and so is the time the day Thou hast Gods hand and seal to the duties he commands thee to pray hear sing meditate receive the Sacrament and thou hast also Gods hand and seal to the day Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Revel 1.10 It is considerable that in the fourth Command God doth not say Remember the seventh day to keep it holy but Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy this Zanchy takes great notice of further the seventh or a seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God so then the morality of that Command is one day of even The Jews seventh day was buried in Christs grave though its shadow walked a little while after Take heed how thou observest this day Gods eye is very much upon thy behavior in his house therefore in the Tabernacle the place of publike worship it was commanded Ne putes te in domo Dei male posse conversari occultari Oleaster Exod. 25.37 Thou shalt make seven lamps and they shall light the lamps that they may give light to teach us that nothing there escapes his sight for in his house there is always light His eye beholds all thy commission of evil and all thine omission of good there In his Sanctuary thou canst not sin in secret there are seven Lamps to discover thy miscarriages in the Lords house and therefore it behoves thee to be very pious in that place Afterwards when the Temple was built and became heir to the Tabernacle as that succeeded this in the Celebration of Gods Worship so also in Gods observation of all the works done there Mine eye saith God shall be there perpetually 1 Kings 9.3 There is a threefold eye of God present in the Assemblies of his people 1. There is the eye of observation and inspection God seeth what uprightness and seriousness there is in thy prayers and performances God eyeth and takes notice what integrity and fervency thou hast in thy services and sacrifices Mine eyes are upon all their ways Jer. 16.17 Whether thou art praying or reading or hearing or singing his eye is upon thee and whether thou performest thy duties slothfully and sluggishly or dutifully and diligently he observeth thee His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men 2. There is the eye of favour and benediction Gods eye can convey a blessing as well as his hand I will set mine eyes upon them for good Amos 9.4 And Gods eye can speak his good will as well as his heart Mine eye and my heart shall be there that is in my house 2 Chron. 7.16 The affection of the breast is seen at the brows Mine eye shall be upon the faithful of the Land Psal 101.6 Gods eye is in his house to approve and bless thee if thou sanctifie him in Ordinances Friend keep the Lords Day with care and conscience perform thy duties with suitable graces and Gods eye will be upon thee thou shalt see his love in his pleasant and gracious looks Jesus Christ beholds and approves the gracious performances of his people he seems to say to them as Paul to the Colossians Though I am absent from you in the flesh yet am I present with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order Col. 2.15 3. There is the eye of fury and indignation Gods looks will speak his anger as well as his blows His fury is visible by his frowns Mine eyes shall be upon them for evil Gods sight can wound as deeply as his Sword Job speaks of him He sharpneth his eyes upon me Job 16.9 Wilde Beasts when they fight whet their eyes as well as their teeth An Enemy enraged looks on his Antagonist as if he would look through him He sharpneth his eyes upon me as if he would stab me to the heart with a glance of his eye so an Expositor glosseth on it If thou wait on God irreverently Worship him carelesly and prophanest his Day either by Corporal labour or Spiritual idleness thou mayest not expect his eye of favour but of fury If ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath then will I kindle a fire which shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and none shall quench it Jerem. 17. ult Ezek. 22.26 31. Gods severity hath been remarkable on the Prophaners of his Sabbath The first blow given the German Churches was on the Lords Day which they carelesly observed on that day Prague was lost When men disturb Gods rest God doth usually deprive them of rest The day of the Lord is like to be a dreadful day to them that despise the Lords Day Truly God is as jealous in his Courts under the Gospel as he was under the Law Christ whose eyes are as a flame of fire walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks throughout the World He observes how holy duties are performed and how his holy day is sanctified When two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 He is in the midst of us to behold our inward and outward carriage in his Courts he observeth in praying what confessions are made of sin with what confusion of face and contrition of heart what petitions are put up for grace and pardon with what integrity of spirit and fervency of affection He observeth in hearing whether men hear with attention sutable to that word which is able to save their souls whether men receive the truth in the love of it whether they resolve on subjection and to give themselves up to that form of Doctrine which is given down to them or whether men hear Sermons as Children turn over books meerly for the gays that are in them He goeth down into the garden of Nuts to see the fruits of the Valley Cant. 6.11 He seeth the rotten bough of Hypocrisie the leaves of profession without the fruits of an answerable conversation He seeth all thine unripe sowre indigested duties Reader If I were to counsel thee how to spend a Market day so that thou mightest gain much wealth and treasure I doubt not but thou wouldst hearken to me I am now to advise thee how to spend the Lords day the Market day for thy soul so that thou mayst get the true treasure durable riches and righteousness I pray thee to hear and obey the directions which I have to deliver thee from the Lord for that end First Make preparation for the day There is scarce any work which admits of any considerable perfection but require some previous preparation In works of nature the ground must be dunged dressed plowed harrowed and all to prepare it for the seed In works of Art the Musitian tuneth his Viol screwing up some of his strings higher letting some down lower as occasion is and all to prepare it for his lesson and indeed without this he would make but sad Mâ—sick Truely Friend thus it is with us in matters of higher moment hearts like soil must be prepared for the seed of the Word how
heart to spiritual joy and delight therein Holy alacrity and joy is not onely a crown and credit to but also a special part of Christianity The Kingdom of God consisteth not in meats and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Gods ways are not so bad but that the Travellers in them may be chearful His work is good wages and therefore it s no wonder that his Servants are so joyful Because beleivers have ever cause of comfort therefore they are commanded always to rejoyce Phil. 3. Whether their sins or sufferings come into their hearts they must not sorrow as they that have no hope In their saddest conditions they have the spirit of consolation There is seed of joy sown within them when it is buried under the clods and appears not above ground But there are special times when God calls for this grain to spring up They have some red letters some holy days in the Calendar of their lives wherein this joy as Wine at a Wedding is most seasonable but among all those days it never relisheth so well it never tasteth so pleasantly as on a Lords day joy sutes no person so much as a Saint and it becomes no season so well as a Sabbath Joy in God on other days is like the Birds Chirping in winter which is pleasing but joy on a Lords day is like their warbling Tunes and pretty notes in Spring when all other things look with a sutable delightful aspect This is the day which the Lord hath made he that made all days so especially of this day but what follows we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psa 118.24 In which words we have the Churches solace or joy and the season or day of it Her solace was great We will rejoyce and be glad Those expressions are not needless repetitions but shew the exeuberancy or high degree of their joy The season of it This is the day the Lord hath made Compare this place with Mat. 21.22.23 and Act. 4.11 and you will find that the precedent verses are a prophetical prediction of Christs Resurrection Sic. Arnob. and so this verse foretels the Churches joy upon that memorable and glorious day And indeed if a feast be made for laughter Eccles 10.19 Then that day wherein Christ feasteth his Saints with the choicest mercies may well command his greatest spiritual mirth A thanksgiving day hath a double precedency of a fast day On a Fast-day we eye Gods anger On a thanksgiving-Thanksgiving-day we look to God favour In the former we specially mind our own corruptions In the latter Gods compassions therefore a Fast-day calls for sorrow a Thanksgiving day for joy But the Lords day is the highest thanksgiving day and deserveth much more then the Jewish Purim to be a day of feasting and gladness and a good day On this day we enjoy the Communion of Saints and shall we not delight in those excellent ones Psa 16.3 On this day we have fellowship with the blessed Saviour and shall we not fit under his shadow with great delight Cant. 1. On this day we are partakers of the Ordinances of God and shall we not be joyful in the House of prayer Isa 56.7 On this day we have special converse with the God of Ordinances and who would not draw water with joy out of the Well of Salvation Isa 12.3 Surely whilst we are in the midst of so much Musk we must needs be perfumed Who can walk where the Sun shines so hot and not be warmed It is Gods precept as well as thy priviledge to make Gods day thy delight If thou call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord Isa 58.13 Delights Tremel reads it Thy delicate things according to the Septuag Whether thou art meditating on Gods works or attending on Gods Word which are the two principal duties of the day they both call for delight and joy If on this day of rest thou considerest the work of creation and Gods rest it behoveth thee to follow Davids pattern Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands Psa 92.4 If thou considerest the work of Redemption and Christs rest surely out of the carcass of the Lion of the tribe of Judah thou mayst get some Honey as may delight thy soul and force thee to sing My soul doth magnifie the Lord my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. The babe in the womb leapt for joy of him before he was born The heavenly host sung at his birth and wilt not thou at his second birth his resurrection from the dead O let the Primitive Christians salutations be thy consolation The Lord is risen If thou meditatest on glorification and thine own rest canst thou do less then rejoyce in hope of glory what Prisoner shackled with Satans temptations and fettered with his own corruptions in the dark Gaol of this World can think of the time when his Irons shall be knockt off and he enjoy the pleasant light and glorious liberty of the Sons of God and not be transported with joy What heir in his minority banisht from his kindred and country can think without comfort of his full age when he shall have the full fruition both of his estate and friends doubtless friend the Sabbaths of the holy are the Suburbs of heaven In heaven there is no buying no selling no ploughing no sowing nothing but worshiping God communion with him fruition of him and delight in him There remains a rest for the people of God There they rest from their labours If thou on a Lords day turnest thy back upon the World and goest up into the mount conversing with and rejoycing in the blessed God what dost thou less then begin thine eternal Sabbath here Such a Lords day can be no less then Heaven in a looking glass representing truly though darkly thy future eternal happiness There is no perfume so sweet to a Pilgrim as his own smoak When thou art attending on the word truely that Aquavitae that hot water may well revive thy spirit Thy testimonies are my delight saith David I have rejoyced more in thy testimonies then in all manner of riches Psa 119.24 77. The Word of God is sometimes called a treasure and what beggar would not rejoyce in a treasure sometimes fire and truly Reader thine heart is frozen to purpose if this fire do not heat it Salomon tell us As cold water to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25.25 The Word of God contains the best news that ever ears heard Peace on earth good will towards men and the glad tidings of the Gospel come from Heaven a far Country What canst thou say then why they should not be as welcome and refreshing to thee as cold water to a thirsty soul Variety of things that are excellent is not a little ground of complacency in them Variety of choice voices please the ear variety
Victory but not to improve a Victory Usually the Evenings are cold though the days are hot 19. As Oratours at the close of their speech use all their Art and Skill to move the affections of their Auditors so at the close of the Lords day put forth all thy grace and spiritual strength to prevail with God for a blessing Say of the Sabbath as Jacob to the Angel I will not let the go without a blessing 20. Labour to keep the influence of Lords day Ordinances warm upon thy spirit all the week after let not thy devotion pass away with the day Some Children when they put on new Shooes on a Sabbath are very careful to keep them clean are unwilling to set their feet to the ground for fear of dirt but in the week days will run up to the Ankles in Water or Mire O let not childrens play be thy earnest but endeavour that thy practices in secret and private in thy calling and in all companies on the Week days may be answerable to the great priviledges which thou didst enjoy and the grace which thou didst receive on the Lords day A good wish about the Lords day wherein the former heads are Epitomized THe first day of the Week being of divine institution The Introduction and Baptized by God himself with that Honorable name of the Lords day partly in regard of its Author This is the day which the Lords hath made partly in regard of the blessed Redeemer who rose that day and Triumphed over the Grave the Devil the Curse of the Law and Hell it being a day Sanctified for the glory of my Saviour of which I may say as of Jacob The Lord hath chosen it to himself for his peculiar Treasure Psa 135.4 and a day set apart for the spiritual and eternal good of my precious soul wherein I may enjoy communion with my God in all his Ordinances without interruption I wish in general that as the Spirit may be in me in the week days so that I may be in the Spirit on the Lords day filled therewith and enabled thereby to have my conversation all the day long in Heaven O that my care in fitting my soul for it my holy carriage at it and my sutable conversation after it may testifie that I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness and that I esteem one day in his Courts better then a thousand else-where I wish in particular that I may prepare for it Preparation as for a Wedding day wherein Christ and my soul are to be espoused together and to that end before it cometh may be careful so to order my earthly affairs that they may not incroach upon this Holy ground and so open the door of my heart and adorn it with spiritual excellencies that the King of Glory may enter in and think himself a welcome Guest in my soul O that I might never give my God cause to complain of me as once of the Jews Your Sabbaths and solemn feasts I cannot away with for your hands are defiled As Nehemiah shut the Gates of the City that no burdens might be carried in on the Sabbath day so let me secure the Gate of my heart that no Worldly things may disturb me in Sabbath duties O let me not like Martha be careful and troubled about many things but on this day especially sit at Christs feet mind the one thing necessary and chuse the good part which shall never be taken from me I wish that I may long more for it then ever a Bride-groom did for his Bride that when it is come in I may bid it heartily Welcome and that as my Saviour rose early that morning to justifie me so I may rise early on this day to glorifie him I desire that this holy day may be an high day in my account both because the Lord of the Sabbath hath separated it to sacred uses and because it is the day of his resurrection whence so much good cometh to my soul Esteem the day as a priviledge By his passion he layd down the price of my redemption but by his rising again the Judge of Quick and dead sending his officer an Angel to roul away the stone open the prison door and let him out he manifesteth to the world that the debt is discharged and the law fully saatisfied O of what value should this day be to me My Redeemers humiliation indeed was like Josephs imprisonment but his delivery out of the grave like Josephs enlargement and preferment whereby he came into a capacity to advance and enrich all his relations I pray that I may look on this day as a special season to sow to the spirit in and improve it accordingly A price to get and increase grace I believe that my God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name or spends his day in vain O let me not like a foolish child play by that candle which is set up for me to work by lest I go to the bed of my grave in the dark of sin and sorrow Publique Ordiuances to be esteemed the chiefest work of the day I wish that I may not neglect either secret or family duties on this sacred day but yet that I may so perform them that they may be helps not hinderances to publique Ordinances that since God loveth the gates of Sion above all the the dwellings of Jacob I may set an high price upon and have an ardent love to the habitation of Gods house and the place where his honor dwelleth Delight in it that as a true child of my heavenly Father I may love most and like best that milk which is warm from the breasts of publick ordinances I wish that I may call the Lords day my delight it being a day wherein I enter into the suburbs of the holy City and begin that work of praysing pleasing and enjoying my God which I hope to be employed in to eternity that it may be my meat and drink to do the Will of my God O that I might so savour the things of the Spirit and so taste the Lord to be gracious that love may be the Loadston to draw me to my closet family and to Church and season every service I am called to upon the Sabbath Sanctifie the whole day Because every part of this day is of great price more worth then a whole World I desire that not the least moment of it may be squandred away but as the Disciples after the miracle of loaves I may gather up with care and conscience the smallest fragments that nothing be lost My God giveth me good measure heaped up pressed down shaken together and running over why should I be niggardly to him to my self indeed for it is my profit not his when he is so liberal so bountiful to me I wish in regard the blessed God is not onely the Master Communion
many a Sermon hath been lost because this was wanting and the Viols of our souls must be tuned to praise God or otherwise they will sound but harshly in his ears The Priests were to wash in the Laver when they went into the Tabernacle and when they came near to the Altar to Minister upon pain of death Exod. 30.19 20. Signifying that to holy performances there is required holy prepartion Sutable to which is Davids speech I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar Psa 26. When the Temple was to be built the stones were hewn and the timber squared and fitted before they were brought to the place where the Temple stood there was neither ax nor hammer nor any use of them in the Temple And what doth this speak but that the Christian must be pollished and prepared to be a spiritual Temple an habitation for the God of Jacob and also fitted for his worship which was then in the Temple There is no duty but requires some previous dispositi on A little break-fast quickens the appetite to a good dinner duty fits the heart for duty Consider prayer The Christian must be poor in spirit that would prevail in prayer for spiritual riches The vessel must be empty before it can be fil'd O Lord thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Psa 10.17 for hearing the weeds must be pluckt up before the grain be thrown into the ground Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and Hypocrisies As new born born babes desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.1 2. In singing the lungs must be good the inwards clean before the voice will be sweet and clear O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psa 57.7 So for the Lords day the Israelites had their preparation It was the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath Mark 15.42 The preparation for the Lords day consisteth partly in care so to order Worldly businesses that they may not incroach on the Sabbath Some expositours observe that the word Remember in the fourth Command enjoyneth a provident foresight and diligent dispatch of earthly affairs on the day before that nothing may remain to disquiet us in or disturb Gods day of rest There is an observable place If thou keep thy foot from my Sabbath Isa 58.13 that is from treading on my holy ground with the dirty feet of earthly affairs or affections The Jews preparation began at three of the clock in the afternoon Inritibus Pagan which the Hebrews called the Sabbath Eve The antient Fathers called Caena pura from the Heathen say some whose Religion taught them in their Sacrifices to certain of their Gods to prepare themselves by a strict kind of holiness at which time they had a Supper consisting of meats holy in their opinion The Jews were so careful in their preparation Buxtoâ—â— Syna gog Iud. c. 10. extalmâ—d that saith mine Author to further it the best and wealthiest of them even those that had many servants and were Masters of Families would chop hearbs sweep the house cleave wood kindle the fire and do such like things The marriner that intendeth a voyage putteth his Ship off from Land so truly Friend if thou woulst lanch Heaven-ward upon a Lords day there is a necessity that the Vessel of thy heart be put off from the earth When our blessed Saviour was teaching the people he was disturbed by one that told him Behold thy Mother and thy brethren standwithout desiring to speak with thee Mat. 12.47 So when thou art hearing or praying or about any Religious Ordinance what an hinderance what a disturbance will it be for thy heart to suggest to thee Man thy calling thy companions or such and such things which lye upon the spoil through thy negligence in the week-days they all stand without desiring to speak with thee If thou wouldst avoid distraction prevent the occasions As Isaiah said to Hezekiah Set thine house in order against thy deaths day So I say to thee Set thy house in order and thy heart in order against the Lords day The main preparation of the heart for a Sabbath lyeth in removing the filth of Sin Accedentiad divina mysteria deique contemplationem deponenda sunt calceamenta i.e. passiones affectiones simul rationes humanae terrenae Cor. a Lapid in Exod 3. and in quickening and awakening grace sin must be removed If the stomach be foul it must be purged before it be fed or the meat will nourish and strengthen not nature but the ill humours If a man purge himself from these It is true of evil affections as well as evil persons he shall be a Vesselunto honor sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 Superfluity of naughtiness must be laid aside before we can receive the word with meekness James 1.21 When the Vessel is unclean it sowres quickly the sweetest liquors powred into it when the heart is unclean it loseth the good it might receive by the truths of God As sin must be cast out so grace must be called up Grace is like fire apt to be deadish and dull thy duty is before-hand therefore to blow it up Most people upon a Sabbath adorn their bodies with their best cloaths but Alass who almost attireth his soul as he ought on this day when he is going to meet the blessed Redeemer Reader Suppose thou wert a person of great quality and estate and the King should send thee word that he would dine with thee to morrow what preparation wouldst thou make for his entertainment would not thy first work be to cleanse thy house by causing the dust to be swept out the flores to be washt nay rubd every thing to be neat and cleanly Wouldst thou not put up thy choicest Hangings lay on thy richest Carpets bring out thy best plate adorn thy room with thy costliest furniture endeavour that all things should be in print somwhat suitable to the dignity of so great a Prince I tell thee that the great King of all the World doth give thee notice in his Word that on such a day being the Sabbath he intends to sup with thee Now friend what preparation wilt thou make to testifie thy respect to this blessed and onely Potentate Canst thou beforehand do less then sweep out the dust of sin and wash the room of thine heart clean adorn it with the best furniture the Graces the embroidery of the Holy Ghost Truly unless this be done Christ will not think himself welcome nay all thy pretended entertainment of him will be not onely infinitely unworthy of but also provoking to so jealous and glorious a Prince Believe it thy profit by a Sabbath depends not a little upon thy preparation for the Sabbath till the matter be prepared how can it receive the form Job 11.12 13. Thou hast enjoyed many Lords
Days and it may be got little soul-saving good Thou goest to the House of God where a table in the preaching of the Gospel is set before thee spread with all the dainties of Pardon Love Grace Peace and Eternal Life at which others sit and feed their Souls are fill'd with Marrow and Fatness and their mouthes praise the Lord with joyful lips but thou hast no stomack canst eat little and savour nothing I dare be the Physician to tell thee the cause cure of this the cause is Thy stomack is foul thy heart is unclean and therefore as a man that hath a cold or some disease predominant cannot rellish his meat but complains sometimes of the meat sometime of the Cook when the fault is in himself so thou canst taste no goodness in the best meat neither Prayer nor Scripture neither Sermon nor Sabbath are savoury to thee yet it may be thou blamest the Preacher he doth not dress the meat to thy mind when the fault is in the foulness of thy affections Thy cure must be to purge out this old leaven to take some pains beforehand in cleansing thy heart When the stomack is clean as after purging or fasting how sweet is a piece of bread So if thou wouldst but in secret search thy soul vomit up thy filth by a penitent confession cleanse thine heart by sincere contribution and wouldst then frequent the publique Ordinances thou wouldst finde prayer sweet preaching sweet the Sacrament sweet every service sweet O how wouldst thou love the habitation of Gods House and the place where his honor dwelleth Prepare to meet thy God O Christian betake thy self to thy chamber on the Saturday night confess and bewail thine unthankfulness for and unfruitfulness under the Ordinances of God shame and condemn thy self for thy sins entreat God to prepare thy heart for and assist it in thy Religious performances spend some time in consideration of the infinite Majestie Holiness Jealousie and Goodness of that God with whom thou art to have to do in sacred duties ponder the weight and importance of his holy Ordinances how they concern thy salvation or damnation thine everlasting life or death how certainly they will either further thine unchangeable welfare or encrease thine endless wo meditate on the shortness of the time thou hast to enjoy Sabbaths in how near thy life may be to an end how speedily and how easily God may take down thine earthly Tabernacle how there is no working no labouring no striving in the other World to which thou art hastning and continue musing and blowing till the fire burneth thou canst not think the good thou mayest gain by such fore-thoughts how pleasant and profitable a Lords Day would be to thee after such a preparation The oven of thine heart thus baked in as it were over night would be easily heated the next morning the fire so well raked up when thou wentest to bed would be the sooner kindled when thou shouldst rise If thou wouldst thus leave thine heart with God on the Saturday night thou shouldst finde it with him in the Lords Day morning Secondly Possess thy soul in the morning with the greatness of thy priviledge in the enjoyment of a Sabbath and such seasons of grace Look upon thy work that day as thy reward thy duty on that day as thy greatest Dignity O what a favour what an honor what happiness doth God vouchsafe to thee in affording thee such a golden season David though a King the Head of the best people in the World esteemed it an honor to be the lowest Officer in Gods House to be a Door-keeper there to fit at the threshold as it is in the Hebrew Psal 84.10 If the Queen of Sheba could say when she saw the wealth and heard the wisdom of Solomon Happy are these thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom and blessed be the Lord God of Israel which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King 1 Kings 10.8 9. mayest not thou when thou beholdest the beautiful face of thy Saviour in the glass of Ordinances and hearest the sweet delightful voyce of Jesus Christ a greater then Solomon when thou seest the delicate and plentiful provision the feast of fat things of wine on the lees well refined which he makes for his people upon better ground say Blessed are thy servants that hear thee daily watching at thy gates waiting at the posts of thy doors Prov. 8.34 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praising thee And blessed be the Lord God of Israel which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because he loved Israel for ever therefore hath he made thee King The Ordinances of God are called an appearing before God the fruition of them is a seeing his face Capernaum because of them was said to be lifted up to Heaven Who can tell what honor it is to appear in the presence of this King or what happiness it is to see his comely countenance Those that enjoy this are lifted up to Heaven Israel was an unparallel'd people because of this incomparable priviledge For what Nation is there so great which hath God so nigh unto them Deut. 4.7 In the Ordinances of God the Christian hath sweet communion with ravishing delight in and enflamed affection to the blessed God in them he tastes God to be gracious hath the First-fruits of his Glorious and Eternal Harvest Well might the French Protestants call their place of publique meeting Paradise Well might David cry out Psal 84.1 2. 27.4 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts At the Tabernacle God did meet David Who can tell what joyful greeting there was at that holy meeting what sweet kisses what loving embraces God gave his soul As the Ordinances are Heaven in a glass so the Lords Day is Heaven in a map This is to be valued at an high rate because therein we enjoy all the means of communion with God in the highest degree and measure without interruption The Hebrews call thee Week days prophane days but this is an holy pious day The Greeks call them working days but this is a day of sweet rest Other days are common and ordinary handmaids but this is fitly termed by the Jews the Queen of days Many Daughters have done wisely but thou hast excelled them all Many days as Lecture-days Fast-days Thanksgiving-days have done vertuously have done valiantly but thou O Queen of days hast excelled them all They like Saul have slain their thousands of Spiritual Enemies but thou hast slain as David thy ten thousands They like the people must worship afar off but thou like Moses mayest draw near go up into the mount There is none like thee whom God knoweth face to face Well may other days say to thee as the people to David Thou art
the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Open unto Christ when he knocketh at the door of thy heart with the finger of his Spirit Do not bid him come to morrow lest that morrow never come It s good we say to make Hay while the Sun shines for the Heavens may be cloudy It s good to embrace a present opportunity for time is bald behind thou canst not assure thy self of a second Sabbath Seasons of grace are not like Tides that a man may miss one and take another What Christ said of himself is true of Sabbaths The poor ye have always with you but me ye have not always Time thou hast always with thee while thou livest but the Sabbath thou hast not always Nay within a shorter time then thou imaginest God may deprive thee both of time and opportunity both of Week days and Lords days and if thou art now sleeping and snoring when thou should be waking and working what a cut will it be to thy heart to reflect upon the Sabbaths which thou hast had and lost enjoyed and mispent Jerusalem in the days of her affliction and of her misery remembred all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old Lam. 1.9 So Reader if thou shouldst neglect to improve Sabbaths now in the day of thy misery or rather in the everlasting night of thine affliction in hell thou wilt remember thy Sabbaths seasons of grace and all thy pleasant things which thou hadst in the days of old Good Lord what a rueful woful remembrance will it be to call to mind the means the mercies the helps which were afforded thee to have avoided Hell and attained Heaven and yet thou like a fool or rather a mad man didst dally about them and delay till the Market was done Now is the time for thee to accept of grace because now is the onely time that grace will accept of thee O that thou wouldst know in this thy day the things which concern thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Fourrhly Esteem the publique Ordinances the chief work of the day and let thy secret and private duties be so managed that thy soul may be prepared for them and profited by them Duties in thy closet and family are of use and have their blessing but to put God off with these and neglect the publique Worship is to rob God of a greater sum to pay him a lesser The Sacrifice of the Jews on that day was double they offered Sacrifice in the Tabernacle besides their Lambs for the daily Sacrifice It is worthy our observation that the Sabbath and publique Service are by God himself joyned together and therefore let no man put them asunder Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord Lev. 19.30 They that despise Gods Sanctuary cannot observe Gods Sabbath Every thing is beautiful in its season Private duties are beautiful and in season every day but publique Ordinances are never so lovely and beautiful because never so much in their prime and season as on a Lords Day In publique Worship God receiveth the highest praises I will praise thee in the great Congregations Psal 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory I had gone with the multitude to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Psal 42.4 The gracious God is pleased to esteem it his glory to have many Beggars thronging at the beautiful gate of his Temple for Spiritual and Corporal alms What an honor is it to our great Landlord that multitudes of Tenants flock together to his house to pay their rent of Thanks and Worship for their All which they hold of him How loud and lovely is the noise of many golden Trumpets Good Lord what an eccho do they make in Heavens ears Deus pluris facit preces in Ecclesia quam domi factas non ob locum sed ob considerationem multitudinis fidelium Deum communi consensu invo cantium Riv. in Cath. Orth. When many skilful Musicians play in consort with well-tuned and prepared Instruments the Musick cannot but be ravishing to God himself Methinks its a notable resemblance of the sweet melody which is made by the Celestial Quire above Psal 68.26 Bless ye God in the Congregation even the Lord from the fountain of Israel for he loveth the gates of Zion above all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 As in publique God receiveth the highest praises so there he bestoweth the richest mercies Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple Psal 65.4 Here is Davids Position and its proof His Position is That the Templer or Inhabitant in Gods House is an happy man Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy House The proof of it is from the quality and quantity of the provision which God makes for them that are of his Houshold For the quality of it it is not onely good but Goodness which word signifieth not onely the good will which God beareth to but all the good things which God bestoweth upon his people Pardon Peace Love Grace every good thing all good things are in the womb of that one word Goodness Gods provision for his people is beyond all their knowledge or apprehension There be four ordinary ways by which men come to the knowledge of good things either by hearing them immediately themselves or by hear-say from others or by the sight of the eyes or by discourse of Reason But from the beginning of the World men have not seen nor heard nor perceived by the ear nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath provided for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Isa 64.4 The love discovered there is an unknown love the joy bestowed there is unspeakable joy All the costliest dainties prepared for Heavens Table the fulness of joy and pleasures for ever at Gods right hand are expressed by this one word Goodness Psal 31.19 So that the quality of the provision is beyond all exception it is Goodness For its quantity it is to satisfaction We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thy Holy Temple The Saint shall have enough of this luscious fare to content him Indeed the Christians full meal is reserved for him till he comes to eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven but here he hath enough to stay his stomach He is very well satisfied that his allowance in this World is sufficient God calls him in the other World to greater work and so will give him a greater allowance for suitable strength but God doth not in this World underkeep him He feeds proportionable to their employments nay to their satisfaction and contentment all
art a good Husband for thy soul I doubt not but thou esteemest thy time in the week days at so high a rate that thou darest not sqander it away in doing nothing or in that which is worse then nothing but O what worth what price wilt thou set upon an opportunity upon a Lords day How diligent wilt thou be to improve the least peice of that day God giveth thee six whole days for thine own works do not deny to him one whole day in seven Let thy conscience be Judge Is it not unrighteousness to buy by one measure which is greater and sell by another measure which is lesser when the day is consecrated to God as the goods of Ananias it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for our own use Do thou all the day long live and walk as it were in the other World Make it a Sabbath a day of rest 1. From sin and wickedness this is thy duty every day but especially on this day Every sin on a Sabbath is double the season is a great aggravation of the sin The wicked indeed are like the raging Sea which cannot rest but every day bubble up mire and dirt Isa 57.20 2. From the World and the works of thy calling Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people Exod. 31.14 The Jews were to rest from works of least importance as gathering sticks he that fetched in sticks was sent out of the World with stones and of greatest concernment as building the Tabernacle and though the Christian now hath more liberty yet he hath no leave at all to pollute the day by wickedness or to prophane the day by any earthly work which might have been done before the day or may be done as well after it May I not say to thee of this day as Elisha to Geehezi Is this a time to receive money and garments and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants 2 Kings 5.26 Is the Sabbath a time for civil affairs The Sabbath day is therefore called a day of restraint Deut. 16.8 because then men are forbidden all work saith Junius As none were ever losers by laying afide their own works to attend Gods Worship he took care of Israels safety whilst they were in his service that none of their Neighbours though bitter enemies should so much as desire their Cities Exod 34.24 so none I am confident were ever gainers by inching in some part of their callings unnecessarily at the end of Gods day and by setting God aside to serve themselves the very time will be a Canker to consume their estates And as they that take Crocus into their stomachs bring up not onely ill humours but that also which would prove good nourishment So some have had experience that their prophanation of Gods day to increase their estates hath forced them to vomit up the whole God hath given thee days enough for thy calling space enough to mind it in thou needst not trespass upon his holy day upon his holy ground It was no small aggravation of Adams sin that though he had choice of fruits he would eat of the forbidden fruit so it will much increase thy sin if when thou hast choice of time for thy trade thou shouldst meddle with it on a Sabbath Reader Debet totus dies festivus à Christiano expendi in operibus bonis Grostead in precept as thy duty is to rest the whole day from wickedness and worldly work so also to imploy the whole day in Gods Worship be either praying or reading or hearing or singing or meditating or discoursing with others about the Works or Word of God Be always taken up either with publique Hoc sensu loquitur propheta Sià primo mane incipimuslauda re dâ—um continuandas esse ejus laudesad ultimam noctis partem Calvin in loc private or secret duties In the 92. Psalm that Psalm for the Sabbath v. 1 and 3. we are exhorted to shew forth Gods loving kindness in the morning and his faithfulness at evening Now we know that in Scripture sense the morning and the evening are the whole day The whole day is Gods by ordination and why should not it be his by observation God hath dedicated this day wholly to hsi own Worship now every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord. Lev. 27.28 The Pope and Church of Rome have half holy days as St. Blacies day which is holy in the forenoon onely but God and the Church of Christ have no half holy days Observe how exact God is in expressing a whole natural day From evening to evening you shall keep the Sabbath Lev. 23.32 Their days were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation but ours because Christ rose in the morning from morning to morning If thou hast any sincere delight in God and esteem of the true riches I cannot but think that thou wilt be covetous of the smallest part of Gods day and wish as R. Jose Iewish Antiq. l. 3. c. 3. Ex Buxtorf Comment mas that thy portion may be to begin the Sabbath with those of Tiberias because they began it sooner then others and to end it with those of Tsepphore because they continued it longer then others If thy soul ever met God on a Sabbath thou wilt surely be ready to say with Joshua Thou Sun stand still in Gibeon Iosh 10 12. and thou Moon in the vallies of Ajalon O that the day were longer that I might have more time to fight the Lords battels against my spiritual enemies Eightly If thou wouldst make Religion thy business on a Lords day Meditate therein on the word and works of God Consider his works This is part of the work of the day David in that Psalm for the Sabbath gives thee a pattern O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep Psa 92.5 Is a dishonour to a workman to make excellent peices and to manifest abundance of Skill and Art and ingenuity and then not to have them taken notice of God hath done his mighty works to be remembred and wondred at It s said of Pythagoras that he lived sequestred from men in a cave for a whole year together that he might meditate on the abstruse points of Philosophy I wish thee to an easier and pleasanter task to sequester thy self some time every Lords day to ponder the infinite perfections which appear in the operations of his hand God will be both admired and magnified by his people on earth as well as in Heaven which none can do but those that seriously consider his works Men have been much wondred at for some peculiar rare works though in them a Christian should look farther even to God the Author of their skill and wisdom The very Greeks acknowledged somewhat like this that all
my meditation all the day Psa 119. The reason why some men profit so little by the word is want of meditation If a man eat his food and as soon as it is in his stomach vomit it up again it is no wonder if he get little strength by it or if he pine and consume away Truly if Sermons enter in at one ear and out at the other making no stay with thee I shall not marvail if they work no change in thee CHAP. XXII Brief Directions for the Sanctification of the Lords day from morning to night REader beside those general directions which I have largely insisted on I shall annex here some short directions how thou mayst spend a Lords day from the begining to the end of it as may be most for the honour of God and the furthering thine own everlasting good 1. Be sure thou takest some paines with thy heart the afternoon or evening at least before to prepare thy soul for the ensuing Sabbath As our whole life should be a preparation for death yet the nearer we draw to the night of our dissolution the more gloriously as the setting Sun we should shine with holiness so in the whole Week we should be preparing for the Lords day but the more the day doth approach the more our preparation must increase The bigger the Vessel is the more Water may be carried from the Fountain According to the measure of the Sacks which the Patriarchs carried to Joseph so were they filled with Corn by Joseph preparation doth not onely fit the heart for grace but also widen the heart that it may receive much of the Spirit of God Some Servants when they are to bake in the Morning put their Wood in the Oven over night and thereby it burneth both the sooner and the better Men make much the more riddance of their work who being to travail a great journey load their Carts or put up their things and lay them ready over night If thou art a Christian thy experience will tell thee that after thou hast on a Saturday called thy self to account for thy carriage on the foregoing Week bewailed thy miscarriages before the Lord in particular thy playing the Truant on former Lords days when thou shouldst have been learning those Lessons which Christ hath set thee in his Law and hast been earnest with God for pardon of thy sins and a sanctified improvement of the approaching Sabbath I say thy experience cannot but teach thee that thy profit after such preparation will make thee abundant amends for thy pains and that thou hast the best visits the sweetest kisses when thy lips thy heart are thus made clean beforehand 2. If the weakness of thy body do not hinder rise earlier on the Lords day then ordinary When the Israelites were encompassing Jericho on the seventh day they rose early in the morning and according to many Expositors it was on the Sabbath day the walls of Jericho fell down Josh 6.15 One main work which thou hast to do on a Lords day is to batter down the strong holds of sin to conquer those Canaanites which would keep thee out of the promised land do thou rise early for this end He that riseth and setteth out early goeth a considerable part of his way before others awake It s sordid to lie lazing and to turn upon thy bed as a door on the hinges and never the farther off upon any day butmost sad and sinfull on a Lords day 3. When thou first awakest turn up thy heart to God in praise for his protection the night past for the light of another day especially of his own day and in Prayer for the light of his countenance and for assistance in every duty and his direction throughout the day As thou art rising if no other more profitable Subject offer it selfe to thy thoughts Meditate how the night is spent the day is at hand it concerneth thee therefore to put off the works of darkness and to put on the armor of light When thou thinkest on the nakedness of thy body how unseemly it would be for thee to walk up and down without raiment do not forget the nakedness of thy soul by sin and how uncomely thou art in the sight of God without the robes of Christs righteousness and the graces of the Holy Ghost 4. When thou art drest let nothing hinder thee from thy secret devotion When thou art in thy closet consider of the price which God hath put into thy hand the value and worth of a Lords day the weight and concernment of the duties therein and the account thou art ere long to give for every Sabbath and season of grace These thoughts as heavy weights on a clock would make thee move more swiftly in the work of the day After some time spent in meditation in some short yet reverent and hearty petitions intreat Gods help in the present and subsequent duties of the day After which read some portion of the Scripture and pour out thy soul in prayer Get thy heart effectually possessed with this truth That God must work his own work in thee and for thee or it will never be done that as the Spirit moved on the waters at first and then the living creatures were formed so the Spirit must move upon the waters of Ordinances before they can produce or increase spirituall life Hereby thou wilt be stirred up to more fervent supplication for and more importunate expectation of help from heaven In thy prayers remember all the assemblies of the Saints that they may see Gods beauty power and glory as they have sometimes beheld them in his sanctuary Intreat God to cloath his ordinances with his own strength that they may be mighty through him for the bringing in and building up many souls In speciall when thou art at prayer think of the Preachers of the Gospel Conceive that thou hearest every one of them speaking to thee as Paul to his Romans I beseech thee for the Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Rom. 15.30 Their work is of infinite weight it is God-work Soul-work Temple-work Not one of them but may say with Nehemiah on a Lords day upon much greater reason O I am doing a great work Nehem. 6.3 Their opposition is great The Devill will do what may be to hinder them the world hates them their own hearts will distub them Their strength is small their graces are weak Alas what can they do O therefore pray for them 5. After thy secret duties thou mayst if nature require refresh thy body with convenient food Thy God alloweth thee to cherish though not to overcharge thy outward man I shall speak to thy carriage about eating and drinking in the twenty third chapter and therefore omit it here Vide Family duties in Cap. 27 6. In the next place it will be fit that thou call thy family together and
of God in Ordinances but also the Marrow of his day that no Lords day may satisfie me without the Lord of the day Alass what is the best time without the Rock of eternity what is the best day without the Ancient of days what are the Ordinances of God without the God of Ordinances what are Sabbaths Sermons Sacraments and Seasons of Grace without the dearest Saviour but as broken Cisterns glorious Dreams or guilded nothings I have read of a good soul who answered his Friend Speak to me while you will no words can satisfie except you mention Christ write to me what you will it will not satisfie except in your Letters I may read Christ O that in no Sermon I might be contented till I hear Christ and that in no Chapter I might be pleased till I can read Christ that as the Needle touched with the Load-stone never resteth till it turn to the North so my heart may be reâ—â— less in holy duties till it turneth to and hath fellowship with the Lord of Heaven The Lords day is an excellent resemblance of my future blessedness wherein I shall enjoy my Saviour fully and my God shall be all in all to me Lord let never this day pass without some taste of those celestial pleasures Meditation on the Works and Word of my God being a duty most in its prime and season on a Sabbath day I beg that what time I spare from publique private or secret performances I may imploy to this purpose that I may behold my God to be infinite in wisdom power and goodness in his foot-steps of creation and stand amazed at that rare Workmanship those curious contrivances of his which Angels look into with admiration that appear in his Master-peice that work of Redemption and for his word let my heart be able to say with David O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day I wish that I may watch over my thoughts words Watchfulness and actions all the day long in special that as when the holy things belonging to the Sanctuary were to be removed they were covered all over lest any dust should soil them so I may cover my heart with such circumspection that no dust of sin may cleave to it O that I might be so wise and watchful that there may not be the least minute of the day wherein I may not either do or receive some good Lord let no Sabbath pass without some saving good to my precious soul I desire Finally Conclusion of the day that I may not lose the heat of the day in the cool of the Evening I mean that what good If gain from my God through his Ordinances in the day may not be lost by my negligence at night but that as a wise Commander I may then double my Guard and expect with much importunity some evening dews of comfort and grace O that I might so keep the Sabbath of my God chuse the things that please him and take hold of his Covenant that I might so turn away my foot from the Sabbath from doing my pleasure on his holy day Is 56.4 5. and 58.13 and call the Sabbath my delight the holy of the Lord that I may have with the Eunuch within the House of my God a name better then of Sons and Daughters even an everlasting name that shall not be cut off Amen A Good Wish to the Lords day HAil thou that art highly favoured of God Luk. 1.28 thou map of Heaven thou golden spot of the week thou Market-day of souls thou Day-break of eternal brightness thou Queen of days the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among days I may say to thee what the Angel said to Daniel Dan. 9.23 O day greatly beloved Psa 45. Thou art fairer then all the Children of time grace is poured into thy lips God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladness above thy fellows Of the Jewish Sabbaths and other Festivals in comparison of thee it may be spoken They perish but thou remainest and they all wax old as a Garment Heb. 1.11 12. And as a vesture hast thou folded them up and they are changed but thou shalt maugre the malice of men and Devils continue the same and thy years shall not fail As the Temple succeeded and exceeded the Tabernacle this was fleeting that was fixed so dost thou all former Sabbaths they were but morning stars to usher in thee the Sun and then to disappear Other Festivals in all their Royalty are not arrayed like unto thee All the graces triumph in thee all the Ordinances conspire to enrich thee the Father ruleth thee the Son rose upon thee the Spirit hath overshadowed thee Thus is it done to the day which the King of Heaven delighteth to honour Thou hast not onely a common blessing with other days by the law of nature but a special blessing above all other days from the love of thy Maker Let thousands mark thee for their new birth-day Exod. 12.42 be thou a day as it was said of that night to the Jews much to be Remembred much to be observed to the Lord for bringing many out of worse then Egyptian bondage Esther 8.16 be thou to them a day of light and gladness of joy and honour and a good day On thee light was created the Holy Ghost descended life hath been restored Satan subdued sin mortified souls sanctified the Grave Death and Hell conquered O how do men and women flutter up and down on the Week-days as the Dove on the waters and can find no rest for their souls till they come to thee their Ark till thou put forth thy hand and take them in O how do they sit under thy shadow with great delight and find thy fruit sweet to their taste O the mountings of mind the ravishing happiness of heart the solace of soul which on thee they enjoy in the blessed Saviour They are sorry when the days shorten for thy sake they wish for thee before thou comest they welcome thee when thou art come and they enjoy so much of heaven in thee that thence they love and look and long the more for their eternal Sabbath Go forth O thou fairest among Women and be thou fruitful in bringing forth Children to thy Maker and Husband Gen. 24.60 Be thou the Mother of thousands and of millions and let thy seed possess the Gate of them that hate them Do thou like Rachel and Leah build up the House of Israel do thou worthily in Ephratah and be thou famous in Bethlehem Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O thou mighty and gracious day and in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of meekness righteousness and truth let thy right hand teach the terrible things let thine arrows be sharp in the hearts spiritual enemies whereby the people may fall under thee Psa 132. The Lord hath chosen thee he hath desired thee for his habitation
Thou art his rest for ever in thee he will dwell for he hath desired it Let him abundantly bless thy provision and satisfie thy poor with bread let him cloath thy Priests with salvation and let thy Saints shout aloud for joy lot thine Enemies be cloathed with shame but upon thy head let the Crown flourish let Nations bow down to thee let Kingdomes fall down before thee Let all the Kingdomes of the earth become the Kindomes of thy Lord and of thy Christ be thou honoured as long as the Son and moon shall endure even throughout all Generations Thou art like Joseph a fruitful bough even a fruitful bough by a Wall whose Branches run over the Wall The Archers have sorely greived thee and shot at thee endeavouring to weaken thy morality and hated thee but thy bow abode in strength by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence is the Shepherd the stone of Israel Even by the Lord of Sabbaths who shall help thee and by the Almighty who shall bless thee with blessings of Heaven above blessings of the deep that lieth under blessings of the breasts and of the womb the blessings of this day have prevailed above the blessings of all other day let them be continued and increased on the heads of this holy and honourable day and on the head of that day which is separate from it brethren Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after thy hurt let them be turned back and put to confusion that desire thy ruine let all those that seek thee rejoyce and be glad in thee let them that love thy sanctification say continually Let the Lord be magnified who delighteth in the prosperity of his Saints and therefore hath set apart his Sabbath for their soul good Thou like Jacob hast got away the blessing from the other days yea thy God hath blessed thee and thou shalt be blessed Blessed are they that bless thee and cursed are they that curse thee In a word The Lord be gracious to thee and delight in thee and cause the light of his countenance to shine upon thee let all thine Ordinances be cloathed with power and be effectual for the conversion and salvation of millions of souls Let thy name be great from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same Finally farewel sweet day thou cream of time thou Epitome of eternity thou heaven in a glass thou first fruits of a blessed and everlasting harvest did I say farewel A welfare I wish to thee but O let me never lose thee or take my leave of thee till I come to enjoy thee in an higher form to see the Sun of righteousness who early on thy morning rose and made a day indeed while the natural Sun was behind face to face and to know thy Maker and Master as I am known of him when I shall be a pillar in the Temple of my God and shall go out no more but serve him day and night to whom for the inestimable dignity and priviledge of his own day be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen Amen CHAP. XXIII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in natural actions And first in eating and drinking AS thy duty is to make religion thy business in religious Secondly so also in natural actions A good Scrivener is not onely careful how he makes his first and great letters his flourishes but also the smallest letters nay his very stops and comma's A Scribe instructed for the Kingdom of heaven is heedfull not only that the weightest actions of Gods immediate worship but also that the meaner passages of his life be conformable to Gods law A wise builder will make his Kitchin as well as his Parlor according to rule A holy person turns his natural actions into spiritual and whilst he is serving his body he is serving his God It is said of a Scotch Divine That he did eat Non semper ore non semper meditor sed vestio dormio edo bi bo haee omnia si in fide fiunt tanquam recte facta divino judicio approbantur Luth. in Gen. 33. drink and sleep eternal life Luther tels us that though he did not always pray and meditate but did sometimes eat and sometimes drink and sometimes sleep yet all should further his account the latter as truly though not so abundantly as the former And indeed it is our priviledge that natural actions may be adopted into the family of religion and we may worship God as really at our tables as in his temple Saints must not like brute beasts content themselves with a natural use of the creatures but use them as chariots to mount them nearer and cords to bind them closer to God Piety or Holiness to the Lord must be written upon their pots Zac. 14.20 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. â—31 Philo observeth that the ancient Jews made their feasts after sacrifice in the temple that the place might mind them of their duty to be pious at them It is a memorable expression Exod. 18.12 And Aaron came Sancti manducant et bibunt in conspectu Dei Origen in loc and all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses father in law before God In which words we have the greatness of their courtesie and the graciousness of their carriage For their courtesie though Jethro were a stranger and no Israelite yet the elders honored him with their company And Aaron and all the elders came to eat bread with Moses father in law But mark the graciousness of their carriage they came to eat bread with him before God that is In gloriam et honorem Dei to the honor and glory of God saith Calvin They received their sustenance as in Gods sight and caused their provision to tend to Gods praise God takes it ill when we sit down to table and leave him out Zach. 7.6 When ye did eat and when ye did drink did ye not eat for your selves and drink for your selves He sends us in all our food we live at his cost and therefore our eating may well be to his credit who is the Master of the feast The Jews according to some had officers at every feast whom they called Praefecti morum their work was the inspection of the guests that none should disorder themselves I must tell thee Gods eye is upon thee every meal he takes notice whether thy behaviour is as becometh a Saint And truly friend It behoves thee to use religion as a bridle in thy mouth to hold thee in when thou art eating and drinking Thy throat is a slippery place and sin may easily slip down It s no hard matter to sin whilst the thing thou art about is not sinfull How many feed without fear and thereby fatten themselves to the slaughter Jude ver 12. We read of some whose tables are snares in which they have been
surfeit Though Swine lye night and day in such mud do thou as the Sheep which sometimes fall into the mire but hasten out of it to the pleasant Medows Though the necessity of thy body calleth thee to thy recreations for a season yet let the necessities of thy soul and family call thee off from them in due time Let thy recreations be like a Porter whom thou mayst use for half an hour or an hour as thy occasions are and dismiss and not like an Houshold servant to dwell with thee constantly The Lacedemonians were so sparing that they are said to be even covetous of their time Secondly Look that thine end in them be right The end here will speak much to the specification of the act thy recreation must be as sauce to thy meat we eat sauce to sharpen our appetites to our food and to make us relish it the better so we must use recreations to whet our stomach to our callings and to make them the more savoury to us As musick to the Jews did stir up their minds and prepare their hearts for holy performances so lawful recreations may be used by us Gentiles to fit us for the service of God in our general and particular vocations The Saint by the comforts of his life may delight more in God the life of all his comforts He may follow these streams so long till he comes to the fountain of living waters He may conclude with himself If recreations by the creature be so sweet how sweet is communion with the Creatour The Musitian doth not leave his strings constantly wound up but sometimes lets them down and his end is that when he goeth again to use his Viol it may make the better Musick The wise Husbandman will not always cross-crop his ground but lets it sometimes lye fallow and his end is that sowing upon a Tilt he may have the greater crop So the Christian may allow his mind moderate release he may afford the ground of his outward man some rest but his end must be that when it comes again to be sowed to be employed it may be the more serviceable to God and his soul and truly so by going back a little he may have this advantage to leap the farther O how sordid a thing is it for men to use sports meerly to pass away their time hence they foolishly call them pastimes Reader art thou in haste to have some part of the thread of thy life cut off as if it were too long Wilt thou never consider that time is a silver stream running along into the Ocean of eternity and that eternity dependeth on the spending of this moment of time Dost thou not beleive that thy jovial companions now in Hell would give a whole world if they had it for one hour and that when thou thy self comest to dye and to look into the other World thou wilt say with the Roman General Sertorius in answer to his Souldiers who told him t was dishonourable to the Romans to pay tribute to the barbarous people inhabiting the Pyrenean Mountain Plut. Time is a precious commodity to be taken up at any rate Good God how much wilt thou think a Week a Day nay an hour worth For thy souls sake weigh thy time as it stands in relation to thine everlasting condition and then I am confident thou wilt aim at another end in thy recreations Though children go to school and work in hope of play yet men play to fit themselves for work Though wicked men have such sordid sinful ends in their delights do thou mind more noble and worthy designs Postotia virtus therefore oyl the wheels that thou mayst move the more chearfully and run the more swiftly in the way of Gods commandments Thirdly have an eye to the season of them Scholers have their play-hours yet if they be found playing when they should be at their books they must expect to be beaten The Master that doth not grudge his servant time to visit his friends and rejoyce with his familiars yet if he should do it when his work lieth upon the spoil he could not but take it very ill God alloweth us liberty for moderate delights but it is only when our general and particular callings will give us leave Cardinal Angelot is chronicled for a sordid person for stealing away the oats which his man had given his mare how sordid are those parents who steal their childrens food to pursue their own pleasures He that neglecteth his particular calling to follow his sports is like him that starveth his son to feed his swine And he that omits his prayers and religious duties to mind his pleasures is like him that is condemned to be hanged and hath only three days allowed him to procure his pardon in yet he spends all that time in hawking or hunting Recreations are like some fruits not always in season though at sometimes they are very wholsome yet at other times they are very hurtful The wise man tells us there is a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance Eccles 3.2 and 5. There is a time to weep Sorrow is not always seasonable Dalilah disparaged her discretion by weeping on the day of her wedding There is a time to laugh Delights are sometime out of fashion He forfeits his credit that sports at a funeral Musick never suited with mourning In general recreations are then unseasonable when God and mens families are neglected that they may be minded when to give them water we are forced to make the Mill of our general and particular callings to stand still O what a fool is that voluptuous youngster who having no more horses then what is sufficient for his ploughing will yet take one to hunt upon and thereby cause the rest to be idle and his business to be undone But how mad is that person who Esau like is hunting and thereby misseth the blessing In particular our recreations are unseasonable on a Lords day and in times of publick calamities 1. Recreation are unseasonable on a Lords day Carnal pleasures must then vanish and spiritual pleasures must take place Our joy must be pure and heavenly on that day It is an holy day and therefore cals for holy delights God inviteth the Saint on that day to his own table provideth for him costly curious food and expecteth that he should come and not bring along with him the worlds course fare Observe the precept in the Evangelical prophet If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honorable shal honor him not finding thine own pleasures then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. Is 58.13 14. Take notice from doing thy pleasure on my holy day our pleasures are such as flow from creatures now the Wine which makes glad the heart of a Saint on a Sabbath must be
refused the cup of water presented to him with this excuse I cannot drink alone and here is not enough for every one of my Souldiers to wet their lips Surely Christianity layeth a stronger obligation upon us when the Church is like her Husband carrying her Cross to cut our selves short in regard of worldly comforts Reader Is thy Mother sick and art not thou sorrowful Is thy God thy Father pierced and dishonored by sin and canst thou take thy pleasures Are thy Brethren and Sisters in great affliction and hast thou no fellow-feeling affections When David asked Vriah why he went not to his house after his journey He answered him The Ark and Israel and Judah abide in Tents and my Lord Joab and the Servants of my Lord are in the open fields Shall I then go into mine house and eat and drink and lie with my wife as thou livest and as thy soul liveth I will not do this thing 2 Sam. 11.10 11. Truely if thy flesh should tempt thee to carnal mirth in aday of Zions tribulations do thou repell it as he did The beautiful Spouse of Jesus Christ the blessed members of his body are in great affliction they water their couches with tearts and they mingle their drink with weeping and shall I mind my play and sports and earthly delights through the Lords help I will not do it No by the Rivers of Babylon let me sit down and weep when I remember Sion Alas how foolish is that man who can laugh and jest and be merry in his private Cabin as if he were safe and secure when the ship of the Church in which he sayleth is in a boystrous and dangerous storm Thus I have dispatched the third particular wherein a Christian must exercise himself to Godliness namely Recreations A good Wish about Recreations REcreation being the intermission of my labour The Introduction and spending of some time in delightful exercise for the refreshing of my body and mind which by working much are apt to tire and grow weary I wish in general that I may never abuse this favour which my Master affordeth me as some drunken servants to make me unfit for his work but may be so consciencious in observing those cautions about it which his law prescribeth that my vigour and strength being thereby repaired I may after it follow his business with the more alacrity and ability In particular I wish that my teeth may never water after forbidden fruit For the kind it must be lawful that I may not be so prodigal as to lay my precious inestimable soul at stake by any sinful pleasure My God hath told me how I may be merry and not have the Devil for my Play-fellow O let me never defile my Spirit whilst I am delighting the flesh but let my sport for the kind of it be like Cesars wife without the least suspicion of fault I desire that my carriage at it may be wholly free from passion and covetousness and to this end that I may never venture what I esteem at any value my mind hereby would be dist urbed not refreshed and so the end of recreation altogether frustrated Moderation about them I wish that such delights may be used as my medicine onely now and then when nature requireth them not as my meat constantly every day let my God of all consolation lye as a Wife in the bed of my heart in my bosom be the delight of my eyes whom I would by no means have out of my sight but let these low pleasures as my servants always remain in an outward room and go or come as occasion shall require and Religion direct I wish that I may never mind recreations for those foolish sinful ends The end to be good of passing away the time or pleasing the flesh but as Elijah called for a Minstrel that his mind being thereby calmed and cheared he might be the more fitted to prophesie so I may refresh my body for this very end that it may be the more serviceable to my soul and both of them thereby to my dearest Saviour I wish that my earthly delights may not be unsavoury Seasonable because as fish at some times of the year they are unseasonable that when my general or particular occupatition require my presence In general they are unseasonable when particular or general callings are neglected for them I may not be absent at recreations Why should I like the rich fool be talking of taking my bodily ease when my soul is in danger of endless pain or like prophane Esau be following my carnal pleasures to the loss of my spiritual priviledge Finally I desire that I may not as Nero when Rome was oâ— fire be singing when the people of God are sighing but moderate or deny my mirth In special In a time of the Churches troubles when the members of Christ are mourning O let me prefer Jerusalem before my chief joy In a word I wish that I may not disparage my God by medling with drossie comforts when he calleth me to golden Cordials that I may not disobey his law by minding my pleasure on his holy day but may delight my self On a Lords day on that day of the Lord in the Lord of that day O let me gather 1. from recreations with the Holy Father If ordinary glass be at such a price how precious is a true Diamond If the Worlds trash drain such joy what joy will flow from the true treasure Lord let my cheifest and constant recreations be to walk with my beloved in the Garden of thy word to refresh my spiritual sente and sight with the fair and fragrant flowers of thy promises and precepts to do the work which thou hast given me to do and to enjoy fellowship with thy self in Ordinances till I come to that place where bodies are above such dreggie delights and souls above all mediate communion and thou thy self art all in all Amen CHAP. XXVI How to exercise our selves to Godliness in our Partiular Callings AS Religion must be our business in our Spiritual and Natural Fourthly so also in our Civil Actions and particular Callings The Heavenly Bodies have an influence not onely on men and women but also on trees and plants The holiness of a Saint must be operative not onely in his more nobler exercises the Ordinances of God but likewise in his earthly and inferior employments Thy duty is Reader to minde thy general in thy particular calling and to drive a trade in Heaven whilest thou art following thy trade on Earth When thou art called to the Lord thou art not called from thy labour nay as thou art a servant of Christ thou art bound to be serviceable to thy Countrey in some mental or manual Calling but thy diligence therein must proceed from Conscience not from Covetousness from subjection to Gods Word not from affection to thy wealth As thy particular Calling is the Zodiack through which
will bring the plague along with them One scabbed sheep may wrong the whole flock one putrid grape corrupt a cluster a little Leaven Leaveneth the whole lump Lord in the choyce of inhabitants for my house let my eye be not onely upon my own welfare and their fitness for my work but chiefly on thy glory and their willingness to work the work of him that sent them into the World Ioh. 9.4 Psa 26.4 5. and 119. Let me hate the congregation of evil doers Let me not sitwith vain persons Let mine eyes be upon the faithful in the Land Let them that fear thee turn unto me and such as keep thy righteous judgements Let me dwell with them here on earth with whom I shall dwell hereafter in the house not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens I wish that that there may be a Church in my house and all the persons in it 2 Mind holy performances in thy Family both Morning and Evening at least imploved in those holy performances which my God requireth My house should be a resemblance of Heaven Above in his greatest and most glorious house my God is served without ceasing and without sinning O that though in his lower and lesser house natural and civil actions cause intermission of and the body of death causeth imperfections in holy duties yet he might be worshipped both constantly and perfectly in a Gospel and Evangelical sence I have read that amongst the worst of Turks the Moors it is a just exception against any Witness by their law Prayer that he hath not prayed four times in every natural day â— Hall Contemp. I wish that none in my Familie may be worse then Turks but that both all apart may secretly and all together may privaetly offer up the Morning and Evening Sacrifice of prayer and praise to the Lord my God Daniel would pray three times a day though he were cast to the Lions for it and shall my Family neglect prayer when the Omission of it will make them a prey to roaring Lions It is the honour and happiness of my house to exalt the Worship of my God in it his Service is the greatest freedom his work is a reward to it self why should we be our own enemies in banishing our best friends out of our family The mercies of my God are renewed upon me and mine every Morning his care and love is continued to us all the day long the dews and showrs of his compassion fall down upon us every Evening shall we be forgetful of him who is every moment so mindful of us O let my Family never be so void of grace and manners as not to bid our God Good-Morrow and Good-Night upon any pretence whatsoever I wish that the word of Christ may dwell richly in my heart and house Scripture instruction and Catechising that my whole familie may have their set meales every day of this Spiritual food How can I expect that Children or Servants who know not the God of their Fathers should serve him with perfect hearts Alas how often are their ignorant hearts like dark Cellers abounding in vermine full of sin 1 Cron. 28.9 O that I might so talk of the Word of God in my house Deut. 6.7 8. when I lye down and when I rise up that it may be written upon the Posts of my House and on my Gates that I may so often water the young plants in it that their first acquaintance may be acquaintance with God and from their childhood they may know the holy Scriptures and be wise to Salvation through faith which in Christ Jesus Though others care be to instruct their Servants onely in their own work let my care be to instruct mine in Gods Will and Word Though others labour to leave their children rich let my endeavour be to leave mine religious Lord enable me so to teach them thy Trade in their youth that they may not depart from it when they are old Prov. 22.6 that their young years well led may be like the Sweetness of a Rose whose swell remaineth in the dried leaves I wish That all the voyces in my house may tuneably sing Gods praises Singing Psalms yet that they may not like Trumpets and Pipes make a sound being filled onely with winde but have hearts fixed and prepared when they sing and give praise O that all the Viols in my house may be so in tune and their strokes so true that singing with grace in our hearts we may make melody to the Lord. Drunkards have their Songs in derision of them that are good Atheists have their Sonnets in dishonor of the blessed God Why should not the voyce of joy and rejoycing be in the Tabernacle of the righteous Psal 118.15 Though my house is a Tabernacle and all the inhabitants in it Travellers yet our work is pleasant O let us go merrily on and make Gods Statutes our Songs in this house of our pilgrimage Because my pattern of evil will do more hurt to my family 3 Set them a good example then my precepts can do good servants and children being apt to be led more by the eye then the ear I wish That I may take heed to my self weigh and watch over all my words and works not onely for my own but also for the sake of them that are committed to my charge Distillations from the head often consume and destroy the vitals My family is like a flock of sheep if the first leap through into a ditch or river the rest are ready to follow O that I might therefore be wary in all my ways and be so serious in Spiritual so sober in Natural actions so righteous towards men so religious towards my God so faithful in every relation and so holy and heavenly in every condition that I may have cause to say to my children and servants as Gideon to his Souldiers Look on me and do likewise Judg. 7.17 I wish 4 See that thy family sanctifie the Lords Day That my house may not onely spend some part of every Week day but also the whole Sabbath day in the service of my God It is a special priviledge granted me by the Lord for my families profit wherein I may be singularly helpful to my own and my housholds everlasting happiness O that not the least part of it may be lost or prophaned by any within my gate either by worldly labour pastimes or idleness but that I may be so mindeful of my charge as to take care that my children and servants do forbear what my God forbiddeth and spend that Sacred Day altogether in Sacred Duties To which purpose I desire That all my houshold both males and females if of capacity may appear before the Lord in publique and in his Temple give him praise and that in private I may whet the Word on them as the mower doth his sithe by going over it again and again according
XXIII How a Christian may make Religion his business in natural actions and 1. in eating and drinking page 400 Chap. XXIV How a Christian may make Religion his business in his apparel and sleep as also a good wish about natural actions wherein the several heads are epitomized page 427 Chap. XXV How a Christian may make Religion his business in his Recreations and and Pleasures as also a good wish about Recreations wherein the several heads are epitomized page 445 Chap. XXVI How a Christian may make Religion his business in his particular calling as also a good wish about ones particular calling wherein the several heads are epitomized and a good wish about the calling of a Minister wherein his several properties and duties are briefly described page 466 Chap. XXVII How a Christian may make Religion his business in the Government of his Family as also a good wish wherein the several heads are abreviated page 467 Books Printed for and sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the sign of the thre Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside Folio's THe Annotations on the whole Bible or all the Canonical scriptures of the Old and New Testament together with and according to their own Translation of all the Text as both the one and the other were ordered and appointed by the Synod of Dort now faithfully translated for the use of Great Britain at the earnest desire of many eminent Divines of the English and Scotish Nation A Commentary upon the three first Chapters of Genesis by Iohn White The Works of that famous and learned Divine Mr. William Pemble gathered into one volume The History of the Evangelical Churches of the Valleys of Piedmont containing a most exact Geographical description of the place and a faithful account of the Doctrine Life and Persecutions of the ancient Inhabitants Together with a most naked and punctual relation of the late bloody Massacre 1655. and a Narrative of all the following transactions to 1558. justified partly by divers ancient Manuscrips written many hundred years before Calvin or Luther by Samuel Morland Esq A Commentary upon the holy Writings of Iob David and Solomon that is these five Iâ—â— Psalins Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs being part of those which by the Ancient were called Hagiographa Wherein the divers Translations and Expositions both litteral and mystical of all the most famous Commentators both ancient and modern are propounded examined and censured and the Texts from the Original much illustrated by Iohn Mayor Doctor in Divinity A practical Commentary or an Exposition with Observations Reasons and Uses upon the first Epistle general of Iohn by that pious and worthy Divine Mr. Iohn Cotton Pastor of Boston in New-England A learned Commentary or an Exposition upon the first Chapter of the second Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians being the substance of many Sermons formerly preached at Grays-Inn London by that Reverend and Judicious Divine Richard Sibbs D. D. sometimes Master of Katharine-Hall in Cambridge and Preacher to that honorable Society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine characters in two parts acutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned differences between 1. The Hypocrite in his best dress of seeming vertue and formal duties and the true Christian in his real graces and sincere obedience As also between the blackest weeds of daily infirmities of the truly godly eclipsing saving grace and the reigning sins of the unregenerate that pretend unto that godliness they never had by that late burning and shining Lamp Mr. Samuel Crook B. D. late Pastor of Wrington in Summersetshire Quarto's Two excellent Treatises of Mr. Ieremi ah Burroughs one on the fifth of Matthew being many Sermons preached at Cripplegate upon all the Beatitudes And Gospel-Revelation in three Treatises viz. 1. The Nature of God 2. The Excellency of Christ And 3. The excellency of mans Immorral Soul both published by William Greenhill William Bridge Philip Nye Iohn Yates Matthew Mead William Adderly Peoples need of a living Pastor at the Funeral of Mr. Iohn Frost by Mr. Zachary Crofton Holy things for holy men or the Lawyers Plea nonsuited c. In some Christian reproof and pity expressed towards Mr. Pryns Book entituled The Lords Supper briefly vâ—ndicated by S.S. Minister of the Gospel A Vindication of the Christians Messiah that Jesus is the true Messiah prophesied and foretold by all the holy men of God who were writers of the Old Testament as also proved out of their own Talmud The Souls progress to the Celestial Canaan by way of godly Meditations and holy Contemplations by Iohn Welles Preacher of the Gospel Comfortable Sermons on Psalm 24. preached before the Lady Elizabeth her Grace by Daniel Dyke B.D. Plenary possession makes a lawful subjection to Powers that are in being proved to be lawful and necessary in a Sermon before the Judges in Exeter by Rich. Saunders Preacher of the Gospel The new World or the new Reformed Church discovered out of the second Epistle of Peter by Nath. Homes D. D. God save the King in a Sermon preached the day after his Majestie came into London by Anthoâ—y Walker Preacher of the Gospel A Plea for Ministers in Sequestrations against Mr. Mossom by S.S. An Ant doteâ— against Anabaptism wherein the Baptizing Infants taking Tythes c. are fully vindicated by Aylmor Haughton The Conversation as Heavenly and as Natural in two Treatises by Dr Stoughton An Exposition with practical Observations continued upon the thirtieth and one and thirtieth Chapters of the Book of Iob being the substance of thirty seven Lectures delivered at Magnus near the Bridge London by Ioseph Caryl Pastor of the Congregation there Also a Continuation by the same Author of the 32 33 and 34. Chapters of Iob being the substance of Forty nine Lectures delivered at Magnus near the Bridge London The Covenant of life opened or a Treatise of the Covenant of Grace by Samuel Rutherfurd Professor of Divinity in the University of S. Andrews Jesus Christ the mystical or Gospel Sun sometimes seemingly eclipsed yet never going down from his people or Eclipses spiritualized opened in a Sermon at Paul Church before the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor Aldermen c. March 28. 1652. the day before the late Solar Eclipse by Fulk Beller M.A. and Preacher of the Gospel in the City of London A Sermon preached before the Honoradle House of Commons at their late Monethly Fast being on Wednesday Iune 30. 1647. by Nathaniel Ward Minister of Gods Word A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England agreed upon and consented unto by their Elders and Messengers in their Meeting at the Savoy October 12. 1658. An account of the last hours of Oliver Cromwel wherein you have his frame of Spirit expressed in his Dying Words upon his Death-bed together with his last Prayer a little before his Death Drawn up and published by one who was an eye and ear witness of
is predestinated and created for this purpose Isa 43.1 and 7. Thou art mine I have created him for my glory I have formed him yea I have made him There is both the author and the end of our creation the author I have created him the end for my glory As man is the most exact piece on which he bestowed most pains Solâ—s homo sapientia instructus est ut religianem solus intelligat haec est hominis atque mutorum vel praecipua vel sola diâ—antia Lact. deâ—ira dei so from him he cannot but expect most praise Lactantius accounteth religion the most proper and essential difference between men and beasts The praises which Beasts give God are dumb their sacrifices are dead but the sacrifices of Men are living and their praises lively God did indeed set up the admirable house of the visible world floaring it with the earth watering it with the Ocean and ceiling it with the pearly Heavens for his own service and honor but the payment of this rent is expected from the hands of Man the inhabitant He was made and put into this house upon this very account that be might as Gods Steward gather his rents from other creatures and pay in to the great Landlord his due and deserved praise Man is made as a glass to represent the perfections that are in God A glass can receive the beams of the Sun into it and reflect them back to the Sun again The excellencies of God appear abundantly in his works man is made to be the glass where these beams of Divine glory should be united and received and also from him reflected back to God again O how absurd is it to conceive that God should work a body so curiously in the lowest parts of the Earth embroyder it with nerves veins variety and proportion of parts miracles enough saith one between head and foot to fill a Volume and then enliven it with a spark of his own fire a ray of his own light an Angelical and Heaven born soul and send this picture of his own perfections this comely creature into the World meerly to eat and drink and sleep or to buy and sell and sow and reap Surely the onely wise God had an higher end and nobler design in forming and fashioning man with so much care and cost The upright figure of mans body as the poetical Heathen could observe may mind him of looking upward to those blessedmansions above Os hominisublime dedit taelumque tueri jussit Ovid. and that fifth muscle in his eye whereby he differeth also from other creatures who have onely four one to turn downward Columb de re anat l. 1. c. 9. another to hold forwards a third to turn the eye to the right hand a fourth to turn the eye to the left but no unreasonable creature can turn the eye upward as man can may admonish him of viewing those superiour glories and exercising himself to godliness it being given him for this purpose saith the Anatomist that by the help thereof he might behold the Heavens thus the blessed God even by sensible demonstrations speaks his mind and end in making man but the nature of mans soul being a spiritual substance doth more loudly proclaim Gods pleasure that he would have it conversant about spiritual things He made it an heavenly spark that it might mount and ascend to Heaven A Philosopher may get riches Arist Polit. lib. 1. cap. ult saith Aristotle but that is not his main business a Christian may nay must follow his particular calling but that is not his main business that is not the errand for which he was sent into the World God made particular callings for men but he made men for their general callings It was a discreet answer of Anaxagoras Clazamenius to one that asked him why he came into the World Coelum mihi patria cuius cura summa est Anaxago Diogen Laert. Vt coelum contempler that I might contemplate Heaven Heaven is my Country and for that is my chiefest care May not a Christian upon better reason confess that to be the end of his creation that he might seek heaven and be serviceable to the Lord of Heaven and say as Jerom I am a miserable sinner and born onely to Repent The Jewish Talmud propounds this question Why God made man on the Sabbath-eve and gives this answer That he might presently enter upon the command of sanctifying the Sabbath and begin his life with the worship of God which was the chief reason and end why it was given him CHAP. VI. Religion is a work of the greatest weight It is Soul-work it is God-work it is Eternity-work SEcondly Godliness ought to be every mans main business because it is a work of the greatest concernment and weight Things that are of most stress call for our greatest strength Our utmost pains ought to be laid out upon that which is of highest price Mans diligence about any work must be answerable to the consequence of the work The folly of man seldom appears more then in being very busie about nothing in making a great cry where there is little Wool like that empty fellow that shewed himself to Alexander having spent much time and taken much pains at it before hand and boasted that he could throw a Pea through a little hole expecting a great reward but the King gave him onely a bushel of Pease for a recompence sutable to his diligent negligence or his busie Idleness Things that are vain and empty are unworthy of our care and industry The man that by hard labour and hazard of his life did climb up to the top of the Steeple to set an Egg an end was deservedly the object of pity and laughter We shall think him little better then mad that should make as great a fire for the rosting of an Egg as for the roasting of an Ox. On the other side the wisdom of men never presenteth it self to our view in livelier colours then in giving those affairs which are of greatest concernment precedency of time and strength Of brutes man may learn this lesson When the cart is empty or hath but little lading the Team goeth easily along they play upon the road but when the burden is heavy or the Cart stuck they pull and draw and put forth all their strength Now godliness is amongst all mans works of the greatest weight The truth is he hath no work of weight but this this is the one thing necessary and in this one thing are mans all things Our unchangeable weal or wo in the other world is wrapt up in our diligence or negligence about this our earthly business be they about food or raiment about honours or pleasures or whatsoever are but toys and trifles but bables and Butterflies to this As Candles before the sun they must all disappear and give place to this Moses a pious and tender Father when leaving them in his Swan-like
To thy duty at the Sacrament 3. To thy duty after the Sacrament First To thy duty before the Sacrament and herein my counsel is that thou wouldst prepare thy self solemnly for this Ordinance The Jews had their preparation for their Passover John 19.24 It was the preparation of the Passover Nay they took their Lamb the tenth day of the moneth and did not kill it till the fourteenth Exod. 12.3 and as some of their Writers observe they tied it all the while to their bed posts that in the interim they might prepare themselves for it Our Lord Jesus when he was to eat the Passoever and institute the Supper would have so much as the house in which he would do it prepared before-hand Mark 14.15 The ancient Fathers and primitive Christians used to sit up whole nights at prayer before the Lords Supper which they called their Vigiliae Reader thy care must be to trim thy lamp and make sure of oyl in the vessel now thou art going to meet the Bridegrom Samuel spake to the inhabitants of Bethlehem Sanctifie your selves and come to the Sacrifice so say I to thee Sanctifie thy soul and then come to the Sacrament 1 Sam. 16.9 Joseph prepared himself by shaving himself and changing his raiment before he went unto Pharaoh And wilt not thou prepare thy self by putting thy soul into the holiest posture thou canst when thou art to go in unto the King of Heaven and Earth He that would make a good meal even when he is to feast at anothers cost must prepare his stomack beforehand by moderate fasting or exercise God expecteth that the hands be pure but especially that the heart be prepared The good Lord saith Hezekiah pardon every one that prepareth his heart though it be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary 2 Chro. 30.18 19. the King speaketh of those who came to the Passover with some ceremonial pollution yet had moral purity and his words are to this purpose Lord though several of my people have failed in regard of external purification let it please thee to pardon them if they have minded internal preparation Friend there is no hope of remission without this heart-preparation The Devil himself would not come into an house till it was ready swept and garnished Mat. 12. And dost thou think that Jesus Christ will come into thy heart while it lieth nastily and sluttishly before the filth of sin be swept out and it be garnished with the Graces of his Spirit Surely that room had need be richly hung with the embroidery of the Spirit in which the glorious and blessed Potentate will sup and lodge Where thy expectation is great from a person there thy preparation must be great for him Dost thou not look like Herod to see some miracle done by Jesus some extraordinary thing for thy soul Therefore I say to thee as Joshua spake to the Israelites Sanctifie your selves for to morrow the Lord will do wonders amongst you Josh 3.5 O sanctifie thy self and to morrow on the Sacrament-day the Lord will do wonders for thee he will feast thee at his own Table he will feed thee with his own flesh he will give thee that love which is better then wine he will embrace thee in his arms and kiss thee with the kisses of his mouth he will delight thine eyes with the sight of his beautiful Person ravish thine ears with the sound of his precious promises and rejoyce thine heart with the assurance of his gracious pardon O do but sanctifie thy self and to morrow the Lord will do wonders for thee This preparation consisteth in a serious examination of thy self and a sincere humiliation for thy sins Thy serious examination of thy self must be First Of the Good in thee Secondly Of the Evil done by thee Let a man examine himself and so and no otherwise let him eat of this bread and drink of this cup 1 Cor. 11.28 Examine himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some take it to be a Metaphor of a Goldsmith as he trieth Gold in the fire whether it be pure or no so thy duty is to try thy graces by the fire of the Word whether they be true or not So the word is used 1 Pet. 1.7 Others take it as an allusion to Ministers who are tried whether they are fit for their office or no 1 Tim. 3.10 so thou oughtest to try thy self whether thou art fit for this Ordinance or no. This examination must be First Of the Good in thee Thy duty is to examine thy self in general concerning thy Regeneration or spiritual life The Sacrament is childrens bread and it must not be given to dogs Dogs must be without doors not within snatching the Meat from the Table Men must prove their right to the Purchase before they take Possession He must have an interest in the Covenant of grace who will finger the seal of the Covenant It is high Treason to annex the Kings broad Seal to forged Writings Thy Navel is like a round Goblet which wanteth not liquor thy belly is like an heap of Wheat set about with Lillies Cant 7.2 The words are Christs praise of his spouse for her fruitfulness in bringing Children forth and her faith fulness in bringing them up By the Navel Expositors agree that Baptism is understood by which as children by the Navel the members of the Church are nourished even then when they are so feeble that they cannot feed themselves but their whole sustenance is conveyed to them by others By the belly is meant the Lords Supper Now observe the provision how the Table is furnished and the persons which are to sit at it For the provision Thy belly is like an heap of Wheat Ainsworth on the words observeth that in those times they brought their Corn in and stackt it up in heaps so that as the belly distributeth to every part of the body its proportion of nourishment and as an heap of Wheat satisfieth the hunger of and affordeth strength to a whole Family so doth the Church by this Sacrament bestow on all her children through Christ that food which is needful for health and strength The persons which are to eat of this Wheat set about with lillies They must be Saints and are compared to Lilies First For their innocency they are Lilly-white Secondly for their glory and Nobility Mat. 6.29 Pliny telleth us that Lilies are next to the Rose for Nobility Plin. l. 22. c. 5. Christ is the Rose of Sharon the plant of most renown but his Church is next to him Thirdly for the savour Cant. 4.12 The graces of beleivers are like sweet perfumes and sented as far as Heaven The Lords Supper is a Sacrament not of Regeneration but of sustentation When the Prodigal came to himself then the fatted Calf was killed for him Luk. 15. Men must have natural life before they can eat natural meat and men must have spiritual life before they can eat spiritual meat It was an ancient
of curious colours delight the eyes variety of dainties are acceptable to the taste Nero promises rewards to them that invented new pleasures God hath for that purpose disht out his worship into several and various duties that it might be more pleasant to us Sometimes we speak to God sometimes we hear from God sometimes we are praying for supply of our necessities sometimes we are praysing him for his infinite excellencies sometimes our mouthes are open to sing sometimes our ears are open to hear the Sermon sometimes our eyes are open to see the Sacrament The same meat is drest several ways to make it the more welcome and so the more strengthning to us Hippocrates observes that that food which nature receives with delight though not so good in it self affords better nourishment then that which is more wholesome against which nature hath a reluctancy Reader thy delight and pleasure in the sacred Ordinances of the Lords day will help to make them more profitable to thee Some colours which do delight do also strengthen the sight Sixthly if thou wouldst make godliness thy business on a Lords day Let no duty satisfie without communion with God in it Ordinances are the Galleries and Gardens and for that end appointed wherein God and thy soul may walk together For this cause they are called a glass because therein the Christian beholds the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 As Zacheus climbed up to the Sycamore Tree to see Jesus and when he once had a sight of him he came down joyfully so go thou up into the Trees of duties for this purpose that thou mayst see God in Christ and unless this be granted thee come down sorrowfully When men go to meet a friend at a certain place and they miss him how discontentedly do they go away Alas what are the Ordinances without God but as a Table without meat from which a living soul must needs depart thirsty and hungry David loved the habitation of Gods house but it was because it was the place where Gods honour dwelt Psa 27. David longed for the courts of God more then for his Crown relations or possessions or any outward comforts but it was because God afforded there his gracious presence Gods glorious presence is in his Church Triumphant but he is graciously present in his Church Militant My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh eryeth out for the living God Psa 84.2 His desire was as eager and earnest as of a longing woman with child who is ready to faint away and dye if she be not satisfied Sometimes he compares his desire to thirst of which creatures are more impatient then hunger Psa 63.1 Sometimes to the thirst of an Hart after the water-brooks which creature being naturally hot and dry in a very great degree is exceeding thirsty but the object of his desire of his thirst was God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God O when shall I come and appear before him Psa 42.1 2. To see thy beauty and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary It was communion with God in his life and love in his graces and comforts which the Psalmist so much longed for The sweet smiles of Gods face the honey dews of his Spirit were Davids Paradise of pleasure his heaven upon earth They that come to duty meerly for duty know not what it meanes to meet with God and therefore though they neither see his face nor hear his voice yet are contented like those that were born in some dark Dungeon and never yet saw the Sun they are well enough satisfied without it but those who have seen it and know that that light is pleasant if they look up to the heaven of Ordinances see not the Sun of righteousness it s no longer day with them The true Disciples met together the first day of the week and enjoying Jesus among them rejoyced indeed but they are onely glad in duties when they had seen the Lord John 20.20 They were glad when they had seen the Lord. Reader when thou goest to the Ordinances of God go to meet God in the Ordinances As Moses go up into the Mount of duties to converse with thy Maker Go to view the beauty of his face when thou enquirest into his holy Temple When thou goest to prayer let it be in hope to get thy heart nearer to heaven When thou goest to hear mind communion with him that speaks from heaven and then onely rejoyce in the word when as the star to the wise men leads thee to the place where Christ is It is God in the Word which causeth efficacy it is God in prayer who causeth prevalency it is God in the Sacrament who causeth alacrity it is God in a Sabbath who causeth complacency When thou goest to the waters of the Sanctuary say as Elisha at the waters of Jordan Where is the Lord God of Elijah Where is the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ Why is thy Chariot O Son of righteousness so long a comming Why tarry what clogs the wheels of thy Chariot O when wilt thou come unto me Psa 101.2 When thou comest from the Ordinances and hast not met God in them though thou hast shewed never so great parts or gifts or outward devotion say as Absolom All this avails me nothing so long as I may not see the Kings face 1 Sam. 28 15. Saul himself was sad and sorrowful when he enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him not and canst thou O Saint be joyful when thy beloved hath withdrawn himself Look upon performances as boats to ferry thy soul over and give it a passage to God and take heed of going contentedly from God without God Psa 43.3 4. let thy prayer be O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me to thy holy hill to thy Tabernacle then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy Seventhly Sanctifie the whole day to Gods service Be early up in the morning and as late as thy body will permit at night The Israelites when they were to batter down the strong holds of Jericho rose up early in the morning Judg. 6.15 Upon the Lords day thy work must be to batter down the strong holds of sin rise early lose no time Do not lose the least moment if it be possible of this sacred day The very filings of Gold are of worth The smallest part of this holy day is of great price The word Shamur to keep the Sabbath Lev. 19.30 signifieth to keep with care and diligence as a great treasure of which a man would lose none When men beat Ginger they will if good Husbands be careful that little fly out of the Mortar but if they beat pearl they are extraordinary watchful that not the least of that be lost because a little of that is of great value Reader if thou
glory Fourthly On the Kingdom of the house of David his annointed Fifthly That he would send Elias the Prophet Sixthly That he would make them worthy of the days of the Messiah and of the life of the World to come After this prayer the Guests with soft and low voices said unto themselves Fear ye the Lord all ye his holy ones because there is no want to them that fear him The young Lions want and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall want no good thing Alas alass how few Gentiles spend half that time in devotion at their Tables which the pious among the Jews did Many go from their food as the Cow from her fodder taking no notice of the Author of it and like the Idolatrous Israelites they sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play Exod. 32.6 They sit down to Eat and Drink and rise up to play the Beast to play the Atheist Remember every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving 1 Tim. 4.4 but this thanksgiving must not be onely in thy words but also in thy works thy unblameable conversation and thy charitable contribution must speak thy thankfulness When the Master hath fed the Servant he expects that he should go about his business and do the work appointed him That strength which thou receivest from God must be improved for God It s good to bless God with thy lips but best of all to bless him with thy hands and in thy life God will judge of thy thankfulness by thy conversation Think thus with thy self This is the God that feedeth me that satisfieth me with good things how sweet how comfortable are his mercies What sweet refreshment have I had from the creatures when some better then my self want food Others have it but their lives abhor bread and their souls dainty meat Job 3.20 Why should I not love fear and trust and serve this God! I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living O be ashamed to live at Gods cost and to do Satans work Be not like the young Mulets which when they have sucked their fill turn up their heels and kick at their Dam. Further thy duty is to manifest thy thank fulness by supplying the wants of the needy Job would not eat his morsels alone but the Fatherless had a share with him Job 31.16 17. The forementioned Author observes that the Heathen were not forgetful when they were feeding of their absent friends Gods hand is open to thee why should thy heart and hands be shut against the hungry bellies and naked backs Thy goods extend not to Gods Person therefore they must to Gods poor Psa 16.2 Have a Monitor within thee to call upon thee when at meals Remember the poor Remember the poor Remember poor Christ and hungry Christ and naked Christ by this test he will try thee for thine eternal estate and upon the neglect of this he will sentence thee to the eternal fire Mat. 25.41 If thou art a rich person do thou frequently mind this duty Great House-keepers must be Good House keepers All must contribute according to their abilities to the poors necessities but where God gives much he requires much he expecteth an harvest sutable to the seed he soweth It is credibly reported of Mr. Sutton Founder of Suttons Hospital that he used often to repair into a private garden Fullers Church Hist of Brit. where he poured forth his prayers unto God and amongst other passages was overheard frequently to use this expression Lord thou hast given me a liberal and large estate give me also an heart to make a good use it I am confident an heart to use wealth aright is a greater mercy then the greatest heap of wealth I had rather have a little with an heart to improve it for God then much then millions without such an heart Make thee friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when that failes thee thou mayst be received into the Celestial habitation Iustin lib. 51. When Dionysius the Syracusian Tyrant saw what heapes of gold and silver his Son had hoarded up in his closet he asked him what he meant to let it lie there and not to make friends with it to get the Kingdom after his death O Son saith he thou hast not a spirit capable of a Kingdom The rust of many a rich mans wealâ—h will eat his heart with pain and torment in the other World and the Apostle calls upon such to weep and houl for the miseries that are coming upon them James 5.1 2 3 4. God findeth fault with them that could fare on the finest bread and fattest flesh themselves and yet forget the afflictions of others Amos 6.5 How many riotous rich men are there that though they cannot eat and drink all with sobriety will rather spoil it by gluttony and drunkenness then let the poor have part with them like Children who will rather crumble away their food then impart any to their fellows O how justly was the rich man denyed a drop in the other world when he denyed a crum in this world Willet Hexap in Levit. How many covetous Muck-worms like Hogs are nourished onely to be destroyed they are good for nothing whilst they are alive the Hog is neither good to draw as the Ox nor to bear as the Horse nor to cloath us as the Sheep nor to give milk as the Cow nor to keep the House as the Dog but good onely to be kild Such are these scraping wretches good for nothing till they come to the Knife Like barren trees they do but cumber the ground and serve for no use till they are cut down for the unquenchable fire And truely their hearts will never bewail him dead whose bowels did not bless him alive His life did not deserve a prayer nor his death a tear who laid out that to serve his pride which God laid in to serve the poor Reader if God have dealt thee a considerable portion of outward good things consider that thou art but Gods Factor he is the Merchant The Factor knoweth that the goods transported to him are his Masters goods and he must dispose them according to directions from his Master All thine estate is Gods thou art but his servant his Factor he gives thee order in his word to dispose it thus and thus to such poor members of Christ so much to one and so much to another and he will shortly reckon with thee how thou obeyest his directions and if thou forbearest charity now thou wilt then be counted and found as real a theif before the whole world as ever servant was that put hundreds into his own purse which his Master appointed him to pay to other persons Withhold not thy goods from the owners thereof Pro. 3.27 from them to whom it is due either by the law of justice or by the law of love Rom. 13.8 And truly Charity is the best way to plenty He gets
through with the burden of instructing my children Though others nurse children for the love of wages let me nurse mine for the wages of love Let all my actions towards them flow from sincere affection to them and not onely my counsel and comforts but even my rod of reproof like Jonathans be dipt in this hony When I am rebuking them cuttingly and frighting them from sin with the fear of the unquenchable fire let all my bitter pils be given in this sweet syrrup of love that they may know and acknowledge my greatest anger against their sins to proceed from a tender respect and love to their immortal souls I wish that being a sworn Souldier of the Lord of Hosts Full of courage whatsoever trials and tribulations I meet with in my holy warfare whatsoever dangers and death shall look me in the face I may never flye from my colours or forsake my Captain but endure hardshipas a good Souldier of Jesus Christ When I first listed my self in his Muster-Roll I understood the greivous hardships and various hazards which all his Army but especially his Officers must encounter with that to Preach the Gospel is as Luther saith to draw the hatred of the whole World upon a man yea that Earth and Hell would both conspire and plant their strongest batteries against the Bulworks of the Church under God the Ministers of the word notwithstanding all which I entred my name as a Volunteer and promised to live and dye in his quarrel and shall I now because the enemies appear numerous and the Bullets flye thick like Peter deny my righteous cause and disown my glorious Captain Lord let me dye with thee rather then deny thee Enable me through thy strength to be ready not onely to be bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Jesus My onely safety consisteth in keeping close to my Saviour Should I through cowardliness run away I must expect Marshal law If any man draw back thy soul will have no pleasure in him If I like Jonah should run from thy presence as unwilling to deliver an unwelcome message I must expect a storm to follow after me and either the waves to swallow me up or the Whale to swallow me down I should but go out of thy blessing into the warm Sun If the service of my God be not in all respects the best why did I chuse and like it If it be why should I refuse and leave it My cause is good I fight against sin and Satan the desperate and bloody enemies of my soul My Crown is better after a a temporal conflict followeth an eternal Crown of glory O my soul be thou faithful unto death and thou shalt have a Crown of life but my Captain is best of all he looketh upon me goeth before me fighteth for me and as he leadeth me on to this tryal so he will not like the Devil and the World who leave their servants and Lovers in the lurch but bring me off with triumph either safe on earth or safe to heaven Lord whatsoever dirt of calumny shall be thrown in my face whatsoever dart of cruelty shall be stuck in my body Act. 20.22 for keeping the word of thy patience in an hour of temptation yet let none of these things move me neither let me count my life dear unto me so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the grace of God As to the preaching of the Gospel The several duties of a Minister 1. To preach the Gospel which is the principal work of the Minister as being the main Engine in the hand of God wherewith he undermineth and overturneth the strong-holds of sin and the Kingdom of darkness I wish that I may prepare for this work diligently ever handle this weapon warily deliver the message of my God soberly as may be most for his glory and my peoples good not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power To this end I desire His Sermons must be the fruits of servent prayer that all my Sermons may be like Monica's son children of many prayers and tears and thereby the more unlikely to perish Luther saith He that prayeth hard studieth hard Lord let all my Sermons as dew be Heaven-born that they may drop down upon my people like rain upon the mown grass Let prayer be the key to open the mysteries of Christ to me and let prayer be the turning of the key to lock them up safe within me Let prayer open and shut all my Books form and write begin and conclude every Sermon Ah how should he pray both for his preaching and before he preacheth who by every Sermon preacheth his beloved Neighbours into Eternal burnings or Eternal pleasures I wish also for the furtherance of the former ends Preached over first to his own soui That I may preach over every Sermon to my own heart before I preach them to my hearers That I preaching feelingly may preach the more effectually and the milk of the Word coming warm out of the Mothers breasts may be as more natural so more pleasing and nourishing to the children Why should I like a Lawyer plead the cause of my God for my fees and 〈…〉 have my own person concerned in it O let 〈◊〉 rather as a Physician drink of those potions my self which I prescribe and administer to my Patients I desire He must preach the Word 1. Purely That I may never dare to play the Huckster with the Word of God to sophisticate or adulterate it by my additions to it but that I may receive from the Lord what I deliver to men and feed all my charge with the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby If it be Treason to counterfeit the Kings Coyn what High Treason is it for me to imprint the King of Kings stamp on my brass Money O that as I am an Ambassador I might keep close to my Instructions and as a Builder may lay every stone in his Temple by the line and rule of his Word and as a Physician may never try experiments upon the souls of my people but hold fast to the form of wholesome words and ever prescribe those tryed and approved receits which the Great Physician hath left me under his own hand Because my work is to touch and pierce my hearers hearts 2 〈◊〉 and not to tickle and please their ears I wish That I may preach a crucified Saviour in a crucified stile That I may not blow up my Sermons as Butchers some joynts of meat to make them shew fairer with a windy pomp of words but by using all plainness and stooping to the lowest capacity may become all things to all men that I may save some I am a Barbarian to my people whilest I preach to them in an unknown language I starve their souls whilest