if you have far to go let your thoughts and discourse be what you have that day heard and learnt Eat and drink with thankfulness for God's goodness but let it be also with moderation that you may be fit for holy Exercises after dinner In some places Prayers begin at Three or Four a clock which time you will do well to imploy in examining your Children or Servants what they remember of the Sermon of their Catechism often tell them of the sinfulness of lying and swearing immodesty and the like If you have time sing a Psalm and after say the following Prayer Here may be used the Prayer set down before for Sunday or this WE bless thee O holy and most merciful Father for this day of rest O may it kindle in us the desires of eternal rest and be made instrumental both to obtain it and prepare us for it We bless thee for the opportunity that thou hast given us of joyning this day with our fellow Christians in the publick Worship of thee our God Lord pardon whatever defects we have been guilty of in the performance of it and grant that we may renew it this Afternoon with that cheerfulness and devoutness with that sense of thy goodnesss and our wants as may render it acceptable to thee and profitable to us We bless thee again O Lord for the publick preaching of thy Word and Administration of thy Sacraments and beseech thee that thy grace may accompany both through the whole Nation and particularly for our selves we beg that thou wouldst so assist us that thy Word may ever be a light to our feet and a lanthorn to our paths and that thy holy Sacraments may nourish and strengthen us in faith and love Let our examination of our selves O Lord be serious and impartial let our meditation be affectionate and delightful let our conversation be pure and holy that there may be nothing thought said or done by us this day but what may best serve promote the end for which thou hast instituted it and good God make every one of us diligent not only to save our own Souls but as much as in us lyes the Souls of others too Finally O thou Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be thou present in our publick Assembly and build thou up our Family in faith and vertue and speak thou to every one of our hearts in private and hear all our Prayers and accept all our Praises and continue to us all that is necessary to life and godliness and crown us at last with everlasting glory All which we humbly beg through our great and only Mediator and Advocate Christ Jesus But if Prayers begin early and you have less time do so much as you can not omitting the Prayer be careful to be at the beginning of publick Service do not neglect the Church because there is no Sermon by Prayer we worship God and obtain his blessing besides there is read the holy Scripture which is the best Instruction and foundation of all Sermons Be careful to fit your Children and Servants for Catechising and have them present when it is performed in publick After you return home so soon as your necessary business is over read or cause to be read some good practical Book and if you did not do it before examine and instruct your Children and Servants sing Psalms make your Evening Prayer and in these imployments spend your Evening till Bed-time only allowing time for a cheerful temperate Supper which you will eat with great comfort after so well spending the day you must not omit your private Prayers only enlarge your Praises To which end call to mind the many Mercies you have received and your unworthiness of them by reason of your sins and compare your selves with those below you who are perhaps more worthy but if you want all other blessings yet consider how great your happiness is in being a Christian and so capable if not your own fault of heavenly glory which incomparably exceeds the greatest temporal felicity I do not here allow any time for gossiping Visits because the greatest part of Country People are apt to waste the Afternoon in such things but yet I am by no means so severe as to forbid a walk in the Fields or a friendly visit to a Neighbour for an hours refreshment to those whose necessary business allows time enough for both especially if that Neighbour is sick or under any affliction but then you must not spend your time in idle talk making bargains or other worldly business but in good and useful Discourses And those Neighbours that will not endure this but promote drinking swearing or the like profaneness are by no means to be visited on that day that is sanctified to the Service of God and Spiritual Promise And indeed if you consider as you ought the great advantage of being obliged to spend one day in seven in holy Duties you would not be weary of its so frequent return but thank God for so profitable an Institution since I fear were the observation of this day left to every ones choice the love of profit or pleasure would prevail with too many to neglect it and so occasion ignorance and profaneness to prevail more then it does The inconvenience of the Sabbaths being neglected and the advantages of its observation are so many especially to the more unlearned that no true lover of Piety that desires the publick good ought by any means to encourage the Contemners of it SECT II. Of Holy Days or Fast Days THE use of other Festival days or Holy days is that People may have more leisure and opportunity to serve God and to keep in memory the History of the New Testament as the Birth Suffering Resurrection Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The Apostles days are to thank God for the Doctrine they preached and writ and to encourage us to the imitation of their holy Examples There are also days of Thanksgiving for National Blessings and the Fasting days are to consider and lament your own sins and also those of the Nation especially in times of War or other publick Calamity and to pray for the averting those Judgments which our sins deserve some of these I think are the subject of all Holy days which is also reasonable upon another account the giving Servants and Labourers time first to serve God and next for innocent refreshment and doing their own business It is not out of any Superstition that the observation of these days is recommended for what Superstition can it be to read pray and serve God as frequently as our business will admit I do not say it is a Command from God and therefore do not command but commend their observation And since such days are appointed and Service in the Church ordered if we prefer these before days of our own choosing it will keep greater order and all Families being imployed in the Service of God not hinder one the
his ill example or by causing him not to be esteemed and so rendring his Ministry less effectual Therefore to destroy what in you lies these designs of the Devil be always more ready to cover then expose his faults In case of doubts or hard places of Scripture advise with him and you will find great advantages and quiet to your mind pray earnestly for him which is a duty you may find often recommended in Scripture perhaps your neglect in this is one cause of his labours being no more profitable to you Pray for God's blessing on the Minister that it may be successful both for the saving himself and them that hear him that both his Life and Doctrine may be holy and fit for imitation the more defective he is the more earnest let your Prayers be that the grace of God may supply his defects but if his Vices are very notorious and scandalous to his Office after meek and frequent admonitions let some of the chiefest Parishioners joyn and complain to the Bishop and proving your Accusation by two or three grave and honest Witnesses endeavour to have him removed as 't is likely he will be if your complaint be well proved If he amends be glad and forget all past Faults for where God pardons as he does on repentance and reformation Man ought much more who is himself also a sinner If he is deprived and the choice is left to the Parishioners be careful to choose well especially one of a good Life and a diligent Preacher of sound Doctrine and Catechising If it depends on a particular Person be very earnest in your Prayers to God that he may be guided to make a good choice But how bad soever your Minister is do not think that will excuse you in any particular of your duty but you must continue to pay your Tithes faithfully which are his by the same Law that preserves your right to what you profess and to defraud him of any part thereof is Robbery and Sacriledge Give him no just cause of complaint but be ready to respect him and do him and his Family all the good conveniently you can praying that his Doctrine may be sound and profitable though his Example is not I do not fear to promise that such a behaviour will be both acceptable to God and profitable to your self and it may be in time he may by your Prayers and mild Behaviour grow better If he is very bad I do not prohibit your going sometimes to another but for the most part keep to your own Parish SECT II. His Duty to his Superiours SEcondly for your Behaviour to your Superiours be careful to do your Duty to them Now Kings and Governours being so far removed above you and it being so hard for you to find the truth of their Actions and harder to understand the reasons of them you must avoid all thoughts and discourse more then heartily praying Duty to Superiours Rom. 137. 1 Pet. 2.13.14 1 Tim. 2 1 2. Exod. 22.28 Jude 8. Acts 23.5 Eccl. 10.20 Prov. 24.21 Dan. 13.14 15 16 17 18. 6.7.8.9 Acts 5.29 16.37 38 39. 22.25 26 27 28. 25.10 11. Lev. 19.12 Jer. 4.2 Exod. 20.26 25.1 Prov. 14.25 Deut. 19.16 19 20 21. Prov. 19.5 Deut. 16.19 20. Prov. 17 15. Lev. 19.15 that God would direct them to do what is most for his glory and good of his Church remembring the general Rule To obey them in all their just Commands but no Command is so that is not agreeable to the Laws of God or Laws of the Land But since you do not know how far all those Laws extended 't is sufficient you do your duty to the best of your knowledge without by-ends or interest and what you cannot obey with a good Conscience patiently suffer for a good Conscience and you shall have your reward in Heaven If you happen to live in a time of War and Persecution or great Taxes do not rail at your Governours for these things nor inquire after any other cause besides sin for be assured that is the general if not constant procurer of trouble for God being infinitely good would certainly perform all his promise in giving temporal as well as spiritual good things did not our sins provoke his anger and make it necessary to call us to Repentance by correction when we abuse Prosperity therefore when ever you find your self unwilling to pay Taxes or groan under the burthen by reason of your Necessities only think this is the just punishment of my sins of my prodigality intemperance idleness neglect of God's service and the like and so resolve to amend and exhort your Neighbours to the same when you hear them complain and pray to God for pardon of sin and mercy either to put an end to the Miseries of the Nation or to sanctifie them to the subduing sin and increasing holiness and give you and others patience to support them in a Christian manner For inferiour Magistrates Justices of the Peace and the like if you are ever called before them come with reverence and humility If it is for a Crime consess if guilty and beg pardon if innocent modestly justifie your self If called to be a Witness either by Oath or Word be strict to the truth with the greatest exactness you can possibly and neither to serve your self nor friend be tempted to give false or deceitful Testimony for it is a wilful sin and of a most heinous nature and what may so wound your Conscience as to make you unhappy all your life time If you are your self called to any Office as Constable Church-warden Overseer of the Poor or the like before you venture on your Office endeavour to understand your Duty in it and what it is you swear and undertake to do grudge not to buy a Book for your Instruction or go to your Minister and desire him to inform you and be careful to observe and to the best of your power and knowledge perform what you undertake faithfully more to please God then Man and be not afraid of doing your duty for God will protect you and the Laws defend you in it SECT III. To his Landlord THirdly your Duty to your Landlord is first to endeavour to pay your Rent honestly and so soon as conveniently you can If your bargain is hard in mild and humble terms acquaint your Landlord and take some grave and honest Neighbour with you to intercede for an abatement and give an account of the reasons of it If you obtain it be content and let it not tempt you to insist on another abatement but be satisfied in a good honest Bargain and consider your Landlord though he has more then you yet has so many more occasions for it that he can no more afford to let too cheap then you to pay too dear and it is a great fault to be always repining and murmuring when it may be you know not where to better your self But if indeed your
over the Exhortations before the Sacrament and as you read consider if you be so prepared as they require Indeed the whole Communion Service is an excellent direction for our preparation to and meditations at the holy Sacrament for which cause I would have you read it over and make it your Rule endeavouring to understand it well and where you are ignorant go to your Minister to be more clearly informed which will be a means of your joyning in it in publick with the greater Devotion A short Example of applying the Communion Service the better to prevent the wandring of your Mind YE that do truly and earnestly repent Lord I repent perfect my repentance And are in Love and Charity with your Neighbour Encrease my Charity I forgive and desire to be forgiven by others And intend to lead a new Life c. Assisted by thy grace I resolve to keep thy Commandments and walk in thy holy ways Draw near with faith Confirm my faith that I may receive the holy Sacrament to my comfort as I humbly confess so graciously pardon all my sins After this manner you may apply the larger Exhortation before which I leave to your own devotion Then follows the Confession and other Prayers which you are to joyn in and the Prayer of Consecration to these words Who in the same night c. the rest being proper only to the Minister who is appointed alone to consecrate the Bread and Wine for this holy use Observe in the Prayer that Christ is said to be but once offered which was when he suffered on the Cross by which Sacrifice he made a full perfect and sufficient Oblation and Satisfaction for the sins of the whole World that is whoever shall repent and believe Observe also that he commands us to continue the remembrance of his Death till his coming again which ought to convince you of the duty of the frequent coming to the holy Table The reason of kneeling is only this being the most solemn time of Prayer that posture is most proper therefore ought not to be a cause of division As for your private devotion observe the following Rules Imploy some time in the Morning to consider how you must behave your self at the holy Table how to order your Meditations and renuing your Baptismal Covenant meditating on and applying the benefits of Christ's Death for your pardon and reconciliation with God what sin to be most humbled for what grace to beg most earnestly pray also that no temptation of the World the Devil or your own corrupt Nature may rob you of the fruit of this Communion no sinful worldly or wandring thoughts trouble you but that God would remove whatever may obstruct the operation of his grace When any of your Family go along with you to the Sacrament as you ought to endeavour they should when they are of years and throughly instructed say some Prayer relating to the Sacrament besides your ordinary Morning Prayer Take care to be at the Church in good time after Sermon till the Communion Service begins spend your time in humble confessing your sins and unworthiness of so great a favour So soon as the Minister begins leave off all private Prayer and joyn with him with all the attention and zeal you can possibly Attend to the Exhortation and apply it to your self as before observed for the Prayers you must joyn in them with Devotion After Consecration while the Minister is receiving and till he comes to you say your private Prayer first pray that God would except all present and make them partakers of the benefit of his holy Sacrament Secondly confess your sins and acknowledge that your due desert is death and destruction Look on Christ as the only propitiation for your sins believe that his Death was a full perfect and alsufficient Sacrifice for them present them to God as such desiring that the merits of his Sufferings may be imputed for your pardon and his Righteousness for your justification and acceptance with God believe firmly that God now offers to renew his Covenant and grants you pardon grace and glory if you are faithful on your part which is forsaking every sin and obeying all the commands of God to the utmost of your Power desiring to receive it according to the Institution of Christ Perplex not your self with nice definitions believe whatever God has promised his power is able to perform and that Christ and the benefits of his Death are communicated and given to the worthy receivers in such a manner as 't is best for him and his spiritual union with Christ most advanced In the act of receiving let your Soul be bowed down with a sense of its unworthiness Adore the mercy of God in Christ desire you may receive the holy Spirit love God for his goodness believe his promises and resolve to obey his holy commands After you have communicated let the rest of your time till publick Prayers again be imployed in Prayer for grace to keep your holy Resolutions for without God's assistance you can do nothing that is good praise God for the great mercy of this Communion and make earnest Intercession for all Mankind especially for their conversion and spiritual welfare for the destruction of the power of Sin and Satan and chastening the Kingdom of Christ and also for your Governours in Church and State for your Friends and Relations at least so many of these as time will give you leave to use saying the rest at home Short Prayers or rather Ejaculations according to the past Rules O God thou sawest me in my blood and saidst unto me live thou sawest me in my pollutions and thine eye pitied me and didst open the fountain for my uncleanness Glory be to thee O Lord most good and most high O holy and meek Jesus thou art the Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World thou who knewest no sin didst become sin for us O may we be cleansed from all unrighteousness through thy Blood O Saviour of the World may all the ends of the Earth look up unto God through thee and be saved may the Kingdom of Darkness be broken down and thy Kingdom O Christ be enlarged and established through the whole Earth O Lord I believe that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Light and therefore I come unto thee through him O cast me not off my Soul thirsteth after thy Salvation I come to thee in Faith Repentance and Charity O receive me and fill me with grace and comfort Amen blessed Jesus I come O my God to renew my Covenant with thee in the blood of Jesus O receive me a poor penitent Prodigal I have wandred from thee I have hewed out to my self Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water but now my Soul gaspeth for thee O thou Fountain of living waters O give me thy Spirit that it may cleanse and refresh me that it may satisfie the desires of my Soul I will be
Landlord be severe as soon as you lawfully can leave your Farm but do not by running away endeavor to defraud any but pay honestly to the best of your Ability and trust God for a supply of your wants who will some way or other provide for you if you serve him and are industrious and willing to work Indeed few Landlords but will consider such and take care of them some way or other or your Neighbours if they know you faithful will not surely see you starve and food and raiment with a quiet Conscience is far better then riches and honours with a troubled mind However set your Landlord be good or bad behave your self towards him with respect and humility not answering rudely nor refusing any small thing he requires but if he tempt you to sin as by forcing you to drink or act against your Conscience there be very resolute in refusing to comply with him only answer civilly and get out of the way of temptation so soon as you can SECT IV. His Duty to his Wife and Children YOur Duty to your Wife is first to instruct her in her duty to God and her Neighbour Duty of Husbands to their Wives and Children Coloss 3.19 1 Pet. 3.7 Eph. 5.25 28 29 31 33. if she is ignorant if she is good to encourage by kindness to continue so if she is froward to bear with her weakness and by mild reproof to convince her of her fault and whatever faults she has endeavour to reform her by your example kind precepts and gentle usage but eespecially by earnest Prayer for her Conversion Be not too severe in expecting more work then she is able to perform but be content if she 's diligent not wastful allow her convenient assistance according to your ability but especially in time of sickness also such desent Cloths as is necessary for her and your Children and if she 's a good Huswife and not given to gossipping be not too strict in requiring an account of what Money passes through her hands For your Duty to your Children To Children Deut 6.6 7. Psal 78.5 7. Prov. 22.6 15. Ephes 6.4 Prov. 29.15 17. 13.24 19.18 Coloss 3 21. I have already directed you how you should catechise and teach them daily or so often as you can and call upon them and while young you or your wife hear them at least twice a day say their Prayers if it be possible set them to School betimes and at least learn to read English well work the harder and spend the less to compass so great a good for your poor Children who have Souls capable of mortal glory as well as the Children of Kings and Nobles When they come home keep them as much as you can to their Books that so they may have learned that perfect while they are young and so be the sooner able to help you in your business for it is a great neglect in such as you to let your Children loose their time while young and then so soon as they begin to be able to help you you grudge the time for their School and so the poor Children receive great prejudice whereas did you keep them close to School and to their Books in their Childhood reading would be soon attained and they at liberty for other Imployments and a little care in making them spend the Lord's day and a quarter of an hour on other days in reading would both keep and improve what they had learned It will be of good use if you can afford to let them learn to write and do them great service and may help their advancement if they are Servants or Tradesmen or in following Husbandry it self Be very strict in breeding them honestly not suffering them to swear or lye or take God's Name in vain to be rude or quarrelsome with their Brothers and Sisters or the Servants When they commit any fault reprove them first gently and by plain Arguments convince them of the greatness of the sin and punishment it deserves should God deal with them as in justice he might If this does not do but they continue in their fault reprove them more severely and leave no means untried to reform them Endeavour by often calling to them when at work or at meals to make them love your company and though you are never so poor do not suffer them to be rude and disobedient but make them show you respect which will keep them in better obedience when they grow up and dispose them better to respect their Masters and Superiours for one great cause I verily believe of the barbarity rudeness and wickedness of the poorer sort has been the neglect of their Parents in not teaching them to shew a due respect to themselves endeavour to make them sensible of the great happiness of God's blessing that without it all their labour is in vain that so they may have a holy fear in all they do of offending God and an earnest desire to please him a quiet trust and dependance on his fatherly care if they do their duty this will make their Labours sweet and their Minds cheerful Those you design should follow your own Vocation it is sufficient that they can read and write English and instruct them in their Calling Be careful to keep them from Ale-houses and sinful Sports and incourage them to be painful in their own labour for any that will not be one at any sort of work with their Servants and as early in the field as they is not fit for an Husbandman Therefore to this nor any other Employment do not force your Child's inclination but so soon as capable let him make his own choice If you design him for a Trade reading writing and casting accompt are necessary choose an honest Master one that fears God who is most likely to deal well with you and keep your Child to his Duty If you are not able to set him to Apprentice or he rather chooses Service be careful to place him in an honest orderly Family exhort him to be humble and endeavour to deserve a good place before he aspires to it to be respectful and diligent in his business and faithful in word and deed There is an excellent Book writ * Mr. Lucas's Duty of Servants to teach the Duty of Servants which you would do well to provide him with Whether he is Servant or Apprentice do not hearken to all his idle Complaints but encourage him to patience though if you think them very just you may endeavour to help them as far as the Law allows Endeavour to maintain Love among your Children and keep them while at home as much as you can in your own presence SECT V. To his Servants YOur Duty to your Servants consists principally in keeping them to their Duty and paying them their wages honestly if you will have them do you faithful Service pray believe the best way is to teach them the fear of God To which
Neighbours thrive more then you do not repine or envy them nor speak slighting as too many are apt to do of those they envy but consider if their thriving come from God's Blessing you ought to rejoyce since he knows what is best for every one but if he has his Portion in this World he better deserves your pity then your envy and pray that God would not do so by you but give you such a Portion only as might advance you in your way to Heaven where the only durable Riches are laid up for those that love God On the contrary if any of your Neighbours fail in the World and grow poor do not rejoyce that you may be more considerable by their fall nor rash imputing their Misfortune to the Judgment of God for their sins For though it is true that is originally the cause of all Evil yet sometimes God corrects those he loves for his Glory to manifest those Graces he has wrought in them to advance them to greater Perfection or to perfect their Repentance SECT VII His Duty to the Poor THE last Duty I shall mention is what you owe to the Poor To the Poor Deut. 15.9 James 2.15 Prov. 7.5 11.24 1 John 3.17 and that is something be your Condition never so mean not that I think a poor Man is obliged to Relieve all that come but when you see very great and present want let not such a Man depart without a piece of Bread a good Word and a Prayer to God to supply those Wants you cannot this Charity if sincere and designed to please and obey God not Man you need not fear will make you poorer When you know poor Workmen and House-keepers are in great necessity speak to your rich Neighbours and recommend their Case and get something for them if you can Teach your Children and Servants to be compassionate of the Poor and not despise and rail at them When you give a small Alms to relieve their Bodily wants minister Comfort to their Souls reprove them gently if you hear them Swear try their Knowledge and if Ignorant teach them a necessary Truth exhort them to love God to frequent the Church and be contented with their Condition But where any lusty young People take up a Trade of Bedding out of Idleness chide them sharply give them no Relief unless in great Extremity Thus I think I have given you some short Directions for your behaviour to most of those Persons you are like to be much concern'd with for your particular Duties of a Christian Life I refer you to other godly Books particularly The Whole Duty of Man where you may be instructed in the several Duties you owe and are to practice in relation to God your Neighbour and your self the danger of the contrary Vices and how you are to overcome them And surely now they that understand the value of their Souls will not grudge buying a Book or two to teach them the way to an Eternal Kingdom the Bible and two or three other Books well chose often read and faithfully practised may be as profitable if not more then reading of many Volumes In the choice of your Books advise with some pious Friend or your Minister SECT VIII Of just Dealing FOR your behaviour in Markets or Fairs in buying or selling Of just Dealing 1 Tim. 6.6 9.10 Prov. 28.20 1 Thess 4.6 Ephes 5 5 Prov. 21.6 Levit. 25.14 Ezek. 23.15 Numb 5.6 7. fear not being undone by honest dealing not think that Almighty God stands in need of Deceits or Lies to make you rich if he sees Riches good for you therefore act in these things uprightly and trust in his Providence and you shall be rewarded in this Life or a better Sell be sure by an exact and honest Weight and Measure use not many words for fear there should be sin in them but speak the Truth without any Equivocation whereby your Neighbour may be deceived but rather bear the loss of the faults of your Goods your self Do not exact on the Ignorance or Necessities of your Neighbour either in buying or selling but be willing to allow as you expect a reasonable gain Before or after the Market if you have time go to Church if there is any Service there but be sure you avoid spending much time in Ale-houses and Drinking If your Affairs make it necessary to meet those you have Business with I do not forbid you going to a publick House but charge you as you tender your eternal welfare and I may add though it is as nothing after the other as you love your temporal welfare not to drink to excess nor spend more time in such places then your business requires If you find you cannot command your self when in the way of Temptation you must not go at all to such Houses nor in the way of drinking be the Temporal inconvenience never so great till you have got more mastery of your self SECT IX The Dames Duty to her Husband AS for the Duties of the Dame or Mistress in relation to God Wives Duty to Husbands Ephes 5 22 23 24. 1 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 2.12 Titus 2 4 5. Prov. 12 4. 27.15 21.19 Prov. 31 Chapt. they differ very little only she is to give place in all things to her Husband But in case he cannot read or is from home I see no inconvenience but rather good for her to read some good Prayer to her Children and Servants or if she has a Son able to do it in his Father's absence let him do it For Instruction she must take care of her Children and Maids and often call on them to do their Duty see they pray privately twice a day besides being present at Family Prayers and take care they do it with reverence and affection and not for forms sake and saying the words without understanding the sense Let her keep her Children whilst young constantly to School and when they come home make them con their Books get by heart their Catechism Chapters and Psalms for this will make them come forward apace so that by that time they are able to work they will be perfect whereas if you neglect to call on them at home they will be so long learning to read that both the charge and trouble will be much more Let the Girls who are more especially under the Womans government be set to work so soon as capable and learn to knit spin sew and do the affairs of the House as they are able and suffer them not to refuse the meanest work in their Father's House so they will come to understand how it is to be done and be fitter for Service and to manage a House of their own If you can afford it let them learn to work good Plain-work and to write and keep them to be very neat and cleanly in all they do to rise early sleep and eat moderately and be industrious and with God's