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A25478
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A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers; Morning-exercise at Cripplegate. Supplement.
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Annesley, Samuel, 1620?-1696.
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1676
(1676)
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Wing A3240; ESTC R13100
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974,140
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814
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conjunct Prayer of a domestick combination which is concerning Isaac Gen. 25.21 We read it And Isaac entreated the Lord for his Wife Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two words especially make for our purpose Ea praesente unà cum illa Junius Simul cum uxore cum qua communicabat preces Fagi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orare quidem significat sed non simpliciter quia assiduitatem importunitatem simul connotat precum multiplicationem Res convenit non enim dubium est tam longo tempore Isaacum saepiâ—â—s interpellasse Deum fretum spe promissionum Rivet in loc That vvhich is translated for his Wife might be read with his Wife in the presence of his Wife being vvith him and joining with him in this duty He prayed for and before his Wife it was then conjunct Prayer Isaac praying with his Wife The other vvord translated entreated signifieth to multiply powerful words in Prayer to pour out vvords in abundance and denoteth 1. The multiplying of his Prayers it was not only once but frequently that he pray'd with his Wife 2. The earnestness of his Prayer 3. The continuance and their perseverance therein till they had the mercy prayed for as follows and the Lord was entreated of him Isaac had been married near twenty years with Rebekah and so long without a child so that it seems they had been exercised in this duty for many years upon this account that Rebekah had no child for so long time for which they did unanimously and constantly offer up prayers to God and if they prayed together for issue should not you for the favour of God pardon of sin interest in Christ and eternal life By all you see that there was Family conjunct worship and praying to God by God's command and appointment and approved by God's acceptance of it Now let any one shew where God hath taken off this obligation if God hath any where said though I did appoint Adam to worship me in his Family and did accept of Abel 's offering that did as I commanded and did hear Isaac praying together with his wife yet now I will be prayed to in Families no more shew it if you can What book chapter and verse is it Obj. Will you say that the reason of their worshipping God in their Families at first was because there was no other to worship him with but when men did multiply and there were publick Assemblies men were not bound to do it Ans 1 Shew that Which is the Text that tells you that God's instituting of Publick Worship hath disobliged men from praying to God in their Families Ans 2 When men were multiplied Godly men did serve God in their Families Abraham did and Isaac did and Job did and Joshua did and Cornelius did Did they do it and were they not bound to do it What will you make of all the Worship and Prayers which these did give and offer up to God in their Houses If there was no obligation upon them they had not sinned if they had omitted it and it was no obedience when they did so Will you say either of these What! Were they Works of Supererogation No surely But when Aaron 's Priesthood was instituted Object then the obligation on Families ceased and after that the Israelites did not pray in their Houses Why will you speak without Book Shew me this either Answ I have proved an obligation by God's institution shew me where it is nulled and made void even after the Aaronical Priesthood was instituted But I say they did pray in their houses after this for after the institution of Aaron's Priesthood the Israelites celebrated the Passeover in their own Houses and that was not done without Prayer For though after the Priesthood was setled the Priests killed the Lamb yet after the Lamb was killed the Master of the house caused it to be brought back to his own house and did eat it with his Family Luke 22.7 8.9 10. And the Cup that was used at the Passeover whether it were Sacramental or no is controverted was blessed by the Master of the Family Weemes so that there was Prayer and Praise attending this celebration in their Houses conjunctly after the Priesthood was setled in which service they had also the expâ—ication of it why they kept it what was the meaning of the bitter herbs and why eaten with unleavened bread done in form of Catechizing Godw. Jew Antiq and in their Feasts the Master of the House prayed before and after after he gave thanks 1 For their present food 2 For their deliverance from Egyptian bondage 3 For the Covenant of Circumcision 4 For the Law given by the ministry of Moses then he prayed that God would have mercy 1 On his People Israel 2 On his own City Jerusalem 3 On Sion the Tabernacle of his Glory 4 On the Kingdom of the House of David his anointed 5 That he would send Elias the Prophet 6 That he would make them worthy of the days of the Messiah and of the life of the World to come Do you not call this conjunct Prayer and Praise thus done by the Master of the Family May we not now with confidence of the truth from all under this last Topick or Head of Argument frame this manner of reasoning Arg. 6. If serving of God and praying conjunctly to him in proper Families was commanded and appointed by God and never yet revoked then it is the duty of proper Families so to do But serving of God and praying to him conjunctly in proper Families was commanded and appointed by God and never yet revoked Therefore it is the duty of proper Families so to do Pareus Deorum cultor infrequem Insanientis dum sapientiae Consultus erro nunc retrorsum vela dare atque iterare cursus cogor relictos Horat. lib. 1. Od. 34. So much for the first Question Question Second Whether it be the duty of Families jointly to pray to God daily Aff. Some that are convinced that Family Prayer is a duty vvill sometimes practice it and yet but seldom some upon the Lord's Day and yet but once then in the Evening and that serves for all the week till the evening of the Lord's day next doth come Others pray once a day through the week but omit it in the morning when yet the very same reasons which should move them to do it at all should be cogent for more frequent performance of it and are so Though it be not determined expresly in the Scripture that Christian Families should pray together morning and evening every day yet in the general it is required that we should continue in Prayer Col. 4.2 which seems to be meant of Family Prayer For the Apostle had been speaking to Family relations Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants and treating of Family relative duties carrying on his speech still to the same persons saith continue in Prayer but such as
non eradicâ—nt Bern. Sin Let a Physitian prescribe never so good Receipts if the Patient takes Poison it will hinder the vertue and operation of the Physick The Scripture prescribes excellent Receipts but sin lived in Poisons all The Body cannot thrive in a Feaver nor can the Soul under the feaverish heat of Lust Plato calls the love of Sin Magnus Daemon a Great Devil As the Rose is destroyed by the Canker which breeds in it so are the Souls of men by those Sins they live in 2. Take heed of the Thorns which will choak the Word read These Thorns our Saviour expounds to be the Cares of this World Matth. 13.22 By Cares is meant (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Covetousness A Covetous man is a Pluralist he hath such diversity of secular employments that he can scarce find time to read or if he doth what solecisms doth he commit in reading while his eye is upon the Bible his heart is upon the World it is not the Writings of the Apostles he is so much taken with as the Writings in his Account-Book is this man like to profit you may as soon extract Oyls and Sirrups out of a Flint as he any real benefit out of Scripture 3. Take heed of Jesting with Scripture this is playing with fire Some cannot be merry unless they make bold with God when they are sad they bring forth the Scripture as their Harp to drive away the evil (l) Procul hinc procul esse profani Ovid. Spirit As that Drunkard who having drunk off his Cups call'd to his Fellows Give us of your Oil for our Lamps are gone out In the fear of God beware of this (m) Quos Deus vult perdere iis permittit ludere cum sacris Scripturis Luth. King Edward the Fourth would not endure to have his Crown jested with but caused him to be executed who said He would make his Son Heir to the Crown (n) Speeds Chron. meaning the sign of the Crown Much less will God endure to have his WORD jested with Eusebius relates of one who took a piece of Scripture to jest with God struck him with frenzy The Lord may justly give over such persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a reprobate (o) Rom. 1.28 mind 2. If you would profit prepare your hearts to the reading of the Word the heart is an instrument needs putting in tune 1 Sam. 7.3 Prepare your Direct 2 hearts to the Lord. The Heathens as (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plut. Plutarch notes thought it indecent to be too hasty or rash in the service of their supposed Deities This preparation to reading consists in two things 1. In summoning our Thoughts together to attend that solemn Work we are going about the Thoughts are straglers therefore rally them together 2. In purging out those unclean affections which do indispose us to reading The Serpent before he drinks casts up his Poison in this we should be wise as Serpents before we come to these Waters of Life cast away the Poison of Impure Affections Many come rashly to the reading of the Word and no wonder if they come without preparation they go away without profit 3. Read the Scripture with reverence think every line you read God Direct 3 is speaking to you The Ark wherein the Law was put was overlaid with pure Gold and was carried on Bars that the Levites might not touch it Exod. 25. Why was this but to breed in the people reverence to the Law When Ehud told Eglon he had a message to him frrom God he arose from his Throne Judg. 3.20 The Word written is a message to us from JEHOVAH with what veneration should we receive it Direct 4 Read the Books of Scripture in order Though occurrences may sometimes divert our method yet for a constant course it is best to observe an order in reading Order is an help to memory we do not begin to read a Friends Letter in the middle Direct 5 Get a right understanding of Scripture Psal 119.73 Give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments Though there are some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knots in Scripture which are not easily untied yet things essential to salvation the Holy Ghost hath plainly pointed out to us The knowledge of the sense of Scripture is the first step to profiting In the Law Aaron was first to light the Lamps and then to burn the Incense the Lamp of the understanding must be first lighted before the Affections can be inflamed Get what knowledge you can by comparing Scriptures by conferring with others by using the best Annotators Without knowledge the Scripture is a sealed Book every line is too high for us and if the Word shoot above our head it can never hit our heart Direct 6 Read the Word with seriousness If one go over the Scripture cursorily saith Erasmus there is little good to be got by it but if he be serious in reading of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the savour of life and well may we be serious if we consider the importance of those Truths which are bound up in this sacred Volume Deut. 32.47 It is not a (q) Non est verbum inane quod contemni debeat à vobis Pagnin vain thing for you for it is your life If a Letter were to be broken open and read wherein a man 's whole Estate were concerned how serious would he be in reading of it In the Scripture our Salvation is concern'd it treats of the Love of (r) Tit. 3.4 Christ a serious subject Christ hath loved Mankind more than the Angels that fell Heb. 2.6 The Loadstone despising the Gold and Pearl draws the Iron to it thus Christ passed by the Angels who were of a more noble extract and drew Mankind to him Christ loved us more than his own Life nay though we had a hand in his Death yet that he should not leave us out of his Will this is a Love (Å¿) Eph. 3.9 passeth knowledge who can read this without seriousness The Scripture speaks of the Mystery of Faith the Eternal Recompences the Paucity of them that shall be Saved Matth. 20.16 Few Chosen One saith (t) Flavius Vâ—piscus The Names of all the good Emperors of Rome might be engraven in a little Ring There are but few Names in the Book of Life The Scripture speaks of (u) Tanquam pro vita morte luctitandum Corn. á â—ap striving for Heaven as in an Agony Luke 13.24 it cautions us of falling short of the promised Rest Heb. 4.1 it describes the horror of the Infernal (x) Sic morientur damnati ut semper vivant sic vivent ut semper moriantur Bern. Torments the Worm and the Fire Mark 9.44 Who can read this and not be serious Some have light feathery Spirits they run over the most weighty Truths in haste like Israel who eat the Passeover in haste and they are not benefited by the