regular in thy course and withal be mindful who it is that must be thy Judge 4. Be much in the attendance of the Word read and preached for that is the only way that God has appointed for himself to be found in moreover it is that that will discover unto thee what is thy Duty 5. And lastly Be much in Prayer for this is that that will give success to all other this is the Conduit-pipe to convay or discover all our wants to God and mercies from God to us FORMS OF PRAYERS For Particular Persons For every Day in the Week A Prayer for the Sabbath-day Morning MOst Holy and Glorious Lord God I sinful dust and ashes presuming to approach thy presence desire that thou wilt please to fit my heart for the approaching so holy a Presence as thine is that on this day I may be so sitted according to the preparations of thy Sanctuary as that I may meet with thy self that thou mayest communicate something that may be of refreshment unto my Soul by thy Word and Spirit yea that I may be found in the Spirit on the Lord's day O Lord pardon my sins that I have been guilty of this week past and all my life past and let them not stand as a flood to stop my Prayers from ascending unto thee or to keep back the influences of thy holy Spirit from my Soul O Lord looking upon them and upon my nature polluted by them it makes me afraid to look up unto Heaven Nay indeed I durst not only thou hast commanded me to come unto thee by the vertue of the precious Blood of thy Son Christ that is my strong consolation hope and comfort Moreover Lord thou hast prescribed a comfortable promise that thou wilt pardon the sins of thy People for thy own Names sake O therefore for thy own Names sake do away all my sins in the Blood of Jesus Christ that I may appear before thee in the Robes of Christ's Righteousness and and not in mine own seeing all mine is but as menstruous cloth and filthy rags Lord prepare me for this thy days work help me in it and keep me after it that thy Spirit may seal up Divine Truths in the closet of my heart that laying them up in my heart I may practise them in my life and bring forth fruit with patience meet for repentance Lord let neither the cares of the World nor the deceitful thoughts of riches choak thy Seed sown nor let Satan steal it out of my heart but let it be as good seed sown in a good and honest heart that taking root downward it may bring forth fruit upward being watered with the bedewings of thy Spirit O come in this day with fresh reviving Grace that thereby I may be so quickned and qualified as that I may meet with thy self Let this day be so sanctified to me as that I may say in the close thereof 't is not in vain but good to draw nigh to thy self that I am drawn a step nigher this day to thy self by the Blood of Christ Lord pardon the want of a reverent frame of spirit the unworthy obtrusion into thy presence at this time and look upon my unworthiness in the worthiness of Christ my imperfection in his perfection my sinfulness in his righteousness and my weakness in his strength that I may appear righteous in thy sight in his righteousness and that for his own sake Amen A Prayer for the Sabbath-day Evening GRacious God notwithstanding the much imperfection my Soul has been clogged with this day thou hast given me cause this day to say from a grounded experience that it is not in vain to draw nigh unto thee Lord I heartily thank thee for the refreshing smiles of thy countenance this day in thy Ordinances O how good is it to draw nigh to God in his own way Blessed be thy Name holy God That never saidst to the Seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain Lord thou hast been so good in communicating thy self unto me by thy Word and Spirit that I may say with thy Servant David What shall I render unto the Lord for all his Mercies Lord it is matter of wonder and admiration to me that thou shouldest deal so with me seeing thou hast been provoked by my coldness and deadness in such a manner I beseech thee O Lord pass by all my miscarriages that I have been guilty of this day let not them be a prevention of a future supply of my wants and necessities Nay let not them be the cause of thy withdrawing thy self in future attendances on thee nor the cause of removing thy Ordinances thy Gospel thy faithful Ministers and Messengers O Lord thou hast declared thy self a God of mercy and indeed I may as it were set to my Seal seeing my provocations have been so many and so great Lord thou hast not dealt after the manner of men with me Let thy manifold Mercies be an engagement to stir me up to a more watchful frame of spirit that by my negligence I incur not thy displeasure Lord pardon sins past and humble me for sins present and keep me from sins â—o come that thereby I may be rendred meet for every good word and work Accept my willing ness and overlook my weakness in thy only Son Jesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased In whose Name I thank thee for all my enjoyments and through whose Blood I desire to receive all my Mercies and for whom I desire to bless thee To him and thee the onely wise God be praise for ever Amen A Prayer for Monday Morning BLessed God all thy dealings with the Sons of men attest thy liberality â—y and bounty thou renewest thy merâ—ies every morning Lord renew my â—eart that I may be capacitated to serve thee and to sing new Songs of praises â—o thee every morning Blessed God thank thee that thou hast made my life â—recious in thy sight that thou hast chained up Satan that roaring Lyon that goes about night and day seeking whom be may devour that would have devoured me Soul and Bâ—dy unless prevented by thy power and goodness O help me so long as I have a being to praise thee Lord how mightest thou have made my â—ed my grave my sleep my death and have cut me off from the Land of the living yet thou hast been pleased to preserve me and keep me from the rage of cruel Enemies both spiritual and corporal Seeing Lord thou hast dealt thus with me let this day be of great use to to me that I may learn some things in it that may be of special use for my Souls advantage and that seeing all time was given for the Service of God that I may in my employment meditate either on the word that I have heard thy day past or thy works in which are many wonderful mysterious things to be seen worthy taking notice of and contemplating upon Help me so to begin the week
Satan come and catch away the Seed but O that it may be as seed sown in good and honest hearts bringing forth fruit with patience meet for repentance and let it be for the weakning of sin but for the strengthening of faith and grace Let thy Word be as Manna for our poor Souls to feed upon for the week to come that thereby we may grow up in grace as we grow in years Let thy word be a sutable word unto every one of our conditions and come thou into our Souls with it with the freest influence of thy Spirit that we may of a truth meet with God communicating of himself unto us by his Word and Spirit And as the Soul is separated from the Body by Death so let sin be separated from our Souls by thy Word and Spirit O let it be separate from our Souls or else it will separate the Souls of us poor Creatures from God Let thy Minister who is thy Messenger be strengthened and touch his tongue with a coal from thine Altar that he may preach experimental truth to the hearts of us poor Creatures that desire to attend on thine Ordinances O let us taste and see how gracious the Lord is and let us have cause to say It is good to draw nigh to God in his own Ordinances on his own Day And let this day of rest be a certain pledge of an eternal rest purchased by our great high Priest who is preparing a place for his select ones O that this thy day may be spent in the performances of holy duties in praise and thanksgiving the work of thine appointment Unvail some secret this day let us be drawn nigher every day unto thy self Let us be so enlightened that sin may decay and grace may be renewed in us Let us come hungering and thursting after Spiritual Food for our Souls so that in the close of this day we by a grounded experience may say that God has satisfied our hungring Souls with refreshing influences from Heaven thorow the Blood of Jesus Christ in whose words we conclude our imperfect requests as he himself has taught us saying Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for the Sabbath MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord God who fillest Heaven and Earth with thy presence fill the Souls of thy poor empty Creatures with the presence of thy Grace and let thy good Spirit bring to our remembrance the truths that we by thy providence have heard this thy day that we may lay it up in our hearts and practice it in our lives that we may be of those blessed ones that hear thy word and keep it and bring forth fruit in abundance and let it take root in our hearts downward and bring forth fruit upward Establish our Souls in the practice of Holiness without which we can never come to see thy self and let the power of sin be weakened but let Grace be strengthened every day Pardon that unpreparedness that we have intruded into thy presence with and that irreverence whilst under thy Ordinances and that carelesness after that we all have been guilty of Pardon our forgetfulness and pardon our imperfection in the perfection of Christ our weakness in the strength of Christ that thereby we may find acceptance with thee who art all fulness and in whose hands is all perfection Fill our Souls with the fulness of God and let the bedewings of thy Spirit and Word cause us to grow in our spiritual stature Help us to prize the priviledge of the Gospel at an inestimable rate and give us repentance from dead works that we may be changed from darkness unto light and from the power of sin unto God And help us to manifest in our lives and conversation what is the hope of our calling that we may be in Heaven whilst on Earth Pardon the sins of our holy things sins of omission and commission sins against thy Law and sins against thy Gospel Give us Wisdom to direct and teach us Righteousness to establish us Redemption to deliver us from the jaws of Sin and Hell Strengthen our weak Faith enlarge our shallow Capacities quiet our disturbed Consciences tread down Satan under our feet and subjugate our Necks under thy Yoak and help us to resign our selves to thy Will and fit us for Eternity at last that after these Sabbaths be ended here we may begin an everlasting Sabbath with the God of Sabbaths where we shall admire thy self in Christ in whose Name we conclude our imperfect requests in his own words as he hath taught us saying Our Father c. A Prayer for Monday Morning BLessed Lord thou renewest thy mercies every Morning it is of thy mercy that one day more is added to us poor Creatures Thou art he on whom depends our being rest life and all thou has been pleased to cause us to acquiesce in and under thy protection for our refreshment O Lord preserve us this day under the shadow of thy wing and keep us in thy ways and let thy watchful providence be an instigation to an holy walking and to redeem the time seeing the days are evil and to live as ever before the Eye of thy All-seeing Providence Keep us from sin and enable us to live with thankful hearts bearing in mind the acts of thy Spirit and the daily Mercies we enjoy help us to shew a thankfulness for Mercies received and humility for and under Afflictions Let the bitterness of Sin and the loveliness of Holiness make deep impression on the hearts of thy poor Creatures Let the great work of Salvation be much meditated upon that that work daily may be propagated by us with fear and trembling Let union and communion with Christ be our great design Let our Natures be changed Deliver us from a dark understanding and hardness of heart stupid consciences together with unmortisied wills Help us to be wise for the future wherein we have done foolishly and help us wisely to improve our Talents in every opportunity Let thy mercies constrain us to love fear and obey thee Subdue us wholly to thy self that our affections may be elevated from the Earth and transplanted into Heaven Help us in every transaction in our lives to consider that with thee every action is poised and thoughts words and works reviewed and taken notice of O that the affairs of this day and all the week to come may be no obstruction to the work of our immortal Souls And grant that every day that passes over our heads we may be a step nearer to thy self Preserve us by thy Grace and Spirit until it shall be thy will to translate us into that Glory that is prepared for them that wait for the coming of Jesus Christ Amen A Prayer for Monday Evening MOst Holy Eternal and ever Blessed Lord God in whom all our springs are it is good to draw nigh to thy self Thou that never slumberest nor sleepest suffer us not to sleep the sleep of Death The Day thou hast
IMPRIMATUR Sept. 14. 1678. GEORG THORP Reverend in Christo Patri D. Dom. GULIELMO Archiep CANT a Sacris Domesticis THE Godly mans delight or A Family Guide to PIETIE Containing Directions to a Holy Life with certain Christian Dialogues Also Prayers Meditations upon severall occasions Josua Amalek Aaron Moses Christ Hur Josua and his Family John in the Isle of Patmos Paul Hezekiah Jâ—â—â—â—â—â— The meaning of the Frontispiece REader this Emblem darkly doth foretell The way preserves us from the jaws of Hell Piety's that narrow way that leads to Heaven Prayer's the conduct plains and makes it even And though th' one side 's Water the other Flames Yea though the Hill is steep yet Prayer sustains And helps us to endure Gibbets and Fire And from that Gaâ—â— of Death help us to aspire Prayer is that mark distinguisheth a Paul And makes him known from Persecuting Saul St. John 〈◊〉 Patmos Isle Was at Heavens Council Table all the while Good Hezekiah expatiates his breath By Prayer that mandâ—â—â—'d the hands of death Prayer 〈◊〉 the Sun and Moon till Joshua Destroys his armies and wins the day Though Hur and Aaron did support the hand Of wear'd Moses Prayer we understand Procured help from Christ that living stone Whereupon Moses sat 't was it alone That made and cauâ—â—'d the same nay shall I tell Prayer was the cause Joshua succeded well Against proud Amalek and all his Train There put to flight discomfited and slain And thus we see Prayer is the conduct sure Supports directs and helps us to endure Makes plain that narrow way of Holiness That leadeth unto Canaans Happiness London Printed by Tho. James for Richard Jones at the White Horse in Little Brittain 1679. To the Right Vertuous Mrs. JANE ALINGTON The Widdow of WILLIAM ALINGTON Esq Together with her FAMILY Madam HAd not the invitation of a worthy friend that first gave life and being to this so small a Treatise invited me though unknown to present the same unto your so Vertuous a Personage and Family it might have been a free will offering from my self If I should give my Pen leave to launch into the Ocean of your Vertues Praise doubtless it would be emerged And what can be more to the augmenting of True Vertue than Piety and Prayer the proper medicaments for that Epidemieal Distemper of this later Age viz. Ignorance the implacable Enemy of all Vertue Ignorance said I yes Ignorance in the midst of Knowledge and Darkness in the midst of Light Ah! alas too too evident it is that many poor Creatures notwithstanding the propagation of the Gospel do go to Hell for want of Direction to Piety and Prayer the right practice and performance of which is the only way to make us happy Piety is that narrow way that leads to the Celestial Canaan and New Jerusalem Prayer is as it were the Helm whereby we should steer our course nay it is as it were the Conduit-pipe wherein is conveyed all our supplies It can fetch Water out of a hard Rock to a thirsty Israel it can divide the Red Sea it can deliver an Host c. And what so necessary as Prayer and Piety now even in this very day which is the only way to keep us out of the Paw of the Lion that would swallow us up I mean those Hellish Crew whose work it is to study darkness And where should Piety together with Prayer shroud it self but under the wings of them who are its proclaimed friends Let it find entertainment by you and your Family and if it shall any way conduce to the crowning of your Vertues be directing you to the New Jerusalem it will be your profit and advantage and the greatly rejoycing Of him who is your Souls Well-wisher at the Throne of Grace T. W. To the READER Upon the ensuing TREATISE WHo e'r thou art to whose judicious eye This Book shall open lie Sprung from a serious thought To publick use now to perfection brought I will not praise it it will tell Its own worth if considered well Dost thou want pleasure so a Bed of flowers Pluck smell and spare not Hast thou idle hours Read over this here thou mayst find Blest Recreation for thy mind Hours are not idle if thus spent To deck the Soul is its intent To help Devotion and the Soul to raise To heavenly thoughts and better life give praise To God if it attain its end then he That wrote and you that read shall happy be But pass the porch go in You 'll find the best within To read the Book begin A Preface to the Christian Warfare or Encouragement to the Christian in his Warfare CHristian thy work is great thy foes are strong Thy way 't is rough thy journey it is long Thy days are few thy strength is weak thou l't say And poor thou art But hold perhaps I may Facilitate thy work and tell thee how Thou may'st compel thine enemy to bow And plain thy way abbreviate thy race And lengthen out thy days or help thy pace Nay make thee rich if poor thou art if not To make thee well contented with thy lot Here is a Magazine here is a store Left by thy Captain that is gone before He led the van he under-went what may Occur or meet thee in that self-same way His Armour he hath left take up and fight He 'll vindicate thee 't is not power or might Can once thee wronge â— most righteous is thy Cause And he 's true Author of the Martial Laws Nay farther to encrease thy courage see What Potentates now captivated be Death is unsting'd the Grave is conquered And they were Captains once are Captives led But why do I detain thee take a view And thou shalt plainly see all this is true Invest thy self haste make thou no delay God grant thou may'st succeed I daily pray Prayer Meditation Coâ—â—olation The Christian Souldier the Devil Resisted The Flesh Mortified the World Crucified O Crocodilian World whose Shining gloss Is guilded Emptyness and painted dross Thy Fawns or frowns I matter not not I Crucifie th' I must Thy Sister Flesh must die And Soul destroying Devil whose malice t is T' accuse th' Brethren that seek to bliss Thy Roaring rage is nought Stand off or I Will make thee th ' Worlds Captain captively THE CHRISTIANS WARFARE THe whole life of a Christian is a continued Hostility or Open War his grand Antagonist is the Devil that great Abbaddon the professed Enemy and Destroyer Rev. 9.11 whose grand design is to enlarge the terrotories of his destructive Kingdom by the spoil and ruin of poor souls This is evident from Gen. 3.1 where we have an account of his tyrannical assaulting of Adam in Paradice No sooner is Adam settled in Paradice in that glorious state wherein God set him but this implacable enemy assaults him and alas prevails Now having got such an interest by the Foil and Fall of poor Adam he continues his tyranny as
we find manifested all along in the Scripture He carries on his design in the Old World in the incestuous Sodom by Pharaoh towards the Children of Israel nay even by the Patriarks David and Solomon as far as he can and thus he assaults and prevails in a great measure Nay no wonder if he assaults these poor Creatures when he attempts to set upon Christ himself Having prevailed so against the first Adam he 'll see what he can do to the second but blessed be God The Seed of the Woman has bruised the Serpents Head Thus we see how this Roaring Lyon goes about seeking whom he may devour what Souls he can ensnare and entrap He environs and surrounds the Earth to the intent he may devour Moreover He has two Attendants viz. 1. The World 2. The Flesh to carry on his hellish designs and plots against poor Saints and the destruction of every Christian that endeavours to build up the Kingdom of Christ And first he makes use of the World that is 1. The World it self the love whereof chokes that vigor and liveliness that is or ought to be in a Christian 2. Wicked Men in the World in whom he acts and soments all the venom he can both for the hindrance of the Gospels propagation and the destruction of those that seek to be enlightened by it to bring them to the true knowledge of God and his way Dismal is it to think how far he hath and at this very day doth prevail by them But blessed be God that hath set his King upon his Holy Hill of Sion Psal 2.6 Secondly Our inbred Corruptions that is that that is called the Flesh out of which proceeds an innumerable multitudâ— of destructive lusts that keep a constanâ— hostility against a poor Soul 1 Pet. 2.11 and these he makes his baits to catch Souls He suits his baits 1. According to our constitutions and natural inclinations 2. To our conditions First To our constitutions If they be inclining to Melancholy he tempts to Despair if to Sanguine he tempts to Anger If our Constitutions be Chearful he tempts to Lasciviousness And so look what our Constitutions and Natural Inclinations are accordingly he suits his Baits and Temptations Secondly To our Conditions If a â—ans Estate increase so that he hath a competent portion of the things of this World he tempts him either to that destructive sin viz. Covetousness which is tâ—â— root of Evils and this he shrowds undâ—â— the Name of Good-husbandry or tâ— Luxurious Prodigality and Pride and this he covers with the Name of Good-fellow-ship Nay in a word No Time Place Degree Age Constitution Condition wherein and against and according to whom he doth not suit his poisonous baits and exerciseth his utmost policy and endeavours to ruin poor Souls Blessed be God that he hath not left us ignorant of his Devices but thrice blessed be his Name that he has not left us Naked but has left us his own Armory Eph. 6. and that of proof which is able to defend us from all the siery darts of this so potent an enemy The parts whereof are 1. The Helmet of Salvation 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousness 3. The Shield of Faith 4. The Girdle of Truth 5. The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word 6. The Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace 7. And lastly The Engine of Prayer Now let us see of what use all theâ— are to a Christian 1. The Helmet of Salvation That iâ— a constant expectation and desire of â—ernal Happiness This is of great â—se unto us to support us and beaâ— up our fainting Spirits under all Trial and Temptations without the hope of which a Christian would utterly despond This is that that made so many Martyrs endure the most exquisite Torments from the hands of Bloody Tyrants Heb. 11. 2. The Breast-plate of Righteousness This is walking in Holiness and Blamelesness this is that Proof-piece that bears a Christian out and keeps off all the false Imputations and Slanders that the Devil and Wicked Men his Agents can forge or invent against a Christian 4. The Shield of Faith That is A firm believing and trusting of God for the accomplishment of his Promises This keeps off the Fire-balls and Darts of Sathan viz. Carnal Confidence Presumption Security Insidelity and Despair c. 5. The Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God This wounds Sathan and cuts in sunder the concatenating knots of his various Temptations by which he seeks to entangle Souls This discovers all his Devices With this Sword our Saviour â—oil'd this Champion he oppos'd him with a Scriptum est It is written 6. The Shoes of the Preparation of the Goâ—pel of Peace This is assurance of Acceptation and Peace with God through Jesuâ— Christ according to that Holy Doctrine held forth in the Gospel He that is shod with these Shoes is sit for his Journey to Canaan thorow all his Oppugnants knowing that God who is at peace with him is both able and willing to be his conduct and deliverer from them all 7. Prayer This is that brings success to and a blessing upon all the rest and enables a Christian through Gods Free Grace and Mercy to make use of all other the pieces of the Armory Thus we see how Christ our Captain has fortified us he has not left us to fight without Weapons without Armour and that of Proof nay he himself has led the Van he underwent all the hardship in this Warfare and has as it were given the Devil his deaths wound He has conquer'd Hell also and the Grave he 's the Triumphant King and Captain He has unstinged Death he has only left us some small work to do and that he has promised to help us in Christian therefore be of good courage let nonâ— make thee afraid thy foes may environ thee and enemies rage against theâ— yet be not dismayed thy Cause is good thy Captain is Victorious and what thou art not able to do he 'll do iâ— for thee But it may be thou l't say Thou canst not tell whether Christ will be willing to accept thee for his Soldier or not Willing yes if thou art willing but 't is rather to be feared thou art not willing because thou makest this objection If he were not willing to what end would he call and invite thee O Christian do not doubt but come make no delay Go to this Magazine and invest thy self herewith and thy Captain will maintain thee if thou art willing though thou art weak he 'll fight for thee only take notice that if ever thou look backward thou art but a dead man Press forward towards the Mark for thou hast no Armour to defend thy back-parts O Christian be valiant and take notice of this that if thou resist the Devil he is not able to with-stand thee he 'll flee from thee Be upon thy watch for thy enemy is subtil and will watch his opportunity if
miserable condition into which he is fallen and that he might be brought into a nearer union and communion with God by that Hypostatical Union in Jesus Christ and is there not matter of admiring both the infinite Wisdom and Power of God in his great Work and Contrivance Yea that that might carry a Soul out of it self as it were by admiring him in this very work 5. Never come unto God but upon the account of the precious death and sufferings of a crucified Saviour laying aside all thine own righteousness as a menstruous cloth and as â—ilthy rags considering that he that comes unto Christ that is believingly what he asks he will do it witness that gracious promise in John 14.13 and John 15.16 and Joh. 16.23 24 26. do all in the Name of Christ Col. 3.17 And indeed it is a great pity that so many Promises as are made and laid down for the support of poor drooping and desponding ones should be no more regarded and made use of it is as it were a slighting of Christs kindness as if one should say What are these Promises to me I matter them not I do not stand in need of them but know thou whoever if any such an one that there is a day a coming when thou wouldst be glad to embrace such a proffer I say never come in and upon any account but in and upon the account of the dear Redeemer Jesus Christ this must needs be the safest surest best and prevailing way for he saith I am the Way and the Truth and the Life John 14.6 It must needs be the safest and surest way to come in the Name and Strength of Christ 1. Because he is able Heb. 7.15 If he take thy cause in hand and thou committest it to him with an holy dependance undoubtedly he will carry it on and crown it with perfection all other means may fail all other Agents may miscarry but he will nay he can never miscarry He shall see of the travel of his Soul he shall and will bring judgment unto victory He is able to resist the most invincible temptation and evade the most intricate Stratagems the Devil can make he has conquered Death and Hell and given the Devil such a weakning blow as that he can never be able to encounter one Battle more with him All Power is in his hand in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.18 And if he be so able as that all Power both in Heaven and Earth is in his hand what safer and surer way than coming to God by him none shall be able to pluck thee nor thy cause out of his hand the Devil may assault thee he may in many shapes and forms but he shall never prevail against thee When thou prayest it may be he 'll endeavour to distract thee when thou comest before God he will accuse thee as he did righteous Job for he is called The Accuser of his Brethren Revel 12.10 The Power of Christ hath and shall cast him down He hath overcome him by his precious blood 2. It must needs be the safest because he is one with the Father and the Father cannot deny him any request He hears him always John 11.42 I know that thou hearest me always 3. There is no other way Let others pretend to what they will and to abolish the Priestly Office of Christ and so rob him of his Right and Honour yet it is most plain He is the way the Truth and the Life and none other he is the only beloved in whom God is abundantly well-pleased and he it is that must take our imperfect desires and offer them unto God in his own perfection our weakness must be supplied in his strength our emptiness in his fulness our unrighteous Prayers must be perfumed with the odoriferous smell of his spotless and blameless Righteousness It is most certain That Man by the Fall lost all his Righteousness and therefore imperfection can never appear before God who is infinitely perfect all fulness dwells in himself and how can he look upon meer emptiness unless it be in the fulness of his own Son 6. Dare not to appear before God with any sin unrepented of knowing that like an Adder that a poor man found though almost dead as soon as it recovered strength and life by the heat of the fire began to hiss at him Sin will being cherished revive and consequently will prove a fatal Enemy Let no sin be delighted in though it be the nearest delight and that that would procure the greatest temporal benefit and profit one sin is enough to condemn a world as appears by the eating the forbidden Fruit it procur'd a curse an eternal curse had it not been prevented by a compassionate Saviour And wouldst thou be blessed countenance no sin but resolve against all sin in the strength of Christ all sin in general and every sin in particular both in respect of God and Man If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my prayer Psal 66.8 saith David and let it be said of thee as it was said concerning Athanasius by Nazianzen Se esse Magnetem Adamantem dicit in respect of his sweet drawing and winning nature and yet an Adamant in respect of his stout courage against sin and in an especial manner these three empoysoning sins 1 Malice and Anger 2. Infidelility 3. Self-esteem 7. With Christian courage in all thy deportments repel all the blaspemous injections of Satan with heart-rising loathing and abhorrence and be sure alwayes to set a watchful eye over the two great Instruments Satan makes use of the World and Flesh of which more hereafter 8. With all diligence in the heat of Heart affection press after things prayed for and this will be a testimony unto God that thou art sensible of thy wants and will 't acknowledge thy self infinitely ingaged for the supply of those things thou stand'st in need of 9. Let no opportunity slip be ready to catch at the fore-lock of time Let no occasion slip that fits thy mind Time has a lock before but bald behind It was a Custom amongst the Romans to pourtray Time with a Lock before but bald behind to which Cato accords Post est occasio calva Intimating that Time being once past can never be recall'd O! What a necessity is there of the improving the precious Diadem of Time how many poor miserable Souls that are now languishing in Hell bewailing the loss of mispent time with repentance never to be repented of Oh! What would they give for one year one day nay one hour of that precious time of which they once were so lavish Who more free of time than they Yea some have said that they have had so much time they could not tell how to spend it never once bethinking themselves what a great work they had to do O! therefore make use of this present time time that is past you cannot make use of time to come is very uncertain for
only true in the Moral Law 't is denied in the Ceremonial These Types before Moses shewing the bounty of the Messiah were abolisht at his comming as Circumcision given to Abraham In like manner the Sacrifices either commanded to our first Parents or practised by them Object 5. The Laws given by God before the Fall were not Types of the Bounties of Christ all grant the promise of the Messiah being not as then given although the condition of the whole humane race was one and the same The Seventh days Sabbath was instituted before the Fall of Mankind therefore it is universal and perpetual Resp Per distinctionem materiis which is true concerning the Moral Law whose natural knowledge was imprinted in the mind of man in the Creation but not concerning the Seventh day Sabbaths Ceremony which after the fall in the Mosaical Law is made a type of the benefits of the Messiah And besides all this other Ceremonies whether instituted before or after by the Messias were made obnoctious to change for God will not let them remain under the shaddows the things themselves being exhibited 3. What are the causes of the institution of the Sabbath 1. For the Publick Worship of God in his Church 2. For the preservation of the Ecclesiastical Ministry which teacheth what we are to believe concerning God and what duty God requires of us 3. That the type in the Old might denote or represent the spiritual in the New Testament Ezek. 20.12 4. That there might be an ordinary exercise of Prayer of Confession and of Obedience toward God 5. By reason of the Seventh days circumstance to wit that it might put us in mind both of our great Creation and Redemption Work 6. That on that day the greatest Works of Liberality and Benignity might be exercised toward our Neighbour 7. Because of that Corporal Rest of both Man and Beast of Bruits indeed because of Man 8. That the Israelites might be known by this mark from other Countries 4. What are the Works of the Sabbath commanded or forbidden Or how the Sabbath is kept or violated 1. The Sabbath is sanctified when Works are done and holily observed which God has commanded 2. The Sabbath is profaned when Works are either neglected or abused in the use of them or hindred by a profane violence The Works whereby the Sabbath is either sanctified or profaned are these 1. First Rightly to instruct the Church concerning God viz. What he is and What his Will is viz. What Duties either Negative or Affirmative he requires of man On the contrary 1. Neglect of Publick or Private Instruction Isa 56.10 2. Depravation or Diminution of the Doctrine that ought to be taught Ezek. 34.2 2 Cor. 2.17 3. Secondly Administring the Sacraments according to Divine Institution Unto which we ought to come being lawfully called by the Ministers of the Church as the Vice-gerents of God and that especially on the Lords Day On the contrary Omitting or neglecting instructing the Church to use the Sacraments and an illegal Administration of the same viz. By a detracting from or adding to the Essentials of Worship appointed of God or any thing in them or excluding any that ought to come to receive or pertake or to encourage those that ought not or not to teach the lawful use of them 3. Thirdly Diligently to learn the True Doctrine That is to attend on and hear the Doctrine of God 1 Tim. 4.16 and daily to meditate in the same The Contraries 1. Contempt or neglect of the Doctrine by either being absent at Assemblies or not regarding the Ministers or not meditating on or inquiring into the Doctrine of Christ 2. Neglect of knowing the Doctrine either by Ministers or people 3. Curiosities either by prying into Gods secrets or unnecessary things or novelties Luke 12 48. Prov. 25.27 1 Tim. 4.7 2 Tim. 4.3 Tit. 3.9 4. Fourthly To use the Sacraments according to Divine instruction Acts 20.7 Repugnants to this 1. The omission or contempt of the Sacraments 2. Profanation of the Sacraments when they are either used not after the same way or not by them whom God hath instituted 3. Asuperstitious use of them 5. Fifthly Invocation of God publickly Wherein we adjoyn confession or giving of thanks and our desires with the Church Repugnants 1. Neglect of Prayers of the Church 2. Hypocrisie in Prayers of the Church without attention or affection 3. A recitation of Prayers that edifie not 1 Cor. 14.17 6. Sixthly Charity and Bounty towards the Poor that is giving Alms or doing works of Mercy towards the Needy with delight and singleness of heart Repugnants 1. Neglect or contempt of the Poor 2. Ostentation and shew in giving which Christ condemns 7. Seventhly Honour of the Ecclesiastical Ministry which comprehends 1. Reverence 2. Love 3. Obediencee 4. Gratitude 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Equity in bearing with the infirmities of Ministers Family Prayers For every day in the WEEK A Prayer for the Sabbath Omost holy great and glorious God thou that art the rest of thy poor Creatures the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ whom thou hast instituted Lord of the Sabbath in whose strength we desire to approach thy holy presence this thy holy Sabbath-day a day of thy own appointment wherein thou wilt be found in an especial manner and as it is to be a day of rest for all flesh after thine own institution Lord help us not only to rest from our ordinary Labours and Imployments but from any thing that may be disconsonant to thy Will and Word not doing our own actions nor speaking our own words nor thinking our own thoughts that thereby we being prepared according to the preparation of thy Sanctuary may be in the Spirit on the Lords Day to meet with thee and by meeting with thee we may hear thee communicate some sweet truth to us whereby we may be drawn nigher to thy self by the blood of Christ And seeing thou wast pleased Lord to honour this day by the Resurrection of our blessed Redeemer let us have more evidence from thy self this day that we are risen with him having conquered by him Death Grave Hell and Sin O let us see him whom our sins have pierced that we by faith may mortifie that that crucified him and let us have a glimpse of our beloved in his glory and let us this day hearken to his voice that we may know to love what he loves and hate what he hates to be in love with sanctity and holiness and to be at enmity with every similitude of sin which will hinder our services this day in his name to be as a sweet smell in Gods Nostrils Help us to hold fast our hope and confidence in God unto the end and let that considence be a perfect assurance that we have an interest in Jesus Let the word preached be mixed with saith let it be quick and powerful and piercing that it may accomplish that end for which it was sent Let not
thy Servant and Hand-maid may find help in time of trouble and need Let the Midwives Skill and Care be blessed by thee when she shall be called to do her Office thou that art the God of all Grace and Consolation strengthen the faith of thine Hand-maid in the hope of thy mercy Shew thy Servant a token for good for his sake alone who is worthy Jesus Christ the Righteous to whom be Glory for ever Amen The Midwives Prayer before Delivery GRacious Lord look in mercy upon thine Hand-maid now in extream pain strengthen her faith against all her fears and bless me thine unworthy Servant and make me an instrument of help and comfort to thine Hand-maid in the hour of trial in thine hand are the issues of Life and Death preserve both Mother and Child let it be a time of joy that a Child is Born and a Woman Delivered through thy great mercy so shall we thy poor Creatures rejoyce in thy Salvation shewed to thy Hand-maid and the fruit of her Womb. Hear and help for the sake of our Lord Jesus to whom be praises for ever Amen The Midwives Prayer after Delivery MOst Holy and most Gracious Lord praises wait for thee for those exceeding abundant favours vouchsafed to thine Hand-maid in the hour of her Distress for ever blessed be thy glorious Name thou alone wast a present help O perfect thine own work in her weakness Blessed be the Lord for the fruit of the Womb that no Member was left out of thy Book that in all parts it is perfected without blemish or deformity Make thine Hand-maid a joyful Mother and continue her in her place and enable her to discharge her duty to the comfort of her Relations and the glory of thy great Name and the everlasting joy of her own Soul when she shall have finished her course and that alone upon the account of Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever Amen The Pained Womans Prayer in the time of her Travail O Righteous Lord thou art just in all thy ways thy righteous sentence is past the time of sin was the time of punishment the Woman to bring forth in sorrow and the Man to cat his Bread in the sweat of his Brow Have mercy Lord upon thy distressed Hand-maid in great Pain and Anguish Fears and Sorrows as thou hast blessed me with the fruit of the Womb to conceive and nourish until the time of birth O Lord now give strength to bring forth and let this fruit of my Womb be to thy praise Thou art a present help in time of trouble O blessed Lord let my life be precious in thy sight and the fruit of my Womb let it live before thee and let both be vessels of mercy through the sanctification of thy Spirit so shall thine Hand-maid devote her self to thy fear and the fruit of her Womb to thy service Let me find thy love in Jesus Christ to support me for whom O my Soul praise his Holy Name Amen The Womans Prayer after her Delivery O Most glorious Lord thou art good and doest good thou hast remembered mercy to thy Hand-maid in the time of her distress to thy Name be praise for strength given to bring forth my life was and is in thine hand yet thou hast spared it in the depth of my anguish thy help was at hand Thou also hast given life to the fruit of my Womb to thy Name be praises Give me wisdom to dispose of thy mercy to thy glory that I may be useful to thy service and as touching the fruit of my Womb sanctifie it and let it be for the bearing up of the Name of God in its Generation let it grow in grace as in years These and what things thou knowest convenient grant in the Name of Christ to whom be praise for ever Amen Graces Before and After Meat Grace before Meat MOst Holy Lord the staff of Bread is in thine hand it is of thy bounty that we are daily provided for let these thy Creatures ordained for our nourishment be received by us with thankful hearts expressing it in our lives that we receiving strength may return praises to thy self for all through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen Grace After Meat HOly and blessed Lord let thy continued mercies and refreshments from time to time ingage us to return to thy blessed Majesty the glory due to thy self for them and all other creature comforts wherewith we are supplied help us to express our thankfulness in discharging our Callings and Consciences through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen An other Grace Before Meat HOly and gracious Lord blessed be thy gracious good providence for all thy favours daily renewed O give thy blessing on these thy good Creatures at this time that we are about to receive that they may nourish and strengthen us that we may be bettered by them and that we may return praise to thy Name through Christ Jesus our Lord Amen An other Grace After Meat HOly Lord let thy refreshing mercies be an obligation to engage us to a more holy life to live to thee who art the fountain of all our enjoyments thou givest and refreshest us with the blessings of the upper and neather springs both spiritual and temporal help us to improve all so that thou mayst have glory and we may have comfort in and through Jesus Christ the purchaser of all Amen A Prayer in time of Affliction HOly and for ever blessed Lord God thou alone art acquainted with the condition of thy poor sinful weak Creature thou that art the Father of Spirits and their great Creator who alone art a present help in time of trouble and the God of all consolation thy poor sinful dust and ashes desires to look to thee even to thee alone seeing thou art alone able to deliver from trouble sanctifie my trouble and affliction and support me in and under affliction and make all work together for the best Thou canst bring comfort out of trouble joy out of sorrow mirth out of malady and can make thy Sion Saints to wait and to look for help even from the most improbable means O let thy grace be sufficient for me and help me to trust thy promises when I cannot have thy providences I have sinned greatly which is the cause of all my misery if it were not for sin I need fear nothing O let sin die in me that grace may abound and let this chastisement which at present is grievous be and work for good unto me that I may say with thy Servant David It is good that I have been afflicted Give me a patient and submissive frame of Spirit that I may say with my blessed Saviour Not as I will but thy will O Father of mercy be done Let pains temporal prevent pains eternal Let the inner man be strengthened by the weakness of the outward man Help me in patience to possess my Soul with the thoughts of that endless and unspeakable Glory and with a sense
may continue therein serving thee in Holiness and Righteousnes all the days of my life till I shall enjoy thy self fully to all Eternity in Heaven where there shall be an end of these things and that for thy Names sake Amen Short though sweet MEDITATIONS Or sweet Cordials for the HEART 1. IT is folly to think that we should have Physick and Health both at one time resolve therefore upon waiting his leisure after a weary Week comes a Sabbath and after a Fight Victory 2. Unkindness of others to us is but a correction of our unkindness to God 3. He that can't abound without Pride and High-mindedness will never want without too much dejectedness 4. Let us not seek our selves abroad out of our selves in the conceits of other men That man shall never lie quiet that hath not learned to set light by others causeless ill conceits 5. Them that set too high a price upon themselves where others will not come up to their price they are discontented 6. Those whose condition is above their worth and their pride above their condition shall never want forrow yet we must maintain our Authority in our places for that is Gods and not ours and we ought ro carry our selves so as that we may approve our selves to their consciences though we can't have their good word 7. One end why God suffereth the Soul to tire and beat it self is that finding no rest in it self it might seek to God 8. A man can be in no condition wherein God is at a loss if comfort be wanting he can create Comfort not only out of nothing but out of discomfort He made the Whale that swallowed Jonas a means to bring him to Land 9. The only way to have our will is to bring it to Gods Will. 10. The way patiently to suffer Gods will is to enure our selves to do it they that have not enured themselves to the yoke of obedience will never endure the yoke of suffering 11. When we can say to God Wilt thou have me poor and disregarded I am well content Thus a gedly Man says Amen to Gods Amen and puts his Fiat to Gods Fiat 12. None feel more Experience of Gods Providence than those that are most resolute in their obedience 13 After we have given Glory to God by relying upon his Wisdom Power Strength and Truth we shall find him imploying these for our Direction Assistance and bringing things to our desired Issue yea above what we desire or thought of 14. The more Passion the less Discretion because Passion hinders the sight of what is to be done 15. It is good to observe the particular Becks of Providence how things joyn and meet together Fit occasions and suiting of things are intimation of Gods Will. Providence hath a Languags which is well understood by those that have familiar acquaintance with God They see a train of Providence leading one way more then another 16. Labour to fit a promise to every condition thou art in There is no condition but hath a promise suitable to it 17. He that loveth too much will grieve too much It is the greatness of our Affection that causeth our Affliction 18. All our noise proceeds from a Swelling Vapour of Pride It is Air inclosed in the Bowels of the Earth that shakes it which all the four Winds can't do 19. There is an Art of bearing troubles if we can learn it without over-troubling our selves as in bearing a burthen there is a way to poize it that it weigh not over heavy if it hang on one side it poizeth the Body down the greater part we pull on our selves by not imparting our Care so as to take upon us only the care of duty and leave the rest to God 20. We must not mingle our Passions with our Crosses like foolish Patients chewing the Pills which they should swallow dovvn 21. He that sees not God every where sees him no where 22. He that loses himself in self denia I finds himself in Gods Bosom 23. In Prosperity fear God in Adversity love God 24. Praying will make thee leave sinning or sinning make thee leave praying 25. Our weakness and inabilities break not the bond of our duties 26. No sin but is easier kept out than cast out 27. What we are afraid to do before men we should be afraid to think before God 28. Nature vexed and Nature armed soon discovers it self 29. They that retain the memory of mercies seldom lose the sight of mercies 30. What unthankfulness is this to think upon two or three crosses so as to forget an hundred blessings What folly is it to darken our Spirits and to indispose our selves to the taking or doing of good 31. A Limb out of joynt can do nothing without deformity and pain Dejection takes off the wheels of the Soul Joy is as Oyl to the Soul it makes Duties come off chearfully from our selves pleasing to others and acceptable to God 32. Let us go on to add Grace unto Grace a growing Christian is always a comsortable Christian the Oyl of Grace will bring forth the Oyl of Gladness 33. Melancholy Persons are things that seem black and dark to themselves their Souls are as it were dead-black whatsoever comes to a Melancholy Person comes in a dark way to his Soul 34. In all grievances let us look to something that may comfort us as well as discourage us let us look as well to what we enjoy as to what we want As in Prosperity God mingles some cross to diet us so in all crosses there is some thing to comsort us As there is vanity lieth hid in the best worldly good so there is a blessing lies hid in the greatest worldly evil 35. We must neither bring sin to nor mingle sin with our sufferings for that will trouble the Soul more than the trouble it self We are not hurt till our Souls be hurt 36. In sudden encounters some sin doth many times discover it self the seed whereof lieth hid in our hearts which we think our selves free from What cause have we then to fear continually that we are worse than we take our selves to be The force of Gun-powder is not known till some sparks lite in it 37. What a sight were it to see the Feet where the Head is and the Earth to be where the Heaven is To the Spiritual Eye it seems as great a deformity to see the Soul to be under sinful passions 38. A good heart when any Corruption is discovered by a searching Ministry is affected as though it found out some deadly enemy Techiness and Passion argues Guilt 39. The imaginary grievances of this life are more than the real 40. The way to expel Wind out of the Body is to take wholesome Nourishment so to expel Windy Fancies from the Soul is to feed upon Serious Truths Our best way therefore is to propound three objects to the mind as 1. To consider the greatness and goodness of God 2. The Joys of