed in the Supper Christ instituted this ordinance also to be a standing evidence of his affection to his The same night that he was betrayed he took bread The dearest Jesus kept his best wine till the last He knew his Disciples would be full of sorrow for his departure he therefore provided his strongest cordial against their saddest fainting fits After the Passover he took bread and instituted the Sacrament After Supper then comes the Banquet the Sweet-meats At the Lords Table Christ kisseth his Spouse with the sweetest kisses of his lips and ravisheth her heart with his warmest love In other Ordinances he Wooeth her in this he Marrieth her In other Ordinances she hath from him the salutes of a loving friend but in this the embraces of an Husband Other duties are pleasant and wholsom food but this is the costly delightful feast In this Christ bringeth his beloved into his Banqueting house a store-house of all sweet delights of variety of delicacies and his Banner over her is love Cant. 2.4 A certain man made a great Supper Luk. 14.16 I may truely say so of the Sacrament This is a great Supper in regard of its Author The great God is Master of the feast He gave his own Son for the life of the World 2. In regard of the matter of it which is the flesh of Jesus Christ Men set bread and wine on the Table but Christ setteth his own body and blood there In this ordinance we eat not onely Panem Domini sed panem Dominum The bread of the Lord but the bread which is the Lord. The gods say they are come down in the likeness of man behold here God the Son cometh down in the likeness of bread and wine he himself is eat and drunk by faith Is not this a rare banquet 3. In regard of the great price of it Banquets are costly but O what did this feast cost Beasts are slain before they can be food for our bodies but Lo here the Lord of life was put to death that he might be food for our starving souls Cleopatra dissolved a pearl worth 50000. l. in Vinegar and drunk it up at a draught but as costly as her liquor was it was much worse then puddle water in comparison of the precious blood of Christ which the beleiver drinketh at this great Supper 4. In regard of its great effects It sealeth pardon peace and salvation to the Saint it conveyeth the Image and love of God nay God himself into the soul Through the golden pipe of this Ordinance is conveyed the golden Oyl of divine influence There is Manna indeed in this pot Well may it be called a great Supper The Elements are of small value but the Sacrament is of infinite worth A conveyance of land fairly written in Parchment with wax fastened to it is of little price but when it is signed sealed and delivered to the use of a person it may be worth much it may convey thousands A little bread and a spoonful or two of wine are in themselves of very small value but when received according to Christs institution and accompanied with his benediction they will be of unspeakable value they will convey thousands and millions to the beleiver The Lords Supper is indeed like an Elixar which is small in quantity but great in value and efficacy having in it the spirits and substance of many excellent things In prayer all the graces are exercised and so also at the Supper but not onely all the graces but most of the other Ordinances of God are invited to this feast The Word Prayer Singing do all meet at the Table and contribute their help to carry the Christian up to Heaven I premise these things Reader purposely to make thee more wary The corrupting of the best is worst of all Poison in Wine is much worse then in Water Kings expect that their Children should be respected though their officers be refused Surely saith God They will reverence my Son Mat. 21.37 The very work about which he comes will make him welcome Though they refuse my Servants yet they will reverence my Son The Casuists say Sacramentum articulus mortis aequiparantur A man must be looked upon at the Sacramental board as if he were on a bying bed Friend thou shouldst be as serious when thou art going to the Lords Supper as if thou wert going into the other World He that cometh carelesly gets nothing from Christ It
Communion of the body of Christ As the bread is made of many grains and the cup of wine of many grapes united so is the body of Christ of many members united under one head Eating together was ever a sign of love and friendship Joseph hereby shewed his love to his brethren The Sons of Brutus Plutarch in vita Publico and the Vitellii when they conspired with Tarquins Ambassadours against the Consul drank the blood of a man together to confirm their amity Even Beasts have been brought to agree by feeding at the same Rack Now Reader what love-fire hast thou for this love-feast Dost thou love the brethren as brethren because they are related to God and because they have the Image of God Or dost thou love them onely for the natural qualities in them and their courtesie to thee this fire I must tell thee is Kitchin fire which must be fed with such course fuel the former onely is the fire which is taken from Gods Altar Dost thou love Christ in a Cottage as well as in a Court Dost thou love a poor as well as a rich Christian Dost thou love grace in rags as much as grace in robes Is it their honour or their holiness which thou dost admire As thy duty is to examine thy self concerning thy graces so also concerning thy corruptions Before a Sacrament there should be a through search for all thy sins The Jews before their passover searched all over their houses for leaven nay they searched every corner and Mouse-hole with a wax Candle as some write There is a threefold leaven First a leaven of Hypocrisie Beware of the leaven of the Pharises which is Hypocrisie Luk. 12.1 Secondly a leaven of Heresie a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Gal. 5.9 Thirdly a leaven of Enormity or scandal purge out the old leaven 1 Cor. 5.7 Thy care must be to make a diligent enquiry for all this leaven The iniquities of wicked men will find them out but good men will finde out their iniquities I know mine iniquites saith David Psa 51. When evil humours lie hid in the body they hinder the strength it might get by food When sins lye undiscovered in the soul they will hinder its digesting spiritual meat and drink At a Sessions there are some indictments read and it may be some execution done but at an Assize there are many Malefactours arraigned and many executed the Goal is then cleared of those vermine A Christian should keep a petty Sessions in his heart every day do what he can for the conviction and condemnation of his sins but before a Sacrament he must keep an Assize there must be a general Goal delivery all his sins must be sought after indicted and executed the room of his heart must be cleared of those vipers Particularly examine thy self of thy sins since the last Sacrament how forgetful thou hast been of the Oath of the Lord which thou dist then enter into be not slight or formal in searching after thy sins like some officers that willingly over-look the Theeves they search for but be as diligent to find them out as thou wouldst be to find out the Murderers of thy father or best friend But be sure thou compare thy heart and life with the Law of God O how many spots will that glass discover When the woman hath swept her house and gathered the dust up altogether she thinks there is none left but when the Sun doth but shine in through some broken Pane of Glass she seeth the whole House swarm with innumerable Motes of dust floating too and fro in the Air. The light of Gods law will make innumerable sins visible to thee which without it will lie hid 2. There is requisite as a serious examination of thy self so also sincere humiliation for thy sins The cleanly Dame is careful always to keep her Peuter and Brass clean but against a good time she is very curious to have her Vessels not onely clean but bright and for this end she will not onely wash them but take much pains in scouring them Christian Now is the good time before which thou shouldst scour the vessel of thy heart that no dirt if possible may stick to it This true humiliation consisteth partly in mourning for sin partly in turning from sin 1. In mourning for sin The Pharisees would not eat their common bread with unwashed hands least they should transgress the traditions of their Elders Friend if thou shouldst eat this sacred bread with an unwashed heart thou wilt horribly transgress the Commandment of thy God The Jews did eat the Passover with bitter hearbs and truely we Gentiles must eat a broken body with broken bones The more bitter sin is to thee before the more sweet thy Saviour will be to thee at the Sacrament Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Mat. 5.3 A wet seed time will bring a Sun-shiny and plentiful Harvest One of the Fathers observeth that David the greatest mourner in Israel was the sweetest singer in Israel Beanes thrive best if steept in water before they be sown and truely so will thy soul if steept in godly sorrow before thou goest to the Sacrament Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to these that are of heavy hearts Prov. 31.6 When thy heart is heavy under the sense of thine unholiness and thou art ready to perish under the weight of thy wickedness then Jesus Christ will give thee that wine that blood which will refresh and make thine heart glad Those Trees shoot highest in Summer that shoot lowest into the earth in Winter No Christian usually riseth so high in consolation as he that is cast down lowest in Evangelical humiliation There are two in the New Testament famous for their contrition and they are famous for Gods respect and affection to them Mary was a great mourner We seldom have a view of her in Scripture without dew on her face and tears in her eyes Luk. 7.38 39. Luk. 23.27 28. Joh. 19.25 and 20.11 15. But she had the special honour and favour of seeing the best sight which ever mortal eyes beheld before all others even the blessed Redeemer in the first step of his exaltation Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils Mark 16.9 Mary had sinned greatly and sorrowed greatly and was upon it greatly respected by God Peter wept bitterly A look from love broke his heart in peices but Christ took special care to bind up this broken heart to pour Oyl into his wounded conscience and therefore when a messenger is dispatched from Heaven to acquaint the World with the joyful news of the Saviours resurrection no name is particularly mentioned in his commission but Peters God gives him an express command that whosoever should remain ignorant of those happy tidings he should be sure that Peter have notice of it
would evidence his power he produceth with a word the whole creation out of the barren Womb of nothing He did but will it and the whole world presently started into a being By this he often proves his deity Isa 45.12 Isa 43.11 As shadows represent the figure of those bodies from whence they are derived so do the creatures manifest the power of their Maker When he would manifest his Justice he layeth the dark vault of Hell and layeth in and storeth it with fire and brimstone and chains and blackness of darkness and gnawing wormes and pure wrath and Devils and all the instruments of eternal death Rom. 9.22 When he would make known his wisdom he findeth out a fit Mediatour and thereby reconcileth those attributes which before were at ods his justice and his mercy When man was fallen justice pleaded for his deserved damnation according to the threatnings of the law mercy pleadeth for his gracious salvation he being deluded by the Devil Now it would have non-plust the heads of all the men and Angels in the World had they been united in a consultation to have found out a way to satisfie both the demands of justice and the intreaties of mercy but God did it he causeth mercy and justice to meet together pity and righteousness to kiss each other therefore the Mediatour is called the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1.14 and the finding out this way is called the manifold wisdom of God or the embroydered Wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 It s an allusion to a curious peice of Needle-work wherein there are various expressions of Art So in this way of mans recovery there are various and curious expressions of divine wisdom But when God would proclaim his love that attribute which like Oyl swimmeth at the top of them all which is most in favour which he delighteth so exceedingly in what will he do Why he layeth down his life greater love then this hath no man then that a man lay down his life for his friends Joh. 15.13 Jacob shewed his love to Rachel by enduring the heat of the day and the cold of the night for her But Jesus shewed his love to his beautiful Spouse by undergoing the cursed painful and shameful death of the Cross for her O what love was that It is storied of the Pelican that when her young ones are stung with some poisonous Serpent she beats her breast with her beak till the warm blood gusheth out which they suck and recover We were all stung mortally by the Old Serpent the Devil but behold the love of this heavenly Pelican he lets out his heart blood to recover us In his birth and life he manifested his love the midst of that Chariot in which he drew his Spouse before was paved with love but his death wrot his love in the greatest Print in the largest Character though all in red letters for his whole body was the book his precious blood was the ink the nails were the pens the contents of it from the beginning to the end are Love Love There is nothing else to be read but Love Love in this was manifest the Love of God saith the Apostle 1 John 4.9 His love before was glorious yet hid as the Sun under a cloud but at his death it did shine forth in its Meridian Splendor in its noon-day brightness with such hot beams and refreshing rays that every one must needs take notice of it The Jews say of Esdras that if the Lamp of Love were quite extinct it might be lighted again at his brain How true is this of Christ If Love were quite lost amongst all the Creatures all might be found in Jesus Christ His name is love his nature is love all his expressions were love all his actions were love he brought love he bought love he preached love his lips dropt love he practised love he lived in love he was sick of love nay he dyed for love 't was love that took upon him our natures 't was love that walked in our flesh 't was love that went up and down doing good 't was love that took our infirmities 't was love that gave sight to the blinde speech to the dumb ears to the deaf life to the dead 't was love that was hungry and thirsty and weary 't was love that was in a bloody agony 't was love that was sorrowful unto his own death and my life 't was love that was betrayed apprehended derided scourged condemned and crucified 't was love that had his head pierced with thorns his back with cords his hands and feet with nails and his side with a spear 't was love that cryed out Weep not for me weep for your selves Father forgive them they know not what they do Love left a glorious Crown and love climbed a shameful Cross O dearest Saviour whither did thy love carry thee Reader I could lose my self in this pleasant Maze of Christs love Methinks thy heart should be ravished with the sense of this love The truth is it is a bottomless love none can sound it the Apostle might well call it A known unknown love Ephes 3.19 It is well thou canst finde it but I am sure thou canst not fadom it One Disciple may shew his love to another by giving a cup of cold water but the Master shewed his love to his Disciples by broaching his heart to give them a cup of warm blood The Sacraments as Calvin observeth did flow out of the sides of Christ When the Souldier pierced his side there came out Water for Baptism and Blood for the Supper Reader when thou beholdest the broken bread and remembrest the bruised body of Christ do not forget his love which is the best sauce to thy meat I must tell thee though there be never so many dishes at the Table this love is the Banquet Consider his willingness to be wounded for thee because his heart was so deeply wounded with love to thee Thou hast heard of such indignities and injuries offered to him as the Sun himself was ashamed to behold and hid himself from them yet Christ was ready for them and willing to them The Lamb of God did not struggle when he was led to the slaughter but did bear his own Cross He was his own Priest as well as his own Sacrifice and Altar His death was violent in regard of others but voluntary in regard of himself He cryed to his Father Lo I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.4 When his sinless nature had a reluctancy against it though when he was in a bloody sweat he soon corrects it with Not my will but thy will be done He went to the place which Judas knew John 18.2 He struck them that came to apprehend him down to shew that he could if he had pleased have struck them dead Rather then they shall want proof for his condemnation he will confess himself guilty of the charge He might if he had listed have commissionated twelve Legions of
Angels for his Life-guard but he forbore it He laid down his life he gave himself He gave up the Ghost He had a Baptism to be baptized with and he longed to have it accomplished But Friend what thinkest thou was the lump of sugar which did so sweeten this cup notwithstanding all its bitter ingredients to make it go down so glib and pleasant truly nothing but love Love to Dinah made Sechem willing to be circumcised love to Christians made Christ willing to bleed and be buffeted and crucified The Mother can toil and moil all day with her childe and count it a pleasure when another had rather go to plough all day but what 's the reason nothing but her love Jesus Christ delighted in the work of mans Redemption I delight to do thy will O God which would have broke the backs of the very Angels and why because of his love It is observed the myrrhe which is let out by the incision of the tree is precious but that which floweth of its own accord is most choice and precious Christs veins were indeed opened by others incision when Pilat scourged his back and the nails his hands and feet but one drop of this blood is more worth then millions of World for even at these times he bled voluntarily as well as in the Garden when the myrrhe of his blood dropt of its own accord O of vvhat infinite value is his blood O hovv much did he love his vvhen the very oyl vvhich consecrated him to those unknovvn sorrovvs vvas the oyl of gladness to him Remember this love more then vvine Thirdly Meditate on thy corruptions As his love vvas the invvard moving cause so thy sins vvere the outvvard procuring cause of his sufferings He was wounded for thy transgressions he was bruised for thine iniquities the chastisement of thy peace was upon him Isa 53.5 When thou art at the Sacrament vvhich fitly representeth Christs sufferings consider vvith thy self What vvas that vvhich brought the blessed Saviour into such a bleeding condition It vvas my sin I vvas the Judas vvhich betrayed him the Jew vvhich apprehended him the Pilate that condemned him and the Gentile vvhich crucified him My sins vvere the thorns vvhich pierced his head the nails vvhich pierced his hands and the spear vvhich pierced his heart ' T vvas that put to death the Lord of life He dyed for my sins He was made sin for me who knew no sin his blood is my balm his Golgatha is my Gilead O vvhat a subject is here for meditation He suffered in my stead he bore my sins in his body on the tree he took that loathsome purging physick for the diseases of my soul When he was in the Garden in his bloody agony groveling on the ground there was no Judas no Pilate no Jew no Gentile there to cause that unnatural sweat or to make his soul sorrowful unto death but my pride my unbeleif my hypocrisie my atheism my blasphemy my unthankfulness my carnal-mindedness they were there and caused his inward bleeding sorrows and outward bloody sufferings Ah what an heavy weight was my sin to cause such a bloody sweat in a frosty night My dissimulation was the trayterous kiss My ambition the thorny crown My drinking iniquities like water made him drink Gall and Vineger My want of tears caused him to bleed My forsaking my Maker made him to be forsaken of his Father Because the members of my body were instruments of iniquity therefore the members of his body were objects of such cruelty because my soul was so unholy therefore his soul was so exceeding heavy O my soul what hast thou done We do not say the Executioner kils a man for theft or murder but his theft or murder they hang him so in this case it was not so much the Jews or Souldiers for they were the Executioners that put Christ to death as our thefts and murders and breaches of Gods Law which were imputed and laid to his charge There is a story of a King of France named ladoveyus that when he was converted to Christianity one day hearing Remigius the Bishop reading the Gospel of our Saviours passion he presently fell into this passionate expression O that I had been but there with my French-men I would have cut all their throats little considering that his and others iniquities were Christs greatest and most cruel enemies Reader when thou art at the Table think of those sins which caused such sufferings Consider the deepness of that stain which the blood onely of God could wash out Ah what a sickness is sin when nothing less then the blood of the Son of God can heal it Secondly as at the Table some Subjects must be considered so some graces must be exercised A Sacrament is a special season a spring time for those trees of Gods own planting to bud blossom and put forth their fruit Now Reader if ever rouse up thy spirit and stir up the gifts of God which are in thee Call aloud to thy graces which may possibly be sleeping as David Psa 57.8 Awake my glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early Awake my graces can ye not watch with my dearest Saviour one hour Awake my faith love and Repentance I my self will awake presently It is not the Haâ—wk which sitteth hood-winkt on the fist but the seeing flying Hawk which doth the service The Clock which standeth still is of no use it is the going moving Clock which attains its end Grace acted will now do thee eminent service and help thee to attain the end of the Sacrament First Act faith Dormit fides dormit Christus saith Austin If faith sleepeth Christ sleepeth Call forth first that Commander in chief and then the private Souldiers the other graces will all follow Faith must be the eye whereby thou seest Christ Zach 12.10 They shall see him whom they have peirced and mourn Faith is the mouth by which thou feedest on Christ John 6.53 Faith is the feet by which thou goest to Christ John 6.35 Faith may say to thee as Christ did Without me thou canst do nothing without me thou canst do nothing for thy own welfare nothing for Gods honour at this ordinance It is said of the Indian Gymnosophists that they will lye all day upon their backs gazing on the beauty of the natural Sun Friend at this Ordinance if at any time of thy life view the beauty of this true Sun As Pilate when he had scourged him in such a bloody barbarous manner brings him forth to the Jews with Behold the man So when thou considerest the bread and wine Behold the man Behold the broken bruised Saviour A man without faith like the unbeleiving lord seeth the plenty but doth not eat of it There is a threefold act of Faith to be put forth at a Sacrament First Faith must look out for Christ Secondly Faith must look up to Christ for grace Thirdly Faith must take Christ down or receive
the hand of thy body to take the bread and wine do thou put forth the hand of faith to receive the body and blood of Christ This is one principal act of Faith like Joseph of Arimathea to take Jesus down from his Cross and lay him in the new Tomb of thine heart Like Thomas put thy finger of faith into his side and cry out My Lord and my God Be not discour aged O penitent soul Are thy sins many His mercy is free Are thy sins weighty His merits are full Thou comest for bread and will thy Saviour give thee a stone He took notice of thy ferious preparation for this Ordinance and will he frustrate thine expectation at it Did he ever send hungry soul empty away The law of man provides for the poor in purse and will not the Gospel of Christ provide for the poor in spirit Is not his commission to bind up the broken hearted and can he be unfaithful Why shouldst thou mistrust truth it self Let me say to thee as the Disciples to the blind man Be of good chear he calleth for thee See how he casteth his eyes upon thee with a look of love as once upon Peter Observe he stretcheth out his Armes wide to embrace thee He boweth down his head to kiss thee He cryeth to thee as to Zacheus I must abide at thy house in thy heart to day O make haste to receive him and make him a feast by opening the doors of thy soul that the King of Glory may enter in Say to Christ Lord though I am unworthy that thou shouldst come under my roof yet thou art so gracious as to knock at the door of my heart and to promise if I open that thou wilt come in and sup with me and then call to him as Laban to Abrahams Steward Come in thou blessed of the Lord why standest thou without I have prepared lodging for thee Gen. 24. Truly Reader shouldst thou having mourned unfeignedly for thy sins now by unbeleif hang off from thy Saviour thou woulst much dishonour him and disadvantage thy self Christs greater things are for them that beleive If thou wilt now beleive thou shalt see the glory of God I am very consident if thou hadst been by the Cross broken heart when thy Saviour suffered and shouldst have kneeled down before him and said Dearest Saviour Why art thou now wrastling with the wrath of Heaven and rage of Hell He would have answered To satisfie poor soul for thy sins Again Why dost thou dye such a cursed death He would have said To take the curse of the law from thy back that so thou mightest inherit the blessing Once more Let not my Lord be angry and I will speak this once Blessed Redeemer Why didst thou cry out I thirst and drink Gall and Vinegar Thou mightest have heard such a reply To assure thee Thirsty sinner that I am sensible of thy thirst being scorched with that fury which is due to thy sins and that thou mightest drink of that love which is better then Wine But stay O weary thirsty soul but a while and by and by thou shalt see this side opened and blood issuing out to quench thy thirst O put the mouth of faith to that wound and what thou shalt suck thence shall do thee good for ever Reader I have read that the Souldier who peirced Christs side was blind and that the blood flying out upon him recovered his sight Sure I am that this blood sprinkled on thy conscience will purge it from dead works to serve the living God O therefore bathe thy soul in this blood when thou art at the Sacrament say to God as the Eunuch to Philip Here is water what hindereth but I may be Baptized Lord here is blood here is a fountain what hindereth but I may wash in it Rom. 3.24 1 Joh. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 Gal. 6.14 Heb. 12.13 True Lord my person is unrighteous but thy blood is justifying blood My heart is polluted but O Christ thy blood is sanctifying blood My lusts are many and strong but thy blood is mortifying blood My soul is lost but sweetest Saviour thy blood is saving blood This Justifying Sanctifying Saving blood I drink I apply for these ends O let this blood be upon me and my children for ever AWay despair my gracious Lord doth hear Though Winds and Wave assault my keel He doth preserve it Herbert the bag he doth steer Ev'n when the Boat seems most to reel Storms are the Triumph of his Art Well may he close his eyes but not his heart Hast thou not heard what my Lord Jesus did Then let me tell thee a strange story The God of power as he did ride In his Majestick robes of glory Resolv'd to light and so one day He did descend undressing all the way The Stars his tire of light and rings obtain'd The Clouds his bow the fire his spear The Skie his Azure mantle gain'd And when they ask'd what he would wear He smil'd and said as he did go He had new cloaths a making here below When he was come as travellers are wont He did repair unto an Inn Both then and after many a brunt He did endure to cancel sin And having giv'n the rest before Here he gave up his life to pay our score But as he was returning there came one Who ran upon him with a Spear He who came hither all alone Bringing no man nor armes nor fear Recio'd the blow upon his side And straight he turn'd and to his Brethren cryd If ye have any thing to send or write I have no bag but here is room Vnto my Fathers hands and sight Beleive me it shall safely come That I shall mind what you impart Look you may lay it very near my heart Or if hereafter any of my friends Will use me in this kind the door Shall still be open what he sends I will present and somewhat more Not to his hurt sighs will convey Any thing to me Heart-despair away 2. The second Grace to be called forth is love And truly if thou hast acted thy faith in his Passion for and affection to thy soul I shall not in the least doubt but thy love to him will play its part The Creatures some tell us follow the Panther being drawn after her by her sweet odours When Jesus Christ out of infinite love offered up himself a Sacrifice for thy sins surely the sweet savour thereof may draw thy heart after him Because of the savour of thy good oyntments therefore the Virgins love thee Cant. 1.4 There is nothing in Christ but what may well command thy love He is the fairest of ten thousand He is altogether lovely But his bloody sufferings for thee and his blessed love to thee one would think are such Loadstones that if thou wert as cold and hard as steel would draw thy soul both to desire him and to delight in him Meditate a little more on his love to thee Publicans and
So God giveth others outward portions some of the good things of this life but to thee O Christian he giveth a Benjamins mess his image his spirit his son himself a worthy portion a goodly heritage because he loveth thee Others have a little meat and drink and wages but thou hast the inheritance Others like Jehosaphats younger Sons have some Cities some small matters given them but thou like the first born hast the Kingdom the Crown of glory others feed on bare elements thou hast the Sacrament others stand without doors and thou art admitted into the presence Chamber others must fry eternally in Hell flames and thou must enjoy falness of joy for evermore O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever To him that chose thee before the foundation of the World for his mercy endureth for ever To him that called thee by the word of his grace for his mercy c. To him that gave his onely Son to dye for thy sins for his mercy c. To him that entred into a Covenant of grace with thee for his mercy endureth for ever To him that hath provided for thee an exceeding and eternal weight of glory for his mercy endureth for ever O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Remember the poor on that day Gods bounty to thee in spirituals may well provoke thy mercy to others in carnals The Jews at their Passover released a Prisoner in remembrance of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage Surely at the Lords Supper when thy heart is warmed with Gods compassion to thee thy hand should be enlarged in contribution to the poor in remembrance of thy redemption out of slavery to sin and Satan The Primitive Christians had their collections for the poor and the Lords Supper both on a day On the first day of the week Because the Saints like the wall being then heated by the Sun should reflect that heat on the passengers on others Acts 20.7 2 Cor. 16.1 Thy cup runneth over O let others drink with thee Thy Charity may make thy Coffer lighter but it will make thy crown heavier It was a notable expression of one who having given much away was like to want and asked what she would do I repent not of my charity for what I have lost in one World I have gained in another 2. Faithfulness The Sacrament is a strong engagement to sanctity Sacramentum est juramentum At the Lords Supper thou takest a new Oath of Allegiance to the King of Saints whereby every wilful iniquity after it becomes perjury 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuam a Hedge The Greek word for an Oath cometh from a word signisieth an Hedge to shew that an Oath should keep men in and prevent their wandering out of the field of Gods word It is the character of an Harlot She forgetteth the Covenant of her God Prov. 2.17 I know that the Devil will come to sit with thee after Supper Flies love to settle on the sweetest perfumes When Israel had drunk of the Rock which followed them which Rock was Christ then Amalek fought them When Jesus Christ had received the Sacrament of Baptism then the Devil pursued him with his fierce assaults When thou hast been at the Table expect the Tempter That subtle theif will hear of the new treasure of grace which is brought into thy house thy heart and will use all his pollicy and power to rob thee of it thy care must be by stronger Bolts and Locks then ordinary by greater diligence and watchfulness then before to secure it Surely Reader If thou didst but find the Saviour in the Sacrament thou canst not but fear sin after the Sacrament Thou hast seen what sin cost Christ didst thou not at the Table see the Lord Jesus hanging on the Cross Didst thou not thus bespeak thy soul Look O my soul who hangeth there Alass it is thy dearest Redeemer See his bloody head bloody hands bloody back belly his body all over bloody But O his bleeding soul Dost thou not hear his lamentation My God My God why hast thou forsaken me What thinkest thou is the cause of all this Ah t is thy sins which is the source of all these sorrows And canst thou joyn with them or love those lusts that hate the Lord Canst thou wound him whom God hath wounded and crucifie the Lord Jesus afresh Hath not thy Saviour suffered enough already O here is a Medicine instar omnium instead of all to kill those diseases of thy soul It is said of the Souldiers of Pompey that though he could not keep them in the Camp by any perswasion yet when Pompey threw himself upon the ground and told them If ye will go ye shall trample upon your General Then saith Plutarch in the life of Pompey they were overcome Truely if nothing will disswade thee from sin yet this consideration that it is a trampling upon thy blessed Saviour should prevail with thee Though thou shouldst be marching never so furiously yet as Joabs Souldiers when they saw the dead body of Amasa stay'd their march and stood still when thou seest the mangled wounded peirced crucified body of thy Saviour thou shouldst stop proceed no further How many arguments mayst thou find in this ordinance to be close in thy obedience The greatness of Christs love calleth for graciousness in thy life The love of Christ constraineth 2 Cor. 5.14 Other Motives may perswade but this compelleth If deliverance from the yoke of Pharoah were such a bond to obedience what is deliverance from sin wrath hell mayst not thou Reader say with the Jews After such a deliverance as this should I again break thy Commandements woulst thou not be angry with me till thou hast consumed me Ezr. 9.13 They that receive such courtesies if any men the World sell their liberty and ought to be Christs servants 〈…〉 Friend hath God wiped off the old score wilt thou run again in debt did Christ speak peace to thee at the Table and wilt thou turn again to folly O Reader when thou art tempted to sin say with the Spouse I have washed my feet how shall I defile them I have washed my soul how shall I pollute it with sin I have given my self wholly to God before Angels men and how can I do this great wickednes sin against my God against my Saviour against my Covenant There is a beast some write which if she be feeding doth but turn her head about forgeteth what she was doing O do not thou after thou hast fed on the bread of life forget what thou wast doing but as at the Sacrament thou hast remembred Christs death so do it after by dying to sin all the days of thy life O do not use this ordinance as Papists do the Popes Indulgences to purchase a new licence to sin Judas went from the Supper to betray his Master Absolom
with all possible seriousness and diligence O let me never be so unworthy and impudent as to defile that holy Feast before the Authors face * The unworthy persons dreadful condition guilty of Christs death I wish that my heart may have an infinite respect for the blood of my Saviour the stream in which all my comforts both for this and a better World come swiming to me which hath landed thousands safely at the Haven of eternal happiness one drop of which I am sure is more worth then heaven and earth that as all murder is abominable being against the light of nature so Christ-murder may be most of all abhorr'd by me as being directly against the clearest light of Scripture and the choicest love which ever was discovered to the children of men Good Lord whatever I jest with let me never sport or dally with the death of thy Son Let me not give him cause to complain of me as once of Judas he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish is the same that betrayeth me Let me never buy a Sacrament as the Jews the Potters field with the price of blood Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God thou God of my Salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy loving kindness I wish that true self-love may be so prevalent with me Of his own damnation that since I beleive the prophanation of the most precious things will be most pernicious to my soul as the whitest Ivory is turned by the fire into the deepest black and the sweetest wine becometh the sharpest vinegar I may tremble and fear before I receive lest I should poison my self with that potion which is intended for my health and cut the throat of my precious soul with that Knife wherewith I may cut bread feed on it Preparation which consisteth in Examination of the good in us and live for ever I wish that I may prepare my heart to meet the God of Israel at this holy Ordinance and to this end that I may be impartial in the search and examination of my soul whether I come short of the grace of God or no. Of the truth of grace Physitians judge sometimes of the inward parts by the tongue The Roman Emperor Tiberius when one pretended to the Crown of a Kingdom discovered him to be a counterfeit by feeling his hands and finding that they were not soft as of a person tenderly bread but hard as the hands of a Mechanicke I desire that both by my tongue and hand by my words and works I may know the state and condition of my heart In special my prayer is Of Faith that I may never fail to try my faith which is to the soul what the natural heat is to the body by vertue of which the nutritive faculty turneth the food into nourishment but may make sure of an interest in the Vine before I drink of the fruit thereof I wish that before I go for a discharge Examination of the evil in us I may look into the book of my conscience cast up my accounts and consider how insinitely I am indebted to my God that I may consider whence I am fallen Humiliation and Repent and like Tamar though I am ravished and defiled by force may yet rent my garments my heart I mean with godly sorrow and self-abhorrency O that my soul might be so searched to the bottom that none of my wounds may fester Reformation but all may be discovered and cured I pray that I may not dare to turn the Table of the Lord into the Table of Divels by receiving the Sacrament in the love of any known sin but may go to it with an hearty detestation of every false way and an holy resolution against every known wickedness Dependance on Christ I wish that after all my pains in preparing my self I may look up to Christ alone for assistance as knowing that I am not sufficient of my self so much as to think any thing but my sufficiency is of God Blessed Saviour be thou surety for thy Servant and bound for my good behaviour at thy last and loving Supper I wish that when I come to the Table At the Table Subjects to be considered Christs passion I may like the beloved Disciple behold the wounds of my Saviour and see that water and blood which did flow out of his side that as in the Gospel I read a narrative so in this ordinance I may have a prospective of his sufferings how he emptied himself to fill me and to raise my reputation with his Father laid down his own how he humbled himself though he had the favour of a Son to the form of a servant and though he were the Lord of life and glory to the most ignominious death even the death of the Cross I wish that in his special passion I may ever take notice of his affection Christs affection and esteem the laying down his life as the Hyperbole of his love the highest note that love could possibly reach Ah how neer did this High Priest carry my name to his heart when he willingly vnderwent the rage of Hell to purchase for me a passage to heaven I will remember thy love more then Wine Our own corruptions I desire that when I see Christ crucified before mine eyes in the breaking of the bread and pouring out of the wine I may not forget the cause my corruptions but may so think of them and my Saviours kindness in dying to make satisfaction for them that as fire expelleth fire so I may be enabled by the fire of love to expel and cast out the fire of lust I wish that however my body be attired Graces to be exercised Faith my soul may by faith put on the Lord Jesus Christ at this Heavenly feast that I may not onely look up to him as the Criple to Peter and John expecting an almes but may receive him by beleiving and so banquet on his blessed body and bathe my soul in his precious blood that my spirit may rejoyce in God my Saviour whilst I am assured that though the pain were his yet the profit is mine though the wounds were his yet the balm issuing thence is mine though the thorns were his yet the Crown is mine and though the price were his yet the purchase is mine O let him be mine in in possession and claim and then he will be mine in fruition and comfort Lord I beleive Love help mine unbeleif I wish since love is the greatest thing my Saviour can give me for God is love and the greatest thing which I can give my Saviour that his love to me may be reflected back to him again that my chiefest love may be as a fountain sealed up to all others and broched only for him who is altogether lovely that I may hate Father Mother Wife Child House and Land out of love to him that many waters of affliction
Arts come from God in making Minerva the Daughter of Jupiter and to have had her generation in his Divine brain but alas the choicest peices of men to the smallest Works of God are but as childrens houses of dirt to the stateliest Courts of Christendom Archites was much extolled for causing a Dove of Wood to hang in the Air being equally poised with its own weight but what is this to the work of God in hanging the earth upon nothing Job 26.7 The earth is the heaviest and lowest Element A little peice of earth held up and let fall will never cease moving till it come to rest upon some solid body and yet behold the great mass of earth with innumerable bodies upon it hangs fast in the midst of the open Air having no visible Pillar nor foundation to rest upon Well might God reckon it to Job among his wondrous works Job 38.4 5 6. Vpon what be the Sockets of it fastened Aristotle himself could not but admire it Archimedes was famous for contriving the motions of the Sun Moon and Stars in his Horology but alass what is this to the glorious heavens themselves which God stretcht out like a Curtain and to the Noble Host of great and glittering bodies keeping their Rank and File and being not onely incredibly swift but also regularly and orderly in their motions The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work There is so much of God appearing in the Heavens that many have taken them for God and given them divine worship Naturalists tell us that the head of Nilus cannot be found but many sweet springs issuing from it are discovered Though thy finite capacity can never reach fully the fountain and head Gods infinite Being and Excellencies yet thou mayst finde many refreshing streams which flow from it A little River will lead thee to the Ocean Ohow much of the goodness power and wisdom of God appeareth in the work of creation The Rabbies say that in every Apex of the Law there is a Mountain of sense sure I am that in the smallest Creatures there is abundance of the Creatour How doth the Wisdom of God shine forth in the exquisite workmanship variety order subordination and serviceableness of the Creatures one to another that David might well cry out O Lord how marvellous are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all Pontanus Scultet Annal. Chancellour of Saxony propoundeth to be viewed and weighed the most beautiful Arch-work of Heaven resting upon no post but Gods power and yet standing fast for ever The clouds as thin as the liquor contained in them behold saith he how they hang and move though weighty in their burden thy salute us onely or threaten us rather and pass we know not whither How doth his goodness appear in furnishing the World so richly for the supply of his Creatures the earth is full of thy goodness Luther in his Colloquia Meâ—s tells us that God is at more charge every day to maintain Sparrows then all the yearly Revenues of the King of France are worth but especially towards man in making him so excellent a Creature and in making so many excellent creatures for him His power is also evident both in creating such great and noble creatures of nothing he used not the least tool or instrument in making the Heavens and earth and in having them all at his beck and bidding at his call and command the greatest do him homage and the smallest do him service The Sun as strong and swift as he is moving as some write every hour 16000 Miles yet he flies back like a Coward if God speak but the word Josh 10.12 Job 9.5 to 10. He armeth Flies and Lice and what Execution did they do upon the Egyptians Cambden tels us the Armes of the Shagburies in Warwick-shire being Stars Camb. Britain are found engraven in the very stones within their Manor of Shagbury Whether that be true or no I know not but sure I am that the Armes of the Infinite God his eternal power manifold wisdom and matchless goodness are so plainly written on his works in the World in that first volume of Creation that he that runs may read them Solomon tels us God hath set the World in mens hearts namely that the skilfulness of the Workman may be admired in the exactness of his works Eccles 3.11 I might draw thee farther and shew thee but that I would not be so large how these glorious perfections of God are Printed in a larger letter in a fairer character in the second volume the work of Redemption This is the object of Angels admiration and ought to be of thy meditation Truly thy duty is to read God in the first book the book of the creatures and more especially in the second in Jesus Christ upon his own day Thy meditation of Gods works as it will give honour to God so it will not a little further thy spiritual good When David considered the work of creation â—a 8.1 to 4 he falls presently upon exalting God and debasing himself When I consider the Heavens the work of thy hands the Moon and the Stars which thou hast made O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory above the Heavens there he sets God up high but then be casts himself downlow What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou dost thus visit him When thine heart is like Wax hardened bring it by meditation to the warm beams of this Sun and they will soften it So when David considered the work of Redemption how doth he magnifie God and vilifie himself What am I and what is my Fathers House that thou hast brought me up hitherto and yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God for thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come 1 Chron. 16.16 17. O Friend as rubbing the Limbs with hot Oyls is a great means to recover them when they are benumb'd so when thy heart is dull and dead on a Lords day if thou wouldst but ply it with the meditation of the infinite love and goodness of God in sending his Son to dye for thy soul it would be a Soveraign means to quicken and revive it Consider also the Word of God which thou hast heard on that day Do thou like Mary ponder it in thine heart Meditation to the word is what fire is to water though water be naturally so cold yet put fire under it and it will make it hot and boyling so though thine heart be cold in regard of affection to the word put but this fire under it and it will boyl with love to it O how love I thy law there is his heat of affection the expression is both by way of interrogation and acclamation shewing the fervency and intension of his love but what was the fire which caused it it is
comfort of thy life for a little perishing wealth and make thy whole time on earth bitter out of a love to a little fading Treasure It was the advice of the late Earl of Salisbury in his Book of Precepts to his Son That he should be exceeding careful whom he matched with because as in a project of War when an Army is foiled by the Enemy they seldom recover so to erre once in the choice of a Wife is usually to be undone for ever and the more cause there is of special care because he that seeketh out for a wife goeth to a Lottery where he shall meet with ahundred blanks for one prize But I am perswading thee to circumspection in this particular not upon a Politick but a Consciencious principle as thou wouldst exalt Religion in thy habitation Next to thy self thy Wife will be the best friend or worst foe that Godliness can have in thy Family Nay possibly and probably too if thy Wife should be wicked though thou art at present like a sound Apple thou mayst quickly be speckt by lying neer one that is all over rotten The nearer the relation the easier and speedier is the infection He that could overcome a Lyon to his glory was himself overcome by a woman to his sin and shame The most perfect man Adam the strongest man Sampson the wisest man Solomon were all betrayed by their Wives into the hands of their spiritual Enemies the meekest man Moses hearkened so much to his Wife that it was like to have cost him his life Some Expositors give this reason why Satan spared Jobs Wife when he slew his children not to comfort him surely the Devil did not love Job so well but to cross him by provoking him to curse God The Devil knew that none was so fit to present that poysonous potion with success to Job as his Wife that if he ever took it her fair hands must give it and her sugred words sweeten it Solomon saith Wo be to him that is alone surely it is also true Wo be to him who is not alone but hath a wicked wife like a snake in his bosom Reader Dost thou want a Servant choose for God not for thy self Let not thy main quaere be Whether he can do thy work but Whether he will submit to Gods Word Though the former must not be neglected yet the latter must be preferred It may be for advantage sake thou receivest a drunken or swearing person into thy house but dost thou consider that he will be an Achan a troubler of thy Family Canst thou think to do Gods work with the Devils tools Put off thy disguise of Christianity if thou esteemest thy particular calling above thy general Besides Dost thou know what thou hast done thou hast taken into thy house an Usher to instruct thy children in the black Art of Hell Believe it thy children will catch sins as soon as vermine from those that are of Satans ragged Regiment Thy Sons and Daughters are like Polypus in Aelian that turneth to the colour of that rock or weed in the Sea which lieth nearest Once more thou wilt be frustrated in the end of thy entertaining such a servant for they will never be faithful to their Master who are unfaithful to their Maker Constantius the Father of famous Constantine gave out That all such as would not deny the faith should be deprived of their honor and offices Whereupon several forsook the Faith others stuck close to the Truth Whereupon the Emperor when he had discovered those halting hypocritical persons turned them all out of their places saying That they who were false to God would never be faithful to man I do a little question his policy in the premises but his piety in the conclusion is out of question for they who will rob God of his glory will if opportunity serve rob men of their goods and good name too It is recorded to the credit of Queen Elizabeth that she would suffer no Lady to approach her presence of whose dishonesty she had the least suspition Friend mark and follow the man after Gods own heart Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Psa 101.6 7. As thou wouldst have Gods company in thy family do not entertain his enemies into thy family What communion hath God with Belial As thou wouldst make Religion thy business avoid those quench-coals those hinderers of holiness Bid the workers of iniquity depart if thou wouldst keep the commandments of thy God Psalm 119.115 Secondly Mind holy performances in thy family Every Master of a Family is a Priest and his whole family should be a royal Priesthood offering at least morning and evening sacrifice to God Ita haâ—eto solicitudinem Dâ—musut aliquam tamen vacationem animae tribuas Hier. ad Celant acceptable through Jesus Christ The Jews had sacrifice in their Families as well as in the Tabernacle Exod. 12.2 Let me go I pray thee for our family hath a sacrifice in the City saith David to Jonathan 1 Sam. 6.20 It was prophesied that in the days of the Gospel the spirit should be poured down upon men and they should see Christ and mourn every family apart Zac. 2.10 It was the advice of Hierom to a pious Matron So take care of thine house as alway to allow liberty and time to thy soul the Governour hath the cure of the souls as well as of the bodies in his familie and if he mind their outward man and neglecteth their inward he is but a brute in humane shape for beasts feed the bodies of their young As the School fitteth young men for the University so holy performances in private prepare servants and children for and help them to profit by the Ordinances of God in publique A foundation well laid by the Master of a Family is a great help to the Minister when he goeth to rear and raise the building Confident I am our work would not have half that difficulty which now it hath if Masters of Families would but do their duties he that findeth his timber ready hewn to his hand hath a great advantage in setting up an house of him that must fell bark season and hew it himself It is no wonder that an Apprentice is so backward to his work and so bungling at it when he is wholly unacquainted with it and a stranger to it If Children and Servants were accustomed to religious exercises at home Sermons would not be so tedious nor Sabbaths so tiresome to them as they are The ordinary duties in Families are prayer reading the Word with instructing Children and Servants out of it and singing 1. Dr. Bernard in his life and death Prayer must be in families It s said of Bishop Vsher that he had Family prayer four
they must not starve they say and will not work therefore they must steal 2 Thes 3.12 When Servants are idle many times they rob their Masters Talebearing also is one of the fruits that groweth upon this tree When Servants are idle they run tatling from house to house making difference amongst Neighbours 1 Tim. 5.13 Pro. 11.23 Carping Momus was never found working Truly Friend thou canst not think the wrong thou dost thy family if thou suffer them like Milstones to consume themselves thus for want of work Mr. Graenham in his works St. Greenham as Bishop Hall calleth him when a Woman tempted much by the Devil came to him for advice gave her this direction Never be idle but be always well imployed for in my own experience I have found it when the Devil came to tempt me I told him that I was not at leasure to hearken to his temptations but was busie in my calling and thereby resisted his assaults Seventhly Maintain peace and love in thy family Contentions will hinder Religion Strife like fire is wholly opposite to the water of grace As in times of warring the laws of men are silent in a state inter arma silent leges so in jarring families the Laws of God can be little heard God was not in the tempestuous rough wind nor in the fire but in the still low voyce 1 Kings 19.12 Live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13.11 If thy house be in a flame it is time for thy best friends to be gone Thy House should be a lesser Heaven in it thy God must be worshipped and glorified but in heaven there are no storms tempests ascend no higher then the middle Region Where God is served with perfect purity there is perfect peace As in the Ringing of Bells where every one keepeth its place and time and order they make an harmonious sound and delight the Daughters of Musick but when they jar and strike against each other their noise is harsh and distastful The holy performances of Families that live in love are Heavens musick but brawlings in houses make prayers ungrateful and have too much resemblance of the yellowings in Hell When the wind of contention is high the smoak of thy incense cannot ascend it will be beaten down again In stormy weather one but a little way distant sometimes cannot hear his Neighbour calling storms of passions will hinder Gods hearing thy petitions It s said that in Cimmeria there is no light and truely its more sad that in some Families there is no love The Husband is against the Wife and the Wife against the Husband Master and Servants Parents and Children are ever quarreling Seven Devils could agree in one heart nay a Legion which is seven thousand six hundred twenty two if Varro may be believed in another and yet seven persons cannot agree in one house The language in it is usually like Billings gate and the carriage often like Bedlam But the hand of the Devil is in all this who knoweth his best time to fish is when the waters are troubled When there is a tempest raised in the spirits of men we may quickly know that Satan was the Conjurer to raise the high winds He knoweth one way to take an house is by firing it Truely Satan hath a mighty advantage against an Idle and a brawling family As the Dog he devoureth the sheep in peices which he could not do whole When Cyrus came near Babylon with his great Army and finding the River by reason of its depth unpassable he divided it into many Channels whereby the main River sank so on a suddain that his Army went over and took the City Thus by division doth Satan conquer and surprise families There is mention made of a dispute betwixt Mars and Pallas Ioh. Bodin Method Hist c. 6. which of them should have the honour to give the name to the City of Athens at length is was resolved that he should give the name who could find out that which could most conduce to the benefit of the City Hereupon Mars presented them with a stately Horse signifying Wars and divisions but Pallas came in with an Olive Branch the emblem of peace Upon which the City chose Pallas to be their Guardian as knowing that unity is the way to prosperity Godliness in a family ebbeth and floweth much Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 2. according to the wranglings or love in a family As the Lapis Tyrrhenus Pliny speaketh of which being entire swimmeth but broken every part of it sinketh to the bottom Truely thy family may float above water while it is whole and undivided but if it be in peices it will quickly sink But I must especially commend this duty to the governours of families Husbands and Wives Children are seldom so impudent and servants may either be made quiet within or be turned out of doors but if the chief strings jar all the melody is marr'd Observe how the Holy Ghost giveth this particular precept in order to the promotion of piety in a family The Wife must be of a meek and quiet spirit and the Husband must give honour to the Wife as unto the weaker Vessel as heirs together of the grace of life that prayers be not hindered 1 Pet. 3.4 7. We may consider the injunction and the reason of it the injunction is first to Wives They must be of meek and quiet spirits quiet not quarrelsom meek not murmuring through peevishness or mad with passion A contentious wife is a continual dropping saith Solomon Pro. 19.13 The man would stay at home but her tongue like rain dropping through the roof upon his head where-ever he sitteth down drives him out of his house Where is godliness in the mean time The wise man saith again It s better to dwell in the Wilderness amongst venemous creatures then with such a Wife Pro. 21.13 when she should be praying she is like a mad Dog barking or biting Such a Wife saith Lycophron is but a cold armful This made Sylla say I had been blessed if I had continued a Batchelor Upon this ground I suppose Julian the Apostate whose mouth was often black with blasphemies said that Moses instead of meet-help might have written meet-hinderer But certainly whatsoever some mens perversness may drivel and utter or some womens peevishness occasion a woman if of a godly and quiet spirit is the greatest comfort on earth and a great help she may be to her Husband in his journey to Heaven The Injunction is secondly to the Husband he must honor his Wife as the weaker vessel as his fellow-heir of the grace of life He must honor her not be bitter to her He must give her his greatest love not deny her a good look Some Husbands are so Currrish and Crabbed they are always raging and fretting at their Wives nay like those that are distracted they sometimes beat and tear their Wives themselves For they two are one
Families page 523 Mind Religious duties in their Families page 529 Prayer must be in Families page 530 The Scriptures must be read in Families page 533 Psalmes must be sung in Families page 536 Governours of Families must give a good pattern page 538 All in a Family must be imployed page 549 The Governour of a Family must take care that his whole Family sanctifie the Lords day page 542 He must set up Discipline in his Family page 545 He must maintain love in his Family page 553 Godly Fear requisite in holy duties page 120 Fervency requisite in Prayer page 172 G THe things of God are the things of the greatest weight page 53 Godliness taken two ways page 8 9 Godliness Vide Religion Godly men meet with much opposition in the way to heaven page 65 Godliness must be our principal business page 94 95 In every part of our lives page 102 103 H A Good Harvest Gods gift page 485 486 It is our duty to Hear the word page 200 Evil Frames hinder us in Hearing page 205 Prejudice against the Preacher must be laid aside by them that would profit by Hearing page 206 to 211 The Heart must be affected with the weight efficacy and excellency of the word which we Hear page 212 Prayer requisite before hearing page 216 Right ends in Hearing to be minded page 221 False ends in hearing to be avoided page 220 Worldly thoughts hinder our Hearing page 221 222 We must hear as in Gods presence page 223 We must pray after we have Heard Vide the Word God looks much after our Hearts page 17 170 Heaven not to be obtained without diligence labour page 60 to 65 Humility required in prayer page 167 168 I IDolaters are zealous and prodigal page 418 419 Idleness the evils of it page 552 Intemperance a great sin page 417 The mischeifs of Intemperance page 418 419 Joy in God seasonable on a Lords day page 364 L LOrds day of divine institution page 337 338 God takes special notice how we keep the Lords day page 339 Preparation needful for a Lords day page 342 Wherein preparation to a Lords day consisteth page 343 to 346 Lords day a great priviledge page 348 Lords day a spicial season to get and increase grace in page 353 Publique Ordonances chiefly to be minded on the Lords day page 356 to 362 The whole Lords day to be sanctified page 372 Brief Directions for the Sanctification of the whole Lords day page 381 to 391 A good Wish about the sanctification of the Lords day page 391 A good Wish to the Lords day page 396 Lords day Vide Families and Meditation Love of Christ Vide Christs Love to Christians tried page 273 Love a help to Godliness page 553 M. MAn created for Religion Vide Epistles and page 39 Good Counsel about Marriage page 425 Meekness requisite in a Wife page 562 Meditation needful before prayer page 138 Meditation a duty on a Lords day page 377 Ministers must be godly page 6 and 498 A Minister must be industrious page 6 7. 502 People must pray for their Minister page 219 220 Ministers must act from right principles and for right ends page 499 500 Ministers must be able 501. Compassionate 504. Faithful 501 Full of courage 505. Ministers must Preach plainly purely prudently and powerfully page 507 to 510 Ministers must pray for their people page 510 Administer Sacraments 511. Chatechise 510. Visit people page 512 Ministers must be exceeding tende what example they give their people ib. Ministers must not be discouraged if their labours be not successful page 513 Ministers must give the glory of their success to God page 514 N HOw a Christian in Natural Actions may make Religion his business page 400 A good wish about Natural Actions page 441 O OBedience required page 322 341 Obedience must be in heart and life page 17 18 Obedience must be Canonical page 19 Ordinances their ends and use page 130 131 Ordinances Vide duties and Lords day P GOd hath an extrodinary respect for a Penitent soul page 277 278 Perseverance required page 35 Perseverance in prayer page 189 Pleasures Vide Recreations The excellency of Prayer page 137 138 The Prevalency of Prayer page 141 142 Prayer hath a twofold Preheminence above all other duties page 138 The Nature of Prayer page 140 The Antecedents to Prayer page 147 Meditation an help to Prayer page 148 Meditation of our sins wants and miseries needful before Prayer page 149 to 155 Meditation of God helpful to Prayer page 155 Quickening and stirring up of grace needful to Prayer page 157 Sin hindreth Prayer page 159 160 Anger hindreth Prayer page 161 Worldly Distractions hinder Prayer page 162 Gods Word must be the rule for the matter of our Prayers page 163 The Person Praying must be holy page 165 Prayer must be Vpright 170. Humble 167. Fervent 172 Constant page 178 What it is to Pray Continually page 180 A Caution about fervency in Prayer page 176 Its an ill sign to be Prayerless page 184 185 After Prayer wait for an Answer page 186 Means must be used for the obtaining our Prayers page 191 Preparation to Religious duties needful page 343 Preparation to Hearing Vide Hearing Preparation to the Lords day Vide Lords day R REcreations are lawful 446. they must not be our occupation 450 they must be used for good ends 454. In due season page 456 Recreations are unseasonable on a Lords day page 457 458 and in times of the Churches sufferings page 461 A good wish about Recreations page 462 Religion must be our business page 10 What Religion is page 13 14 The several derivations of the word Religion page 13 What it is to make it ones business 21. It implieth to give it precedency 22. To pursue it with industry 26. To persevere with constancy page 35 Why Religion must be made our business page 39 Religion is the end of mans creation page 40 Religion is a work of the greatest weight 45 to 49. It is Soul-work 49. It is God-work 52. It is Eternity-work page 57 The necessity of making Religion our business page 60 to 70 Religion much neglected page 72 The neglect of Religion bewailed page 73 79 Our greatest care must be about Religious duties page 108 Vide Godliness and Duties Repentance consisteth in mourning for sin and turning from sin page 276 280 S SAints called Lillies why page 268 Saints shamed by sinners page 88 89 92 93 Scripture a great mercy page 198 Vide Hearing and the Word Sacrament of the Lords Supper a seal of the Covenant page 251 The Sacrament a resemblance of Christs death 252. An evidence of his love 253. A great Supper in four respects page 253. The excellency of the Sacrament page 255 Much care about the Supper page 255 256 The danger of receiving the Supper unworthily page 256 to 262 Christ takes notice how men prepare for the Sacrament page 257 Preparation requisite before it 264 265. Wherein preparation for it consisteth page 266 to 279 Our dependance must be on Christ for assistance after our greatest preparation for the Sacrament page 282 Subjects to be meditated on at a Sacrament 285. Christs sufferings 286 to 293. Christs love 293 to 300. Our own sins ib. Graces to be exercised at the Sacrament 300. Faith in its threefold act 303 to 310. Love 312. Repentance page 315 What a Christian should do after a Sacrament page 319 320 Men to be very careful in the choice of Servants page 526 527 Sinners very zealous for sin page 87 88 89 Sobriety vide Temperance Sleep how to be ordered page 437. Its ends 440. Quantity page 437 Season page 439 Soul-work weighty page 49 The welfare of the body dependeth on the Soul page 51 The Souls excellency page 50 T. TEmperance commended page 416 Vide Natural Actions and Eating Thankfulness enjoyned 413 415. For the Word 236. For the Sacrament page 319 U. VNgodliness brancheth it self into Atheism and superstition page 1 2 Uprightness acceptable to God page 171 Unthankfulness page 408 W GOod Counsel about the Choice of a Wife page 525 526 Word why called the grace of God page 203 Gods power alone can make the Word effectual page 217 218 When the Word cometh with power then it profiteth page 229 Its woful to live under the Word and not to be changed by it page 231 We must bless God for his Word page 237 The Word must be obeyed page 240 241 242 Word Vide Hearing Worldlings eager for the World page 74 to 78 Our Worship of God must be inward and outward page 14 to 19 Man made for the Worship of God Vide Man God is very choice in his Worship page 109 110 Gods Worship must be according to his Word page 19 20 God alone the object of Worship page 16 Its ill to dally with Gods Worship page 112 Much Watchfulness required in the Worship of God page 113 Y YOuth Vide Family instruction FINIS