presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming Accept it therefore and testifie your acceptance by reading of it and much more by a conscionable performance of the Directions contained in it I think they will carry their own evidence with them that they are all agreeable to the Word of God For I have not made it my business to mint new Notions but to press upon you old Truths and known duties I have drawm them up in a plain and familiar stile and Method studying rather to be profitable than accurate They are of daily use to an holy life therefore I hope you will daily peruse them They are of general use to all sorts of Christians at all times in their several places Callings conditions and relations and therefore I hope you will give the more diligent heed to them Such whose Callings and Businesses will scarce afford them leisure on the week-daies to look into such Treatises as this I do earnestly intreat them that at least on the Lord-daies after the performance of the publick duties of Piety in the Congregation and of private in their Families they would spend some time in reading a part of this book with their Family And the Lord make it abundantly useful and profitable unto you Yea the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen Sepulchres London Decemb. 20. 1660. Your Affectionate though most unworthy Minister THO. GOUGE A TABLE of the particular Points contained in this TREATISE CHap. 1. Sheweth how to begin the day with God Chap. 2. Of Secret Prayer in the morning Chap. 3 Of Ejaculatory Prayers 4 Of reading the Scriptures in private 5 Of Christian watchfulnesse over our Thoughts 6 Of watchfulnesse over our Words 7 Of watchfulnesse over our Actions 8 Of watchfulnesse against Sin 9 Of our behaviour at Meals 10 Of Sports and Recreations directions concerning the same 11 Of the duties of our Callings 12 Of our behaviour in secret and directions concerning Divine Meditation 13 Of our behaviour both in good and bad company 14 Directions to the rich how to Improve their wealth to the glory of God and the good of their own souls 15 Directions to the poor shewing how to carry themselves Christian like in their low and mean estate 16 Of Christian-like carriage under reproaches 17 Of our carriage under crosses and afflictions 18 Of Dying well 19 Directions to such as visit the sick 20 Directions how to cloze the day with God 21 Of the Morality of the Sabbath with directions how to sanctify the same 23 Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper with directions for the worthy receiving thereof 23 Of the Common mutual Duties betwixt Husband and Wife 24 Of Husbands Duties to their Wives 25 Of the Duties of Wives to their Husbands 26 Of the Duties of Parents to their children 27 Of the Duties of Children to their Parents 28 Of the Duties of Masters to their servants 29 Of the Duties of Servants to their Masters 30 Of resting upon Iesus Christ alone for life and salvation Christian Directions shewing how to walk with God all the day long CHAP. I. How to begin the day with God I. AT thy first awaking in the morning consecrate unto God the freshest of thy thoughts by lifting up thine heart to him in praises and thanksgivings for that comfortable rest and refreshment hee hath vouchsafed unto thee the night past For had not the Lord been the more gracious unto thee thou mightest have slept the sleep of death yea thou mightest have awaked with hell flames about thine eaâ—s what cause therefore hast thou to blesse God as for the mercies of the night so for the renewing of his mercies with the day And then heartily beg of God his direction assistance and blessing upon thy lawfull pains and endeavours that day II. Having thus consecrated thy first awaking unto God by blessing him for the mercies of the night and for adding another day to thy life then steep thy thoughts in a serious meditation of God and of some or other of his glorious Attributes as 1 Of the infinite Purity of God who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity i. e. with the least approbation but hates all sin with a perfect hatred as being contrary to his nature A serious consideration whereof would through Gods blessing prove very effectual for the suppressing of those impure thoughts which are apt to arise from thy corrupt heart 2 Of the almighty Power of God whereby he is able to strengthen thee in all thy weaknesses to support thee under all thy trials and temptations to supply all thy wants to deliver thee out of all thy dangers to carry thee through all thy undertakings In which respect the Apostle calleth Gods Power a mighty Power and an exceeding-greatnesse of Power Ephes. 1. 19. A serious consideration whereof cannot but stir thee up as to flie unto God by Prayer in all thy wants straights and dangers so to cast thy self upon him and his mighty Power to rest and rely upon him for seasonable help succour and deliverance who never faileth those who put their trust in him 3 Of the Omnipresence of God of his continual presence about thee and with thee wheresoever thou art and whatsoever thou doest For hee is about thy bed and thy path and taketh notice of all thy actions and when no man seeth thee yet hee seeth thee before whose Tribunal thou must one day stand to give an account of all thy actions Surely it would be a special preservative against sin and a singular means to make thee watchful over all thy waies and actions if thou didst seriously consider Gods All-seeing presence about thee 4 Of the Omnisciency of God his knowing of all things even the secret thoughts of thine heart and the inward intenâ—ions of thy mind before whom all things are naked and unbowelled as the Apostle speaketh Not an ambitions worldly lustful thought in thine heart but God is privy to it And as the wise man speaketh Hee will bring every secret thing into judgement This if it were seriously considered how would it make thee watchful over thy very heart and careful to suppress all wicked lustful thoughts at their first rising and to keep thee upright and sincere in what thou doest especially in the duties of Gods worship and service as knowing there is no dissembling before God III. Call to minde what sin it is whereunto thou findest thy self most propense and with which thou art oftenest and easiliest overcome as having least power to resist it And every morning furnish thy self with the strongest Arguments thou canst against it and then bring up thine heart to a firm
longer than ordinary 3 Sleep refresheth the body of a man so doth death the bodies of the Saints for the body lieth down a weak frail mortal corruptible body but riseth a strong glorious immortal and incorruptible body so much the Apostle Paul plainly expresseth where speaking of the resurrection of the body he saith It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sown in weakness it is raised in power it is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body 4 Sleep oftentimes cometh upon a man unexpectedly so doth death for how many dye on the sudden when they least of all looked for it and therefore how doth it concern us to live in a continual expectation of and preparation for death 5 Sleep cometh acceptably to some men so doth death to beleevers who welcome death as their best friend next to Jesus Christ. Thus let thy sleep mind thee of thy death and that not as farre off but as near at hand thinking thou mayest this night sleep the sleep of death for how many have gone well to bed and been dead before the morning and that which happeneth unto one may befall another II. As thou art going to sleep commend thy self thy relations wife children servants and all that thou hast into the armes of Gods protection knowing that they are safe whom the Lord keepeth And then labour to fall asleep as thou art meditating of some good thing for then will thy sleep bee more sweet thy dreams more comfortable and thine heart will be in better plight when thou awakest CHAP. XXI Of the Morality of the Sabbath HAving shewed you how to walk with God on the Week days I shall now shew you how to walk with God on the Sabbath Day so as it may prove a comfortable day unto you To this end I shall 1 Prove the Morality of the Sabbath 2 Give you grounds for the change of the Sabbath from the last day of the week to the first proving our Lords Day to be now the true Sabbath 3 Give you Directions how to sanctifie the same 4 Adde some Motives to quicken you up to a conscionable observation of the directions 1 Because there are many who are not convinced of the Morality of the Sabbath and so not of the continuance thereof therefore it is requisite that I first prove the Commandement of the Sabbath to be moral and perpetual and to continue in force even to the end of the world for that is accounted Moral which as a rule of life bindeth all Persons in all places at all times Arguments proving the Morality of the Sabbath 1 Because it was sanctified in the time of Adams innocency as we read Gen. 2. 3 4. now Adam in his innocent estate was a Publick person the great representative of all the World that therefore which was commanded to him in his innocency appertained to all his Posterity even to the end of the world And if God saw it necessary for our first Parents in the time of their innocency to have a Sabbath Day to serve him in that they might more freely and fully give themselves to holy and religious exercises Then what need have we the Posterity of Adam now in our corrupted estate to have a Sabbath to take our thoughts off from our worldly businesses and bestow them wholly on God and the duties of his Worship and Service 2 The Commandement concerning the Sabbath is placed in the number of the Moral Commandements for when God renewed the whole Moral Law delivering it most solemnly on Mount Sinai and ingraved it in two Tables hee placed this Commandement concerning the Sabbath amongst the rest and made it one entire Precept so as if the morality thereof be denied and this Commandement made no part of the Moral Law then the Moral Law would consist but of nine Commandements which is contrary to the Word of God which often maketh express mention of Ten. 3 The manner of the delivery of this Commandement confirms the morality and perpetuity of it and shews that it is of as great force as any of the other Nine 1 For first God by his immediate Voyce commanded this as well as the rest 2 This Commandement was written by the Finger of God in Tables of Stone as well as the other as to signifie the hardness of our hearts so likewise the continuance and perpetuity of this Commandement 3 It was placed in the very heart of the Ten Commandements as that which by a careful and conscionable performance of the duties required therein would give life to the keeping of all the rest And it is a certain truth that he who makes no conscience to keep holy the Sabbath Day will make little conscience of keeping any of the other Commandements so he may doe it without discredit of his reputation or danger of mans Law Look how a man is careful and conscionable in the performance of the duties of piety to God on this Day in like manner is he careful and conscionable in the performance of the duties of righteousness toward his neighbour on the week days Obj I Some object that of the Apostle Yee observe days months and times and years as also that to the Colossians Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath Day Ans. The Apostle here condemns not the Moral Sabbath which we now call the Lords Day but he speaks of the Levitical Sabbaths which were the first day of every month and the first and last days of every one of their solemn Feasts which were called Sabbaths all which are now abrogated Obj. 2 Some object that to a Christian every day is a Sabbath and therefore say that we should not restrain it to one day more than to another Ans. 1 True it is every day should be a Sabbath to a Christian in two respects 1 In a resting from Sin 2 In a readiness to serve God For as we should at all times rest from Sin so we should bee always in a readiness and disposition to serve God Yet are we not bound to spend every day as a Sabbath by laying aside the lawful works of our Callings and giving up our selves wholly to the solemn duties of Gods Worship and Service which is contrary to the command of God who saith Six days shalt thou labour and doe all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any work where the Lord doth require of us as well to follow the works of our Calling on the six days as to keep holy the Sabbath Day by a conscionable performance of his Worship and Service I deny not but Divine Worship is to bee performed unto God every day as under the Law we read they had their Morning and Evening sacrifice
may likewise serve as a reason why in the New Testament there is no express command for the baptizing of Infants in particular namely because there was no question moved about the same in the Apostles times III. Come wee now to the Directions how to sanctifie the Lords Day To the sanctification whereof two things are required 1 An observing of a rest 2 A consecrating of that rest wholly to the worship and service of God I. There must bee a resting and that from several things As 1 From all the ordinary works of our Calling which is expresly set down in the Commandement Six daies shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work viz. of thy Calling And let not any pretend the greatness of their charge as a plea for their working But know assuredly that what you get that day by your labour will contribute little towards your charge For whatsoever is got on that day will not be blessed of the Lord but will prove like Achans wedge of gold which being got contrary to the command of God brought the fire of Gods curse upon all the rest which hee had lawfully gotten 2 From all kinds of recreations especially such as tend to carnal and â—ensual delight which though they may be lawful at other times yet are unlawful on the Lords Day being as expresly forbidden by God himself as the works of our Calling as you shall finde in Isa. 58. 13. where the Lord requires of his People That they turn away their feet from doing their own pleasures on his holy day And that they call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and honour him not doing their own waiâ—s nor finding their own pleasures And it is found by experience that recreations do more steal away our affections from heavenly meditations and distract us in Gods service than the works of our Calling Whereupon saith St. Augustine How much better is it to plow on the Lords Day than to dance 3 From all immoderate eating and drinking whereby wee are fitter to sleep than to attend upon the Ordinances of God And therefore how blame-worthy are they who make the Lords Day a day of Feasting their neighbours and friends For though it be lawful upon this day to make such provision as shall be convenient for our own families or for the relief of our poor neighbours yet to make solemn feasts upon this day as is the custome of too many whereby servants are kept from the publick Ordinances and our selves and guests are more indisposed to the duties of Gods worship and service must needs be unlawful And therefore though wee be not forbidden upon the Lords Day to kindle a fire for the dressing of meat yet we must take heed that wee make not such a flame as shall kindle the fire of Gods wrath against us 4 From all worldly words and discoursing of earthly affairs which the Lord himself expresly forbiddeth by the Prophet Isaiah Not speaking thine own words which imports talking and discoursing of worldly matters on the Sabbath day For where the Lord hath commanded the whole man to rest from worldly works there hee commands as the hand to rest from working so the tongue from talking of worldly matters But in the fourth Commandement the Lord hath commanded the whole man to rest from worldly works where hee saith Thou shalt do no manner of work c. Therefore hee commands the tongue to rest from talking of worldly matters as well as the hand from working of servile and worldly works How blame-worthy then are they who make the Lords Day a reckoning-day with work-men and servants or at least a visiting day amongst their friends and neighbours and so confequently a day of idle tattle about their profits pleasures or other mens matters 5 As from worldly words so from worldly thoughts as much as wee can For 1 Know that every Commandement extends to our very thoughts binding them as well as to the outward actions ex gr The sixth Commandement from murtherous thoughts as well as from the act of Murther The seventh from adulterous and lustful thoughts as well as from the act of Adultery The eighth from covetous thoughts as well as from the act of Covetousness 2 Know that the Lord requireth not onely the outward man and external actions to bee consecrated unto him but especially the inward man in which regard wee ought as much as possibly wee can to sequester our thoughts from worldly matters that they may be wholly taken up with spiritual and heavenly Meditations 6 There is another rest expected from every one on the Lords Day and that is a resting from sin which wee ought to do as much as in us lyeth at all times but especially on the Lords Day which ought to be kept as an holy rest And truly wee cannot offer unto God a greater indignity than to serve the Devil in the works of darkness on the Lords Day which is consecrated to the honour and service of God Thus much of the first particular requisite to the sanctification of the Lords Day namely an observing of a rest II. Come wee now to the second viz. A consecrating that rest wholly to the worship and service of God For it is not enough that wee keep a rest but wee must keep an holy rest barely to rest on the Sabbath day is but a Sabbath of beasts Wee must remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy For this is the chief end whereunto the outward rest tendeth Now the consecration of the Sabbaths rest consists 1 In our preparation thereunto 2 In a conscionable performance of those duties the Lord then requireth of us which may be brought to two heads viz. 1 Duties of Piety 2 Works of Mercy Duties of Piety are of three sorts viz 1 Publick 2 Private 3 Secret The which because they are interchangeably mixed with one another therefore I shall interchangeably speak of them The duties to be performed by way of preparation are these 1 Remember the day beforehand to the end you may so order and dispose of your worldly affairs that they may be dispatched in convenient time on the Eve of the Sabbath that so both your selves and servants may goe to bed in such time that your bodies may be well refreshed with sleep and your mindes fitted for the duties of the day This the Lord intimateth in the beginning of the fourth Commandement saying Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day where by remembring it may bee meant a minding of it before hand How blame worthy then are they who sit up themselves and keep their servants so late up in the night before the Sabbath that they are enforced to lye longer in their beds than ordinary on the Sabbath Day yea and when they are come into the Congregation are fitter to sleep than to hear Is this