their Covenant with God Now unlesse wee doe joyne the inward with the outward we may fast but the Lord seeth it not wee may afflict our selves but hee taketh no notice wee may cry and boule but cannot make our voyce be heard on high But when God seeth the workes of them that fast that they turne from their evill way yea that they strive to turn and seek him with all their heart then hee will turne to them his bowels of compassion doth yerne towards them and I will have mercy on them saith the Lord. After the time of the Fast is ended eat and drinke but moderately For if you then shall glut your selfe it will put your body and soule much out of order Secondly your Fast being ended hold the strength which you not that day as much as you can keepe your interest and holy acquaintance which you have gotten with God and with the holy exercises of Religion Though you have giveÌ„ over the exercises â—â— the day yet unloose not the â—ent of your care and affections against sinne and for God It is a corruption of our nature and it â—â— a policie of Satan to helpe it forward that like some unwise â—arriours when they have got the day of their enemies wee â—ow full of presumption and severity by which the enemy taketh advantage to recollect his forces and comming upon us â—â— looked for giveth us the fosse not the overthrow we are too apt after a day of humiliation to fall into a kinde of remissenesse as if then we had gotten the mastry whereas if Satan fly from us if sinne be weakned in us it is but for a season and but in part and especially if we stand not upon our watch Satan will take occasion to returne and sin will revive in us I 〈…〉 few Cautions â—ouâ—… excellent but neglected duty â—â— Fasting 〈…〉 body although it must be 〈…〉 downe yet it must not buâ— destroyed with Fasting It musâ— not be so weakened as to be disabled to performe the workes 〈…〉 your ordinary Calling In private Fasts you must 〈…〉 be open but as private as conveniently you may â—ever not the inward from 〈…〉 outward Thinke not to merit by yoâ—… Fasting aâ— Papists doe Presume not that presently up on the worke done God must grant your asking as Hypocrites doe that say to him we have fasted and thou dost not regard it You may and must expect a gracious hearing upon your unfained humiliation but as for when and how you must wait patiently faith secureth you of good successe but neither prescribeth unto God how nor yet doth it make hast but waiteth his leisure when in his wisedome hee shall judge it most seasonable CHAP. VI. Of the Sabbath IF it bee the Sabbath or Lords day you must remember to keep it holy according to the Commandement For this cause First put a difference betweene this and the other six dayes even as you put difference betweene the bread and wine in the Sacrament and that which is for common use And that because it is set apart for holy use by divine institution For as the Seventh day from the beginning of the Creation untill the day of Christs blessed Resurrection so our Lords Day which is the day of the Resurrection iâ— morall and by divine institution The Commandement to keepe an holy rest upon the Seventh day after six worke dayes which is the â—…stance of the fourth Commandement remâ—â—neth the same And Adam â—o doubt by the instinct of incorrupted nature which yeeldethâ— time for Gods honour and â—o lemne worship he knowing thaâ— God finished the Creation in six daâ—es and rested on the seventh might by discourse of his reason have judged one day in seven the fittest time to bee dedicated to his service But certaine hee could not bee either that God would have one day in Seven or which of those dayes he would have set apart for rest and for holy use Wherefore it pleased the Lord of the Sabbath by a positive institution to determine that the Sabbath should bee one day in Seven and that from the beginning of the world unto the Resurrection of Christ it should be the Seventh from the Creation but as it shall appeare by the change of the day under the Gospell after the Resurrection hee appointed it to be kept the Seventh from thence by vertue whereof wee now keepe the Lords day a holy Sabbath to the Lord So that to keepe a day holy to the Lord and to keepe that day which the Lord should appoint is absolutely morall as all the other Commandements are according to the light and Law of nature And in particular the keeping the Seventh from the Creation till the Resurrection and the Seventh from the Resurrection ever since to the end of the world was to them and is to us a morall duty immediately binding the conscience and is no way alterable by man because it is set apart by Diuine institution That there was such an Institution I shall evidently prove For the Sabbath was sanctified by God and was to be observed by his people from the beginning of the world when there was no distinction of Iew and Gentile untill the writing of the morall Law I know some deny this but without good ground For wee haue reason to thinke that ever since the Creation Time hath beene divided by weeks whereof the seventh day is the boundary as well as by Moneths and Yeares And this reason of the Commandement He blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it importing the prime institution did concerne Adam and all before the Law as well as since This was a received opinion amongst the ancient Iewes that this Feast did belong to all Nations from the beginning of the world And the Fathers observed it before Moses And though there be no mention of the Saints observing of it before Israels going out of Aegypt yet where there is an Institution there it must in charitie be presupposed that it was observed of the godly except the Scripture deny it which it doth not but doth imply the contrary For the Sabbath day is spoken of before the re-delivering of it in the Mount as of a solemne day ordained before and wel known to the Iewes Tomorrow saith Moses is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. And againe he saith The seventh day which is the Sabbath Moreover the Apostle doth intimate that the rest of the Sabbath was kept from the beginning of the world This be said of the Sabbath before the pronouncing and writing of the Law And when it was written God wrote and placed it in the heart of the ten Commandements as that which by the holy exercise thereof and keeping it holy should give life to the keeping of all the rest The reasons of the fourth Commandement doe as well urge the observing of it to all men at
questioning the truth of his being and of his Word denying his Providence Power or some other of his Divine Attributes Have I not been ignorant of God and of his will and erroneous and mis-beleeving if not hereticall in my conceits concerning God the Father Sonne or holy Ghost Have I not beene over-curious in prying into the nature and secret counsels of God beyond the rule of the revealed wil of God Have I not set up false Deities or put my selfe or any other creature in the place of God through pride preferring and resting upon mine owne way and will before Gods or by making my selfe mine utmost end professing God and his Religion onely to serve mine owne ends or by seeking to the creature as to Angell Saint Devill or Witch instead of the Creator Have I not beene forgetfull of God and of his will Is not my Conscience impure blinde deluded or seared and my will perverse obstinate impatient and murmuring against God and ful of dissimulation Have I not set mine affections upon the World rather than upon God loving that which is evill hating that which is good yea God himselfe if not directly yet in his Holines shining in his Ordinances and in his children or as hee is a severe inflicter of punishment Fearing man more than God trusting in the Creature making something besides God my chiefe joy Have I not presumed when I had cause to despaire and despaired after that I had cause to hope Have I not â—empted God many wayes And have I not in the matters of God beene either cold lukewarme or blindely or preposterously zealous Hath there not beene a pronenesse in my whole outward man to rebell against God The second Commandement concerneth all such lawfull worships of God which he onely hath appointed whereby he communicateth himselfe to man and man againe maketh profession of him forbidding under one kinde all such as are not by him ordained Thinke thus Have I worshipped God in spirit and truth in all the kindes and parts of his Worship publike or private ordinary or extraordinary as by hearing reading and meditating of his Word by praying praising and giving thankes to him by a right use of his Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and by Religious Fasting Religious Feasting and making of vowes according as I have had speciall occasion And have I done what did belong to me for the setting forth and maintaining of Gods true Worship and have I according to my place executed aright or submitted unto the government and discipline of the Church Or besides the omission of the former duties Am I not guilty some way or other of Idoll-worship conceiving of GOD in my mind or representing him to my sense in the likenes of any creture Have I not added to or detracted from any part of Gods Worship Have I not run into the appearances and occasions of Idolatry as by presence at Idoll-service by marriage and needlesse â—amiliarity with Idolatrous persons by reserving undefaced monuments of Idolatry At least is â—ot my heart guilty of not hating but rather lingering after Idolatrous worship Have I not been guilty of superstition or Will-worship c. The third Commandement concerneth the glory of Gods holy Name shining forth in his Titles Attributes Religion Word Ordinances People or any thing that hath in it any print of his holinesse or excellency forbidding the taking of it in vaine and that in all actions religious or common Have I glorified God by answering my holy profession with an holy and unblameable conversation by performing all holy duties with due preparation knowledge and devotion also by thinking and speaking of the Names and holy things of God with holy reverence and in particular by fearing an Oath Or have I not caused the Name Religion and People of God to be ill thought of and dishonoured by my evill course of living or at least by committing some grosse sinâ— Am I not guilty of rash unprepared heedlesse forgetfull and fruitlesse reading hearing receiving the Sacraments or performance of any other the worships of God Have I not thought or spoken blasphemously or contempiuously of God or of any the things of God Have I not used the Name of God needlesly rashly wickedly or falsly in swearing or lightly in my Salutations Admirations or otherwise in my ordinary communication Have I not abused the Name of God his Scriptures his Ordinances and Creatures using them for other purposes then hee alloweth as for sports spels charms or any sorcery luxury or the like Have I not passed by the great workes of Gods power mercy and judgements without due observation and acknowledgement of God therein The fourth Commandement concerneth the ordinary solemne time of the service and worship of God requiring that the seventh day now our Lords day be kept with an holy rest Have I upon the six dayes Remembred the Lords day that I might dispatch all my worldly businesse and prepare my heart that when it came I might keep an holy Sabbath to the Lord according to the Commandement Did I according as my health would permit rise early on that day Have I performed my daily both morning and evening exercises of Religion alone and with my family that day in private Have I caused all under my authority according to my power to rest from all manner of workes and worldly sports also my selfe not onely from the labour of my body but of my mind in all worldly businesse except about the things that concerne common honestie and comelinesse workes of mercy and such workes of necessitie as could not be done before or stay to be done afterwards Have I alwayes prepared my heart before I went into the house and presence of God by meditation of Gods Word and Workes and in particular by examination and reformation of my wayes also by prayer thankesgiving and holy resolution to carry my selfe as in Gods presence and to heare and obey whatsoever I should bee taught out of the Word of God Have I caused my family to goe with me to the Church And did I with them come in due time and being there did stay the whole time of prayer reading and preaching of the Word singing of Psalmes receiving and administring the Sacraments even that of Baptisme when others are Baptised and did attend diligently and joyne with the Minister and the rest of the Congregation in all those holy exercises Did I spend the day after the Morning and Evening Prayers Sermons or Catechisings in meditation and as I had opportunitie in conference and repetition of what I had heard also in visiting the sicke and other workes of mercy and so from the beginning to the end of the day have beene imployed in holy thoughts words and deeds and all this with spirituall delight Or Am I not guiltie of forgetting it before it came and of neglecting and prophaning it when it came as by meere idlenesse or by taking opportunity of leisure from busines of my calling to be
all times as to the Iewes It was also reserved in the Arke with the other ten and is one of the Commandements mentioned in the new Testament as parcell of the Royall Law of which S. Iames saith Whosoever shall offend in one point hee is guiltie of all he meanes the ten Commandements hee understands the fourth Commandement for one else he would not say all Wherefore albeit there are some things that have particular reference to the Iewes in the written Law as the reason taken from bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt which concerneth us onely by Analogie and albeit the circumstance of time in respect of which day of the Seven was alterable but by the Lord of the Sabbath removing it from the seventh of the Creation to the day of Christs Resurrection yet there is not any of those tenne Commandements which is not morall and of morall equitie But some object The observing of the weekly Sabbath was a signe betweene God and the Iewes that they might know that the LORD did sanctifie them therfore was abrogated by Christ with other Ceremonies Answ I â—â—â—gh every Ceremony determinable in Christ was a signe yet every signe was not a ceremony to end at Christs death All signes and types of justification by Christ to come were nailed on the Crosse with him but signes of the worlds preservation also declarative and probative signes and arguments of sanctification together with the type of rest and glorie did not end at Christs death there being as much use of them to us now as was to any other before Obiect They object farther All Sabbath daies are abrogated by expresse termes Col. 2. 16. Answ Hee speaketh there of none but Leviticall Sabbaths for marke it he saith they were shadows of such things to come whereof Christ was the body verse 17. But the weekely Sabbath had no more shadow or reference to Christ than any other of the ten Commandements Obiect They yet object No man must esteeme one day above another for conscience sake Rom. 14. 5. Answ No such thing can be concluded thence For the Apostle warning both strong and weake Christians not to offend nor bee offended one with another would have each doe as they should be fully perswaded in their owne minde and not judge or despise each other but in what things in every thing no but onely in things in their owne nature indifferent or for the time tolerable be instancing in meaâ—s and dayes But I deny the fourth Commandement ever to have beene of the number of indifferent things If yet they say If the fourth Commandement be moral why doe you not keep the day which the Iewes did I answer Keeping holy a Sabbath or the Sabbath is absolutely morall and the principall intention of the fourth Commandement but the keeping it upon that day which is intimated in the Commandement or the keeping of this day practised now by us became a morall duty that to them this to us because by a Divine positive institution God had appointed that day to bee observed by them and since that he hath appointed this to bee observed by us Now sith that the Lord of the Sabbath hath ordained another day in so doing he hath caused though not an abolishing yet some change of the Law which hath caused the former to cease and bindeth us in conscience to observe this That it was the will of our Lord and Saviour Christ that we should since his Resurrection keepe for our Sabbath that first day of the weeke on which he arose it may easily appeare to any whose judgements are not corrupted with prophanenesse of heart or are not clouded with selfe-conceit and prejudice For in that he arose on that day and appeared divers times on this our Lords day to his Disciples before his Ascension and did on this day being the day of Pentecost fill his Disciples with the gifts of the holy Ghost they being assembled together this giveth a preeminence to this day and a probabilitie to the point The Apostles who followed Christ and delivered nothing but what they received from Christ and whose determinations were infallible did observe this Day as a Sabbath The Apostle Paul staying seven daies at Troas might haue chosen any of the other dayes for the people to assemble to heare the Word and receive the Sacrament but they assembled to receive the Sacrament and to heare the Word upon the first day of the weeke which is our Lords day Moreover the keeping holy of the Lords day hath constantly and universally from the Apostles downeward to vs beene observed amongst Christians in all places and in all ages Now the approved practice of the Apostles and of the Church with them recorded in Scripture carrieth with it the force of a precept and argueth divine institution Moreover the Spirit of GOD honoureth this day with the Title of Lords Day as he doth the Communion with the Title of the Supper of the Lord What doth this argue but as they both have reference to Christ so they are both appointed by Christ The Spirit of Christ knew the minde of Christ who thus named this day Secondly being coÌ„vinced of the holines of this day the better to keepe it holy when it commeth you must on the weeke dayes before the Sabbath or Lords 〈…〉 remember it to the end that none of your worldly businesse be left undone or put off till then especially upon Saturday you must prepare for it Then you must put an end to the workes of your Calling doe whatsoever may be wel done before-hand to prevent bodily labour even in your necessary actions that when the day coÌ„meth you may have lesse occasion of worldly thoughts lesse incumbrance and distractions and may be more free both in body and minde for spirituall exercises Thirdly you your selfe and as much as in you lyeth all under your authority must rest upon this day even in earing time and in haruest the space of the whole day of foure twenty houres from all manner of workes except those which have true reference to the present dayes works of pietie mercy and true â—…ssity not doing your owne waies not â—â—nding your owne pleasures nor speaking your owne words Obiect If you obiect that some understand this place of the day of Atonement and yeerely fast spoken of in the beginning of the Chapter Answ Many Interpreters understaÌ„d it of the weekly Sabbath yet suppose it should be understood of the Sabbath of Atonement I urging it onely to prove the externall rest it serveth for my purpose for these two differed not in their externall rest except that in the day of Atonement they abstained from meat and drinke untill even Vpon all other Gods Sabbaths and holy feasts the children of Israel were forbidden not all worke but onely servile worke But neither on the weekly Sabbath nor on the day of Atonement might any manner
of Iesus Christ a painefull and profitable Minister of the Gospell For the matter of the booke use it as thy daily Counsellour For the manner and occasion of penning it use it and learn to write by this coppy I meane stirre up the gifts of God that are in thee to become more profitable to others both in presence by discourse and in absence by writing How are wee bound to blesse God for those Epistles which the Apostles wrote not onely to whole Churches but also to private persons Nor was this course extraordinary and proper onely to those persons and times In succeeding ages to this day the beleevers have beene much edified by this course In the Greeke Church Chrysostome wrote divers Epistles amongst the rest in the last of them hee takes occasion to commend Olympia to whom hee wrote that Epistle for her delighting to employ him in answering questions and resolving doubts Athanasius besides divers Epistles to others wrote a little booke to Antiochus containing answers to 162. questions Basil wrote about 180. Epistles amongst which in his 81. Epistle exhorting Eusâ—â—â—hius to more frequency in writing he gives this reason because they say saith he that Wells are bettered by being drained out Amongst the Latine Fathers Hierome wrote divers Epistles there is one which Erasmus fathers upon Paulinus Nolanus written to Celantia wherein are many pithy and remarkeable directions about walking with God in a holy course which is the Argument of this Booke it is a large Epistle and worthy to be often read In S. Ambrose his works are ten bookes of Epistles amongst which in his 41. and 45. Epistle to Sâ—binus hee commends this course of instructing one another by writing In S. Augustins workes are to bee found 242. Epistles in the first of which hee exhorts Volusianus to whom hee wrote to reade the Scriptures and bids him if hee doubt to write promising that he will answer him he addes also two reasons of his Counsell the second whereof is because a writing is ever ready when a man is fit to reade nor is that any burden saith he which a man may take up or lay downe at his pleasure Hee that reades his Epistles at leasure advisedly shall finde many errours confuted many doubts answered many truths cleared many usefull directions for a holy life recorded and layd up in those Epistles as so many lewels in a rich Cabinet for the good of posteritie for ever If thence we come to these latter times and see what large and elaborate and learned Epistles Calvin Beza Drusius and others have written in other Countreyes Or looke into those holy Letters of Bradford and other blessed Martyrs in our owne language besides many since wee shall conclude that this course hath beene of no small use for the direction and comfort of Gods people in all ages I 'le adde one thing more concerning our owne Nation and times It 's pittie and to be lamented that so many worthy Letters as are written upon speciall occasins for resolution of spirituall doubts from day today by one or other are impâ—isoned in secret Closets and Cabinets which if they were brought to light and published I am perswadea would not onely exceede all that ever hath beene done in this course since the Apostles time but also be the best helpe for resolution of many hundred cases and doubts which disquiet Christians that ever hath beene or except some such course be taken ever will be in the world I will briefly touch one or two obiections more which some may interpose against this worke and so conclude Many have already written on these subiects and therefore this is superfluous True it is Many have written on this subiect largely and worthily as Master Rogers in seaven Treatises abridged by Master Stephen Egerton and Master Iohn Downam in a large and usefull worke and that I may not forget him whom in some respects I should first have mentioned the Reverend Deane of Worcester Doctor Hall that true Christian English Seneca Also Master Bolton whose generall directions for comfortable walking with God are deservedly approved of the most iudicious Yet I answer first That is never too often taught that is never sufficiently learned Secondly In the mouth of two or three witnesses the truth is confirmed Thirdly As God is much glorified so the Church is much edified by varietie of gifts Paul Apollos and Cephas are yours and you Christs Fourthly The Christian and intelligent Reader shall find in this some things new other things expressed in a new manner all digested in such a Method with such brevity and perspicuity as was necessary to make the Booke a vâ—de mecum easily portable and profitable to the poore and â—â—iterate But it exceeds the limits and proportion of a Letter The first Coppy was more briefe upon occasion of a second Letter wherein some other cases were propounded the iudicious Author not onely handled these Arguments largely in his publicke Ministery but also added more particulars for his friends full satisfaction in a second coppy hence it came to this â—antitie But lest whilest I plead for him I should seeme to be guiltie of the same fault my selfe I will here stop wishing thee Gentle and honest hearted Reader to consider that account must be given of what thou readest as well as of what thou hearest and therefore to ioyne prayer with thy reading that spirituall wisedome and strength may bee increased in thee for the practice of what thou learnest So I commend the booke to thy reading and thee and it to Gods blessing From my study in Coleman-street London this 25. of April 1627. Thine in the Lord Iesus IOHN DAVENPORT THE CHRISTIANS DAILY WALKE CHAP. I. Of walking with GOD in generall BEloved Friend observing your forwardnesse and zeale in seeking to know how â—â—u might please God and saue â—â—ur soule I thought it would acceptable and profitable to â—â—u if I should by the infalliâ—â—e Rule of GODS Word diâ—â—ct you how with most certainty ipeed and ease you might attaine to this your holy ayme Wherefore considering that most of Gods children do make their lives unprofitable and uncoÌ„fortable by troubling themselves about many thing and that too much in things lesâ—… needfull by caring and fearing what shal betide them their hereafter in things concerning this present life that you might compasse that one thing needfuâ—… and containe your selfe within your owne line and calling amongst other things I exhort ted you heedfully to apply your selfe to doe each present dayâ— work with Christian cheerfulnesse and to beare each present dayes â—…vil with Christian patieÌ„ce When upon in your â—…t Letters yoâ—… earnestly intreâ—â—ed mee to givâ— you directions to that purpose What my meditations thâ—… afforded I wrote to you Since that time I have preached 〈…〉 walking with God in vprightnesse â—ut of Gen. 17. 1. Also of freedome from carefulnesse and of the excellency and means of peace
And while you walke in his waâ—es they are charged to support you lest you should receive any harme Fifthly When you walkâ— with â—od though you be alone and â—ithout all other companions â—u doe walke with the best compaâ—y even such whereof there is â—ost need and best use While God and you walke together â—ou have an advantage above â—ll that walk not with him For â—ou have a blessed opportunity of that holy acquaintance with God which is required in Iob. You have opportunity to speak unto him to aske him his advice in every thing praying with assuraÌ„ce of a gracious hearing Abraham and his faithfull servant made use of their walking with God for these purposes Is it not a rare favor that the most high God shall vouchsâ—â—â— to come downe from Heaven and walke on earth with base man nay rather to call up man from earth to Heaven to walke with him It would be therfore shameful hatefull ingratitude not to accept this offer and not to obey this charge Sixtly â—o set the Lord alwaies in your sight is an excellent preservative and restraint from sinne With this shield chaste Ioseph did repell and quench the fiery darts of the temptations of his lewd Mistris For who is so foolish shameles as to transgresse wittingly the just lawes of a Father King and Iudge knowing that he is present and doth observe him with detestation if he so doe Seventhly to have the Lord alwayes in your eye and thought is an excellent remedie against spirituall stoth and negligence in good duties and it is a sharpe spurre to quicken you and make you diligent and abundant in the worke of the Lord. What servaÌ„t can be slothfull false in his Masters sight And what Master will keepe a servaÌ„t that wil not observe him and do his commands while â—e himselfe looketh on Eightly Walking with God in â—anner abovesaid doth exceeâ—ingly please God please Gods â—oly Angels please Gods faithâ—â—ll Ministers and doth please â—d strengthen all those good peoâ—â—e of God with whom you doe â—â—nverse It is to walk worthy â—â— Godin all well pleasing Ninthly Thus walking with God you shal be assured of Gods â—ercy and gracious favour Hee â—â—epeth covenant and mercy with â—ll his servants that walke before â—im with all their heart When â—ou doe thus walk in the light â—ou have a gracious fellowship with God and the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth you from all sinne There is no condemnation to you which thus walke Your flesh when you die shal rest in hope â—or to them that set God before â—heÌ„ he doth shew the path of life which wil bring them into his â—â—orious preseÌ„ce where are fulâ—esse of ioyes and pleasures for eâ—ermore Any one of these motives advisedly thought upon by a willing an humble and prayerfull person were enough to perswade to this holy walking with God Notwithstanding it is woefull to consider how few there be which walke thus For most men seeke not after God God is not in all their thoughts they walke in the vanity of their mindes After their owne lusts the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life walking according to the course of this world according to the will of Satan the Prince of the Power of the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Who refuse to return orto cal themselves into question though God doc wait and hearken for it no not so much as to say What have wee done But every one runneth to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Now touching all that walke â—…us contrary unto God God hath â—…id that hee will set his face aâ—â—inst them and punish them seven â—…es even with many and sore â—…agues And if yet they will â—alke contrary to him he will â—alke contrary to them in fury and â—…nish them seven times and seven â—…mes more for their sinnes And if yet they will walke in impeniâ—ency notwithstanding Gods offâ—r of mercy to them in Christ Saint Paul could not speake of such with dry eies but peremptorily pronounceth that their end is destruction As for your selfe I will say no more but this Weigh well the premises Compare the way wherein you walke with God with all other wayes compare company with all other company compare guide with guides and compare the issues and end of this way with the issues and end of all other wayes and the choyce of your walke will easily and quickly be made Thus much be said in generall of walking with God CHAP. II. How to walke with God in all things at all times THE Commandement to walke with God is indefinite without limitation therefore must be understood to be a walking with him in all things and that at all times in all companies and in all changes conditions and estates of your life whatsoever To walke with God in grosse is not sufficient You are not dispensed with for any momeÌ„t of your life but all the daies of your life and each day of your life and each houre of that day and each minute of that houre you must passe the time the whole time of your â—welling here in feare even all â—he day long saith Salomon You must indevor to have a consciâ—nce voyd of offence alwaies â—s saith the Apostle You must â—ive the rest of your life not to the lusts of men but to the will of God taking heed lest at any time there bee in you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God 1. For this end Christ did redeeme you from the hands of your enemies that you might serve him in holinesse righteousnes which is the same with walking with God al the daies of your life without feare 2. The end of the instructions of the Word which is the light to your feet in this walking is that it be bound upon your hart 〈…〉 continually to lead keepe and â—alke with you at all times 3. The lusts of your owne â—eart and your Adversary the devill lye alwayes upon the advantage to stay you or to divert you out of your godly course so that upon every intermission of your holy care to please GOD they take their opportunity to surprise you 4. You are accountable unto God for losing mis-spending all that precious time wherin you doe not walke in his wayes 5. Besides he that hath much worke to do or that is in a long journey or is running a race for a wager hath no need to lose any time If you be cast behinde in your work and race you will hardly recover your losse but with much sorrow with renued â—aith and with more than ordinary repentance Wherfore when you do awake in the night or in the morning and while you are awake in the day and when you betake
but chiefly considering that by this his passion he hath made full satisfaction for you and withall seeing God and Christ himself by the hand of his Minister truely giving Christs â—…ery body and bloud sacramentally to signifie and seale it unto you it should raise your heart â—o an holy admiration of the love of God and of Christ and it â—hould stirre you up in the very â—ct of taking the bread and wine 〈…〉 a reverend and thankefull reâ—â—iving of this his body and bloud 〈…〉 faith discerning the Lords boâ—…e gathering assurance hereby â—…at now all enmitie betweene â—…od and you is done away and â—…at you by this as by spirituall â—…od and life shall grow up in â—…m with the rest of his mystiâ—…ll body unto everlasting life After that you have received untill you bee to joyue in pubâ—…ke prayse and prayers affect â—…ur heart with ioy and thankefulness in the assurance of the pardon of all your sinnes and of salvation by Christ yea more than if you being a bankrupt should receive an acquittance sealed of the Release of all your debts and with it a Wil and Testament wherein you should have a Legacie of no lâ—sse than a Kingdome sâ—aled with such a seale as doth give cleare proofe of the fidelitie ability and death of the Testator or then it having been a traitour you should receive a free and sulâ— pardon from the King seaâ—ed with his own seale together with an Assurance that â—â—â—aâ—h adopted you to bee his câ—ild to be married to his sonne the hâ—ire of the Crowne This is your case when by faith you receive the bread wine the body and bloud of the Lord. Thinkâ— thus therefore with joy and rejoycing in God oh how happiâ—… am I in Christ my Saviour Gâ—… who hath given him to death foâ—… me and also given him to me how shal he not with him give me all things also even whatsoever may pertaine to life godlinesse and glory Who shall lay any thing to my charge c Who or what can separate me from the love of CHRIST c Resolve withall upon a constant and an unfained endevour to performe all duties becomming one thus acquitted thus redeemed pardoned and advanced and this in token of thankfulnesse even to keepe covenants required to be performed on your part undoubtedly expecting whatsoever God hath covenanted and sealed on his part Ioyne in publike prayse and prayer heartily and in a liberall contribution to the poore if there be a Collection After the Sacrament If you feele your faith strengthned and your soule comforted nourish it with all thankfulnesse If not yet if your Conscience can witnesse that you endevoâ—ed to prepare as you ought and to receive as you ought be not discouraged but wait for strength and comfort in due time Wee doe not alwaies feele the benefit of bodily food presently but stirring of humors and sense of disease is sometimes rather occasioned yet in the end being well digested it strengthnetâ—â— so â—â— is oft with spirituaâ—l food corruption may stirre and temptations may arise more upon the receiving then before especially sith Satan if it be but to vexe a tender-hearted Christian will â—ereupon take occasioÌ„ to tempt with more violence But if you resist these and stand resolved to obey and to rely upon Gods mercy in Christ this is rather a signe of receiving worthily so long as your desires and resolutions are strengthned and you thereby are made more carefully to stand upon your Watch. Endeavour in this case to digest this spirituall food by further meditation improving that strength you have praying for more strength remembring the Commandement which biddeth you to be strong and you shall be strengthned Lastly If you finde your selfe worse indeed or doe feele Gods heavy hand in speciall sort upon you following upon your receiving and your Conscience can witnesse truly that you came not prepared or that you did wittingly and carelesly faile in such or such a particular in receiving it is evident you did receive unworthily In which case you must heartily bewaile your sin confesse it to God aske and beleeve that he will pardon it and take heed that you offend not in that kinde another time Vpon the Lords day you must likewise bee readie to visit and relieve the distressed Take some time also this day to looke into your by past life and chiefly to your walking with God the last weeke asbeing in freshest memory and bee sure to set all straight betweene God and you Last of all on every opportunitie take good time to consider Gods workes what they are in themselves what they are against the wicked what they are to the Church and to your selfe and to yours And in parricular take occasion from the Day it selfe to thinke fruitfully of the Creation of your Redemption Sanctification and of your eternall Rest and glory to come For God in his holy wisedome hath sâ—t such a divine print upon this our Lords day that at once it doth minde us of the greatest workes of God which either make for his glory or his Churches good As of the Creation of the World in six dayes hee resting the seventh which specially isattributed to the Father And of mans redemption by Christ of whose resurrection this Day is a remembrance which is specially attributed to the Sonne Also of our sanctification by the Spirit for that the observation of the Sabbath is a signe and meanes of holinesse which worke is specially attributed to the holy Ghost Lastly of your and the Churches glorification which shall be the joynt work of the blessed Trinity when we shal ceasefrom al our works and shall rest and bee glorious with the same glory which our Head Christ hath with the Father to whom be glorie for ever and ever Amen Doe all these with delight raising up your selfe hereby to a greater measure of holinesse and heavenly mâ—naeâ—nesse Doe all this the rather because there is not a clearer signe to distinguish you from one that is prophane than this of conscionable keeping holy the Lords Day Neither is there any ordinarie means of gaining strength and growth of grace in the inward man like this of due observing the Sabbath For this is Gods great Mart or Faire day for the soule on which you may buy of Christ wine milke bread marrow and fatnesse gold white raiment eye-soelve even all things which are necessary and which will satisfie and cause the soule to live It is the speciall day of Gods hearing of suites and receiving petitions It is his speciall day of proclaiming and sealing of Pardons to penitent sinners It is Gods speciall day of publishing and sealing your Patent of eternall life It is a blessed day sanctified for all these blessed purposes Now lest this urging of the moralitie of the Sabbath and so strict an observation of the Lords day in spending the whole day in holy
meditation holy exercises and workes of mercie excepting onely necessary repasts and a generall providence over their estate should be thought as it is by some to be meerely â—ewish and to be onely the private opinion of some few Zelots more nice then wise Know that in all things wherein weâ— are tyed by a commandement common to us and the Iewes to observe that as the Iewes did by vertue of that commandement is not to bee Iewish as to forbeare to kill and to commit adulâ—erie and such like The same reason is for keeping the fourth Commandement which as hath beene proved is one of the Motals Besides know that the observing the Lords day by vâ—rture of the fourth Commandement and the change of the 〈…〉 day unto the Lords day to â—e by divine institution and that it should bee kept strictly holy as I have shewed you is the professed doctrine of this our Church of England And I would that all would know and see that the taking away of the morality of the fourth Commandement unloosing the conscience from the immediate bonds of Gods Commandement and tying the conscience to observe a day for Gods solemne worship only by humane constitution doth overthrow true Religion and the power of Godlinesse and opens a wide gap to Atheisme proâ—anenesse and all licentiousnesse As daily experience doth shew in those Countries where the moralitie of the Sabbath is not maintained and in such places where the Lords Day is not holily and duely observed CHAP. VII Shewing how to end the day with God VVHen you have walked with God from morning untill night whether on a common day a day of Fast or on the Lords Day according to the former directions it remaineth that you conclude the day well when you would give your selfe to rest at night Wherefore First looke backe and take a strict view of your whole carriage that day past Reforme what you finde amisse and rejoyce or be grieved as you finde you have done wel or ill as you have gotten or lost in grace that day Secondly sith you cannot sleep in safetie if God who is your keeper doe not wake and watch for you and though you have God to watch when you sleepe you cannot be safe if hee that watcheth be your enemy Wherfore you shall do wel if at night you not onely conclude the day with your Family by reading some Scripture and by prayer but you must alone renew and confirme your peace with GOD with prayer with like preparation therto as you received directions for the morning commending and committing your selfe to Gods tuition by prayer with thanksgiving before you goe to bed Then shall you lye downe in safety All this being done yet while you are putting off your apparell when you are lying downe and when you are in bed before you sleepe it is good that you commune with your owne heart If other good and apt meditations offer not themselves some of these will be seasonable 1. When you see your selfe stript of your apparell consider what you were at your birth and what you shall be at your death when you put off this earthly Tabernacle if not in the meane time how that you brought nothing into this world nor shall carry any thing out naked you came out of your mothers wombe and naked shall you returne This will be an excellent means to give you sweet content in any thing you have though never so little and in the losse of what you have had though never so much 2. When you lye downe you may thinke of lying downe into your winding-sheete and into your grave For besides that sleepe and the bed doe aptly resemble death and the grave who knoweth when he sleepeth that ever he shall awake againe to this life 2. You may thinke thus also If the Sunne must not goe downe upon my wrath lest it become hatred and so be worse ere morning then it is not safe for me to lye downe in the allowance of any sinne lest I sleepe not onely the sleepe of naturall death but of that which is eternall for who knoweth what anight wil bring forth Now it is an high point of holy wisedome upon all opportunities to thinke of and to prepare for your latter end 4 Consider likewise that if you walke with God in uprightnesse your death unto you is but to fall into a sweet sleepe an entring into rest a resting on your bed for a night untill the glorious morning of your happy Resurrection 5. Lastly if possibly you can fall asleepe out of some heavenly meditation Then will your sleepe be more sweete and more secure your dreams fewer or more comfortable your head will be fuller of good thoughts and your heart will be in better plight when you awake whether in the night or in the morning Thirdly being thus prepared to sleepe you should sleepe onely so much as the present state of your body requireth you must not be like the sluggard to love sleepe neither must you sleepe too much for if you doe that which being taken in its due measure is a restorer of vigor and strength to your body and a quickner of the spirits wil make the spirits dâ—l the braine soâ—tish and the whole body lazie and unhealthy And that which God hath ordained for a furtherance through your sinne shal become an enemy to your corporall and spirituall thrift Thus much of walking with God in all things at all times CHAP. VIII How to walke with God alone SECTION 1. THere is no time wherein you shall not be either alone or in Company in either of which you must walke in all well-pleasing as in the sight of God Touching being alone First Affect not solitarinesse be not alone except you have just cause namely when you set your selfe apart for holy duties and when your needfull occasions do withdraw you for out of these cases two are better then one saith Salomon and woe be to him that is alone 2. When you are alone you must be very watchfull stand upon your guard well armed lest you shall fall into manifold temptations of the Divell For solitarinesse is Satans opportunity which he wil not lose as the manifold examples in Scripture and our daily experience doth witnesse Wherefore you must have a ready eye to observe and an heart ready bent to resist all his assaults And it will now the more concerne you to keep close to God and not lose his company that through the weapons of your Christian warfare you may by the power of Gods might quit your selfe and stand fast 3. Take speciall heede lest when you be alone you your selfe conceive devise or plot any evill to which your nature is then most apt And beware in particular lest you commit alone by your selfe contemplative wickednesse which is when by feeding your fancy and pleasing
leave his Children as in another case he left Hezekiah to try them and to know what is in their hearts Fourthly God withdraweth himselfe for a time that they may learne to esteeme more highly of his favor and to desire it more when by the want of it they find by experience what an Hell it is to be without it And that they may bee more thankefull for it and be more carefull by studying to please God for to keepe it when they have it This holy use David and the Church made of Gods forsaking them as they thought for a time It made them seeke more diligently after God promising that if hee would turne to them they would not goe backe from him resolving by his grace to sticke more close unto him But know this to your comfort when God doth most withdraw himselfe and forsake you it is but in part and in seeming and but for a time He may for the causes before rendred turne away his face and forbeare to shew his loving countenance but he will not take his loving kindnesse utterly from you nor suffer his faithfulnesse to faile What God said to his afflicted Church that hee saith to every afflicted member thereof For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee saith the LORD thy Redeemer Hence it is that in your greatest extremities your faith and hope shall secretly though you feele not their working preserve you from utter despaire As it was with David and with our Blessed Saviour who albeit these words of theirs to God Why hast thou forsaken mee argued feare and want of sense of Gods love yet these words My God my God doe argue a secret affiance and hope And whereas you say that no mans griefe or troubles are like yours partly by reason of outward afflictions and partly by inward temptations and distresses give mee leave to deale plainely with you It is a foolish and a most false speech Talke with a thousand thus troubled they will all say thus No mans case was ever as mine is Nor so bad will any that have but common sense thinke this to be true Most of these must needs be deceived You feele your owne distresse but you cannot fully know what another feeleth If you would rightly looke into the distresses of others who were better than your selves according as they are recorded in the Scripture you would not thus thinke As for outward afflictions upon whom did God ever lay his hand more heavie then on his servant Iob Had not S Paul also his trouble without of all sorts and terrours within c. And if you consider sorrowes feares and distresses of all sorts were yours such as Davids were or more than his I pray what meane these and many moe the like speeches My bones are vexed my soule is vexed but thou O Lord how long I am weary with my groaning mine eye is consumed with griefe it waxeth old Why standest thou a farre off Why hidest thou thy selfe in time of trouble How long wilt thou forget mee Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me I am poured out like water and all my bones are out of ioynt My heart is like waxe it is melted in the midst of my bowels My strength is dryed up like a potsheard my tongue cleaveth to my iawes and thou hast brought me to the dust of death My bones waxe old through roaring all the day For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is their any rest in my bones because of my sinne Mine iniquities that is the punishment of mine iniquities are gone over my head they are too heavie for me Thus and much more doth he complaine I am weary of my crying my throat is dry Mine eyes faile while I wait for my God So Asaph My sore ran and ceased not my soule refused to be comforted What thinke you now Were not Iob Paul and David in Gods love and favour notwithstanding all this It may be you will reply howsoever the matter of their trouble might be greater than yours yet they could remember God they could pray to him they had faith and confidence in God in their distresses al which you want therefore herein your case is worse than theirs Consider your selves well I speake onely to you that are wounded at the very heart for sinne and it is to be hoped that in some measure you shall find the like grace faith and confidence in you which was in thē If you see it not bee grieved for the want thereof Indevour to doe as you say they did in their distresses onely be not discouraged and all shall bee well But take notice I pray you that sometimes David neither did nor could pray as he conceived of his owne prayer any otherwise than in roaring and complaining at which time he saith hee kept silence But when hee could confesse his sins and pray then hee had some apprehension that God had forgiven him his sinne And for all Asaphs remembring of God yet even then he was troubled and his spirit was over-whelmed and hee saith his soule refused comfort and David saith unto God when wilt thou comfort mee I grant it was his fault yet it was such a fault as was incident to one beloved of God Moreover I deny not but that Iob and David had faith and hope in God but these graces in them were of times over-clouded with unbelife and distrust as doth appeare in their many passionate distempers at which times yet their faith appeared to others in their good speeches and actions intermingled rather then to themselves And the Prophet confesseth that those his faithlesse complaints were in his haste and from his infirmities How say you now Is it not thus with you Are you not like others of Gods children Off and on up and downe you would pray and cannot you would beleeve but as you thinke cannot you would have comfort but cannot feele it Onely you feele a secret support now and then and now and then you doe see and feele a glimpse of GODS light and comfort for which you must be thankefull which you must cherish by all meanes with which you must rest contented waiting untill God give you more You should know and consider that this is an old cunning device of Satan to make you beleeve that your case is worse or at least much different from the case of any others because hee knoweth that while he holdeth you thus conceited no common remedy which did cure and comfort others can cure and comfort you For you will still aske Was ever any as I am And if Gods
of worke be done whether servile or any other Quest But are we under the Gospell tied unto as strict a rest as the Iewes Answ We are bound to keepe as strict and as holy a Rest as the fourth Commandement tied them but not to that strictnesse which some appendixes to the Law which were onely Ceremoniall or Iudiciall did binde them such as dressing their meat on the Eve not kindling a fire putting a man to death for gathering sticks c. These as it is probable were not onely peculiar to the Iews but for that present time onely while they were in the Wildernes and lived upon Manna And forbidding to kindle a fire seemeth to be a speciall restraint for that time to shew that God preferred the holy keeping of the Sabbath before the materiall building of his Tabernacle whereabout the kindling of fire was needfull see Exod. 31. 7. 14. and chapt 35. 2. 3. 5. c. But if these bound the Iewes at all times then they were part of that yoke and pâ—dagogie of the Iewes of which Peter saith neither they nor their fathers were able to beare all which were done away in Christ and doe not binde us Fourthly it is not enough that you observe a rest but you must keepe an holy Rest Which that you may doe you must in your awaking put difference between it and other dayes not thinking on worldly busines no more then will serve for a generall providence to preserve them from hurt or losse Both in your lying awake and rising this morning make use of the directions before shewing you how to awake and rise with God Rise early if it will stand with your health and not binder your fitnesse for spirituall exercises through drowsinesse afterward that you may shewforth Gods loving kindnes in the morning Double your devotions on the Lords day as the Iewes did their morning and evening sacrifice on the Sabbath day Prepare your selfe for the publike holy services by reading by meditation and by casting away all filthinesse that is repenting of every grosse sinne and casting away the abounding of naughtinesse that is let no sinne be allowed or suffered to reigne in you Then pray for your selfe and for the Minister that GOD would give him a mouth to speake and you an heart to heare as you both ought to doe All this before you shall assemble in the Congregation Being thus prepared bring your people with you to the Church Ioyne with the Minister and Congregation Set your selfe as in the speciall presence of God following the example of good Cornelius with all reverence attending and consenting saying Amen with understanding faith and affection to the prayers uttered by the Minister attending unto beleeving and obeying whatsoever by the Minister is commanded you from GOD. Afterward by meditation by conference and if you have opportunity by repetitions call to minde and wisely and firmely lay up what you have learned The like care must be had before at and after the Evening exercise If Baptisme be administred stay and attend unto it 1 To honor that holy Ordinance with the greater solemnity 2 And in charity to the persons to be Baptised joyning with the Congregation in heart prayer for them and in a joyfull receiving them into the Communion of the visiblë Church 3 Also in respect of your selfe For hereby you may call to mind your owne Baptisme in which you did put on Christ which also doth lively represent the death buriall and resurrection of Christ together with your crucifying the affections and lusts being dead and buried with him unto sinne and rising with him to newnesse of life and to hope of glory understanding clearly that the Bloud and Spirit of Christ signified by waeter doth cleanse you from the guilt dominion of sin to your Iustification and Sanctification Remembring moreover that by way of Sealing your Baptisme did in particular exhibit and apply to you that beleeve Christ with all the benefits of the CovenaÌ„t of grace ratified in his blood minding you also of this that it doth not onely seale Gods promises of forgivenesse grace and salvation to you but that also it sealeth and bindeth you to the performance of your promise and vow of faith and obedience which is the branch of the Covenant to be performed according as was professed on your part Recourse to your Baptisme is an excellent strengthner of your weake faith and an occasion of renewing of your vow you having broken it and of resisting temptations considering that they are against your promise and vow in Baptisme When there is a Communion receive it as oft as without interrupting the order of the Church in populous Congregations you may But be carefull to receive it worthily It is not enough that you be borne within the Covenant and that you have beene Baptised but you must have knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper both that it is by divine institution and that it is a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith signifying to you by the breaking and giving of the bread and by pouring out and delivering the wine the wounding bloud-shedding and death of Christ in whom the Covenant of grace is established presenting also and sealing unto you by the elements of bread and wine the very body and bloud of Christ with all the benefits of the new Covenant of which you receive indeed livery and seizon in the act of receiving by Faith whereby you also grow into a neerer union with Christ your head and communion with all his members your brethren Besides there must be a speciall preparation by examining your selfe making your peace with God before you receive which that you may the better doe read Chap. 5. Sect. 2. Also make your peace at least be at peace and in charity with your neighbour by an hearty acknowledging your fault so far as is fit and making recompence if you have done him wrong and by forgiving and forbearing revenge if he have done you wrong In the act of administring and receiving joyne in confession and prayers and attend to the actions of the Minister when he breaketh the bread powreth out the wine and by blessing setteth it apart for holy use by faith behold Christ by representation wounded bleeding and crucified before your eyes for you looking upon him whom your sinnes condemned and pierced to the death rather than his accusers Pilat and those which nailed him to the Crosse and which ran a speare into his side who were though malicious but instruments of that punishment which Cod with other tokens of his wrath did execute upon him though in himselfe a Lambe without spot justly for your sin he being your surety This looking upon him whom you have pierced should partly dissolve you into an holy griefe for sinne