heart that is we must exercise the graces of Gods holy Spirit in singing as well as in praying labouring to express the same affection in singing the Psalm as David had in penning the same as if it be a Psalm of Confession then to express some humility and brokenness of heart and spirit in singing it If it be a Psalm of prayers and petitions then must our affections be fervent If a Psalm of praises and thanksgivings then must our hearts be chearful And thus must the affection of the heart be ever suitable to the quality of the Psalm 3 It must be to the Lord that is as in the sight and presence of the Lord and to his honour and glory As the Apostle expresseth it in the next verse Whatsoever yee do in word or deed do it as in the name of Christ so to the praise and glory of God making his glory the main end and aim of what you do III. Another private Duty to be performed with our Family is Prayer For if this duty ought to be performed every day twice at least viz. in the morning and evening then especially on the Lords Day which the Lord hath wholly consecrated to his worship and service The Directions for the right manner of performing this duty of Prayer so as it may be an acceptable service and sacrifice unto God you may finde in Chapter second about the latter part thereof IV. Reading the Scriptures is another Duty to be performed in and with our Family that so they may bee acquainted with the Body of the Scriptures yea and with the Precepts and Promises the Directions and Consolations of the Word for their direction and comfort Directions for the more profitable reading of the Scriptures see Chap. 4. These are the Private duties of Piety to bee performed on the Lords Day Besides the Publick and Private there are likewise secret duties to be performed by every one alone in their Closets or Chambers which are briefly these 1 Reading some part of Gods Word or other good Books 2 Meditating of what you have heard or read that day which is an excellent means to make the Word both read and preached profitable unto you For as meat though it be never so wholsome nourisheth us not if it be not concocted and digested so is it with the Word of God the food of our souls if it be not by meditation concocted and digested it will nothing at all profit us but being by meditation digested it will then prove effectual to the nourishing of our souls 3 Examining your selves as of your former life conversation so especially of your carriage the last week and of the manner of your performing the duties of the day and as you should be humbled for your faylings therein so you should resolve with the assistance of Gods grace to be more watchful over your selves for the time to come and to be more careful in sanctifying the Lords Day by a conscionable manner of performing the duties thereof 4 Praying unto God is another duty to be performed by you in secret as well as publickly and privately yea you should double and treble your Prayers on the Lords Day Under the Law we read how the Lord required double Sacrifices on the Sabbath Day for besides the daily Sacrifices two Lambs more were appointed to be offered up on the Sabbath day four in all to shew the holiness of the day And in like manner ought you to double your spiritual sacrifices of Prayer and Praises on the Lords Day earnestly beseeching him for Christs sake to pardon as your sins in general so in special the manifold infirmities and imperfections which have passed from you in the performance of your holy seâ—vices and to enable you by his Spirit to perform them for the time to come with more life and vigor with more fervency and affection Having thus shewed you both the Publick Private and Secret duties of Piety to be performed on the Lords Day Come we now to the Works of Mercy which is another Head of duties which ought to be performed on thatday and therefore to duties of Piety you must adde Works of Mercy on the Sabbath day in a conscionable performance of both which consisteth the true sanctification of the Sabbath And because man consists of two Parts viz. of Soul and Body and both of them are subject to many Maladies therefore the Works of Mercy may be brought to these two Heads 1 Such as concern the Soul 2 Such as concern the Body of your Neighbour I The Works of Mercy which concern the Soul of your Neighbour are these and such like 1 To instruct the ignorant in Points of Doctrine needful and necessary to be known herein Iob expressed his charity as Eliphas testifieth of him Thou hast instructed many viz. in the knowledge of God 2 To draw Sinners to repentance by setting before them as the severity of Gods Justice against all impenitent Sinners so the freeness of his grace and riches of his mercy to all penitenâ— Sinners 3 To comfort such as are comfortless through an apprehension of the number and hainousness of their sins by setting before them the All-sufficiency of Christs Sacrifice and the gracious offers in the Gospel to all who find their sins a burthen to them 4 To exhort and stirre up such as have begun well to hold on patiently and constantly whereunto the Apostle exhorteth us Let us saith he consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works or to whet on to love and good works as the word in the Original properly signifieth 5 To reprove and rebuke such as are scandalous and offensive in their waies Thus Iohn reproved Herod for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for many other evils 6 To resolve the doubtful 7 To strengthen and establish such as are weak in grace These indeed in one respect may be called works of Piety namely as they are instructions directions and consolations gathered out of the holy Scriptures But in another respect they are works of mercy namely as they tend to the good of your neighbours souls In which the poorest that are may be rich in good works II. The works of mercy which concern the body of our neighbour are these and such like 1 Relieving such as are in want The Apostle enjoyning the Corinthians to lay up some thing in store every first day of the week which is the Lords Day implieth that that is a very fit season not only to do such works of mercy which are then offered unto us but also to prepare for other times And surely if every one would every Lords Day set apart something out of his commings in that week for a stock to give to charitable uses much good might be done thereby For as men by this means will have more to give than otherwise they will finde in their hearts to do on the week days So they will give both more
world out of thine head and thine heart close unto the duty But if some extraordinary business have occasioned thee to delay it doe not thereupon wholly omit it but be careful to take the first opportunity of retiring into thy Closet there to offer up thy morning sacrifice unto God Thus duty of secret Prayer is expresly commanded and the practice of it especially in the morning wee find also very much commended to us in the World of God First The duty it self is expresly commanded by our Lord and Saviour When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Here you see is a positive command for the practice of secret Prayer Enter into thy Closet or into some private place and having shut the door pray Secondly The morning is commended to us for the choysest time of practising this duty 1 By the example of Christ 2 By the practice of the faithful 1 By the example of Christ himself of whom it is recorded by Saint Mark that he rose early in the morning a great while before day and went out into a solitary place and there prayed His rising betimes shewed his earnest desire and diligent care in the performance of this duty for when wee have a good mind to do a thing wee use to rise betimes and go about it 2 For the practice of the Saints of God herein the Scripture is very plentiful It is recorded of Iob That hee rose early in the morning and offered burnt offerings before the Lord. Hee did not onely rise in the morning but early in the morning giving unto God the first fruits of the day And Davids morning devotions are often expressed in the book of Psalms As My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up And again O God thou art my God early will I seek thee And it is recorded of Daniel That three times a day hee kneeled upon his knees and prayed and gave thanks viz. in the morning before hee entred upon any business at noon before hee went to his dinner and in the evening before hee went to bed And that this was his usual practice appears from the following expression viz. As hee did aforetime i. e. hee prayed three times a day as hee was formerly accustomed to do For the more profitable pressing of this duty of secret prayer 1 I shall give you some motives to quicken you up to a conscionable performance thereof 2 Answer some Objections 3 Give you some Directions for the right manner of performing it The Motives may bee drawn to Three Heads 1 The Excellency 2 The Necessity 3 The Utility thereof I. The Excellency of secret prayer appears in two particulars 1 In that it increaseth our Communion and Fellowship with God bringing us into a familiar acquaintance with him As the converses of a Christian soul with God in secret prayer are sweet so oh how sweet are the discoveries that the Lord often makes of himself to the soul of a Christian in his secret prayers When Daniel was praying alone in secret it was said unto him Thou art greatly beloved 2 The Excellency of secret prayer appears in that it procures a comfort and sweetness upon those mercies which it obtaineth For this is an experimental Truth That those mercies which are given in as answers and returns to our prayers are the sweetest and most comfortable And certainly this is one reason why many finde so little comfort in their yoak-fellows in their children in their estate and the like they did not seek them of God by secret prayer and so did not receive them as answers to their prayers but only from an hand of common providence without any seeking of theirs II. The Necessity of secret prayer especially in the morning appeareth 1 In that without it wee cannot with any confidence expect Gods blessing upon our pains and indeavours For as the Psalmist speaketh Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it So except the Lord bless our pains and indeavours it is in vain to rise◠up early to sit up late and to eat the bread of sorrow and prayer is the means God hath sanctified for the obtaining his blessing 2 In regard of manifold casualties whereunto we are subject for death lieth every where in wait for us so that wee go every moment in danger of our lives If wee walk in the streets so many tiles on the house top so many deaths hang over our heads if wee walk in the fields so many beasts as wee meet withall so many enemies to indanger our lives Yea how many have risen well in the morning who have been found dead before the evening And what hath befallen one may befall another And how sad a thing will it be to be Arrested by Death and called to the Bar of Gods Judgement to plead Guilty or not Guilty before we have 〈◊〉 our selves at the Throne of Grace to Sue forth our pardon III. A third Motive may bee taken from the utility of this duty and indeed manifold are the benefits which usually follow and accompany the same As 1 It is the proper means appointed by God himself for the obtaining of all sorts of good things at his hands and therefore where this duty is enjoyned we very often finde it attended with very excellent Promises annexed to encourage us with faith and confidence to call upon him as Ask and it shall be given you seek and yee shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you c. 2 By accustoming our selves to pray in our Closets or private Chambers we shall be the better fitted to pray in the presence of others And such as are Parents and Masters of Families will bee thereby enabled to pray with their Families for certainly one special reason why many Parents and Masters of Families doe neglect that necessary duty of praying with their Families is their not accustoming themselves to pray in secret morning and evening What David said of Saul's armour I cannot goe therein for I never proved it The like may some say of Prayer I cannot goe thereto for I never used it The accustoming ourselves to pray alone in secret will fit us to pray in the presence of others Having given you some Motives to quicken you up to a conscionable performance of Secret Prayer and that especially in the morning I shall answer an objection or two Obj. 1. Some are apt to object their little leasure and great imployment to excuse themselves from offering up their morning Sacrifice unto God Answ. 1. The greater your imployments are the more need you have to offer up your morning Sacrifice unto God thereby to seek his assistance and blessing upon your pains and endeavours
presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming Accept it therefore and testifie your acceptance by reading of it and much more by a conscionable performance of the Directions contained in it I think they will carry their own evidence with them that they are all agreeable to the Word of God For I have not made it my business to mint new Notions but to press upon you old Truths and known duties I have drawm them up in a plain and familiar stile and Method studying rather to be profitable than accurate They are of daily use to an holy life therefore I hope you will daily peruse them They are of general use to all sorts of Christians at all times in their several places Callings conditions and relations and therefore I hope you will give the more diligent heed to them Such whose Callings and Businesses will scarce afford them leisure on the week-daies to look into such Treatises as this I do earnestly intreat them that at least on the lord-Lord-daies after the performance of the publick duties of Piety in the Congregation and of private in their Families they would spend some time in reading a part of this book with their Family And the Lord make it abundantly useful and profitable unto you Yea the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Sepulchres London Decemb. 20. 1660. Your Affectionate though most unworthy Minister THO. GOUGE A TABLE of the particular Points contained in this TREATISE CHap. 1. Sheweth how to begin the day with God Chap. 2. Of Secret Prayer in the morning Chap. 3 Of Ejaculatory Prayers 4 Of reading the Scriptures in private 5 Of Christian watchfulnesse over our Thoughts 6 Of watchfulnesse over our Words 7 Of watchfulnesse over our Actions 8 Of watchfulnesse against Sin 9 Of our behaviour at Meals 10 Of Sports and Recreations directions concerning the same 11 Of the duties of our Callings 12 Of our behaviour in secret and directions concerning Divine Meditation 13 Of our behaviour both in good and bad company 14 Directions to the rich how to Improve their wealth to the glory of God and the good of their own souls 15 Directions to the poor shewing how to carry themselves Christian like in their low and mean estate 16 Of Christian-like carriage under reproaches 17 Of our carriage under crosses and afflictions 18 Of Dying well 19 Directions to such as visit the sick 20 Directions how to cloze the day with God 21 Of the Morality of the Sabbath with directions how to sanctify the same 23 Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper with directions for the worthy receiving thereof 23 Of the Common mutual Duties betwixt Husband and Wife 24 Of Husbands Duties to their Wives 25 Of the Duties of Wives to their Husbands 26 Of the Duties of Parents to their children 27 Of the Duties of Children to their Parents 28 Of the Duties of Masters to their servants 29 Of the Duties of Servants to their Masters 30 Of resting upon Iesus Christ alone for life and salvation Christian Directions shewing how to walk with God all the day long CHAP. I. How to begin the day with God I. AT thy first awaking in the morning consecrate unto God the freshest of thy thoughts by lifting up thine heart to him in praises and thanksgivings for that comfortable rest and refreshment hee hath vouchsafed unto thee the night past For had not the Lord been the more gracious unto thee thou mightest have slept the sleep of death yea thou mightest have awaked with hell flames about thine eaâ—s what cause therefore hast thou to blesse God as for the mercies of the night so for the renewing of his mercies with the day And then heartily beg of God his direction assistance and blessing upon thy lawfull pains and endeavours that day II. Having thus consecrated thy first awaking unto God by blessing him for the mercies of the night and for adding another day to thy life then steep thy thoughts in a serious meditation of God and of some or other of his glorious Attributes as 1 Of the infinite Purity of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity i. e. with the least approbation but hates all sin with a perfect hatred as being contrary to his nature A serious consideration whereof would through Gods blessing prove very effectual for the suppressing of those impure thoughts which are apt to arise from thy corrupt heart 2 Of the almighty Power of God whereby he is able to strengthen thee in all thy weaknesses to support thee under all thy trials and temptations to supply all thy wants to deliver thee out of all thy dangers to carry thee through all thy undertakings In which respect the Apostle calleth Gods Power a mighty Power and an exceeding-greatnesse of Power Ephes. 1. 19. A serious consideration whereof cannot but stir thee up as to flie unto God by Prayer in all thy wants straights and dangers so to cast thy self upon him and his mighty Power to rest and rely upon him for seasonable help succour and deliverance who never faileth those who put their trust in him 3 Of the Omnipresence of God of his continual presence about thee and with thee wheresoever thou art and whatsoever thou doest For hee is about thy bed and thy path and taketh notice of all thy actions and when no man seeth thee yet hee seeth thee before whose Tribunal thou must one day stand to give an account of all thy actions Surely it would be a special preservative against sin and a singular means to make thee watchful over all thy waies and actions if thou didst seriously consider Gods All-seeing presence about thee 4 Of the Omnisciency of God his knowing of all things even the secret thoughts of thine heart and the inward intenâ—ions of thy mind before whom all things are naked and unbowelled as the Apostle speaketh Not an ambitions worldly lustful thought in thine heart but God is privy to it And as the wise man speaketh Hee will bring every secret thing into judgement This if it were seriously considered how would it make thee watchful over thy very heart and careful to suppress all wicked lustful thoughts at their first rising and to keep thee upright and sincere in what thou doest especially in the duties of Gods worship and service as knowing there is no dissembling before God III. Call to minde what sin it is whereunto thou findest thy self most propense and with which thou art oftenest and easiliest overcome as having least power to resist it And every morning furnish thy self with the strongest Arguments thou canst against it and then bring up thine heart to a firm
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
Religion especially touching mans miserable condition by Nature and the state of redemption by Jesus Christ. 5 If thou perceivest that he hath not a due sence of his Sins endeavour to affect him with a sence and apprehension of his Sins and the hainousness of them as also of his miserable condition in regard of the punishments due unto him for the same which are all Judgements and Plagues here and eternal death and damnation with the Devils and damned in Hell 6 Question him concerning his willingness to dye and his hope of a better life after this and upon what foundation he builds his hope of salvation whether upon his good meaning and desires or upon his just and honest dealing with men or upon his frequent performance of holy duties If thou perceivest that hee builds his hope of Salvation upon any of these or upon any thing besides Jesus Christ labour to take him off from those false bottoms by shewing him the insufficiency of his good meaning and desires yea of his civil and religious righteousness to salvation how they are but rotten foundations whereon to build the hope of his Salvation 7 Having taken him off from his false bottoms and rotten foundations then instruct him in the only true ground of Salvation whereon hee may safely bottom his hope of Salvation viz. Christ and his righteousness with the Merits of his Death and Passion 8 Labour to convince him that there is no way or means of Salvation but only by beleeving in Jesus Christ by receiving him as his Priest and King by resting upon his all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon and forgiveness of his sins here and for eternal life and salvation hereafter 9 Perswade him thereupon to goe out of himself unto Christ to adventure his soul upon him with a disclaiming of all his own righteousness as filthy raggs to place his whole confidence upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and upon the merits of his Death and Passion To this end set forth unto him the perfection of Christs righteousness the all-sufficiency of Christs Sacrifice with his willingness to receive and embrace all poor Sinners that will but come unto him and cast themselves and the burden of their sins upon him 10 Perswade him from his heart to forgive those who have wronged him as he expects forgiveness at the hand of God and if he hath wronged any by acts of injustice perswade him to make what restitution and satisfaction he is able telling him that goods ill gotten will prove a moath to consume and a fire to burn his whole estate 11 Because as the Apostle speaketh If we judge our selves we shall not be judged of the Lord. Perswade him to keep a Day of Judgement in his own Soul by calling to mind his Sins together with the aggravating circumstances of them and then to arraign and condemn himself for the same judging himself guilty as of all Judgements and Plagues here so of eternal torments in Hell hereafter and then to fly unto Jesus Christ for the pardon and forgiveness of his Sins who is a true City of refuge to all those who fly unto him against the Hue and Cry of their Sins and will in no wise cast out any who come unto him CHAP. XX. How to cloze the Day with God HAving shewed you how to walk with God all the day long I come now to shew you how to cloze the day and lye down with God in the evening The Directions may be brought to these two Heads 1 Such as concern our behaviour in the Evening before our going to bed 2 Such as concern our behaviour at our going to bed I. The Directions which concern our behaviour in the Evening before we goe to bed are these 1 With-draw thy self into some secret and retired place and there look back and call to mind how thou hast spent the day consider how thou hast performed the fore-mentioned Duties belonging to the several parts of the day call to mind what thy carriage hath been in secret and what in company how thou hast improved the one and the other and whether thou hast discharged the duties of thy place calling and relations As he is the best Trades-man that every day in the evening taketh an account of his worldly losses and gains so he is the best Christian that every day in the evening taketh an account of his Spiritual losses and gains whether he goe forward or backward in the ways of godliness And therefore as many Shop-keepers have their day-Day-books where into they enter all their buyings and sellings even all their worldly transactions which they usually review in the evening so will it be a point of Spiritual husbandry in us every evening to review the passages of the day and our transactions therein which would tend exceedingly to the good and welfare of our souls History tells us of many Heathens who were wont every evening to review the transactions of the day as of Sextius the Roman Philosopher of whom it is recorded that every evening as he was going to bed hee would question his soul what Evil he had healed what Vice he had withstood that day in what regard he was better then before an example worthy our Christian imitation and a shame it would be to us to fall short of Heathens herein II. Call to mind the passages of Gods Providence towards thee and treasure them up in thine heart and memory labouring to make a right use of them The truth is it is an argument of a prophane and irreligious heart to let the remarkable passages of Gods Providence pass away without any due observation of them for as the Psalmist speaketh The Lord hath so done his marvellous works that they ought to be had in remembrance and therefore it is thy duty and will be thy wisdome as in the day to take notice of all the passages of Gods Providence towards thee so in the evening to call them to remembrance that they may take the deeper impression upon thee III. If thou hast been moved to anger in the day time let not the Sun goe down upon thy wrath which is the counsel of the Apostle Paul whereby he implieth such a speedy suppression of anger that it may not sleep with thee for saith he in the next verse This is to give place to the Devil who like the Lion that is greedy of his Prey when the Sun is down creepeth forth seeking whom he may devour and in the night season coming to the angry man in his bed saith Gregory he setteth before him the greatness of the wrong done unto him and aggravateth the â—ame by all the amplifying circumstances thereof to heighten up his anger to a revenge and therefore saith the Apostle Let not the Sun goe down upon your wrath but if you have been moved unâ—o anger it must not live past a day lest in the day having conceived some displeasure thou travel with