Opportunity of being Serviceable to you Will you choose rather to carry your Ignorance to Hell with you than make it known to such as are willing to Relieve you against it But 2ly It may be thou art not so ignorant as thou thinkest thy self peradventure thou art mistaken in the Measures and Degrees of Knowledge which are requsiite in a Worthy Communicant if thou hast a Competent Knowledge of the Author the Use and End of this Ordinance it is sufficient tho' thou art not able to dispute Controversial Points relating to it If thou understandest the Author of the Ordinance to be Jesus Christ the End of the Ordinance to be a Representation and Commemoration of his Death that the breaking of the Bread represents the breaking of his Body upon the Cross and the pouring out of the Wine the Shedding of his Blood for thy Redemption If thou understandest the Use of this Ordinance to be for the Renewing of thy Covenant with God which thou enteredst into at thy Baptism to remember the Love of thy Dying Saviour to Seal up unto thy Soul Pardon of Sin and to Engage thee daily to die more and more unto sin To Unite Christians together in the strictest Bonds of Love and Charity If thou knowest all this and endeavourest to Act suitably thereunto I dare assure thee thou hast the Knowledge of a Worthy Communicant And if thou comest to the Sacrament with a desire to grow more and more in thy Knowledge and Obedience Almighty God will mercifully Accept thee 5. Plea But I fear I am under the Power of an hard Heart I cannot mourn for Sin so much as I would and weep over it so often as I ought and what should a person under the power of an hard heart do at this Ordinance Answer If thou hast such a degree of sorrow as puts thee upon loathing and leaving off thy Sins tho' thou canst not mourn for sin so much as others do and as thou wouldst do yet thou may'st be a true Penitent Know that another's degree of Sorrow is not the Standard to measure thine by all are not Sinners alike and for that Reason the Sorrow of all persons will not be alike some men's Sins have been Infamous and Notorious their Lives tainted with hainous Crimes now their Sins looking ghastly upon their Consciences no wonder if they labour under such Agonies of Mind such Horrors and Terrors of Conscience and meet with such melting Sorrows as others are Strangers to and unacquainted with But perhaps God has blest thee with a pious Education and his Restraining Grace has kept thee from those presumptuous Acts of Sin which others have been guilty of and consequently thou art a Stranger to their violent Expressions of Grief and Sorrow yet at the same time thou hast such a convincing sight of Sin as causes thee to hate it to forsake it and to loath thy self by reason of it And tho' thou dost not mourn so much as thou wouldst yet thou mournest that thou canst mourn no more Now for thy comfort that thou art not under the power of an hard heart thou dost not wholly want the Grace of Repentance but oughtest to come to this Ordinance for the encreasing of thy Godly Sorrow for Sin believing and expecting that the sight of a Broken Bleeding Saviour will tend to the further breaking of thy Heart and encreasing thy Godly Sorrow for Sin 6. Pretended Excuse for not coming to the Sacrament is the danger of Relapsing I fear say some if I come and afterwards fall into any known sin that Almighty God will never pardon it but my sin will be like the Sin against the Holy Ghost which shall never be forgiven therefore we judge it safest to stay away Answer It must be acknowledged that to Sin wilfully and deliberately after we have been at this engaging Ordinance is a great Aggravation of Sin but not such as to render it unpardonable but after our Fall we may be recovered by Repentance Because we have an Advocate with the Father 1 John 2.2 Doubtless the Primitive Christians who probably received the Lord's Supper every day certainly every Lord's-Day did occasionally fall into many voluntary and deliberate Acts of Sin but far be it from us to think that their sins were unpardonable 2ly Know that Almighty God tho' he requires after you have been at his holy Table your utmost care to avoid Sin and to shun Temptations yet he doth not expect that you should live wholly free from Sin whilst you continue in this mortal state He expects a Holy Life after the Sacrament but not an Angelical Life the Life of a Saint but not the Life of an Angel a Life of Purity not a Life of Perfection he expects we should be sincere not that we should be sinless Could men live wholly free from sin after they have been at the Sacrament then they need not Receive it more than once in their whole Lives but the Sacrament being an appointed means to enable us more and more against Sin and to get Victory over it our Duty is to have frequent recourse to it notwithstanding our Relapses into Sin after we have humbly implored pardon for them 7. Plea is this I dare not come because I labour under so many Fears and Doubts as to my own sincerity had I an assurance of my state of Grace I might venture to come but I have heard no man ought to come to this Ordinance that wants Assurance Answer There are two sorts of Doubtings some that proceed from want of Faith others which proceed from weakness of Faith As to the former some men there are whose Consciences tell them that they are either open Sinners or close Hypocrites these Men have great reason to doubt of their condition for it is certainly very bad and very dangerous not one moment longer to be rested in But then there are Doubtings which arise from weakness of Faith St. Matth. 14.31 Oh thou of little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt Now the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper is the proper Remedy for the Relief and Cure of these doubtings and the longer we keep from this Ordinance the stronger will our fears grow and the more will our doubts encrease And whereas thou hast heard that none should approach that want a full Assurance of their Grace this is a great mistake for the Sacrament being a Sealing Ordinance is the great means of procuring a full Assurance of Faith which if a man has already there is no need of going to the Sacrament for it No Man will go to the Insuring Office to secure an Estate which he has in his own Possession and Apprehends to be out of the reach of danger 8. Excuse is this I see not say some much good gotten by this Ordinance many that come to the Sacrament lead as bad Lives as those that never come and if it does them no good we are sure it does them hurt and they had better never come there
Blessing of a Calling here on Earth by which multitudes of Temptations were prevented how many sins doth a Life of Idleness expose unto 2. Be Diligent and Industrious in the way of thy Calling and that from a Principle of Obedience to the Divine Command He that says Be fervent in Prayer says also Be not slothful in Business An Idle Man has no Pattern or President either in Hell or Heaven Not in Hell for the Devils are diligent about their Deeds of darkness Not in Heaven for the Angels are continually imployed either in Beholding God's Beauty or in Executing God's Commands 3. If thou art called to the meanest and most laborious Calling that of an Husband-man murmur not at it because it is Wearisom to the Flesh but eye the Command of God and in Obedience thereunto be diligent in thy place and then thou glorifiest God as truely when digging in thy Field as the Minister in his Pulpit or the Prince upon his Throne 4. Be strictly Just and exactly Righteous in the way of thy Calling and with a generous Disdain and resolute Contempt abhorr the getting of Riches by Unrighteousness Cursed Gain is no Gain How sad is it to be Rich on Earth and to roar in Hell for unrighteous Riches He that cheats and over-reaches he that tricks and defrauds his Neighbours is as sure to go to Hell without Repentance and Restitution as the prophanest Swearer or Drunkard in a Town 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 5. Be very careful that thy partiular Calling as a private Person do not incroach upon thy General Calling as a Christian The World is a great devourer of precious Time it robs the Soul of many an hour which should be spent in Communion with God and in communing with our own Hearts How many are so taken up with their Trade on Earth that they forget to converse with Heaven Verily there is a holy part in every mans Time which the daily Exercises of Religion call for and which it is our daily Duty to keep inviolable from the Sacrilegious hands of an encroaching World 6. Labour after an heavenly frame of Spirit in the Management of thy Earthly Business and take heed that thy Worldly Imployments do not blunt the edge of thy spiritual Affections but endeavour to keep thy Heart close with God when thy hand is employed in the Labours of thy Calling A faithful and Loving Husband when he has been abroad all day in Varieties of Company yet when he comes home at Night he brings his Affections with him as entire to his Wife as when he went forth in the Morning from her yea he is inwardly pleased that he is got from all other Company to enjoy hers Thus doth a heavenly-minded Christian after he has spent some time amidst his wordly Business in the Labours of his Calling he desires and endeavours to bring his whole heart to God with him when at Night he returns into his presence to wait upon him yea he strives to keep his Heart with God all the day long by often lifting it up to God in holy Thoughts and pious Ejaculations which are an Help rather than an Hindrance to Wordly business 7. Eye God in every Providence thou meetest with in thy Calling Dost thou meet with any dispointment see and be sensible of Gods hand in it All that are diligent are not thriving in this World There are Mysteries of Providence as well as Mysteries of Faith which we can never fathom Dost thou meet with a Blessing Own God in all that good success thou findest in thy Imployment with holy Jacob Gen. 33.11 The Lord hath dealt graciously with me and I have enough When God at any time sends thee in Profit let it be thy care to send him back praise For nothing is so Acceptable to God as a Grateful Mind 8. Watch daily against the Sin of thy Calling as also against the Sin of thy Constitution and whatever Temptations thou meetest with from either cry mightily to Heaven for Power to resist them knowing that thou never yieldest to a Temptation but the Spirit withdraws in Tears and the Devil goes away in Triumph 9. Having used faithful Diligence in thy lawful Calling perplex not thy Thoughts about the Issue and success of thy Endeavours but labour to compose thy Mind in all Conditions of Life to a quiet and steady dependance on Gods Providence being anxiously careful for nothing There is a threefold Care which the Scripture takes notice of Namely A Care of the Head A Care of the Hand and a Care of the Heart A Care of the Head and that is a Care of Providence and prudential Forecast this is commendable A Care of the Hand that is a care of Diligence and Industry this is profitable But then there is the Care of the Heart which is a Care of diffidence and distrust a care of Anxiety and perturbation of Mind this is culpable and exceeding sinful See St. Matth. 6.31 32 33 34. 10. Resolve it in thy mind to be chearful and contented with thy Portion little or much which God as a Blessing upon thy Endeavours allots unto thee Not content because thou canst not have it otherwise but from an Approbation of Divine Appointment Necessity was the Heathen School-master to teach Contentment but Faith must be the Christians Phil. 4.11.14 I have learnt says the holy Apostle not at the feet of Gamaleel but in the School of Christ both how to be abased and how to abound how to be full and how to be empty yea I know in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content How are some Christians Minds like Musical Instruments quite out of tune with every Change of Wheather But it is an even Composedness of Mind in all Conditions of Life that glorifies God and is advantagious to our selves 1 Tim. 6.16 Godliness with Contentment is great gain Not Godliness with an Estate but Godliness with Contentment CHAP. VI. Of Glorifying God in our lawful Recreations IT being impossible for the Mind of Man to be always intent upon Business and for the Body to be exercised in continual Labours the Wisdom of God has therefore adjudged some Diversion and Recreation the better to fit both Body and Mind for the Service of their Maker to be both needful and expedient such is the Constitution of our Bodies and the Complexion of our Minds that neither of them can endure a constant Toyl without some Relaxation and delightful Diversion As a Bow if always bent will prove sluggish and unserviceable in like manner will a Christian's Mind if always intent upon the best things the Arrow of Devotion will soon flag and fly but slowly towards Heaven A wise and good Man perhaps could wish that his Body needed no such Diversion but finding his Body jade and tire he is forced to give way to Reason and let Religion choose such Recreation as are healthful short recreative and proper
to refresh both Mind and Body to which purpose the following Cautions may be Necessary 1. Look that your Recreations be lawful and such as have nothing of Sin in them We must not to Recreate our selves do any thing which is dishonourable to God or injurious to our Neighbour as they do who droll upon things that are Sacred and who make Back biting Discourse their Recreation 2. Look that your Recreations answer the End and Design of their first Institution not to pass Time away which we ought above all things to Study to redeem and improve Surely no Man needs to contrive how to drive away his Time which flies so fast of it self and is so impossible to recover But the true End of Recreation is the refreshing of the Mind and recreating of the Body to make them both the fitter for the Service of God in the Duties of our general and particular Callings Therefore 3. Be careful that your Recreations be short and diverting such as may fit you for Business rather than rob you of your Time He that makes Recreation his business will think Business a Toyle The End of Recreation is to fit us for Business not to be it self a Business to us 4. Take Care that Covetousness have nothing to do in your Recreations Let your End be meerly to Recreate your self not to Win Money for that will certainly bring you into a double Danger the one of Covetousness and a greedy desire of Winning the other of Rage and Anger at thy bad Fortune if thou happen to lose Covetousness will occasion thy Cheating and Cozuening and Anger occasion thy Swearing and Cursing and thus thou makest that which is lawful in it self unlawful to thee by making it an Occasion of sin to thee 5. Let not your Recreations be Costly and Expensive Some Persons have spent more in Gaming vainly than would Build and Endow an Hospital and maintain many Families comfortably little considering that they are only God's Stewards and must be severely Accountable to him for every Inch of their Time and every Penny in their Purse which is consumed in Sin and Vanity 6. Take heed that your Sports and Recreations be not Cruel We ought not to refresh our selves with Spectacles of Cruelty in seeing either Men or Beasts needlesly Tormenting each other That Enmity which is among the Creatures is certainly the Effect of our Sin What a Heart then has that Man that can take Delight in seeing the dumb Creatures Torment one another Is it not enough for thee to behold the Antipathies which thy Sin has put into the Natures of the Creatures but thou must barbarously make thy self Merry with their Miseries who in their kind are far more serviceable to the Creator than thy self 7. Remember young Men that God's Eye is in the midst of you when in the midst of your Sports and Recreations therefore be wise and moderate in the pursuit of them Do all things as in God's sight and you will do every thing to God's glory Respect ought to be had to God in all we do not in our Vocations only but in our Recreations also and the Remembrance of God's all-seeing Eye upon us will have an Universal Influence upon all our Actions 8. Take an extraordinary Care that your Recreations do not engross too much of your Precious Time which was given for Nobler Purposes Oh how sadly do some Young Men addict themselves to a Life of Pleasure Ease and Voluptuousness unworthily wasting the Flower of their Youth the Srength of their Body the Vigour of their Minds drowning in a bruitish sensuality the Fair and goodly Hopes of a Vertuous Education together with the Honour of their Families the Expectation of their Countrey and the improvment of their Parts as if Almighty God had placed them on the Earth as Leviathan in the Sea only to take their Sport and Past-time therein such Persons being Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God are certainly in a most deplorable State 9. But above all take heed of making the Lords-day your Day of Sports and Recreation This is a Crime of a tremendous Guilt Woe be to that Man which disturbs God's Holy Rest with his unholy Sports God's Holy Day calls for Holy Delights Isa 58.13 Not doing thy pleasure on my holy day Thou that art a poor Man and stealest Time from thy Family for Unnecessary Recreations on the Week-day this is Theft But to steal Time from thy Maker and Redeemer on his Day is Sacriledge of the two it is better to Plough than to Play to Digg than to Dance upon the Lords-Day CHAP. VII Of Glorifying God in our Religious Duties ALmighty God being more Honoured or Dishonoured by us in our Religious Duties than in all the Actions of our Lives besides it concerns us to be exactly Careful how we manage our Deportment in his Presence when we Worship at his Footstool and bow before his Mercy-seat If it be a Sin not to Aim at the Glory of God when Eating and Drinking at our own Table much more so when Eating and Drinking at his Table when we are performing the most tremendous Acts and Exercises of Religion How superstituously Devout were the Old Heathens in the Service of their Dumb Idols they thought nothing too good for their false Gods for whom the worst was not bad enough the Worshipper being better than the God he worshipped When they were going to offer their Sacrifices their Priests cried out in the Audience of the People Procul Oh procul este prophani Depart all you that are Impure and Prophane from the Holy Sacrifices of the Gods Oh where they so choice and chary in the Service of their dunghill Deities and shall not we exercise a more extraordinary Dread and Caution in the Religious Service of the living and true God Therefore to prevent sinful Miscarriages in Holy Duties the following Advices may be necessary 1. Labour to entertain in thy Mind awful Apprehensions and suitable Conceptions of the Majesty of that God whom thou art Addressing thy self unto Conceive of him in thy Mind as a God of such incomprehensible greatness and majesty of such transcendent Holiness and Purity of such Sanctity and Severity that he cannot behold Iniquity in any of his Worshippers without the greatest Abhorrency and Detestation and for that reason approach thou to him with a holy Fear with an humble Reverence and not without a trembling Veneration 2. Set not about Religious Duties without previous Preparaton In every Work whether Natural or Artificial some Preparation is necessary to bring it to Perfection In Works of Nature the Ground must be digg'd and dress'd plough'd and prepared before the Seed be cast into it In Works of Art the Musitian must string and tune his Instrument before he can play his Lesson melodiously Surely then in Holy and Religious Duties towards which our Hearts are naturally so backward and averse it concerns us to exercise a Preparatory Care to bring our Hearts into
Lord He builds the House he setteth the Solitary in Families He has founded this Domestical Society ultimately for his own Glory and Subordinately for our good and Comfort Your Families then are Gods by a Right of Creation and by a right of Conversation also He made them and he sustains them We and ours live upon his Bounty and are maintained at his Cost 't is his Flax and his Wooll which we daily wear and he giveth us richly all things to enjoy Now if the Ox knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Cribb shall a Family which Almighty God doth hourly sustain and nourish neglect to pay their Homage to Him and own their Dependance on him Consider 2. The superadded Obligation you lye under to the performance of this Duty both in point of Duty and in point of Interest In point of Duty 1. As you are intrusted by Almighty God with the Care and Charge of your Children and Servants also for which reason every Parent and Master is constituted a Prophet Priest and King in and unto his Houshold As a Prophet he is to teach them by Instruction and Example As a Priest he is to offer up the daily Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise for them And as a King he is to command his Children and Houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord. In point of Interest also 2. Have you not many Family-Sins to confess and many Family wants to supply Now is there any that can pardon the one or supply the other besides God If thy Children want bread can'st thou put it into their Mouths before God puts it into thy hand If they want Grace can any work it in their hearts but the God of all Grace In a word Do you not daily receive many Family-Mercies from the hand of Divine Bounty and is it not reasonable that they which eat of the same Feast should joyn in the same Song of Praise to the Founder of it When you awake in the Morning and find none of your Families dead in their Beds or Buried in the Ruines of their Habitation but all of you preserved from death and danger and delivered from the power and malice of Evil Spirits and out of the hands of unreasonable and wicked Men is not this a mercy that deserves thy calling thy Family together jointly to offer up your thankful acknowledgements to the God of your Mercies 3. Consider That the very Heathens at the great day will arise up in judgment and condemn all such persons as live in the neglect of worshipping God in their Families For even they had their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Dii Domestici their Lares and Penates their Houshould Gods as they called them whom they sacrificed Morning and Evening unto that they might conciliate their Favour and be successful in their Enterprises The Old Heathens were wont to say Now we have Sacrificed let us go to bed How many that call themselves Christians say Now we have Supped let us go to bed Oh what shall we think of such persons are they Men or are they Swine they are sunk not only below Heathens but even as low as Brutes who never look up to the hand that feeds them Now that your Family-worship be performed in an Acceptable and Advantageous manner Let the following advices be observed by you 1. Take care that Family-Worship be performed constantly and seasonably by Family-Worship I mean especially Family-prayer Reading the Holy Scriptures c. Catechizing and Instructing Children and Servants in the Fundamental Principles of Christianity and praising of God in Singing All which duties the Family-Governour is to take care not only that they be performed constantly but seasonably at such times as are freest in reguard of interruption particularly the Morning is the fittest season when our Spirits are fresh and lively and before a Throng of Worldly business crowds in upon us You will find it much better to go from Prayer to Business than from business to prayer in regard of the freedom of your Minds from distracting thoughts So when the Evening comes on delay not the performance of your duty to an unseasonable hour Some Masters call for the Cushion to go to Prayer when they are more fit for the Plilow and to go to sleep But supposing that this should not be thine own case thou art wakeful thy self yet thou oughtest to consider the condition of thy poor Servants who work hard in the day and to take heed that thou dost not expose them to the sin and temptation of drousie praying 2. Look upon it as thy oblidged duty to pray Morning and Evening in thy Family many Masters pray neither Morning nor Night with their Houshold some pray at Night only and then so late that a Child is asleep in one corner and a Servant in another and the Master himself between sleeping and waking can such hanging down our heads instead of listing up our hands be Accepted as an Evening Sacrifice Surely we cannot expect it To convince you how reasonaby Almighty God may expect from you a Morning as well as an Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and praise Consider 1. That under the Law Almighty God required thus much namely both a Morning and Evening Sacrifice which was called the continual Burnt-offering 2. That we have no reason to think or suppose that Almighty God expects less but rather more homage and spiritual worship from us now having freed us from the burthen of such Ceremonial observances as they were oblidg'd to 3. That the often repeated commands of the Gospel which require us to pray always and to pray without ceasing cannot reasonably be thought to signifie less than praying as often as the Jews offered Sacrifice which was Morning and Evening And this may as properly be called a praying continually as the Morning and Evening Sacrifices under the Law were called a continual Burnt-Offering So that if you do not pray Morning and Evening you must suppose that Almighty God will accept of less service under the Gospel than he did under the Law 3. Advice is this Spend so much time in Family-worship and particularly in Prayer that those that joyn with you may be affected but not so much time as to be wearied with the Duty My meaning plainly is be neither too short nor yet too tedious To arise up from our Kees before our Hearts are affected either with our own Sin or with Gods Mercies is to come away from a duty no better than we went to it And such an over hasty Brevity argues very little delight that we take in the duty but shews that we are very glad to get out of Gods presence as soon as we can And on the other hand too much prolixity and length in duty has its inconveniencies and makes the Duty burthensom and Persons the more backward to the performance of it Let thy prudence then so guide thee in the management of thy duty that God may have the Glory
thy self and others the Benefit of thy attendance on him in holy Duties 4. Labour to preserve Family-peace if you would acceptably perform Family-Prayers agree together in Love that your Prayers be not hindred This is certain that Religion and the power of Holiness can never thrive or prosper in that Family where discord and contention dwells you may as well hope to Live together comfortably in an house on fire as pray together acceptably when your Spirits are inflamed with passion or imbitter'd with prejudice one against another nay verily the Body may as well thrive in a Feaver as such a Family grow in Grace As the fire in the Bones must be quenched and the Body brought to its natural temper and disposition before it can thrive and grow healthy so these unkindly heats must be quencht in a Family before Religion can thrive or prosper That Family will be unsuccessful in praying that is much squabling and brawling often contending with and clashing against one another 5. Take heed of setting up Family-Worship in opposition to Publick Worship or to suffer the one to interfere with the other We can say our Prayers say some in the Chimny-corner what need we go to Church to do it But at this rate all sense of God and Religion will be utterly lost in the World and is not this the Communion of Saints and the Fellowship of Holy Christians a priviledge worth thy prizing How does the presence of Devout Souls sometimes fire and inflame our cold Spirits and cause them to grow into greater Ardours and Transports of Zeal Thus the Divine Herbert sweetly expresses it Though Private Prayer be a brave Design Yet Publick hath more Promises more Love c. Leave there thy Six and Seven To pray with most for where most pray is Heaven God allows you time both for Publick-Worship and Family-Duties he expects the joint performance of both from you Let Piety and Prudence so Guide and Direct you in the management of both that God may be Glorified and your Souls improved by both 6. Let not the sense of thine own weakness or want of Gifts and Parts c. discourage thee from the daily performance of this Duty of Praying in and with thy Family but in Obedience to God set about it in the best manner thou art able and he will pardon thy weakness and accept thy sincerity It is not enlarged Parts and Gifts and Florid Expressions that Almighty God looks at but an Humble Penitent Broken and Believing Heart In Prayer it is not the quaint Note of the Nightingal but the Mournful Tone of the Dove that finds the best acceptance Study your Sins your Wants and Mercies and get a sense of all these upon your Hearts and you will be able in some measure to express your desires to Almighty God But if after all the want of suitable Expressions do discourage thee from Praying before others in thy Family make use of some of those many good Books of Devotion which are amongst us Or if you have none of them and are so poor that you cannot purchase them make use of the following Words to express your Family-wants in to Almighty God Morning and Evening A Family Prayer for the Moning OH Eternal Ever-Glorious Ever-Gracious and Merciful Lord our God! Thou fillest the Heavens with thy Glory the Earth with thy Goodness and all places with the immensity of thy Presence We pray Thee fill our Hearts with awful Apprehensions of thy Great and Glorious Majesty that whenever we come before Thee we may Sanctify thy Name in all our Religious Addresses to Thee We Holily Admire and Humbly Adore thy Divine Goodness towards us in this Invaluable Priveledge of our Admission to the Throne of Grace which our dear Redeemer has purchased for us by Faith in whose Mediation it is that we offer up our Prayers and Suplications now unto Thee beseeching thee for his satisfaction sake to pardon our Iniquities and for his Intercession sake to hear our Prayers It is oh Lord the sincere desire of our Souls this Morning to give Glory to thy Name by a free Penitent Acknowledgment and Confession of our Sin and Guilt which has rendred us All justy lyable and Obnoxious to thy Wrath and Curse Particularly We lament before God the want of the Original Purity and Perfection of our Natures the loss of thy Divine Image which was Instampt upon our Souls in their first Creation Oh how have we by our Apostacy from God forefeited his favour and lost his likeness being by Nature Children of Wrath because Children of Disobedience Help us also to lye low at thy foot in a Sorrowful fight and sense of the manifold Actual Transgressions and Provocations of our Lives Humble us greatly for all the Follies and Indecencies of our Childhood for the Vanities of our Youth and the sinfulness of our Riper Years for our Sins of Ignorance and of Knowledge of Weakness and of Wilfulness of Omission and of Commission against thy Law and against thy Gospel against the motions of thy Holy Spirit and the checks of our own Consciences We lament and bewail them all in thy presence they are our grief and our shame and the burthen of our Souls God Almighty pardon them unto us blot them out of thy Book bury them in our Saviours Grave that they may never arise more either in this World to shame us or in the World to come to condemn us And as we humbly implore thy Pardoning Mercy for the Errors of our Life past so we do Importunately begg the Aids of thy Divine Grace to impower us against the Dominion of Sin for the time to come let the Grace of God which has appeared to us in thy Gospel Teach every one of us practically to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to Live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World And God Almighty keep it in the purpose of our hearts for ever to continue faithful to him that with full purpose of heart we may cleave unto the Lord that continuing faithful to the Death we may lay hold of the Crown of Life Prepare and sit us for thy whole providential Will and Pleasure We pray thee Compose our Minds in all Conditions of Life to a quiet and steady dependance on thy Good Providence that we may be Solicitously carefull or nothing but in every condition by Prayer and Supplication let us make our Requests known to God Mind us of our Mortality and let us never be forgetful of our latter end help us practically to understand how frail we are and let us wisely prepare for that great change of ours which will Translate every Soul of us into an Unchangeable and Everlasting State Extend thy Goodness and Compassions to the whole World Pity the deplorable Ruines of Mankind think upon the dark Corners of the Earth that perish for want of Vision and where ever thou hast a Church planted perpetually watch over it and be a protection
in Compassion to our Infirmities has commanded us to say Our Father c. An HYMN Or Song of Praise for the Morning LORD for the Mercies of this Night My humble Thanks I Pay And unto Thee I Dedicate The First-Fruits of the Day My God was with me all this Night And gave me sweet Repose My God did Watch even whilst I Slept Or I had never Rose How many groan'd and wisht for Sleep Untill they wisht for Day Weary both of their Bed and Life whilst I securly lay Whilst I did Sleep all Dangers Slept No Thieves did Me affright Those Evening Wolves those Beasts of Prey Disturbers of the Night No Raging Flames Nor Storms did Rend The house that I was in I heard no Dreadful Cries without Nor Doleful Groans within What Terrors have I ' scap'd this Night Which have on others fell My Body might have Slept its last My Soul have wak'd in Hell Let this Day Praise Thee oh my God And so let all my Days And oh let my Eternal Day Be thy Eternal Praise An HYMN or Song of Praise for the Evening MY God my only Help and Hope My strong and sure Defence For all the Mercies of this Day I Bless thy Providence Lord in the day thou wert about The Paths wherein I tread Now in the Night when I lye down Be thou about my Bed This Day God was my Son and sheild My keeper and my Guide His Care was on my Frailty shewn His Mercies multiplied Minutes and Mercies multiplied Have made up all this Day Minutes came quick but Mercies were More swift and free than they New Time new Favours and new Joyes Do a New Song require 'Till I shall Praise the as I would Accept my Hearts Desire Now for a Close of this Advice to Family-Governours concerning their Performance of Family Worship I shall only subjoin this one Cautionary Direction Take heed of resting in thy Family-Duties and by no means think it sufficient to prove thee a Saint and evidence thee a sincere Christian because thou art frequent in Family-Duties Alas a Man may set up the Worship of God in his House and yet not Enthrone God in his Heart The Duty it self is good but the bare Performance of it will not demonstrate thee to be so look therefore how thou daily Walkest as well as how thou Prayest If thou meanest to foul thy Hands with Sins black work in the Day it is gross Hypocrisie to pretend to wash them by Prayer in the Morning 'T is sad to pretend to Religion in the House and to practise Deceit and Fraud in the Shop Oh how many begin with God by Prayer in the Morning and keep the Devil Compain Sin all the Day after The Neglect of Family Duties will certainly bespeak thee a Bad Man But the most constant performance of them without a Life suitable to them will never prove thee a good Man CHAP. X. Of Glorifying God in Secret Duties GReat is the Condescention of Almighty God in holding Communion with his Church in their Publick Assemblies when with United Prayers and Supplications they make their Solemnest Adresses to him But Oh how Adorable is his Condescending Love in stooping so low as to maintain a holy Fellowship and sweet Communion with a single Christian in his Closet-Devotions It is not enough that in Heaven when we shall put on our Robes of Glory that he will take us into his Royal Presence and Admit us there to the sight and enjoyment of his Face and Favour but will he now whilest we are clad with Raggs of Mortality and before our Grave Cloaths are thrown off entertain us also as his Friends and indulge us the liberty of giving him a Visit in the remotest Corner of our House Verily such astonishing Love and stupendious Condescention is rather to be admired than expressed by us Now there are several Secret Duties incumbent upon Christians which Almighty God upon our humble Application to him will afford us the sweet Influences the secret Aids and Assistances of his Holy Spirit in the performance of As namely 1. Holy and Devout Meditation when the Soul retires from the World and in a serious and solemn Manner sets it self to think upon God to contemplate his glorious Attributes to ruminate upon his gracious Promises to admire his wonderful Word and Works 2. Serious Self-examination by which we make a daily enquiry into the State of our Souls and thereby arrive at a well-grounded Kowledge of the safety of our State and Condition by comparing the Frame of our Hearts and the Course of our Lives with the Holy Rule of God's Commandements and observing their sincere Conformity thereunto 3. Secret Prayer and Supplication which ought to be performed constantly and seasonably twice a Day As soon as thou arisest out of thy Bed in the Morning begin the Day with God and make a most hearty tender of your self to his Service and Glory before you set about any Worldly-Business and never think of putting off your Cloaths to lye down at Night before you have commended your selves and all yours unto his merciful Protection For your Encouragment hereunto you have the Practise and Example of our Blessed Saviour whom you find early in the Morning Praying alone St. Mark 1.35 and late in the Evening St. Matth. 14.23 and that this was our Saviour's usual Practice may be gathered from St. Luke 22.39 compared with St. Luke 21.27 Thus Christ Sanctified this Duty by his own Example and has by his Promise annexed a Gracious Reward to the faithful doing of it St. Matth. 6.6 All this our Blessed Saviour did when he was here on Earth and now that he is Ascended up into Heaven to what Purpose is he appointed our Intercessor there if we send up no Prayers to him to be presented by him to the Father Besides this the Sense of our daily wants one would think should sufficiently excite us to this Duty we standing in continual need of God or if we could be supposed to want nothing yet the Sense we have that we hold All we call Ours by the meer Mercy of God should move us to acknowledge him and to pay our Homage and Adorations to him Add to this that there is no such way to make Almighty God intirely our Friend as by commending our selves in the Duty of Prayer to him with a Pious Trust in his Mercy and an intire Devoting of our selves to his Service and Glory But oh how inexpressible will be the Comfort of going to God as an Acquaintance when we are going out of this World if we can truly say as that Devout Man Dr. Preston did a little before his Death I shall change my Place but not my Company how joyfully may we hope and comfortably expect to go to God when we dye with whom we held a constant good correspondence and maintained a sweet familiarity whilest we lived Let these Considerations briefly hinted to thy Thoughts work in thee a Pious Resolution
to begin and end the day with God this will Antidote and fortifie thy Soul against the Contagion of Sin and the Temptations of Sinners Ecclesiastical History tells us that when St. Origen fell into that great Sin of Offering Incense to an Idol-god that Morning he went forth before he had performed his Private Devotions We are never safe either from Sin or Danger but when under the over-shadowing Care and Providential Wing of God and Prayer is the way and means to engage God Almighty's care over us and concern for us by Prayer we fix our Minds upon him we lay open our Souls before him we recomend our selves unto him which gives our Minds the sweetest and most solid satisfaction that whatever Providences befall us are certainly intended by an unerring Wisdom for our good and in Order to our Happiness Now in Order to your Glorifying Almighty God in Secret Duties let the following Directions be observed 1. Be sure that thou art Private in thy Private Duties let it be true Secret Prayer and not have its Name for nought Remember our Saviour's Advice St. Matth. 6.6 Enter into thy Closet when thou prayest and shut thy door and be sure to shut it so close that no Wind of Vain Glory may either get out or come in Some Hypocrites pray in Secret but as they handle the matter they are not Secret in their Closets like the Hen that goes into a Private place to lay her Egg but by her Cackling tells all the House both where she is and what she is about rather than be guilty of this Vanity shut the door of thy Lips as well as of thy Closet not but that it is lawful to use the Voice in Private Prayer provided it be not for Ostentation to be over-heard by others Yea and useful also as it helps the Attention of the Mind and prevents wandring thoughts and likewise quickens the Affections by raising them up to an higher degree and pitch of Fervency Christian Prudence therefore must direct Thee what is best in this Case 2. Look that thou art free and open with Almighty God in Private Duties come not to God in Secret and then conceal thy Secret from him lay open thy very Heart and spread all thy Secret Sins before him and be sure to hide nothing from him if thou art not free to Confess never expect that God will be faithful to forgive Prayer is called in Scripture a pouring forth of the Soul to God because a Gracious Person makes known all its wants and griefs to God and does this with much Freedom of Spirit Verily there is nothing that Almighty God resents more unkindly at his Peoples hands than their Attempts to conceal either their their Secrets Sins or their Secret wants from him when he stands ready so graciously to pardon the one and so mercifully to supply the other 3. Make use of the most proper and fitting Season for Secret-prayer and take heed that one Duty doth not interfere with another either with Family-Prayer or with Publick-worship the Beauty of Christianity consists in the Harmony of a Christian Obedience but the Devil takes a mighty pleasure in putting Persons upon setting the Ordinances of God at variance one against another look also that thy Closet-Devotions do not interfere with the Duties of thy particular Calling God allows time for the Shop as well as for the Closet as thou art to shut thy Closet-doors to pray so to open thy Shop Windows for work and if we be not faithful in the one we cannot expect his Presence in the other Go then Oh Christian into thy Closet before thou goest into thy Shop or else thou art an Atheist but when thou hast been with God there attend with faithfulness the Business of thy Calling or else thou art an Hyyocrite he that says Be fervent in Prayer also says Be not sloathful in Business 4. Take heed that your frequent performance of Secret Duties do not degenerate into a lifeless formality what we do very frequently we are prone to do very carelesly it is exceeding hard not to grow formal in those Duties which we are daily Conversant in Endeavour therefore with your utmost Care and Diligence to keep up the fervour of your Affections in your daily approaches to God and in order thereunto I would advise you to pray often rather than very long for it is difficult to be long in our Prayers and not to slacken our Affections Our Blessed Saviour himself we find praying often yea and using the same Words in Prayer St. Matth. 26.44 5. Rest not upon it as an Infallible Evidence of thy Sincerity thou art found in the practice of Secret Duties 'T is as possible for Hipocrisie to creep into the Closet as for the Frogs to get into Pharaohs Bed-chamber a man may perform Secret-Duties and yet indulge himself in many Secret Sins But if thou delightest in searching Duties as well as Secret in the close Examination of thy Heart in the impartial Trying of thy Ways in serious Meditation of the Threatnings of the Word so as to deterr thee from the Practice of all known Sin this will afford thee a good ground of Hope that thy Heart is upright in Gods sight 6. Let not Business divert thee let not the sense of thy own weakness and want of Abilities discourage thee from the practice of Secret Duties especially from praying daily by thy self alone confess all thy Sins and lay open all thy wants before Almighty God in the best manner thou art able and question not the acceptance of thy worthless Services for the sake of a worthy Mediator and rather than the sense of thine own weakness and want of Expression should tempt thee to neglect this Duty make use of the following Words A Morning Prayer for a Private Person OH Eternal and ever Blessed God! Thou art in thy self Infinitely Glorious in the Son of thy Love transcendently Gracious In all Humility I bow at thy Foot adoring thy Divine Majesty by whose Power I was brought into the World and by whose Providence I have been preserved to this Moment I acknowledge my self to have been estranged from Thee even from the Womb for I brought a sinful Nature into the World with me from whence all actual Transgressions havâ— flown and proceeded as impure Streams from a polluted Fountain Oh Lord humble me and that greatly for my Original Guilt for the Follies of my Childhood for the vanities and impieties of my Youth for the Transgressions and Provocations of my Riper Years give me a particular sight of them work in my Soul an Ingenious and Godly Sorrow for them an impartial hatred and enmity against them Accept of the Death and Sufferings of thy Son as a full satisfaction to thy Justice for all that wrong I have done to the Holiness of thy Law and enable me by Faith to repose the intire Trust and Confidence of my Soul on the sufficiency of his Merits and Oh let thy Holy Spirit
hinder your Attention For it shews a vile esteem that we have of the Word of God when we give place ordinarily to wandring Thoughts and a drowsie Eye in the hearing of it 'T is said of Lydia Acts 16.14 That the Lord opened her heart that she amended to the Word which was spoken of Paul Observe First her heart was opened then her Ear from whence I gather that the great reason of Persons not attending to the Ministry of the Word is a defect in their Hearts where the heart is open the Ear will not be shut Oh what great Vanity of Mind and Levity of Spirit does it argue in Men to yield a far greater attention at the hearing of a News-Book than when a Message from God is deliver'd to them even a Message of Life or Death 3. Hear the Word of God Retentively Labour to remember and hold fast what thou hearest To this the Apostle adviseth Heb. 2.1 Let us give the more earnest heed unto the things which are spoken lest at any time we should let them slip Many complain of the weakness of their Memory they cannot remember the Word as they desire let such take the following advice viz. Labour for a full and clear Understanding of the matter delivered The clearer Apprehension we have of Truths in our Understanding the firmer Impression will they make upon our Memories Ignorance is one of the greatest hindrances to Memory Again Labour to excite and quicken and stir up and awaken your affections of Desire and Delight in and towards the Word of God David says Psal 119. I delight in thy Precepts I will not forget thy Word We also find it true by common observation that passage in a Sermon is best Remembred by us which did most Affect us But especially if you would Remember what you hear be much in the present Meditation of the Word you have heard The Word Preached is compared to Seed sown now the Meditation is the Harrow that covers this Seed This must be used as speedily as we can after we have been under the Ordinance otherwise Satan the Bird of Prey which follows God's Plough will steal away the precious Seed out of our Hearts 4. Hear the good Word of God Applyingly Make a particular and close Application of the Truths thou hearest to thy own Soul It is observable that the Word of God is compared in Scripture to such things as do require a close and immediate Application as to Seed which brings forth no Increase as it lies in the Chamber but when cast into the Furrows of the Field to Bread which nourishes not when standing upon the Table but when applied to the Stomach to Rain which fructifies not when bringing in the Clouds but when drunk in by the thirsty Earth This was the reason why St. Peter's Sermon met with such Success why so many Thousand Souls were Converted by it Every Hearer applied what was spoken to himself They said Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2. v. 37. Application is not only the Life of Preaching but of Hearing also 5. Hear the Word of God Believingly All the want of Success which the Preaching of the Word meets with proceeds from Unbelief Heb. 4.2 The word Preached did not profit not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it There is a mutual Relation betwixt Faith and the Word No Faith without the Word it comes by Hearing and no profiting by the Word without Faith The Word fighteth boldly and worketh miraculously under Faith's Banner it is the power of God unto Salvation but only to them that believe Faith in the Precept causeth Subjection Faith in the Threatnings causeth Humiliation Faith in the Promises worketh Consolation Were the Threatnings and Promises which are daily Preached duly Believed what a mighty Influence would they have upon the Lives of Men The Threatnings would affright us from Sin and the Promises allure us to Duty 6. Hear the Word of God Meekly Take heed of Anger and Passion either against the Message or Messengers of God Many Sinners are Angry when the Word reproves them for their Sins and threatens them for their Abominations 2 Chron. 16.10 Asa was wroth with the Prophet put him in Prison and was in a rage with him If such Rage was found in a Good and Holy Man whose Heart was perfect with the Lord his God what Fury and Indignation may we conceive oft-times to boil in a wicked Man's Breast when his Sins are Discovered Reproved Condemned and Threatned by the Ministry of the Word And therefore St. James gives Advice to receive with meekness the ingrafted Word Ch. 1.21 Consider Oh Sinners how unreasonable and unjust thy Anger and Displeasure is when thy Sins are Reproved by the Ministry of the Word either thou must be angry with the Messenger or with him that sends the Message to be angry with the Messenger is unreasonable for God will Reprove him if he neglect to Reprove thee thy Blood shall be required at his hands and to be displeased with the Message is unjust For wilt thou impudently break and violate the Law of God and not endure to be told of thy Faults If you say that this Preaching of the Terrours and Threatnings of the Law is the ready way to drive Men to Despair I reply That 't is not the Hearing but the Rejecting of Reproof that lays Men open to Despair Peter received our Saviour's Reproof and Repented Judas Rejected Christ's Reproof and that drives him to Despair and next to the Halter he went and hanged himself St. Matth. 27.5 7. Above all Hear the Word of God Practically When the Minister's Duty is done the Hearer's Work begins He heareth a Sermon best who practiseth it most This practical Hearing of the Word will Evidence thee to be an Understanding Hearer Psal 111. ult A good Understanding have all they that do thy Commandments It will Evidence thee to be a Retentive Hearer because this practising is the end of our Remembring it will Evidence thee a Believing Hearer who Believed Moses his Word concerning the Plague of Hail but they that made their Cattel flee out of the Field into their Houses Who are they that Believe the Threatnings of the Word but such as upon the Denunciation of the Threatnings do fly from the Wrath to come Oh Christian do not only hear and admire but hear and amend obey from the heart the Form of Doctrine deliver'd to thee and then thou art blessed in thy Deed. To excite thee hereunto consider First That this Practical hearing of the Word glorifies the Word and God in the Word above all to come to the Word without any desire or design to Glorifie God by it is the height of Prophaneness to pretend and not to do it is the depth of Hypocrisie The Apostle begs Prayer 2 Thess 3.1 That the Word of the Lord may have a free course and be Glorified When is God glorified but when his Word is Believed Entertained Practised
a borrowed Chamber in an upper Room in the Evening only to Twelve Persons and those Twelve Men yea Twelve Ministers and in a Coat without a Seam To keep thus strictly to Christ's Order in the use of this Ordinance I assure you is so far from being a Duty that it will be your sin But 2ly As to the Garment worn by us in the Administration why should a matter of such indifferency discompose thy Thoughts at such a solemn time Look you to your self that you come cloathed with the Wedding Garment of Repentance Faith Love and Joy and if there be any Evil in Colours in a White Garment more than a Black one he that wears it or the Authority that enjoyns it shall Answer for that and not you 3ly As to our using a Form of Prayer in the Administration know that all the Reformed Churches throughout the World have done the like the Church of Geneva not excepted for the Spirituality of Prayer doth not consist in an extemporary fluency of Words but in the Intention of the Mind and Devotion of the Soul if we pray in Faith with Humility with Holy Fervency with Humble Resignation we certainly pray by the Spirit tho' with a Form of Words before us and on the other hand if we pray without the forementioned Dispositions our Prayers are formal and unacceptable tho' we pray without a Form Lastly As to what is scrupled about Kneeling 1. It doth not clearly appear what Gesture our Saviour used when he celebrated this Ordinance the Scripture is very silent about it from whence I infer that had it been our Saviour's mind we should follow his Example in this Circumstance we should not have been left in the dark concerning it 2. Suppose it were Sitting this being but a Circumstance of the Action we are no more obliged to follow it than the other Circumstances of Time Place Habit c. 3. Let it be considered how far the Church of England has protested against all Adoration of the Elements so that they who suspect us Kneeling to the Bread and Wine do shew themselves to be either grosly ignorant or greatly malicious But because this is the highest Ordinance we attend upon Christ in and we receive the greatest Benefits by the Ordinance we are capable of on this side Glory even a Pardon Sealed from the King of Heaven which we would not receive in any other posture than upon our Knees from an Earthly Prince and forasmuch as the Sacrament is delivered to us with Prayer we judge it the most suitable Gesture for such a solemn Ordinance and both in Obedience to Authority and also from an Act of choice we use this Gesture as a Token of profound Reverence to our most endearing Redeemer These are all the most considerable Pleas and Pretences which I have met with from Persons for the neglect of this Duty If what has been here said tend to the satisfaction of any and they are willing to address themselves to the practice of this long neglected Duty I shall next inform them what Preparation is necessary to fit them for it 5. And here know in General that the best Preparation for the Sacrament is a Holy Life a daily walking before God in the Holy Path of his Commandments in an uniform Compliance with the Duties both of our General and Particular Callings exercising your selves daily in keeping a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men. In short the habitual devotedness of the Soul to God accompanied with a steady resolution to continue stedfast in our Obedience to him all our days is such a Divine Temper as gives us an undoubted right to the Ordinance and is the best Qualification for it But more particularly you are to understand that besides our habitual Preparation by Repentance and the constant Endeavours of a Holy Life we ought to set some time apart for Actual Preparation tho' how much every Person ought to allot of his Time for that Work cannot precisely be determined some have more cause for it than others having long neglected themselves and their Duty Others have more Leisure and Freedom for it No man ought to come to the Sacrament without due Care and Preparation but God doth not expect so much time should be set apart for Solemn Preparation by a poor Servant as he does from a Rich Master Now a Christian 's actual Preparation for this Ordinance I take to consist in the practice of these five following Duties Examination Humilation Resolution Meditation Prayer and Supplication 1. Examine thy self according to St. Paul's Advice 1 Cor. 11.28 For we stand too near our selves to see our Failings without great Observation Take therefore the Candle of the Word into thy hand to search thy Heart and examine thy Life by Particularly examine 1. What good there is in thee what Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body and to understand the Nature Use and End of the Lord's Supper What Faith to apply the Merits of his Death to thy own Soul What Love to thy Saviour's Person Precepts Promises People to every one that has the Image of Christ upon him What Repentance and Godly Sorrow dost thou find in thy Soul for Sin What Care every day to mortifie it and to die daily more and more unto it 2. Examine what Evil is in Thee and has been done by Thee See and be sensible of the sinfulness of thy Nature of the Sins of thy Heart and Life of thy Omissions of Good and Commissions of Evil of thy Sins against God and thy Neighbour in Heart Word or Deed And tho' it be impossible upon thy utmost search to find out all it will be a good Evidence of thy Sincerity that thou art not willing to hide any 2. Having by Examination found out thy Sins fall down upon thy Knees in Confession and Humiliation before God bewailing manifold Sins ond Wickedness which thou from time to time hast most grievously committed by Thought Word and Deed against his Divine Majesty Labour earnestly to repent and to be unfeignedly sorry for these thy misdoings beg of God that the remembrance of Sin may be bitter to thy Soul and the burthen of it be intolerable plead with him to forgive Thee all that is past and to give thee his Grace that thou mayst ever hereafter serve and please Him in newness of Life to the Honour and Glory of his Holy Name This done before thou arisest from thy Knees 3. Renew thy Resolutions for a Holy Life Vow to be more watchful more careful and circumspect for the time to come say with holy David Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will perfarm that I will keep thy righteous Judgments And be sure when you resolve against your Sins that you resolve against all Temptations which lead to Sin he that resolves against Drunkenness and Swearing must resolve to avoid wicked Company which draw him to that excess and to pass by the Door where he is wont to
admit me this day into thy Presence to renew my Covenant with Thee which I have so often and so perversly broken before Thee I have once more lifted up my hand to the most High God and sworn Allegiance to my Soveraign and my Saviour Oh keep it in the purpose of my Heart for ever to continue stedfast in his Covenant and let neither the smiles of a flattering World allure me nor the Frowns Threats and Terrors of an Angry World be ever able to drive me from my Duty or hinder me in the way of well-doing Holy Father accept I Beseech Thee of that renewed Dedication which I have made of my self this day unto Thee even of my whole Man Soul Body and Spirit to thy Service and Honour And now Glory be to Thee Oh God the Father whom I shall from this day forward with an humble Expectation look up unto as my Father and God in Covenant Glory be to Thee Oh God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my Sins in thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour my Justifier and Redemer Glory be to Thee Oh God the Holy Ghost who hast by the Power of thy Victorious Grace overcome the obstinacy of my Heart and turned it from Sin to God Oh Lord God! Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Spirit Thou art become my Covenant Friend and I through thy Grace am become thy Covenant Servant Truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant heartily devoted to thy fear Thy Vows are upon me Oh God! Thy Vows are upon me I will render Praises unto Thee Oh let me never more start aside from my Vows like a broken Bow but give me such a stedfastness and stability of Mind such a firmness and fixedness of Resolution that my after-Conversation may be suitable both to my present Profession and future Expectation that so I may in all Companies in all Conditions walk worthy of him that hath called me to his Kingdom and Glory And let the sence of my Redeemers Love this day to me inflame my Heart with a never failing Charity unto all Mankind whom I pray God to do good unto especially to thy Church particularly to these Nations under their Majesties Care and Inspection whom may Almighty God long and mutually Bless in the Happy Enjoyment of each other and work in the Minds of all Christians a dread of thy Name an Honour of their Superiours and un unfeigned Charity one towards another All which Mercies I humbly Beg in the Name of the Holy Jesus saying Our Father c. An Hymn after the Sacrament LOrd any Mercy short of Hell For Me it is too good But have I Eat the Flesh of Christ And also Drunk his Blood Mysterious Depths of Endless Love My Admirations Raise Oh God thy Name exalted is Above the highest Praise My Saviours Flesh is Meat indeed His Blood is Drink Divine His Graces Dropt like Honey-Combs His Comforts Taste like Wine This day Christ has refresht my Soul With his abundant Grace For which I magnifie his Name Longing to see his Face Oh when shall I ascend on high Most Holy Just and True To eat that Bread and Drink that Wine Which is for ever New To Him that sits upon the Throne And Christ the Lamb therefore Be Glory Blessing Strength Renown And Honour evermore CHAP. XIV Containing an Earnest Exhortation to the Love and Practice of Universal Holiness THE Consideration of our Baptismal Vow renewed and ratified by many Sacramental Engagements at the Holy Table is certainly one of the strongest ties that Christianity layes upon us to oblidge us to the Love and practice of universal Holiness for most certain it is if we relapse and fall back into an evil course of Life if we wilfully return again to Folly we kindle Gods Wrath against us we provoke him to plague us with divers Diseases and sundry kinds of Death But if we escape these there are more dismal Plagues than these that will overtake us such are hardness of Heart blindness of Mind and a Seared Conscience These are indeed invisible stroaks which make not a noise and strike not our Senses but verily if we consider the Effects and consequences of them they are more formidable and dismal than the raging Pestilence and the loudest Claps of Thunder Let us then Piously Resolve as we Fear the Wrath of God and Love our own Souls after we have renewed our Covenant with God at his Holy Table to oblige our selves to an Eminent and Exemplary Piety of Conversation Let us live as those that are Redeemed by the Blood of Jesus as those that are Sanctified and Sealed by the Spirit of Jesus as those that do expect an Eternal Fellowship and Communion with Jesus in his Heavenly Kingdom To this end it may be very advisable 1. The next Morning after thou hast been at the Sacrament as soon as thou art up enter into thy Closet And before the Lord piously and positively Resolve and Vow to maintain a strict Watchfulness and Care over thy Heart Words and Ways for the time to come Such a Resolution as this made in the Strength of God will work wonders because God will Assist and Bless it 'T will fortifie thee against Temptations and the strongest Solicitations to return to the Love and Practice of Sin and Wickedness Suppose thy dearest Friends and Familiars suppose thy Indulgent Mother that bare thee nay suppose the Wife of thy Bosom the Delight of thine Eyes should all set upon thee yea Entreat and Importune thee to Omit some known Duty or to Commit some wicked Act such a Resolution as thou hast now made for a Holy Life will Antidote thy Soul against the Poyson of such a Temptation and put the same Reply into thy Mouth as was found in Holy Joseph's Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great Wickedness and sin against God 2. Having made this Solemn Vow betwixt God and thy own Soul for a Holy Life for a Life suitable to a Sacramental Engagement you will find it very advantagious to write it down and keep it by you thus At such a Time and on such a Day having renewed my Covenant with God at his Holy Table I did with all the Devotion of my Heart and Soul entirely surrender up my self and all that is mine to the Service and Glory of Almighty God Vowing all Fidelity and Obedience to him and Resolving that he shall have the full Guiding Governing and Disposing of me and mine And after every Sacrament look upon it and consider seriously of it saying thus to thy self Behold Oh my Soul the Bonds that are upon thee this is thine own Act and Deed it is as certainly Recorded in Heaven as it is here Written on Earth and shall one Day be brought forth against thee to thy Everlasting Condemnation if thou dost not walk answerably to the Obligation of it Keep it by thee as a Memorial of the Solemn Transactions betwixt God and thy Soul and besides the