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
The Plain Man's Guide to Heaven containing first his Duty towards God secondly towards his Neighbour with proper Prayers Meditations and Ejaculations designed chiefly for the Country-man Trades-man Labourer and such like in Twelves 1692. Pr. 1 s. A Sermon conterning Publick Worship preached before the Queen at Whiteball on Wednesday the 23d of March 1692. By Thomas Manningham D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to their Majesties and Rector of St. Andrew Holborn A Sermon preached at the Consecration of the Right Reverend Father in God Thomas Lord Bishop of Lincoln In Lambeth Chappel Jan. 10. 1692. By Willam Stanley D. D. Clerk of the Closet to her Majesty THE Plain Man's GUIDE TO HEAVEN CHAP. I. The Country-Man and Trades-Man's daily Duty and Devotion I Will not here set down any Hour for your rising but suppose you allow no more time for sleep then serves to preserve your health and refresh your weariness otherwise your Temporal as well as Spiritual Duties will be ill performed and suffer great prejudice Only consider how to serve God first and to that end forecast to rise so early as to have time both for your self and Family to worship God before you begin your days work and be assured that this loss of sleep shall neither hurt your health nor on the other hand be a hindrance to your Labours So soon as you wake and while you are rising entertain your self with good thoughts call to mind the mercies of God to you your being kept in safety the past Night and your Family from sudden Death Fire Robbers and the like Think what Temptations you may that day meet with especially to drinking or over-reaching your Neighbour in buying and selling and arm your self against them and what opportunities of doing good and encourage your self to do it cheerfully out of obedience and love to God who will certainly reward you for it as well in this Life as that to come As soon as you have put on your Clothes kneel down and make your private Prayer to God to thank him for his mercies beg pardon for your sins with the continuance of his Grace and Protection that day which you may do in the following words or what other you like better But let not your inability to read or any other consideration cause the neglect of your worshipping God Psal 5.3 Rom. 8.26 27. Hebr. 7.25 Luk. 11.2 Chron. 29.30 Prov. 15.8 Mark 11.24 Psal 145.18 19 20. Acts 17.25 Hebr. 4.16 Prov. 28.13 John 1.1 8 9. Jer. 33.3 Psal 50.15 Numb 22.4 Psal 92.2 Mark 2.35 Matth. 6.6 Psal 55.17 Dan. 6.10 Psal 10.19 122.6 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. Thess 3.1 Ephes 4.2 but the rather make you more diligent to seek Instruction that so you may be able to offer up your Prayers from an honest heart truly sorrowful for your sins with an ardent love to God and a desire to please him and then he will except those desires and pardon such imperfections as are not wilful or through negligence always saying the Lord's Prayer which endeavour to understand in its fullest sense as you may learn from some good Catechism or Exposition A PRAYER to be used in private every Morning ALmighty God the Creator and Preserver of Mankind I worship and adore thy incomprehensible Majesty and desire that my Soul may be always filled with a devout awe and reverence for thee I acknowledge that 't is thou only who causest me to dwell in safety To thee alone I owe the supports and comforts of this Life and the hopes of a better for all which my Soul blesses thee And I thank thee O my God that thou dost cause the light of thy Sun to arise once more upon me O grant me thy Grace that I may so spend this day that it may bring me comfort in the day of the Resurrection Pardon and deliver me O merciful Father from all my sins establish and strengthen my heart in thy Faith Fear and Love Enable me to trust in thee and resign up my self to thy holy will Make me humble and contented thankful and industrious in my Calling diligent to instruct my Children and Family in the Knowledge of thee and careful to be an Example to them of Obedience to thy Commandments guide and direct me in my way bless and prosper the works of my hands prevent and restrain me from all sin this day and give me if it be thy will a quiet Life but above all a peaceful and comfortable Death through Jesus Christ our Lord. So soon as your Wife Children or what Family you have is ready call them together and so often as you can possibly spare time you will do very well to read Joh. 5.36 Rev. 1.3 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Gen. 18.19 Josh 24.1 Acts 10.2 Matth. 11.2 or cause to be read a Chapter Choose those Chapters to be read oftenest that are easie to be understood and most practical then stand up and say the Creed which is the Sum of a Christian's Faith Then all kneeling down adore and worship God in these or the like words as you best approve A Morning Family PRAYER O Gracious God and merciful Father we bless thee that thou hast refreshed and preserved us this last Night and thereby fitted us for the labour and service of this day 't is of thy goodness O Lord 't is of thy goodness that we are on this side the Grave and that the bottomless Pit has not closed her mouth upon us for we acknowledge that we have often sinned against thee provoked thee either through sottish ignorance or presumption or through neglect or contempt of thy Words and Commandments the Ox knows his owner and the Ass his Master's Crib but we have forgot thee and been unthankful to thee and in many things have acted as though we knew thee not nor considered thy goodness and the works of thy hands O pardon pardon us thou who delightest not in the death but conversion of sinners pardon us thou who hast given thy Son to be a Propitiation for our sins and sow in our hearts we beseech thee the Seed of everlasting life and grant that whatsoever we learn from thy word to be our duty we may carefully and diligently fulfil keep us this day from the commission of any thing that may wound our Consciences wrong others or provoke thee Bless the Children of this Family granting that they may grow up in thy fear increasing in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and Man Teach every Member of this Family to do their duty humbly and cheerfully as out of Conscience towards God from whom they shall receive their Reward Let Peace and Charity rule our hearts let thy Providence protect and provide for us and when thou hast carried us through the labours hardships and temptations of this life bring us into the rest and glory of a better through Jesus Christ our Lord. Take care that both your private and family Devotion be performed with reverence and
we receive all Temporal and Spiritual Blessings we bless and praise thy Name that thou hast afforded us health and strength and understanding to discharge the labours and hardships of our worldly Callings this day and much more for whatever means or measures of Grace thou hast vouchsafed us to enable us to do the duties of our Christian Calling It is of thee that we have been preserved from Sickness and Death and Disasters 't is from thy restraining Grace that we have been kept back from presumptuous Wickedness and 't is from the assistance of thy Grace that we have thought or done any good thing O be pleased to continue to us the Mercies we enjoy and confer upon us whatsoever thou dost see us want enable us to persevere to our lives end with patience humility and thankfulness in the condition of life to which thou dost call us and to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear calling upon thee daily O holy Father who without respect of Persons wilt judge every Man according to his works We every day are a day nearer to Death and Judgment grant O Lord that by an impartial Examination of our selves and by a sincere endeavour of reforming what is amiss and perfecting what is begun in us we may be daily the fitter for both that we may come finally to that eternal Rest where not only all the labours and travels of the Body will be at an end but those also of the Soul and we shall need watch and contend no more 'till when let thy Providence O Lord watch over us and thy Grace preserve and assist us that we may pass this night and the remaining part of our lives in Vertue and Safety in Peace Contentment and if thou think fit Prosperity but if thou think fit otherwise so prepare and strengthen our hearts to endure whatever thou shalt lay upon us that the trial of our Faith may be to praise and honour and glory in the day of our Lord Jesus through whom we put up these our Requests to thee beseeching thee to accept our Praises and answer our Petitions through thy dear Son and our dear Mediator Christ Jesus You must not excuse this by your weariness for it is a greater Duty then to be omitted for any worldly consideration but if you are not well or very weary only say the Prayer which is so short that no one can neglect for any other cause but a carnal heart Before you sleep examine how you have spent the past day recall as well as you can what sin or infirmity you have been guilty of what duty you have left undone what mercies you have received Spiritual or Temporal or what Corrections For your better direction some times read over the following Example I begin with the Morning Of Examination Prov. 4.26 Eph. 5.15 Luke 2.36 Psal 4.8 Gen. 24.63 and consider how I performed my Morning Service if I neglected my part of it out of carelesness or want of delight in God's Service if in my worldly business I was not provoked to outragious Anger to any of my Family Did I not swear curse or take God's Name in vain Did I not omit to reprove sin in my Children or Servants or have I not omitted any neighbourly Office that might have done me no great harm and my Neighbour good Have I been surly or morose to any have I been merciful to the Poor according to my Ability at least given them good words if I had not wherewithal to relieve them Have I been ready to hear or speak of good things when I have had opportunity Have I been thankful for any good success given in my business give God the glory and attribute it to his blessing have I patiently submitted if I have had loss and owned it to be the just desert of my sin begging God to give me grace to be content and to sanctifie his Corrections to me Have I been true and just in my dealing buying and selling desiring only an honest gain and that by words of truth Have I not oppressed my Servant or Hireling in their wages have I made good my bargain allowing a reasonable hire have I not to gain a small matter to my self caused a great loss to my Neighbour by Law Suits Quarrels or the like Have I spent my time and mony in excess of drinking or tempted others to the like Have I slandered my Neighbour or carried stories from one to the other to cause differences These and the like Questions you may put to your self recollecting all the day and as you went from one thing to another so you will easily discover your faults and the better you grow and the more you read the Word of God and other good Books the better you will do this useful Duty But you must consider the end of Self-Examination is not only to know your faults but to mend them as for Example If you find you were to day guilty of a great Passion to be more careful to morrow not to give way to it to be more silent and take care to prevent those faults in your Children or Servants that were the cause of your Anger never to reprove when you find you are in a Passion to consider your own faults and God's patience with you pray for Patience c. If you lost your time or drank too much to avoid those People that tempted you and those Houses If you spoke ill of or slandered your Neighbours to unsay it to the same People you slandered them to Be careful to speak the good and let the rest alone If you have wronged any to make restitution Thus undoing what is ill done if you can and purposing by the grace of God to be no more wilfully guilty of the like This Examination you may make at what time in the Evening you find most convenient or at your evening labour if your work is such as will give you leave to think Before you sleep humbly and earnestly beg pardon for your sins and greater grace for the future Thank God for all his Mercies especially being kept from sin and enabled to do any good This method of daily Examination is useful for your Temporal as well as Spiritual Estate that so considering the Errours of every day what is amiss one day may be mended the next and where any good opportunity has been neglected to be more careful another time so will you do more good and less evil and grow wiser both for your Soul and Body An Evening Private PRAYER if upon Examination you find your self guilty c. O Eternal God who hast created me to glorifie and serve thee and has prepared eternal happiness and glory to crown and reward this my Service with what Love with what Zeal ought I daily to do thy will with what meekness and patience submit to it But ah wretch that I am how far short of both have I fallen this day the fear of thee has
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
thy Servant O blessed Jesus thy Disciple and Follower O be thou my Prince and my Saviour be thou my strength and my glory and let me rejoyce always in thy Salvation I desire to imitate thee O holy Jesus and especially thy boundless Charity I forgive O let me find forgiveness from the mercy of God I am ready to do all the good I can for any one of my fellow Members and I am sorry I can do no more I will weep I will pray for all that are in distress and I will feed and clothe and comfort them as I can O accept then the mite of thy poor servant and remember me in the day of Judgment Grant O God according to the riches of thy glory that all we who receive the Sacrament this day may be strengthned by the might of thy Spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith that we being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and heighth and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that we may be filled with all the fulness of God Nor for our selves only do I bow my knees unto thee thou Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named but also for the whole Catholick Church O let the same presence and powerâ— of thy Spirit be amongst all those who believe in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ their Lord and ours build them up in their holy faith unite them in humility and love remove all the scandals and obstacles of righteousness that are in the midst of thy Church and support and protect it against all the Adversaries of the Cross and all the Enemies of holiness and vertue Let thy Son Jesus be glorified in the blameless and exemplary Lives of all that profess his Name let profaneness be put to confusion and Here sie and Errour be rooted out and let all with one mind and one mouth glorifie thee O God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Amen O thou in whose hands are the hearts of Kings guide we beseech thee theirs whom thou hast set over us in thy faith and fear give them wisdom to rule this great People that under them we may live peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty and Lord possess all their Subjects with a due sense of their Authority and of the benefits we all reap from them that we may dutifully obey them and cheerfully contribute all we can to the maintainance and support of Law and Justice in this Realm that Righteousness and Peace may through thy blessing flourish amongst us and our Children after us through Jesus Christ our Lord. O merciful God and Saviour cause all them that sleep in sin to awake cause them to arise from the dead and let Christ give them light O thou God of tender mercies and compassions hearken to the voice of them that mourn break not the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax but bring forth righteousness unto victory O God who art the God of the fatherless and widow and judge of the oppressed and the Saviour of the meek and poor and distressed upon the earth visit with thy grace and salvation all that are in necessity or tribulation and hear them when they cry unto thee for succour O Lord our Defence O bless my Family and all my Relations possess them with the fear of God and Charity towards one another and make them all love the Lord Jesus Christ to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be glory for ever O my God never suffer me to forget thy love or the love of Jesus never suffer me to break my holy Vows but strengthen me that I may always endeavour to walk as my Lord walked and may ever abide in him and he in me that I may be safe through thy protection and grace and when he who is my life shall appear I also may appear with him in glory Amen Amen Go home with a cheerful gravity and spend the remaining part of the day according to the Rule for the Lord's day only be more strictly careful to keep up a holy frame of mind and not by worldly thoughts and light discourse grieve the holy Spirit but improve every good inclination by Prayer that it may grow into practise and endeavour your good Resolutions by meditation and foreseeing what temptations may assault you to provide against them do not go abroad but spend that day in devotion reading and praying with your Family Of behaviour at Baptism and Marriage WHen you are present at the Baptising of Children attend to what is said let it put you in mind of what you vowed your self and think how well you have performed it joyn with great seriousness in Prayer with the Minister for the Child that it may live sutable to this dedication and enjoy the priviledges of the same If you are a Surety think your self obliged to take care that the Child learn what you undertook for it for that was the reason of God-fathers and God-mothers especially if the Parents die or are careless worldlings otherwise refuse being a Surety if you think you cannot Also at Marriages Churchings and the like avoid all vain behaviour but joyn in the Service with Reverence and Devotion and make particular applications to your self how you have performed your own duty when the Bannes are bid pray that the marriage may be to the glory of God These are some short Directions for your duty to God I shall now add some for your duty to your Neighbours CHAP. IV. The Country Man's Duty towards his Neighbour SECT I. To his Minister FIrst for your behaviour to your Minister be very just in paying Tithes and other Dues to him Duty to Ministers Mal. 2.7 Isa 30.20 Hebr. 13.17 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Cor. 6.7 9.7 8 9 11 13 14. Rom. 15 27. Gal. 6.6 Matth. 10.41 10.14 15. Luke 10.16 1 Cor. 4.1 1 Thess 12.13 and that in obedience to God who has taught us by his holy Apostle That they who wait at the Altar that is do the duty of a Minister should live by the Altar and if they minister to us spiritual things we ought to minister to them in temporal things for by attending the Ministry they are made incapable of gaining a livelyhood by other means Secondly Be very respectful in your behaviour to him never speaking rudely but believe in honouring your Minister you please God and let not any personal failing make you neglect your Duty for 't is not his person only but chiefly his office you must respect him for and God will reward you for it Supposing the worst that he has faults consider that he as well as you is liable to the same infirmities and temptations nay more for Satan is vigilant to ensnare him because by it he hopes to do more mischief either by
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