an especiall Gold-link of Love to bind love fast between husband and wife The fourteenth Gold-link of Love followeth The fourteenth Direction or Gold link of Love There ought to be a mutual care of and for Education of their Children which God hath graciously given unto them as Jacob spake to his Brother Esau Gen. 33.5 That they be taught and instructed both in civil and spiritual Respects both in divine and humane Learning according to the Honour and Dignity of their Places and Calling It is King Solomon's Counsel Prov. 22.6 Teach a Child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it when he is old Especially that they be seasoned with the Catechism and first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5.12 and the Knowledge of God's will in the Sacred Scriptures as blessed Timothy was for which St. Paul giveth that excellent Testimony you may read 2 Tim. 3.15 That from a Child he had known the holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus This is life eternal to know God the onely true God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ John 17.3 For this care of instructing Children and Family the Lord himself commended faithful Abraham and maketh him of his secret Counsel Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do And he giveth this for one Reason For I know him saith the Lord that he will Command his Children and his Houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him and his Posterity Gen. 18.19 Again this was God's Command to his People Israel That they should teach their Children diligently the Law and Word of the Lord and thou shalt talk of them when thou art in thy House and when thou walkest by the way and when thou risest up as it is recorded Deut. 6.6 7. and this no doubt with holy reverence and devotion as desirous to reveal God's mind to their Children and Family And Children are commanded to hearken to their Parents instruction Prov. 1.8 My Son hear the Instruction of thy Father and forget not the Law of thy Mother And again Prov. 31.1 you may find the words of King Lemuel the Prophecy which his Mother taught him To conclude the Apostle St. Paul Ephes 6.1 2 3 4. presseth the duty both of Children and Parents First Children obey your Parents in all things as it is fit in the Lord and honour thy Father and Mother which is the first Commandement with promise That it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long in the Land And Fathers provoke not your Children to wrath that they be not discouraged but bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord. Thus Children well instructed in the knowledge of God's mind may be a joy to Parents and Parents enjoy their Children as blessings from the Lord and behold them as Olive branches round about their Table to God's Glory Psal 128. and as the Pledges of their mutual Love to each other And this is an excellent Gold-link of Love to preserve and keep mutual Conjugal Love between Husband and Wife The fifteenth Direction The fifteenth Direction or Gold-link of Love or Gold-link of Love is That the Husband and Wife according to their duty do live together and not seperate the one from the other except with consent for a time upon most necessary occasions or that they may give themselves to Fasting and Prayer and come together again that Satan tempt them not as St. Paul directeth 1 Cor. 7.5 That so living lovingly together as heirs of the Grace of life they may be mutual Helpers to each other in these Conjugal Duties This Rule St. Peter giveth 1 Pet. 3.7 Husbands dwell with your Wives as men of Knowledge And St. Paul 1 Cor. 7.13 If a woman that believeth hath a husband that believeth not or is not a Christian yet if he please to dwell with her let her not leave him but continue that she may be a help to him for his Soul as well as for his Body and Estate When God did make the woman The Lord God said It is not good for man to be alone I will make him a help meet for him Gen. 2 18. And a good wife will be a Helper for good not a hinderance to her husband God did make the woman to be a second-self Mr. Ainsworth in Gen. 2. like him in nature knit to him in Love needful for Children helpful in all Duties present always with him and so very meer and profitable as a joyful Companion in all estates in adversity as well as in Prosperity in Sickness as well as in Health in Poverty as well as in a rich Estate This requireth cohabitation That the wife leave not the husband nor the husband forsake the wife Because this unjust and unchristian forsaking of husband or wife for light differences for any thing less then that which is a sufficient ground for a lawful Divorce by the Law of God This giveth occasion of sin abateth love and cannot expect a blessing from God yea this too often doth break off Love betwixt Husband and Wife when cohabitation doth preserve Conjugal Love and will do if they live in the fear of God and follow his Directions to the end The sixteenth Direction The sixteenth Direction or or Gold-link of Love or Gold-link of Love to bind love fast and prevent sinful Breaches betwixt husband and wife is for both to learn that first lesson of a Christian which our Saviour taught his Disciples Math. 16.24 They must sometimes deny themselves that is their own wills and desires passions and affections bridle rash anger and over-rule their passions yea their right sometimes for quietness sake they must not be both self-willed nor both angry at once or at the same time King Solomon witnesseth That he that is stow to Anger is better then the Mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit then he that taketh a City Prov. 16.32 And a soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger Prov. 15.1 And again that wise man Prov. 19. Prov. 19.9 19. It is better to dwell in a Corner of the house top then with a Brawling woman in a wide House And again verse 19. It is better to dwell in the Wilderness then with a contentious and angry woman And that Kingly Preacher again Eccles 7.9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of Fools Simile It was a witty conceit of the Father who gave two Caps to his new married Son and Daughter made fit for Solomons angry Fools with this Contract that they should never put them on both at once But if the husband had put on his Cap the wife should let hers lie still not take it by any means and the same direction to
27. And how odious such Marriages are to God you may find declared by the Prophet Mal. 2.11 12. And yet how many such are in the World Families where scarce a form of Religion is to be found Strangers from prayers to God nor Morning nor Evening Prayer to be heard although God reneweth his Mercies every Morning Lamen 3.22 23. and continueth his goodness to the Night Though he declare his most gracious Prefence with us Exod. 13.21 as it were by a Pillar of a Cloud by Day and a Pillar of Fire by Night although God hath been a Defence to their Tabernacles and they have dwelt safely by his goodness yet how many are there who little or nothing take notice of these daily Mercies or observe Gods goodnesse to glorifie him How far unlike are these in this to blessed Daniel Daniel 6.10 or religious King David Psal Psal 55.17 55. who kept acquaintance with God three times a day At morning and evening and noon day will I pray and that instantly and he shall hear my voice c. And therefore they are strangers from God when they should stand in need of his help and want that good which they might enjoy by keeping acquaintance with God of which Eliphaz doth witness Job 22.21 That gracious practice of secret Prayer which our Saviour directs unto Mat. 6.6 Thou when thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut to thy door and pray to thy Father in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly How many spend so much time openly in vain that they have no leisure for secret Devotions to read and meditate of heavenly things which pertain to eternity or to poure out their Souls as Hannah did to God in Prayer 1 Sam. 1.15 Alas if sins of omission were the only irreligiousness or prophaneness in some Families it were lesse although for these men shall be called to an account at the Day of the last Judgment witness what our Blessed Lord and Saviour declareth Mat. 25.41 42. But their sins of Commission common breach of Gods Commandements witness little fear of God to be before their eyes What common swearing and taking of Gods name in vain forgetting that God threatens he will not hold such guitlesse that take his Name in vain Exod. 20.7 or did men remember that of the Lord by the Prophet Jer. 5.7 How shall I Pardon thee for this thy Children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no Gods Men yea Children would not swear so commonly by those things which they themselves will confesse are no Gods How difficult a thing is it to hire a Servant from amongst the common sort of People Read Rom. 12.14 Psal 109.17 18. And Mat. 5.34 35 36 37. James 5.12 but they are Swearers or Cursers or both and so Gods Name is dishonoured Children learn of Parents to be irreligious and this too often amongst the Rich as well as Poor I say but little of that common sin too often in greater Families inticing men to Drunkenness by that specious pretence of pledging Healths of Friends pressing men in Drink Read Hab 2 2.15 16. A dreadful Woe to such contrary to that Law and Practice of that Moral Prince King Ahasuerus that none should compel to Drink Hester 2.8 But every one be free to drink what he pleased a shame to men that professe themselves Christians I know in divers great Families there is civility if not a religious respect to avoid these sins But when these abound and men or women rashly unite themselves in Marriage what hope of constant happy Love to continue between Husband and Wife during life I proceed to a second Gold-link of Love between Husband and Wife The second Gold-link of Love that in choice of a Wife or Husband as respect is to be had for likenesse and agreement in Religion so likewise to equality or likeness of qualities and conditions as near as possible For as St. Paul adviseth not to be unequally yoaked with Unbelievers so he presseth his Counsel with a good Argument What fellowship saith he hath righteousness with unrighteousness and what Communion hath Light with Darkness 2 Cor. 6.14 So even right reason will instruct us and daily experience witness that contrary Dispositions of nature or too great inequalities seldom live comfortably together as Fire and Water will not agree the one exsiccateth or quencheth the other But like rejoyceth and delighteth with the like Observe this Rule then for this is a second Direction or Gold-link of Love to preserve Love between Husband and Wife A third Direction A third Direction or Gold-link of Love or Gold-link of Love followeth And this is That some fit respect be had to the age of the Parties to be married for a young man of twenty to marry an old woman man of above three-score or for an old man of fourscore to marry a young woman under twenty is not agreeable because one chief end of Marriage is in danger to be frustrate Gen. 1.27 28. which is Posterity to be brought up in the fear and admonition of the Lord as Sr. Paul intimateth Ephes 6.4 Although it is more fit for a very old man to marry a young woman in hope of Posterity then for a very old woman past child-bearing to marry a young man Equality and conveniency do best agree together for the preservation of Conjugal Love between Husband and Wife and this is a third Gold-Link in this Gold Chain of Direction to keep and bind Love fast between Husband and Wife during their Lives The fourth Direction A fourth Direction or Gold-link of love or Gold-Link of Love in a marriage Union there ought to be likenesse and agreement of affection a mutual love and likeing of each others persons and qualities and a knitting and uniting of Hearts together in a right ordered and well grounded Love before the joyning of Hands on the Wedding-Day For where there is an Antipathy or contrariety of Natures or dislike of Persons or Conditions there seldome is a continuance of sweet agreement and satisfaction one to and with another and so Marriage proveth a Bondage instead of a sweet freedom in a happy enjoyment of each other in the Lord as St. Paul desired to enjoy and have joy of Philemon in the Lord St. Paul his Epistle to Philemon verse 20. in whom what we enjoy is a blessing by Christ whereas if the Hearts be truly knit together and united in Love as the heart of Jonathan to David 1 Sam. 18.1 who loved him as his own Soul the Love will be wonderful as was Jonathans to David passing the love of Women 2 Sam. 1.26 Although the love of good women to their Husbands hath been wonderful as Records of ancient Histories do witnesse at full I mean not a light unconstant passionate Love taken upon sight of Beauty or Riches or some such uncertain foundation which is deceitful
O Lord Zach. 12.10 prepare our hearts to Prayer and so assist us with thy holy Spirit of Prayer and Supplication Rom. 8.26 27. that our Prayers may be acceptable Rev. 8.3 4. and we may receive a gracious Answer in and for the sweet Incense and Merits of the Lord Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen O eternal Deut. 32.27 most gratious merciful everlasting everliving Exod. 34.6 7. Jer. 10.11 1 Tim. 1.17 Isaiah 46.9 10. Rom. 8.28 Rom. 11.33 34 35 36. and only wise God who orderest all things according to the Counsel of thy own most just and holy Will and disposest of all for thy own eternal Glory and the eternal good of thy Church and Children in Christ Jesus of whom may we seek for Protection and safety of Soul or Body or any other blessing but of thee our God and heavenly Father in our Saviour Christ from whom cometh every good and perfect Gift James 1.17 with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning The last night we durst not lay down our eyes to sleep Psal 132.4 nor suffer the temples of our head to take any rest until we had begged thy gratious Providence for preservation of us and ours in particular and of thy whole Church in general And thou O blessed God who art the hearer of Prayer hast in thine abundant goodness heard our Prayer Psal 65.2 Psal 66.18 19 20. and brought us to the light of this day blessed be thy great and glorious Name thou mightest O Lord in thy Justice have consumed us by Fire to ashes Exod. 12.29 30. and made our Beds our Graves One or more of us might have been stricken with some terrible tormenting Sickness we might have been found dead in our Beds as many have been many other miseries might have befallen us But in thy great mercy thou hast spared us Lam. 3.22 23. and renewed thy mercies to us this Morning What shall we render to thy heavenly Majesty for thy Favours And now we dare not adventure into the World without intreating thy Protection and Blessing in and upon our just and lawful Endeavours We confess O Lord we are not worthy the least of all thy mercies Genesis 32.10 and thy loving-kindnesses which from time to time thou hast shewed to thy Servants We acknowledge we have not been sensible of that original corruption of our depraved Natures Eph. 2.1 2 3. and our proneness to Sin drawn from our first Parents corrupted by their lamentable Fall Genesis 3.6 7. Genesis 6.5 nor have we humbled our selves in sence of this our misery as we should have done we have not kept our Hearts with all diligence out of which are the issues of death Prov. 4.23 But our Hearts have followed our Eyes beholding Vanity Jer. 4.14 Psal 141.3 and vain thoughts have too long lodged within us We have not set a watch O Lord before our Lips and kept the doors of our Mouths but many idle unprofitable sinful words for which we must answer at the Day of Judgment have been uttered by us to thy dishonour Mat. 12.36 and evil example of others yea Eph. 4.4 29 30. too many times corrupt Communications to the grief of thy holy Spirit Psal 39.1 Psal 119.67 We have not taken heed to our Feet to walk in the right wayes of thee O Lord but gone aside from the Pathes of thy Commandements and so have been guilty of many actual transgressions both in thought word and deed breaking thy most righteous Lawes We have failed in the Duties of our several particular Relations as Husband to Wife and Wife to Husband Parents to Children and Children to Parents Masters or Dames to Servants and Servants to them not performing our Duties in the fear of God as we ought to have done We have not walked as becometh Christians towards others nor done as we would they should do to us according to that Golden Rule of our blessed Saviour Mat. 7.12 Phil. 1.27 So that by our good Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ others might have been stirred up to glorifie thee our heavenly Father Mat. 5.16 So that if thou shouldest enter into judgment with us O Lord Psal 143.2 how can we be justified by any our own righteousness in thy presence Phil. 3.9 10. O then behold us we humbly beseech thee in the face of thy Son Jesus Christ as washed clean by his Blood and accepted by his Merits Mat 3.17 He it is in whom thou art well pleased Acts 5.31 and him thou hast exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and remission of Sins Psal 19.12 Oh give us true Repentance for all the Errours of our Lives past for Christ's sake and grant that being delivered out of the hands of all our Enemies Luke 1.74 75. we may serve thee without fear of them in righteousness and true holiness all the days of our lives Bless with us we pray thee all our Friends Psal 35.11 12 13 14. Mat. 5.11 and change the Hearts of our Enemies make them our Friends if it be thy will be gracious to our Children and Servants make our Children thy Children our Servants thy Servants Isa 41.8 and our Friends thy Friends Lev. 19.17 Let us reprove we pray thee and not give evil example Eph. 5.11 nor suffer our Children or Servants to be prophane Swearers or Cursers Lyars Drunkards or unjust Joh. 13.15 Psal 101.6 7. But grant that we may be good examples and that they may be faithful in the Land such as thy servant David would have make them religious like faithful Abraham's servant praying when they are sent about our occasions Lord send me good speed this day Genesis 24.12 that we and they may be blessed Bless with us thy universal Church scattered thorough out the whole World Be gracious we pray thee to the Nations of England Scotland and Ireland poure down thy blessings upon the Kings most excellent Majesty with his Royal Consort the Queen and all the Royal Family preserve Him and Them from all His 1 Tim. 2.1 2. Their and our Enemies Bless all the honourable Nobility the Reverend faithful Ministers of the Gospel in their several places with all the Magistrates Gentry and Commons of the Land and inable us thy humble servants rightly and justly to do our Duty to all our Superiours 1 Pet. 2.17 Inferiours and Equals and to this end increase we most humble intreat thy Majesty all necessary Graces in all our souls Give us we beseech thee a daily supply and increase of Divine Knowledge and heavenly Wisdome Lord increase our Faith Luk. 17.5 and give us such a Faith as purifieth the Heart Acts 15.9 and worketh by Loves Give us true Conversion from all our sins Gal. 5.6 2 Cor. 7.10 and Repentance to Salvation not to be