AS soon as the Minister begins the publick Worship lay aside all your other Meditations and Prayers and apply your mind to attend diligently and to join devoutly in every part and passage of Divine Service considering it is the great end of your coming to Church and your business there is to serve the Lord with your Christian Brethren in publick 1. Therefore when the Minister exhorts you out of the Word of God to confess and acknowledge your Sins and Wickedness harden not your heart but with all possible humility both of Body and Soul say after the Minister in the Confession of your Sins and endeavour to let your Heart even melt and bleed in the bewailing your Offences and to this and every act of Divine Worship neglect not to say Amen For that is as it were the Seal to confirm to your Soul the benefits thereof The Hebrews have a saying that whosoever says Amen with all his might opens the Doors of Paradise 2. After Confession when the Minister comes to the words of Absolution bow down your Head and say softly in your Heart Lord let this Pardon pronounced by thy Minister be effectual to my Soul and Seal thereunto the Forgiveness of all my Sins 3. The Psalms and Hymns are to be answered Verse by Verse with the Minister that so all may join and bear a part in the Service of God for in his Temple do every Man speak of his Honour and here though you cannot read yet your Heart may join with them that do read and your Mouth also may shew forth the praise of God by saying after every Psalm Glory be to the Father adding always Amen to shew and express how affectionately you desire the Glory of God Be not silent nor ashamed publickly and audibly to make Confession of your holy Christian Faith when you are thereunto called by the Minister for this is a duty you owe both to God and Man It is an act of God's Worship and a Declaration that you hold the same Faith with all true Christians and therefore it is required of you not only with the Heart to believe unto Righteousness but with the mouth also that Confession be made unto Salvation And when the Confession of Faith is publickly pronounced do not sit and loll as if you were not concern'd at it but stand up with the rest of the Congregation to signifie and declare that you will stand to this Faith and earnestly contend for it as being the same which was once given to or by the Saints the holy Apostles I have read that it is a Custom in Poland that the Gentlemen draw their Swords all the while the Creed is a reading intimating thereby that they will defend it with their Lives and Blood Be you Christians as ready to assert and maintain your holy Faith and resolve to attest it with your dearest Blood if there be occasion If any Child be brought to Church to be Baptized sit not still as if not concerned in that Office but let it remind you of your own Vow and put up this short Prayer in behalf of the Infant Grant that all those that are to be admitted to the Fellowship of Christ's Religion and to this Infant more especially may eschew those things that are evil and follow after that which is good When any Woman comes to be Churched reflect on the Mercies that thou receivest from God to make thee thankful and with a low Voice put up this Prayer to God O Lord as thou hast delivered this Woman thy Servant from the pains of a temporal so I beseech thee to deliver both her and all here present from the pangs of an Eternal Death When you see any come to be Catechised make not light of it but after this or the like manner pray O Almighty and Everlasting God! who ever makest thy Church fruitful with a new a numerous Issue increase Faith and Vnderstanding in our newly instructed that they being born again may be joined unto the Sons of thy adoption through our Lord Jesus Christ When you hear the Banes of Matrimony published in the Church fall not into Laughter as the manner of some is for it ill becomes the Sacredness of the place and argues out irreverence to God We should show our selves better Christians by falling down on our Knees and praying at the same time for a Blessing from God on them O let us then reflect on our own Vow and Promise in Marriage how we have performed it and let us make it also an occasion of a fresh Engagement in our selves to keep it most strictly I am not of the opinion of the Papists that Marriage is a Sacrament but I look upon it as a most solemn engagement among Men and Sacred being a Vow made before God and witnessed by many and therefore a subject proper for seriousness and devotion When you sing unto God let your heart make melody Take heed that when your Voice is high your Heart be not dead flat and low 1. When the Word is read and preached mind it and say this is the Word of God 't is his Command and dare I disobey it O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep God's Statutes 2. When you hear the Curses denounced against Sinners tremble if thou beest guilty of any of the Sins 3. When you hear God's Calls and Invitations his rich Promises and Allurements say What shall I refuse them Doth God knock at them and shall not the Everlasting Doors of my Heart fly open that the King of Glory may enter in Lastly While the Minister is pronouncing the Blessing post not away a fault too common every where but hope desire and believe it shall come down upon you Remember the punishment of Judas he stayed not for the Blessing but went away and dispatched himself That you may not forfeit God's Protection and be given over by the Almighty as he was I pray stay till the Blessing be pronounced and after it is ended fall down on your Knees and offer up this short Ejaculation O Sweet Jesu bestow on me this day thy Blessing with this of the Minister preserve me from all Sin and give me perseverance in thy Service that at the last and dreadful day of Judgment I may receive that happy Benediction among thy Elected and Predestinated Children Come ye Blessed Children of my Father and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the World CHAP. IX Of our due behaviour between Morning and Evening Service At your returning home LET your return with your Family home be with the same gravity and care as was thy passage to the Church Let your talk be rather of what you have learnt or heard than of any Worldly matters except necessary occasions enforce the contrary If any of your Neighbours talk Heavenly mind them but if their Discourse savour of the World either reprove or leave them This I mention because I perceive it the custom of
not mine Ears listned unto filthy Communication And my taste delighted it self in Gluttony and Drunkenness 5. Have I been so truly thankful for God's Mercies as I ought to have been 6. Have not I this Week omitted my Prayers Slovered them over or suffered my thoughts to wander in them Lastly Have not I been guilty of some crying Sin that might justly cause God to reject them These Queries proposed and thy Heart O Christian upon Enquiry declaring thee guilty with me say Of these and all my other Sins that I have committed from my youth up unto this present day I most heartily repent me O Lord my God! and I am truly sorry for every thought word and act by which I have provoked thy wrath and indignation against me especially for my disobedience of so holy a Law and extream ingratitude to so bountiful a Lord. O God I do acknowledge my self unworthy the least of thy Mercies and obnoxious to the greatest of thy Judgments but thou hast revealed thy self a God of Pity and Compassion for giving the Iniquities of such as truly repent and acquitting those that voluntarily acquit themselves Wherefore with a penitent and contrite Heart I confess my own guiltiness resolving patiently to bear whatsoever affliction thou laist upon me for my Sins hoping for Pardon through the alone Mercies of our Saviour Christ And now O most gracious and liberal Benefactor with my whole strength and faculties of Soul and Body I praise and magnify thy name for thy great and innumerable benefits proceeding purely from thy bounty and intended wholly for my good Particularly for preserving the this Week in the midst of so many dangers incident to my condition and delivering me from so many Calamities and Miseries due to my Sins Thou art my Creator O my God! and gracious Protector thou art the ultimate end of my being and the supream perfection of my Nature and under the shadow of thy Wings is my perpetual repose from the Light of thy Countenance flows Eternal Joy and Felicity To Thee be Glory and Honour Adoration and Praise from all Creatures now and for evermore Amen And since thou hast ordained us the day to labour in and the night to take our rest as I praise thee for the blessings of the day past so I beseech thee for thy Protection this Night Let the Eye of thy Providence watch over me and thy holy Angels pitch their Tent about me that being safely delivered from all dangers and comfortably refreshed with moderate sleep I may be the better enabled to perform the employment of my condition and faithfully persevere in the duties of thy Service to my Lifes end Amen Beware of sitting up late your self on the Saturday Night or of causing others to do so Lest when you go into the House of God to join with the multitude in Prayer you are fitter to sleep than pray differing little from the dead Bodies asleep in their Graves The one sleeps above the Earth the other underneath it And when you are laid in your Bed let not your mind run on Worldly thoughts but think of the infinite Majesty of God that you are then to meet think of the great weight and importance of the holy Ordinances then vouchsafed you how they concern thy Salvation or Damnation thy Everlasting Life or Death Meditate on the short time thou hast to enjoy the Sabbath in how near thy Life is to an end how easily God can take down this Earthly Tabernacle how there is no working no labour no striving in the other World to which thou art going and continue thus musing till the fire of Meditation begin to burn If thou thus leavest thy Heart with God on Saturday Night no doubt but you will find it with him the next Morning CHAP. II. Of Awaking with God AS soon as sleep hath unseal'd thine Eyes lift up thy Soul in Thanksgiving to thy Maker for preserving thee that night and affording thee a good beginning of a new day especially a Sabbath day to labour for his Glory and the good of thine own Soul And that you may be incited to perform this Act of praise consider these several motives 1. That perhaps many others not so sinful as thy self have been hurried from their Beds to the Bar of Judgment from a Bed of Down they have been cast into a Bed of Flames yet God in his infinite Mercy hath spared you until now to Repent and prepare your Accounts 2. Consider that many others are visited by God Almighty with Sickness so that they cannot serve God in the Publick Assemblies while you enjoy your health and free liberty to go with the multitude into his Courts 3. Consider that you are now brought to the beginning of another day which when past you shall never see again Thou maist possibly see more Sabbath Days but that space of time when the Sun is once set thou shalt never see again any more How careful then should'st thou be to improve this Day so that it may turn to the best account Solomon sends Man to School to the Ant to learn this good Husbandry Prov. 6.6 7 8. Oh that we were as wise for the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven as the poor Pismire for Bread that springs out of the Earth The Sabbath is an Harvest and he that sleeps away his time in Harvest is a Son that causeth shame The Seaman or Mariner observes his Wind and Tide otherwise he cannot get to his intended Harbour but Seasons of Grace are not like the Tides of which if you miss one you may get another How careful then shouldst thou be to improve every Minute Our Saviour Christ said to his Disciples concerning the Loaves and Fishes Gather up the Fragments that nothing be lost The like advice I give you concerning the Lord's Day Gather up the Parcels thereof Let no part of it be lost no not the least Minutes which are pretious to this end Spiritualize all the objects you meet with in the Day as thus When first awake think that God Almighty can as easily awaken you out of your Graves from the sleep of Death as he hath in your Beds from the sleep of Nature Let the rising out of your Beds put you in mind of the Resurrection And when you see the Sun Let your Meditation be That if the rising of one Sun be so glorious how glorious will that day be when so many thousands of Bodies far brighter than the Sun shall appear to accompany Christ at the great Assizes Consider that this great Star must run in one Day ten or twelve Millions of Leagues and shall you make no progress in Virtue Consider that unwearied Harbinger is gone to take you up a Lodging in the Grave each Minute is so much deducted from your Life Follow therefore the Counsel of the Son of God Work while it is Day for the Night cometh when no Man can work Let not then this Light burn in vain but
THE Country-Curate's ADVICE TO HIS Parishioners In Four PARTS I. Directs us how to serve God on the Lord's Day II. On the Week Day III. How to discharge our Duty in our several Relations as Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants IV. How to prepare for Death By H. C. LONDON Printed by T. W. for J. Robinson at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1693. TO THE READER REligion is the grand employment of our Lives the main design and biass of our rational Natures the important work and task that Heaven hath set us and calls for our greatest vigour and vivacity to attend it and though perhaps it may suffer some diminution from the meanness of the Person who treats of it Yet it is not to be denied that its own intrinsick worth and native excellency are sufficient to render it most acceptable to all intelligent Minds and unprejudiced Understandings I pretend not to any high strain of Eloquence or high flown Rhetorications for if I were Master of a very fluent Oratory yet should I at this time wave it and study plainness the Station I am in a Curate the Persons I write unto not Courtiers but Country-men oblige me to it My Office is to present my Reader with a Portraicture of Practical Religion especially as it hath an aspect to the Duties which constitute our Devotion Here it is not proper to be quaint and florid but to make Impression on Mens Hearts and bring the Deity into their Souls This I have attempted to accomplish in the ensuing Sheets though I most frankly acknowledge how feeble and languid my Enterprize hath been Among the plain Directions which I have given towards the Consummating of a Religious Life I have placed those which respect the Lord's Day in the Front of all and with good reason seeing this sacred time is the Queen and Empress of all the Days in the Week and hath a just precedency of them by our Saviour's Institution and the practice of his holy Apostles Religion commenceth here he that begins not with the right Celebration of this Day will be extreamly defective in all the other acts of Devotion and Religion This therefore in the first place I most passionately recommend to all Votaries of Christianity that they would concern themselves in the due Observation of this Divine Time and accordingly I here offer them such Rules as will be a certain conduct to them and fully instruct them how to behave themselves in all the Portions of that Sacred Day If this attempt be favoured and incouraged by the Religious Reader I shall be animated then to aspire to a further degree of consulting his Spiritual advantage by committing to the Press those other Directions which I have prepared for the guidance of pious Minds in the grand business of Religion In the interim I bid such adieu and incessantly implore the Tri-une Deity That these my weak endeavours may prove Auspicious H. C. THE CONTENTS of this BOOK Chap. I. THE Preparation for the Lord's Day upon Saturday Eve Chap. II. Of Awaking with God upon the Sunday Morning Chap. III. Closet-Prayer and the Preparations to it Chap. IV. Of Family-Duty ere we go to God's House Chap. V. Of the great Obligation that lies upon every one of us to worship God in publick Chap. VI. Of going to our Parish-Church Chap. VII The Souls Soliloquy as it walks to God's House and behaviour there Chap. VIII Of our behaviour at Church when the Minister is come unto it Chap. IX Of our due behaviour between Morning and Evening Service Chap. X. Of resorting to the Evening Sacrifice CHAP. I. Of Saturday's Eve Devotion I Shall wave all the Opinions I have read concerning the beginning of the Sabbath because I would not here enter into a Controversy with any Man The Sentiments of Men are various yet how different soever they may be otherwise sure I am all agree in this That a due Preparation the Even before will be a great help to perform the Duties of the Day following The Primitive Christians used to spend the greatest part of Saturday Night in Fasting Watching and Prayer to fit them for the Duty of the subsequent Day from whence I suppose our Church borrows the Custom of reading the Collect for the Sunday upon the Eve foregoing Nay so zealous were they in God's Service that upon the ringing of the Bell to Church the Plowman used to leave the Plow and the Tradesman his Shop to join with the Minister in publick Prayers for a Blessing on the Sabbath Which Devotion of theirs because this our degenerate Age is for the most part strangely averse to and very few if any will have recourse to the House of God there to perform their duty Let them repair to their private Oratory Let them enter into their Closets Let Conscience there call an Audit in their Breasts and both impartially judge the actions of the Week past and how the Case stands at present between God and their Souls Beg O beg of God Dear Christian to give thee a true sight and sense of all thy Sins which thou maist do in this following Prayer O Father of Light and God of Love grant me true Light true Love and true Wisdom that I may clearly discern what doth please or displease thy Divine Majesty most earnestly desiring even from my very Soul to detest the one and embrace the other Illuminate the Eyes of my Vnderstanding that I may truly see my Sins and Imperfections strengthen my Memory that I may duly confess them and rectify my Will that I may resolutely amend them Return O my Soul to thy Self and to thy God Lament Repent Amend The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak therefore turn thou me O Lord and I shall be turned Convert thou me and I shall be converted Further me I humbly beseech thee with thy continual help that in all my Works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorify thy holy Name and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen Questions to be put to our selves every Saturday Night 1. How have I this Week kept my Heart Have I been diligent in putting away evil thoughts of sundry sorts and have I kept my mind exercised with good and holy Meditations Have I thought humbly of my self Charitably of my Neighbour and reverently of my Maker and Redeemer 2. How have I this Week kept the Door of my Lips Have not I uttered many idle vain and unprofitable words Have I spoke of my Neighbour with that Love and Charity as I would have others speak of me Have I had that compassion of others defects as of my own 3. What aim had I in all my actions Have I done them so purely for the Love of God as I ought or had I any Worldly respect in the doing of them 4. How have I kept my Senses this Week Have not mine Eyes gazed upon wanton objects Have
name thereby through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen You may also add this Prayer O Lord Holiness becometh thy House and dutifulness becometh me to go into thy Courts and wait upon thee and this is the great day of thy Service thou that hast given me to see the light of this day make me careful to do the duty of it timely to present my self unto thee and reverently to behave my self before thee that when I go hence I may return with fruit and favour from thee for Jesus Christ's sake Amen When you go to receive the Sacrament use this Prayer O Thou in whose Temple every man speaks of thine honour whose Glory no mortal man can sufficiently express whose Goodness no tongue is able to display whose Holiness transcends all the perfections we see here below overaw my Spirit when I go with the multitude to the House of God with the Voice of Joy and Praise O let me consider that it is the All-seeing God in whose presence I stand and that holy Angels are sent to observe my Devotion Give me sober Thoughts holy Affections devout Postures steadiness of Mind ardent Desires modest Looks and a grave Behaviour especially now I am going to receive the Sacrament Now let all that is within me turn into holy breathings banish from me all undecent thoughts and if thou dost not think fit to free me from temptations before they come give me Grace vigorously to resist them that I may show my Zeal to thy Glory by my abhorrence of all imaginations that exalt themselves against the obedience of Christ Jesus Amen CHAP. IV. Of Family-Duty ere we go to God's House AFter thou hast fitted thy Self for Church thy next care must be carefully and conscientiously to perform Family-Duties Jos 24.15 Let others do what they will I and my House saith he will serve the Lord. In order to the performance of which duty take along with you these following Rules 1. See that your Servants and Children waste not away the Morning in sleep and idleness 2. Cause them to join together in Prayer reading or any other Godly Exercise Gen. 18.19 3. Make them accompany you to Church command their Bodies though you cannot their Souls 4. Inform your selves and them what a great and glorious Majesty and Master you are to serve a God so glorious that the very Angels vail and cover their Faces not being able to behold the brightness of his Glory And if this lowly Reverence be performed by them who are in such nearness to God what posture is low enough for us who in comparison of those Heavenly Spirits are viler than the ground we tread on 5. Make them sensible what poor Worms and wretched Creatures they are Dust and Ashes their Hearts full of Putrefaction and a sink of Sin and therefore ought to come crawling crouching and trembling to the Throne of Grace 6. Examine what Preparation they have made for the Sabbath whether they have not spent more time and care to dress their Body for the Eye of Man than to deck their Soul for the Eye of God Whether they have prayed in private for a blessing on God's Ordinance 7. Inform them seriously of the great work they go about what a weighty work it is how that their Weeks Works are but toys and trifles in comparison of it What are Sheep Oxen or Shops to Grace Christ and Heaven Exhort them all to be careful and serious in God's work in Soul-Salvation-Work and therefore they ought to prepare themselves with all their might Remember the Fourth Commandment binds you to look to all within your care both Man-Servant and Maid-Servant c. Whosoever rides them unnecessary Journeys on that day the groans of the tired Beast will rise up in judgment against them and condemn them for breaking God's Command As Motives hereunto consider 1. That it is God in a Family not Man only that maketh it to prosper so that if thou wouldest have it go well with thy Family then oughtest thou to set up the worship of God in it The Lord blessed the House of Obed-Edom for the Arks sake so God will bless thy House if the Ark that is his worship be there Wouldst thou have thy Family flourish set up the worship of God in it Let no wicked Person remain in thine House He that will not pray and join in the worship of God with thee Let him not eat with thee Make Joshua's resolution As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. 2. Remember you must be accountable to God for those Souls he hath committed to your charge you ought therefore to take care that they be trained up in the fear of the Lord. See that none of your Family be given to any Vice viz. Swearing Drinking Lying or the like Make choice of such Servants as fear God chuse for him somewhat and not altogether for your self Enquire in the first place whether they will submit to his word if not let them not come under thy roof As thou wouldst not have the Devils Company in thine House so do not entertain any of his Friends and Servants but rather let it be an Harbour and Habitation of God's Children for so shalt thou be blessed You know that God blessed Laban for Jacob's sake so may you likewise expect a Blessing if you entertain such in your House A Family-Prayer before we go to Church O Lord encrease our Faith and by thy holy Spirit prepare our hearts to pray as we ought and for Christ's sake accept this Morning Sacrifice of Prayer though weak and imperfect which in his Name and by his Mediation and Intercession we offer up to Thee We humbly and heartily acknowledge thy infinite Wisdom tender Love and Fatherly Goodness towards us thy unworthy Servants most vile and wretched Sinners in that it hath pleased thee not only to give us a liberal allowance of time to do our own Works and follow our own Callings and Recreations for the health of our Bodies and the necessities of this present Life but also to appoint us one day in seven to attend upon thee do thy Work and fit our selves to keep with thee an Everlasting Sabbath in the highest Heavens We know O Lord that we are bound in Conscience to serve and worship thee every day of the Week and every day to set apart some time for Spiritual and Heavenly Exercises yea and when we are in Earthly business to carry Heavenly minds about with us yet it hath pleased thee further to allow us one day in seven to attend wholly upon thee and more throughly to acquaint our selves with thee with thy ways and with our sinful and deceitful hearts to wean them from the Love of this World and set them upon Heavenly Joys And now O Lord as thou hast given us a day to serve thee fit and prepare every Soul to worship thee as we ought To this end give us the assistance of thy holy Spirit that we
may learn to redeem time and number all our days our Sabbaths more especially that so we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom that we may now get wise religious believing and Repenting Hearts O Lord give us Grace to consecrate this day as a day of delight holy and honourable to thee not doing our own Works nor following our own Pleasures nor speaking our own words but exercising our selves in duties of Piety and Mercy publickly and privately in thy House and in our own So that we may make this Season a day not only of reconciliation for the Sins of the Week past but also a day of Preparation and spiritual Provision furnishing our selves for the better performance of the duties of the Week to come And now O Heavenly Father we are going to thy House to partake of thy Ordinances we beseech thee to go with us thither and stand by us there and bring us back again rejoicing when we shall find our Faith encreased our Hope quickned our Zeal kindled our Hearts inflamed with the Love of thee and our Brethren Let us not we beseech thee make thy House which is an House of Prayer and Spiritual Exercises to be a Den of Thieves but let us look to our Feet that so we may be more ready to hear than to offer up the Sacrifice of Fools It is a fearful thing when this word which should he a Savour of Life unto Life does prove a Savour of Death unto Death as it does to many who regard not what they hear Grant therefore O Lord that we may take diligent heed what we hear and how we hear keep us we humbly pray thee that we be not like unto them that be compared unto the high way who do not so much as bend their minds to regard what is taught nor to them who are compared to the stony ground who do it but shallowly and superficially nor to them that be compared to the thorny ground that do choak and smother it with minding their ease pleasure gain and profit over much But give us Grace to be like the good ground who coming to the word with honest and good hearts bring forth good Fruit with Patience and in good Season So that keeping this day as we ought to do we may be translated to keep an Everlasting Sabbath in the highest Heaven Amen CHAP. V. Of the great obligation that lies upon every one of us to worship God in Publick NEglect not publick Ordinances upon pretence of serving God in private that God Almighty gives his Blessing both to private and Family-Duties is most certain but to put God off with these and neglect publick Worship is to rob him of a greater summ and pay him with a less It is worth our Observation that the Sabbath and publick Worship of God are by him joined together therefore let no Man put them asunder Ye shall keep my Sabbath and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord your God They then that despise God's Sanctuary cannot observe God's Sabbath Do but consider David's Tears for the want and his Prayers for the fruition of Publick Ordinances even then when he had opportunity for private Performances and surely then thou wilt esteem the Ministry of the word no mean mercy See his sorrow for the want of them I was driven saith he from the Sanctuary when I did but think of it my Soul was poured out like water for I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God Psal 42.3 My Soul was poured out that is was over-whelm'd with grief and even ready to dye when I compare my present condition with my former happiness in the fruition of religious Assemblies How bitterly and passionately doth he plead with Saul If the Lord hath stirred thee up against me let him accept an Offering but if men Cursed be they before the Lord for they have driven me out this day from the inheritance of the Lord. 1 Sam. 16.19 How pathetically does he bemoan his own Soul Woe is me for I dwell in Meseck and have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar The loss of his Father Mother Wives Children Lands Liberty nay life it self would not have gone so near his Heart as the loss of the publick Ordinances As his sorrow was great for the want so was his Soul most earnest for the fruition of them How many Prayers does he put up for the liberty of the Tabernacle Psal 43.3 4. and Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will seek after viz. That I might dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and visit his holy Temple And Verse 8. When thou saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek David at this time was banished the Temple and he among other reasons useth this argument to restore him to his happiness as if he had said O God thou hast commanded me to worship thee in the Temple To appear before thee is my delight my heart desires to seek and see thy face there Thus he prays to God for the performance on his side that he might be enabled to obey God's Precept Peter and John went up to the Temple at the hour of Prayer Acts 3.1 and St. Paul reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath day Acts 13.14 those that by their practices contemn publick worship have neither Christ nor the Apostles for their Pattern One of the Jewish Rabbies hath a saying he that dwells in a City where there is a Synagogue and cometh not to Prayers merito dicitur vicinus malus if thou forsakest the Assembly of God how useful thou maist be to others Bodies I know not but I am sure thou art neither to thine own Soul or theirs in neglecting God's service Consider the condition of Primitive Christians who were forced to serve the Lord with fear and attend his Ordinances with trembling who built Churches under ground rather than they would want the opportunity of serving God in Publick Consider also how David bemoan'd himself counting Swallows and Sparrows in this much better than he because they could build their Nests in the Temple while he was banished from it Psa 84.1 2 3. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Yea the Sparrow hath found an House and the Swallow a Nest for her self where she may lay her young even thine Altars O Lord of Hosts my King and my God Did David being abridged thereof thus bemoan himself Surely then we should count it a great Mercy that we have Publick Churches and Oratories to go unto without any lett or molestation that we have no Tyrants no Foreign Enemies no Rods no Axes no noise of War to affright us from God's publick Ordinances what cause of rejoicing is here But yet if this liberty of ours make us wanton and the plenty God gives us tempts us to
of this Soliloquy O my Soul Let Vzza's Death make thee careful how thou enters irreverently into God's House If we be so careful to come with clean Apparel before an Earthly Prince much more should we with clean Hearts and Souls approach our Heavenly King A Prince may not regard how his Servants go in his Kitchen but when they come into his Presence-Chamber he expects they should look to their Carriage and Words God indeed O my Soul expects more honour in our religious acts than in the ordinary actions of our Lives for in the first we directly design his honour and service and if we do not perform them seriously the greater is our Sin Think then O my Soul how choice God was in the Law about all things relating to his Worship the Tabernacle and Temple must be of the best Wood the purest Gold and the finest Linnen The Persons must be without blemish Lev. 2.17 the Sacrifice must be perfect without spot the best of the Flock the best of the Beasts the fat that covereth the inwards And what O my Soul dost thou think was the substance of these shadows but this that God will be served by holy Men in the purest and holiest manner and that we must be exact both as to our Persons and Performances Great Persons are impatient of contempt and affronts especially when offered to them in their own Houses God will sooner overlook thy forgetfulness of him in thy Trade or Travels than in the Tabernacle When thou drawest nigh to him he will be Sanctified either by thee or upon thee if thou refusest to give him glory in thy Service believe me he will get himself Glory by thy Sufferings His worship is his Presence his Face and look for his Fury if thou darest him to his Face The Waters of the Sanctuary are like the Waters given to a suspected Wife if Innocent they witness her Honesty and made her Fruitful though Barren before But if guilty they caused the Belly to swell and the thighs to rot If thou makest Godliness thy business in the Ordinances of God it will make thee fruitful if barren of good Works but if thou beest formal and perfunctory and goest thy round in religious Duties never minding the true end of them nor thy Carriage in them thy Prayer will be an abomination the word a savour of Death unto Death and the Sacrament a Seal of thy Damnation When thou comest at the Church-Door say Surely the Lord is in this place how dreadful is this place It is no other but the House of God the Gate of Heaven When you enter into the Church O my Soul where ever thou art thou art under God's Eye and therefore shouldest thou be no where prophane but now thou art in his Church thou art in his immediate Presence How holy oughtest thou to be How devout thy Behaviour We read Exod. 25.37 Moses was commanded to light up seven Lamps in his Tabernacle the place of his publick worship and why seven Lamps What was the substance of these shadows in short this that nothing shall escape his notice He seeth what uprightness and seriousness there is in thy Prayers and performances whether thou art Praying Reading Hearing or Singing and after what manner thou dost them whether slothfully or diligently His Eye is always upon thee and his Eye-lids try thy actions to reward or punish them When you view the Baptisterion or Font. Give hearty thanks unto God for your Christendom that by Holy-Baptism he hath called you to a state of Grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ and humbly beseech him that you may continue in the same to your Lives end For if you Apostatize you are guilty of an horrid Sin and must answer for it at the great and terrible day of Judgment It was a custom in the primitive times that such as were Baptized did wear a white Stole a Ceremony to signify the purity of Life the Baptized was to lead Eliodophorus after his Baptism turning a Persecutor of the Church Marilla the Minister that Baptized him in an holy indignation brought forth in publick the white Stole saying This do I keep against thy coming to Judgment to testify thy Apostasy from Christ So be thou assured O Christian that the Water with which the Minister by whom the people before whom thou wert Baptized shall rise up against thee in Judgment if thou dost not walk in newness of Life When you behold the Eleemosynary or Poor's Box. How much am I bound to the good Providence of my Heavenly Father who hath raised my condition in this World to be in the number of those that abound not of them that want since 't is more blessed to give than to receive When you view the Communion-Table say What shall I render unto the Lord for all the benefits I have received at his hands I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. When you view the Pulpit Remember how many good Lessons you have received thence the which not being carefully practised will rise up in judgment against you in the great Day of your Tryal resolve therefore for the future to be a doer of the word not hearer only deceiving your own Soul When you view the Church-Bible upon the Desk Remember that this is the Book of Life the sacred Code the Divine Volume the infallible Oracle of Heaven and that you are obliged to consult it with all manner of Devotion and to inform your selves thence what is the will and pleasure of the great Ruler of the World When you have meditated a while on these objects fall down on your Knees in your Pew and offer up this or such like Prayers O Lord my God! There is no mortal Man worthy to stand at thy Door much less to appear in thy Presence yet how oft have I presumed to approach to thee without that preparedness of heart without that dejection of Soul without that true and holy reverence which becometh thy Child Pardon O Lord I beseech thee pardon my irreverence in so sacred a place and distractions in my Prayers and give me grace to demean my self so reverently and zealously now I am in thy House and Service that my Prayers may come up before thee as incense and the lifting up my hands as a Morning Sacrifice Grant this for Jesus Christ's sake Amen Or OPen my Mouth my Lord and Maker to bless and praise thy Divine Majesty Cleanse my heart from all curious noxious and destructive thoughts enlighten my understanding to know thee my will to obey thee settle my attention excite my Devotion to praise thee That I may worthily reverently religiously perform this Morning-Sacrifice of Prayer through the virtue of those most pure and perfect Praises which thou O Jesu my Redeemer offeredst up on Earth to thy Eternal Father Mine may be now acceptable in thy sight Amen CHAP. VIII Of our behaviour at Church when the Minister is come unto it
many as soon as the Word is out of the Minister's Mouth to have the World in theirs The main Questions as soon as gone out of the Church are usually these What News do you hear How does Corn sell What a Crop have you upon the ground Such a Person has he not the best Corn in the Parish Poor barren Souls empty of Grace surely or your Discourses would be more savoury more seasonable more Heavenly Have you no better things to employ your Heads and Tongues about Ask rather what good Word you have heard to day How are we to provide for Eternity How strait is the Gate and narrow the Path that leadeth unto Life and how few there be that find it And alas how miserable shall I be if I miss thereof The Devil is always upon his Watch ever busy and labours continually to furnish Peoples Hearts with frothy and vain Discourse by that means to hinder the efficacy of the word and the good of many a poor Soul But alas The fourth Commandment tyes up the tongue as well as the hands Isai 51.13 not speaking thy own words The tongue is there commanded to rest from talking of Worldly matters as well as the hand from servile and Worldly Works How blame-worthy then are they who make the Lord's Day a Day of reckoning with Workmen and Servants a Day of idle talk about their Pleasures Profits or other matters As soon as you are come home before you refresh your Body enter into your Closet offer up this or such like Prayer I Do humbly and heartily thank thee O Lord Heavenly Father for that wholesome Doctrine and comfortable Instruction which this Morning I have heard out of thy holy word by the mouth of thy faithful Servant and I do heartily beseech thee that passing by my Sins and Infirmities of hearing thou wouldst so imprint the same in my memory and bless it unto me that I may believe it with my heart and practise it in my Life and Conversation Good Lord Let not the sweetness and savouriness of any bodily food which I am to receive of thy bounty put the relish and remembrance of thy Heavenly word out of my mind but grant that in feeding my Body I may feed my Soul by holy Meditation of the things I have heard and together with my bodily sustenance may call to mind the food that never perisheth And as it is thy will that I should use thy good Creatures with Wisdom and Sobriety every day So give me Grace this day especially to do so that they may not make me the more unfit to partake of the spiritual food thou hast prepared for me to the glory of thy name and the good of thy Saints and my own eternal welfare and Salvation through Jesus Christ my only Redeemer and Advocate Having finished your Prayer in the Closet depart to your Company and the necessary refreshment of your Body which this Day was not appointed to abridge you off While you are at Dinner appear chearful eating your meal in singleness of heart rejoice before God but let not your joy be by any means wanton idle vain intemperate At Dinner observe these few Rules 1. Beware of making the Lord's Day a time of Feasting your Neighbours For though it be lawful upon this day to make such Provision as shall be convenient for your own Family and for the relief of the Poor yet to make solemn Feasts upon it as is the custom of too too many whereby Servants are kept from publick Ordinances and our selves and Guests are more indisposed to the Duties of God's worship and service must needs be unlawful for though we be not forbidden upon the Lord's Day to kindle a fire for the dressing of meat yet we must take heed that we make not such a flame as shall kindle the fire of God's wrath against us 2. When you are set down to Dinner having begged God's Blessing on the food eat no more than will fit and enable you comfortably and lively to serve God If temperance be required in our Meals on the Week Day as Luke 21.34 much more on the Lord's Day Many fill their Bellies so full on this day that they are fit only to lay their drowsie heads on the Devil's Pillow of sloth and not at all in a capacity of repairing again to a spiritual repast in the House of God and to partake of his Heavenly Viands 3. Talk of God's Word sitting down and rising up Let your Hearts be heavenly and your Discourse savoury seasoned with Grace a Table without some good Discourse differs but little from a Manger One of the Fathers wrote this of the Primitive Christians that they were so holy in their Talk at the Table that one would have thought they had been at a Sermon rather than at a Supper And Luther has a large Book in Folio of the pious Expressions he used at his Table that indeed was his Pulpit where he read many profitable Lectures When therefore thou art at a full Table consider God's Mercy in feeding thee while there are so many Lazarus's that would be glad of the Crumbs that fall from the rich Man's table When thou eatest thy Bread with a good Appetite say thus to thy self If the bread be thus savory to an hungry Body how sweet how savory is that which comes down from Heaven to an hungry Soul and then pray O God give me evermore of this bread 4. Forget not God's Servants but invite the Poor to Dinner with thee that day The poor ye have always with you saith Christ and why have we this Memento think you But we should exert our Charity according to their Indigence and Necessity If we belong to Christ we are to relieve the oppressed clothe the naked and feed the hungry himself will do it though he works a Miracle for it Flesh and blood is not prone hereunto and therefore such munificence must needs argue a better and higher Principle than ordinary For as when we see the bank of a River and the ground next to it wet alone we gather that the River hath overflown there but when we see the furthest and remotest ground wet also then we know that the Rain hath done that so when we see a Man doing good to his rich Neighbors and Friends we think this proceeds but from good Nature in him but when we see him doing good also to strangers and unknown persons when feeding the poor and needy ones then we may well believe there is more than good Nature in that Man it is more than probable the Gift of Grace is there After you have eaten and drank I have now allayed the importunate craving of mine Appetite and my body is satisfied with material Food but nothing can satisfie my Soul but to behold the presence of God in Righteousness Therefore Dinner being over either respect the Word heard that day and read the Scripture or some other good Book and call your own Heart
â—e than on the God above me have not I â—een intemperate at my Meals and eat and â—rank more than nature required have I afâ—â—r Dinner set my Servants to read and did I pray for them and with them Have not â— this day been guilty of some crying Sin foâ— which God might justly punish me as he diâ— the Fool in the Gospel with Death c. If upon enquiry you find you have madâ— any progress in Vertue got ground of Satan and mastered your Corruptions give Goâ— the Glory by whose Grace you overcamâ— them and return him thanks in this following Prayer PRaise the Lord O my Soul yea let all thâ—â— is within me praiseâ— his holy name praise be the Lord from the rising up of the Sun unto thâ— going down of the same thou art my God anâ— I will praise thee thou art my God and I wiâ—â— bless thee who hast preserved me this day from falling into Sin and hast kept me from tâ—â— power of the evil one for my Soul is this dâ—â— escaped as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowleâ— the Snare is broken and I am delivered my heâ— standeth in the name of the Lord who hath maâ—â— Heaven and Earth But if upon enquiry you find that yoâ— have been guilty of many Frailties and Imperfections if you have not been so devout 〈◊〉 you ought to have been in your Prayers aâ—fect your Soul with the sense of your Sin iâ— this following Prayer AH frail weak and wicked Wretch art thou not ashamed to remain still in thy wonted negligences and tepidities to sing the same sinful Song after so many Vows Promises and purposes of better Obedience wallowest thou still in the same mire and lyest thou still snorting in the same Bed of Sensuality O horrid ingratitude if thou wert now summoned to give up thy just accounts what couldst thou answer for so much time mis-spent so many inspirations neglected and so many Graces abused thou approachest nearer Death and Eternity but recoilest backward in religious Piety and Perfection wilt thou still lye sleeping in this dangerous Lethargy is this the grateful and dutiful Service thou renderest thy Creator for having afforded thee all convenient means to repent for having so patiently expected thy Conversion and amendment Alas my Confounded Soul what will become of thee what course wilt thou steer and when and how wilt thou begin Ah sinful Wretch prodigal Child disloyal Friend sue to thy Physician return to thy Father repent thee of thy Disloyalty request Pardon Grace and Love resolve to repent for what is past and amend for the time to come and from this moment consecrate the remainder of thy Life to his Service And now O my Lord as thou hast given me Grace to frame this Resolution so give me strength and courage to put it in execution But if upon Inquiry you find you have greatly broken the Sabbath-day neglected his publick Worship relapsed into some crying Sin which without God's great Mercy will bring upon you speedy Death and Damnation affect your Soul with this Prayer O My good God Father of all Comfort and Compassion Creatour of Heaven and Earth and Redeemer of my poor Soul behold here a poor Worm prostrate at the feet of thy Divine Majesty humbly craving pardon for all the Iniquities and Impurities that I have committed against thy Divine Majesty from my Youth up until now especially those that I have this day committed against thee such a Sin especially most justly provoking thy wrathful Indignation against me the remembrance of them breeds an extreme Shame Fear and Sorrow in my now sensible penitent Soul Shame for having left an infinite Good to embrace an empty fading nothing Fear for having forsaken the Light of Heaven and the Life of Aeternity to remain in aeternal Death and Darkness Sorrow for having offended thee my God whâ— art so loving and liberal unto me Oh that my Heart could rend asunder with true Contrition and Compunction and my Eyes dissolve into a flood of Tears for having been disloyal to so faithful a Friend and disobedient to so free-hearted a Father Mercy dear Father to thy prodigal Child Mercy dear Lord to thy sinful Servant Pardon my past Faults pity my present Follies protect my future Frailties that with a clean quiet contented Soul I may strive to please and praise thee all my Life long hereafter and in the end die happily in thy Favour and Friendship O my Crucified Jesu my only Hope and Refuge bathe me in thy Blood beautifie me with thy Merits bless me with thy Grace by the Tears that issued out of thy Eyes by the Prayers that came from thy Mouth by the Blood that gushed from thy Wounds and Heart by all the Pains of thy Body and Pangs of thy Soul by all the Mercies of thy Divinity and Merits of thy Humanity by all that is dear and near unto thee in Heaven and Earth Cleanse quiet clothe comfort content my sick sinful weak and wretched Soul O thou Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World take away the world of sins that is in me O thou that wert my Saviour upon Earth be thou my Advocate in Heaven pleading and interceding that none of these Evils my sins have deserved may fall upon my head Forget and forgive all the Crimes Ingratitudes and Impurities of my Life past and in particular whatsoever through my carelessness have escaped my memory and whatsoever my dreadful Judge may in the rigour of his Justice lay to my charge that at the end of my days I may receive the end of my hopes the Salvation of my precious and immortal Soul Grant this O Lord for Jesu Christ his sake Amen Then fail not to add to this this usual Prayer for the Evening Before thou goest to bed be sure to offer unto God thine Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving This was shadowed out unto us under the Law where the Lord required his Evening Sacrifice as well as the Morning therefore much more doth he require it of us under the Gospel And truly if thou liest down in thy sins unrepented of thou mightest haply awaken with Hell-flames about thy Ears Thou mayst better and safelier sleep with a Serpent in thy Bosom than with a Sin upon thy Soul the one can only punish thee temporally the other torments thee aeternally Before ever then thou suffer the Temples of thy head to take any rest beg O Christian Brother not only Pardon of thy Sins but his Protection from all Dangers which you may do in this following Prayer ALmighty and Everlasting God I yield thee most humble and hearty thanks for that thou hast vouchsafed me of thy great Mercy and Goodness to preserve me this day from all evil and I also beseech thee for thy bitter Death and Passion most mercifully to forgive me a wretched Sinner all my Offences which I have this day committed by thought word or deed and hereafter to preserve and