Israel Esa 29. 22 23. Alas we sail our Children herein and undoes them and our Selves too 14. All you that are Baptized whether while young or when old or both you must all know that therein you have avouched the Lord to be your God to walk in his ways and to keep his Commandments and the Lord hath avouched you in that day to be his peculiar People Deut. 26. 17 19. The most excellent and honourable name of Christ is then put upon you O walk worthy of that worthy name that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorifyed in you and you in him 2 Thes 1. 12. This is your engagement and that by the Solemnest vow that ever was made or taken the Covenant of your God is upon you the bond of the Covenant should bind you fast as the word Religion signifies a binding unto God and Godliness O break not those bands nor cast away those cords from you for then you are sure to be broken as a Potters Vessel that cannot be patch'd up again Psal 2. 3 9. O be not amongst that black bed-roll Rom. 1. 31. Covenant-breakers he that breaks this Convenant with poor man shall not be delivered Ezek. 17. 15 16. Much less he that breaks his Covenant with the great God who will assuredly avenge the quarrel of his Covenant Levit. 26. 25. O keep your selves in the love of God Jude 20. and continue ye in Christs love Joh. 15. 9. which constrains you to Obedience and Holiness 2 Cor. 5. 14. You are Souldiers of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2. 3. O do valiantly and as good Soldiers fight the good fight of Faith 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Against those Adversaries that War against your Souls 1 Pet. 2. 11. The Romans of old as Lipsius saith had their Sacramentum Militare an Oath of service in War as now we have Press-Money to bind them Sufficiently to their Military Service And desertores Militie such as run away from their General c. Were ipso facto to be hanged Thus you have taken Gods Press-Money and the Sacramentum Evangelicum the Gospel Oath is upon you and you are enrolled in Christs Muster-Book of how much sorer punishment shall you be thought worthy to wit to be hanged up in Hell Heb. 10. 29. If you forsake the Camp without leave of your General yea revolt and run to the Enemy as Apostates do or if you stay still in the Camp yet hold private Correspondency with the Adversary and betray the trust committed to you or if you do neither of these yet out of Cowardise or contempt never strike blow or perform duty 'T is worst of all to be in Gods Camp and yet fight the Devils battels and not Gods This contracts more guilt then if you had never contracted with God to serve him at all 15. Lastly seeing 't is more then probable that this great Ordinance which came even out of the very sides of our Lord Christ turns to the least account and advantage among professors of the Gospel the most part being not able to know the use and efficacy of it when it is administred to them and very few have any serious thoughts upon it I fear after the Administration of it Therefore I beseech all persons to look back upon their Baptism whensoever they were Baptized and not only to make some penitent Reflections upon all your Sins past against your Covenant with God therein but also some believing Improvement of it as a blessed Antidote against Sin for time to come Thus Luthers brave Virgin forementioned answered the Tempter who tempted her to Sin O Satan I call to mind that I am a Christian and have been Baptized and therein I Covenanted with my God never to do such things as thou Tempts me unto and therefore I cannot I dare not I will not hearken to thy Temptations which are so contrary to my promise and vow in Baptism and hereupon the Tempter departed from her having quenched his fiery darts with her Baptismal water So through grace may you do by the same means making such serious Reflections as David did Psal 86. 16. Lord save the Son of thy hand-maid he remembred that he was born in Gods House that he came of Godly Parents c. And so hoped God would help him at least for their sakes as Ishmael was for Abrahams he cries also I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments Psal 119. 106. Binding himself thus in the strength of God whom he desired to be his surety herein V. 122. that he might do as he had sworn and thus though the Act of Baptism be transient soon over and done yet the effects of it are permanent and may be of blessed use to us all our days Of the Lord-Supper CHAP. X. 1. IN the general First the Lords Supper is the Lords last Legacy he left his Disciples reserving his best Wine till the last before his shameful and painful death Secondly 'T is an inestimable evidence of his favour to all his Redeemed David could not express his favour to Mephibosheth in a better way then to make him Eat and Drink with him at his Table 2 Sam 9. 5 7. and 't was an high favour to Chimham also to be admitted to Davids Table 2 Sam. 19. 33 35 38. yet an higher favour and honor hath all the Saints Luke 22. 30. The King is at their Table Cant. 1. 12. And they at his in both Kingdoms of grace and glory Rev. 3. 20. Thirdly 't is the feast of fat things promised Isa 25. 6. full of marrow and of Wine on the lees well refined this is a great Royal and magnificent feast Mat. 22. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saginare to cram his crammed fowls his fatted Oxen are killed or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Sacrificed as if a blessing had been craved by Sacrifice upon the feast on Gods part all things are ready all the defect is on our part the Father hath prepared the fatted Calf for his penitent Prodigals Luke 15. 20 23. Christ himself is the feast or fatted Calf to feed and feast upon a feast above that of Belshazzars Dan. 5. 1. To a thousand of his Lords This is to all people both to Jews and Gentiles without respect of persons Act. 10. 34 35. and Raggs are as welcom here as Robes yea above that of Ahasuerus Est 1. 3 5. 2. 18. and that of Solomon 2 Chron. 7. 8. both which lasted only some few days but this feast lasts till time shall be no more Fourthly 'T is a full feast as it not only hath Humidum Siccum both that which is moist and that which is dry which is all that is required to a full Meal It hath both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bread and Wine that comprehends all a double Element in this Sacrament though but single in the other Fifthly 'T is such a feast as is both Dinner and
yea and glorifies God too 6. Our Lord saith thus of himself if I do not the works of my Father believe me not Joh. 10. 37 his works should testify of him what he was Luk. 7. 20 21 22. His works must be the standard by which they must measure him whether he were the Christ or no and so a fit Foundation for their Faith Christs Vicar the Pope who causelesly calls himself so will not say thus as Christ said but will have all his precepts dispatched not disputed obeyed not examined though we be bid to try the Spirits 1 Joh. 4. 1 and although by his evil Example he drew thousands to Hell yet none must say so much as what dost thou 7. Whereas works must be the standing standard whereby all Men as well as Christ yea the Pope himself must be measured whether they be in Christ and Christ in them If you do not the works of Christ to wit such as he hath proposed for your Example Imitable works 't is a vain belief yea a mere conceit only to think your self a Christian and you do but put an everlasting cheat upon your own Immortal Soul your works tell the World what you are for those the World sees and hears and by them you either glorifie your Father in Heaven or give clear evidence that you have denied the Lord that bought you 2 Pet. 2. 1 and would Redeem you from a Vain Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18 2 12. 8. T is true you may be a Christian in truth though something of Sin remain in your heart yet then it must not be liked there Rom. 7. 15. and although something of Sin remain in your life yet then it must not Reign there Rom. 6. 14. And for the main course of your life you must be chast modest temperate meek gentle kind and pittiful You must bridle your passions mortifie your inordinate affections and in a word exercise all the graces of his Spirit in you and Godliness 1 Tim. 4. 7. 9. Your practice must be answerable to your profession You who carry Christs name that Sacred worthy name how exactly should you carry your self and what manner of person ought you to be 2. Pet. 3. 11 even a person to admiration as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies how accurate and how elevated above the Ordinary strain You must have your feet where other Mens heads are Prov. 15. 24 the way of life is above to the wise you must be a choice person as you have a choice name that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in him 2. Thes 1. 12. This glory of Christ shall rebound unto your glory and Christ accounts himself glorified therein 10. You must therefore be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. your very civility must favour of Sanctity and your common commerce relish of Religion Holiness to the Lord should be Writ upon your Bridle when you Ride and upon your Cups when you Drink Zech. 14. 20 21 you should as 't is said of a Reverend Divine Eat and Drink and Sleep Eternal life Those very common Actions are as so many Steps in your Christian walk and way and therefore you should not despise them but with all seriousness refer them to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31 do all to God and his glory 11. Such as name the name of Christ should depart from Iniquity 2 Tom. 2. 19 and this loose professours not doing doth exceedingly promote Atheisme There is nothing enlarges the Gulf of Atheisme more then that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wide passage between the profession and the practice of pretenders to Christianity how can the profession of that be looked upon by others to be Honourable the practice whereof is not looked on by themselves to be so If the Sum of Christianity be good why do they not practice it and if it be not good why do they so much as profess it 12. See then that your Conversation may be in Heaven while your commoration is on Earth Phil. 3. 20 't is so Ish Exemplarily while you are Writing by Heavens Copy and 2dly Analogically according to Heavens Rule living by Heavens Laws yea 3dly Theologically going about your Earthly matters with an Heavenly mind which a carnal heart that makes Earth his Throne and Heaven his footstool can never do a Fly cannot make that of a flower that a Bee doth The Carnal man is like to the Duke de Alva that said he had so much business upon Earth that he had no leisure to look up to Heaven but you must have so much business in Heaven as to have no time to look down so as to love the vain and vexing things hereupon Earth 13. You must set Christ before you as the most perfect pattern of an Holy and Heavenly Conversation who as Athanasius said of him while he went about doing good upon Earth carryed about him every-where an Heaven you must resemble Christ If you be a Christian and walk as he walked you must live as one that comes down from Heaven to Earth and expects to go up from Earth to Heaven Christ did his Fathers will upon Earth and it was meat drink to him to do so Joh. 4. 34 as the Angels doth it in Heaven you must Imitate Christ and though you cannot do so in his Miracles yet you may and must in his Morals you must walk in Christs steps here or never expect to rest in Christs bosome hereafter 14. You must be the true Picture of Christ as every true Christian ought to be Every dawber cannot draw the Kings Picture some such make strangers think strangly of the Kings Person because of his dawbed ill-favoured pourtraiture And shall those dawbers be punished for Exposing a Mishapen Picture of the Kings person to open View then what shall become of those titular yet loose and licentious Christians whose lives should be a lively Representation of Christ If by their Carnal careless and scandalous Conversations they do cause the Name of Christ to be blasphemed among Unbelievers that do Judg of him by this counterseit mishapen Representation Surely Christ will not own those workers of Iniquity Though they have prophesied in his Name and eat and drunk in his presence Matth. 7. 23. Men use to hang out their well-drawn Pictures of some special friend in the most conspicuous place that it may appear to all beholders they rejoyce in it as a grace and ornament to them So must you shew forth the praises of him that hath called you 1 Pet. 2. 9. If the Image of Christ be stamped upon your heart you must shew it in your life in a good Conversation Jam. 3. 13. 15. Thus you ought to aske your own heart whose Image and Super-scription is this Is it Christs or is it Satans God forbid that Satan should Imprint his limbs and lineaments upon your Soul unrased out by Christ you have born the Image of the
Supper yea the best of the kind a wedding-Dinner as Matthew calls it Mat. 22. 4. and 't is a wedding Supper as Luke calls it Luk. 14. 16. to shew that the Saints do Dine and Sup with Christ they Eat and are satisfyed continually with the fatness of his Table Psal 65. 4. 'T is a thousand pities God should say I have prepared my Dinner or my Supper 't is both his and of his preparing and that when it is prepared of God it should be sleighted of man Some by keeping from it that should come and others by coming to it that should not for want of the wedding garment the word wooes and beseechs us this Sacrament makes up the match and marries the Redeemed with the Redeemer neglect it not Num. 9. 13. 2. More particularly three things are required of you herein 1. Preparation before 2. True participation in And 3. Right improvement after First of the first to wit due preparation First in the General Man before the Fall had no need of preparation 't was only his changing of employments and a bare going out of secular work into spiritual and religious but fall'n man cannot do so he must prepare his heart first and then change his employment fall'n man is as Joseph in his prison state Gen. 41. 14. who puts off his prison-garments and changed them for better and then came in to Pharaoh accordingly and much more you must put on your best graces when you are to come in unto the Lord in this solemn and sacred Ordinance in which are the highest mysteries of the Christian Religion 1. As it is a standing evidence of transcendent affection both of the Father in giving the Son to us and of the Son in giving himself to us 2. As it is a lively representation of your blessed and bleeding Redeemers suffering upon the Cross far beyond all Popish Crucifixes it being of Christs own institution 3. As it is the nearest Communion we have with God upon Earth a sitting down at the Kings own table which earthly Monarchs practice not as his Favorites and familiar Friends And 4. as it is a Prelibamen or foretaste of that eternal banquet you shall hereafter eat off in your Fathers house and therefore you may not rush into this Ordinance above all others but prepare for it as you would do for death itself Casuists say Sacramentum Articulus mortis aquiparantur you should be as serious in your coming to the Lords table as in your going at the point of death into another world in both you appear before the great God 3. Your preparation for this solemn Ordinance is held out in that Scripture-expression the purification of the sanctuary 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. which consisted of three parts 1. Washing with water 2. Changing their Garments and 3. Purging out all leaven out of their Houses to prepare for the passeover If the Jews were thus zealous in the shadow and Ceremony how much more ought Christians to be in the truth and substance First of the first washing with water every Jew had his water Pots beside him for his daily washing Joh. 2. 6 for his Purification God will be Sanctifyed of all those that draw nigh to him Levit. 10. 2 3. and therefore God requires this Purification of all the People Exod. 19. 10. this outward washing was a time of inward cleansing Isoe 1. 16. which is principally required Heb. 10. 22. grace purifies the heart Act. 15. 9. and they must be pure in heart that would see God Mat. 5. 8. without holiness no man can see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. much less come nigh him for iniquity is a wall of Separation Isa 59. 2. As in those Levitical purifications they were to wash off 1. All defilements 2. The deepest stains 3. From off all the parts from head to foot 4. And this often as in the Leper yea 5. Their very Garments spotted with the flesh Jude 23. the resemblance is 1. That you be washed from the blood of your Nativity Ezek. 16. 4. the Spirit of Sanctification must be applyed to every sowle faculty of the Soul and Member of the body Especially to the Conscience Heb. 9. 14. 2. The pains you must take in mortifying your Earthly members Col. 3. 5. which are as the spots of a Leopard Jer. 13. 23. which will not wash out without much rubbing and scouring and many nights frosting out of doors You must be contented to endure much hardship 2 Tim. 2. 3. and many tribulations Act. 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 12. many bats and blows so the stain of Sin may be fetched out which will not be done easily but sticks as close as flesh to the bone 3. Your whole frame being all out of frame must be washed and throughout Sanctifyed 2 Thes 5. 23. You must cry with Peter wash Lord not my feet only but also my hands and my head Joh. 13. 9. 4. And this you must do often 't is not the work of a day week moneth or year but 't is the daily work of your whole life renew your Repentance daily that you run not your life out in Hypocrisy and die like a fool at last Zach. 13. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1. 4. The second part of the Jewish purification was change of Raiment Gen. 35. 2. Though the Ceremonial Law was not then Written yet it was practiced by the Patriarks all along before Moses as Sacrificing c. Alas filthy clouts and rags of Sin are upon you even the appearel of death till Christ give you change of Raiment Zech. 3. 3 4. 'Till Christ cover you with embroidered work Ezek. 16. 10. and make you comly with his Robe of Righteousness V. 14. hereby you are acquitted from the curse of the Law and also accepted into Gods favour This is the Goodly raiment wherein Jacob got the blessing Gen. 27. 15. the Garment of your Elder Brother Jesus Christ you must put on the Lord Jesus Rom. 13. 14. Unless you bring this Benjamin with you there is no seeing the face of the Lord of the land neither will there be any Corn for you as Gen. 44. 23. you cannot expect to Eat the flesh unless you be clothed with the Fleece of the Lamb of God the skin of a cruicifyed Christ must be your Coat to cover your nakedness as God clothed the first Parents with the skins of the Sacrifices Gen. 3. 21. You must have the Livery of this blessed Lord and Honourable Master which the followers of the Lamb are distinguished by from the World both the imputed and imparted Righteousness Rev. 19. 8. which you can of your self neither purchase nor put on You may not come to the Lords feast or supper without this Wedding Garment Christ will come in to see his Guests If you appear there in the tatterd raggs of the wretched old Adam you will have nothing to say for your self but be as the muzzled beast So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies mute before him Mat. 22.
is a work that is wages to it self as you will find within Psal 19. 11. In as well as for keeping Gods commands there is great reward 'T is verily as the work of glorified Saints and of glorious Angels it being of the same nature with theirs whose work is their wages O then you may rationally conclude with your self from hence What a shame it is that I who am created to an Eternal being and that do possess an Immortal Soul should spend 20. 30. 40. or 50. Years in Vanity if not in Villany all the time wearing the livery of a cursed Master being a Slave to Sin and Satan and never look up to God the best Master and the Supreme good Alas you may hop from Mountain to Hill Jer. 50. 6. And go Satans round Jab 1. 7. yet find no rest with Noah's Dove for the Soles of the Feet of your Soul until you come to the Ark of this blessed work your Soul is Created with such vast Capacities as nothing bears proportion either to ' its being or to ' its wants below God no Created being hath Room enough in it to entertain so ample and so endless a guest 't is of such unlimited desires that nothing but the Immortal God can satisfy an Immortal Soul Secondly Observe the method which is first general in the whole duty of Man to God this is held out in those three general Names 1. Of godliness 2. Of Religion 3. Of Christianity Together with the necessity of each then Secondly you have more particularly the many good duties of Man to God both personal and relative Treated upon and that with as much perspicuity and plainness as so little a Book would admit of If you meet with any passage that seems obscure ascribe it to the Curtnes of my stile who indeavours to say much in a little and after some acquaintance herewithal with a little pondering you will be able through grace to understand the darkest Sentence If you desire direction in natural and civil Actions c. As well as in Religious I refer you to my little piece called the Crown and glory of a Christian If either in that or in this any thing may be blest to your Soul and bring you further of from Sin and nearer God which is the best thing in the World Psal 73. 28 both for Living and Dying let God have all the glory for the gift how mean soever bestowed on me how unworthy soever 2 Cor. I. II. And let me have the Relief of your Prayers for further abilities and your faithful Improvement of those poor performances which I commend to your Candour and your Soul to God and to the Word of his grace Subscribing my Self to be Yours in the best Bonds Christopher Nesse London this 10th of April 1678. Short Rules for your general Direction Let your Thoughts be Divine Awful and Godly Talk be Little Honest and True Works be Profitable Holy and Charitable Manners be Grave Courteous and Cheerful Dyet be Temperate Convenient and Frugal Apparel be Sober Neat and Comly Will be Ready Obedient and Constant Sleep be Moderate Quiet Seasonable Prayers be Short Devout and Frequent Recreations be Lawful Brief and Seldom Mind be Suitable to your Means Memory be Of Death Judgment and Glory Conscience be Void of offence to God and Man Task be Always doing or receiving good Conversation be In Heaven while your commoration be on Earth Latter-End be That of the Righteous Hopeful in the Lord not Hopeless in Sin A well-wish to your weal in both Worlds Utinam Saptres Praeterita Malum Commissum Bonum Omissum Tempus Amissum Intelligeres Praesentia Vitae Brevitatem Salvandi Difficultatem Salvandorum Paucitatem Praevideres Futura Mortem quâ nihil inevitabilius Judicium quo nihil terribilius Infernum quo nihil intolerabilius I wish you would First make a wise use of things past to wit evil committed good omitted and time lost and gone Secondly consider things present to wit the shortness of life the difficulty of Salvation and the fewness of those that are to be saved Thirdly Foresee things to come to wit death than which nothing is more unavoidable the day of Judgment than which nothing is more terrible the pains of Hell than which nothing is more Intolerable A Christians Walk and Work on Earth c. CHAP. 1. 1. YOU must know that Man is the master-piece of the Worlds ' Maker God calls as it were a Counsel in Heaven saying Let us make man Gen. 1. 26 Us all us the whole Wisdom of the Trinity was exercis'd in the making of Man The consultation and deliberation therein plainly demonstrates that there was then the bringing forth of a piece of work of greatest moment and importance and therefore what is said of Behemoth He is the chief of the ways of God Job 40. 19. may more eminently be said of Man he is the chiefest of the ways and of the works of God The Sun Moon and Stars are but the work of Gods fingers Psal 8. 3. But man is the work of his hands Psal 139. 14 15. Job 10. 3. 8. Hence David speaking of Man first wonders and then speaks and when he hath done to speak he hath not done to wonder Psal 8. 1. 9. 2. Every Creature of God is indeed a wonder yea little Creatures those Decimo-sexto's of the Creation are great wonders as well as the great Behemoth and other large Folio's thereof for the infinite Wisdom and Power of the Creator is manifest in couching up both life and motion in such a little compass as in Insects Flies Ants c. But Man is the greatest wonder as having the excellency of all other Creatures in him he is the abridgment of all wonders You believe that God is a Spirit and you see that the World is a Body Man is an Epitome of both 1. Of God in respect of his Spirit And 2. of the World in the composition of his Body as if the great Jehovah on purpose to set forth a plain mirrous of himself and his work designed to bring into this one narrow compass of Man both the infiniteness of his own nature and the vastness of the whole world all together 3. The soul of Man resembles the circumference of Heaven as being everywhere over the little world his brain the Sun that gives light to this little world and the senses stand round about it as so many Stars His heart represents the Earth in its Center his liver is as the Sea from whence flows the blood in all its circulations the like correspondency you may easily imagine in all other parts too long to particularize Hence is it that Tertullian calls the World a great Man and Man a little world Man the Microcosm is Gods Text as it were and all other Creatures in the Macrocosm or great world are as so many plain Commentaries upon that dark Text. 4. You may learn a little further herein if you would have yet more
of prayer Sanctified the Gold and all other Materials and Utensils in it Matth. 23. 17. So this holy duty of prayer doth Sanctify all things 1 Tim. 4. 5. All Ordinances all Providences all Enjoyments all Employments prayer doth not only Gild them over but also turns them into the finest Gold So that to pray continually is to carry this Temple as Austin called it about with you at all times in all places upon all occasions and in all conditions yea all your life even to your very death this Spiritual breath must conterminate with your Natural For the last work of a dying Christian is to breath out this prayer Lord Jesus receive my Spirit 19. The fourth true sense of praying always and continually is the keeping of your heart in a praying frame continually so that upon all occasions that occur you may be lifting up your heart your thoughts and affections unto God whom you have set always before you Psal 16. 8. and darting out frequent Ejaculations to the Throne of grace Thus your Harp or heart should be ever kept in Tune for prayer as the Souldier hath his Armes ready by him and right fixed upon any Assault of the Enemy and as the fire in your guest Chamber it is always prepared though it do not ever burn or blaze out upon your friends coming to be blown up into a Flame thus you may pray when you do not set your self a-part to pray even in the works of your callings and besides your set Meals for your Soul in your Morning and Evening prayer called the continual Sacrifice Numb 28. 3 4. as well as for your body you have many other refreshing morsels to wit occasional Apostrophes and Ejaculations to nourish the inner man and to make it increase with the increasings of God through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 19. Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. 20. Thus to pray continually quoties aliquid occurrit as Dr. Willet senses Rom. 12. 12. as oft as any thing falls out that calls for Divine assistance 't is not only your duty but your priviledge 't is like the herb All-heal an universal remedy against all diseases a choice yet a cheap Catholicon and Antidote both against the evil of sinning and off suffring This is the best and most blest Expedient to avoid dangers to overcome difficulties and to procure both safety and success in all your honest designs Thu Nehemiah before he opens his mouth to the King even in the Kings presence first opens his heart to God Neh. 2. 4. his sudden and secret Ejaculation he darted up to God for ordering his speech and speeding his Petition is called his praying to the God of Heaven and this was his frequent practice upon several other providences Neh. 5. 19. 6. 14. 13. 29. Thus Abrahams servant darted out desires to God that he might prosper in his Enterprize Gen. 24. 12. 26. Thus Moses cryed to God yet said nothing Exod. 14. 15. Thus Hannah was not heard yet prayed and thus wherever God sets you up an Alter you must be ready to offer Sacrifice crying either mentally or vocally Lord prosper me in this work Lord protect me in this Journey Lord direct me in this duty c. Thus Christ often did for you 21. The fourth Direction is your prayer must be earnest and intent or instant you must not only pray but cry Psal 130. 1. out of the depth have I cryed unto thee David crys there and in many other places unto God with his utmost strength out of the depth of his heart You must be servent in it as well as constant to it neither the frequency nor the fervency of prayer ought to be abated prayer is cal'd wrestling which requires your utmost strength as well as skill it requires the very strength of your affections you must be fervent in Spirit while you are serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. and be instant as well as constant in it Ver. 12. your heart must be seething-hot as the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies your heart must be boiling a good matter as Davids Psal 45. 1. in the Hebr. Reading this will be the best cure of wandring thoughts Flies sieze not on Honey while it boiles nor Beelzebub the Prince of flies upon your heart while 't is boiling any good matter in prayer God loves not cold prayers as some men love not cold dishes yea even lukewarm hearts are Nauseous to him Revel 3. 16. every offering that is of a sweet Savour is made by fire unto the Lord Levit. 1. 9 13 17. 'T is three times over every Sacrifice must have fire in it aswel as Salt Mark 9. 49. the fire of Zealous Devotion as well as the Salt of truth and sincerity yea the Sacrificer as well as the Sacrifice must have both those Ingredients Salt and Fire in him You must have the grace of truth Psal 51. 6. which as Salt must dry up those evil humours in you that would breed the never dying Worm and you must have the grace of Zeal which as fire must burn up those corruptions in you that otherwise would carry you to that unquenchable Fire Mark 9. 43 44. 45 46 47 48. 22. This blessed Spirit of burning so cal'd Isa 4. 4. that makes a true and through combustion among your fleshly corruptions must prevent you of everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. as the Sun of the Firmament with ' its hot Beams will eat out the Kitchin-Fire that is upon the Hearth So this Coelestial Fire of Zeal and fervency for God in prayer which is indeed a warm beam of the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. will eat out the stinking fire of Sin that is in your heart This fire of Heaven will devour that fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. in you a live-Coal must touch your heart as well as your lips Esa 6. 6. and you must be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 4. 11. Act. 2. 3 4. Elijahs Sacrifice had not only much water out of Kishon but also fire from Heaven to Render it an acceptable Sacrifice 1 King 18. 33 to 30. So you must not only have the water of godly sorrow and Gospel repentance but also the fire of Zeal and servent Devotion to make an acceptable prayer unto God The fire of Aetna and the water of Nilus are said to be the Hieroglyphicks of those choice Ingredients of a rightly compounded prayer God requires hot bread to be set before him daily 1 Sam. 21. 6. 23. The breath that a pair of bellows breaths out is cold breath and so is it not properly breath but wind accordingly cold prayers that are carelesly breathed out are not truly prayer but wind and vanity the breath of a living Man is not cold as bellows breath but warm the lack of servency is the loss of prayer God will be cold and careless in accepting and answering if you dare be cold and careless in
telling of Divine truth which is the only Currant Coin in the Court of Heaven 17. Alas poor Soul if you do so I cannot say of you as Christ once said of Lazarus Joh. 11. 12. If he sleep he shall do well but the contrary if you sleep in an Ordinance you both do and will do very ill you can neither take nor tell even saving truth when it is told out to your hand and to your heart As the Apostle faith what have you not Houses to eat and to drink in 1 Cor. 11. 22. So I say what Have you not Houses to sleep in But you will shame your self and despise the Church of God Shall I praise you in this I praise you not O little do you know what drops of the Divine unction that flows from the two blessed Olive-Trees Christ and his Spirit Zech. 4. 2 3 12 14 Runs by your Vessel while you shut the mouth of it by your falling asleep Spare-diet on that day is a good Antidote against that evil and sure I am a truly thirsting Soul that followeth hand after Christ Psal 63. 1 2 8. hath the right Spiritual Antidote as spare-diet is the natural against it Such as wake much in Taverns and Ale-houses will be sure to sleep much in the Ordinances and they that dare do so and can be pleased with themselves in so doing may justly suspect their own state and standing God-ward Such as sleep to God God will sleep to them and 't is just saith Mr. Robert Bolton that such be plagued with some sudden vengeance from Heaven for neglecting so great Salvation Hebr. 2. 3. to become Examples to others 'T is Gods great mercy Gods plagues are suspended God will sooner or later send out his Summons for sleepers 18. Fourthly you must attend the word without weariness as well as without drowsiness those two very often go together If Nero were so angry with Vespasian for being weary of and falling asleep at his Musick O what will the great God be if you both be weary of and fall asleep at his sacred Ordinance you must shake your self from sluggishness as Sampson did Judg. 16. 20. and not cry out O what a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. and when will the Sabbath be over Amos 8. 5. as if in the stocks all the while you sit there but consider how Christ standeth and knocketh at the door of your heart and this he hath done many days and weeks and mongths and years yet is not weary Revel 3. 20. although the posture of standing be a wearisom posture and the action of knocking a wearisom action yet his leggs ake not with standing nor his hands wearied with knocking Esa 59. 1. shall the Master wait and wait long upon the servant without weariness and dare the servant be weary with waiting a while upon his Lord and Master Such as have maintenance from the Kings palace or are salted with the Kings Salt in their Salaries as Ezr. 4. 14. Must not be weary with waiting in his Service 't is the brand of the Child of Perdition to have eaten of his Masters bread and yet lift up his heel against him Psal 41. 9. Matth. 26. 23. 19. How many lift up their heels to go away from Christ in the Ordinance if they do not lift up their heels to war against him know you not saith the Apostle that the Saints shall Judg the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. but alas the very Ox and Ass doth Judg such persons by their knowing and waiting on their Masters Crib better then they Esa 1. 4. Some cannot sit above an hour as if all spoke after were unsanctified matter and born out of due time Surely 't is easier to hear with the ear then to cry with the voice there is straining and stretching of both lungs and sides in this but none in that yet the Worshippers of the Idol Diana could cry out with an extended voice for the space of two hours great is Diana of the Ephesians Act. 19. 34. yet some cannot hear with the ear above one hour O Consider your Lords Heaven and Happiness for which you are hearing and which is prepared for all that hear aright is more then of an hour long and shall man make the Ephah of his makers Worship so small Amos 8. 5. when his Maker hath made the Omer of his Wages so great Our work is not the tenth part of our Wages Exod. 16. 36. Shall the Cedar of Lebanon woo and suit the Thistle in Lebanon for a Marriage as 2 King 14. 9. And can the poor Thistle be weary of such beseechings 20. Fifthly you must attend the word without wandrings as well as without weariness you must serve the Lord without distraction 1 Cor. 7. 35. as before David loved the word of God so much that he hated all vain thoughts that would have distracted him in it Psal 119. 113. he as it were shrinks out of himself into his God when the wicked one touched his heart with wandring thoughts alas the Plaque of Flies is upon the fal'n nature of Man as it was upon the land of Egypt from Beelzebub the God of Flies pray the Lord so to expel them as not one may be remaining Exod. 8. 31. 10 19. Those flocks may not feed before the Mount of God Exod. 3. 4 3. and those Fowls may not rest on your heart as 2 Sam 21. 10. that as Haman would ravish the Queen the Soul even in the Kings presence Esth 7. 8. hang them Ver. 10. Gen. 15. 11. 21. The second duty in the Act of hearing is Intention as before Attention there must be Intention of the heart as well as Attention of the ear first Luke 19. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pendebat ab ore ejus the people there were so intent and earnest in hearing the word of Christ that they did as it were hang their ears at Christs mouth and tied them to his very Tongue Thus you should hear as for your life and as for your last just as Prisoners hear their Prince that Judgeth them at the Bar when every word he speaks to them is either life or death Or as Benhadads servants did hear the King of Israel whom they expected to find a merciful King 1 King 20. 31 32 33. How did they watch every Word and how did they catch at the word brother you must hang on God in his Ministers as the Babe doth upon the breast and as the Bee doth upon the flower 2. Open your hearts Acts 16. 14. God bids you open your mouth wide and he will fill it Psal 81. 10. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your narrow Soul and your narrow Faith will spoile you in this Ordinance you should bring large Sacks and such as will open wide when you come for the Corn of Heaven to the Lord of Heaven and Earth as the Patriarks did when they went in a Famine for Corn to the Lord of the land of Egypt Gen. 42. 2
11 13. If you have not this garment on your back at your comming in to the Supper You may have fetters upon your feet at your going out from thence from the Table you may pass to the tormentors as he did If your conversation be unlike your high calling and Company 5. The third part of the Jewish purification was the purging out of Leaven Exod. 12. 18 19. as the Jew was not to eat the passeover until he had purged all Leaven out of his House so nor we the Lords Supper till we have put away every known Sin 1 Cor. 5. 7. you can never expect the comfort of that Ordinance while you hide any of that old Leaven in any corner of your heart There is indeed the Leaven of a corrupt Faith of corrupt manners and of corrupt nature This last which is as the fretting-leprosy Levit. 14. 44 45. you cannot chide out of doors as Sarah did Hagar but 't will be a ruful inmate within you making you cry O wretched Man or Woman that I am Rom. 7. 24. So long as the walls of your House of clay standeth and until the Stones and Timber be thrown down it cannot be purged out but the Leaven of corrupt Doctrin which soures the whole Lump or truth of the Gospel and that of a corrupt Communication and Conversation which soures both our selves and others with us both these should you both find out and cast out Psal 34. 13 14. If not with as much Ceremony yet with as much seriousness as the Jews did their Leaven The first Jewish Ceremony that carries resemblance was the Jew began to purge within and to banish all Leaven found within his own House It teachs you to mind within-doors-work 't is not enough to purge your mouth and your hands but especially your inside your heart and not so much other mens as your own Jer. 4. 14. your own House and heart the second was not so much as the least morsel or crum of Leaven must be spared which shows you that you must account the least Sin both hateful to God and hurtful to man so it may not be indulged The third Ceremony was the Jew Searching the House with a Candle and finding but a mite or crum thereof in any corner by sweeping even that little he carries out with great Solemnity learn you hence that a little poison is poison sweep every cranny of your Soul your Conscience 2 Tim. 1. 3. your affections 1 Tim. 1. 5. your senses Psal 1. 19. 37. your speeches Psal 39. 1. that your whole House may be possessed in holiness and honour 1 Thes 4. 4. a little Leaven mars all 1 Cor. 5. 6. 6. The second general is the true participation after a due preparation yet this you may know for your comfort that your God will not stand exactly or Rigorously upon every circumstance required in this purification of the Sanctuary provided you prepare your heart with all your might as David 1 Chron. 29. Ver. 1 2. this is plainly taught you for your Encouragement in 2 Chron. 30. 18 19. that where the heart is prepared to seek and meet God according to our best endeavours he will not insist upon the exact purification of the Sanctuary which consisted on those three parts aforesaid but will pass by and pardon all our other weaknesses and imperfections at the Prayer of his Vine-dressers Luke 13. 7 8. 2 Tim. 1. 16. God will yield something to their Prayers even when he might come forth in severity against a person or people happy are they then that have Praying vine-dressors set over them saying with Samuel God forbid I should Sin against the Lord so as not to pray for you 1 Sam. 12. 23. and the good Lord pardon every one that is not so exactly prepared in such a case God accepts of the will for the deed 2 Cor. 8. 12. and looks more at the willingness of the offerer then at the worthiness of the offering and you must put a difference betwixt being unworthy and eating unworthily all believers are in themselves unworthy of Christ and Salvation yet being in Christ they are accounted worthy Luke 21. 36. Rev. 3. 4. 7. Thus you 1. Being in Christ for you must be bred before you be fed and be begotten born and live before you be nourished Mark 5. 43. no stranger to Christ no uncircumcised in heart must eat thereof Exod. 12. 43 48. Rom. 2. 29. and 2. Having prepared a large upper Room a raised and an enlarged heart Mark 14. 15. Luke 22. 12. then 3. Open the gates and the everlasting doors of your Soul that the King of glory may come in Psal 23. 7 9. yet withal say 4. with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy that thou should come under my roof Mat. 8. 8. nor am I worthy that I should come to thy Table and with Mephibosheth who was loved for Jonathan sake as you for Jesus-sake wilt thou look Lord on such a dead Dog as I am so as to let me eat bread at thy Table 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. O that you may trim your self as he did to welcom hom ehis Lord the King 2 Sam. 19. 24 25 28. In this trembling frame must you draw near to the Lords Table not approaching with a common Spirit but well knowing that no other Ordinance is urged with that strength and Severity as this is 1 Cor. 11. 29 30. and no duty doth strike such a terrour upon the Consciences of Men as this doth insomuch that even evil persons do think they must be good at that time and have then good words good works and good Prayers c. 8. There be three things especially required of you in your participation of this Ordinance First self-examination there ought to be a search as well as a Sacrament 1 Cor. 11. 28. 1. Examine your state as Lapidists do their Stones that you put not an everlasting cheat upon your own Soul thinking your self one of Gods Jewels when indeed you are but a Bastard Diamond 2. Examine your wants as coming to your Soul market what Sin you have to Subdue and what grace to strengthen none goes to market but they do enquire what their Family-wants be 3. Examin your sins search for them as the woman did for the lost groat she sought and swept swept and sought with a Candle in her hand till she found it Luke 15. 8. you must take Davids Lantorn and Candle Psal 119. 105. and search till you find all your Sins saying to your own Soul as Samuel to Jesse are these all the Sons that thou hast 1 Sam. 16. 12. are these all thy Sins if any one do not yet appear sit not down till that be fetched especially if it be a Mordecai Sin that will not bow to Christ or a Dalilah Sin that hinders your Soul most from a Resignation to Christ 4. Examin your graces as knowledg Faith Repentance Love Zeal Obedience all those should be ready to wait on
their Lord their founder and their finisher bring forth your bravery to entertain Christ 9. The second thing required in the Ordinance is self-excitation you must stir up your self as Deborah did calling up her own Soul saying awake awake Deborah awake awake Judg. 5. 12. open there all the Springs of your Soul for Christ as Christ opened all the veines of his heart for you 1. Open all your desires and affections for him come to this Ordinance as Behemoth to Jordan with a mighty and an all exhausting thirst upon you Job 40. 23. bring strong affections and a lusty appetite to this Supper where 't is a vertue Sublime to to be an holy glutton and to drink hearty draughts of the blood of Christ that you may go away from the Supper as Christ did from his Baptism filled with the Holy Ghost Mat. 3. 16. you must consider what is before you as Prov. 23. 1. but in that duty 't is not your work to restrain but to provoke appetite and the rather because Christ so exceedingly thirsted after your Salvation Luke 12. 50. though he knew it would prove so costly to him Christ saith with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with you Luke 22. 15. that had no need for himself of either you or it how much more should you say with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with Christ who is at all the charges pain and pains himself and all for your Eternal profit 10. Secondly excite and quicken up all your faculties as the affections those hand maids of the Soul give attendance to meet Christ the mistical David just as the Virgins of Israel met literal David in their Singings and dancing 1 Sam. 18. 6 7 8. every one Singing their part appointed them accordingly hope is sent out to wait for this King of glory and if he come not desire is sent out to fetch him Love Delight and Joy receives and entertains him all these Virgins go out to meet this blessed bridegroom Mat. 25. 1. having first swept the House clear and cast all the filth away into the brook Kidron 2 Chron. 30. 14. Math. 13. 14. Jam. 1. 21. and brought forth their best bravery Arras hangings Persian Carpets rich stools all their Plate and Jewels to wit all the graces of the Spirit far surpassing Aarons rich garments that were for glory and beauty all to prepare a large upper-Room for entertaining the King of glory even so all the faculties of the Soul must be stirred up to Improve their Interest in such a blessed guest as 1. your understanding must look round about him and behold him altogether lovely from this Sycamore-Tree as Zacheus Luke 19. 3 4. Cant. 5. 16. 2. Your will must offer up both Sword and Keyes c. As the Major doth to his Prince at his entertainment 3. Your memory must be ready to Register every act of love to your Soul remembring his loves more then Wine Cant. 1. 4. In a word Christ must be led into every Room of your heart and Lastly all your graces must be excited and made ready to receive each their Alms from Christs fulness as saving knowledg justifying Faith sincere Repentance servent love c. All come to touch him for healing vertue well knowing that Christ comes with a Royal heart into the Soul to give abundantly and like himself no mean gift can come from so noble an hand and heart and that all this may be done you must use the third thing required to wit strong Invocation coming as a Prince to him Job 21. 37. and begging his grace in all with your whole heart Psal 119. 58. 11. The third general is your Improvement after all When Faith and all your other graces together with your affections and the faculties of your Soul have plaid their part in the Mount and brought you even to a Transfiguration as was done both to Moses and to the Messias Exod. 34. 29. Luke 9. 29. then 1. You must tremble to lose that luster and glory that God hath put upon you by your conversing with him If he hath made you one of his Jewels by communicating his presence to you Mal. 3. 17. then shine as a Jewel in all your Relations that all which see you may acknowledg you to be a seed the Lord hath been blessing Isa 61. 9. 2. Be thankful to your Lord for this inestimable benefit Psal 116. 12. be of a rendring disposition and that in your life as well as with your lip If Davids condescension to such a dead Dog as Mephibosheth accounted himself was so admired by him 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. how much more by you that in rigour of Justice might be fed with Wormwood and have the waters of gall to drink Jer. 9. 15. yet the Lord gives you the flesh of his own Son to be meat indeed to you and his blood to be your drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. that might say I will not feed you at all Zech. 11. 9. 3. Let it be an everlasting obligement on you to keep far from every evil matter Exod. 23. 7. The Oath of God no less is a Sacrament is upon you lay Gods charge upon all your corruptions Cant. 2. 7. you are Vas Signatum shall you Sin Neh. 6. 12. your all is for the Prince Ezek. 44. 3. do singular things for Christ that doth singular things for you Mat. 5. 47. The seventh Walk of a Christian wherein all the other Walks do meet is the Lordy-Day CHAP. XI 1. COnsiderations and 2. Directions before in and after it 1. Consideration Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day Exod. 20. 8. you must first Consider the Number of it Before the fall when Mans nature was pure that the Lord God gave Man but one Commandment to wit that of not eating the forbidden Fruit but after the fall when Mans nature was defiled God gave him ten Commandments and those mostly prohibitive to stop his proneness and strong Inclinations unto evil The first of the tenth doth teach you the Object of Worship The second the matter of Worship the third the manner of worship both of outward and inward worship in all these as the fourth teaches you the time of worship inwardly and outwardly also The time of worshipping God is not left to mans own liberty for then the loose heart of man would keep no time at all though time of worship as well as that God is to be worshipped is Juris naturalis written on the Tables of mans heart yet one of seven is Juris positivi and written on the Tables of stone both which are the Writings and the workmanship of God as Exod. 32. 16. The fourth Commandment closes up the first Table 1 As the most powerful means to keep all the three former and 2 As it draws into one the whole worship of God and lastly as it makes Gods worship known to the World which otherwise would not be so well known as it is by keeping a day