THE Poor Man's Help AND Young Mans Guide CONTAINING I. Doctrinal Instructions for the right Informing of his Judgment II Practical Directions for the General Course of his Life III. Particular Advices for the Well-managing of every Day With Reference To His 1. Natural Actions 2. Civil Imployments 3. Necessary Recreations 4. Religious Duties PARTICULARLY I. Prayer Publick in the Congregation Private in the Family Secret in the Closet II. Reading the Holy Scriptures III. Hearing of the Word Preached IV. Receiving of the Lord's Supper Unto which is Added An Earnest Exhortation unto all Christians to the Love and Practice of Universal Holiness By William Burkitt M. A. of Pembrook Hall in Cambridge now Vicar of Dedham in Essex The Second Edition LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower End of Cheap-side near Mercers-Chappel 1694. Imprimatur July 9. 1693. Ra. Barker TO The PEOPLE of my Charge IT is none of the least or most inconsiderable Arguments to evince and prove the Dignity and Preciousness of the Soul of Man that Almighty God has been pleased to Institute a Sacred and Divine Office in his Church on purpose for the Benefit and Advantage of it and to appoint a Distinct Order of Men his Ministers I mean whose whole Employ and Concern it is peculiarly to Watch over the Souls of his People and to be accountable to him for the same In this Delightful Service of God and of your Souls I have now worn out more than three Apprenticeships amongst some of you Endeavouring with my utmost Care and Diligence to excite the Careless and Unconcerned Sinners on the one hand and to direct the Weak and Doubting Christian on the other hand to the Practice of their respective Duties For it is hard to say from which Religion suffers most whether from the Want of Zeal in some or from the Mistakes of Zeal in others Besides my Publick Advices to you in God's House your Consciences can Witness for me that I have taken some Pains and if God continues my Health I resolve to take much more in the Duty of Private Inspection and Ministerial Conference with you in your own Houses in order to your Preparation for that Venerable Ordinance of the Lords Supper which to the great Scandal of our most Holy Religion is so shamefully neglected by multitudes of Persons professing Christianity of all perswasions amongst us Exhorting you also to set up Religion and the Worship of God in your private Families that God may dwell where you dwell But the Answer of many of you has been this We want Abilities we are willing but not able to perform those Duties without some Assistance In great Charity therefore to those of you who want such a Help as this and are willing to make use of it I put this small Paper into your Hand which I entreat you to accept both as an Instance of my Duty and as a Monitor of your Own Know assuredly Sirs it will be the Portion of many of God's Ministers at the Great Day I pray God it may never be mine to be called forth as Witnesses against their own People when Almighty God will thus interrogate us in the presence of Men and Angels Did you not Admonish this People of the sin and danger of a resolute Impiety did you not warn them of their Neglect of Sacraments and Holy Duties publickly privaeely personally Must we not plainly and faithfully declare that all our melting Entreaties and passionate Importunities could â—â—er prevail with you to part with your Sins but you would choose rather to gratifie your Lusts than to obey your Reason Then will our Lord say unto us I pronounce you pure and Innocent from the Blood oâ— these Men Oh joyful Word to us But to Sinners will he say Your Destruction be upon your own Heads what could I or my Ministers have done more for you that has not been done therefore Depart ye Cursed into Everlasting Misery Oh doleful Word to them God grant thaâ— your and my Ears may never hear it Beloved it is your Commendation and my Comfort that when in this wanton Age a Spirit of Giddiness has possest the Minds of many that they are tossed too and fro with every Wind of Doctrine trying all things in deed but holding fast nothing you have been unanimous in this part of your Duty keeping close to the Publick Assemblies and continuing stedfast in the Apostle's Doctrine and Christian Fellowship and in Breaking of Bread and in Prayers But know that the best Communion and best Religion in the World the holiest Doctrine and the purest Worship will be of no avail to impure Worshippers and impure Livers God grant therefore that you and I may Oblige our selves to such an Eminent and Exemplary Piety of Conversation in all the several Instances of our Duty as may render the Unspotted Religion of the Holy Jesus venerable to the World And may Almighty God who sometimes delights to do great things by weak means be pleased to succeed these well-design'd Endeavours of mine in order to your Advantage that so in God's House and in your own also the most solemn Acts and Exercises of Religious Worship may be performed by you with such a becoming gravity and sincerity of Devotion that the Name of our Holy Lord may be glorified your Souls comforted with the sense of Pardon and Peace here and everlastingly refreshed with Joys unspeakable and full of Glory hereafter so prayeth Dedham 1693. Your Affectionate Minister WILLIAM BVRKITT THE POOR MAN's HELP AND YOUNG MAN's GUIDE CHAP. I. Containing Doctrinal Instructions for the right informing of the Judgment NOthing concerns Mankind in general so much as the Salvation of their Souls This is the one thing Needful and that which they are obliged above all things to mind and regard But it concerns Poor Men especially to secure the Salvation of their never-dying Souls lest they be miserable in both Worlds for they tasting but little of the Comforts and Sweetness of this Life had need take Care above others that they miss not the Consolations and Happiness of the next Now in Order to every Man's Salvation hereafter three things are indispensibly necessary here namely a right Knowledge a right Faith and a Righteous Life Knowledge is the Foundation of our Faith and Faith the Foundation of our Obedience and Obedience the Condition of our Happiness for although a Man may know the Will of God and not do it yet he can never do it acceptably and not know it A wilfully Ignorant Man can neither Serve God nor be saved by him Towards the Attaining of this Knowledge and Belief which is so absolutely Necessary to Salvation the great things required are an Humble Sense of our own Ignorance a Teachable Disposition and Readiness of Mind to receive Instruction accompanied with an Earnest Invocation and fervent Calling upon God for the Promised Illuminations of his Holy Spirit More particularly the Chief and Fundamental
Principles of our Religion necessary to be known and Believed by all Persons in Order to their Everlasting Salvation are these four I. Concerning God II. Concerning Man III. Concerning Jesus Christ the Mediator between God and Man IV. Concerning the way and means to obtain Salvation by Christ the only Mediatour I. Concerning GOD. It is necessary to Know and Believe the following Severals Namely That God is an Infinite Invisible and Immortal Spirit without Bodily Parts or Passions Almighty All-knowing every where present most Wise and Holy most Just and Righteous most Good and Gracious The following Scriptures will Confirm your Belief of the Truth of this viz. St. John 4.24 God is a Spirit St. Luke 24 39. A Spirit hath not flesh and bones Exod 34. v. 6 7. The Lord passed by and proclaimed his Name the Lord God gracious and merciful long-suffering abundant in Goodness and Truth 2. That there is but one true and ever-living God who being Oone in Nature is yet Three in Person namely the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost each Person having his proper Part and Office in the Salvation of lost Sinners namely the Father as the Original and Fountain the Son as the Manager and Transacter of it and the Holy Ghost as the Applier and Sealer of it See the following Scriptures Deut. 6.4 The Lord thy God is one Lord 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One St. John 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which preceedeth from the Father he shall Testifie of me Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed unto the Day of Redemption 3. That this ever-living and only living Lord God by his Almighty Power and Infinite Wisdom Created the World and all things therein out of nothing and by his effectual Providence doth sustain and preserve them in being and doth likewise govern and dispose of all things to his own glory Nehem. 9. v. 6. Thou art Lord alone who hast made the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens with all their host the Earth and all things that are therein and thou preservest them all II. Concerning Man We are to Know and Believe 1. That Almighty God Created Man Adam after his own Image which consisted in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness giving him an holy Law for the Rule of his Obedience with Power to keep it and a Promise of Life upon Condition of keeping it see Gen. 1.27 So God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him Eccles 7.29 This only have I found that God made man Upright 2. That Man Adam being Created in an Holy State yet in a mutable Condition and under a possibility of falling being tempted by Satan and left to the freedom of his own Will did actuall fall from his Estate of Innocency and Integrity into a State of Sin and Misery Gen. 3.6 And when the Woman saw that the Tree was good for Food and pleasant to the Eye she took thereof and did Eat and gave also unto her Husband and he did eat Eccles 7.29 God hath made Man upright but he hath found out many Inventions 3. That by reason of Man's Fall his Nature is wholly Corrupted with Original Sin which is the Seed and Root of all other Sins derived upon us by Natural Generation whereby we are disabled to that which is spiritually Good and inclined to that which is Evil and sinful Gen. 5.3 And Adam begat a Son in his own likeness after his Image Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in-iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Rom. 8. v. 8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God 4. That every Man doth further fall into manifold Actual Sins in the daily Course of his Life transgressing every one of God's holy Commandments either in Thought Word or Deed see Eccles 7. v. 20. There is not a just Man upon Earth that doeth good and sinneth not Rom. 3. v. 10 23. There is not one righteous man no not one for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God 5. That the Punishment due to every sin is Death and Hell all Miserie 's Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Rom. 6.23 The Wages of Sin is Death 2 Thes 1.9 They shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power 6. That Almighty God pitying the deplorable Misery of our fallen Estate has found out a Way and appointed a Means for our Deliverance from the Power and Punishment of Sin by a Mediator and Redeemer Titus 3. v. 4 5 6. After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost III. Concerning Christ the Mediator between God and Man We ought to Know and Believe 1. That Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God the second Person in the Trinity is the only Redeemer of lost Man and the only Mediator betwixt God and Man from whom alone we are to expect Life and Salvation 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name given under Heaven by whom we must be saved 2. That Jesus Christ our Redeemer was both God and Man having two Natures in one Person a Divine Nature as he was God and an Humane Nature as Man in which Humane Nature he suffered for Sinners and in his Divine Nature satisfied the Justice of God for sin Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Heb. 10. v. 10. By the which Will we are sanctified thro' the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all 3. That Christ our Redeemer having taken upon him our Nature lived here upon Earth about three and thirty Years and did in our stead and for our sin give full Satisfaction to the Justice of his Father by enduring most grievous Torments in his Soul and by undergoing most painful Sufferings in Body was Crucified Dyed and was Buryed and by his Death did Conquer Sin and Satan Death and Hell Read the 26th and 27th Chapters of St Matthew which give a large Account of our Saviour's Sufferings 4. That Jesus Christ on the third Day Arose again from the Dead with the same Body in which he suffered with which Body also he Ascended into Heaven and sitteth there at the right hand of his Father to intercede for us and by his Intercession in Heaven making Application of that Redemption which he wrought on Earth from whence at the End of the World he shall come again to Judg both Men and Devils and to determine their Final and Eternal State see Rom.
to it Continue thy Loving kindness to this Church and Nation to which we belong pardon our sins avert our Judgments heal our Breaches compose our Unreasonable Divisions Bless our Governours especially thy Servants on the Throne let their Reign over us be long and prosperous Bless all the Governours and Teachers of thy Church particularly him and his Labours who Administers to Thee and us in holy things in this Congregation Let all in an afflicted condition be had in Remembrance of God Give them patience under their sufferings advantage by them and in thy good time a happy Issue and Deliverance out of them Bless all our Relations Friends and Acquaintance Pardon and Forgive our Enemies and enable us to forgive them also And now oh Father Accept we pray thee our thankful Returns for all the instances of thy Goodness towards us particularly for our Creation Preservation and all the Blessings of this Life But especially and above all for thy wonderful Love in the Redemption of Mankind by the Son of thy Love the Holy Jesus We bless thee for the means of Grace and for the hope of Glory We thank thee for all the Comforts and Conveniencies of Life afforded to us for thy Good Hand of Providence over us this last Night and for raising us up this Morning to see the light of another day Stand charged with the particular care of every one of us prosper the labour of our hands and bless us in all our lawful Undertakings preserve us from the Evil of Sin and keep us in perpetual peace and safety through Jesus Christ our Lord In whose Name and Words we call on thee Our Father c. A Family-Prayer for the Evening ETernally Glorious and Incomprehensibly great and Gracious Lord God who art infinitely exalted above all the Prayers and Praise of Glorious Angels and Glorified Saints yet such is the condescension of thy Grace and Goodness as not only to invite us into thy presence but also to Account thy self honoured by us when we come before Thee and renew our Acquaintance and Communion with thee in the Duties and Exercises of thy Worship and Service We humbly pray that none of our iniquities may divide or separate betwixt God and us but whereinsoever we have offended be Gracious to us in the pardon and forgiveness of it Pardon Oh Lord unto us Original Guilt the Hereditary Pollution and Universal depravation of our Natures Remember not against us the Follies of our Childhood the Sins of our Youth or the provocations of our Riper years but according to the multitude of thy tender Mercies in Christ Jesus blot our Transgressions Wash us throughly from our Wickedness and cleanse us from all our Sins Create in us a clean heart oh God! and renew a Right Spirit within us purge us with Hyssop and so shall we be clean oh wash us in the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb the Crucified Jesus and so shall we be whiter than the Snow And God Almighty grant that we may never more return to the Love and Practice of our former Sins but proclaim and prosecute an open and Irreconcilable War against them yea enable us by thy Grace to dye daily to them and to live unto Righteousness and True Holiness continually mortifying all our Evil and Corrupt Affections and daily proceeding in all Vertues and Godliness of Living Guide us we pray thee through all the difficult passages of our Lives by the Conduct of thine Vnerring Providence and in all conditions of Life let thy Grace be abundantly sufficient for us Leave us not one Moment to our selves least we become a prey to every Temptation But carry us joyfully through all the Difficulties of Life and Support us powerfully in and under the Agonies of Death Keep us ever mindful of our latter End and from flattering our selves with the hope and expectation of a long continuance of time here in the World But let it be our great Ambition and desire not so much to live long as to live well to be useful and serviceable to Almighty God in our place and generation knowing 't is nothing but a useful and well spent life that can render our Death happy and our Resurrection Glorious And let Almighty God Mercifully Assist and succour us in our last moments in the hour of Death and in the day of Judgment good Lord deliver us Remember all thine all the World over do good in thy Good pleasure unto Sion build thou the Walls of Jerusalem ruin the Kingdom of Sin Satan and Antichrist enlarge the borders of thy Sons Kingdom and give him the Heathen for his Inheritance the utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession Be favourable and Gracious to these Nations of England Scotland and Ireland Humble us for all our provoking sins avert our impending Judgments prevent what we fear remove what we feel and in thy own time establish us upon such foundations of Righteousness and Peace that it may never more be in the power of our restless Adversaries to disturb us Bless our Governours and all that are in Authority over us both in Church and State Especially thine Anointed Servants on the Throne K. William and Q. Mary and grant that under the shaddow of their Governmeot we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and honesty remember all the Sons and Daughters of Sorrow and Affliction especially any that are near unto us lying under thy hand in bodily Sickness sanctifie we pray thee all thy Fatherly Corections to them and grant that the sense of their weakness may add Strength to their Faith and seriousness to their Repentance raise them up if it be thy Will and give them Wisdom and Grace to lead the Residue of their lives in thy fear and to thy Glory and prepare us for the like adversities Finally we bless and praise thy Holy Name for all thy Mercies vouchsafed to us for the source and fountain of them all the Holy Jesus For all the invaluable Fruits and Benefits of his Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascension for the present means of Grace and the hopes of future Glory We Praise Thee also for all Temporal Blessings for the use of our Reason for the preservation of our Health and Strength for thy Watchful Care and Good Providence over us this day Pardon to us the Sins of this day whether in thought word or deed comitted against thy Divine Majesty And take us this Night into thy Care and Protection give us Comfortable Rest and Repose defend this Habitation and all about it from Fire from Storm and Tempest and every sad Accident Deliver us from the Power and Malice of Evil Spirits and keep us out of the Hands of Evil Men. And when we awake in the Morning let us be still with Thee and let every one of us in our several vocations serve Thee Faithfully and Painfully to our dying hour All which we humbly Begg in the Name and Mediation of the Infinitely Worthy Jesus who
of Unworthy Refusing is certainly as great as the danger of Unworthy Receiving The neglects of duty are as dangerous and damnable as the Acts of sin and sins of omission are certainly damning as well as sins of commission St. Mat. 3.10 Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire 16. That God hath appointed a time in which he will Judge all Persons as well for their omissions of good as for their commissions of evil and every one shall receive an unalterable Sentence according to his Works Rev. 20.12 I saw the Dead standing before God and the Dead were Judged according to their Works 17. That those who have done good shall be absolved and accepted and shall inherit a Kingdom of Glory prepared for them where they shall both see and resemble their Blessed Saviour in perfect holiness and endless happiness 18. That such as have here done evil and dyed in their Impenitency shall suffer an everlasting Imprisonment with Devils and damned Spirits in Blackness of Darkness for ever Undergoing the perpetual gnawings of the Worm that dyeth not and the extreme torments of the fire which never shall be quenched St. John 5.28 Marvel not at this for the hour is â—â—ming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and they shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation CHAP. II. Containing Practical Directions for the General Course of Life I. Direction For the Right Ordering of Our Thoughts COgito Ergo sum I Think therefore I am is a prime Conclusion with the Modern and Ingenuous Philosopher Thinking is the surest Proof and Evidence of Being I cannot so certainly conclude I am because I walk I drink I see and hear because the Senses are oft-times deceived but If I be sure I Think I am sure I Am because Thinking is an Operation that flows from Being Now as bare Thinking is an Argument of meer Being so Well-Thinking is an Evidence of Well-Being for says the Wise-man Prov. 23. v. 7. As a Man Thinketh in his Heart so is he Therefore in Order to the right Governing of thy daily Thoughts Observe the following Rules 1. Think frequently with thy self that as thy Pulse will be continually beating so thy Thoughts will be always working to thy Dying Hour and therefore had need be well imployed 2. Think often what a World of Sin a Man may be guilty of in his Thoughts Atheism Blasphemy Idolatry Adultery Murder and what not and Believe thy self to be no less Accountable to God for the Sin of thy Thoughts than of thy Words and Actions Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every secret thing into Judgment whether it be good or whether it be evil 3. Think often what a glorious Theme and Subject for thy Thoughts God has provided and laid before thee as himself in his Attributes his Son in his Natures Life and Actions his holy Spirit in all its gracious Operations his Word and Promises his Works of Creation Preservation and Redemption c. Astronomy does but Surveigh a Dunghill in comparison of what Christianity Comtemplates Stars are but dirty Clods compared with that Glory which lyes within the reach of the Christian's Thoughts 4. Think every Morning what good Offices thou hast to do that day and so Think all the Day as if all thy Thoughts were written on thy Forehead for the whole World to read them and so Act every Day as if thou hadst a thousand Eyes upon thee 5. Think thy own Condition to be certainly the best because the Wisdom of God sees it best for thee if thou hast not as much as others yet thou hast that which is Appointed for thee In Heaven our Reward shall be not according to the good things we have received here but according to the good Works which we have done here At the Reckoning Day he will be accounted the wisest Man that has laid out his time in good Duties and his Treasure in good Works 6. Think Contentment to be the truest Riches and Covetousness the greatest Poverty He is not Rich that has much but he that has enough that Man is Poor who Covets more and yet wants a Heart to enjoy what he has already 7. Think it no part of thy Business curiously to Search into other Men's Lives but narrowly to inspect the Errors of thine own It is much better to amend one Fault in our selves than to find out an hundred Faults in another 8. Think it a greater Virtue to forgive one Injury than to do many Kindnesses because it is harder and more against Nature 9. Think him no True Friend whom one Injury can make thine Enemy He must have no Friends that will have a Friend with no Faults 10. Take a View of thy Thoughts every Night as the Master does of his Servants Work every Day and so Think if possible of all things now as thou wilt think of them when passing into Eternity II. Direction For the right Ordering of our Words Speech is a very Noble and Advantagious Benefit to Man by which he excels the whole Creation Our Tongue is our glory the Index and Expresser of our Mind and Thoughts the Instrument of our Creator's Praise and there is no Subject so sublime and honourable for the Tongue of Man to be imployed about as the Word and Works of God There is a great Difficulty in governing of the Tongue it being a proud and active Member and therefore the Scripture places much of Religion in Bridling of the Tongue St. James 1.26 It is the great Wisdom of a Man to know both when and what to speak and also how and when to be silent for a Man may sin both ways by over-silence as well as by over-much speaking Wo unto us if we want a Tongue to publish God's Truth to plead God's Cause to Vindicate God's Honour and to sound forth God's Praise To avoid all Extreams Remember these Rules 1. Accustom not thy self to speaking over-much and before thou speakest Consider let not thy Tongue run before Reason and Judgment bid it go if the Heart doth not pre-meditate the Tongue must necessarily precipitate 2. Let the Matter of your Speech be both true and profitable True logically by an Agreement betwixt the Thing and your Words without falshood and True morally by an Agreement betwixt your Tongue and your Heart without Dissimulation 3. Speak always to God with extraordinary Dread and Caution and always of him with a profound Veneration and Awfulness of Regard 4. Speak of Holy Things frequently but always seriously yet place not Religion in Talk only nor measure Goodness by good Words 't is much easier to Talk like a Saint than to be one 5. Speak well of all Men 'till thou knowest otherwise and when thou canst not speak well be Silent 6. Speak not well of any undeservedly that 's sordid Flattery Speak not well of
come 3. Let Secret Prayer by your self alone be constantly performed before the Work of the Day be Undertaken It is much better to go from Prayer to Business than from Business to Prayer in regard of the Minds freedom from Distracting Thoughts Because also if the World gets the Start of Religion in the Morning 't is hard for Religion to Overtake the World all the Day after 4. Let Family Worship be performed constantly and seasonably at that Hour which is freest in regard of Interruption and look that it be Reverently and Spiritually performed Call not then for the Cushion when there is more need of the Pillow 5. Then set about and follow the Labours of your Calling with Diligence and Industry He that says Be servent in Prayer says also Be not slothful in Business Rom. 12. and let the Day be spent in your Calling watchfully watching your Company you converse with and the Corruption which you find stirring in you but especially Watch against those Temptations which the Company you are with the Place you are in or the Work and Calling you are about may expose you to or lay you under 6. When about your Calling if alone improve the Time in fruitful Meditation and holy Ejaculations or short Prayers which are no Hindrance at all to your Worldly Business if in Company in such profitable Discourse as may tend to make thy self and others both Wiser and Better 7. In doing your Duty in the Labours of your Calling humbly depend upon God's Fatherly Care for a Comfortable Subsistence for thy self and Family and Compose thy Mind in all Conditions of Life to a quiet and steady Dependance on the Divine Providence being anxiously Careful for nothing but casting all your Care upon him that Careth for you 8. Heedfully Observe all the Passages of Divine Providence daily both towards thy self and others and those Providential Dispensations which thou canst not thoroughly understand awfully Admire 9. In all Places and in all Companies remember the Presence of God and walk continually as under the View of his All-seeing and Observing Eye Often consider that God is every where Present and then you will study to be every where Holy 10. Walk every day with an high Esteem of the preciousness swiftness and irrecoverableness of your Time and resolve to spend it in Nothing which you dare not Pray for a Blessing upon in nothing which you know must be Repented of before you Dye in Nothing which you would not be found doing if Death should surprize you in the doing of it 11. Look every Day to the faithful Discharge of the respective Duties of your several Relations as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants and remember that much of the Life and Power of Religion consists in the Conscientious Practice of Relative Duties 12. In the Evening retire and take a View of your Actions the Day past Examine what good you have either done or received and bewail it as a Day lost in which you have not either Profited others or Advantaged your self CHAP. IV. Of Glorifying God in our Natural Actions viz. in our Eating Drinking and Sleeping IT is the Advice of the Holy Apostle 1. Cor. 10.31 That whether we Eat or Drink or whatever we do to do all to the Glory of God plainly implying that a Christian ought to perform his Natural Actions to spiritual Purposes and whilst he is feeding his Body must have an Eye at his Serving of God Eating and and Drinking to the satisfying of our Natures and not to the gratifying of our Lusts Our lawful Comforts without Watchfulness become our greatest Snares The first Sin that ever was committed entered the World by Eating Our first Parents pleased their Appetites to their Ruine which ought to make their Posterity afraid of all sinful Excesses to prevent which let the following Rules be remembred and observed 1. Raise not any perplexing Scruples about what you are to Eat and Drink to no purpose but only to your own Vexation Remember Christ has taken away that Distinction of Meats Clean and Unclean which was of old amongst the Jews and has given us a liberty of feeding upon all the good Creatures of God with Temperance and Sobriety 1 Tim. 4.4 Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with Thanksgiving Which hints a second Rule 2. Look that your Meat and Drink be blest and sanctified to you by Prayer and Tanksgiving Sit not down to your Food as a Beast to his Fodder without taking any Notice of the Hand that provides it for you Our Meat doth not Nourish us by its own Power but by Divine Appointment and therefore our Blessed Saviour tho' he was Lord of the Creatures yet did not sit down to feed on them before he lookt up to Heaven for a Blessing upon them St. Mark 6.41 Remember that the Creatures on your Table are God's Creatures and if you Convert them to your own Use without asking God's Leave you are bold Usurpers 3. Eat and Drink as in the Presence and View of God We are most apt to forget God at our Meals feeding our selves without fear Now the Remembrance of God's Eye upon us will Remedy this It is a memorable Expression which you have in Exod. 18. v. 12. And Aron and all the Elders of Israel came to eat Bread with Moses Father-in-law before God Where Observe 1. The Greatness of their Courtesie 2. The Graciousness of their Carriage Their Courtesie was great tho' Jethro was a Stranger and no Isralite yet the Elders of Israel honoured him with their Company and their Carriage was gracious they came to eat Bread with him before God that is in gloriam honorem Dei says one to the Honour and Glory of God They received their Sustenance as in God's sight and caused their Provision to tend to God's Praise 4. Remember that Reason and not Appetite is to be our Guide and Rule both for the Quantity and Quality of our Meat and Drink Not what Appetite likes best but what Reason and Judgment tells you is best ought to be received by you Meat and Drink have destroyed more thousands than ever Poyson did because persons are not so fearfull of these as they are of that If the Brute Creatures at any time eat or drink to any Degree of Excess it is to satisfie their Nature not to gratifie their Lusts But what an Abominable shame is it for Man instead of being governed by Reason to be inslaved by his Lust and to have his sensitive Appetite command his Rational Faculty 5. Take heed of making thy Table a Snare either to thy self or others This is done two ways 1. When our Meals are Incentives to Sin and our Food is made Fewel for our Lusts the Flesh is an Enemy too strong for us when we take away its Armour and fight against it but much more so when we our selves put weapons into its hand and provide it
and keep them in such a holy humble joyful thankful Frame and Posture that God may have the Glory and We the Comfort of all our Religious Addresses to him and attendences upon him in the way of his Ordinances 3. Keep a Watchful Eye upon thy Heart when thou art engaged in any Religious Duty Never are our Hearts so apt to wander as at such a time and therefore they require a strong Guard How very backward is the Heart to Duty how naturally dead and dull in Duty how soon weary of Duty how many Pretences will our Hearts make to cause us to Omit Holy Performances or to render us heedless and lifeless in them therefore as good Nehemiah when building did Work and Watch Watch and Work so must we in Duty Pray and Watch Watch and Pray 4. Make Conscience of Glorifying God in all Religious Duties one as well as another Partiality is hateful to God in the Duties of Religion which have all a Divine Stamp upon them Many Complain of their deadness in Prayer and dulness unto the Word who never came to the Sacrament Wonder not at it God will not meet thee in one Ordinance if thou neglectest him in another We must not limit and bind the Holy Spirit to this or that Duty but wait upon him in all Almighty God is pleased to Communicate himself with great Variety to his Children at one time in this Ordinance at another time in that on purpose to keep up the Esteem of all in our Hearts and to engage us to Attend upon all Conscientiously in the whole Course of our Lives 5. Look that in all thy Religious Duties thou servest God with an holy Alacrity with a Spiritual Delight and Joy Joy suits no Person so well as a Christian and at no Season so well as when Waiting upon God in Religious Duties We have a Promise of it Isa 12. v. 3. With Joy shall ye draw Water out of the Wells of Salvation And we have also a Promise made unto it Isa 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteuousness that is Thou Acceptest him 6. Look that thy End in Attending upon Religious Duties be the same with God's End in Appointing of them Namely First that by them we should pay our Homage to him as our Sovereign Lord And Secondly That through them he may Communicate his Spiritual Blessings into his People's Bosoms 7. Above all take Care that thou dost not blot thy Holy and Religious Duties by a wicked and Unholy Life If thou intendest to foul thy Hands with Sins black work on the Week-day it is in vain for thee to wash them with Prayer on the Lords-day A little seeming Zeal at thy Devotion in the Church will not guild over the Weeks Miscarriages in thy Shop nor attone for thy Pride and Passion for thy Deceit and Fraud for thy Riot and Excess CHAP. VIII Of Glorifying God in Publick Worship IT is Confess'd by all Persons who have any Sense of God and Religion upon their Minds that they were made to serve and glorifie their great Creator by a constant Acknowledgment of his Sovereignty over them and their continual Dependency upon him Now much of the Honour of God and the Credit of Religion depends upon the due Performance of his Publick Worship this Glorifies God much more than any Private Addresses from the Family or the Closet both as it creates a greater Veneration and Esteem of God in the Minds of Men and also because Publick and Solemn Adorations are the most Illustrious Testimonies we can render to God of our Homage to him Besides how reasonable is it that we should own the God whom we serve in the Face of the World Not but that a Christian honours God highly and serves him Acceptably by his Family-Duties and Closet-Devotions But we do much more Glorifie him by our Publick Addresses Then we Honour God Eminently when we let others see conspicuously the high Esteem we have of his Excellencies and cause the Voice of his Praise to be heard amonst Men. The Honour that is done to Persons amongst Men is not done in secret but is always a Publick thing Honour me before the Elders of my People said Saul to Samuel in like manner we give unto the Lord the Honour due unto his Name when others are Witnesses of the Esteem which we have of his Divine Perfections by our Reverend Acknowledgment of him in his Publick Worship To excite you therefore to a diligent and daily Aâ—tendance upon God in his Publick Worship as you have Opportunity Consider 1. That Publick Worship glorifies God most 2. He Accepts it best 1. Publick Worship glorifies God most because hereby a Sense of God and Religion is best kept up and preserved in the World which otherwise would be in danger of being lost If the Publick Assemblies fall Religion cannot long stand the Worship of God in our Closets will not do this because it is unseen What we do alone no Body sees nor is it intended that they should and therefore that cannot induce others to the same way of Glorifying God But when Men see a Body of Christians assembled together in an humble manner with Pious Devotion and submissive Reverence with bended Knees and Eyes lifted to Heaven paying their Solemn Acknowledgments to the Author of their being this strikes Men with a certain Awe and supports the Belief both of God's Existence and Penâ—ficence also in the Minds of Men As for instance when we see a great multitude of poor People constantly waiting at the Gates of an House we presently conclude that some great and good Man dwells there whom the Poor wait upon Thus doth the Publick Worship of Pious Christians spread the Fame of God's extraordinary Goodness far and near whereas when few or none tread in the Courts of his House which were built to contain a multitude of Worshippers and to represent the inconceivable Greatness of that God who is therein worshipped this very much damps the Sense of God and Religion in the World and represents him after a poor and contemptible fashion Oh how unsuitable then is it that the Worship of such a superexcellent and transcendent Being as God is should be confined to our Closets and Private Houses when it is much more suitable and agreeable to his Nature that we Magnifie and Praise him as openly and as Publickly as possible we can that so we may not seem to Worship some little petty Deity but the Almighty and Universal Lord of Heaven and Earth 2. As Publick Worship glorifies God most so he accepts it best for there is nothing that Almighty God more delights in than in the joint Prayers and Praises of his People Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the Gates of Sion more than all the dwellings of Jacob No doubt the Prayers which good Men put up to Almighty God from under their Private Roofs are very acceptable to him but if a Christian's single Voice in Prayer be so sweet what
in Compassion to our Infirmities has commanded us to say Our Father c. An HYMN Or Song of Praise for the Morning LORD for the Mercies of this Night My humble Thanks I Pay And unto Thee I Dedicate The First-Fruits of the Day My God was with me all this Night And gave me sweet Repose My God did Watch even whilst I Slept Or I had never Rose How many groan'd and wisht for Sleep Untill they wisht for Day Weary both of their Bed and Life whilst I securly lay Whilst I did Sleep all Dangers Slept No Thieves did Me affright Those Evening Wolves those Beasts of Prey Disturbers of the Night No Raging Flames Nor Storms did Rend The house that I was in I heard no Dreadful Cries without Nor Doleful Groans within What Terrors have I ' scap'd this Night Which have on others fell My Body might have Slept its last My Soul have wak'd in Hell Let this Day Praise Thee oh my God And so let all my Days And oh let my Eternal Day Be thy Eternal Praise An HYMN or Song of Praise for the Evening MY God my only Help and Hope My strong and sure Defence For all the Mercies of this Day I Bless thy Providence Lord in the day thou wert about The Paths wherein I tread Now in the Night when I lye down Be thou about my Bed This Day God was my Son and sheild My keeper and my Guide His Care was on my Frailty shewn His Mercies multiplied Minutes and Mercies multiplied Have made up all this Day Minutes came quick but Mercies were More swift and free than they New Time new Favours and new Joyes Do a New Song require 'Till I shall Praise the as I would Accept my Hearts Desire Now for a Close of this Advice to Family-Governours concerning their Performance of Family Worship I shall only subjoin this one Cautionary Direction Take heed of resting in thy Family-Duties and by no means think it sufficient to prove thee a Saint and evidence thee a sincere Christian because thou art frequent in Family-Duties Alas a Man may set up the Worship of God in his House and yet not Enthrone God in his Heart The Duty it self is good but the bare Performance of it will not demonstrate thee to be so look therefore how thou daily Walkest as well as how thou Prayest If thou meanest to foul thy Hands with Sins black work in the Day it is gross Hypocrisie to pretend to wash them by Prayer in the Morning 'T is sad to pretend to Religion in the House and to practise Deceit and Fraud in the Shop Oh how many begin with God by Prayer in the Morning and keep the Devil Compain Sin all the Day after The Neglect of Family Duties will certainly bespeak thee a Bad Man But the most constant performance of them without a Life suitable to them will never prove thee a good Man CHAP. X. Of Glorifying God in Secret Duties GReat is the Condescention of Almighty God in holding Communion with his Church in their Publick Assemblies when with United Prayers and Supplications they make their Solemnest Adresses to him But Oh how Adorable is his Condescending Love in stooping so low as to maintain a holy Fellowship and sweet Communion with a single Christian in his Closet-Devotions It is not enough that in Heaven when we shall put on our Robes of Glory that he will take us into his Royal Presence and Admit us there to the sight and enjoyment of his Face and Favour but will he now whilest we are clad with Raggs of Mortality and before our Grave Cloaths are thrown off entertain us also as his Friends and indulge us the liberty of giving him a Visit in the remotest Corner of our House Verily such astonishing Love and stupendious Condescention is rather to be admired than expressed by us Now there are several Secret Duties incumbent upon Christians which Almighty God upon our humble Application to him will afford us the sweet Influences the secret Aids and Assistances of his Holy Spirit in the performance of As namely 1. Holy and Devout Meditation when the Soul retires from the World and in a serious and solemn Manner sets it self to think upon God to contemplate his glorious Attributes to ruminate upon his gracious Promises to admire his wonderful Word and Works 2. Serious Self-examination by which we make a daily enquiry into the State of our Souls and thereby arrive at a well-grounded Kowledge of the safety of our State and Condition by comparing the Frame of our Hearts and the Course of our Lives with the Holy Rule of God's Commandements and observing their sincere Conformity thereunto 3. Secret Prayer and Supplication which ought to be performed constantly and seasonably twice a Day As soon as thou arisest out of thy Bed in the Morning begin the Day with God and make a most hearty tender of your self to his Service and Glory before you set about any Worldly-Business and never think of putting off your Cloaths to lye down at Night before you have commended your selves and all yours unto his merciful Protection For your Encouragment hereunto you have the Practise and Example of our Blessed Saviour whom you find early in the Morning Praying alone St. Mark 1.35 and late in the Evening St. Matth. 14.23 and that this was our Saviour's usual Practice may be gathered from St. Luke 22.39 compared with St. Luke 21.27 Thus Christ Sanctified this Duty by his own Example and has by his Promise annexed a Gracious Reward to the faithful doing of it St. Matth. 6.6 All this our Blessed Saviour did when he was here on Earth and now that he is Ascended up into Heaven to what Purpose is he appointed our Intercessor there if we send up no Prayers to him to be presented by him to the Father Besides this the Sense of our daily wants one would think should sufficiently excite us to this Duty we standing in continual need of God or if we could be supposed to want nothing yet the Sense we have that we hold All we call Ours by the meer Mercy of God should move us to acknowledge him and to pay our Homage and Adorations to him Add to this that there is no such way to make Almighty God intirely our Friend as by commending our selves in the Duty of Prayer to him with a Pious Trust in his Mercy and an intire Devoting of our selves to his Service and Glory But oh how inexpressible will be the Comfort of going to God as an Acquaintance when we are going out of this World if we can truly say as that Devout Man Dr. Preston did a little before his Death I shall change my Place but not my Company how joyfully may we hope and comfortably expect to go to God when we dye with whom we held a constant good correspondence and maintained a sweet familiarity whilest we lived Let these Considerations briefly hinted to thy Thoughts work in thee a Pious Resolution
admit me this day into thy Presence to renew my Covenant with Thee which I have so often and so perversly broken before Thee I have once more lifted up my hand to the most High God and sworn Allegiance to my Soveraign and my Saviour Oh keep it in the purpose of my Heart for ever to continue stedfast in his Covenant and let neither the smiles of a flattering World allure me nor the Frowns Threats and Terrors of an Angry World be ever able to drive me from my Duty or hinder me in the way of well-doing Holy Father accept I Beseech Thee of that renewed Dedication which I have made of my self this day unto Thee even of my whole Man Soul Body and Spirit to thy Service and Honour And now Glory be to Thee Oh God the Father whom I shall from this day forward with an humble Expectation look up unto as my Father and God in Covenant Glory be to Thee Oh God the Son who hast loved me and washed me from my Sins in thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour my Justifier and Redemer Glory be to Thee Oh God the Holy Ghost who hast by the Power of thy Victorious Grace overcome the obstinacy of my Heart and turned it from Sin to God Oh Lord God! Omnipotent Father Son and Holy Spirit Thou art become my Covenant Friend and I through thy Grace am become thy Covenant Servant Truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant heartily devoted to thy fear Thy Vows are upon me Oh God! Thy Vows are upon me I will render Praises unto Thee Oh let me never more start aside from my Vows like a broken Bow but give me such a stedfastness and stability of Mind such a firmness and fixedness of Resolution that my after-Conversation may be suitable both to my present Profession and future Expectation that so I may in all Companies in all Conditions walk worthy of him that hath called me to his Kingdom and Glory And let the sence of my Redeemers Love this day to me inflame my Heart with a never failing Charity unto all Mankind whom I pray God to do good unto especially to thy Church particularly to these Nations under their Majesties Care and Inspection whom may Almighty God long and mutually Bless in the Happy Enjoyment of each other and work in the Minds of all Christians a dread of thy Name an Honour of their Superiours and un unfeigned Charity one towards another All which Mercies I humbly Beg in the Name of the Holy Jesus saying Our Father c. An Hymn after the Sacrament LOrd any Mercy short of Hell For Me it is too good But have I Eat the Flesh of Christ And also Drunk his Blood Mysterious Depths of Endless Love My Admirations Raise Oh God thy Name exalted is Above the highest Praise My Saviours Flesh is Meat indeed His Blood is Drink Divine His Graces Dropt like Honey-Combs His Comforts Taste like Wine This day Christ has refresht my Soul With his abundant Grace For which I magnifie his Name Longing to see his Face Oh when shall I ascend on high Most Holy Just and True To eat that Bread and Drink that Wine Which is for ever New To Him that sits upon the Throne And Christ the Lamb therefore Be Glory Blessing Strength Renown And Honour evermore CHAP. XIV Containing an Earnest Exhortation to the Love and Practice of Universal Holiness THE Consideration of our Baptismal Vow renewed and ratified by many Sacramental Engagements at the Holy Table is certainly one of the strongest ties that Christianity layes upon us to oblidge us to the Love and practice of universal Holiness for most certain it is if we relapse and fall back into an evil course of Life if we wilfully return again to Folly we kindle Gods Wrath against us we provoke him to plague us with divers Diseases and sundry kinds of Death But if we escape these there are more dismal Plagues than these that will overtake us such are hardness of Heart blindness of Mind and a Seared Conscience These are indeed invisible stroaks which make not a noise and strike not our Senses but verily if we consider the Effects and consequences of them they are more formidable and dismal than the raging Pestilence and the loudest Claps of Thunder Let us then Piously Resolve as we Fear the Wrath of God and Love our own Souls after we have renewed our Covenant with God at his Holy Table to oblige our selves to an Eminent and Exemplary Piety of Conversation Let us live as those that are Redeemed by the Blood of Jesus as those that are Sanctified and Sealed by the Spirit of Jesus as those that do expect an Eternal Fellowship and Communion with Jesus in his Heavenly Kingdom To this end it may be very advisable 1. The next Morning after thou hast been at the Sacrament as soon as thou art up enter into thy Closet And before the Lord piously and positively Resolve and Vow to maintain a strict Watchfulness and Care over thy Heart Words and Ways for the time to come Such a Resolution as this made in the Strength of God will work wonders because God will Assist and Bless it 'T will fortifie thee against Temptations and the strongest Solicitations to return to the Love and Practice of Sin and Wickedness Suppose thy dearest Friends and Familiars suppose thy Indulgent Mother that bare thee nay suppose the Wife of thy Bosom the Delight of thine Eyes should all set upon thee yea Entreat and Importune thee to Omit some known Duty or to Commit some wicked Act such a Resolution as thou hast now made for a Holy Life will Antidote thy Soul against the Poyson of such a Temptation and put the same Reply into thy Mouth as was found in Holy Joseph's Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great Wickedness and sin against God 2. Having made this Solemn Vow betwixt God and thy own Soul for a Holy Life for a Life suitable to a Sacramental Engagement you will find it very advantagious to write it down and keep it by you thus At such a Time and on such a Day having renewed my Covenant with God at his Holy Table I did with all the Devotion of my Heart and Soul entirely surrender up my self and all that is mine to the Service and Glory of Almighty God Vowing all Fidelity and Obedience to him and Resolving that he shall have the full Guiding Governing and Disposing of me and mine And after every Sacrament look upon it and consider seriously of it saying thus to thy self Behold Oh my Soul the Bonds that are upon thee this is thine own Act and Deed it is as certainly Recorded in Heaven as it is here Written on Earth and shall one Day be brought forth against thee to thy Everlasting Condemnation if thou dost not walk answerably to the Obligation of it Keep it by thee as a Memorial of the Solemn Transactions betwixt God and thy Soul and besides the
to refresh both Mind and Body to which purpose the following Cautions may be Necessary 1. Look that your Recreations be lawful and such as have nothing of Sin in them We must not to Recreate our selves do any thing which is dishonourable to God or injurious to our Neighbour as they do who droll upon things that are Sacred and who make Back biting Discourse their Recreation 2. Look that your Recreations answer the End and Design of their first Institution not to pass Time away which we ought above all things to Study to redeem and improve Surely no Man needs to contrive how to drive away his Time which flies so fast of it self and is so impossible to recover But the true End of Recreation is the refreshing of the Mind and recreating of the Body to make them both the fitter for the Service of God in the Duties of our general and particular Callings Therefore 3. Be careful that your Recreations be short and diverting such as may fit you for Business rather than rob you of your Time He that makes Recreation his business will think Business a Toyle The End of Recreation is to fit us for Business not to be it self a Business to us 4. Take Care that Covetousness have nothing to do in your Recreations Let your End be meerly to Recreate your self not to Win Money for that will certainly bring you into a double Danger the one of Covetousness and a greedy desire of Winning the other of Rage and Anger at thy bad Fortune if thou happen to lose Covetousness will occasion thy Cheating and Cozuening and Anger occasion thy Swearing and Cursing and thus thou makest that which is lawful in it self unlawful to thee by making it an Occasion of sin to thee 5. Let not your Recreations be Costly and Expensive Some Persons have spent more in Gaming vainly than would Build and Endow an Hospital and maintain many Families comfortably little considering that they are only God's Stewards and must be severely Accountable to him for every Inch of their Time and every Penny in their Purse which is consumed in Sin and Vanity 6. Take heed that your Sports and Recreations be not Cruel We ought not to refresh our selves with Spectacles of Cruelty in seeing either Men or Beasts needlesly Tormenting each other That Enmity which is among the Creatures is certainly the Effect of our Sin What a Heart then has that Man that can take Delight in seeing the dumb Creatures Torment one another Is it not enough for thee to behold the Antipathies which thy Sin has put into the Natures of the Creatures but thou must barbarously make thy self Merry with their Miseries who in their kind are far more serviceable to the Creator than thy self 7. Remember young Men that God's Eye is in the midst of you when in the midst of your Sports and Recreations therefore be wise and moderate in the pursuit of them Do all things as in God's sight and you will do every thing to God's glory Respect ought to be had to God in all we do not in our Vocations only but in our Recreations also and the Remembrance of God's all-seeing Eye upon us will have an Universal Influence upon all our Actions 8. Take an extraordinary Care that your Recreations do not engross too much of your Precious Time which was given for Nobler Purposes Oh how sadly do some Young Men addict themselves to a Life of Pleasure Ease and Voluptuousness unworthily wasting the Flower of their Youth the Srength of their Body the Vigour of their Minds drowning in a bruitish sensuality the Fair and goodly Hopes of a Vertuous Education together with the Honour of their Families the Expectation of their Countrey and the improvment of their Parts as if Almighty God had placed them on the Earth as Leviathan in the Sea only to take their Sport and Past-time therein such Persons being Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God are certainly in a most deplorable State 9. But above all take heed of making the Lords-day your Day of Sports and Recreation This is a Crime of a tremendous Guilt Woe be to that Man which disturbs God's Holy Rest with his unholy Sports God's Holy Day calls for Holy Delights Isa 58.13 Not doing thy pleasure on my holy day Thou that art a poor Man and stealest Time from thy Family for Unnecessary Recreations on the Week-day this is Theft But to steal Time from thy Maker and Redeemer on his Day is Sacriledge of the two it is better to Plough than to Play to Digg than to Dance upon the Lords-Day CHAP. VII Of Glorifying God in our Religious Duties ALmighty God being more Honoured or Dishonoured by us in our Religious Duties than in all the Actions of our Lives besides it concerns us to be exactly Careful how we manage our Deportment in his Presence when we Worship at his Footstool and bow before his Mercy-seat If it be a Sin not to Aim at the Glory of God when Eating and Drinking at our own Table much more so when Eating and Drinking at his Table when we are performing the most tremendous Acts and Exercises of Religion How superstituously Devout were the Old Heathens in the Service of their Dumb Idols they thought nothing too good for their false Gods for whom the worst was not bad enough the Worshipper being better than the God he worshipped When they were going to offer their Sacrifices their Priests cried out in the Audience of the People Procul Oh procul este prophani Depart all you that are Impure and Prophane from the Holy Sacrifices of the Gods Oh where they so choice and chary in the Service of their dunghill Deities and shall not we exercise a more extraordinary Dread and Caution in the Religious Service of the living and true God Therefore to prevent sinful Miscarriages in Holy Duties the following Advices may be necessary 1. Labour to entertain in thy Mind awful Apprehensions and suitable Conceptions of the Majesty of that God whom thou art Addressing thy self unto Conceive of him in thy Mind as a God of such incomprehensible greatness and majesty of such transcendent Holiness and Purity of such Sanctity and Severity that he cannot behold Iniquity in any of his Worshippers without the greatest Abhorrency and Detestation and for that reason approach thou to him with a holy Fear with an humble Reverence and not without a trembling Veneration 2. Set not about Religious Duties without previous Preparaton In every Work whether Natural or Artificial some Preparation is necessary to bring it to Perfection In Works of Nature the Ground must be digg'd and dress'd plough'd and prepared before the Seed be cast into it In Works of Art the Musitian must string and tune his Instrument before he can play his Lesson melodiously Surely then in Holy and Religious Duties towards which our Hearts are naturally so backward and averse it concerns us to exercise a Preparatory Care to bring our Hearts into
to begin and end the day with God this will Antidote and fortifie thy Soul against the Contagion of Sin and the Temptations of Sinners Ecclesiastical History tells us that when St. Origen fell into that great Sin of Offering Incense to an Idol-god that Morning he went forth before he had performed his Private Devotions We are never safe either from Sin or Danger but when under the over-shadowing Care and Providential Wing of God and Prayer is the way and means to engage God Almighty's care over us and concern for us by Prayer we fix our Minds upon him we lay open our Souls before him we recomend our selves unto him which gives our Minds the sweetest and most solid satisfaction that whatever Providences befall us are certainly intended by an unerring Wisdom for our good and in Order to our Happiness Now in Order to your Glorifying Almighty God in Secret Duties let the following Directions be observed 1. Be sure that thou art Private in thy Private Duties let it be true Secret Prayer and not have its Name for nought Remember our Saviour's Advice St. Matth. 6.6 Enter into thy Closet when thou prayest and shut thy door and be sure to shut it so close that no Wind of Vain Glory may either get out or come in Some Hypocrites pray in Secret but as they handle the matter they are not Secret in their Closets like the Hen that goes into a Private place to lay her Egg but by her Cackling tells all the House both where she is and what she is about rather than be guilty of this Vanity shut the door of thy Lips as well as of thy Closet not but that it is lawful to use the Voice in Private Prayer provided it be not for Ostentation to be over-heard by others Yea and useful also as it helps the Attention of the Mind and prevents wandring thoughts and likewise quickens the Affections by raising them up to an higher degree and pitch of Fervency Christian Prudence therefore must direct Thee what is best in this Case 2. Look that thou art free and open with Almighty God in Private Duties come not to God in Secret and then conceal thy Secret from him lay open thy very Heart and spread all thy Secret Sins before him and be sure to hide nothing from him if thou art not free to Confess never expect that God will be faithful to forgive Prayer is called in Scripture a pouring forth of the Soul to God because a Gracious Person makes known all its wants and griefs to God and does this with much Freedom of Spirit Verily there is nothing that Almighty God resents more unkindly at his Peoples hands than their Attempts to conceal either their their Secrets Sins or their Secret wants from him when he stands ready so graciously to pardon the one and so mercifully to supply the other 3. Make use of the most proper and fitting Season for Secret-prayer and take heed that one Duty doth not interfere with another either with Family-Prayer or with Publick-worship the Beauty of Christianity consists in the Harmony of a Christian Obedience but the Devil takes a mighty pleasure in putting Persons upon setting the Ordinances of God at variance one against another look also that thy Closet-Devotions do not interfere with the Duties of thy particular Calling God allows time for the Shop as well as for the Closet as thou art to shut thy Closet-doors to pray so to open thy Shop Windows for work and if we be not faithful in the one we cannot expect his Presence in the other Go then Oh Christian into thy Closet before thou goest into thy Shop or else thou art an Atheist but when thou hast been with God there attend with faithfulness the Business of thy Calling or else thou art an Hyyocrite he that says Be fervent in Prayer also says Be not sloathful in Business 4. Take heed that your frequent performance of Secret Duties do not degenerate into a lifeless formality what we do very frequently we are prone to do very carelesly it is exceeding hard not to grow formal in those Duties which we are daily Conversant in Endeavour therefore with your utmost Care and Diligence to keep up the fervour of your Affections in your daily approaches to God and in order thereunto I would advise you to pray often rather than very long for it is difficult to be long in our Prayers and not to slacken our Affections Our Blessed Saviour himself we find praying often yea and using the same Words in Prayer St. Matth. 26.44 5. Rest not upon it as an Infallible Evidence of thy Sincerity thou art found in the practice of Secret Duties 'T is as possible for Hipocrisie to creep into the Closet as for the Frogs to get into Pharaohs Bed-chamber a man may perform Secret-Duties and yet indulge himself in many Secret Sins But if thou delightest in searching Duties as well as Secret in the close Examination of thy Heart in the impartial Trying of thy Ways in serious Meditation of the Threatnings of the Word so as to deterr thee from the Practice of all known Sin this will afford thee a good ground of Hope that thy Heart is upright in Gods sight 6. Let not Business divert thee let not the sense of thy own weakness and want of Abilities discourage thee from the practice of Secret Duties especially from praying daily by thy self alone confess all thy Sins and lay open all thy wants before Almighty God in the best manner thou art able and question not the acceptance of thy worthless Services for the sake of a worthy Mediator and rather than the sense of thine own weakness and want of Expression should tempt thee to neglect this Duty make use of the following Words A Morning Prayer for a Private Person OH Eternal and ever Blessed God! Thou art in thy self Infinitely Glorious in the Son of thy Love transcendently Gracious In all Humility I bow at thy Foot adoring thy Divine Majesty by whose Power I was brought into the World and by whose Providence I have been preserved to this Moment I acknowledge my self to have been estranged from Thee even from the Womb for I brought a sinful Nature into the World with me from whence all actual Transgressions havâ— flown and proceeded as impure Streams from a polluted Fountain Oh Lord humble me and that greatly for my Original Guilt for the Follies of my Childhood for the vanities and impieties of my Youth for the Transgressions and Provocations of my Riper Years give me a particular sight of them work in my Soul an Ingenious and Godly Sorrow for them an impartial hatred and enmity against them Accept of the Death and Sufferings of thy Son as a full satisfaction to thy Justice for all that wrong I have done to the Holiness of thy Law and enable me by Faith to repose the intire Trust and Confidence of my Soul on the sufficiency of his Merits and Oh let thy Holy Spirit
for the time to come so direct sanctifie and govern both my Heart and Life in the Ways of thy Laws and in the Works of thy Commandments that in all my Thoughts Words and Works I may ever seek thy Honour and Glory and may so Order my Conversation aright that at Death I may see the Salvation of God Prepare me for a sick-bed and fit me for a dying hour let not God be a Stranger nor my Conscience a Terrour to me when I come to die but do thou mercifully assist and succour me in my last Moments In the hour of Death and in the Day of Judement Good Lord deliver me and conduct me safely to thine Everlasting Kingdom I Bless thy Name Oh Lord for that good Providence of thine which has brought me to the Light of another day do thou so prevent me with thy Grace so direct and assist me by thy Holy and Good Spirit that I may not run this day into any Sin or Temptation that I may not follow nor be led by any Worldly and Carnal Lusts but be enabled in my place and station to perform my Duty to thy Self and my Neibour with such Care Fidelity and Chearfulness as may be acceptable both to God and Man I humbly commend this Church and Nation to thy merciful Care and Protection Let our Gracious King and Queen live in thy sight and rule in thy fear and let all their Subjects fear God Honour their Majesties and Love one another Assist all thy Ministers in their hard and difficult work and follow their endeavours with thy Blessing particularly his who labours amongst us in the Word and Doctrine Pity all in an afflicted Condition Pardon their Sins and supply their wants Remember all my Relations for good requite the kindness of my Friends pardon and forgive my Enemies and Enable me to forgive them also These Mercies with whatever else thou knowest to be needful for me and all Mankind I humbly beg in the Name and Words of my Blessed Redeemer saying as he has Taught me Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for a Private Person MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord God! the Father of Mercies the Fountain of Goodness and the Author of all Grace I desire again this Evening to bow before thy Mercy-Seat to adore and praise thy Glorious Majesty for thy Gracious Care and Providence over me the day past Pardon unto me most Merciful Father I most humby Beseech whatever I have committed or omitted this day contrary to my Resolutions and Obligations Pity my weaknesses and accept my sincere endeavours to serve and glorifie Thee Wherein I have been wont to slip Lord help me to be more Watchful where I have been careless and negligent let me use greater Diligence and Circumspection help me more sensibly to groan under this Body of Sin which I carry about with me and which so interrupts me in thy Service that when I would do Good evil is present with me And oh that the Sense of that Corruption which I find stirring in my Soul may cause me more earnestly to implore the help of thy Blessed Spirit which alone can enable me to Mortifie all Evil and Corrupt Affections to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Raise up my Heart and my Affections above this World and the things below and place them upon thy Self and the things that are above oh help me to Realize the Things of Eternity and another World to my Mind and to believe them as certainly as if I saw them with my Bodily Eyes Hear Oh Lord and Answer the Supplications and Prayers which have been put up unto Thee by any of thine this day on the behalf of this Church and Nation Oh that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established amongst us for all Generations Secure the Persons of thy Servants King William and Queen Mary from all attempts of Violence and let that hand be for ever withered which shall be once stretched forth to hurt the Lords anointed and let all that are in Authority under them execute Judgment and Justice impartially to the Punishment of Wickedness and Vice and to the maintainance of thy True Religion and Godliness Let all that Minister unto Thee in Holy things endeavour both by the Purity of their Doctrine and the Piety of their Lives to win many to a Love of Holiness and Religion that they may shine as Stars for ever and ever Pity all those that are in a worse Condition than my self supply their wants out of thy abundance and work in me a readiness of Disposition to administer to their necessities according to my Ability Accept my Thankful returns to thy Majesty for all thy Mercies for the Fountain of them all the Holy Jesus for all the invaluable Benefits of his Incarnation Death and Passion Resurrection Ascension and Intercession for the Gift of thy Holy Spirit for the Light of thy Glorious Gospel for all the Comforts and Conveniences of Life afforded to me which many Better than my self are deprived of for thy watchful care and good Hand of Providence over me this day Receive me into thy Protection this Night sanctifie my Rest and keep me from sinning against Thee upon my Bed and let the natural repose of my Body put me in Mind that e're long I must sleep in the Bosom of the Grave and awake no more 'till the Morning of the Resurrection for which solemn hour good Lord prepare and sit me and all Mankind by a renewed frame of Heart and a Religious course of Life for thy Mercies sake in Christ Jesus who has both directed and commanded me when I pray to say Our Father c. A short Hymn for the Evening NOw from the Altar of my Heart Let Incense Flames arise Assist me Lord to offer up My Evening Sacrifice Lord Watch and Ward when I shall sleep I humbly Thee implore Thine Angels let my Guardians be Both now and evermore Into thy hands do I commit My Spirit which is thy due For why Thou hast created it Yea didst Redeem it too Lord if I live let me be thine Thine also if I die Come Life come Death let Heaven be mine Amen Amen say I. CHAP. XI Of Reading the Holy Scriptures THE Holy Bible being a Letter wrote unto us by the Finger of God himself what is our Reading of it and daily Conversing with it but a Communing with the Almighty and making an inquiry after that Revelation of his Will which his Wisdom has been pleased to make unto us How stupendious then is the Folly and Impiety of those who either lay the Bible aside as a neglected Book or else read it carelesly irreverently unattentively without an honest simplicity of Mind to be guided instructed and directed by it To prevent the Sin and danger of both which neglects it will be our Wisdom to resolve with our selves to redeem some time every