shall be 〈◊〉 thine heart And thou shalt teach them unto thâ— Children c. And in cap. 32.46 He says Sâ—â— your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day which you shall command your Children to observe to do Let your Deportment toward them be such as may procure them to fear respect and love you and so soon as they comâ— to the Years of any Understanding mind you Engagements at their being Baptised and in discharge thereof hold forth to them the Obligation you did then come under and take theâ— solemnly and expresly bound to the performance of their Part and as their Capacities wâ—â— admit instruct them so far as you can in every part of their Duty God-ward curb in them every tendency to evil such as Lying Swearing Sabbath-breaking and what else their Corruption derived from you makes them prone to commit and as you are whilst they do well to be familiarly affection at towards them so far as is consistent with the reverential Aw they ought to have of you even so as you respect their Well-being here or to Eternity forbear not Reproof and Chastisement when their Carriage calls for it A Parent would justly be contemned that should suffer his Child to die for Hunger whilst he were able by any thing within his power to prevent it and unexpressibly more is that Parent to be abominate who does not by suitable and fatherly Correction and all Instruction within his power prevent his Child 's not only dying but suffering the extremity of Torments to all Eternity Forbear Chastising whilst you are in Passion and much more ought you to beware of doing it only to satisfie Passion but have ye the glory of God in your Child 's wel-doing as your Aim 66. If it shall please God you live with your Children whilst they be marriageable and Occasions offer for their entering into that state of Life I intreat you let it be done with a prospect to their eternal wel-being I have my self observed what I consider much to be lamented that persons whom I judge truly serious in the ways of God are too usually but little tender of their matching their Children suitable and with respect to their eternal Salvation how seldom doth it happen that a Youth albeit prophane if he have Riches and what the World foolishly considers Credit and Honour is refused any Young-woman in marriage surely there can be no Action less consistent with Reason then Parents so disposing of their Children and they will at that Great Day of God's judging Sinners then perceive it had been their Interest rather to have matched them with the meanest Mechanick of honest Qualifications and a Christian Walk Endeavour in your Childrens being setled in Marriage that it be with such as may be Helps and Inducements to their Duty God-ward and above all things and in the first place be satisfied in that so far as is within your power 67. As your Children are not of themselves to enter into that State against or without your consent so as a Parent you are to be reasonable in your Grounds for refusing it and in their Marriage it is your Duty to advise direct and hinder if you see it necessar but altogether forbear pressing them to marry where their own Inclinations do's not freely go along 68. When they are to go out of your Family and enter themselves into any other condition of Life endeavour by good Advice to fit and direct them for what is to be their Duty and above all things press their depending upon God for strength without which it is impossible for them to do well If they shall go from you to their own or any other Family by Marriage instruct them in the Duties suitable to their Station If Sons exhort them to what I have hinted in this my Advice to you and enlarge therein as you will find sufficient Ground so to do And if Daughters be assisting to them in your Directions for their Carriage in what is required of them under that Relation 69. Their end and manner of entering to it would be with an entire respect to the Glory of God and when in it their Charge is indeed great whatever is the Husbands duty she at least in his absence is to supply his place and her fidelity care and sincere love and affection to her Husband is to appear in all her Actions she would by her not gading abroad and a modest quiet and discreet Carriage whilst at home evidence her firm Resolution to the discharge of her Duty Solomon in Prov. 7.11 12. Tells you the Carriage of a Naughty Woman She is loud and stubborn her feet abide not in her house Now is she without now in the streets c. And in Tit. 2.4 5. The Apostle presses Women may be sober love their Husbands love their Children And that they be Discreet keepers at home Good obedient to their own Husbands c. And as there is Business that do's more properly belong to a Husband so there is that the Wife is almost only concerned 〈◊〉 such as the Care and Oversight of almost all within Doors and particularly of the Education and Up-bringing of Children whilst young when they come to the World It is apparent that Nature by giving to Mothers Breasts and Milk fitted for their Nourishment has intended their discharging that Duty I am indeed sensible that sometimes the want of ability or necessary Diversion in other Affairs and other Accidents occurring may hinder in which Cases it is Duty to forbear but it is much to be feared that too many without just Ground puts off the nursing of their Children to their great Inconvenience It might be Argued that the nature of that Nourishment may influence the Humour and Temper of the Child and it is uncontravertedly true that it is a real Cause for a more firm Bond of Affection betwixt Children and Parents and surely it is very pleasant to see Mothers of whatever Quality when there is fitness and ability for that Duty discharging it And when Children comes to any Years of Discretion the Wife is Joyntly concern'd with the Husband in their Instruction 70. What servants you need and are fitting for you in your Station make choice of them having in the first place a respect to God's being served by them in your Family and what ever be the qualifications and fitness of any servant for any worldly Concern if they be notoriously wicked or you be satisfied that they will not concur to worship God in your Family let no worldly Consideration procure your entertaining them I shall not say that you admit of none but such as are Gracious but be sure they be such as are not known to be wicked and when they come into your Society let it be your care that they know their Duty God-ward and practise it As their Master you are not only to provide for their suitable Maintenance and to give them what is
but in so far as it proceeds from his Displeasure because of Sin yea sometimes is want more behoveful to sinful man then a full enjoyment and surely God will make good that Promise of turning all his Dispensations for the best to them that love and fear him It is to be wished that if some little Peece were published some short Directions to every state of Mankind Nobility Gentry and Commons for none living upon Earth but are to do what may be said to be their Calling and the Greatest of Mortals will at the Great Day of Account see their Misery in not living up to it neither are they nor these of the most mean and low Condition exempted from Duty towards God themselves their Neighbour their Relations and their Servants I tell you it is beyond my Capacity to hold forth the same as may be convincing it is true to willing Learners they depending humbly upon God for Direction their Duty will be very obvious and their Adventage of doing thereof is not only great to all Eternity but even whilest in the World the serene Peace of Conscience and entire depending upon God and expectation of being blessed eternally by Him is incomparably valuable beyond all that wretched men can propose to themselves by following the Dictats of their corrupt and wicked Inclinations indeed almost all Mankind may be said to live without the sense of God's Being and that they are undoubtedly to receive from Him either the Sentence of their being forgiven and accepted of in and for Christ's sake or that of being rendered miserable with the Devils to all Eternity for generally doth Ignorance abound and we are not aware that without Knowledg at least iâ— some competent Measure we are not able to serve God and where there is some measure of Knowledge Corruption doth so far prevail 〈◊〉 there are â—ew that lives up to it and all precessing themselves to be Christians may be considered as these that are either openly prophane and however with their mouth they profess yet in their practise they deny their belief of God or such as says they do and seems to believe and rely upon God for Mercy or such as from a true sense and feeling of their sin flies with all their heart to God in Jesus Christ as the only Sanctuary for Sinners of the last of which there is surely the least number the difficulty of truly coming to Christ being greater then the most do conceive for in doing thereof a Sinner must first have a heart-real sense and feeling of its lost Condition and being fully satisfied and convinced of its own unworthiness and inability to any good in all humility and entirely to throw it self in the Arms of the merciful Saviour of Sinners whose Blood is only able to purge from Guilt and this every Sinner may be fully convinced of that it can never seek or come to Christ acceptably but as it sees it self lost and undone beyond all possibility of help without Him and albeit our utmost endeavour to perform religious and moral Duties must not be omitted yet must there be a full Conviction that as it is possible for us to perform them they avail nothing in our Access to God I remember to have read one saying when thou comest to Christ in Faith thou must leave behind thee thy own Righteousness and bring nothing but thy Sin O! that is hard leave behind all thy Holiness Sanctification Duties Humblings c. And bring nothing but thy Wants and Miseries else Christ is not fit for thee nor thou for Christ Christ must be a pure Redeemer and Mediator or Christ and thou will never agree and the same Person when pressing to a true and cordial Believing in Christ says to Believing there must go a clear conviction of Sin and of the Merits of the Blood of Christ and of Christ's willingness to Save upon this consideration only that thou art a Sinner I seem herein to express to you my sense of the need of something directing Mankind by some short Rules to their Duty towards God their Neighbour and themselves and has said that the novelty and succinctness of it might induce to a perusal thereof in which you may justly tax me of Imprudence for as the word Novelty is improper to such a Subject so you may alledge there is already much written that directs to Duties of which I am sensible but they being either enlarged upon or done in other Writings whereby the brevity that is taking to the most of Readers is wanting and for what I have seen in little Rooks containing Matters of this kind there is either apparent indifference in directing to religious Duties or at least the want of life and zeal in principally endeavouring God's glory as if living so as might gain worldly Repute were most to be desired But I hear of other Pieces which are not come to my hand particularly one done by an English Marquess and another said to be Argyls and if in these or in some others already printed which I have not seen that Want be not made up I think there Wants not Reason to induce Persons qualified yet to give some brief Directions therement for surely the most of Mankind do's generally by their Converse declare that the Laws of God are not the Rule of their Walk which is much to be lamented for if frail man could guard against Corruption and live according to the Rules in the Gospel an Society so constitute would be to all Degrees of Persons desireable almost beyond humane Comprehension But having exceeded Bounds in this Letter to you I shall only add that I do sincerely wish there may be pressed in some short Directions what may be useful and that God by his Holy Spirit accompany the same and the Endeavours of Godly men in books already written that in this Age and in these Lands may be fulfilled that Prophesy Is 11.8 9. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice-den And They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea I am Sir Your c. A Fathers Advice to his Son Son However unfit I am for the Discharge of the Duties incumbent to a Parent yet have I upon my Heart a sense of the Obligation I ly under to endeavour with all my Strength your wellfare in this World but especially to all Eternity which has made me resolve in these following Lines to send you some Advice and Directions in order to it BEing now past your Childish years you are to know that your end of living is undoubtedly the Glory of God your Maker and Redeemer and you are called to missimploy no part of your time but to live in every thing as minding you are ever in God's sight and presence Your Duty holden forth in his blessed Word
Scripture to be against His express and positive Command 54. So much as is within your power endeavour the living peaceably with all Men forbear if possible all Law-Suits with your Neighbours for it is surely your Interest to forgo some considerable part of what is your own rather than seek your Redress by that Mean and if you can perswade your Party if Providence shall tryst your having of any to refer what Difference there may be betwixt you to equal knowing and honest Arbitrators chosen by your selves you may have a Sentence it is like better and with much less trouble and vexation than can be had the Difference being insisted upon before ordinar Judges 55. As you are to forbear prejudging or offending of your Neighbour so if you be prejudged or offended by him entertain no resentment of the Injury that may be inconsistent with an intire forgiving thereof Remember our blessed Lord Mat. 18.22 In answer to that Question How often shall a Man forgive his Brother Enjoyns it not only seven times but seventie times seven And in Prov. 20.22 We are required not to recompence evil but to wait upon the Lord and he shall save us Yea truly there is no access to God in Duty where there is not in the heart an absolute forgiving of Injuries received You find in Mat 5.24 The Israelites were to leave their Gift at the Altar and go and be reconciled to their Brother and then to offer and surely if our hearts entertain any Rancor or Prejudice toward our Neighbour We do in pronuncing the words of that excellent Prayer of our Lord directly desire our ever lasting Destruction The Petition in plain and express words being not only to be forgiven as we do forgive but in Mat. 6. where He iâ— teaching His Disciples that Prayer in the very Verses following He adds But if ye forgive not men their Trespasses neither will he forgive you your Trespasses 56. If your Neighbours or others by speaking or acting prejudge you in your Person your Relations your Goods or good Name let the Effect thereof be your retiring your self to your own heart and your examining your Ways in the sight of God if you find that you have deserved such usage fly to God by hearty Repentance and acknowledge even your Obligation to the Instrument albeit your Good hath not been by him intended and if after a strict search you shall not see that you in that measure deserved what you have met with yet look not to the Rod that striketh but the Hand that ordereth every thing well in His wise Providence and believe that no Dispensation comes without its errand nor can we meet with any thing so grievous to us but what we merit at Gods Hand and humble your self in His Presence that He for Christ our Lord's sake may sanctify every Dispensation to you-ward and thereby bring you to a greater nearness to Him 57. If it please God you live in this foolish and vain World whilst it be your Duty to enter into a married State remember your doing thereof is the Action that doth not only greatly concern your Well-being in the World but is what may further or hinder your eternal Happiness Therefore that your choice of a fit Person may be conducive to these Ends be in the first place earnest in your Prayers to God that he direct you therein Parentage Beauty and a competency of Means are desireable and what you may very lawfully with Moderation concern your self about but either yea all of them together are what yields no real satisfaction Beauty is a Blessing and I think the Choice of every man should at least have so much thereof as satisfies him but it will evidence the height of Folly to propose it as a chief Ground of satisfaction for Sickness a few Years or a thousand Accidents may not only impair but destroy it And albeit it were possible it could continue in the greatest Perfection desirable yet is it certainly amongst what gives just Ground to cry out that all is Vanity and the wisest of Men and of greatest Experience even in that Particular hath said Prov. 31.30 Favour 〈◊〉 deceitful and Beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Let it bâ— your great care she have the fear of God iâ— her heart It is true it is hard to determine where that is and I can give you no Rules directing to any certainty thereof but it is moâ—â— desirable she be of honest and religious Parentage and that she be of good Report and freâ— of such Carriage and Deportment as speaks for t her want of the Fear of God such as any tendency to immodesty in her Speech or Actions Gaâ—ding and being much Abroad Idleness 〈◊〉 frequenting idle Company or any thing else notoriously vitious for albeit a Woman not guâ—ty of these Crimes may prove an uncomfortable Match to a Man Certainly such as are guilty without the special Grace of God restraining wiâ—â— prove so Endeavour as what will much teâ—â— to your quietness in that State that she be 〈◊〉 a meek and affectionate Temper and Dispositâ— on for as it is a quality unexpressibly desireable in either Man or Women so it is most necessar to the Peace and Wel-being of Parties under that relation 58. As ye would not enter rashly into a married State so being in it consider the Charge ye thereby come under which is indeed great and requires the discharge of Duty toward your Children your Servants as you are severally concerned in them and of family-Family-duties towards them and all within your Family in general I intreat the great end ye propose to your self in Marriage may be the having such a Wife as will encourage you in the ways of Godliness and make it your great work so to live with her as your only Strife may be who shall excell therein Remember she is one flesh with you and is the nearest of Relations as in Eph. 5.31 A man shall leave his Father and his Mother and shall cleave to his Wife and they two shal be one flesh Yea the same Apostle hath told you in the 28. vers of that Chapter Men ought to love their Wives as their own Bodies he that loveth his Wife loveth himself Fornication is expresly discharged in Scripture and Adultery is a dreadful Aggravation of the Crime let not the thought of your Heart go after any other Woman But as in Prov. 5.18 Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth and in Mal. 2.15 Command that none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth Be tenderly affectionate to her and express it at all occasions But I my self could never like of that Affection that is held forth by a Man's giving of Gift to his Wife whilest they live together what is convenient for her in her Station being absolutely her Proprietie and I consider a man's giving any thing to his Wife except with a prospect of it's being useful
most usually dealing of that kind proceeds from a covetous desire of over-reaching their Neighbour and it is much to be wished and were most desireable that Buying and Selling were reduced to this that the Merchant who is supposed to know the value of his Goods would neither ask nor take more than the true worth albeit a Fool or Child were enquiring after them and that the Buyer if meeting with an ignorant and foolish Merchant should to his knowledge neither offer nor give less than the true avail without respect to the Price asked and evite that sin of taking the advantage of such as sells within the worth either through folly or through Strait and Poverty the first whereof is indeed sinful but the last of taking advantage of any under the necessity of selling their Goods is direct Robbery of the worst kind being off the Poor who are specially under Gods protection 64. It has been and is too much the Custom for Parents in designing their Children to the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ our Lord meerly to consider it as a Trade or Imployment and with respect allanerly to their worldly maintenance which is the most sinful foolish way of disposing of them I am indeed most sensible there is no Station more honorable and desireable than that when conscienciously discharged and if it shall please God to bless you with Sons fitted for that work and who you are satisfied has a Call to engage therein consider it to be your Credit to further the same Yet I intreat you rather than design that for their maintenance breed them to the meanest of Imployments I do not mean by a Call any inward thing immediatly from God he has thought fit in the times of the Gospel since the Appostles days not to do so with men but be fully satisfied of their being in some competent measure qualified for that great Charge and that they themselves in their hearts do truly intend therein the glory of God and not only satisfie your self thereanent but advise therein with religious and judicious Friends and such Ministers as doth themselves endeavour in faithfulness to discharge that so great and excellent Station Whosoever enters therein would have much of Humility Pride and Conceitedness being almost inconsistent with Grace Learning Prudence and strength of Reason is most desireable and some good degree thereof is altogether necessar but surely Humility and serious depending upon God for strength in the discharge of that great Work is absolutly required I could my self much rather be subject to the Ministry of one truly humble and serious than of one being otherways and of the greatest of Parts and Learning Indeed where they are together they are an excelling Ornament and much to be desired but this Age from their Corruption does so little intend God's glory in designing persons for that Work as the Converse of too many therein does sometimes speak their want of respect to moral Vertues and very often Conceit joyned with want of Parts and Learning and what else does very much unfit them for the discharge of the Duties in that Station 65. Be careful that your Daughters be accustomed to the doing of what is Vertuous so soon as they come to any Years of Discretion let them be bred to what is suitable to your Station and see to it that their time be not wasted in that Breeding that tends not to Vertue whereof there are but too many Instances in almost Persons of every Quality It is not my design to condescend too particularly in any part of my Advice to you expecting your own Discretion and Experience will supply that Want yet can I not forbear to say something of Dancing upon which to have it taught to their Children Parents do's so wastefully imploy so much of Young-ones time I shall not be peremptor in determining against those that moderatly use it you will find from History it hath been practised by Great Men who lived moral and vertuous Lives yea from Scripture we find it to have been the practice of the Godly even in their worshipping God to express their rejoicing and thankfulness of heart in that Behaviour as in 2 Sam. 6.14 David danced before the Lord with all his might and when God in Jer. 31.13 is by His Prophet promising to His People that He will bless them saith Then shall the Virgin rejoyce in the Dance c. Yet as it is now used it is but little allowable I know it is generally pretended to be only for procuring to Young-ones a suitable Carriage in the behaviour of their Bodies but beware the immoderate use thereof bring them not to such a Behaviour as that they thereby come under the Curse pronounced Isa 3.16 Moreover the Lord saith because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing is they go therefore will he smite them with a Scab c. And albeit my Experience be inconsiderable yet can I positively say that I have observed the Consequences of wasting of time in Learning that so empty foolish and not truly term'd Qualification to be fatal to the Credit and otherways the well-being of those who so much practise it If their Health permit let them not lie in the Morning and as their first Work ought to be their performing the Duties required of them as Christians so throughout the day let them evite Idleness it being the nursery of Sin A cheerful and free manner of Conversation is desirable in every person yet is it altogether fitting that Young-women have joined with it a modest Reservedness for too much freedom in converse amongst Young-men and Young-women is often attended with stains to their Reputation which they would by a modest and gracious Conversation greatly endeavour to acquire and retain and especially they would beware of any thing tending to too much freedom with such as are not of their own Degree and Quality And as a modest reservedness in their Behaviour even in all their Converse is becoming their Sex so a decent and becoming Gravity is desirable in their Attire It were indeed an unallowable Morosity not to grant that Young-women ought to have a neatness answerable to their Quality for it is truly decent to behold it in young ones of that Sex but endeavour that the doing of it have too much neither of their heart nor their time and as all our Actions ought to have anâ— honest end so ye would often mind them that what they do therein be neither to satisfie their own Pride nor to stir up unsuitable Affections in others But ye would consider that your Children being educate in God's Fear is the only way to bring them to a true sense of their Duty towards God and Man you are therefore by your Example and Precept to perswade them to a Christian Walk we have God's positive Command for this Deut. 6.6 7. And theâ— words which I command thee this day
plainly holds forth the duty of Christians in their whole life is uncontravertedâ— clear from the Scriptures and all Debates 〈◊〉 religious matters that have not the alone prospect of bettering and advancing of Knowledge are certainly not allowable And as your heartâ— all times ought to be over-filled with true love 〈◊〉 God and such as bears his Image so especially be respective to the Ministers of the Gospel being Ambassadors for Christ and Administrator of the Ordinances appointed by him in the Neâ—â— Testament as the Apostle enjoyns 1 Thes 5 1â—â— I beseech you brethren mark them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord and adminish you and esteem them very highly in Love for the works sake And let not the infirmities of any 〈◊〉 them procure in your heart any disrespect to thâ—â— holy Calling But mind what the same Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.7 That we have this Treasure in earth en Vessels that the exeellency of the power may be 〈◊〉 God and not of us 13. As you are to have a Pity and Love eveâ— towards such as altogether wants Religion 〈◊〉 worships God not truly as he hath appointed 〈◊〉 his Word so ye would altogether avoid the least of Animosity with such as with Charity 〈◊〉 may judge differs only anent Church-government or any thing else not inconsistent with the salvation of their Souls not doubting but ye will sinâ— at the day of Judgment that the many Niceitieâ— which a great part do but too much concern themselves in are the effects of want of Charit and a gospel Frame and disposition of heart 14. The wickedness of our hearts is such as doth altogether unfit for the doing of Duty Have we any prosperity in the enjoyment of health or any thing desireable in the world we are seldom or never in a frame for rightly acknowledging God for his Mercies and improving them to the end of our having thereof And if Providence tryst our being crossed in what is delightful to us how ready are we to dejection of mind and what does unfit for Duty let every Dispensation of God to you-ward lead you to the consideration of failings in your bypast life and stir you up to a suitable walk under what you are trysted with Endeavour an equality of Temper in all your ways if Dispensations any ways prosperous be your Lot consider you have them from God and humbly acknowledge his Mercy in what ever you meet with and if what is more cross befal you repine not thereat but mind that the worst of Conditions is above your desert Seek of him with earnestness that you may truly learn his holy Will in all his Dispensations and in Prosperity or Adversity let all your care be to know what ye are called to as Duty and to endeavour with diligence the doing thereof even in things relating to this life then with chearful Submission leave the event of all your concerns to God who is wonderful in goodness to such as fear and trust in him 15. When the Lords day is come remember to keep it holy as God has expresly appointed in his 4th Command And in order thereto prepare your Heart for the Duties thereof before it approach for however a great many in this Age may contravert the Morality of that Precept for the due observation of the Sabbath yet may you be satisfied with what is fully held forth by I may say all the most serious and godly of Divines that it is from the Practise noâ— only of the Primitive Church being the mospure of Christians but even of the Appostles whâ— were immediately inspired of God and whose Example we are bound to follow And as the due Observance of the Sabbath under the Law was enjoyned under the certification of greâ—â— wrath from God as in Nehemiah 13. cap. v. 17. and 18. What evil is this that ye do and prophaâ—â— the Sabbath did not your Fathers thus and did 〈◊〉 our God bring all this evil upon us and upon this Câ—ty yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profanity the Sabbath So the Promises to the doing there of were great as in Isa 56.2 Blessed is the mâ—â— that doth this and the son of man that layeth holdâ—â— it that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it Aâ—â— 58.13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath and from doing thy pleasure on my holy day aâ—â— call the Sabbath of the Lord a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not finding thiâ—â— own pleasure nor speaking thine own words then shaâ—â— thou delight thy self in the Lord and I will cause thâ—â— to ride upon the high places of the earth and feed the with the heretage of Jacob thy father for the mouâ—â— of the Lord hath spoken it Yea not only from History the judgments of God upon Sabbath-breakers are manifest but such as are of small Experience may evidently perceive the dreadful consequences thereof in the confession of almost all Malefactors that comes to publick Execution It is trâ—â— such as are pleased to have no respect to the dâ— Observation of the Sabbath and to object againâ— the obligation upon Christians for keeping it holy doth answer to that of its being so generally confessed by dying Penitents that the same flows but from their Education and its being inculcat in them to be so sinful but what answer will such I may say prophane Wretches give to this so palpable Evidence of God's displeasure with the profanation of that Day that He in his over-ruling Providence often permits notorious Breakers of the Sabbath to fall in such sins as even brings them to open and shameful Punishment in this World And albeit the ways of God's Providence are not to be fathomed and gross Sinners of every kind do's in things relating to this life Die without any appearing Marks of God's displeasure which may fully satisfie all rational Persons that there is a Judgment to come so the temporal Calamities sometimes trysting Sinners in this World are an Earnest of what shall be Dispensed at that dreadful Day to such and it may plainly appear to you that the Cavilling against the Obligations for keeping Holy the Sabbath of our Lord is of the Devil being that only such as want tenderness of Conscience and Love not to live in any thing according to the Rules of the Gospel do thus declare themselves whereas Persons whose hearts are God-ward however their Frailty may hinder the due performance of their Duty are ever ready to acknowledge their Obligation to the observation of that Day to be kept a Sabbath Holy to the Lord. Yea Sir Matthew Hale late L. Chief Justice of England whose Memory is Savoury to all good men that knew or heard of him in his Directions to his Children for keeping the Lords Day doth press it upon them for several Reasons and in one whereof he saith because I have found by long and sound Experience that the due observance of that
Day and of the Duties of it have been of singular comfort and advantage to me and I doubt not but it will prove so to you God Almighty is the Lord of our time and lends it to us and as it is but just we should consecrate this part of that time to Him so I have found by a strict and diligent Observation that the due Observation of the Duties of this Day hath ever had joined to it a Blessing upon the rest of my time and the Week that hath been so begun hath been blessed and prosperous to me and on the other side when I have been negligent of the Duties of the Day the rest of the Week hath been unsuccessful and unhappy to my own secular Employment so that I could easily make a◠estimat of my success in my own secular Employment the Week following by the manner of my passing this Day and this I do not write lightly and Inconsideratly but upon a long and sound Observation and Experience These being the words of that Grea◠Man are much to be considered he not only being of great Integrity but uncontrovertedly o◠a sound Judgment and great Knowledge almost in every thing 15. In the Evening of the day preceeding you would be more then ordinarly earnest with God that He may by his Grace fit you for 〈◊〉 suitable going about the Duties of the ensuin◠Sabbath And when it is come consider that as God did appoint in the Old Testament the Sacrifice to be doubled on that Day so he require◠of us Christians that we should therein double our Duties of Prayer Praise and Meditation◠and as at all times you are bound to remember the Church and People of God in your Prayers so especially in a Sabbath pray with earnestness that our Lord's Kingdom may be advanced throughout the world and that the Offers of Grace in his Gospel may be the Portion of the Land you live in Pray that God for Christs sake may send forth Ambassadors fitted for that Work and that he bless the Word and Ordinances where you are to be present in the discharge of the Duties of a Sabbath 16. Rise early that Morning and mind you are to spend the whole day in God's service When you repair to the place of Publick Worship do it so as you be there before any part of it begin and come not from the same whilest it be fully ended and in the time of Worship have your heart intent upon the Duties it is the heart especially that God requires and not only ought we to have presence of mind in hearing the Word preached but especially in Prayer and Praise for it is an intollerable contempt of God who searcheth the heart and knoweth the most secret of our Thoughts to draw near to Him in Worship and to have our hearts going out after any other Object whatsoever Yea it is a direct Saying practically that we are bruitish Fools and wretched Atheists in worshipping of God as knowing our Thoughts and doing it in that manner as evidences manifest contempt and directly draws down His Vengeance upon us 17. If the Sacrament of Baptism be administred where you are present you would not only with all your heart concur in the Petitions up to God before and after the Administration but hearken to your own Duty in what is held forth by the Minister and let such Occasions stir you up to new Resolutions to live up to your own Baptismal Engagements Mind that the whole Sabbath is to be a Mercat-day for your Soul and by dealing in the Duties thereof gain strength against the Corruptions of the ensuing part of your time 18. When occasion offers of your Communicating you are to consider that it is not indifferent to you to come or not to come to the Table of the Lord but that you are obliged to be serious in examining your self as to your Knowledge and your being otherwise fitted to partake of that Sacrament Instituted by our Saviour First in the remembrance of His Sufferings which were only able to expiate the Guilt of lost undone Sinners And next to be a Seal of Sinners Covenanting with God in Jesus Christ And 3dly to be a Mean of Communion with our merciful Lord that suffered for our Sins It is plain 1 Cor. 11.26 That the great end of the Sacrament is to hold forth to the Church the Lords Death and Suffering whilest he come again to Judgement And by the 27 28 and 29. Verses you see the absolute necessity for the worthy participating thereof You must search your heart and find out all your iniquity and hate it not only as it procures Gods Curse in this life and to all Eternity but especially as it is contrare to the Commandments and holy Nature of our God and as a needy Wretch having examined your heart and found out your Wants you are in coming to the Table of the Lord to bring with you some Faith some Love and some hope c. Your Errand being for more and cry with earnestness that you may be amongst the number of such of whom the Psalmist speaks Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy Power At such Occasions make conscience of mourning for every Sin and with all your heart magnifie Gods Mercy in his Dispensations to you and seek with earnestness of heart Grace enabling you to that and every duty and beg of God for Christs sake that he give a heart in a truly fitted frame So as in the Sacrament you may by the eye of Faith behold our lovely Lord and Saviour crucified and His Blood shed to expiate the Guilt of vile sinful Wretches and in particular to stand betwixt your self a vile sinful Wretch and the Vengeance of God due to you in Justice Seek with all earnestness from God a heart filled with love to Christ our Lovely Saviour who so loved loft undone Sinners as He took upon him the nature of frail man and to satisfy Divine Justice which could not be otherways satisfied for the sins of all that would truly come to Him and by Faith rely upon Him He suffered the shameful Death of the Cross it Representation whereof is this Sacrament Institute by our Lord himself before His suffering And before and at the time of your drawing near to the Table of the Lord have your heart filled with suitable Meditations and ejaculatory Petitions to God as saying within your self O my Soul can'st thou behold Justifying Blood and not love Him that shed it for thee Canist thou behold Precious Quickening softening Bloods and not love Him that gave it to quicken and soften thy heart and to Redeem the from Sin from Hell and everlasting Wrath O my God and Saviour enable me to say if my love were better it should be thine but such as it is thou shalt have it make it greater and make it better and I firmly resolve in thy Strength it shall ever be set upon thee 19.