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A71231 Enter into thy closet, or A method and order for private devotion A treatise endeavouring a plain discovery of the most spiritual and edifying course of reading, meditation, and prayer; and so, of self examination, humiliation, mortification, and such most necessary Christian duties, by which we sue out the pardon of our sins from Heaven, and maintain an holy converse with God. Together with particular perswasives thereunto, and helps therein. Wettenhall, Edward, 1636-1713. 1666 (1666) Wing W1495B; ESTC R217163 97,436 340

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consult Chap. III. Of the substance of every dayes private devotion To persons of leisure Reading Meditation and Prayer THe private devotion of every day will be different to particular persons according as their conditions differ from such who are servants or lead a servile life I mean all those who get their living by their daily labour whose abilities of mind are therefore meaner and and whose privacy more difficult from such I say no more than this may seem to be expected that both in the morning being risen and at night being about to lye down they in the fear of God fall down before him and pray unto him touching which directions will a non follow From those whose way of life being more liberal their abilities and opportunities are greater more may seem justly to be looked for according to that rule To whom Luk 12. 48. much is given from them shall much be required Speaking therefore to to such who have estates and leisure and so may have opportune privacy ●●suppose their daily private devotion cannot be compleat except consisting of Reading Meditation and Prayer Touching private Prayer it hath been before spoken and nothing now can by such whom the present consultation concerneth be said for the dispensing with it being it is even their duty who are of meaner qualily and capacity and therefore much more theirs who are of greater Touching Reading and Meditation if any suspicion arise it will easily be removed by those commands which enjoyn us that we Search diligently the Scriptures that John 5. 39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coloss 3. 16. the word of God dwell plentifully inus and by such Characters of righteous persons as that they are such whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and who meditate therein day and night And certainly such commands Psai 1. being capable to be intended or remitted I mean being to be construed with some regard and according to that general rule aforementioned to whom much is given from him much shall be required cannot but be interpreted to require greater and more diligent Searching that is more of Reading and Meditating upon Scripture from those who have greater opportunity and ability to do it than they do from others who are meaner in both Of such an one therefore who hath not time every day or if he haply have yet cannot read it may be thought he dischargeth his duty of searching the Scripture if in a way proportionable to his ability he endeavour to acquaint himself with Scripture to wit by a diligent attention to it and inquiring of it ashe hath conveniency when it is read on preached But of such an one who can read and hath time to meditate on what he reads and whom it may be it concerns to instruct others in the knowledg of Scripture as being over them of such an one I say being that more is required than of the other it cannot in reason be thought that he hath done his duty by bare attention unto Scripture read except he himself read and meditate therein And he will very hardly we may not fear to say not at all approve himself to be a Godly man if he behave not himself as Godly men did of old that is if he delight not in the Law of the Lord and therein daily meditate If I should doubt therefore whether it be strictly my duty day and night morning and evening to read the Scriptures and meditate I cannot doubt for I see plain evidence for it that it is a Godly mans Character one part of his practice as he is a Godly man to road and meditate if therefore intend to be a Godly man it must be my care and practice too Wherefore of these three Reading Meditation and Prayer seeing that none may be well omitted at least not ordinarily neglected it is requisite more particular consideration be had Chap. IIII. Of Reading the Holy Scripture The most edifying method and manner of Reading it consulted of BY Reading here I understand reading the sole word of God and this as it should constantly for the main at least if not ever have a place in my daily devotions in private so therein me-thinks will most conveniently take place in the beginning of them on this wise Being entered into my Closet for my devotions sake it becomes me first in all humility and out of the fear of God not out of custome to fall down before him and in short according to former direction to beg his blessing upon me and presence with me there presenting my self to worship before his majesty To which purpose the Form * Part. 1. Chap. 3. already delivered may be proper either for use or further direction according as I shall see sit This being done forthwith let me apply my self to the reading soine portion of the word according to my prefixed course And what course shall that be Modesty would presently answer The same which the wisdome of the Church hath prescribed for publick use And the truth is the Church consulting herein as she ought the edification of the people this order hath in this point the advantage of all other that it will lead us to read over all the most usefull parts of Scripture and those most frequently to wit the New Testament excepting onely some Chapters of the Revelation three times a year the Psalmes once a month the Old Testament excepting onely the two books of Chroni les which are for the most part extant in the Kings and Samuel and some other Chapters of other books cheifly relating to the Jewish state once in a year But then if we consider its complyance with our present designe it hath these two exceptions lying against it First that the portions of Scripture by that order to be read daily are greater than what every mans or most mens conveniency will afford time to read and meditate upon as it is supposed at present best for a devout Christian to do And then Secondly that by this means a considerable part of the Old Testament and some part of the New will be left out which parts are not questionless without their use though comparitively not so necessary for the publick commonalty as the other And to the Churches prescription it may be said that it was never the Churches intention to prescribe this order for mens Closets in private where she can neither take notice of their observing nor neglecting it but onely for publick edification and uniformity This order therefore being taken not to be so proper for our present purpose the next which will offer it self will be the natural order of the books in which they lye Now this though not liable to the exceptions which we found against the former being that nothing then will be omitted nor the Reader over burdened with too great a portion being he is left to himself yet hath this inconveniency that it will detain the observer of it a great while in those
ever I intend for happinesse Again Reading Exodus 32. I find that Moses took the Calfe they had made and burned it is the fire and grownd it to powder Ho● the burning gold in the fire which onely purifies it ordinarily should come to make it friable or brittle that it might be grownd unto powder I need not stand to inquire A shorter and better way it is to believe the matter feasible and this relation true as being part of Gods word all I need to conclude thence is that Idolatry is to be destroyed and that in such sort as the people may not return to it again but rather loath and abominate it as we do that which passeth through our bodies and that it is the wisdom of Magistrates whom it concerns to destroy it as it was Moses's to find out and contrive such waies or Methods of destroying it This is I say as much as can concern any ordinary person and as for the curiosity touched it may safely be neglected We give not rules to make a Divine but to direct a Christian Now all such difficulties and curiosities being left out I presume the difficulties which arise in practicable matters will be but few And for my help herein it will be meet I reflect upon that which according to the former rule I found to be the scope or drift of that Scripture and consider the difficulty with some relation or regard thereto observing the occasion upon which that expression came in This will help me very much many times But for my further help therein if I am able it would be expedient I had some short glosse or book explaining such matters and truly what book to pitch upon as best in this case is not easy to resolve For I suppose there are not many books of notes or commentaries upon the whole Bible in English which meddle onely with necessary and practicable matters omitting controversals which a private Christian to his better edification may well spare For the New Testament I much admire Dr. Hammons Paraphrase and could ten thousand times wish such a piece were extant upon the whole But yet it is too difficult for every plain reader Bishop Hall hath a Paraphrase upon the whole Bible which comes much necrer to our present designe But I fear this is scarce The frequentest best and innocentest that I know is Diodates Annotations they have indeed a Geneva tang now and then but pretty soberly Some such book according as I can gett I would furnish my self with which I might consult touching the meaning of such difficult places as my Christian direction should tell me to be practicall and for my necessary edification Thirdly Having thus found out the design of that whole portion of Scripture which I have read and the meaning of such particular Texts as I shall have occasion to search into let me in my meditations cast over again or recollect the substance of it and consider what am I the better for the reading hereof 1. Am I instructed or further confirmed in any matter of faith 2. Am I taught any duty which before I either was ignorant of or neglected Do I here find any precept or command which I never before took notice of or had forgot c 3. Is there any thing which may quicken me to any duty in which I am slack or deter me from any sin to which I am prone Any threatning of Gods wrath Any example of his judgments Any promise of mercy Any instance of blessings on his diligent servants 4. Is there any thing which may strengthen me in any temptation comfort me in any affliction distrust c. 5. Is there any particular emphatical or affectionate speech which may at any time quicken me Any proper petition confession invocation thanksgiving or the like which may be of use to me in prayer or otherwise 6. Is there any thing which I can observe of the experiences of holy men of old any thing of the deceitfulness of sin c. Through such heads as these may my meditations briefly run which heads till I am perfect in it may not be amiss to open this my book and examine what I have read according to these directions laid down And if I am able I shall find it an incredible benefit in the end of these my meditations to use my pen whensoever by any reading I have gained any more remarkable benefit and to register in one of my paper books reserved ever for this purpose which I may account my Memoriall that particular which I have gained in which I need to observe no other method but onely to write all the notes which I take out of any one book as of Matthew Mark c. together that so at my second or third reading that particular book over I may see what the second or third reading of it advantaged me more than the first And these notes thus taken because intended as helps to my memory I must be sure to find time within a convenient season to review This is a profitable course for me to observe in my ordinary meditations upon the Holy Scriptures The next thing which my meditations are to be imployed upon is upon my particular State and Waies which I am in some measure to take notice of as well that I may be more circumspect in such particulars wherein I shall find greater need of circumspection as that I may be able to address my self to God in a way suitable to my condition For my condition varying my prayers ought to vary accordingly First then As to my Waies Let me consider what new temptations have befallen me whether as to inward sins such which are acted in the mind or as to such which are matter of outward and bodily commission how far my heart hath closed with them and been overcome by them And this is to be laid open before God Secondly As to my present Inward state the temper of my mind Let me examine that whether I find any relentings or meltings of heart for those my wandrings which I have before viewed any firmness and resolution for the future against the like Accordingly I am to apply my self to God either for the giving me a due sense of and remorse for and resolution and watchfulness against my sin or for the heightning and strengthning those degrees hereof which I already have Thirdly As to my Outward state Let me consider how Gods holy providence hath either favoured or crossed my ordinary affairs and designes for accordingly still I am to address my self unto God in prayer either by praising him for my successes or bewailing those sins and omissions which I may judge have blasted them or otherwise as my Christian discretion shall suggest The last head upon which my meditations are to be imployed is my Prayers which I am now about to offer up unto God in which if I use a set form I am to consider where those new particulars of confession
are not new but have been and alwayes will be the same and multitude of books do but confound plain heads All wise men know that to make a mans self master of one good book is better than to have slightly read an hundred which were not either throughly understood or digested To keep therefore thus to one good Book which may instruct me of the sum of my Christian duty till I have fully made it mine own is my most edisying course Sect. 3 Of Self-examination and the view of our life THis my Exercise of reading being over it will be seasonable now to fall to the examination of my self touching my sins And here I shall find a very good help of the former work of reading especially after some considerable use of it when I am once come to know my several duties for certain it is No man can see what he hath done amiss what he hath left undone which two heads of Omission and Commission contain under them all actual sins till he seeth what he should have done Now this duty of Self-examination a man may be supposed either to be a stranger in and little to have practised or else to have been much in it and to be throughly verst in his heart and life He who is a stranger to it hath unquestionably more work to do than the other That he may therefore do his business throughly he must begin with those very first years which he can remember and trace sin from his insancy through his youth to his riper and present years He must see what Devil first entred him I mean what sins first seized him how they have grown up and continued with him but this will be too long a work for an hour or two Such a person therefore had need to set apart whole dayes for this purpose till he hath a little recovered himself and set his accounts straiter with God Yet must he not while he is enquiring after unknown or forgotten sins neglect to repent of his fresher and known transgressions If therefore so it is that for the present he cannot recollect himself and make a diligent search into the whole course of his life yet must he confess and bewail what he knows of himself and together acknowledge how much he is in arrears which he hath forgotten or at present doth not see and for all humbly beg mercy But this not so as wholly to put off surther enquiry but having this Fast examined himself touching so many years or moneths according as his life finds his thoughts work upon his next Fast proceed farther and so on the next still farther till he come home to his present age Now in this sifting of my life if I can it will be very useful to me and much further a distinct Repentance to use my Pen and through each year set down my sins By this means I shall be able much better to consider them and so both know more of my self and of the deceitful wayes which sin hath to gain upon me And because as I owe to God Confession and repentance of my sins so I owe also acknowledgment and thanks for his Mercies therefore in this enquiry it will be necessary to observe Gods remarkable Mercies and deliverances to me recording these also year by year as my sins Thus will the sight of his Mercies aggravate my sins and encrease my repentance and the sight of my sins parallel with his mercies commend his goodness and inhance my thankfulness both which are singular benefits And because even afflictions have their use and are to be accounted for if therefore I find any considerable adversity or cross with which God hath exercised me this also is to be registred as the former If it did me good I owe to God thanks for it if not I owe repentance for being incorrigible Being thus come to my present time it will become me not to run in arrears again but every ●ast day still to make my accounts even and to that purpose to take care as aforesaid that these my Fasts be not too seldome Supposing therefore that I am a person who have so far practised self examination as that I have formerly taken account of all my life That which I shall have chiefly to enquire into upon each return of these my fasting dayes will be First What new sins or commissions I have been guilty of since my last day of accounting Secondly What neglects especially if I have formerly made any vows or new engagements to God how I have observed or slighted them Thirdly In what posture or temper my heart hath continued and at present is whether soft tender penitent and in awe of God or whether dull careless insensible or otherwise out of order and prone to its old lusts Lastly How the providences of God have carried towards me sithence what mercies received what afflictions sent upon me and what hath been my carriage answerably And whatever I find more remarkable let it be registred in mine Accomptal so I call that paper book in which I use to keep account of my life and spiritual state whereof as is abovesaid I shall find singular advantage in my succeeding time Sect. 4. Of the endeavour of godly sorrow How to work our selves to it SIn is not such a thing the knowledge of which is desirable for it self but onely in order to somewhat else which it is apt to beget to wit Godly sorrow and Repentance My sins therefore being thus known I am to set my self about the sorrowing for them and repenting of them And to godly sorrow the readiest course will be more fully to fix my thoughts upon the sins of which in my examination of my self I have found my self guilty to look upon them so as that mine eye may affect my heart my attent consideration of them may move and grieve me as it ought To this purpose I am to consider particularly First the foulness of my particular sins in themselves and in their own nature how vile they make me how unable I should be to look men in the face if they knew all these unworthy acts by me which I do of my self and God far better than my self how vile therefore must they needs render me in his holy Eye Secondly The several Aggravations which they admit the chief of which and those which are aptest to affect me I may take to be those which follow 1. Against how great light and how clear knowledge of Gods will I have sinned I knew such and such actions to be sinful when yet I ventured upon them 2. Against how many checks of conscience I committed them Did not my own heart at that very instant smite me telling me of the wrath of God and eternal flames belonging to those who do such things 3. Against how many engagements and obligations to the contrary have I sinned 1. My own vows and covenant both in baptisme and since 2. Gods mercies and forbearance which should
the Elder if I suspect any of them to be apt to trifle away their time let them be kept in my presence and if all of them be able let them read by course somewhat out of the Scripture or some plain and honest book if all be not then such as can Sect. 7. Of resorting to Evening service WHen it is now almost time to resort to Evening service let all be called together to the end that all may orderly repair with me to the publick Assembly And it may not be amiss but right edifying if some one person read a Psalm suitable to the present undertaking of going to worship God such as is the lxxxiv or the cxix one or two parts of it being taken at a time as occasion or time shall serve to which reading all ought reverently to attend And this being done let the same rules and directions which were given touching going to Church in the Morning be observed in the Evening and all as before ●esort to the publick worship Which if they do I and my family are now a second time attentively and reverently placed before God in his House of Prayer where my carriage ought to be the same as is before directed to And surely unless I and my house appear thus the second time before God I cannot account my self duly to sanctifie the Lords day I have done it onely by halfes The Church was never in a settled condition but it had the Evening as well as Morning sacrifice Vespers as well as Martins If therefore any thing should so sall out that I or mine are hindred from the second part of the publick duties of the day it ought to be my grief and sorrow Psal 42. 4. Sect. 8. Of the duties after return from Evening service MY departure from the Church and my retirement as soon as I come home for about a quarter of an hour or as I see occasion should be after the same sort as in the former part of the day Which being done it will be expedient to come amongst my people and see that all things are wisely ordered that so sometime before night the Devotions of the family may be performed In the mean time both I my self and as many of the family as can be spared from necessary services are free to our private devotions Onely if there are any triflers let them and the younger sort be dealt with as after dinner that is kept where the people most commonly sit reading and attending to the Word of God at least for some certain space Let them not spend their time as they do ordinarily for the Lords day should look with another face than common dayes all the day long This care being taken of my self and family I see not but my Christian liberty permits me any honest refreshment such as may be walking forth in my garden in the fields or open air Onely let me observe these cautions 1. That my walk be some such as Isaac's Evening walk was that my Meditations be Gen. 24. 63. good Unquestionably I shall not find the fields an unfit place for good thoughts There are many in the world whom the very breathing the free air the beholding the glorious light of Heaven the passing clouds the verdant earth and smiling face of all things transports into a rapture of devotion affects very much with the admiration of the Creator of all things makes too long for the time when either they shall ascend above them all or see them pass away and dwell ever with their God beholding his face without any such interpositions And with much advantage may a man spend an hour thus mixing often prayers or ejaculations with these his thoughts 2. Another caution I should observe is That I return so early as that neither my Devotions in my Closet nor in my family may be omitted And truly most convenient will it be that my own private devotions which being that I look on my self bound to on other dayes I cannot this day omit be performed before that supper which I take for then shall I be freshest then will what I have learnt that day be better in my memory than after the diversions which my supper and company may cause Besides that the performance of them will have fixed and prepared my spirit against any such diversions and for the performance of devotion in the family Now as to what I am this evening to perform in my Closet it is the same for the most part as at other times My course of reading must be the same onely if so be that I see fit the portion which I read larger My Meditations besides what is every dayes task upon what I read may take in a view of my carriage that day an enquiry what I have learnt a considering it so as to affect my self with it and a setting down a resolution to endeavour in all my waies a practice of it My prayers may take in some new Confessions of my unprofitableness hardheartedness unsetledness petitions for pardon memory to retain and grace to perform what I have learned Thanksgivings for any quicknings of heart resolution of holiness any instruction or improvement of my Christian knowledge c all suitable to what in my Meditations I have found mine oslate to be for the inserting or putting in of which I shall easily find in my usual prayers fit places My Closet devotions being thus performed time it will now be for me and my family to take what Evening meale we use which being done in some convenient time before we go to bed which ought not for many reasons to be too late if I am a pious Christian I cannot but look upon my self bound to shut up the day in my family with some such devotions as I begun it with Touching which some directions have been already given as to Reading and Prayer and it is onely to be added that I am to make some enquiry severally into those who are under my charge touching their improvements that day to help out and instruct the ignorant to rebuke and that sharply the negligent and heedless to encourage the careful as my Christian discretion shall see meet the properest place for which will be either before the prayers begin or just after the reading of the Scriptures so that the family may be dismissed and the day ended with prayers PART IV. Of my most solemn Retirement into my Closet for the Humiliation of my self Chap. I. An Account of what is to be treated particularly in this part MY most solemn retirement into my Closet and that for which the place is most principally designed is upon such daies or times which I set apart to humble my self for my sin before God by Fasting and Prayer and Mourning and all acts of Contrition And truly if the ordinary Fasting daies of the Church were duly by all observed all that our present design would seem to call for were to deliver the manner of their private
the Kings Majesty his Queen and all the Royal Family Let all thy Priests be cloathed with Righteousness and let thy work prosper in their hands and especially within this Parish of which I am a part let the knowledge and fear of thee increase Visit all my Kinred Relations and Acquaintances ** with such blessings as they need Reward a thousand fold all who have shewn any kindness to thy servant especially ** Forgive In all these vacancies thus marked ** make such particular mention as thy condition shall require or prudence suggest and have mercy upon all mine enemies and let not one of them ever fare the worse for any wrong done to me Deliver in thine own good time thy righteous ones out of all their afflictions and in the mean time support them sanctifying all unto them ** Shew thy self every way all-sufficient unto all thine Finally O Lord I bless and praise thy glorious grace for all those blessings which I enjoy and those particular deliverances whether ancient or later which thou hast vouchsafed me ** Above all for thy redeeming not onely me but the whole humane nature by the precious bloud of thy well-beloved Son for that knowledge which I have of thee in him my Saviour Christ Jesus for any sight and sense of my sin which through thy grace I have for any hopes of finding mercy in that great day ** I O Lord Here bless God for any inward ioy enlargements c. am far less than the least of these mercies It is thy goodness thy goodness alone which is the fountain whence they came and mayest thou from me and from Heaven and Earth ever receive the glory of that thy goodness May I ever serve thee in newness of life and answerable walking And do thou forgive not onely my former ingratitude but my present want of thankfulness together with all the sins of these my holy things washing me and my very teares prayers and penitence in the bloud of my Saviour Christ Jesus in whose words thy servant will speak yet once more Our Father c. It is not to be supposed that this Prayer without any alteration will suit with the condition of every Reader God forbid all should have sinned at that rate to come up to which this prayer was framed The prudent Christian therefore is to add leave out alter what he sees good or if able himself to do better to lay aside all Nothing is here obtruded on any onely directions and help intended to some who need them Sect. 10. Of offerings to God for the use of the poor departure out of the Closet and behaviour afterwards MY prayers being thus finished I should not hastily run out but pause a while and remember that there is one work remaining which is not to be neglected if I have wherewithall to do it being it is required by God in an acceptable Fast and that is to add something every fast though it be the less to what I have formerly laid aside for the poor or if there be no such stock already made by me much more than to design and devote somewhat to that purpose This is the fast I have chosen to deal thy bread unto the hungry c. It being thus given I may deal it when Isa 58. 7. I shall see occasion Now as to the particular manner of this practice directions have been above given which especially upon these dayes it will be expedient to observe And this being done let me with chearfulness depart my Closet let not my behaviour be without innocent alacrity and let it be my special care so to order all my carriage on these my fasts that they may not if possible be taken notice of by any but my self and God as being mindful of that command of my Saviours Anoint thine head and wash thy face that thou appear not unto men to fast that is behave thy self with such outward chearfulness of which anointing the head and washing the face are Arguments that no man ordinarily beholding thee would take the day he sees thee so to be one of thy fast or mourning dayes Chap. VII Of great and more extraordinary Fasts and the work of them BEsides these my Fasts which come in course at least once a week several occasions may befal me which may require an extraordinary fast Such is any great evil hanging over mine head or my friends or the Nations any considerable change of my way of living or the like but especially when I am to receive the Holy Communion My work upon such occasions will be the same as is formerly directed to only my Christian discretion will order it with a particular respect to that my great occasion which calls me to fast which occasion I am especially to meditate upon and that not without a regard had to my sins if there be any evil which I deprecate to consider how my sins have been the causes of it if any good which I beseech for how again my sins may blast that and accordingly to commend it to God in my prayers in which case also the form of prayer delivered in the foregoing Chapter will not be useless Particularly as to that which will most frequently come in practice my humiliations preparatory for the Lords Supper In these besides that examination of my self which in ordinary course I make I am to look over mine Accomptal to see every week since my last communicating what my carriage hath been how I have amended especially in those particulars in which I had formerly taken notice of my miscarriages and vowed reformation All my revolts and backslidings are to be attentively viewed in themselves and in their aggravations and repentance as before taught to be with all diligence and servour that I can exercised Yea and besides these times of special exigence ought I to be often surveying and looking over mine Accomptal In mine ordinary daily devotions or in my devotions upon my fast-dayes I shall find both need and opportunity for it And if Schollars find it necessary to peruse their own Collections or Common-place books if Shopkeepers review often their books to the end they may by seeing what they have formerly done know how to order their future proceedings in their business so as not to go backward or be diligent to no purpose how much more care ought I to take in the concernments of my soul and for that Jewel which if I loose although I should gain the whole world I am irreparably undone Chap. VIII The Conclusion THe Author of this small piece Christian Reader is very sure that be thou who thou wilt thou canst not but approve for the main that practice which is here commended to thee although there should be some particulars as to the observation of Holy-dayes or the like which may not suit with the humour of every mans devotion Confident he is he saith that the daily practice of Reading Meditation Self-Examination Prayer the orderly and due practice of Humiliation Mortification and the rest of those Substantials which are here directed to cannot be gainsaid It might have been better taught but he hath done it as well and as plainly as he could Being therefore that thou canst not but say he is a good man who thus lives and wish that thou ever hadst lived so he chargeth it again upon thy conscience thus to live else art thou self-condemned and guilty of known negligence and omission Thou doest not endeavour what notwithstanding thy conscience cannot but approve He is confident further that if thou didst but feel that peace quiet joy and happiness which such practice leaves behind it if thou hast any sense what it is to have a clear Conscience and therefore free and chearful access to God and an humble fearlessness of the face of men which without some such practice as this thou canst never have thou needest no other argument to quicken thee to this practice Find a greater happiness on earth than for a man to be at peace with and like himself and get that peace by any other course than such exercise of godliness such circumspection over all thy wayes as hath been here taught and thou shalt have leave to neglect all but if thou canst not then think thy self bound to these practices For directions in the making use of the Book thou hast them in the Admonition to the Reader in the beginning of the Book whither return and read the whole over again It will be no whit worse the second time read And so God bless it and thee FINIS