it being the Ordinance he hath sanctified for that very end Time spent in prayer will bee no hinderance but rather a furtherance of our worldly businesses and imployments this will oyl the wheels for any work making it more easie yea and sanctifie all the things we take in hand making them successful unto us for those works which are sanctified by Prayer doe usually speed best Obj. 2. Some object their great inability to prâ—â—â—â—hey know not how to pray not having the spirit of prayer Ans. 1. Let such bewayl this their sad condition and mourn under the sense of it remembring what our Saviour saith Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted 2 Goe unto Christ and say unto him as the Disciples did Lord teach me to pray with an acknowledgement of thine own inability beg the assistance of Gods Spirit and say Lord thou hast promised thy Spirit to help the infirmities of thy Servants O make good this thy gracious promise to me thy poor weak and unworthy Servant let me feel and finde the assistance of thy Spirit strengthening my weakness and enabling me to pour out my soul before thee in some acceptable manner 3 Call to mind thy sins with the aggravations of them and withall consider thy Spiritual wants and then put thy self upon the duty of Prayer confess thy sins unto God with all the aggravations thereof as well as thou canst begge the pardon of them and be earnest with God for such Graces as thou standest in most need of By using and exercising that small ability to pray that thou hast thou shalt increase it and grow more able to doe it with comfort 4 Know this that a man may pray most effectually and acceptably even when he cannot express himself in any apt words for the work of the Spirit in Prayer consisteth not so much in the expression of the tongue as in the affection of the heart wherein the very life and soul of prayer doth consist Having answered the fore-mentioned Objections I shall now give you some directions for the right manner of performing this duty of Prayer so as it may be acceptable and pleasing unto God To this end 1 Some things are required before Prayer 2 Some things in Prayer 3 Some things after Prayer 1 Before Prayer there is required preparation which consisteth in two things 1 In a serious Meditation of the infinite Majesty and glory of God on the one part and of thine own Vileness and unworthiness on the other 2 In a sequestration of thy thoughts from earthly affairs and worldly businesses For thy better help thereunto observe these rules 1 When thou art going to prayer renew thy resolution against wandring thoughts saying with thy self I have lost many a prayer through the distractions of my thoughts and wandrings of my mind after worldly matters therein and I am in danger to lose this prayer also if I be not the more watchful over my self therefore I doe now resolve with the assistance of Gods grace to be more watchful over my thoughts to keep my heart close unto the duty I am going about and not to suffer my mind to wander after other matters as formerly it hath done if thou wouldst make trial hereof thou wouldst find there is great power in such a resolution when it is fresh upon thy heart and spirit 2 Beg of God that he would by the assistance of his holy Spirit restrain all vain and wandring imaginations 3 Vse thy voyce in prayer so often as conveniently thou maist provided it be not for oftentation to bee heard of others which thou wilt finde very effectual as for the intention of thine affections by raising them to an higher pitch so for the attention of thy mind in keeping it from wandring and roving after worldly thoughts and imaginations 4 But if notwithstanding thou findest that in praying thy mind and heart hath been sometimes taken up and possessed with worldly thoughts and distractions it will be a good course in thy private prayers to repeat that again which so coldly and carelesly passed from thee labouring in thy repetition to repel all wandring thoughts and to pour forth those petitions again after a more hearty manner For by imposing this task upon thy self thou wilt become more wary and watchful over thy thoughts lest otherwise thou be enforced to continue long at that exercise unto which through the depravation of thy nature thou art so backward and averse II. As preparation is necessary before Prayer so in prayer divers things are required as 1 Faith Prayer must be made in faith which our Savior plainly expresseth where he saith Whatsoever things yee desire when yee pray beleeve that yee receive them and yee shall have them Beleeve that as God is able so willing to grant whatsoever thou prayest for so far forth as in his wisdome he seeth it to be good for thee 2 Fervency that thou pour out thine heart and soul unto God with great ardency and earnestness of affection For the Apostle Iames telleth us that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much so that it is the fervent prayer only that is effectual And without doubt this is one special reason why our prayers are so seldom answered namely because they are performed with such deadness of heart and dulness of spirit for the luke-warm prayer is cooled and frozen before it can ascend up to heaven As therefore thou desirest to have thy prayers effectual let them be fervent and so thou shalt not need to doubt of a gracious and happy issue I grant thou canst not always have a like fervency yet thou must always strive against deadness of heart and dulness of spirit for God regards the manner of our actions as much as the matter how we pray as well as what we pray for III. The Duties required after Prayer are these 1 Diligently to look after thy prayers observing what answer and return the Lord giveth thereunto Thus did David and Habakkuk For hereby thou shalt bee the better fitted for thankfulness being furnished with more abundant matter of praise And also bee the more provoked and stirred up thereunto 2 Look back and consider the manifold weaknesses infirmities and imperfections which have passed from thee in thy praying how dead and dull thine heart was and how distracted thy thoughts were therein and let the apprehension thereof prevail with thee as to disclaim all thine own righteousness as filthy raggs so to drive thee unto Christ to roul thy self upon him resting upon his perfect Righteousness alone for life and for salvation As this is one chief end why God suffers corruption to remain in his children even after their Regeneration and to have an influence into all their holy services So it is the use which wee should make thereof And therefore so often as thou findest thine heart dead and dull and thy mind distracted with worldly thoughts in
to others make thee wary yea thus whatsoever things were written aforetime will prove good instructions unto thee III. Rules to bee observed after the reading of the Word 1 Seriously meditate of what thou hast read that so thou mayest the better remember and understand the same 2 Labour to work something of that thou hast read upon thine heart and give not over till thou findest the affections of thy soul warmed thereby To quicken you up to a frequent reading of the Scriptures consider these two Motives 1 The first may be taken from those treasures that are contained therein such treasures as men never heard of The subject matter of the Word are such mysteries as were hidden in God and by his Spirit revealed unto men All the abstruse learning and mysteries of other books and writings are but straw and stubble yea dross and dung in comparison of the precious pearls in this 2 Another Motive may bee taken from the many sweet and precious promises which are scattered up and down in the Word For as there is not a condition into which a Childe of God can fall but there is a Direction and Rule in the Word in some measure suitable thereunto so there is not an affliction into which a childe of God can fall but there is a promise in the Word in some measure suitable thereunto CHAP. V. Of Christian Watchfulness over our Thoughts DO not think that having saluted God by prayer and reading his Word in the morning thou mayest take thy leave of him all the day after But second thy prayeâ—s and reading with Christian Watchfulness which is a duty incumbent upon all being much pressed upon us in Scripture For the profitable handling whereof I shall shew you 1 The Nature of Christian Watchfulness 2 The Extent thereof or the particulars wherein we are to manifest the same I. For the Nature of Christian Watchfulness It is an heedful Observation of our selves in all things and a diligent circumspection over all our waies courses and actions that wee may not displease God in any thing but rather please him in all things II. For the Extent of this duty The Apostle sets it down in general Terms Watch thou in all things which I shall branch into several particulars 1 Over thy Thoughts Words and Actions 2 Against Sin in general and the several kinds thereof 1 Thou must be watchful over thy Thoughts that vain Thoughts may not lodge in thine heart For the profitable pressing of this I shall 1 Give you some Motives to quicken you up thereunto 2 Some Directions and helps thereunto I. For Motives first consider that vain and evil thoughts though they break not forth into acts yet are they actual sins for thoughts though they are inward yet are they the acts of the soul and in that they are evil they are sinful 2 Evil thoughts are not onely sinful in themselves but they are likewise the cause of all sins the plotters of all treasons against God the Panders of all other lusts so much the Apostle Iames expresseth When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin lustful thoughts being conceived in the heart they soon bring forth sin breaking forth into acts of filthiness and uncleanness 3 Consider that by our thoughts especially will the Lord judge us at the last day When hee will make manifest the counsel of the heart as the Apostle expresseth it And Rom. 2. 16. God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. Then the swarms of our vain and evil thoughts shall be discovered and laid open to our eternal shame before God Angels and men without true and unfeigned repentance 4 Evil and vain thoughts without true and unfeigned repentance will sink our souls to Hell such of you therefore as make no conscience of your thoughts but delight your selves in vain and wicked thoughts in lustful and unclean thoughts and that impenitently how can you escape the vengeance of hell I deny not but the best men through the remainder of corruption in them are subject to vain and wicked thoughts but these are their grief and their burden against which they strive and for which they earnestly begge pardon and therefore shall not bee said to their condemnation The helps and directions are these 1 Consider That the Lord doth as strictly observe all inward sinful thoughts as he doth the outward acts of sin Hee is Omniscient and knoweth all things yea he is the trier and searcher of our hearts and so is privy to every vain and wicked to every wanton and lustful thought in our hearts So that howsoever men discern not our thoughts yet God doth 2 Make not too much of those vain and wicked thoughts which doe either arise from thine own corrupt heart or are cast in by Satan I mean thou must not revolve them in thy mind by musing and meditating on them with any delight for if so thou art in danger to be ensnared by them 3 With detestation speedily reject and cast all vain and wicked thoughts out of thine heart As in thy judgement thou canst not but condemn them as base and wicked so in thy affections abhor and defest them yea reject and cast them away as abominable 4 So soon as any vain or wicked thoughts begin to arise in thine heart fix thy meditation upon good thoughts and upon such especially as are contrary thereunto Thus when vain thoughts begin to arise in thine heart strive to put them out by fixing thy meditation upon some serious matter when earthly worldly thoughts begin to arise in thine heart fix thy meditation upon some spiritual and heavenly thoughts when any lustful and impure thoughts begin to arise in thine heart fix thy meditation upon some holy and good thoughts think of the excellency and necessitie of holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 5 Humble thy self for all thy sinful and vain thoughts of what sort or kind soever For know assuredly that unless thou humble thy self for thy sinful and vain thoughts thou shalt bee called to an account for them at the Day of Judgement when the Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart 6 And that which sanctifies all other means is earnest and hearty prayer unto God that he would be pleased as to suppress and keep down all vain wicked wanton thoughts from rising in thy heart so that he would rebuke Satan and restrain his malice that he may not cast his hellish thoughts into thine heart or at least that he would enable thee to quench them at their first entrance This course did the Apostle Pauâ— take in the like case as we read in 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. CHAP. VI. Of watchfulness over our Words AS thou must be watchful over thy Thoughts so likewise over thy Words according to the counsel of the Prophet David Keep
that trespass against us which latter clause is added partly to stir us up readily to forgive those who have wronged us and partly to strengthen our faith in the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins committed against God from our readiness to forgive those who have wronged us in that our forgiving of our Brother is a fruit proceeding from Gods forgiving of us V. Labour to clear up thine Evidences for Heaven that thou maist upon good ground be able to say with the Apostle Paul I know that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved I shall have a building with God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The Scripture layeth down sundry clear evidences of a true right and title unto Heaven which who so finds in himself may rest assured of a blessed life after this I shall instance only in one which indeed is the principal of all and a very comprehensive one viz. Faith in Iesus Christ which we find often set down in Scripture as a sure evidence for Heaven for saith our Saviour God so loved the world that he gave his only begotton Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and saith Iohn Baptist He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life i. e. he is as sure of it as if he were in actual possession of it Q. How may I know whether I have a true sâ—ving faith A. Most Divines doe hold forth the fruiâ—s and effects of faith as the only signs thereof and means whereby men should try and examine their faith but the truth is the fruits of a saving faith in many Christians are often times so weak that if they should examine their faith only by them they would bee apt to question the truth thereof yea to conclude against themselves that they have no true faith at all therefore I shall briefly shew thee the Antecedents of Faith by declaring the ordinary method oâ— Gods Spirit in working true faith in the soul which is this 1 God by his Spirit in the Ministery of the Word doth awaken a mans Conscience and maketh him to see and discern as his manifold sins and transgressions so his misery by them in regard of the dreadful punishments due unto him for the same This method the Lord observed in those three thousand Converts mentioned Acts. 2. 37. Examine therefore whether thou hast by the Ministery or the Word been convinced of thy Sins and of thy miserable condition thereby how thou art liable to the Wrath of God to all Judgements and Plagues here and to Eternal Death and Condemnation hereafter for till thou beest convinced of thy sins and misery thou canst see no need nor want of Jesus Christ. Hence the Law is said to be our School-master to bring us to Christ because it doth discover as our sins and our misery by reason of them so our need of Christ. 2 The next Work of Gods Spirit is to make the soul sensible of its wretched miserable condition affecting it with some measure of grief and sorrow for the same This method likewise the Lord observed in those three thousand Converts mentioned Acts 2. 37. where it is said When they heard this i. e. when they were convinced of that horrible Sin of theirs in Crucifying the Lord of life they were pricked in their hearts viz. with the sence and apprehension of their wretched miserable condition Examine therefore whether thou hast been truly sensible of thy wretched miserable condition and whether the sence thereof hath affected thee with true grief and sorrow for the same Though all men are noâ— alike afflicted with a sence of their wretched miserable condition but some much more deeply than others yet few pass through the pangs of their New Birth without some throws some grief and sorrow for their sins neither can I conceive how any should cloze with Jesus Christ as their Saviour till they have been so sensible of their sins as that they are sensible of their need of a Saviour 3 Another Work of the Spirit is to convince the Soul of its own unrighteousness that so it may the more willingly seek out after the righteousness of Christ to be cloathed therewith for so long as a man is conceited of any righteousness of his own he will never be beholding unto Jesus Christ for life and for salvation for as our Saviour saith The whole need not a Physician they need neither Physick nor Physician and therefore care for neither In like manner such as are strongly possessed with a good conceit of their own estate and condition of their own righteousness see no need they have of Christ and his Righteousness and so regard him not Examine thy self therefore whether thou hast ever been truly and thorowly convinced of thine own unrighteousness whether thou hast discerned the Sins of thy holy services whether thou hast cried out with the Church All my righteousness is as filthy raggs c. 4 The next Work of the Spirit is to convince the soul of the perfection of Christs Righteousness and of the All-sufficiency of his Sacrifice that his righteousness is a most perfect and exact righteousness that his sacrifice upon the Cross was a full satisfaction to Gods Justice for the sins of all the Elect it being the sacrifice of the Son of God even of him that was God as well as Man which indeed added an infinite value to all which Christ did and suffered for mans Redemption in which respect the redemption wrought by Christ is called plenteous redemption enough and enough for all the sins of his people how many or how hainous soever they were Now examine whether thou hast found this work of the Spirit upon thy soul so that thou art convinced thorowly as of thine own unrighteousness so of the perfection of Christs righteousness and of the all-sufficiency of his Sacrifice which far exceedeth the merits of thy sins 5 The next Work of the Spirit is to convince the soul of Christs willingness to receive all poor Sinners sensible of their sins who will come unto him and cast themselves and the burden of their sins upon him by affecting them with a serious apprehension of the manifold gracious invitations of Christ unto poor Sinners as that in Isaiah Hâ— every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters he that hath no money i. e. no goodness nor righteousness of his own let him come and that fore-mentioned place Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all yee that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest Examine thy self therefore whether thou hast been thorowly convinced of Christs willingness to receive all poor Sinners that will come unto him and cast the burden of their sins upon him 6 The next Work of the Spirit is to stirre up in the soul some earnest longing desire after Jesus Christ so that the soul cries out Oh that Christ were mine oh that upon
many excellent and weighty exhortations 3 Act thine obedience by resigning up thy self unto the Will of God to be at his dispose either for life or death As thou must not be unwilling to dye when God calleth thee so neither must thou be over eager to dye before hee call thee thou maist not desire Death out of discontentment of mind because of some present miseries and afflictions which lye upon thee nay thou maist not absolutely wish to dye out of a desire to be rid of thy sins and to bee with Christ but it must be with a submission to the Will of God if he see it meet and convenient for thee though Paul knew it were far better for him to dye than to live yet did he not desire death absolutely but with a submission to the Will of God VII Be frequent in reading the holy Scriptures or cause them to be frequently read unto thee for there thou shalt find 1 Examples of Gods mercy shewed to the afflicted 2 Instructions how to bear and improve thy present Visitation 3 Comfortable promises of support under the sorest trials And know for certain that one Promise in the Book of God will bee more effectual to yeeld thee comfort on thy Death-bed than all the counsel of thy friends that shall be then about thee VIII Be often lifting up thine heart to God in Prayer And when through weakness of body and faintness of spirit thou art not able to pour our thy soul in any set and solemn Prayer send up some short ejaculatory Prayer unto God as that of the poor Publican Lord be merciful to me a Sinner and also that of the poor man Lord I beleeve help thou my unbelief and that of the Apostles Lord increase my faith and that of Stephen Lord Iesus receive my spirit These ejaculations going from the heart they are acceptable and pleasing unto God let us therefore as Austine adviseth us endeavour to dye praying by a frequent breathing forth of these or such like ejaculatory Prayers IX Be often resigning up thy soul into the hands of God saying with our blessed Saviour Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Little Children for the most part desire to dye in their Fathers bosome or upon their Mothers lap even so shouldst thou in the hour of death cast thy soul into the arms of thy heavenly Father and rest in the bosome of Jesus Christ. If thy Disease be painful turn to those Direction in the fore-going chapter How to bear afflictions willingly and cheerfully CHAP. XIX Directions to such as visit the Sick VIsiting the Sick being a work of Mercy it will be thy wisdom so to manage and improve the same that thou maist both benefit thine own soul thereby and likewise doe good to the sick Party I. That thou maist benefit thy self thereby take these few directions 1 In visiting thy sick Neighbour take occasion to think of thine own mortality and proneness to fall into Sicknesses and Diseases for that which befalls one man may befall another in that we all carry about us as mortal so frayl bodies subject to the like calamities which the Lord knows how soon may befall any of us 2 Lift up thine heart in thankfulness unto God for that health and strength of body he is pleased still to continue unto thee Health is a greater mercy than most doe imagine Ask the sick man what hee thinks of health and he will tell thee it is the greatest of Temporal mercies and in it self a mercy not to be valued the truth is all Mercies are prized by the wanting of them more than by the having and enjoying them As no body admires the Sun but when it is eclipsed so neither doth any esteem health but when by sickness they are deprived thereof 3 Labour to be compassionately affected with the miseries and afflictions of thy brother for as Iob speaketh To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend Which duty is often urged and pressed in Scripture as by the Apostle Paul Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep and by the Apostle Peter in this phrase Having compassion one of another which Beza Paraphrastically well turns Be touched with the sence and feeling of one anothers griefs And truly that communion and nearness of conjunction that sincere Christians have one with another doth call for this duty for as they are all sons of one Father so are they members of one body in respect whereof there should nay there ought to be such a compassion and sympathy in the members of the Mystical body I mean among Christians as there is in the members of the Natural body Now you know that in the Natural body if one member suffer all the members suffer with it as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place Saint Augustine in his Works often expounding most excellently shewes the mutual compassion betwixt the members of a Natural body Behold saith he the foot treadeth on a thorn and see how all the members condole it the Back bends it self the Head stoopeth the Eye though remote in place diligently searcheth it out the Tongue complaineth as if it self were pricked and the Hands doe their best to pluck it out and yet neither Back nor Head nor Tongue nor Eye nor Hand nor any member but the Foot was touched with the thorn and surely such a sympathy and fellow-feeling there ought to bee amongst true Christians who are all members of one body whereof Christ Iesus is the head II. As in visiting the Sick thou must be careful to benefit thine own soul thereby so likewise to doe what good thou canst to the sick Party To that end observe these few Directions 1 Forbear to talk of any vain worldly or needless matter before him but let thy discourse be as savoury and Spiritual so in some measure suitable to his condition as of Death and preparation thereunto of the Day of Judgement of the happiness of those who have an interest in Christ and his Righteousness and the like 2 Perswade the sick Party to settle his estate by making his Will if he have not done it before that so hee may with more freedome wholly mind the spiritual good and welfare of his soul. This counsel did the Prophet Isaiah give unto King Hezekiah when hee was first struck with sickness 3 If thou apprehendest his Disease to be dangerous flatter him not with a hope of recovery lest thereby thou betray his soul to eternal death but deal faithfully with him by declaring unto him his weak and dangerous condition and advising him as to think of death so to prepare for it telling him that the fitter hee is to dye the fitter he will be to live if the Lord should adde more days to his life 4 If thou perceive him to be ignorant instruct him in the Principles of
revenge in the night and in the morning bring forth some mischief or other and therefore as we say of the Toad-stool it grows up in a night and dyes in a night so should this poysonous weed of anger dye on the day wherein it was born IV. Before thou goest to bed be sure to offer unto God thine evening sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving this is hinted unto us under the Law where the Lord required his Evening Sacrifice as well as his Morning Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the Altar two Lambâ— of the first year day by day continually the one Lamb thou shalt offer in the Morning and the other Lamb thou shalt offer at Even This was the daily ordinary Sacrifice which the Lord required under the Law and therefore much more doth hee require a Morning and an Evening sacrifice of Prayer and Praises now under the Gospel And truly if thou shalt lye down in thy sins unrepented of thou mayest happily awake with Hell flames about thine ears and therefore farre be it from thee to presume to goe to thy bed before thou hast offered unto God thine evening sacrifice of Prayer and therein heartily begged the pardon and forgiveness of all thy sins in and thorow the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. Shouldst thou put off the performance of this duty till thou art in thy bed as the practise of too too many is it is very likely thou wilt fall asleep before thou hast made any great progress therein and those prayers which thou makest in thy bed will prove but drowsie yawning prayers at the best therefore bee sure to offer up thine evening sacrifice before thou goest into thy bed and if conveniently thou canst before supper for by experience we find that our bodies are much more drowsie and our spirits much more dead and heavie after supper than before Q. Whether a man finding his body drowsie and his spirits dead and heavie had better fall upon the duty of Prayer or forbear it for that time Ans. Drowsiness of body and deadness of heart is no sufficient warrant for the omission of thine evening sacrifice of Prayer but thou oughtest to â—erform it notwithstanding as well as thou canst and that for these Reasons 1 Because the Scripture giveth us no warrant for the omission of a bounden duty because of some present drowsiness and indisposition thereunto but doth rather expresly hold forth the contrary enjoyning Christians to pray always and to pray continually with sundry the like expressions Which imply as a frequent lifting up our hearts to God in ejaculatory Prayers so a constant observance of our set times of solemn prayer 2 As man that hath little or no appetite to his meat yet by forcing himself to eat a bit or two he begins to have a better stomack thereunto so when a Christian hath no mind or disposition unto Prayer but findes his body drowsie his spirit heavie and his heart dead yet by forcing himself thereunto though against his mind doth many times find his affections â—â—ickned and his spirits raised up in Prayer yea it is wonderfuâ— what quicknings and enlargements do many times come upon an adventurous soul upon a soul that will adventure upon duty against deadness drowâ—ness and such like discouragements and therefore let not the drowsiness of thy body nor the heaviness of thy spirit so far prevail with thee as to forbear and omit thy course of praying But fall upon it and for ought thou knowest thou mayest feel and finde the lively quicknings and inlargements of Gods Spirit upon thy spirit in the performance thereof 3 When a Christian feels and findes his body drowsie his spirit heavy and himself very indisposed unto the duty of prayer yet hee may do it with much uprightness and sincerity of heart that is hee may do it in obedience to the command of God as in the sight and presence of God with a desire to approve himself unto God in the doing of it and herewith hee may exceedingly comfort himself against deadness and drowsiness for such is the excellency of this grace of sincerity that it maketh all our services to be pleasing unto God though they bee performed with deadness of heart and dulness of spirit 4 Though our prayers bee performed with much deadness of heart and indisposition of body yet being put up in the name of Christ they finde acceptance with God in and thorow his Mediation and Intercession Let us therefore put up our prayers in the name of Christ and by Faith cast our selves and our services upon him and then wee shall not need to doubt of Gods acceptance of them Thus have I shewed thee the duties to bee performed by thee in the evening before thy going to bed I come now to the duties to bee performed by thee at thy lying down I. As thou art going to bed take all occasions of holy and heavenly Meditations To give you some hints As thou art putting off thy cloaths think how it will not be long before thou beest stripped of all and go out of the world as naked as thou camest into it which Iob excellently expresseth Naked saith hee came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither q. d. I came into the world destitute of cloathing and of all outward comforts whatsoever and naked shall I return thither not into his Mothers womb again for that is impossible but to the grave the womb of the earth and common Mother of all so that his meaning is I shall go out of the world as naked as I came into it Heâ—ce Death is called an uncloathing because it strips a man of all his ornaments not only of his apparel but also of his honours wealth and riches How should the consideration thereof stir thee up to labour for the true riches and spiritual cloathing I mean the saving graces of Gods Spirit and the robe of Christs Righteousness and then thou shalt not goe out naked but adorned and enriched As thou art laying thy self down in thy bed let the bed mind thee of thy grave thy sheets mind thee of thy winding-sheet and thy sleep mind thee of death for death is but a kind of sleep sleep is a short death and death is a long sleep Hence Sleep and Death are often put the one for the other in Scripture and death is often set out by sleep That thou maist lengthen out this meditation think of the several resemblances between Sleep and Death as 1 Men asleep are at rest free from all trouble from all toyl and travel so the dead doe rest from their labours as Revel 14. 13. blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours that is from their troubles and travails 2 Men asleep rise again so the body after it is dead and laid in the grave shall arise again death is but a sleep somewhat
to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy 2 At your first awaking in the morning lift up your hearts to God in Prayer and Thanksgiving for that comfortable rest and sleep hee hath vouchsafed unto you the night past For it is he â—hat giveth his beloved sleep and who reneweth his mercy every morning And then begge of God the assistance of his Spirit to carry you through all the duties of the day 3 Rise early on the Sabbath Day for in regard there are as secret duties of Piety to be performed by you in your Clossets so private duties of Piety in and with the Family if you live in a Family before you goe to the publick Congregation yee ought to rise so early that you may have convenient time for these duties and be at the Church at the beginning of the Exercises How blame worthy then are they who on the week-dayes can rise betimes to follow their worldly businesses but on the Lords Day doe lye longer in bed than ordinarily giving themselves up to their carnal ease and rest Is this to keep holy the Sabbath Day thus to sleep away the first and chiefest part thereof 4 In your rising let out your hearts in a serious meditation of Iesus Christ and of the great things he hath done and suffered for you and of the many good things whereof in and through him you are made partakers Meditate likewise on the infinite Majesty of God whom the glorious Angels adore with covered faces that your hearts being possessed with an aweful apprehension thereof you may perform the duties of Gods worship and service with such everence as becometh so sacred a Majesty 5 So soon as you are up and ready with-draw your self into some privaâ—e place and there read some porâ—ion of the Scriptures which will be an excellent means to season your hearts and compose your minds yea hereby you will be the better prepared to hear the Word preached and the better enabled to try the Doctrines delivered according to the exhortation of the Apostle Prove all things hold fast that which is good 6 As Prayer is a duty to be performed every morning so especially on the Lords-Day morning which is in some measure to bee suitable thereunto Having therefore confessed your sins and begged the pardon of them together with power against them and grace to serve God then pray both for the Minister and for your selves 1 For the Minister that God would give him a door of utterance that he may open his mouth boldly to publish the Mysteries of the Gospel yea that he may speak the VVord truly sincerely powerfully and profitably delivering that which is suitable and seasonable to your condition 2 For your selves that God would banish out of your heads all worldly wandring thoughts which may distract your minds in the hearing of the Word and so choaking that heavenly seed make it fruitless And that he would give unto you as attention to hearken so understanding to conceive wisdome to apply judgement to discern faith to beleeve memory to retain and grace to practise what you shall hear that so the Word may prove unto you a savour of life unto life and not a savour of death unto death These two last duties of reading the Word and Prayer are not to be performed only alone in secret but likewise in and with your Families if so be you be Parents and Masters of Families and therefore before you goe to the publick Ordinances call your Family together and pray with them as for other things so in special for the influences of the grace of God and the incomes of his Spirit upon your hearts and spirits in the good duties you shall take in hand that so you may perform them after such a manner as glory may redound to Gods name and some spiritual good and advantage to your own souls These are the duties to be performed by way of preparation Having thus fitted and prepared your selves I. Call your Fâ—mily together your Children and Servants and take them along with you to the publick Congregation and â—et Ioshuahs resolution bee often in your mind As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. And as you are going 1 Consider whither you are going viz. Not to a Fair or Market but to the House of God where God himself is present to behold you yea where God himself speaketh by the mouth of his Ministers 2 Go with a readiness of heart and resolution of mind to receive every truth that shall bee made known unto you out of Gods Word with such an heart came Cornelius to hear Peter Wee are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God said Cornelius to Peter And it is said of the Bereans that they received the Word with all readiness of mind II. Being come into Gods House observe these Rules and Directions 1 Set your selves as in the sight and presence of God who not onely observeth your outward carriage and behaviour but likewise understandeth all the imaginations of your hearts and is privy to every wandring thought in praying hearing and other holy duties which will be a special means to keep your minds from roving after other matters 2 Labour to hear the word with profit To this end and purpose I finde four special virtues commended in the Scripture viz. 1 Humility 2 Honesty 3 Attention 4 Faith 1 Humility for when a man is of an humble lowly meek and contrite spirit then is hee fit to hear the Word because hiâ— heart being emptied of pride and self-conceitedness there will be room for the Word to take place therefore saith David The meek will the Lord guide in judgement and the meek will hee teacâ— his way And saith the Lord himself by his Prophet Isaiah To this man will I look even to him that is poor viz. poor in spirit and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word 2 Another virtue requisite to the profitable hearing of the Word is Honesty or uprightness of heart whereby a man sincerely purposeth in every thing to approve himself unto God as to avoid every sin whatsoever that the Word condemneth be it never so delightsome or profitable unto him so to indeavour himself to the performance of every duty belonging to his place and calling which the Word commandeth This is that honest and good heart which our Saviour intendeth Luk. 8. 15. 3 As Honesty so Attention is requisite while the Word is preaching you must diligently attend thereunto as they who would be loath to lose a word that should be delivered This particular is noted of those that heard Christ-preach of whom it is said That they were attentive to hear him or as the Greek text hath it All the people hanged on him to hear him i. e. They were very attentive as unwilling to let any thing pass them So should you be as attentive to the Ministery of the
thou art present at the Ordinance put forth all the strength thou canst in the partaking thereof I mean the strength of thy affections For though thou art very weak yet if thou put forth thy weakness God will accept thereof Content not thy self therefore with a meer outward participation of the Lords Supper but let thy care be to bring up thine heart and thine affections to the Ordinance and to put forth what strength thou canst II. Remember the death of Christ which is Christs command in the institution of this Ordinance for saith he This do in remembrance of mee viz. in remembrance of my bitter death and passion For the Apostle Paul explaining this remembrance of Christ applieth it to his death and the shewing it forth This do saith hee in remembrance of mee For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come So that this Ordinance of the Lords Supper was instituted for a solemn Memorial of that great Sacrifice the Lord Jesus Christ that his death might never be forgotten but be ever fresh in our memories And why must his death be thus remembred Surely because thereby was the Covenant of Grace ratified and sealed our Redemption purchased our sins expiated our reconciliation made with God and the foundation of our peace laid And therefore at the Table let out thine heart in a serious meditation of the manifold sufferings of Christ which is the main business of this Ordinance And meditate not only of his sufferings at his death but likewise in the whole course of his life even from his cratch to his Cross from his birth to his death For his whole life was a continual suffering Meditate therefore of his mean birth and flight in his infancy of the manifold reproaches which were cast upon him from time to time yea of his manifold persecutions of their cruel handling of him at the time of his death when they apprehended him like a theef bound him arraigned and condemned him as a Malefactor buffeted him with their hands beat him with staves scourged him with whips making loâ—g furrows on his back platted on his head a Crown of sharp Thorns laid an heavy cross on his back nailed his hands and feet to that Cross give him Gall and Vineger to drink and sundry waies much afflicted him Thus was his body broken with torments In relation hereunto it is said of him That he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs Especially when thou art present at the Sacrament take a turn with Christ in the Garden by meditating of his bitter Agony wherein he sweat drops of blood which was never read or heard of in any before or since yea the blood which Christ then sweat was not thin watery blood but thick blood as St. Luke expresseth it Being in an agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground which latter clause sheweth that the blood of Christ passed through the pores of his body in such a plentiful manner that it trickled down to the ground in great abundance so that not only the eyes of Christ but all the parts of his body did seem to weep and that tears of blood as Bernard speaketh In this sweat of Christ there are three things remarkable which doe exceedingly set forth the greatness of his Agony 1 It was in a cold night for which cause afterwards they kindled a Fire in the High-Priests Hall and cold driveth the blood inward 2 Hee lay upon the cold ground which was enough to drive the blood inward 3 He was in exceeding great fear which naturally draweth the blood from the outward parts to the Heart and yet in a cold night lying upon the cold ground and being in great fear he sweat drops of blood Who can imagine the bitterness of our Saviours Agony at that time And what was it which put him into that agony questionless the apprehension of what hee was to suffer as appeareth by his Prayer in his Agony Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me Now if the apprehension of what hee was to suffer was so bitter oh how bitter think you were his Sufferings upon the Cross when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me which words doe not imply that the Deity was severed from the Humanity but that the Father had withdrawn from him all sensible feeling of his loving favour had restrained the influence of those beams which might any way refresh his troubled soul so that Christ might well take up the words of the captive Iews and say Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in the day of his fierce anger These things call to mind in the time of the administration of the Sacrament not only when thou art eating the Bread and drinking the Wine but also when thou seest the Bread broken and the Wine poured forth then thou shouldst think how Christs Body was broken with torments and his Blood shed for remission of sins and also when thou seest others taking the Bread and the Wine thou shouldst then be steeping thy thoughts in the meditation of Christs bitter death and manifold sufferings This remembrance of Christs Death at the Sacrament must not be a bare Historical remembrance thereof contenting thy self with a remembrance of the History of Christs death as it is set forth by the Evangelists but it must be an operative and practical remembrance working up thine heart 1 To an unfeigned love of God who out of his free grace and rich mercy did send his dearly beloved Son out of his own bosome into the world to take our Nature upon him and therein to dye a bitter cursed death for mans redemption Who can sufficiently admire the riches of Gods love to man therein How may we with David cry out and say Lord what is maâ— that thou art mindful of him especially that thou shouldest be so mindful of him as to give the Son of thy love to suffer a cursed death upon the Cross to make us who were children of Wrath and bondslaves of Sathan Sons of God and Heirs of eternal life and salvation And how should this incomprehensible love of God fire and inflame our cold and frozen hearts with a fervent love unto him again 2 The remembrance of Christs death should work up our hearts to an ardent love of Christ for that wonderful love of his in giving himself for us his Body to be crucified his Blood to be shed and his Soul to bear the intollerable burden of his Fathers Wrath due to our Sins which made him sweat drops of blood in the Garden and to cry out on the Cross My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Oh how should this ravish our souls with admiration of so great love and inflame our hearts with love
measure suitably thereunto To that end observe these Directions 1 So soon as you get home withdraw your self into some secret place and there upon your knees from your heart bless God as for hâ—s manifold favours mercies and blessings so especially and above all for the fountain of all blessings the Lord Jesus Christ for his Covenant of Grace made unto you in him for adding the Sacraments as Seals to the Covenant of Grace for the strengthening of your Faith and for making you that day partakers of his blessed Sacrament and for that comfort and refreshment which you finde therein I hope you are not such beasts as to forget to return thanks to God for the food wherewith your bodies are refreshed And will you bless God for your corporal food and not for your spiritual food whereby your souls are nourished unto everlasting life Will you bless God for a crumb and not for a Christ in whom are all good things contained in a most eminent manner 2 Did you finde your hearts cheared and warmed at the Lords Supper beware of quenching that spiritual heat which was there kindled in you by a sudden falling into worldly conferences and fruitless discourses But labour to keep alive that sacred fire which you found then kindled in your hearts by prayer meditation and holy conferences for know that a sudden quenching of the Spirit will exceedingly tend to the hardening of your hearts 3 Maintain a stricter watchfulness over your selves against sin for the time to come Were your souls washed at the Sacrament with the blood of Christ from the filthy spots and stains of sin and will you sâ—on after with the Sow wallow again in the filth of sin and miâ—e of sinful filthiness Did you upon your approaching to that Ordinance cast up your sins by confession and will you now with the Dogge return to your vomit again Did you there by the eye of faith see Christ crucified for your Sins under the rites of breaking the Bread and pouring out the Wine and wil you now by a fresh committing of sin crucifie him again rather resolve and strive hence forward to crucifie your sins for which Christ was crucified to hate abhor and abandon every Sin as much as in you lieth 4 Labour to live more soberly righteously and godly in this present world More soberly towards your selves more righteously towards your Neighbours and more godly towards God As you have been made partakers of an Ordinance not common to all but peculiar to Saints so your lives should have somewhat peculiar in them which is not common to wicked men You should live convincing lives by exceeding others in holiness and in righteousness You must be more frequent and fervent in Family-duties more careful in sanctifying the Lords Day more just and honest in your dealings with men living so as you may credit your Profession and adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And when you are tempted to any sin thus reason the case with your selves Was I not lately at the Lords Table and did I not there vow and promise to be more watchful against Sin and more careful to walk in the waies of godliness and shall I now step out of the way of godliness into the way of sin Thus lay your temptation to the touch-stone of your vow and try whether it bee not against it which through the blessing of God may prevent many a Sin CHAP. XXIII Of the Common mutual Duties betwixt Husband and Wife HAving shewed the general Directions which appertain to Christians as Christians I come now to the particular Duties which appertain to thee in thy several and distinct relations For it is not sufficient that thou make conscience of the general Duties of Christianity but thou must also be conscionable in the performance of the particular duties of thy several relations whereby much good is both mutually communicated one to another and received one from another Whereas the Apostle Paul in setting down the severul Duties of relations doth still bring them under three Heads viz. Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants I shall follow his Method shewing thee the duties of each of these For the Duties of Husband and Wife they may be drawn to two Heads 1 To such as are common to both 2 Such as are proper and peculiar to each severally The common and mutual Duties are these I. A loving affection of one to another I call this a mutual Duty because as the Husband is to love his Wife so the Wife is to love her Husband Love is a duty which every Christian oweth to another Love thy neighbour as thy self saith our Saviour Where by Neighbour is meant every man every woman so that we are bound to love every one even our enemies for Christs sake But the nearer any are knit together the more they are bound to this duty of love and to abound therein Now who are so nearly knit together as Husband and Wife and therefore there ought to be a mutual loving affection between them and that love which one sheweth to the other will stirre up the other to requite that love again so as there is nothing lost by love II. Outward concord and agreement This should be as farre as is possible with all men i. e. so farre as may stand with faith and a good conscience but more especially between Husband and Wife who are so nearly knit together For without concord and agreement between Husband and Wife what comfort can either find in their house The truth is every one lives more or less comfortable in his house as there is concord and agreement there And therefore saith the Wise man Better is a dinner of herbs or roots where love is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith And again Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than an house full of sacrifice with strife i. e. slender fare yea a dry crust with peace and concord is more comfortable than good chear with strife and contention for that will so imbitter the sweetest Meats that a man can find little relish in them For the better preserving of concord and agreement betwixt Husband and Wife take these few Directions 1 Labour to suppress and keep down all furious Passions which doe usually occasion discord and dissention especially when one is passionate it will be the wisdom of the other to act patience and to express a spirit of meekness for when both are hot and angry together then the fire of contention is like to increase to such a flame as will not suddenly bee quenched And therefore I would commend this rule to Married persons To beware of beâ—ing both angry together but rather let one be to the other like Davids Harp to apt ease Sauls fury 2 Though the fire of contention be kindled at home yet let it not break forth into thy neighbours house but bee sure thou keep it within
grace is past and thâ—t it is now too late having so long stood out against the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ. For the removal of this I shall propound four things to your serious consideration 1 It is not for any man to say his day of grace is past for that is one of those secrets which belong only unto God to know And we must not meddle with Gods secrets but check our selves for it 2 If thou hast stood out against Christ hitherto thou hast now therefore the more reason to come in and cloze with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ. 3 If thou hast an heart desirous to cloze with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ it is certain thy day of grace is not yet past Christ still knocks at the door of thine heart therefore now resolve to open unto him 4 Consider that Christ hath several seasons of bringing men home to himself some hee brings home to himself in the latter end of the day who questionless refused him in the former part thereof and therefore so long as life lasteth do not say it is too late but stir up thy self to receive Jesus Christ as hee is offered in the Gospel and to rest upon him and his merits alone for life and salvation Having thus shewed you the Lets and Impediments to be removed II. I proceed now to the truths to be imbraced which are these 1 That every man out of Christ is in a wretched miserable condâ—tion liable to the wrath of God to the curse of the Law to all judgements and plagues here and to eternal death and condemnation hereafter with the Devils and damned in Hell flames Yea every Christless man and woman hang over the very mouth of Hell by the rotten thred of their lives which is ready every moment to crack and then what can be expected but an irrecoverable downfall into Hell 2 That no man is able to help himself out of this wretched miserable condition for as the Apostle speaketh We are not sufficient of our selves so much as to think a good thought much less can we doe any thing of our selves to free our selves from so great a bondage and slavery as sin hath brought us into 3 That God himself out of his free grace and rich mercy did send his own Son out of his bosome into the world to take our Nature upon him that therein he might redeem us out of our wretched miserable condition 4 That Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour who by his Death hath made full satisfaction to Gods Justice for all our sins and therefore is able to save us to the uttermost to the uttermost of our sins yea to the uttermost of our fears and doubts 5 That Iesus Christ is willing to receive and embrace all poor sinners who will but goe unto him and cast themselves and the burthen of their sins upon him as appears by his manifold gracious invitations unto poor Sinners who are but sensible of their sins to come unto him 6 That there is no way or means of Salvation but only by beleeving in Jesus Christ and beleeving is necessary to salvation in two respects 1 As it is the Command of God that we should beleeve in the name of his Son Jesus Christ as 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his Commandement that we should beleeve on the name of his Son Iesus Christ. 2 As it is the condition or means that God hath set down for the obtaining of eternal life and salvation as Ioh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Hence it is that unbelief is made the only ground and reason of mens Damnation Though men shall be punished for all other sins yet not beleeving is the ground and reason why they perish by their sins because beleeving in Jesus Christ is the only means of Salvation These are the Truths to be embraced III. Come we now to the Duties to be practised 1 Upon a serious apprehension of thy miserable condition without Christ labour to stirre up in thy soul some affectionate longing restless desires after the Lord Jesus Christ that thou maist in truth from thine heart say Oh that Christ were mine oh that upon any terms my Soul might enjoy him This is the lifting up of the doors and gates of the Soul that so the King of glory mâ—y enter in and dwell there 2 Being convinced that there is no way or means of Salvation but only by going out of thy self unto Jesus and casting thy self upon him Adventure thy soul upon Christ cast thy self into his arms and be sure thou give not way to carnal reasonings to doubtings and temptations from the number and hainousness of thy sins or from thine unworthiness but reason from the entent and freeness of Gods offer of Christ and from Christs willingness to receive all poor Sinners that will but adventure their souls upon him saying with Iob Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13 15. and with Ester I will go if I perish I perish I will perish trusting upon Jesus Christ. 3 Diligently frequent the publick Ministery of the Word it being the ordinary means God hath sanctified for the working of faith in our hearts according to that of the Apostle Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And the hearing of the Gospel is called the hearing of faith because by hearing the Doctrin of Faith the Spirit works the grace of faith in our hearts This is the still Voyce in which he speaks to the hearts of Sinners and when God by his Spirit doth begin to work upon thine heart in the hearing of the Word doe thou second the work of Gods Spirit by oft meditating thereon and applying it unto thy self more and more And whensoever any sin is pressed home upon thy Conscience by the Minister and awakens thee labour to drive the nayl home to the head strive to maintain the power of it upon thine heart all the week after 4 Be earnest with God in Prayer that whatsoever he denieth thee he would not deny thee the saving grace of faith Faith is not of our selves it is the free gift of God as the Apostle teacheth us Now the means God hath sanctified for the obtaining of every good gift is Prayer As therefore thou desirest faith earnestly begge it of God resting assured that he will not deny thee if thou dost from thy heart ask it in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. Oh therefore be not wanting to thy self herein but seeing faith may be had for asking ask and ask again and with patience wait upon God for the inclining thine heart to close with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ. Prescribe him not any time for as hee worketh on whom hee pleaseth so hee worketh when hee pleaseth
unsanctified way and course to begin any thing without first seeking unto God by Prayer for a blessing for indeed it is his blessing alone that maketh rich and that causeth any thing we take in hand to thrive and prosper which Moses acknowledgeth where speaking to the people of Israel he saith It is the Lord that giveth thee power to get wealth II. Be painful and industrious in the duties of thy Calling Which direction the Wise man giveth in these words Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy might i. e. whatsoever works or duties belong unto thee by vertue of thy Calling doe them with all thy might i. e. doe them vigorously diligently and industriously For your encouragement thereunto know that diligence in your Calling is usually crowned with riches and plenty according to that of the Wise man The hand of the diligent maketh rich and again the soul of the diligent shall be made fat i. e. shall be enriched with outward blessings And truly it is very rare but that a blessing doth accompany a diligent hand the Greeks say that plentifulness follows painfulness and that all things are made servants to care and industry I shall give you two Cautions 1 Bee not so diligent in 〈◊〉 thy particular Calling that thou neglect the Duties of thy general calling as a Christian I mean be not so eager in foâ—lowing thy worldly businesses and imployments that thou neglect thy spiritual businesses as thy morning and evening devotions unto God c. 2 Labour to bee heavenly-minded in earthly imployments to follow worldly businesses with spiritual affections often lifting up thine heart unto God in some heavenly ejaculations As thou art eagerly following thy worldly businesses oft meditate on that excellent saying of our Saviour What will it profit a man if hee shall gain the whole world and loâ—e his own soul III. Resolve and strive to be faithful and sincere in all the works of thy calling and with a kind of disdain abhor to get any thing by wicked and deceitful courses as knowing that a little ill got may empoyson a mans whole estate and bring a curse upon all that hee possesseth let there bee therefore truth equity and plainness in all thy dealing with men circumvent no man according to that of the Apostle Let no man goe beyond and defraâ—d his brother in aâ—y matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such Where the Apostle disswadeth us from all fraudulent and deceitful dealing by an Argument taken from the dangerous and dreadful consequence of such Sins laying us open to the vengeance of that God who is in his wrath a consuming fire In all thy dealings with men observe that royal law and standard of all equity which is to doe as thou wouldest bee done by for as our Saviour speaketh This is the Law and the Prophets i. e. the summe of that which in the Law and by the Prophets is delivered concerning our carriage towards our Neighbour and dealing with him IV. As often as thou receivest any blessing from God forget not to return unto him the praise and the glory thereof acknowledging that whatsoever the means hath been that hee is the chief cause and principal author of all those benefits and blessings which thou enjoyest for the truth is There is nothing more acceptable to God than a grateful mind it being one of the sacrifices wherewith hee is well pleased CHAP. XII Of our Behaviour in Secret IN regard of the manifold temptations whereunto wee are subject both when weâ— are by our selves alone and also when wee are in company with others It is our duty and will bee our wisdome to keep a narrow watch over our selves both in our soluariness and also in company First When wee are alone our care must bee that wee be neither ill imployed nor idle and unfruitful but that wee be taken up with spiritual and heavenly Meditations 1 For Solitariness is the Devils opportunity which hee hath alwaies been careful to imbrace and improve to the utmost advantage as wee see in David who when hee was walking alone upon the roof of his house then the Devil set upon him tempted him unto lust and prevailed with him And therefore how doth it concern us to be then especially watchful over our selves 2 Because wee are then in most danger to be overtaken and foiled with out own sinful lusts then are wee most apt to let out our hearts in speculative wantonness and contemplative wickedness by feeding our fancies and pleasing our selves in lascivious ambitious revengeful and other wicked thoughts In which respect wee ought in our solitariness carefully to watch over our hearts being then in greatest danger of these spiritual rapes To this end I shall commend that excellent but too much neglected duty of Divine Meditation which is twofold 1 Sudden and occasional 2 Set and deliberate Of which severally And first of sudden and occasional Meditation For the better clearing whereof I shall shew 1 The nature therof what it is 2 Add some Motives to quicken thee up to a frequent use thereof I. For the nature of occasional Meditation It is a sudden fixing of the mind upon some profitable subject occasioned by some thing that wee see or hear The which may bee done at all times and in all places when thou art at home about the works of thy Calling or walking abroad Of this sudden and occasional Meditation there may be much use by reason of the â—â—riety of Objects which present themselves to our view for every creature that wee behold doth afford unto us plentiful matter of spiritual and heavenly Meditation from each of them thou mayest take occasion to meditate of God and of his Attributes shining in them as the Power Wisdome Goodness and other Attributes of God II. For Motives take these three 1 It will be a special means to keep worldly wanton frivolous thoughts and idle motions out of thine heart for if thou give up thy self to idleness not labouring to possess thy minde with some good and profitable Meditation thou art sure to bee pestred with vain and wicked cogitations 2 A frequent use of occasional Meditations will fit thee for set and solemn Meditation in that it will both furnish thee with matter and prepare thine heart to commune with God 3 Hereby thou shalt make a right use of the creatures the creatures are half lost unto thee if thou only imploy them and not take out some spiritual lesson from them Thus much of sudden and occasional Meditation Come wee now to the set solemn and deliberate Meditation For the profitable handling whereof I shall shew thee 1 The Nature thereof 2 Some Rules and Directions to be observed therein 3 An Example or Pattern thereof according to the Rules 1 For the first viz. the Nature of it what it is I answer a set and deliberate Meditation is a serious
applying of the mind to some spiritual or heavenly subject discoursing thereof with thy self to the end thine heart may bee warmed thine affections quickened and thy resolutions heightned to a greater love of God hatred of sin c. Come we now to the Rules and Directions for the right manner of performing the same To this end I shall treat 1 Of the Time when this duty is to be performed 2 Of the Place where Of the Manner of setting about it and performing it 1 Touching the Time when this duty is to be performed and how often it is hard to give any set or certain Rule For difference must bee made between such as are rich and wealthy who have much spare â—ime and poor men who live by their daily labour and have â—ittle time to spare from the same for the performance of holy and religious duties Now such as have time and leisure and are at their own dispose ought to bee frequent in the exercise of this duty How frequent such should be I will not undertake to determine because mens several occasions may vary it But in general that it be frequent the Scripture requireth And truly the more frequently it is performed the more easie and delightful will it be unto thee Questionless every one whether hee be rich or poor Master or Servant ought to make conscience of performing this duty on the Lords day which being appropriated to spiritual duties doth especially challenge this which is so eminently spiritual For the choice of other daies and set times therein it must be left to Christian prudence which will teach thee what time thou canst best spare from thine ordinary imployments and when thou art best disposed and fitted for the performance of the same II. The next thing to bee considered is the Place for this duty ought to be private in some private retired place where thou mayst be free from company and whatsoever may distract thee For when thou art most retired from the world then art thou most fit to have communion with God Therefore Isaac when hee would meditate and by Meditation converse with God walked alone into the fields And David meditated upon his bed as himself tells us III. For the Manner of setting upon this duty I. Having with-drawn thy self from worldly company thou must for the time wholly lay aside all worldly thoughts for otherwise it may and will fall out that when thou art separated from the company and society of men thou mayest be in a croud of worldly businesses through thy worldly and wandring thoughts II. In the entrance upon this duty lift up thine heart in some short prayer unto God for his direction assistance and blessing thereon III. Having thus prepared thy self in some measure then pitch upon the subject matter whereupon thou intendest to meditate such as may be fit for thy souls nourishment Herein observe these Directions 1 Let the subject matter of thy Meditation bee wholly spiritual and divine Thus any part of the Scripture is a fit subject for thy Meditation as also God or any of his Attributes as 〈◊〉 Omnipotency Eternity Immutability Omâ—ipresence Omnisciency 〈◊〉 Wisdome Mercy Iustice Love Faithfulness and other excellencies of God As also the blessed and happy estate wherein our first Parents were created by God and that miserable estate whereinto they implunged themselves and all their posterity by their disobedience against God in eating the forbidden fruit and the state of Redemption by Jesus Christ and the transcendent love of Christ in undergoing a bitter cursed death for us 2 Let the particular subject thou pitchest upon for thy Meditation be suitable to thy present state and condition and to that end in setting upon this duty it will be thy wisdome to observe the frame and temper of thy heart If thou findest thine heart sad and heavy then fix thy Meditation upon thy sins that so thou mayest turn thy sorrow and sadness for outward things into a sorrow for thy sins But if thou findest thine heart lightsome and chearful then fix thy Meditations on the incomprehensible love of God or on the freeness of his grace or on the bounty of God especially towards thy self 3 Having pitched thy thoughts upon some particular subject suitable to the present frame and temper of thine heart continue thy thoughts upon it till thou hast found thy heart warmed and thine affections quickened therewith which indeed is the main and principal end of this exercise 4 Having spoken of preparation to the work come wee now to the work it self which consists of three particular heads 1 The first I may call Cogitation whereby I mean a discoursing of the understanding about the subject matter pitched upon a calling to minde of several truths that belong thereunto As if the subject of thy Meditation be Death then call to mind and seriously think as of the certainty of Death so also of the uncertainty thereof both in regard of the Place where the Manner how and the Time when And then to argue the necessity of a continual expectation ofâ— and preparation for Death 2 The second is Application to make some close application to thy self of those truths thou hast called to mind for the warming of thine heart and quickning of thine affections 3 The third and last particular is Resolution a resolved purpose of heart to do this or that or to leave this or that As if the subject of thy Meditation hath been Death and finding thine heart thorowly affectâ—â— with the apprehension thereof especially of the uncertainâ— of the time of thy death resolve thereupon to be the more careful in imbracing every opportunity of doing good thinking it may be the last that will be afforded unto thee as also to live in a continual expectation of and preparation for death by a daily renewing thy peace with God Having thus given some Rules and Directions for the better helping thee in this heavenly exercise of Divine Meditation III. I shall now give thee an Example and Pattern thereof according to the former Rules and Directions for the better clearing it to thee Suppose the subject thou propoundest for thy Meditation be Sin then having lifted up thine heart unto God in prayer for his Direction and Assistance First Fall upon the duty of Cogitation calling to minde some plain truths which apperâ—ain thereunto As I. Think of the nature of sin How it is a transgression of the Law of God II. Of the kinds of sin viz. Original and Actual 1 Let out thine heart in a serious Meditation of that corruption of nature which thou and every man brought with him into the world and how it is not onely a sin but an heinous sin comprehending in it the seeds of all sins even of the most abominable that can be imagined 2 Let out thine heart in a serious Meditation of thine actual sins and of the several kinds of them viz. Evil Thoughts evil Words and evil Actions III.
Think of the evil qualities of sin As 1 That it is most foul and filthy yea far more filthy than a conâ—luence of all the most filthy nasty loathsome things in the world And therefore in the Scriptures it is not onely called filthy but filthiness it self 3 Think how it is most infectious having a pestilential quality that pollutes every thing turning all our spiritual services even our Prayers Hearing Meditation c. into abomination 4 Think how sin is most deceitful which though it appear at first with a Syrens face most delightful yet it will prove at last to have a Serpents sting and to wound mortally And though for the present the way of sin may bee very pleasant and delightful yet the end and issue thereof will be very bitter if not fearful â—nd doleful IV. Think of the fearful effects and cursed â—â—â—â—uents of sin As 1 How it makes a separation between God and our souls so that there can bee no sweet communion between God and us whereby sin appeareth to be a greater evil than poverty imprisonment flame of fire or the like for a man may lye under all these evils and yet lye in Gods bosome 2 Think how in exposeth thee to all the miseries and calamities that can befall man both here and hereafter For it brings upon him hardness of heart horrour of conscience vexation and anguish of soul and all kinde of spiritual evils the least of which is far worse than all the plagues of Egypt 4 It likewise subjecteth his body to weaknesses sicknesses and diseases Yea sin while it remaineth unpardoned subjects a man to all the dreadful fruits and effects of Gods wrath which are all judgements and plagues here and eternal torture and torments in that everlasting lake where is nothing but weeping and willing and gnashing of teeth Having thus done with the work of Cogitation Then fall upon the work of Application to apply these fore-mentioned truths unto thy self for the warming of thine heart and quickening of thine affections 1 Make this application to thy self to look after Jesus Christ and to value him above all things Let the consideration of thy manifold sins drive thee unto Jesus Christ who alone can free thee from the guilt of them and punishments due unto them Happy is hee whom the sense of his sins makes to long in his soul for Christ and to count all things but dross and dung in comparison of him and that rejoyceth in that fountain of grace which the Lord hath opened for sin and for uncleanness and triumphs in his spirit because of the hope to be discharged by another of that for which himself cannot satisfie 2 Admire the wonderful patience of God in bearing with thee so long notwithstanding thy manifold provocations It may bee thou hast been a swearer a Sabbath-breaker an unclean person for many years and yet God hath spared thee Oh thence take occasion to admire the long-suffering and forbearance of God towards thee 3 Let the consideration of the hainous nature of sin and fearful punishments due unto thee for the same ravish thy soul with an admiratâ—â—â— of the love of Christ yea and inflame thy heart with a 〈…〉 who hath born thy sins for thee and by his death satisfied Gods justice for the same Having thus done with the work of Cogitation and Application then proceed to Resolution against sin for the time to come Resolve therefore to give sin a Bill of divorse to be more watchful against sin that it may not rule nor reign in thee as formerly it hath done say with thy self Though I cannot utterly destroy sin but that it will remain and abide in mee yet I am resolved with the assistance of Gods grace so to keep it under that it shall not reign in mee that though it do keep possession in mee yet that it shall not have dominion over mee To this end I will carefully shun and avoid all the occasions and means which may allure and draw mee unto sin And then for a conclusion begge of God that as hee hath been pleased to put any good purpose and resolution into thine heart so hee would inable thee by his holy Spirit to bring it to act and execution that hee would strengthen thee to perform what thou hast promised With an acknowledgement of thine own weakness and inability beg power and strength from God for it is his power that must strengthen thee against the power of thy lusts and corruptions CHAP. XIII Of our Behaviour in Company AS thou must be watchful over thy self when thou art alone so likewise when thou art in company looking unto thy behaviour therein and the rather because wee are generally more apt to transgress in company than when wee are alone experience teacheth us that many who in secret are watchful over their thoughts labouring to improve their privacy by some heavenly meditation and sweet communion with God are in company very apt to forget God and themselves too by giving too much way to the satisfying of their carnal lusts and pleasures whereby they fall into many sins And therefore it will not be amiss to set down some directions to guide thee when thou art in company But before I lay down these Directions I shall premise an Argument or two to perswade thee to make choice of the good and godly and by no means of wicked and ungodly â—â—sons for thine ordinary converse As also a preparatory advice or 〈◊〉 for the better fitting and preparing of thee to improve thy converse with men to the best spiritual advantage 1 Therefore highly prize and earnestly seek the company of such as are godly because thou wilt finde a greater increase in thy Piety Knowledge Faith Zeal and all other graces thereby if you look into the Primitive times you shall finde that when the Christians did most frequently associate themselves together delighting in the communion of each other then did they most of all thrive and increase as in Piety so in Knowledge Faith Love Zeal and all other graces And it may be observed that where the people of God do not associate themselves in holy communion there is little thriving in grace and godliness though they live under never so powerful a Ministery 2 Avoid as much as may bee the society of wicked and prophane persons especially such as are scoffers at Godliness and Religion Because wee are very apt to be perverted by evil company and corrupted with the contagion of their sins such pitch will defile our garments 3 Avoid the society of wicked men because wee are thereby in danger to bee involved in their temporal plagues All prophane men being liable every moment to those fearful plagues and judgements which their sins justly deserve and earnestly call for If God should showre them down upon them while the godly are in their company how can they expect immunity from the same 4 Avoid their company because wee shall thereby incourage and imbolden
any terms my soul might enjoy him which desires are the lifting up of the doors and gates of the soul for the receiving of Jesus Christ. 7 The Spirit of God having thus prepared the soul to a closing with Jesus Christ then he works the grace of faith in it whereby it throwes it self into the armes of Christ rolls it self upon him and rests upon his perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon and forgiveness of its Sins here and for eternal life and salvation hereafter Thus have I shewed thee the ordinary way and method which the Lord useth for the working of true saving faith in the hearts of his people Wouldst thou then know whether that faith thou pretendest to be a true saving faith try examine it by the fore-mentioned particulars consider whether it was thus kindly wrought in thee according to the ordinary method of Gods Spirit if so then though the fruits of faith are very weak in thee yet thou hast a comfortable evidence of the truth thereof and so consequently hast a sure evidence for heaven Obj. Though I cannot deny these fore-mentioned particulars to bee wrought in me yet notwithstanding I have no comfortable evidence and assurance of Heaven nor of my interest in Iesus Christ. Ans. For answer hereunto I shall lay down three comfortable considerations 1 A man may have the faith of adherence and dependence though he hath not the faith of evidence and assurance For the better understanding whereof you must know there is a two-fold faith as Divines distinguish viz. The faith of adherence whereby we roul our selves upon Christ and rest upon him and his Merits alone for â—ife and for salvation and the faith of evidence and assuranâ—e whereby wee know and are assured of our interest in Christ and consequently of our right and title unto Heaven This latter is the refleâ— act of the soul by which a Christian clearly seeth his own happiness whereas the former is the direct act of the soul. Now a man may have the faith of adherence which is true justifying faith that giveth him an interest in Christ and a right to Heaven and yet may want the faith of evidence and assurance so that he knowert not his own happiness As the child may truly hang about the mothers neck or cast it self into her armes and yet receive neither kiss nor smile from her so a poor soul may truly roul it self upon Christ cast it self into his armes and rest in his bosome which is true faith and yet have neither kiss nor smile from him therefore far be it from thee to question the truth of thy faith meerly for want of Christs smiling upon thee or to question thy faith of adherence because thou hast not the faith of evidence and assurance 2 Assurance of our interest in Christ and of our future happiness though it be requisite to the consolation of a Christian yet not to his salvation though to his comfort yet not to his safety his condition may be safe though not very comfortable at present for a Christians safety doth not at all depend upon his assurance but upon his faith That Christian that can by faith roul himself upon Christ cast himself into his armes resting upon his merits alone for life and for salvation his state and condition is safe though he hath not that assurance which he doth desire for the promise of life and salvation is made to faith and not to assurance the tenour of the Gospel is Beleeve and thou shalt be saved as Ioh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life It is not said that whosoever hath assurance of his interest in Christ and of eternal life and salvation but whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall be saved This consideration may revive many drooping souls who though they doe renounce all confidence in themselves and in any righteousness of their own and place their whole confidence upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the merits of his Death and Passion yet have no comfortable assurance in their own souls of their interest in Christ or of their eternal life and salvation let such know that their condition may bee good and safe for all that 3 Assurance of Salvation is not so ordinary as many Christians doe imagine for indeed they are but for Christians who doe here attain to a clear evidence and full assurance of their salvation such whom the Lord here calleth forth to hard services or great sufferings to them he is pleased many times to give some clear evidence and assurance of their eternal life and salvation for their better comfort and support Thus many Martyrs have expressed their full assurance of a better life after this whereas such a measure is not usually granted to ordinary Christians their trials being but flea-bites in comparison of the others VI. Then especially act the graces of Gods Spirit in thee as 1 Thy Falth which is a grace of special use to thee so long as thou livest in this world but most of all at thy last Sickness and in the time of Death therefore then especially bee often actuating and exercising thy faith in Jesus Christ with the eye of faith look upon Christ hanging upon the Cross there offering up his life as an all-sufficient Sacrifice and full satisfaction to Gods Justice for thy Sins and cast thy self into the armes of Jesus Christ resting upon his Merits alone for life and for salvation with a disclaiming of all confidence in thy self or any righteousness of thine own place thy whole confidence upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and upon the merits of his death and passion 2 Then especially act thy zeal for Gods glory by giving good counsel to those who are about thee or come to visit thee it is the last time thou canst doe any thing for God in this world therefore then shew thy love to him and zeal for his glory by calling upon others to fear him and serve him by a conscionable discharge of the duties of their places callings and relations perswade them to minde the things of this world less and the things of Heaven more to prize health and improve it for the good of their souls to lay up a stock of graces and comforts against the evil day and to get their evidences for Heaven clear before they be cast upon their Death-beds Words of dying men are of most efficacy and authority and therefore improve thy dying speeches to the glory of God and the good of thy neighbour Thus our blessed Saviour when he was to leave the world shewed his zeal for Gods glory and love to his Disciples in leaving with them many precious counsels comforts and exhortations and the Apostle Paul being aged and knowing the time of his departure was at hand called for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and leaves with them
bread and wine into spiritual bane Hee therefore that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy It is said of the Viper that when she goeth to joyn with her Mare she casteth out all her poison How much more oughtest thou when thou goest to have communion with thy heavenly Spouse the Lord Jesus Christ cast out thy sins which are a spiritual poison worse than the poison of any Viper In this Examination as thou must search after thine evil thoughts woâ—ds and deeds and after thy sins of omission and commission so likewise and especially after the sins thou hast committed since thy last receiving of the blessed Sacrament and such as are most against the vows and covenants that formerly thou madest with God and which do mostgaul thy conscience or most disgrace thy profession or are greatest occasions of dulling thy spirit that these being found out they may be the more lamented and pardon for them more earnestly desired In the examining thy self it will be a good help to read such a Treatise as doth in particular set out the several sins against the several Commandements For when by such a Treatise thou art shewed that such a thing is a sin against such a Commandement thy conscience will upon the reading of such sins tell thee that therein thou hast sinned Having examined and searched thine heart thorowly of all thy known sins then humble thy self before the Throne of Grace in a true and unfeigned acknowledgement and confession of them freely judging and condemning thy self before God with a broken and contrite heart Directions to help thee in the right manner of confessing thy sins See in Chap. 20. And having confessed thy sins pour out thy soul in hearty prayer unto God for the pardon and forgiveness of them all And then be earnest with him to make the Sacrament effectual to thy comfort effectual to the mortifying of thy lusts to the strengthening of thy graces especially to the confirming of thy Faith in the assurance of the pardon and forgiveness of thy sins c. III. Having shewed the duties Antecedent come we now to the duties Concomitant i. e. such as must accompany the action of receiving But first I shall premise some few Directions touching the Manner of thine approaching to the Lords Table 1 Having thus prepared thy self go not in the strength of thy preparations but onely in the strength of Iesus Christ looking for acceptance onely in and thorow his merits and mediation For though thou hast prepared thy self after the best manner that thou canst yet if with an impartial eye thou shalt look back upon thy preparations how full of weaknesses infirmities and imperfections wilt thou finde them So that if Christ do not cover both thy person and thy preparation with the Robe of his Righteousness and sprinkle them with his blood neither thy person nor thy preparation will finde acceptance with God Cast therefore all thy preparations at the feet of Jesus Christ and say Lord I come not in the strength of my preparations but onely in thy strength I come in thine alone name and mediation to partake of thy body and of the benefits of thy death and passion And thou mayest then be confident that God will over-look thy manifold weaknesses and imperfections in the work of preparation and accept of thee and of thy services in and thorow his beloved Son Jesus Christ. 2 As thou art going meditate on the ends and benefits of that solemn ordinance some whereof are these 1 The remembrance of the death of Christ it being instituted as a memorial thereof 2 The spiritual nourishment of our souls 3 The strengthening of our Faith in the assurance of the pardon and forgiveness of our sins 4 The sealing of the Covenant of Grace with all the blessings thereof unto the beleeving soul. 5 The encreasing of our spiritual union and communion with Christ and all his members A serious meditation of these will be a special means to stir up in us some spiritual appetite after the ordinance that we shall go with hungring and thirsting desires after the same 3 Go with a strong expectation to receive much from Christ in and thorow that ordinance knowing that Christ will inlarge himself unâ—o all those who come with inlarged hearts with a strong expectation of many good things Open thy mouth wide saith the Lord and I will fill it So that if thou open thy mouth wide in a longing expectation of great matters he will fill it Yea the more thine heart is inlarged in desire and expectation the more will Gods heart be inlarged in bounty towards thee As therefore God hath promised in the Covenant of Grace to pardon thy sins to subdue thy corruptions to give thee a soft heart and the like go with an expectation of these and such like blessings and thou shalt not be disappointed of thine hopes 4 Approach to the Lords Table with all holy reverence in respect of Gods glorious Majesty who is in a special manner present at that ordinance to behold his guests and will be sanctified by all those who draw nigh unto him 5 Approach thereunto with all humility in respect of thine own vileness and unworthiness who art but sinful dust and ashes and if thou hast any light of grace in thee canst not but be conscious to thy self of more corruption in thine own heart than thou knowest to be in the heart of another And therefore say not Such an one is ignorant and such an one is loose in his life and conversation but say Lord I am ignorant I am unworthy to draw nigh unto thee in so holy an Ordinance not worthy to gather up the crumbs under thy Table And know that the more unworthy thou art in thine own account the worthier guest thou art in the account of God 6 As thou art going to the Lords Table cast all thy worldly thoughts and businesses out of thine head which otherwise will carry away thine heart from the ordinance and exceedingly disturb thee thereat In Iob 1. 6. wee read There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also amongst them In like manner on the day when Gods Children present themselves before the Lord in that solemn Ordinance Satan will be sure to appear amongst them to disturb and distract them therein as much as possibly he can by casting into their heads vain and impertinent thoughts And therefore it concerneth thee to be watchful over thy thoughts and to keep thine heart close to the ordinance To that end it will be thy wisdome oft to eye the outward elements of bread and wine and diligently to observe the outward rites and actions in the ordinance and thereupon to meditate of the spiritual things signified thereby These things premised Come we now to the Duties to be performed at the Ordinance which are these I. When
thine own walls For it is found by too frequent experience that differences between Man and Wife being once divulged are more hardly made up 3 When any difference is risen let each strive who should first seek after peace and reconciliation for theirs is the glory who first begin I have read that there was sometimes a variance between two famous Philosophers Aristippus and Aeschines Aristippus at length cometh to Aeschines and seeks for peace and reconciliation and withall said Remember though I am the elder and the Party wronged yet I fought the peace True said Aeschines and for this I will ever acknowledge thee the worthier man for I began the strife but thou the peace But how many of us come short of Aristippus though an Heathen Philosopher in this particular thinking it a disgrace first to seek after peace and reconciliation III. Another mutual Duty which Husband and Wife owe one to another is Prayer They ought to pray one for another In a conscionable performance whereof may Husband and Wife bee helpful each to other in all things needful to either of them it â—eing the means which the Lord hath sanctified for obtaining of every good thing both for our selves and others It is recorded of Isaac That he intreated the Lord for his Wife because she was â—arren and the Lord was intreated of him i. e. the Lord heard his Prayer and granted his request IV. Another mutual duty is A provident care of one for anoâ—ther seeking the good of one another even as of themselves This thâ—ir care of one for another respecteth especially both the Soul and the good name of each other 1 There ought to be a provident care for one anothers Souls as 1 If a beleeving Husband or Wife be married to an unbeleever they ought to use all the means they can to win the other This the Apostle Peter presseth upon Wives for he commands them so to carry themselves towards their Husbands That they may without the Word be won by the conversation of their Wives And the Apostle Paul intimateth this to be the duty of Husbands towards their Wives For saith he How knowest thou O man whether thou shalt save thy wife viz. by thy godly conversation And if either of you shall be a means of the conversion of the other how intirely will it knit your affections one to another 2 If both Husband and Wife bee in the state of Grace they should be watchful one over the other as to prevent sin in one another so to redress it the best way they can when either of them are fallen thereinto by seasonable admonition yea and reproof also if admonition will not serve Herein Husband and Wife should more respect the mutual good of one another than fear the giving of offence And it is likewise a special duty incumbent upon Husband and Wife to help forward the growth of grace in each other as by a frequent conferring together of good things especially of what they hear in the publick Ministery of the Word so likewise by a constant performing family-duties especially Prayer Though this duty appertain chiefly to the Husband yet the Wife ought to put her Husband in mind thereof if hee forget it and to stir him up if hee be backward 2 There ought to bee a provident care in Husband and Wife as for one anothers souls so for one anothers good name The Husbands good name ought to bee as dear to the Wife as her own And the Wives good name ought to be as dear to the Husband as his own And truly great reason there is that parties so nearly knit together should be careful of one anothers good name because a name is more precious than all the goods they enjoy V. Another mutual duty is To conceal and cover the infirmities of one another There is no man or woman without their infirmities it will be therefore your wisdome to conceal the same so far as you can with a good conscience And truly this is one special act and exercise of love to seek to cover and conceal the infirmities of those whom they love How blame-worthy then are they who take all occasions to spread abroad one anothers infirmities and many times belye one another This fault is so much the greater in two especial respects 1 Because the Husband and Wife know more of one anothers infirmities and therefore if they be so ill minded can more discredit and defame one another than any other 2 Because of all other parties they are most bound to conceal one anothers infirmities by reason of their near union CHAP. XXIV Of Husbands Duties to their Wives HAving shewed the Common-mutual duties appertaining both to the Husband and the Wife I come now to the special and particular duties belonging to each of them severally And first of the duties of the Husband all which may bee comprized under this one word LOVE for wee finde that often expresly set down and mentioned as the chief duty of the Husband For the more profitable pressing whereof I shall shew 1 The manner how it ought to be performed 2 The particulars in which it ought to expressed I. For the manner the Apostle St. Paul setteth it down in two phrases 1 As Christ loved his Church Husbands love your Wives even as Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it The note of comparison EVEN AS requireth not an equality as if it were possible for an Husband to love his Wife as much as Christ loved his Church but it notes a similitude and likeness and implieth two things 1 That you must indeavour to come as near Christ herein as you can never thinking you have loved enough because you can never love so much as Christ did 2 That though your love in quantity cannot be equal to Christs yet in quality and condition it ought to be like his viz. True Free and Constant. 1 As Christs love to his Church was a true real love which hee expressed by giving himself for her So should the Husbands love to his Wife be a true and real love not loving her in word onely but in deed also manifesting his love by some real expressions thereof 2 As Christs love to his Church was a free love for his love arose wholly and only from himself there being nothing in the Church to move him to love her So should the Husbands love to his Wife be a free love loving her though there were nothing in her to draw his love but onely that shee is his wife 3 As Christs love to his Church is a constant and continued love for whom hee once loveth hee loveâ—h to the end So should the Husbands love to his Wife be a constant and continued love noâ— onely by fits for a while but constantly till death 2 The Husband ought to lâ—ve his wife as his own body as the Apostle St. Paul speaketh So ought men to love
is the onely way and means of salvation 2 That beleeving in Christ is the onely means of partaking of him and of salvation by him As there is no salvation but by Christ so there is no having Christ and salvation but by Faith 1 The former is clear from many places of Scripture as first from that known place Neither is there salvation in any other c. Here the Apostle plainly shews that there is no salvation but by Christ for which hee gives a sufficient reason in the next words For there is no name under Heaven given among men whereby wee must be saved implying thereby that if through Gods free Grace we be saved it must necessarily be in and by Jesus Christ. For it is not the name of a mans own duties or righteousness whereby hee can be saved they are full of infirmities and imperfections whereupon the Church crieth out All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs i e. the best works of the best men performed after the best manner that they can are as a menstruous cloath full of spots and stains full of weaknesses and imperfections Neither is it the name of a mans graces whereby hee can bee saved for they likewise are weak and imperfect there being a mixture of sin as in our best duties so in our best graces a mixture of pride with our humility of hypocrisie with our sincerity of unbeleef with our faith c. I grant indeed that Christians may look to their graces as evidences of their part and interest in Jesus Christ and of salvation by him but not as causes of their salvation They may likewise make use of duties as means to bring them unto Christ but not to bee saved by them Christ and Christ alone is the only cause and Author of their salvation and therefore hee stiles himself the way the truth and the life saying I am the way the truth and the life i. e. the true way to eternal life the onely way by which wee may certainly and out of which it is impossible wee should ever attain unto eternal life and salvation In which respect hee is often stiled A SAVIOUR Yea hee is termed the Author of eternal salvation Heb. 5. 9. The word in the Greek properly signifieth a cause even the efficient cause of of our salvation and that hee is both by purchase from his Father and by conquest over Satan whose slaves and vassals all mankind were In this respect hee is likewise called the Captain of our Salvation Yea hee is stiled Salvation it self And on this ground was the name Iesus given him Because it was hee who should save his people from their sins And therefore as hee is the wise builder who built his house upon the Rock So he is the wise Christian who builds his hope of salvation only upon this Rock the Lord Jesus Christ. And the truth is all other things besides Jesus Christ will prove but rotten and sandy foundations to all those who shall build their hope of salvation upon them And yet how many foolish Christians be there who build their hope of salvation upon other things besides Jesus Christ. As 1 Some upon their freedome from scandalous sins they are not so bad as other men and thereupon flatter themselves with a conceit of their good estate yea and hope of salvation which was the deceit of the proud Pharisee who thought himself a good man because hee was not so bad as others Whereas in truth it is not hee who is not so bad as others that hath a well-grounded hope of salvation but he who goeth wholly out of himself unto Christ that with a disclaiming of all Righteousness of his own doth place his whole confidence upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and the merits of his death and passion for life and for salvation 2 Others build their hope of salvation upon some good desires in their hearts now and then by fits But alas they are much mistaken and deceived who think with a few good desires to break open the gates of Heaven I grant indeed that good desires in the soul I mean desires of grace and holiness are a good sign of some beginnings of grace for it is grace to desire grace But if you rest contented with your desires after grace and goodness and not go unto Jesus Christ the fountain of all grace and goodness you may lye down in sorrow and fall short of eternal life and salvation 3 Others build their hope of salvation upon their bare outward profession of Religion they have been baptized and profess the true Christian Faith and thereupon think themselves as good Christians as the best But as Christ cursed the Fig-tree which had leaves only and no fruit so will hee curse them who bear the leaves of Profession but want the fruits of a godly life and conversation And it is like to fare with them as it did with the five foolish Virgins who had their Lamps of Profession as well as the wise Virgins but for want of oyl in their Lamps i. e. of grace in their hearts were shut out of the Bride-chamber i. e. out of Heaven which is the Bride-chamber of Jesus Christ. 4 Others build and bottome their hope of salvation upon their civil Righteousness and moral honesty their just and upright dealing with men and the like when as many Heathen who had no knowledge of Jesus Christ and so fell short of Heaven have gone further in Morality and Civil Righteousness than these men 5 Others build their hope of salvation upon their Religious Righteousness their frequent performance of holy and religious duties they are frequent in hearing praying reading partaking of the Lords Supper c. and hereupon flatter themselves with an hope of salvation whereas their best services should they bee weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary would be found too light and insufficient to salvation being full of weaknesses infirmities and imperfections for which the Lord might justly condemn them should hee deal with them according to the rigour of his justice 6 Others build their hope of salvation upon their sorrow and humiliation finding their hearts in some measure affected with grief and sorrow for their sins especially if they do but drop a few tears oh then they flatter themselves with an hope both of the pardon and forgiveness of their sins and of eternal life and salvation which they ground upon that promise of our Saviour Come unto mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Conceiving that Christ had promised rest and peace yea life and salvation unto all that found their hearts affected with grief and sorrow for their sins without any more adoe whereas I conceive it is not so much a promise of rest and salvation unto humbled souls as an invitation unto such because they are most apt to be discouraged to come unto Christ from whom alone