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
dead yet he speaketh to thee to take heed how thou touchest the Ark. A Prince may be pleased if his Kitchin be but indifferent neat and handsom but he looks that in his Parlour where he gives entertainment to his friend all things should be in Print Where Gods special walk is amongst his Candlesticks and amidst his Myrtle Trees there Godliness must be our special work Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever Psa 93. ult Godliness doth always sute the back of a Saint This gracious garment is a glorious ornament to him whatever he is doing or where ever he is going but the apparel doth become him best in his approaches to the holy God No Hangings no Tapestry becomes Gods house so well as Holiness and no place is so proper as the House of God for this costly comely furniture God is more honored or dishonoured in our Religious actions then in all the actions of our lives in them we do directly and immediately pretend his Honor and Service and therefore if we do not walk in them watchfully and intend them seriously the greater is our sin For a trespass committed against holy things the Jews were to bring a Ram to be valued by the shekel of the Sanctuary for a trespass against their brethren a Ram was required but no such valuation expressed whence Origen infers Aliud est peccare in sanctis aliud extra sancta It is one thing to sin in holy things another thing to sin beside them and he urgeth that place in Samuel 1 Sam. 2.25 If a man sin against another man the Judge shall judge him but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him Lev. 5.15 and 6.6 When men are some way off in a Kings eye they will be comely in their carriage but when they come into his Presence-chamber to speak with him they will be most careful Because Saints are always in Gods sight their constant deportment must be pious and seemly I have kept thy precepts for all my ways are before thee Psal 119.68 But because the Ordinances of God are the very face of God and they who worship him therein do solemnly appear before him therefore at such seasons they are bound to be most holy and serious Exod. 23 17. Psal 42.2 The saying of the Sage Orator hath some weight Isocrat ad Demon Worship the gods at all times especially in publick that is in their sacrifices God is very curious how men carry themselves in his Courts and commandeth thee Reader be to eminently pious when thou appearest in his presence Do but observe under the Law how choyce he was about all things relating to his Worship the Tabernacle must be made of the best wood the purest gold the finest linnen and every part and pin of it done exactly according to Gods own precept the persons called to set it up must be rarely gifted and singularly endowed for that very purpose He that offereth sacrifice must be without blemish For whatsoever man he be that hath any blemish he shall not approach a blinde man or a lame man or he that hath any thing superfluous or a flat nose or he that is broken faced or broken handed or crooked backt or a Dwarf or that hath any blemish in his eye or the scurvy or is scabbed no man that hath any blemish of the Sons of Aaron the Priest shall come nigh to offer the Offerings of the Lord made by fire he hath a blemish he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God Levit. 21.17 18 19 20. So the sacrifice also must be perfect without spot If it were blind or broken or maimed had a wen the scurvy or were scabbed Levit. 22.19 21 22 24. It must not be offered it must be a male without blemish of the best of the flocks nay the best of these beasts the fat even all the fat which covereth the Inwards Lev. 3.3 And what is the substance of all these shadows but this That God will be served by holy men in the purest holiest manner that we must be very exact both as to our persons and performances when we are in his presence that he expects the best of living Sacrifices the hearts and spirits of men nay the best of the best all the heart and all the soul and all the strength Prov. 23. Joh. 4.24 Matth. 22.37 O how much is an ordinary slight performance below and unsucable to so great and glorious a Prince Religion is as tender a thing as the apple of thine eye by playing with the eye it may be put out by dallying with duties thou mayst spoil all If the Egyptians did reverence Mercurius Trismegistus so much that they did forbear out of respect to him to pronounce his name rashly what respect shouldst thou bear to Ordinances which are the name of God Exod. 20.24 How fearful shouldst thou be of taking the name of God in vain The blind Heathen were choyce and devout in the service of dumb Idois they served them in white an embleme of purity They thought nothing too good for those false Gods for whom the worst was not bad enough Solon the Athenian Law-giver enacted that none should serve the Gods Obiter or by the by that their sacrifices should be all select and chosen and that the Sacrificers should purifie themselves some days before hand Lycurgus had made a law that no man should be at any great charge in a sacrifice least he should grow weary of Divine service yet when Phidias the famous carver advised the Athenian to make the statute of Minerva of marble rather then Ivery 1. Because it was more durable this reason was approved 2. Because less chargeable at the mention hereof with much rage and wrath they commanded him silence They had an higher respect for those lies and falshoods then many have for the true God Eras praef in adag When they were going to offer sacrifice their Priest cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is here Those present answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many and good Were they so choice and chary in the service of their dunghil deities and wilt not thou friend be circumspect and consciencious in the service of the living God did they think nothing costly enough for inanimate creatures and wilt thou offer to the Lord thy God that which cost thee nothing Can thy box of precious oyntment though it be worth never so much be bestowed better then on thy dearest Saviour and can thy care and caution thy love and labour be employed better then in his service Or dost thou think that the false Gods were more affected with their dishonour or more to be feared in their displeasure then the living true God Dost thou not know that he will be sanctified in them that draw nigh to him Lev. 10.3 great persons are impatient of contempts and affronts especially when they are offered to them in their own houses God will sooner overlook thy forgetfulness
10.1 2. Exercise thy self to this Worshipping the true God according to his revealed will Do not dally and trifle at it be not cold and careless about it Take heed of the Worldlings politique principles Fair and softly goeth far Too much of one thing is good for nothing It s good to be Religious but not too conscientious A little moderation would not do amiss These men would serve thee as ignorant Montebanks do their Patients that whilst they go about to cool the liver least it should set the blood in a flame kill the stomach and thereby necessarily destroy the body They pretend some fear that thou mayst work too hard even to thy hurt when thou canst never do enough much less too much for thy God and thine everlasting good I must needs tell thee that there is an impossibility of dividing thy service betwixt thy sins and thy Saviour and of parting thy heart and work between the world and the word No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6.24 If like a Meteor thou hangest between heaven and earth haltest between Christ and the flesh as a hunting Dog between too Hares running sometime after this sometime after that thou wilt be sure at last to lose both Those creatures under the Law which did both move in the waters and hover up and down in the Air were unclean in Gods account Lev. 11.10 There is a story of a Bastard Eagle which hath one foot close like a Goose with which she swims in the waters and dives for fish and another foot open and armed with talons with which she soareth in the Air and seiseth her prey but she participating of both natures is weak in either and at last becomes a prey to every ordinary Vulture The am bodexter in Religion who is both for the flesh and the Spirit for Riches and Righteousness is all his time a servant of sin and will at last become a prey to Satan Wherefore I must intreat thee Reader to make godliness thy sole design and delight thy main occupation and recreation If thou find not the golden veins upon the surface or just under the skin of the earth do not throw off thy trade nor cast away thy Tools but delve and dig lower thou shalt certainly at length come to the rich treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The vertuous man in Greek is denominated from a word that signifieth industrious and diligent Labour is the way to get and increase vertue and the more vertuous thou art the more laborious thou wilt be frequent use must keep thy spiritual arms from rust It is a more worthy thing to abound in work In operibus sit abundantia mea div tiis per me lâ—cet abundet quisquis volue rit then to abound in wealth Melancthon spake nobly Let others take Riches give me Labour They who have been busie about much meaner studies have yet pursued them with incredible pleasure and extraordinary pains Plutarch Endymion spent whole nights on Rocks and Mountains in contemplating the motions of the Stars It is said of Crisippus That he was so intent on his Book that he had starved his Body had not his maid put meat into his mouth Cicer Ep. lib. 9. Cicero profest He would part with all he was worth that he might but live and dye among his Books did they reckon Humane Knowledge that curious piece of vanity at so high a rate that they would trample on their possessions take any pains to procure it to promote it What a price shouldst thou set upon Godliness upon Divine Knowledge which is the very seed of eternal life Joh. 17.3 shouldst not thou undervalue thy estate and strength for it shouldst not thou spend all thy time imploy all thy talents and improve all thy opportunities for the furthering of it O that holy Paul might be thy pattern Herein I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and Men Act. 24.16 Here is Pauls precious cabinet and his care to preserve it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me exerceo laboro â—otus sum in hac re ut inculpate deo serviam nec homines offendam his Cabinet was his conscience void of offence a treasure of inestimable value in this Cabinet were all the jewels of Divine Graces His Faith and Love his Hope and Humility his Patience and Heavenly mindedness were glistering in it gloriously like so many costly and sparkling Diamonds but observe Pauls care of this Cabinet I exercise my self to keep a conscience void of offence Paul knew many subtle theives were abroad and therefore he must make it his business to keep his pearls or otherwise they would be stoln from him He knew if he were robbed he were ruined nay if but a flaw were made in the jewel of his conscience it would be of exceeding ill consequence to him therefore he did exercise himself to keep a conscience void of offence Again Exercise thy self to Godliness make it thy business in the whole course of thy life nay in every passage of thy conversation As the blood runs through the whole body and every vein of the body so Godliness must run through our whole conversation and every particular action of it Godliness must be like the Sun though its scituation be in Heaven and that the main place of its residence enlighten and warm the whole body of the air and all the earth by its influence shine on all thy natural civil and spiritual works nothing must be hid from the heat thereof Reader observe the command Be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latin word conversatio for conversation come of a verb that signifieth to turn to note that which way soever a Christian turneth himself he must be holy he must be holy in his closet alone holy among company holy at home holy abroad holy in his shop holy among his sheep holy in the Church holy in his chamber holy at his table holy in his travails holy in prosperity holy in adversity holy in every relation and in every condition in all manner of conversation As oyl is laid over all colours to make them durable so Godliness must be laid on every part and practice of our conversation and thereby they will be permanent to our comfort and run parallel with the line of Eterity We lay gold because excellent on all sorts of mettals Godliness which is more precious then fine gold must be laid on our Naturals Morals Intellectuals all of them must have their vertue and value from it The truth is they all like Cyphers stand for nothing unless this figure be joyned with them and put before them Beleevers are commanded to be holy men Exod. 22. ult In the Original it is men of holiness and ye shall be men of holiness unto me that is all over holy As Christ is called a man of sorrows because his whole man body
Hearing or Reading and I must tell thee that it concerneth thee now to be very watchful for many Birds wait to peck up the corn as soon as the Husbandman hath sowed it Our Saviour telleth us He that received seed among thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this World and the deceitfulness of riches choak the Word and he becometh unfruitful Mat. 13.32 As High-way men watch the honest Countreyman as he cometh from the Fair where he hath sold his Cattel and filled his purse and then set upon him and rob him So do the cares of the world dog the honest Christian as he cometh from the Word where he got some Spiritual treasure and then fall upon him to plunder him Besides Satan is so subtle that he will be sure to haunt the soul after reading or Hearing the Word When any one heareth the Word then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart Mat. 13.19 The season then is worthy our observation When the Christian hath made a good meal then the Devil tryeth all his wiles and tricks to make him vomit it up again Servants when they carry full cups of wine in the midst of unlucky boys must be wary and watchful or they will spill it Some people take physick and though it doth them some good at present yet all is quickly marr'd by their neglect of those rules which should be observed afterwards The Word possibly when thou heardst it made some work among thy affections the beauty of Christs person was displayed before thine eyes and thy heart began to fall in love with thy Saviour the extremity of his passion was described to thee and thine heart began to loath the cause thereof thy sins Well now then thy conscience is a little warmed and awakened and the pores of thy soul opened shouldst thou go into the cold presently all would come to nothing If water be taken from the fire when it is a little warm it cooleth quickly he that would have it boil must rather encrease the fire There are two things which God requireth of thee after hearing and reading the Word namely Prayer and Practice 1. Prayer Petition for a blessing upon the Word and Thanksgiving for the blessing of the Word Petition for a blessing upon the Word After the seed is sown the influence of Heaven must cause it to spring up and ripen or otherwise there will be no harvest Paul may plant and Apollo water but God must give the encrease 1 Cor. 3.6 The Minister preacheth thou hearest but it is the Lord who teacheth to profit Thou mayest like Mary have Christ before thee in a Sermon and yet not know him till he discover himself to thee The Eunuch could read of Christ in the Prophet but could not reach Christ till God came to his Chariot There is a twofold light requisite to a bodily vision light in the eye and light in the air the former cannot as we experience in the night do it without the latter There is also a twofold light necessary to Spiritual sight beside the light of understanding which is in a man there must be Illumination from the Spirit of God or there will be no beholding the Lord in the glass of the Word When the Disciples had heard Christs Doctrine they were not able to understand or profit by his preaching and therefore they cry to him Lord open to us this parable When thou hast read or heard the Word go to God and say Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments Encline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not unto covetousness Psal 119.33 to 37. Intreat God to write his Law on the fleshly tables of thine heart Bernard observes bodily bread in the Cupboard may be eaten of Mice or moulder and waste but when it is taken down into the body it is free from such danger If God enable thee to take thy soul-food down into thine heart it is safe from all hazards Thanksgiving Consider what a distinguishing mercy what a precious treasure the Word of God is how without it thou hadst for ever been both unholy and unhappy how by it thou mayst eternally be both gracious and glorious and without question thou wilt finde cause to bless the giver for such a rare and profitable gift The Apostle ranketh this favour amongst the blessings of the highest form What advantage hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision Much every way chiefly that unto them were committed the Oracles of God And the Psalmist mentioning this differencing-Mercy concludeth it with Praise ye the Lord Psal 147.2 ult The light of the Sun Moon and Stars is of such concernment to men that without them the beauty of the old Creation would be buried in darkness and therefore the children of God have given the Most High the credit of those greater and lesser Candles Psal 136.7 8 9. nay they have seen eternal love by those luminaries The light of Gods Law and Word is of infinitely more worth for by it the glory and beauty of the new Creation and that curious piece of mans Redemtion is seen and known What honor then doth God deserve for this favour Ptolomy King of Egypt was at great cost and charge to have the Law of the Jews translated by the Septuagint into Greek Euseb Hist. lib 5. cap. 8. Thou hast the Old and New Testament both at a cheap and easie raâ—e Thou mayest read thy Fathers Will in thy Mother Tongue thou hast in it a suitable Medicine for every Malady seasonable succour in all thy Miseries the costliest Cordials and choicest comforts without Money and without Price and surely all this deserveth thanks and praise Didst thou but know the misery of those places and persons who want the Word surely thy heart could not but be affected with thy mercy in the enjoyment of the word It is sometimes described by Famine I will send a famine not of bread and water but of hearing the Word of the Lord Amos 4. How dreadful are the concomitants and consequents of Famine what shrivel'd cheeks hollow eyes pale visages fainting hearts and trembling limbs have men in a famine they seem rather like walking Ghosts and moving carcasses then living creartures The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst the young child asketh bread and no man breaketh it unto them Their visage is blacker then a coal they are not known in the streets their skin cleaveth to their bones it is withered it is become like a stick The hands of the pitiful Women have sodden their own children they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people Lam. 4.4 8 10. These friend are the woful fruits of a bodily famine but a soul famine is the sorer
Dignity to be crucified without the gate lest the City should be polluted with his blood Now Reader come along like the beloved Disciple and behold thy Saviour bearing his own Cross and going to the place of execution to dye the death of a Slave for no Freeman was ever crucified therefore Julian in derision called him The staked God He is no sooner come to the dismal place of dead mens skulls but they tear off his cloathes and some think skin and all glued to his back with their bloody scourgings Now they stretch his body as cloth with tenters and rack it so that his bones start out of his skin I may tell all my bones Psal 22.17 in nailing his two hands to the two horns and his feet those parts so full of nerves and sinews and so the most sensible of any parts of the body to the stump of the Cross They digged my hands and my feet and hang him up between two Thieves as the most notorious Malefactor of the three He was numbred among the Trangressors His bloody watching fasting scorched wracked body is oppressed with exquisite pain and his anguish so vehement that he cryeth out I thirst to quench which they give him vinegar and gall and spice it with a scoff to make it rellish the better Let us see whether Elias will come and save him But Oh! who can imagine what he suffered in his soul when he hung under the weight of mens revenge Devils rage the Laws curse and the Lords wrath Men revile him wagging their heads and saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days save they self He saved others himself he cannot save To him that was afflicted pity should have been shewn but they added affliction to the afflicted and forsook the fear of the Almighty All the Devils in Hell were now putting forth their utmost power and policy for this was their hour and the power of darkness to encrease his sufferings that if possible they might provoke him to sin thereby to have separated his Humane nature from his Divine that it might have perished eternally and all mankinde with it but the sting of his death is yet behind The head of that arrow which pierced his heart indeed was the frown of his Father That his Kinsmen the Jews whom he came to sanctifie and redeem for he was the glory of his people Israel should deliver him up to be crucified was not a small aggravation of his misery That his Apostles that had been eye-witnesses of his miracles and ear-witnesses of his Oracles to whom he had spoken so pathetically Will ye also forsake me and who had told him so resolutely We will go with thee into prison and to death Luke 22.33 Mat. 26.35 should now in his greatest extremity turn their backs upon him added some more gall to his bitter cap That his Mother should stand by the Cross weeping and have her soul pierced through with the sword of his sufferings was far from being an allay to his sorrows but that his Father of whom he had often boasted It is my Father that honoreth me My Father loveth me I and my Father are one should now in his low estate in his day of adversity in his critical hour not onely not help him and leave him alone as an harmless Dove amongst so many ravenous Vultures to contest with all the fury of Earth and Hell but also pour out the Vials of his own Wrath upon him and though the Union was not dissolved yet suffer the beams the influences to be restrained that he might fully bear the curse of the Law and feel the weight of sin this was the hottest fire in which the Paschal Lamb was roasted this caused that Heart-breaking Soul-cutting Heaven-piercing expression My God My God why hast thou forsaken me O how how justly might he have cryed out with Joh. Have pity upon me my friend have pity upon me for the hand not onely of my Enemies and my friends of multitudes of men and of Legions of Divels but the hand of God hath touched me How truely might the Husband have taken up his Spouses lamentation Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Ah who can write or read such a tragedy with dry eyes Friend when thou art at the Sacrament think of these sufferings and beleive it they will make work among thy sins When thou takest the cup of wine do not forget the cup of Worm-wood which thy Saviour drunk for thy sake he drank of the Brook in the way he drank the cup of his Fathers wrath infinitely imbittered with the curse of the law that thou mightest drink the cup of blessing At the Table obey his own command Do this in remembrance of me Secondly Meditate on the affection of Christ We will remember thy love more then wine saith the Spouse when thou seest the wine think of that love which is better then wine Belevie it if ever there were a love-feast this is it Men testifie their love in bestowing food on their hungry friends but ah what love was that which gave his blessed body and precious blood to feed his starving enemies He that considereth what Christ suffered and for whom may well think he was little else but a lump of love His compassion is infinitely visible in his passion What love was that which moved him to lay down his life for thee Friend if ever thou hadst hard thoughs of Christ take a view of him in the former subject of meditation and consider whether his heart be not set upon sinners when he shed his heart blood for their souls The redness of the fire discovers its heat O how did the redness of this Rose of Sharon the blood which issued from his head and back and hands and feet and heart and whole body speak his burning his fiery love Well might the Apostle John joyn and pair those Turtle-Doves Who hath loved us and washed us in his blood Rev. 1.5 In every drop of his blood there is an Ocean of love Well might the Apostle Paul pâ—oduce this as an undeniable testimony of the truth of his love Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 His bleeding passion was such a full demonstration of his dearest affection as the whole World never saw the like before nor ever shall again In it his love was dissected and ript up you may tell all its bones Judas gave him to the Jews out of love to money The Jews gave him to Pilate to becondemned out of love to envy Pilate gives him to the Souldiers to be Crucified out of love to self interest but Christ gave himself out of pure love to save souls The great and glorious God doth things that are singularly eminent for the manifestation of his attributes When he
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
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
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
may not quench this love but rather like Snuffers make this lamp to burn the brighter Beasts love them who feed them Wicked men love their friends and benefactours My very cloaths warming me are warmed by me again and shall not I love him who hath loved me and washed me in his own blood O that I could groundedly cry out with Ignatius My love was crucified and meet this Lord of Heaven as Elijah went up to Heaven in a Chariot of fire in a flame of love Repentance I desire that I may follow Christ at this Ordinance as the Women did to his Cross weeping considering that my sins were the cause of his bitter and bloody suffering and O that as Saul eyed David I might eye them all from that day forward to slay and destroy them When my soul hath been thus feasted with Marrow and fatness After the Sacrament Thankfulness Lord let my mouth praise thee with joyful lips Ah what am I and what is my Fathers house that when others eat the bread of violence and drink the wine of deceit I should eat the flesh and drink the blood of thine own Son What is man that thou art so mindful of him and the Son of man that thou dost thus visit him I wish that I may shew my thankefulness to my God and dearest Saviour for these benefits the worth of which men and Angels can never conceive by the love of my heart the praises of my lips Faithfulness and the exemplariness of my life At the Sacrament Christ gave his body and blood to me and I gave my body and soul a living Sacrifice to him and that before God Angels and Men the Sacrament was Beersheba the Well of an Oath Shall I pollute that heart which was solemnly devoted to God and prophane that Covenant which I have seriously contracted with the most High Should I like Sampson break those bands asunder and fetch that Sacrifice away from the Altar which was tyed with such strong cords of Oaths and Covenants must I not expect to bring the fire along with it O let me never start aside from my vow like a deceitful bow Lord I have sworn and will perform that I will keep through thy strength thy righteous judgements Lastly I desire that I may not onely differ from them who like the Habassiness In Prester Iohns Country will not fpit on a Sacrament day but will spue the next day deny sin at present but afterwards Deifie it that I may not onely be faithful to my Oath of Allegiance but also fruitful in obedience that as Elijah walked in the strength of one meal forty days I may walk in the strength of that Banquet serving my Saviour and my Soul all my days In a word I wish that I may ever after walk worthy of my birth having Royal Heavenly blood running in my veins worthy of my breeding being brought up in the nurture of the Lord fed at his own Table with the bread of Heaven cloathed with the Robes of his Sons Righteousness and that my present deportment may be answerable to my future preferment O that I might in all companies conditions and seasons walk worthy of him who hath called me to his Kingdom and glory Amen CHAP. XXI How to exercise our selves to godliness on a Lords Day BEcause the Lords Day is the special time for Religious Duties I shall therefore Reader give thee here some particular directions for thy Sanctification of it and Edification by it As of all actions none call for more care then holy duties so of all seasons for those actions none commandeth so much caution and Conscience as the Lords Day The first Command teacheth us the object of Worship the second the matter of Worship the third the manner of Worship the fourth the time of Worship That God is to be worshipped Time of worship is juris naturalis one of seven is juris positivi that some time must be set apart for that work is Moral Natural and written on the Tables of all our hearts but that one day of seven must be consecrated to this end is Moral Positive and written on the Tables of stone All Nations have had their seasons for Sacrifice even the Heathen who worshipped dumb Idols had their Festivals and Holy days It is reported of Alexander Severus Emperor of Rome that he would on a Sabbath Day lay aside his Wordly affairs and go into the Capitol to Worship his gods Among those that acknowledge the true God the Turks have their Stata tempora set times of devotion nay they have their Fryday Sabbath But to keep the Lords Day upon a conscientious ground and in a religious manner is peculiar to the true Christian In the primitive times the observation of this day was esteemed the principal sign of a Saint Indeed our Sanctification of it is by God himself counted a sign that he hath sanctified us Exod. 31.13 It is observable that God hath fenced this Command with more hedges then ordinary to prevent our excursions 1. It is markt with a Memento above other commands Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy partly because of our forgetfulness and partly because of its concernments 2. It s delivered both Negatively and Affirmatively which no other commands is to shew how strongly it bindes 3. It hath more Reasons to enforce it then any other Precept Its Equity Gods Bounty His own Pattern and the Days Benediction 4. It s put in the close of the first Est caput Religionis totum Dei cultum continet Willet in Exod. 35.1 and beginning of the second Table to note that the observation of both Tables depends much upon the Sanctification of this day It is considerable also that it is more repeated then other of the Commands Exod. 20.31 14.34 and 24.35 1.19 Levit. 3.28.30 God would have Israel know Omni tempore Sabbato debere cessare Aug. in Exod. quaest 160. in those fore-quoted places that their busiest times earing and harvest and the very building of the Tabernacle must give way to this Precept On the Lords Day we go into Gods Sanctuary and his pleasure is that we reverence his Sanctuary Levit. 19.30 The Jews indeed made a great stir about their outward reverencing the Temple Willet in loc They tell us they were not to go in with a staff nor shoes nor to spit in it nor when they went away to turn their backs upon it but go sideling Ezek. 8.16 but certainly Gods meaning is principally that we do with inward reverence and seriousness worship him in his Sanctuary Reader I desire thee to take notice that the more holy any action is the more heedful thou oughtest to be about it Upon which account the duties of this day require extraordinary diligence for they have a double die of holiness upon them they are double gilt Thy task on that day or the exercises thereof are of Divine Institution
of curious colours delight the eyes variety of dainties are acceptable to the taste Nero promises rewards to them that invented new pleasures God hath for that purpose disht out his worship into several and various duties that it might be more pleasant to us Sometimes we speak to God sometimes we hear from God sometimes we are praying for supply of our necessities sometimes we are praysing him for his infinite excellencies sometimes our mouthes are open to sing sometimes our ears are open to hear the Sermon sometimes our eyes are open to see the Sacrament The same meat is drest several ways to make it the more welcome and so the more strengthning to us Hippocrates observes that that food which nature receives with delight though not so good in it self affords better nourishment then that which is more wholesome against which nature hath a reluctancy Reader thy delight and pleasure in the sacred Ordinances of the Lords day will help to make them more profitable to thee Some colours which do delight do also strengthen the sight Sixthly if thou wouldst make godliness thy business on a Lords day Let no duty satisfie without communion with God in it Ordinances are the Galleries and Gardens and for that end appointed wherein God and thy soul may walk together For this cause they are called a glass because therein the Christian beholds the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 As Zacheus climbed up to the Sycamore Tree to see Jesus and when he once had a sight of him he came down joyfully so go thou up into the Trees of duties for this purpose that thou mayst see God in Christ and unless this be granted thee come down sorrowfully When men go to meet a friend at a certain place and they miss him how discontentedly do they go away Alas what are the Ordinances without God but as a Table without meat from which a living soul must needs depart thirsty and hungry David loved the habitation of Gods house but it was because it was the place where Gods honour dwelt Psa 27. David longed for the courts of God more then for his Crown relations or possessions or any outward comforts but it was because God afforded there his gracious presence Gods glorious presence is in his Church Triumphant but he is graciously present in his Church Militant My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh eryeth out for the living God Psa 84.2 His desire was as eager and earnest as of a longing woman with child who is ready to faint away and dye if she be not satisfied Sometimes he compares his desire to thirst of which creatures are more impatient then hunger Psa 63.1 Sometimes to the thirst of an Hart after the water-brooks which creature being naturally hot and dry in a very great degree is exceeding thirsty but the object of his desire of his thirst was God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God O when shall I come and appear before him Psa 42.1 2. To see thy beauty and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary It was communion with God in his life and love in his graces and comforts which the Psalmist so much longed for The sweet smiles of Gods face the honey dews of his Spirit were Davids Paradise of pleasure his heaven upon earth They that come to duty meerly for duty know not what it meanes to meet with God and therefore though they neither see his face nor hear his voice yet are contented like those that were born in some dark Dungeon and never yet saw the Sun they are well enough satisfied without it but those who have seen it and know that that light is pleasant if they look up to the heaven of Ordinances see not the Sun of righteousness it s no longer day with them The true Disciples met together the first day of the week and enjoying Jesus among them rejoyced indeed but they are onely glad in duties when they had seen the Lord John 20.20 They were glad when they had seen the Lord. Reader when thou goest to the Ordinances of God go to meet God in the Ordinances As Moses go up into the Mount of duties to converse with thy Maker Go to view the beauty of his face when thou enquirest into his holy Temple When thou goest to prayer let it be in hope to get thy heart nearer to heaven When thou goest to hear mind communion with him that speaks from heaven and then onely rejoyce in the word when as the star to the wise men leads thee to the place where Christ is It is God in the Word which causeth efficacy it is God in prayer who causeth prevalency it is God in the Sacrament who causeth alacrity it is God in a Sabbath who causeth complacency When thou goest to the waters of the Sanctuary say as Elisha at the waters of Jordan Where is the Lord God of Elijah Where is the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ Why is thy Chariot O Son of righteousness so long a comming Why tarry what clogs the wheels of thy Chariot O when wilt thou come unto me Psa 101.2 When thou comest from the Ordinances and hast not met God in them though thou hast shewed never so great parts or gifts or outward devotion say as Absolom All this avails me nothing so long as I may not see the Kings face 1 Sam. 28 15. Saul himself was sad and sorrowful when he enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him not and canst thou O Saint be joyful when thy beloved hath withdrawn himself Look upon performances as boats to ferry thy soul over and give it a passage to God and take heed of going contentedly from God without God Psa 43.3 4. let thy prayer be O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me to thy holy hill to thy Tabernacle then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy Seventhly Sanctifie the whole day to Gods service Be early up in the morning and as late as thy body will permit at night The Israelites when they were to batter down the strong holds of Jericho rose up early in the morning Judg. 6.15 Upon the Lords day thy work must be to batter down the strong holds of sin rise early lose no time Do not lose the least moment if it be possible of this sacred day The very filings of Gold are of worth The smallest part of this holy day is of great price The word Shamur to keep the Sabbath Lev. 19.30 signifieth to keep with care and diligence as a great treasure of which a man would lose none When men beat Ginger they will if good Husbands be careful that little fly out of the Mortar but if they beat pearl they are extraordinary watchful that not the least of that be lost because a little of that is of great value Reader if thou
Linen of the Saints and inherit that rest which remaineth for the people of my God for ever and ever Amen CHAP. XXV How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in his Recreations and Pleasures THy duty is to exercise thy self to Godliness in thy Recreations the Christian in his walking Thirdly as well as in his working must be furthering his eternal weal. Our Gardens or places of delights as well as our Houses must be consecrated ground Davids Cimbal Viol and Timbrel were all useful in and serviceable to the Tabernacle with them he praised God Psa 150. Saints outward pleasures must be some way or other subservient to their inward purity Bern de bonis disserendis It was a witty observation of Bernard on the signification of Isaac which is laughter or joy Sacrifice your Isaac and your Isaac shall live It is the Ram the rankness and stoutness of your heart which shall dye Reader sacrifice thy recreations thy joys thy delights to God and they shall all live it is rankness of them which God desireth should be put to death That these pleasures are not simply unlawful is plain Eat thy bread saith God with joy drink thy Wine with a merry heart live joyfully with the Wife of thy youth Eccles 9.7 8 9. Epicurism is not at all commanded but moderate delight in creatures is allowed and commended He gives all things richly to enjoy To enjoy not to behold nor to hoard up He condemneth those rich cormorants that starve at a full Table and like Asses laden with good victuals feed on thistles Eccl. 6.2 3. 2.24 3.12 The merciful God is pleased out of his bounty not onely to allow his creatures what is for necessity but also what is for delight Christian it is more then God requireth of thee to be always pondering and poring on such subjects as make thy heart sad whereby thou thy self art disadvantaged banishing that chearfulness from thee which is an ornament to Christianity and others discouraged supposing that all who walk in heavens way must needs be as thou art mopish and melancholy Piety doth regulate but not extirpate our pleasures It is a pruning-knife to cut off the luxuriancy of them not a Weeding-hook to pluck them up by the roots If thy body be as one of the Fathers calls it jumentum animae The souls Beast then it must be allowed some rest and refreshment or else it will carry thee but heavily along in thy journey It is reported of a Primitive Christian St. Iohn Cass Col. 24. cap. 21 that as he was on a time playing with a bird two or three youths going by saw him and one of them spake to the other See how this old man plays like a child with a Bird which the good old man overhearing called him to him and asked him what he did with the Bow in his hand and how he used it whereupon the young man bent his bow shewed him what he did with it and unbent it again Why do you unbend it saith the Old man because saith the youth if my Bow should always stand ready bent it would prove a slug and be unserviceable Such is the condition of man saith the Old Christian If his mind were always bent and intent about the best things the wings of devotion would soon flag and the arrows of contemplation flye but slowly towards Heaven The most I know need a curb in this particular of recreation rather then a whip yet some there are that whilst they strive to keep under their bodies ride over them and make them much more unserviceable then they would be Whilst they go about to punish their bodies for their former wantonness and excess in the end they punish God and their souls too Temperies animi sequitur temperamenâ—um corporis The temper of the soul Philosophers tell us followeth the temperament of the body A dull Knife cannot cut well A pen worn out will not make good Letters he that would do his work well must see that his tools be right for his turn otherwise he will but bungle at the best I am confident that it is thy duty to keep thy body in the best plight and health vigour and liveliness that thou canst for thy souls sake I must confess I intend in this head those recreations which exercise the body or mind so as to fit them to follow the better our general or particular callings A Holy man could indeed wish that his body needed no such diversion but when he findeth that after long sitting or much labour his body clogd and tired he is forced to give way to reason For vain and sinful recreations Reader I must in the Name of God forbid them I am not about to teach thee how to honour God by doing Satans work They that study the Devils books will hardly learn Christs Lesson There be some that take pleasure in unrighteousness Rom. 1.32 Holy things are too good to be sported with and vicious things are too bad things of an indifferent nature are fit to be the subjects of our recreations Those sports which are of evil report amongst Saints or which thou hast experienced to be bellows to blow up the fire of thy passion or fuel to thy covetousness must be avoided Avoid all occasions and appearances of evil sports sinful in the act like the play between Abners and Joabs Souldiers will be bitterness in the end When Thespis a Poet at Athens Plutarch in vit Sâ—l made a play which delighted all the Citizens Grave Solon himself went to see it but when the play was ended wherein Thespis acted a part Solon called him to him and asked him if he were not ashamed to lye so openly in the face of the whole City Thespis answered him that it was no matter so long as it was but in sport But Solon beating his Staff on the ground replyed If we allow lying in sport we shall shortly find it in earnest in our bargains and dealings Certainly heathens will another day condemn our mungril Christians The sober sort of them seemed to hate and abhor that harlot vice though presenting her self upon a stage with her painted face and most gaudy dress when many among us love and like and even doat upon her But such must know that sins in jest will bring at last sufferings in earnest Men laugh and jest and mock at sin its asport to a fool to do mischief Pro. 10.23 but surely they will find hell a serious thing for God will not be mocked They pretend now that they have time to spare and if they should not spend it at a play-house I had almost said a whore-house they should spend it worse Alas do they not know that God gave them time to provide in for their eternal felicity and not to squander it away in such foolish vanities If time be a drug that hangs on their hands to their trouble God may take it off before
through with the burden of instructing my children Though others nurse children for the love of wages let me nurse mine for the wages of love Let all my actions towards them flow from sincere affection to them and not onely my counsel and comforts but even my rod of reproof like Jonathans be dipt in this hony When I am rebuking them cuttingly and frighting them from sin with the fear of the unquenchable fire let all my bitter pils be given in this sweet syrrup of love that they may know and acknowledge my greatest anger against their sins to proceed from a tender respect and love to their immortal souls I wish that being a sworn Souldier of the Lord of Hosts Full of courage whatsoever trials and tribulations I meet with in my holy warfare whatsoever dangers and death shall look me in the face I may never flye from my colours or forsake my Captain but endure hardshipas a good Souldier of Jesus Christ When I first listed my self in his Muster-Roll I understood the greivous hardships and various hazards which all his Army but especially his Officers must encounter with that to Preach the Gospel is as Luther saith to draw the hatred of the whole World upon a man yea that Earth and Hell would both conspire and plant their strongest batteries against the Bulworks of the Church under God the Ministers of the word notwithstanding all which I entred my name as a Volunteer and promised to live and dye in his quarrel and shall I now because the enemies appear numerous and the Bullets flye thick like Peter deny my righteous cause and disown my glorious Captain Lord let me dye with thee rather then deny thee Enable me through thy strength to be ready not onely to be bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus My onely safety consisteth in keeping close to my Saviour Should I through cowardliness run away I must expect Marshal law If any man draw back thy soul will have no pleasure in him If I like Jonah should run from thy presence as unwilling to deliver an unwelcome message I must expect a storm to follow after me and either the waves to swallow me up or the Whale to swallow me down I should but go out of thy blessing into the warm Sun If the service of my God be not in all respects the best why did I chuse and like it If it be why should I refuse and leave it My cause is good I fight against sin and Satan the desperate and bloody enemies of my soul My Crown is better after a a temporal conflict followeth an eternal Crown of glory O my soul be thou faithful unto death and thou shalt have a Crown of life but my Captain is best of all he looketh upon me goeth before me fighteth for me and as he leadeth me on to this tryal so he will not like the Devil and the World who leave their servants and Lovers in the lurch but bring me off with triumph either safe on earth or safe to heaven Lord whatsoever dirt of calumny shall be thrown in my face whatsoever dart of cruelty shall be stuck in my body Act. 20.22 for keeping the word of thy patience in an hour of temptation yet let none of these things move me neither let me count my life dear unto me so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the grace of God As to the preaching of the Gospel The several duties of a Minister 1. To preach the Gospel which is the principal work of the Minister as being the main Engine in the hand of God wherewith he undermineth and overturneth the strong-holds of sin and the Kingdom of darkness I wish that I may prepare for this work diligently ever handle this weapon warily deliver the message of my God soberly as may be most for his glory and my peoples good not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power To this end I desire His Sermons must be the fruits of servent prayer that all my Sermons may be like Monica's son children of many prayers and tears and thereby the more unlikely to perish Luther saith He that prayeth hard studieth hard Lord let all my Sermons as dew be Heaven-born that they may drop down upon my people like rain upon the mown grass Let prayer be the key to open the mysteries of Christ to me and let prayer be the turning of the key to lock them up safe within me Let prayer open and shut all my Books form and write begin and conclude every Sermon Ah how should he pray both for his preaching and before he preacheth who by every Sermon preacheth his beloved Neighbours into Eternal burnings or Eternal pleasures I wish also for the furtherance of the former ends Preached over first to his own soui That I may preach over every Sermon to my own heart before I preach them to my hearers That I preaching feelingly may preach the more effectually and the milk of the Word coming warm out of the Mothers breasts may be as more natural so more pleasing and nourishing to the children Why should I like a Lawyer plead the cause of my God for my fees and 〈…〉 have my own person concerned in it O let 〈◊〉 rather as a Physician drink of those potions my self which I prescribe and administer to my Patients I desire He must preach the Word 1. Purely That I may never dare to play the Huckster with the Word of God to sophisticate or adulterate it by my additions to it but that I may receive from the Lord what I deliver to men and feed all my charge with the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby If it be Treason to counterfeit the Kings Coyn what High Treason is it for me to imprint the King of Kings stamp on my brass Money O that as I am an Ambassador I might keep close to my Instructions and as a Builder may lay every stone in his Temple by the line and rule of his Word and as a Physician may never try experiments upon the souls of my people but hold fast to the form of wholesome words and ever prescribe those tryed and approved receits which the Great Physician hath left me under his own hand Because my work is to touch and pierce my hearers hearts 2 〈◊〉 and not to tickle and please their ears I wish That I may preach a crucified Saviour in a crucified stile That I may not blow up my Sermons as Butchers some joynts of meat to make them shew fairer with a windy pomp of words but by using all plainness and stooping to the lowest capacity may become all things to all men that I may save some I am a Barbarian to my people whilest I preach to them in an unknown language I starve their souls whilest
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
flesh How far are such from obedience to Gods Law Let the Husband honor the Wife as the weaker vessel that is use her tenderly China dishes and Venice glasses must be tenderly handled because they are weak vessels The Husband must with the mantle of love cover many infirmities An Heathen could tell Sarah That Abraham was a covering of the eyes to her Gen. 20.16 The eye is the tenderest part of the body God hath provided a special cover to fence it When God would speak his infinite respect to and care of his people he saith They are as dear to him as the apple of his eye Truly Husbands ought to be as tender of their Wives as of the apple of their eyes But Reader see the reason of this Injunction of love to Husbands and Wives That your prayers be not hindred as if he had said Winde up those weights of meekness and love or Religion will stand still Take away those needful props and piety will fall to the ground O friend as thou hast any love to the honor of God honor thy Wife as the weaker vessel if God hath caled thee to that relation If thou art a Wife be of a meek and quiet spirit If there be not concord in affections there will be sad discord in petitions When there is War in a Kingdom how are Sabbaths prophaned Ordinances despised Prayer and Scripture neglected men are hurried away in haste to this and that place and leave duties behinde them So in a family which is a Kingdom in a little volume Divisions will put Religion behinde and force it to stand back Rubenius Celer would needs have it engraven on his Tomb that he had lived with his Wife Ennea forty three years and eight moneths and yet they never fell out It is happy where the Husband and Wife are like the two branches in the Prophet Ezekiels hand so closed together in one bark that both made but one piece or like Pilades and Orestes of whom it is said They both lived but one life and where the whole family like the multitude of Believers is of one accord of one heart and of one soul in the Lord Acts 4.32 with the encrease of God I have now dispatched what I intended to offer thee for the advancement of Godliness in thy Family If thou art a stranger to this honorable comfortable work of worshipping God in and with thy Family O that I could prevail with thee to put the counsel of God speedily into practice I must assure thee from the Living and Almighty God That thou art accountable to the Judge of quick and dead for all the souls in thy Family God hath the chief propriety in every person in thy dwelling As the flock which Jacob looked after was Labans so the family which thou hast the oversight of is Gods Thy sons and thy daughters which thou hast born to me Ezek. 16.20 God may say to thee more truly then Laban did to Jacob These sons are my sons Gen. 39.43 and these daughters are my daughters and these servants are my servants and all that thou seest is mine Indeed God doth in effect say to thee what Pharaohs Daughter did to Moses Mother Take this childe and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages Exod. 2.9 Take this Son this Daughter and nurse them for me in my nurture and admonition Take this man-servant this maid-servant and bring them up for me in my fear and service and I will give thee an eternal reward Friend thou wouldst be faithful in bringing up Children or Servants for thy Brother or Soveraign and wilt thou be unfaithful in bringing up Sons and Servants to thy God and Saviour Is it fit that Gods servants should do the Devils work Let Conscience judge Did God give thee them to be brought up in drinking or swearing or lying or Atheism or like so many Heathen or Beasts without any knowledge of his Word and Will Did he honor and intrust thee with their education to have thee poyson their souls by thy irreligious pattern and starve their souls by not giving them spiritual food Is this thy love to thy Maker and Redeemer Besides I must tell thee As Jacob was answerable to Laban for the whole flock if any were torn by beasts or stollen by day or night he bore the loss of all Gen. 31.39 Of his hands it was required So art thou answerable to God for every one in thy Family if any one be devoured and torn in pieces by the roaring Lyon the Devil through thy negligence God will require his soul at thy hands O Reader consider Death will shortly break up thine house when thy children and servants must go to everlasting fire if they dye without grace and the knowledge and fear of God If thou art now careless about the eternal good of thy children and servants that they perish for ever through thy falseness and unfaithfulness how dreadful will thy account be What wilt thou do when the blood of their souls shall be required of thee If Christ sentence men to Hell for not visiting sick and imprisoned bodies for not feeding hungry bodies what sentence will he pass on thee for not visiting those souls committed to thy charge which were imprisoned by the Devil and sick unto death and for not giving them the bread of life but suffering them to starve and dye If on him that brought a temporal death on Cain vengeance should be taken sevenfold what vengeance shall be taken on thee who tumblest others into eternal death Believe it Reader these are no jesting things If therefore thou hast any bowels towards the children of thine own body if thou hast any compassion towards thy poor servants whom Christ thought worth his own blood if thou hast any love to thy dearest Saviour or thine own everlasting salvation if thou would leave this withering World with comfort and look into the other World with courage exercise thy self to godliness in thy family obey the particulars for that end commanded thee by the infinite God do thine utmost that all of thy family may be of the family of Faith and all of thine houshold may belong to the houshold of God that so when the King of Terrors shall give a discharge from all relations thou mayest with thy family be translated from living together in one House to dwell for ever in one Heaven Reader Thou mayest perceive in the close of the tenth Chapter that much more is promised then I have in this Treatise performed the payment of which though I do at present defer yet through the strength of Christ I shall not deny If thou hast any interest at the Throne of Grace I do earnestly desire thy prayers that this part may finde acceptance with the Saints and be instrumental for the advantage of many souls and that in the other part I may receive much assistance from the blessed Saviour thereby I shall be the more enabled to be serviceable to
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