all their lives He assures us while we are feeding the meanest of his Brethren as such we have Himself our Guest are Treating Him whilst we Relieve the real Sufferer that asks it in his Name And who would not gladly pare off all the Superfluities of life that he might always have ready an Entertainment for so great a Personage as Him when he Craves an Alms If we have been kind compassionate and merciful to others we have the greater ground to hope we shall find him so to us who that he may Encourage us to Imitate his Love and Goodness Proportions his Dealings to us to ours with others forgive and ye shall be forgiven give and it shall be given unto you (m) Mar. 11.25.26 Luke 6.37 None have more reason to dread his Justice and Severity than those that shut up their Bowels of Compassion towards their Brethren for He shall have Judgment without Mercy that hath shewed no mercy (n) Jam. 2.13 I do not Remember saith St. Jerom to have read that ever any Charitâ—ble Person dy'd an Evil Death God will notreject him in his greatest Needs in his passionate Requests for God is Love and every degree of Charity that dwells in us is a participation of his Nature And therefore when on our Death-Bed we have many things to trouble us and our Friends have forsaken us or prove miserable Comforters to us we may call to mind the Alms we have given the Injuries we have forgiven how we have sought objects for our Charity imbraced and followed Peace with all Men and with the Eye of Faith look up to God coming to pronounce the last Sentence according to his mercy and ours I have been saith Cyrus the Persian on his Death-Bed a lover of Mankind and a friend and merciful and now I expect to Communicate in that great kindness which he shews that is the great God and Father of Men and Mercies IV. Die daily towards all Carnal Comforts and Delights disuse disingage your self from them deny your self in them wean your self from the World let your Heart grow strange unto it get right Apprehensions of it by diminishing its seeming Excellencies and considering its real Inconveniences Judge not of it by that Repute and Entertainment it finds amongst Men but ill it doth them how defiling dangerous unsutable unsatisfying commonly given to the worst transitory unusefull in our greatest Need. Present the Soul with that Bill of Divorce which Death will shortly give to all your indearing Enjoyments The serious thoughts of which will presently sweep down all Cob-web Designs and false Felicities precent Deceit and every thing which breeds the worm of Conscience Fix your Residence above you will then behold this Mole-hill of Ants this World's bustle and grandieur vanish and disappear Its Castles and Mountains become Warts and all the Provinces of it for which men swell and fight as the Cabins of an Honey-comb And it s Idoliz'd Silver and Gold Earth and useless Mettle uncurrent Coin in the other World where nothing passes but true Goodness When the Scepter and the Spade shall have one common Grave and Royal Dust be blended with the Beggar 's Ashes and the Righteous and the Wicked shall be separated by a vast Gulph and an amazing Difference Take it but for your Pilgrimage your passage to Life be as indifferent in these things as Travellers in the Affairs of a Foreign Countrey Receive with thankfulness what comes with a fair Providence upon Honest Endeavours but let your mind be upon your Home Contentedly suffer Losses and Inconveniences in your way to it He that hath unfeignedly made Heaven his End will readily pass to it on the hardest Terms and Comfortably think of laying down his Head in the Earth for every man is willing to obtain his End to receive his Reward to enter upon his Estate 'T is much for the sake of the Flesh that most Perish that Death is so unwelcom to us O could we subdue that and live above its Pleasures and Desires we should easily bear its Dissolution a Picture that hangs loose on the wall is easily taken down and removed but with much â—ending if fastned to it V. Live so as you may be always Ready to give an Account Be sure you be sincere was the dying Advice of my dear departed Friend E.G. Perform every Duty with all your might and as if it were your last Do every thing with Respect to an after Reckoning will this bear the Tryal turn to a good account at the great Day Would I do thus were I now going to stand before Christ's Tribunal The Consequences of all our Actions extends as far as another World The Apostle seems to be startled at such like Thoughts seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness (o) 2 Pet. 3.11.14 As if all were little enough to qualifie us for a Happy Eternity Have a special Regard to the Duties of your particular Calling be Diligent and Honest in it God judges of men by the general course and tenor of their lives rather than by any single or extraordinary Action which is best seen by their demeanour in that place and station his Providence hath set them in Take Heed of offering violence to your Conscience of doing any thing you know to be a Sin or neglecting any thing you know to be a necessary Duty for that 's to Sin deliberately to provoke God to give you up to hardness of Heart to withdraw his Grace and Spirit from you Have always a clear unspotted Conscience void of offence Behold I come as a Thief Blessed is He that watcheth and keepeth his Garments (p) Rev. 16.15 Beware of those things that will fright you in the Night of doing any thing now which will make Conscience flash in your face another day and reproach you with the Remembrance of what you was told would be bitterness in the latter End when no Sanctuary to shelter no Cordial to revive no bosom Friend to stand by and hearten you Then Spots will appear in their Breadth and Blackness Sin and Wrath another thing than in your Health and Ease Be not wicked in thy own sight was the good Counsel of an old Rabby Reverence thy self Do nothing but what you can review with Quiet and Content Conscience is a tender thing that always writes tho' it doth not speak and what we account small in our Health may make a dying Bed very uneasie to us Innumerable Actions which we thought innocent may appear to be Sin and what we made light of infinitely Evil. So black and deformed is that Shape wherein Sinners appear unto themselves upon a Review of their past Crimes that then they abhor their own Image much more those Sins that have deformed them Conscience speaks loudest when men grow speechless Whilst all seems calm and quiet without and their Flatterers fawn upon them their minds
a Curious piece out of such indisposed mean materials The Woman was made of Man so of the same dust mould and model of a reasonable immortal Soul stampt with the same Image of God In the same Spiritual Condition Subject to the same Lord bound to the same Law Capable of the same Felicity and by Sin liable to the same Punishment The Happiness of his Estate consisted in his Being 1. Made after the Image and likeness of God in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness Enjoying uninterrupted Peace and Communion with him 2. In Paradise a Place of God's own planting So delightfull as is set out by it not only the pleasantest goodliest places on Earth tho' the whole Earth was Garden-like in Comparison of what it is now (z) Gen. 13.10 Isa 51.3 but Heaven it self (a) Luc. 23.43 Rev. 2.7 3. Made Ruler over all the Creatures (b) Gen. 1.26 Psal 8.6 who submitted to him to be Governed and Ruled by him at his pleasure (c) Ge. 2.19 20. In this Estate God Entered with him into a Covenant of Works i. e. God's gracious Agreement with Adam as the Head of and all his Posterity to give them Eternal Life and Happiness upon Condition of Personal Perfect Perpetual Obedience by that strength wherewith God had endowed Him in his Creation to which he left him This Covenant was 1 an Act of Condescension Grace and Favour not of Debt for God as Creator might have dealt with him only in a way of Soveraignty and required obedience without promising a Reward which Adam could not have expected by perfect obedience having but done his Duty 2. an Agreement with him that he should obey the Moral Law written in his Heart which was the general Rule of his obedience and the positive Law of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil thou shalt not Eat which was the special Trial of it 3. with all his posterity which appears from the miserable Event of Adam's breaking this Covenant both as to the guilt filth and punishment (d) Psal 51.5 John 3.5 c. Rom. 5.12 c. 1 Cor. 15.21 c. Eph. 2.3 And by God's usual way or course in all other Covenants i. e. To take in Head and Members Root and Branch The second Adam and his Posterity (e) Gen. 3.15 Noâ— ah (f) Gen. 9.9 Abraham (g) Gen. 17.7 8. David (h) 2 Sam. 7.16 Israel (i) Isa 59.21 Acts 2.39 Their Seed and their Seeds seed 4. To give them Eternal Life or the continuance of them in that good Estate under the Threatning of Death for Disobedience was promised Life for Obedience assured and confirmed by the Treâ— of Life The Tree of Knowledge was so called noâ— from the Nature of the Tree but fault of Eating In respect of 1 God's Command Things are therefore Good or Evil because he allows or forbids them 2. The Event oâ— Eating Thereby he should experimentally know to his sorrow Good by the loss of it and Evil by the feeling of it Eating of it self was not Morally or Intrinsecally Evil only in respect of God's prohibition which was for 1. Clearer Discovery of his Absolute Soveraignty over Man and Trial of his Obedience and Subjection Whether he would obey meerly because God commanded 2. Greater Aggravation of Man's Sin if he should offend in so small a matter so easie to be obey'd Especially having Liberty to Eat of all the Trees else So directly against God's Authority by doing that which was to be forborn meerly because He had forbidden it Of the Fall of Man OUR First Parents being left to the freedom of their own Will through the Temptation of Satan Sinned in Eating the Forbidden Fruit. And thereby lost their Innocency Paradise Communion with and the Favour of God brought a Curse upon the Earth became Slaves of Satan lay under the Curse of the Law Died the same day they sinned In their 1. Souls Dead spiritually to all good 2. Bodies In Respect of the Desert guilt sentence and inevitable Necessity of Dying Contracted Dead in Law as a Condemned man is before Execution They then became Mortal Dissolving by degrees Liable to the Symptoms and Harbingers of Death 3. Bodies and Souls being then under the Arrest of God's Justice Wrath and Curse liable to Eternal Death the Wages of Sin (k) Rom. 6.23 The Hainousness of the Sin appears by confidering 1. The Person that sinned Adam an Innocent Happy Publick Person 2. Against whom the great Creator and Soveraign of all the World 3. The Time when the same Day as supposed He was created and commanded 4. The Place where in Paradise where God familiarly conversed and entered into Covenant with him where no Sin Sorrow or Want was 5. The Penalty threatned upon the Breach and the Promise implied 6. The great Ease and Facility of keeping it In it was Incredulity Diffidence Pride Ambition vain Curiosity Ingratitude Idolatry Contempt of God's Word and Soveraignty Rebellion Murther Intemperance Theft Discontent with their present Condition assenting to false Witness unworthy Accusations against God the Transgression of the whole Law of Nature Adam being the Root Representative and Head of all Mankind being in his loins the Guilt Corruption and Defilement of this Sin is imputed and convey'd to all his Posterity descending from him by ordinary generation and is called Original Sin because 1. We have it from our first Parents the Original of all Mankind 2. 'T is in us from our Original as soon as we have a Being 3. 'T is the Original of all other Sins Of Man's Recovery ALL Mankind being fallen into an Estate of Sin and Misery by the Breach of the First Covenant and unable to help themselves God out of his meer Love Mercy and Compassion for recovering and restoring us to his Favour makes another Covenant with us through a Mediator wherein he promises us Grace Glory and all good things and obliges us to Repentance and Faith 1. Repentance i. e. A sincere Sorrow for and forsaking of all our Sins Or a thorough Change of our Mind and Purpose of Heart and Life from Evil to Good 2. Faith i. e. Such an unfeigned Belief of all that God hath revealed as engages us to a sincere Endeavour to do all that he hath commanded Firmly to rely on all his Promises and faithfully to obey all his Commands Or an Acceptance of our Mediator as he is offered unto us in the Gospel as our Priest Prophet and King not only to Satisfie and Intercede with God but to Teach and Guide Rule and Govern us This Mediator is the Second Person in the Trinity who being true God became true Man by taking upon him our Nature God and Man united in One Person That so having Interest in both he might be a a fit Mediator or middle Person to reconcile and bring together God to Man and Man to God whom Sin had separated The God-head did not assume a Humane Person for then
Isa 53.9 Matt. 12.40 â—o sanctifie our Burial to â—weeten and perfume the Grave to us that in the strong Holds and Fortress of Death He might overcome and loose the Sorrows and Bonds of Death (r) Acts 2.24 1 Cor. 15.55 c. V. He Descended into Hell the third Day hâ— Arose again from the Dead Christ so humbled Himself that he was deprived of his Natural Life in the Estate of the Dead and under the Power of Death for Three Days that it might appear he was truly Dead but no longer that his Body might not seâ— Corruption (s) Matt. 12.40 17.23 John 2.19 Acts 2.31 He arose the third Day being the First Day of the Week for our Justification and quickening iâ— Grace as our Head as a Pledge and Means of our Resurrection as an Evidence Divine Justice was fully satisfied the Deâ— paid in that the Judge released him out oâ— Prison VI. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty Having continued upon Earth forty Day after his Resurrection to assure his Disciple of it and instruct them in all things pertaining to their Preaching the Gospel Having finished his Work on Earth over come and Triumphed over His and our Enemies Before many Witnesses he was â—isibly taken up into Heaven where in â—ur Nature and as our Head he is Advanâ—ed by the Father to the Height of all Majesty Power Dominion Honour Digâ—ity and Glory next unto Himself Haâ—ing Authority to Rule as King over all â—â—ings in Heaven and Earth making Conâ—nual Intercession for us that for his Pleâ—ary Satisfaction all his Members Persons â—nd Services may be accepted of God who â—eing the Father Almighty is both Willing â—nd Able to grant the same VII From Thence He shall Come to Judge the â—ick and the Dead At the last Day He â—all Descend from Heaven in great Power â—â—d Glory when He shall sit upon his â—hrone and all then alive and that Dyed â—efore shall be summon'd and stand before â—im and be Judged by the Law of Nature â—d Covenant of Grace When Sentence â—all be pronounced of Absolution to the â—â—ghteous first then of Conâ—mnation upon the Wickâ— (t) Mat. 25.41 c. VIII I Believe in the Holy Ghost Or Holy â—irit who proceedeth or is as it were â—â—eathed forth from the Father and the Son Who Inspired the Prophets and Apâ— stles works in us and assists us in thâ— which is good IX The Holy Catholick Church the Communiâ— of Saints I Believe that Christ hath a Sâ—ctified People Dispersed through and â—â—parated from the Rest of the World stylâ— the Catholick General or Universal Churâ—â— Called out of an Estate of Sin and Miseâ—â— into an Estate of Grace and Salvation aâ—â— Engaged to Holiness in Heart and Lifâ— Being that Body whereof Christ is tâ— Head Militant on Earth Triumphant Heaven X. The Forgiveness of Sins I believe theâ— is Pardon to be obtained Reconciliatiâ— to an offended God and Satisfaction maâ— to a Just God a Discharge from the Gâ— of all Sin Acquittance from the Challeâ— of the Law and Constituting us Righted before God through the Undertaking aâ— Merits of our Redeemer for all who Râ—pent forsake their Sins Believe in him aâ— thankfully subject themselves to all the Pâ—cepts of the Gospel XI The Resurrection of the Body I Belieâ— that at the Day of Judgment there shâ—â— be a general Resurrection both of the Jâ— â—â—d Unjust Their Bodies raised up and united to their Souls 1. The Just the Spirit of Christ and by virtue of Resurrection their Union with him as â—â—eir Head and as their Merciful Saviour â—â—d Redeemer Their Bodies shall be raiâ—â— Spiritual Incorruptible and like unto 〈◊〉 Glorious Body out of their Beds of â—â—st with great Joy and Triumph to be â—own'd with Everlasting Glory and shall â—â—ne as the Sun in the Firmament 2. The â—dies of the Wicked shall be raised in dishoâ—ur by him as an offended Judge and all come forth as out of their Prisons â—th great Fear and Trembling Horrour â—â—d Astonishment as so many Malefactors 〈◊〉 Execution as so many ugly loathsom â—rcasses to look upon Their Faces gaâ—ering Blackness and Darkness They shall â—ise to Everlasting Shame and Confusion of â—â—ce as well as to Everlasting Condemnation â—â—d Torment XII And the Life Everlasting I Believe there a future State after this Life of Endless appiness or Misery according to mens â—â—oce here of Good or Evil Life or Death â—hich God hath set before them either to â—â—turn and live or go on and perish everâ—stingly Amen I thereby acknowledge and â—â—fess stedfastly to believe the undoubâ— Truth and Certainty of this Creed in â—â—neral and of every Article thereof in â—â—ticular and to live answerable to this â—â—lief The Ten Commandments THey are a perfect Platform Summaâ— or Abridgement of the Law of Natâ— or Moral Law at first writ on Man's Heaâ— expounded by the Prophets and Apostâ— and are divided into Two Tables The 1 â—â—spects our Duty immediately to God whâ—â— to be worshipped for the true God in wâ—â— manner how we are to use and honâ—â— his Name the set Time of his publick Wâ—â—ship The Summ of this Table is Thou shâ—â— love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart 〈◊〉 with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind I 2 respects our neighbour his Honour a Dignity Life Chastity Wealth good Naâ—â— Propriety The Summ of this is Thou shâ—â— love thy Neighbour as thy self or whatsoeâ—â—â— you would that Men should do you do you e ven so to them this is the Law and the â—â—phets (v) Matt. 7.12 and 22 37 39. For understanding Them we must â—â—serve 1 The Law is Spiritual read the Powers of the Soul as well as Action of the Body 2 Where any Duty is â—â—manded the contrary Sin is forbidden 〈◊〉 where any Sin is forbidden the contraâ—â— Duty is commanded 93. In all Duties â—â—manded and Sins forbdden all of the â—e kind together with all the Causes â—â—ans Occasions Appearances Provocatiâ—â— thereunto are also commanded and forâ—â—en 4 What 's forbidden and comâ—â—ded our selves we ought to endeavour â—ay be avoided and eprformed by others Thou is used in every PRecept shewâ—â— God speaks to All and to all alike to â—â—y one in particular as if he named him Name â—he Preface contains the Reasons of our â—â—ing them â—s 1. His Surpeam Soveraignty over I am the Lord so we owe him all â—â—dience as we are his Creatures and Subâ—â— His Interest and Propreity inus Thy 〈◊〉 particular Engagern ent and Enâ—â—ment In such a manner as to none â—â—rs by taking us into Covenant a â—â—al Relationto himvelf His redeeming and delivering us out â—â—hraldom Which brought thee out of â—â—nd of Egypt A Place h of Servitude 〈◊〉 by how much Sin is worse than Suffering the Devil and his Angels power aâ—â—malice surpasses Pharaoh's and his Taâ—â— masters everlasting Troments in Hell â—â—ceed Temproal pains in the Brick-kill Fâ—nace
necessary Qualification if we would be pardoned (i) Mat. 6.14.15 Although we cannot forgive in the same measure and equality yet we must in the same likeness and quality i.e. freely fully truly as Imperfect Creatures as he doth perfectly as an Infinite merciful God 3 As an Encouragement to ask forgiveness from Him when he hath enabled us by his Grace to forgive others And as a Comfortable sign that we are forgiven (k) Mat. 5.7 7.2 Luk. 6.35 c. which none can have unless he find in himself a Disposition to forgive his Brother for else he Prays not for the Pardon but Retentment of his Sins and for the Vengeance due unto him for them that himself may be no otherwise forgiven i. e. not at all This shews that we are to be Importunate for a merciful loving spirit towards our Enemies and those that injure us and how beneficial they may be unto us unless we be greater Enemies to our selves than they In that they afford us the happy opportunity of doing that which assures us of Pardon by following the mercifulness and lenity of our Heavenly Father we shew our selves to be his Children (l) Mat. 5.44 c. And lead us not into Temptation Restrain 1 Satan and his Instruments from Tempting us by inward suggestions outward objects or perswasions 2 Us from running into Temptations Occasions Provocations to Sin or yielding to them or from such a Condition as may be a Temptation to us (m) Pr. 30 8 9. let us not be Tempted or assist us so as we may resist and overcome Leave us not to the Tempter nor to our selves Let nothing be a Temptation to us or no Temptation too hard for us withdraw not thy Help and Succour thy Grace and Spirit and tread down Satan and all our spiritual Enemies under our feet But deliver us from Evil. From whatsoever may be evil to us Deliver us from 1 The evil one Satan the grand Author of Evil from Tempting us or having his Power upon us 2 The Flesh our own Evil Hearts Sin and all the Consequences and Punishments of it 3 The Blandishments Allurements Inticements Evil Customs Examples and Corruptions of the World 4 From Tryals in our Minds Bodies Estates good Names c. or support us under Them Rescue us out of Sin and Danger who are neither able nor sufficiently willing to help our selves Free us from whatsoever is Evil within or about us Increase and perfect the work of Grace in us In thy due Time deliver us out of all our Troubles For thine is the Kingdom c. Therefore 1 grant us these things 2 we assure our selves that thou wilt not for any desert in our selves or others But Thine is the Kingdom Therefore we are assur'd thou art as a King concern'd to advance thy own Name Glorifie it in thy Church let thy Kingdom come to it Advance thy will in it Sustain us Thy subjects Pardon our Sins Protect us from all Evil. Thine is the Power To Exalt thine own Name To extend thy Kingdom over all to inable us to do thy Will To minister to our Necessities to keep us Faithful unto Thee to Preserve us from deserved Sufferings Thine is the Glory When Thy Name is Hallowed thy Kingdom the chief place of it Enlarged Herein art thou glorified when we obey thy Will when thou providest for thy Subjects when thou preservest and defendest Them from Disobedience and their Enemies It implies 1 There is but one Kingdom one Power one Glory worthy of deserving the Name 2 It 's no worthiness in our selves but the Honour of his Name that commendeth our Suits to him 3 The End of our Petitions why we would have them granted i.e. to have him glorified that his Kingdom Power and Glory may be advanced 4 How our Faith is strength'ned in the Hopes to obtain our Petitions i. e. because he cannot neglect the Glory of his Name the Honour of his Kingdom which so much depends upon the Performance of his Mercy towards his Servants that call upon him 5 A Special part of Worship and Service i.e. Thanksgiving whensoever we do or would receive any Benefit (n) 1 Tim. 1.17 now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only Wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen So be it So let it be Or so it shall be A Testification of our hearty Assent Attentiveness Faith and Confidence Earnest Desire and full Assurance of the grant of whatsoever we ask according to his Will As I have made these Requests unto thee O Lord so I unfeignedly desire and believe the Performance of them in thine own good Time so far as shall stand with thy glory and my good and in full perswasion thereof I rest and say Amen The Mutual Duties of Husbands and Wives LEt the same mind be in you which was in Christ who in taking his Spouse looks not at outward adorning Nothing makes this Relation so Happy as true Religion the pleasantest strongest Tie leads to the observance of all good Duties mutual and personal Eases lightens all Crosses and Discontents sweetens sanctifies all Societies Companies Comforts Labour to see and love that in one another for the more you love one another the more you will love that and the more you love that the more you will love one another Happy that love wherein there can be no excess Look upon Marriage as an Ordinance not only for the Natural Comfort of Man and Wife but for the Spiritual good of one anothers Souls and for that End let the Husband make Christ the Example of his love to Her and the Wife the Church the pattern of her Obedience to Him Take one another as Adam took Eve immediately out of God's Hand 'T will make you Dutiful and Thankful He that loves the Giver will love the Gift Fix your Hearts in the good liking of each other notwithstanding any Deformity or Infirmity as the best most suitable and only fit match could be found for you in token of your Submission to God's Disposition Contentation with your Portion and truth of your Affection to each other You may lawfully think another a better Man or Woman but not a better yoke-fellow for that admits of a Desire of Change or upbraiding with past Matches you might have had which cannot stand with Love The Persian Lady at Cyrus Wedding being asked afterwards How she liked the Bridegroom answered I know not for I saw none there but my Husband Love seasons sweetens all Estates breaks off composes all Controversies over-rules all Affections makes good all Actions supplies what 's wanting in all other Duties makes Marriage Indeed i.e. a pleasant Combination of two in one Home Purse and Heart Love to God makes his Service pleasant as well as acceptable Love to Wife makes his Power not Lordly but Paternal Love to Husband makes subjection Delightful Love to Children makes it a play a pleasure to Tend them which others judge
Temper and hainousness of the Crime Forgive them often in things not sinful Take not notice of every small Offence Passion makes Severity look like Revenge Reforms not but provokes and exasperates Be rather lov'd than fear'd a Master than a Tyrant a Lion in thy Family Let your Dominion be that of the Soul over the Body not for its hurt but help advantage edification guidance and instruction Reward allure them praise them openly reprehend them secretly Be chearful and pleasant with them that they may love not avoid or be weary of your Company Have a great care of your Carriage Nothing will please from one whose Person is distasted Give them good Example by a Prudent Pious Honest unblameable Conversation which much tends to the bettering of them and maintaining your Respect Esteem Authority over them Betray not your Natural weaknesses by Passion or Imprudent words and deeds Command your selves if you expect they should obey you Suffer not that in your selves which you discountenance in Them Conscience of our own Crimes Choaks the Accuser and not like to amend the Offender An Inferior cannot but stoop in Heart to that Superior in whom God's Image appears The heaviest work is made light by seasonable enjoyning it As much as possible settle a constant order in your Family and of your Business that every ordinary work may know its Time and Confusion and Distraction may not shut out or hinder Godliness which is much furthered and made easie by skill and foresight Be in your Family as a Prophet to Teach and Instruct them as a King to govern and take care of them as a Priest to offer up the daily Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving with and for them Always Remembring who hath committed them to your Charge and that at your Hands it will be Required His Morning Prayer with his Family MOst Holy and Infinitely glorious Lord God who art in thy self a Consuming Fire but in thy Son a Reconciled Father We desire in all Humility to Prostrate our Souls before thee acknowledging our selves far less than the least of all thy Mercies unworthy to breath in thy Air to tread upon thy Earth to lift up our eyes to Heaven to have any thing to do with thee in a way of Grace and Mercy Thou hast nourished and brought us up and we have Rebelled against thee Requited thee Evil for Good and Hatred for thy good will It 's a wonder of thy Patience and Forbearance that we are alive before thee Praying unto thee and Praising of thee and not spending a sad Eternity in that place of Torment from whence there is no Redemption O glorifie thy Mercy in the Pardoning and Saving of us and not thy Justice in our Destruction Justifie us freely by thy Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ and sanctifie us by thy Holy Spirit Let the time past of our lives be too too much that we have been so Careless in serving thee and saving our Souls for the Time to come let us work out our Salvation with fear and trembling and give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure And in our several Relations and Places give us Grace to behave our selves as becomes thy Children and Servants with Care and Conscience and Soberness of Mind as having thy Law writ upon our Hearts and thy fear always before our Eyes and a sence of thine Omniscience and Omnipresence that thine Eye runs too and fro through the whole Earth that thou art the Witness and wilt be the Judge of all our Thoughts Words and Actions And seeing thou hast been pleased to Encourage us to our Duty by many great and precious Promises let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in thy fear Let this be our great Care notwithstanding all Temptations that we never leave thee nor forsake thee and this our great Comfort in all Conditions that thou hast said thou wilt never leave us nor forsake us Let us not be weary of well-doing knowing in due season we shall reap if we faint not Let the End of our Dayes be often at the End of our Thoughts Give us Grace so to live now as we shall wish we had done when we come to Die that then we may be able to Reflect upon a well-spent life and on good Grounds to resign up our Souls into thy Hands as into the hands of a Faithful Creator and Merciful Redeemer Remember all Mankind in much Mercy Send thy Gospel where it is not Preached make it very successful where it is Pardon our Crying Sins in these Three Nations Reform our wicked Lives Continue our forfeited Mercies prevent our deserved Judgments Let our Soveraign and all our Magistrates be Terrors to Evil Doers Incouragers of those that do well Make the Ministers of thy Gospel faithful painful religious their labours successful Let all our Relations be related to thy self and all thine afflicted Servants relieved by thee according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies We Praise thee for our last Night's Preservation and Refreshment and for all the Instances of thy Goodness to us all our Dayes Go along with us this Day Bless us in all our ways preserve us from all Evil especially from the Evil of Sin Work in us a greater Care of pleasing and fear of offending thee that living this Day and all our Dayes in thy fear we may dye in thy favour thorough thy Son who hath taught us when we Pray to say Our Father c. His Evening Prayer with his Family ETernally Blessed and Infinitely glorious Lord God the great and terrible Majesty of Heaven and Earth at whose Dreadful Appearance all Impenitent Sinners shall e'er long in vain call to the Rocks and the Mountains to cover them for fear of thy Wrath and for the glory of thy Power So often as we come into thy Presence we have abundant Cause to be covered with Shame and Confusion of face for the vileness and sinfulness of our Natures Hearts and Lives We are by Nature Children of Wrath and by our Lives Children of Disobedience have broken all thy Holy Laws in Thought Word or Deed so that it were Righteous with thee to make us miserable in this World and that which is to come But O deal not with us according to the multitude and hainousness of our Provocations but according to the multitude and tenderness of thine own Compassions for thy Goodness sake Remember us O Lord. And for the Time to come make us to amend our Lives according to thy Word Enlighten our dark Understandings subdue our Wills and Affections wholly to thy self Let us know and do the things that belong to our Peace before they be hid from our Eyes Let us chearfully perform what thou requirest of us and patiently bear what at any time thou shalt lay upon us Be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the Work of the Lord for as much as we know our labour shall not
Thoughts Inclinations Passions Words and Actions your behaviour in your several Duties Places Relations Take a strict Account of the miscarriages of the Day what Sins of Omission or Commission you have been guilty of and Confess them to God with an hearty sorrow and shame and a great Detestation of your self and firmly Resolve by his Grace and Assistance never to be guilty of the like again but to lead a new life A speedy present and particular Repentance is the way to keep your accounts even and to leave as little as may be upon the score to Trouble you when you are least able to bear it and have most need of Comfort and likelier to wipe out the guilt of your particular Sins than a general Repentance on a Death-Bed when you cannot but forget and omit many things which you can take no distinct notice of 'T is too much Presumption for any man to Conclude that his Sins will be forgiven him in a lump and that a general Confession and Acknowledgment of them will suffice when he comes to Dye Let no less Humiliation Repentance and Faith serve for the least Sin than you have good ground to conclude will carry you boldly from your Knees through Death to Judgment Thus get your Case rightly stated by leting Conscience have the full hearing of it in her private Sessions before you appear at the great Assize Make your Bed the Memorial of your Grave and your Evening Thoughts an Image of the Day of Judgment than which there 's no greater Instrument of Piety and Virtue in the world This will make us ashamed and afraid to neglect our Duty to commit any Sin when we know we must be accountable to our selves for it at Night and to God at the last Day By this means we shall be able to Correct the Errors of our past Lives to walk by a sure and steady Rule to make our Repentance particular to prevent Sin coming on us with an After-clap for if we would Judge our selves we should not be judged (u) 1 Cor. 11.31 Let Conscience speak as a Law a Witness a Judge now else it will be a Worm in Hell No wonder most are afraid of Death they are Strangers at Home and Justly Dread being called to account not knowing how things stand between God and Them Finally Often set before you the Condition of the wise and foolish Virgins when the Bridegroom cometh (w) Matt. 25.1 c. Behold the Judge standing before the Door (x) James 5.9 Fancy you see the Fire already kindled which e'er long will turn the whole Globe of Heaven and Earth into Flames The Heavens passing away with a hideous Noise and Clamour and the Works of Nature and Art which men so idolize and dote upon consuming and burning to a black Coal The Son of Man coming in Power and great Glory with his Holy Angels The Books opening the last Trump sounding the Dead starting out of their Graves the Wise with great Joy and Triumph to their expected Blessedness the Foolish in Horrour and Amazement looking for their fearfull Doom Think what a terrible thing this will be to the drowzy World what a Surprize to the Careless and Ungodly to be thus suddainly overtaken not knowing what to do or which way to turn The trembling multitude running up and down appaled astonished and confounded in so much despair of the abused mercy of God that instead of supplicating it they 'll call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb and find them as inexorable as God himself O the ghastly looks the shivering motions the distorted eyes and listning ears the distracted faces and trembling hands of the confident and daring sinners at that great and terrible Day when all the charming Companions and Associates shall like enraged Furies fly upon one another and the Fewel men feed their Lusts with shall be turned into Fewel for Hell-fire and stings of Conscience When every Vice shall have its proper Torment The secure Sinner be fill'd with Remorse and Anguish The Sensualist tormented with an insatiable Hunger and Thirst when a vexatious Fire shall burn Body and Soul The tenacious greedy worldling perish with want Confusion and Shame cover the Proud and Vain-glorious When the lascivious Wretch instead of gazing upon a fictitious Beauty and sporting in the Arms of his Dalilah shall have his sight blasted with the contagious Vision of deformed Spectors and be embraced by devouring Flames The amorous Smiles of all his sweetest mirth and jollity corrupted and surrendred up into dolefull Howlings and mortal Gripes How will the sensual Sinner then look when all his Terrene Pleasures shall be snatched away by those merciless Flames What will the Voluptuous Glutton do when he shall see all his curious delicious Dainties with which he so gratified his brutish Palate turn'd to Ashes Then they would fain vomit up their delicious morsels and abhor the remembrance of what they cannot forget They confess and bewaile their former Folly The things they eagerly pursued they sadly lament when all their Enjoyments are spent and nothing left but naked Sin and Conscience Where will the Costive Avaricious Earth-worm delve or scrape for Riches the Ambitious Climb for Honour when they see all Gold and Silver Crown and Scepter burnt up How soon then will Men's fond Presumptions and Self-flatteries vanish into smoak and vapour end in dreadfull despair when all shall appear in their own likeness nakedly as they are and there can be no varnishing or gilding over a rotten Heart When none shall deceive God as they did men with a disguise of Piety No Wolf in Sheep's Cloathing steal on his Right-hand With what Amazement and impotent Rage will they struggle What would they not give to change their place that they might change their doom How will men's borrowed Colours be then melted away What a number of painted Vizards and disguised Masks of false Hearts be thrown into the Fire What would the Man invited to the Marriage-Feast give for a Wedding Garment when he stands at the Door and receives a Repulse And the foolish Virgins for Oyl How will the Market of Grace rise with what Industry will they seek it when they hear the Rumour of the Bridegroom's approach When Rivers of Tears cannot wash away the Guilt of Conscience nor ten thousand Rivers of Oyl allay the Rage and Clamour of it But Christ's Followers shall be no losers He will consider them for their Time for their Expences for their Labour for their Sufferings None of them serve him for nought They shall certainly have their Hire that Work in his Vineyard The despised Ignorant Christian will then appear wiser than the craftiest Polititian The vilest Believer out-shine the Rich man's Scarlet and glittering Robe The Content of this World be of more value than all the Treasures of it The Penitent's Tears yield
are restless and distracted Horrours and Regrets of Conscience rouls and works within and draws the dismal Picture of their own Guilt in dreadfull Colours Then are the proud Boasts of the Atheists and Debauche's quell'd and baffled by the King of Terrors The very thoughts of whose approach surprises them with fear and consternation whilst good men insult over it The guilty Prisoner dreads every Noise and trembles when the door opens for fear of his deserved doom whilst the Innocent upon the same Account is both calm and joyfull expecting deliverance The Divine Majesty sitteth or abideth at the sick Man's Beds-head saith a Jewish Writer on Psal 41.3 The Lord will strengthen him upon the Bed of languishing thou wilt make all his Bed in his Sickness Guilt makes us shy of a holy Presence kindles the Sparks of Hell in our Souls and renders Death terrible indeed while a Sabboth of Rest Ensues Innocence and a well-spent life makes the Righteous as bold as a Lyon to receive Death with open Arms for its sting is taken away to Hug and Embrace the Promises afar off as actually Existent and present as a man doth his Intimate Friend who hath been long absent in another Country Remember now O Lord I beseech Thee how I have walked before Thee in Truth and with a perfect Heart and have done that which is good in Thy sight (q) Is 38.3 VI. Lay up and secure every day something against your last i. e. The Comfort of a well-spent life and provisions sutable and proper to the Necessities of that great Day of Expence a strong active well tryed Faith a deep large exercised Repentance a mind well furnished with wise Considerations an unconstrained Charity a firm Hope a profound Submission to the Will of God a well grounded Expectance of a Blessed Eternity And this not only by overcoming and despising the world accustoming your self to suffer Injuries and Affronts Losses and cross Accidents in it a delight in by Conversing with God and Heavenly things getting sweeter Thoughts of it than of the most prosperous state on Earth But by considering with what Arguments then to fortifie your Soul what graces and defences are requisite to render Death easie safe and happy And more particularly by daily assiduous fervent address to God to be with you stand by you assist you at that Time to resist and subdue the Assaults of Satan to strengthen you against Impatience and Infidelity to quicken you to Diligence and sincere Endeavours for obtaining what you pray for else you play the Hypocrite with and mock God Common Acquaintance will not do it 's not enough to say we have eaten and drunk in thy presence (r) Luk. 13.26 There must be frequent Interviews a spiritual Intimacy between Him and us He that hath had an intire Conversation with God cannot fear to go to him No marvel they Tremble that know him not or know that he will not know Them Had the Fiery Chariot fetched away Elijah unlooked for we had doubted of the favour of his Translation Watch ye therefore and pray always that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man (s) Luk. 21.36 VII Put not the Evil day far from you Familiarize Death unto your Soul by frequent Meditation of it Look not upon it at a distance but even at the door let the Thoughts of it dwell with you O how soon how suddenly will winged Time rush into Eternity Our Lord comes not only in a Day but in an Hour we think not of (t) Mat. 24.44.50 and none but He could ever say Mine Hour is not yet come We are not sure to be further from our Grave on our Feet than on our Sick Bed Serve up a Skeleton at your Table walk upon Mount Calvarie Present to your Soul a frequent view of the Black Scene you go through when you go off the Stage Be still stooping down and looking into your Sepulchre Fancy you see a Grave gaping for you your crazy Tabernacle falling upon your Head your Breath growing Cold your Eye-strings breaking The vitall Lamp just spent and ready to go out How fast Time is Eating you out of Possession of all here Such Thoughts will not only cool our passionate fondness to Earthly things make us sober and indifferent in their use and habitually ready to part with them but take off the Horror of the Apprehensions and approach of Death we shall find it not a Stranger but an intimate Acquaintance an expected Friend we shall make no more of it than of going through a dark Entry to our Father of falling into the Arms and Embraces of our Mother and Sister No guest comes unlookt for to him that keeps a Constant Table A little warning serves a Tenant that 's provided for who is often thinking of a Remove VIII By all means strengthen and confirm your Belief in the Promises of This and another Life Live walk by Faith and not by Sight Dwell on the Believing Thoughts of Everlasting glory and Inure your self to the daily Exercise of the Imployment of it of Love and Joy and chearful Praising God which will much prepare incline dispose you to be There Converse chiefly with those that shall be your Companions for ever A Stranger Rejoyces when he meets with his own Countrey men In your Pilgrimage enjoy as much as you can of Heaven which begins Here let your Treasure your Heart your Conversation be in it Think what others are Enjoying whil'st you are Here and what a life it will be to see and enjoy the Blessed God your glorified Redeemer To be perfectly taken up in the full fruition thereof among Saints and Angels in the new Jerusalem O Could we but realize that how would our Hearts be affected and ravished with the prelibation and foresight of it as Marriners in a Tempest at Sea when by a Perspective-glass they discern their Harbour afar off how do they Rejoyce Embrace and make towards it 'T is utterly the fault of Christians when they see the Earth Cut out among its Possessors to measure Themselves by the standard of the World and value their Estates by the Creatures Rate-Book so they are always poor whil'st they Inventory what Goods they have not what they Hope for and expect for then they could see no end of their Riches That they have their Portion to Receive when all the Treasures of this World shall be exhausted Enter upon their Estate when the Inhabitants of it shall become Bankrupts turn'd out of all and have nothing to look for but Wrath and Vengeance They exceedingly wrong their Souls and hinder Themselves from a willingness to be with God in spending their days in doubts and drooping worldly Dulness and neglecting so much the Graces and Work of Heaven IX Review daily your Heart and Life by a solemn Scrutiny Summon your self before the Bar of Conscience Reckon for your