forme and matter to furnish our prayers if wee will bee heard some thinke 't is enough to say the words but therein may be the sacrifice of fooles and vaine babling of hypocrites The more excellent the worke is the more prudently it ought to bee performed here is great fruit or danger let us therefore seriously marke the conditions of prayer which must be 1. In true faith without doubting Whatsoever yee aske in prayer beleeving yee shall receave it which hee that doubteth cannot Jam 1. 6. 7. the prayer of faith shall save the sicke 2. In fervency of spirit it is a spirituall incense and must have the heavenly fire of zeale to make it an ascending sweet savour to God as was shadowed out in the Leviticall incense and the whole burnt offerings which they called ascensions which could not be offered without fire nor might with any but that which came from heaven the fervency of Gods owne spirit in us The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much But he that asketh drowsily fearefully and diffidently cannot obtaine because he distrusteth Gods power mercy or truth and let me tell the secure man here he that is cold and negligent to performe this duty in health peace prosperity shall hardly be confident of audience in sicknesse affliction 3. In the spirit I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also that is with hearty and intent devotion to God who looketh on my thoughts and heareth the petitions which his own spirit dictated I will pray to my own and others understanding who joyne with me in prayer without this we offer the sacrifice of fooles not knowing or intending what we say nor can the present conception or saying prayers by roat of heart make them spirituall if the spirit and inward man pray not and with this inward sense and intention of the minde set formes of prayers may also be praying in the spirit wee read many formes in the holy Scripture Aaron and his sonnes were prescribed a forme of blessing the people The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gratious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And doubtlesse Aaron and his sonnes did as often as occasion served pray the same prayer in the spirit and intention of minde and were heard of God in the solemne fasts the Prophet saith let the Priests the ministers of the Lord say spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach and I doubt not but the Priests using those very words as we now may did pray effectually and in the spirit The Psalmes are many of them set formes of prayers and thankesgivings endited on severall occasions and appointed for the Churches use and surely as David and others used them though set formes to God's glory and sang them in the spirit and so doe we and why shall I not beleeve that Paul did sing these same Psalmes as he saith I will sing with the spirit and will sing with the understanding also and intimate the singing of the same by us with grace in our hearts to the Lord I finde no precept for singing or praiing ex tempore I finde many prayers of the Saints recorded in holy writ for what Except to teach us imitation Above all is that sacred form which Christ intreated to teach his disciples to pray taught them and us we have no Scripture obliging us to conceaved prayers intimating them only to be spirituall or prohibiting set formes as not spirituall we have expresse Scripture for set formes The most spirituall prayer is that which is so indited and by the Spirit helping our infirmities so uttered that therein our hearts and mindes be attentive to God's holy presence and that which we pray this may bee in the heart without words uttering it or in words conceived written and red for the spirit of God as well worketh in writing as speaking as appeareth in his dictating the Scriptures nor is the writing of prayer to be read any more a restraining the Holy Ghost or straitning it then the writing of the Scriptures to be read Nor can any man reasonably thinke that Gods will is to endite holy prayers by the inspiration of his Spirit which might not be as well read as spoken or which 't was lawfull once or sometimes to use but no more or not alwaies on occasion seeing Christ three times together prayed the same words and said When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven c. on two severall occasions prescribing the same form it skilleth not if we pray in spirit whether the eie by reading the memory by exhibiting spirituall habits and impresses of the soule or the inventioÌ„ do furnish the tongue with praior though herein mans frailty be very considerable whose industry in studying to pray as well as to preach for the peoples edification I shall believe God equally blesseth by the assistance of his spirit infirmities all men are conscious of who is sufficient for these things he that prayeth may have some failings now the more solicitous he is of words form for their sakes who heare him pray probably the lesse attentive his thoughts are to God so that he may endanger the life vigour efficacie or substance of prayer by reaching after a circumstance without which it might be a truly spirituall and acceptable prayer for who can deny but that the Lords prayer or any other set form in holy Scripture or elswhere endited by the spirit of God assisted by the same faithfully said in the silent language of the heart or in words pronounced before men is a spirituall prayer who can reasonably affirme that without the attention of the mind or in case of deviation wandring thereof any conceived prayer can be spirituall either to him that heareth saith amen or to the speaker so that if a set form of prayer be endited by the assistance of God's spirit which is to be examâ—ned tried by its consent with the holy Scripture repeated by the assistance of the same spirit 〈◊〉 â—â—derstaÌ„ding intentioÌ„ of the soule it is to God a spiritualâ— prayer to our sense it must be so except we will examine prayers by the eie for who behind a curtain could discern the difference between a new prayer conceived ex tempore or penned read 4. With a sincere heart they who pray to be heard of men have their reward they who under colour of long prayers devouer widowes houses shall have it among hypocrits The Emblem of prayer was an heart upon an alter a broken heart is a sacrifice to God but it must be sincere prayer is the soules incense Rev 8. 4. which was to bee made pure and holy Exod 30. 35. attend unto my prayer that goeth not
A GVIDE TO THE HOLY CITY OR Directions and Helps to an holy life Containing Rules of religious advice with Prayers in sundry cases and estates necessary for those who are not of heart so enlarged as to advise themselves or to conceive comfortable prayers according to their present wants By IOHN READING B. D. and sometimes Student in Magdalen Hall in OXFORD Come ye children hearken unto mee I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psal. 34. 11. If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given him Jam 1. 5. OXFORD Printed for THOM ROBINSON and RICH DAVIS 1651. THE PREFACE Good Reader MY purpose in publishing these Meditations is an hearty desire to communicate that to others wherewith the Lord blessed forever hath comforted me If I may hereby contribute any assistance to them who have not better advice or hearts not so enlarged as to conceive prayers according to their severall conditions and wants I have my end I cannot reasonably expect that this Benom issue of my afflictions should be accepted of all or like the Manna fit every palate specially in this censorious age wherein some like nothing but the Minerva's of their owne braine I would I could not say many like those foolish heathens adore their owne maladies applauding themselves for good and wiâ—e in that they distast all that is good and wholsome which is indeed a symptome of a disaffected palate I am not ignorant that a speaker ventureth within the reach of Censure and that a writer tyeth himselfe to the stake yet in hope that some may reap good by my labours I resolve not to be discouraged if any shall be so injurious as to render evill to my good intentions my labour is with the Lord who appointed some cheap sacrifices that the poore might serve him as well as the rich and requiring principally willing hearts hee that had not jewels gold silver silke purple or like pretious things might bring skins goats-haire things of small vallew and bee accepted you who have a greater share of heavenly treasures offer of your fulnesse God accepteth the poore widdowes mites where is no more give me then the use of S. Augustines words whosoever readeth these things where he is equally certaine let him goe on with mee where he equally doubteth let him enquire with me where he acknowledgeth his errour let him returne to me where hee findeth mine let him recall me let us all enter into that sacred vvay of charitye which may bring us to Christ in vvhose schoole I desire to be a disciple of vvhom I beg in my daily prayers that whether â— follow or lead others in the vvay to heaven I may understand and persevere in that truth vvhich neither deceiveth nor is deceived in vvhich if my hearts desire and constant prayer to God through Jesus Christ that wee may all meet in his kingdome of glory merit any returne of your charity joyne with me and for me in your prayers And now brethren I commend you to the word of his grace which is able to build you further and to give you an inheritance among all them thaâ— are sanctified read happily practice diligently consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things The Summe of the Guide shewing the 1 End of a Christians hope and endeavours true happinesse 2 Meanes to attaine it true 1 Faith grounded on Gods Word and truth teaching us what we are to believe concerning 1 God the Father Almighty 2 God the Son Iesus Christ our Lord and Saviour 3 God the Holy Ghost our Comforter 4 The Catholike Church 5 The Communion of Saints 6 The remission of sinnes 7 The resurrection of the body 8 Life everlasting 2 Obedience in 1 Generall which is in our 1 Performance of duties to 1 God in 1 Love to him above all 2 Prayer 3 Hearing the Word 4 Receiving the Sacrament 5 Sanctification of the Sabbath 2 Man in love to our 1 Selves 2 Neighâ—bours 1 Friends in God 2 Enemies for Gods sake 2 Being rightly guided in our 1 Soule passions perturbations of mind as in case of 1 Love delight c. 2 Mirth sorrow 3 Anger hatred malice 4 Envie 5 Impatience patience 6 Discontent content 7 Hope 8 Feare 9 Cares 10 Iealousie 2 Outwardman as in the 1 Tongue 2 Actions 2 Particular 1 Calling of 1 Masters and servants 2 Man and wife 3 Parents and children 2 CoÌ„ditions which are either 1 IncideÌ„t to some which are either 1 Internall as the wounded spirit and afflicted conscience 2 Externall as 1 Wealth poverty 2 Imprisonment 3 Banishment 4 Old age 5 Child-bearing 6 Sickness 2 Common to all mankind as death The CONTENTS Chap. 1. THe necessity of a Christians aime at a right end in all his actions pag. 1. The Prayer pag. 3. 2. Of true religion wherein it consisteth of faith and those things which concerne it pag 4. A prayer for Faith pag. 10. 3. What we are to believe concerning God that there is but one God in essence and Trinity of Persons how we must labour to know him pag. 12. A prayer pag. 23. 4 What we are to believe concerning Iesus Christ Gods only Son our Lord conceived by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary p. 24. 5 What we are to believe concerning Christ's suffering under Pontius Pilate his crucifying death buriall resurrection ascâ—ntion sitting at the right hand of God the Father and his coming againe to judgement p. 35. The Prayer p. 47. 6 Concerning the Holy Ghost what we are to believe rules thereto belonging p. 48. 7 Concerning the Catholike Church conclusions belonging thereto and rules observable p. 50. 8 What the Communion of Saints is wherein consisting rules thereto appertaining p. 54. 9 Concerning the necessity of sins remission to whom it belongeth it is the summe of the Gospell rules thereto appertaining p. 59. A Prayer for repentance and remission of sinnes p. 63. 10 Concerning the resurrection of the dead how the truth thereof may appeare what use we are to make of the meditation thereon pag. 64. 11 What life everlasting is wherein the happinesse thereof consisteth what rules of practice we are to hold concerning the same pag. 68. The Prayer p. 72. 12 Concerning Prayer what and how necessary it is conditions thereof motives to the earnest practice of this duty râ—les thereto belonging pag. 73. A Prayer for the spirit of Prayer p. 87. 13 Of hearing Gods word motives thereto usuall lets conditions requisite to profitable hearing pag. 89. A Prayer before hearing the Word p. 104. 14 Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper who receive the grace thereby represented how we ought to prepare for the right receiving thereof how to receive it what we must doe after we have received pag. 108. A private prayer before the receiving of the Lords Supper p. 109. Another private
life and salvation through JESUS CHRIST our onely Saviour and Redeemer to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory ascribed in heaven and earth henceforth and for ever AMEN CHAP II. Of Religion and Faith § 1 Of true Religion wherein it consisteth § 2 Of Faith and those things which concerne the same THere is no nation so inhumane and barbarous but it pretendeth to some religion and worship divine Satan cannot put out all the light of conscience still there is a slender remainder which sheweth the very wicked that there is a God therefore he hath ever laboured to beguile men with false religions or corruptions of the true 2 True Religion is the right worship of the true God in imitation of his holinesse all other worship not agreeing with his revealed will is profanation and irreligion this is life eternall to know God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. He that will with such knowledge come unto him must beleeve that he is no man hath seen Gods essence that is greater then any finite apprehension so that we walke by faith not sight and therefore Christ when he had assumed a visible nature for the worke of our redemption would not long be conversant on earth in his publike ministry that our salvation might not be in sense but beleeving and blessed are they which have not seene and have beleeved 3 Concerning faith these things are considerable 1. What it is 2. Whence it is 3. Whose it is 4. How necessary it is 5. How excellent it is 6. Of what measure it is 7. What we must doe concerning it 8. What is the object thereof 1 Faith is the evidence of things not seene and the substance of that we hope for it is a grace and guift of Gods spirit whereby we assent to the word of God and apply the promises thereof to our selves it cannot be forced it is wrought in our minde by perswasion not compulsion faith is by hearing this is the unchangeable rule thereof one and the same forever 2 Faith is the worke of Gods spirit in us applying the promises bearing witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God opening the hearts of hearers to the word preached and Sacraments administred Paul may plant and Apollos water but except God give the encrease who shall beleeve their report The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit neither can he without a spirituall eie they shall seeme foolishnesse to him so that Paul and Apollos are but the ministers by whom we beleeve as the Lord gives to every man 3 All have not faith many talk of it and professe it but as the heathens among the multitude of their Gods made Faith a Goddesse and were farre from beleeving in God faith here intended is the White stone with a new name written which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it a peculiar of the elect as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved the seale and earnest of the spirit of promise therefore though we are taught to say our father give us forgive us yet in profession of our faith we say I beleeve in God c. we must pray one for another but every man must beleeve for himselfe 4 The necessitie of faith appeareth in that 1 the just shall live by it Heb 2. 4. 2. By faith onely we are justified Rom 3. 28. 3. Without Faith it is impossible to please God whatsoever is not of faith is sin 4. God hath appointed this meanes for us to take hold on the merits of Christ that we may be saved 5 The excellency of faith is in that it apprehendeth that is Christ and in him the unspeakable treasure of Gods mercy peace of conscience reconciliation with God remission of our sinnes indemnity from the guilt and punishment thereof justification sanctification in fine all things which concurre to the accomplishment of an happy man it is the rocke against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile the shield against the spirituall enimie it stiled Abraham Gods freind and us his sonnes it is the sanctuary of a troubled spirit the first fruits of the heavenly Paradise the effect and cause of illumination the eye which enlightneth the conscience if we beleeve we shall understand commendable is that faith which beleeveth that all the word of God is true and to be obeyed before it understandeth the particulars faith made Noah an Arke to preserve mankinde in gave Abraham possession of Canaan it hath subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire delivered from the sword made men strong of weake and valiant in battle it is the doore keeper of heaven it lets in the theeâ—e from the crosse the Bathsheba which can have no repulse Whatsoever yee aske if yee beleeve yee shall receive it it is in effect all the world all things are yours the world and life were made for the Saints it is that one thing with which we have all things without which nothing it giveth us confident entrance to God and salvation of our selves through Jesus Christ. 6 The measures of true faith are divers yet sufficient to every one to salvation as 't is written he that gathered much had no superfluity and he that gathered little had no want In all ages God gave some great and eminent measures of faith as to the Prophets Apostles and Martyâ—s not that they should by their greater faith obtaine greater salvation then we who have received a farre lesse measure but because God appointed them to encounter greater tryalls to his honour and that the example of their constancie might be helpfull to our infirmitie as in the body of man there are veines sinewes flesh and bones to strenghthen all these not that the bones have more life then these so is the mysticall body of Christ 't is certaine that weake faith may lay sure hold on Christ and therefore be a saving faith yea the power of God is perfected in mans infirmitie to conclude it is not the merit of faith but of Christ apprehended by faith which saveth us so God crowneth his owne gifts in us 7 We must 1 examine our faith 2. Use the ordinance of God for the attaining it as hearing the word and receiving the sacraments praying c. They best know what need we have of frequent examination of our selves herein who are deeply sensible of their owne wants to them who are deluded with false lights tentations of security there appeareth no want either of faith in them selves or examination of their faith That we may examine profitably we must knowe there is a common faith which reprobates may have and it is
either historicall such as the devill hath Jam 2. 19. or temporary Math. 13. 20. Act 8. 13. and this is either faith of miracles or a temptation of security for the devill himselfe will perswade obstinate sinners that they beleeve and are therefore sure of salvation that he may keep them without charity which is the life of religion and that one thing without which faith is dead perswade them to sin securely And there is also a sanctifying justifying lively faith proper to the elect only this purifyeth the heart gives us the adoption of sonnes and everlasting life concerning this faith we enquire and because the heart is so deceitfull and Satan suitable to teach hypocrisie so neerely to resemble true grace it highly concerneth every man seriously to examin whether his faith be true or counterfeit to which purpose take these rules Examin 1 Whether the more thou art perswaded concerning the assurance of thy salvation the more thou lovest God for his own sake and thy brethren for Gods sake Some vainely dreame of justifying faith though their conscience tells them they love but some for fashion sake or their own ends for Gods sake few if any and God onely as far as they hope he will blesse them that faith onely is available which worketh by love without which it is no more alive then a man without heat 2 Whether the more assurance of Gods mercies in Christ thou hast the more thou desirest to be further confirmed Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied 3 Whether the more thou beleevest the more humble thou art God giveth grace to the humble when Paul was by Gods mercy brought out of his ignorance and unbeleefe he was not ashamed to acknowledge that which being in sin he would not have done of sinners I am chiefe True faith can no more be without humility then an house witohut a foundation the proud hypocrite resteth so securely upon his fruitlesse faith that he contemneth other men as if none were holy but himselfe and some few of his society which he vainely conceaveth have engrossed the infinite grace and spirit of God which freely and secretly worketh where others cannot judge thereof 4 Whether the greater perswasion thou hast of thy beleeving the deeper sense also thou hast of thy sanctification true faith is such a lively grace that it cannot be inactive where the natuall life is it will shew it selfe by some evident effects and so must the life of Grace to our consciences therefore the Apostle maketh the quaere know you not your owne selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates intimating that the regenerate and true believers doe indeed know and feele by comfortable effects that the Spirit of Jesus is in them for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sonnes of God which walke not after the flesh and if we walke in the spirit we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh by which thou must examine thy faith 5. Whether after many trials feares and doubtings doth the Spirit of God still returne and comfort thee so that thy faith is more assured after trials then before True faith like the needle of a compasse in the severall boords tacks and agitations of the ship at sea never resteth till it returne to its owne point and fixeth on the mercy of God againe as 't is written I was in misery and he saved me returne unto thy rest O my soule 6 Lastly examine the conclusions suggested to thy minde with the hope of salvation men shall sometimes have a chearfull perswasion that they are the elect servants of God and therefore shall be saved but yet have Naamans exceptives frequent in their resolutions to sinne God pardon thy servant in this upon this abused promise of God whosoever believeth not shall perish not considering that 't is no true faith which impropriateth the gift of God to wantonnesse or any purpose to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season but a dangerous tentation of security a meere snare of Satan perswading men that they have certaine interest in Gods promises that he might keepe them in some knowne sinne But if thy heart say thus I believe seeing therefore God hath shewed me this great mercy working this comfortable perswasion in me I will be more and more carefull of my waies that I may not offend so good a God and grieve his holy Spirit whereby he hath sealed me up to redemption I will strive to make my calling and election sure that an entrance into the eternall Kingdome of our Lord Jesus Christ may be more abundantly administred to me I will heartily endeavour to follow the guidance of his good Spirit who hath translated me from the kingdome of sinne and darknesse of ignorance into light and the kingdome of his dear Sonne by some measure of sanctiâ—ication that I may make an end of my salvation with feare and trembling such a resolution is an undoubted adjunct of true faith purifying the heart slesh and bloud can never give this perswasion or resolution and Satan will not for though he will be contented to present some seeming good if he may thereby perswade a secure man to some reall evill yet 't is farre from his nature to move to good for any good end for this were to divide and ruine his owne kingdome and whole designe which is to make all others confederates in his rebellion and as desperate castawaies as himselfe It remaineth therefore that the Spirit of God against whose worke and purpose the gates of hell can never prevaile must be the sole Author of this perswasion and resolution I believe and therefore will doe my uttermost endeavour to be more holy then ever I have beene 7. Concerning the meanes to be used in the Word and Sacraments for the attaining of this faith I shall speake in its owne place 8. The Object of faith is the truth of God revealed in holy Scripture teaching us his will concerning our salvation the summe whereof are the Articles of our beliefe of which in the following Chapters A Prayer for Faith O Lord God of the spirits of just men Father of lights from whose fulnesse descendeth every good and perfect gift We humbly acknowledge our owne miserable hardnesse of heart wilfull obstinacy and disobedience to thy holy Word hath continually provoked thy justice to give us over to strong delusions and beliefe of lies to our owne destruction that the vaile should be laid over our hearts when we reade or heare the word of promise that Satan should be suffered to blind us that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ might not shine unto us and that we might not be able to discover our interest in thy promises nor make any assured claime to the merits of thy
Sonne Jesus thou hast indeed said Whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have life everlasting but faith is thy gift who hast also said Aske and ye shall have As therefore in the sense of our owne impotency so in assurance of thy truth we humbly inâ—reat thee to take from us all hardnesse of heart and unbeliefe and to worke in us a true saving faith in Christ Jesus establish the thing which thou hast wrought in us make us worthy of thy calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of thy goodnesse towards us and the worke of faith with power It is thy mercy that we believe helpe thou our unbeliefe Lord increase our faith let the little graine thereof which thy free spirit hath sowed in our hearts flourish into a tree of life that our troubled thoughts may build in the branches and rest under the shadow thereof O Lord consider our weaknesse the continuall incounters and violent assaults wherewith our soules enemy chargeth us restraine his malice beate backe all his â—iery darts that they may never touch our hearts holy Father puâ— thou on us thy whole armour that we may be able to resist in the â—vill day that having finished all things we may stand fast above all give us the shield of faith seeing we are to wrestle not onely against flesh and bloud but against principalities powers worldly governours the princes of darknesse of this world and against spirituall wickednesse which are in the high places Our helpe standeth onely in thy name O Lord who hast made heaven and earth forsake us not in our trials O blessed Saviour who didst once pray for Peter that his faith might not faile him looke on our greater infirmities intercede for us present these our prayers in the precious censer of thine owne merits that we may continue grounded and established build us on the rocke that neither winde storme or flouds of trials may overthrow us nor the gates of hell prevaile against us O Lord thou hast beene pleased in our baptisme to engraft us into the mysticall body of thy Sonne Jesus lâ—t that sweet ointment which dwellâ—th fully in him descend upon â—s even the comfortable grace of thy holy Spirit which may worke in us a full assurance of our salvation Lord seale up thine owne covenant our redemption in our hearts and consciences by the sure and infallible testimony of the holy sanctifying Spirit say unto our soules that thou art our salvation let not our faith waver in any surges of afflictions try us not above that thou wilâ— make us able to beare chearfully and constantly give us assurance of thy mercies in Christ Jesus unto our ends and in our ends till our faith may be accomplished in the salvation of our soules and our soules fully satisfied in the seeing and living with our blessed Saviour and eternall enjoying all that which we have believed through him O Lord encline thine eare O Lord consider and doe it for the same thy beloved Sonne our onely Saviour Jesus Christ his sake AMEN CHAP. III. What we are to believe concerning God § 1. That there is a God § 2. That there is but one God § 3. That he is one in essence and trinity of persons the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost § 4. How we must labour to know him 1. THat which we are to believe concerning God is first that there is a God he that cometh to God must believe that he is where we must know that it is not enough to believe God to be such as a carnall heart may imagine him never any nation as I noted was so barbarous but that they believed there was some God though when men forsooke the true light of Gods Word and followed their owne inventions they quickly left the knowledge of the true God and his will hence came such varieties of superstition and monstrous formes of idolatry into the Heathen world for there is but one strait line of truth but error is manifold men framing to themselves both God and religious worship all erred in a confused variety making them Gods like unto themselves in bodily lineaments complexion habit manners and affections so the Aethiopians made them blacke the Thracians yellow the Barbarians rusticke the Grecians more court-like the wisest well knowing they erred but knew not in the darknesse of their minds how to finde the right way as many appeare by that one voyce of the Heathen I would said he I could as easily finde out truth as convince falshood We must therefore believe God to be such as he hath revealed himselfe in his holy Word for whatsoever else is imagined is an idol of mans owne heart and not God 2. The Scripture hath revealed First some things concerning Gods attributes Secondly and some things concerning the persons of the sacred Trinity Concerning his attributes these five conclusions are necessary to be knowne 1. We can understand what God is not he is not a body not gold nor silver nor any thing materiall or obvious to humane sense or apprehension whatever thou canst comprehend know that it is not God 2. No attributes can fully and according to Gods incomprehensible beeing expresse to us the nature of God because that which is finite can neither expresse nor apprehend an infinite 3. The attributes of God in holy Scripture doe sufficiently expresse him to us and declare as much as concerneth us to know of him for the wisedome of God can neither be limited nor defective though his essence be incomprehensible and unspeakable yet his Spirit in the holy Scripture descended to our capacity and in certaine attributes described by his owne essence 4. The attributes of God are either affirmative or negative they expresse the perfection of God as farre as we can understand as when he is called Jehovah wise good almighty just mercifull c. these divide or separate from him the imperfections of the creatures and shew his admirable perfections by a tacit comparing him with the imperfect as when he is called infinite incorruptible immortall 5. The attributes of God are either proper or â—igurative the proper are those which are properly spoken of God in respect of that which they import though improper if we consider their manner or measure of signifying The â—igurative attributes are those which are borrowed from humane conditions to bring things of themselves ineffable nearer to our apprehensions as when an eye an hand anger jealousie or the like are attributed to God and we must know that some of his proper attributes are incommunicable to any creature as Jehovah infinite omniscient omnipotent c and some are communicable according to an analogy measure or degrees of subordination as Lord King Wise c. 3. Concerning Gods essentiall properties we must know that there are not in God many or divers properties because he is one of a most simple pure and indivisible essence but in respect of our
is begotten not made sicut lumen de lumine verus Deus de vero Deo light of light God of God the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne from all eternity We must labour to know God not by a curious and vaine enquiry after his incomprehensible being which we can never know but by a true faith and humbled soule beleeving and considering him as he hath declared himselfe Christian faith saith in the Apostles words unto us there is but one God but among the professours thereof how many are the hearts like those Athenian altars Act 17. 23. inscribed unto the unknowne God ignorance of â—od is the mother of all impiety unthankfulnesse repining infidelitie securitie presuming to sin impenitencie therefore the wicked are said not to know â—od and obedience to his commandements is a sure marke that we know him Paul therefore wondreth at the Galatians that knowing God by the Scriptures they could turne back againe to beggerly and impotent rudiments at once shewing what we ought to know of God and what use to make thereof praying thaâ—â—he Colossians might be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding that they might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things being fruitfull in all good works and increasing in the knowledge of God this knowledge of â—od is more acceptable to him then sacrifice Hos 6. 6. without this a man can doe nothing but erre had he never so great a zeale of God if we will serve and please him wee must know what he delighteth in ignorance of the truth and unitie of God begat that monstrous idolatrie of many false Gods had they knowne there is but one they would not have worshipped many had they knowne him to be omnipotent spirituall wise mercifull just they would not insteed of him have adored any impotent Idol which they knewe could not help nor deliver it selfe from fire or violence neither was sensible when it was making to avoid such mischeivous errours it is necessary that we should know the Lord as he hath revealed himselfe least we heare that which Christ told the Samaritan Joh 4. 22. yee worship that yee know not that there is but one God the Almighty creator and mercifull preserver of all things three persons but one deity Say not why should I vainly strive to know him who is incomprehensible and unspeakable If I cannot drinke up the whole river shall I not tast to quench my thirst Because I cannot receive all the beames of the Sun shall not I use a moderate light thereof If I were admitted into Paradise because I cannot eate all the fruit should I not tast of the tree of life I cannot know God as he is in his incomprehensible being I will endeavour to knowe him as he is good and gratious to me I will consider his power providence mercy and benificence who hath with so full an hand bestowed things temporall on man that nothing can be desired but his blessing on them nothing could be wanting would not man be wanting to himselfe in the right use of Gods favours in the booke of Grace I will consider his great and admirable favours and his counsaile for our salvation in Christ To conclude observe these rules 1 Take heed that thy extravagant thoughts carry thee not by vaine and curious speculations to prie into the Arke whereby thou maist more easily loose thy selfe then finde the truth marke and follow the wisdome of God for thy salvation when God would open the truth and mysteries of eternall life to man he provided that wee might know those things which were necessary to obtaine eternall life but those things which are too curious and profane minds he spake not where the Scripture hath not a tongue have thou not an eare 2 Measure not all things which thou canst know and beleeve by carnall reason for if he said to Moses desiring to come nigh and to discover that fierie mysterie which burned and consumed not loose thy shooes from thy feet how much more must we put off our carnall senses when wee draw nigh so glorious and holy a God that we may think on him with pure and untroubled affections 3 Be thou not over long or curious in the contemplation of the deity but when thou thinkest thereof cover thy face with the Cherubs wing let thy thoughts be full of humilitie sobrietie and holy ascâ—â—tions by zealous prayer When Jacob saw a vision in the fields of Luz waking he said how fearefull is this place How much should the presence of God aw us when we doe by our meditations as it were come into his presence and view his dreadfull holy and glorious Majestie Therefore as thou lookest but sparingly on the Sun thou gazest not long though it be the dayes eye of so great and comfortable use to thee so meditate on God It is behoofull and comfortable for thee to remember that God is ever present with thee it will aw thee in thy behaviour and sustaine thee in thy sufferings but it is not safe to fix thy thoughts in any searching meditation of him 4 As he that will looke upon the Sunne will finde it under some thin clowd so thou must do here Christ in his humanity is as the sunne in a cloud the safest way to looke on the Godhead is through the vaile of his flesh and in him to consider what a one God hath shewed himselfe to us in him wee see his wisdome severity and the unsearchable riches of his mercy all that which is necessary for us to know concerning him 5 Labour for purity of heart the more thou performest Gods will the more thou shalt know him Yea and a prudent consideration of thy selfe shall advance thy knowledge of God that thou maist beleeve in him and forsaking thy selfe rely only on him A Prayer O Most gratious Lord God beeing of beeings unaccessible light life of life father of the spirits of the just infinite incomprehensible Lord God of power wisedome mercy justice truth who dwellest in that unsearchable glory and Majestie to which none of all thy creatures can attaine Lord God of gods King of Kings slow to anger of great goodnesse and compassion who hast beene pleased out of thine owne eternall love to man even before he was to elect him and in thy creating him to put thine owne glorious image of light and knowledge upon him to extend a gratious hand of providence over him to looke downe from the habitation of thy glory to consider the things which are done among the sonnes of men looke downe O blessed Lord God upon mee wretched sinner by the malitious tempter and mine owne wilfulnesse blinded and deprived of that excellent light of my creation and despoyled of that purity of heart conformity of will and actions wherein I had ability to serve and please
end of the world assisting it with his owne spirit in the speakers and faithfull hearers The subject of this annointing was the manhood of Christ made the full storehouse of Grace The spirituall oyle we must understand not of the essentiall properties of the Godhead as omnipresence infinitude uncircumscribednesse and the like for these are incommunicable in respect of the incapacity of the creature but certaine created gifts and graces placed in the humane nature The deity of Christ is infinite and therefore nothing can be added thereto neither was that nature annointed by any such addition though the person of Christ consisting of two natures was annointed and eternally consigned to the office of a mediatour as Athanasius proved against the Arians which being laid downe it may appeare that however men confesse Christ in word yet they deny him in deeds who 1. say his humane nature is omnipresent 2. Who attribute that kingly office which is peculiar to Christ to any other pretended Vicar generall or the like 3. Who depend on any other or pretend to any other Priesthood and proper expiatory sacrifice for the living and dead then the Priesthood and once sufficient expiatory sacrifice of Christ for our redemption once offered 4. Who obtrude traditions of men for his doctrine who ought to be our teacher in whose ipse dixit we must rest equalling them with the word of God 5. Who appoint other mediatours of intercession contrary to his word 1. Tim 2. 5. which saith there is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Jesus 6. Who joine mens merits with the merits of Christ for their salvations 7. Who walke not worthy of their high calling in Christ but content themselves with the bare names of Christians whereas to be so maketh happy if thou hast indeed received the holy annointing thou shalt be a spirituall king to rule over and subdue thy corrupt affections a spirituall Priest to offer up sweet smelling sacrifices to God that will like that box of pretious oyntment powred on Christ fill all the house with the savour thereof all the faculties of body and soule shall relish of Christ it shall enlighten thy understanding make sin loathsome to thee and comfort and cheere thee in all estates this is the oyle of gladnesse when the Eunuch had but a litle touch thereof he went rejoycing home so constant and solid that it maketh men rejoce in afflictions and that they are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. 3 The third title is his only sonne We are here to consider two things 1 That Christ is the son of God 2. That he is the only Sonne 1 We are in two relations to consider Christ as he is a Son he is of the father begotten not made as the raies are of the Sunne only we must take heed that we fix not on any finite thing further then it may serve to bring home to our finite understanding some notions of infinites this mystery is without and above all comparison as he is God he is of himselfe neither begotten nor proceeding for as the essence of the Father is its own selfe-being so is the Godhead of the Sonne for they are not divers Godheads or beings but one and the same but as he is the Sonne he is of the Father as light of light very God of very God 2 The Sonne is of the same substance with the Father and the deity of the Father is not lessened by the same nor is the Sonne divided from the Father the Father communicateth his whole nature to the Sonne not by division for infinites have no parts and therefore cannot be divided but by an incomprehensible and unspeakable communication of the whole essence of the Father to the Sonne so as that they are one and the same God coëquall coëternall for before all time he was with the Father Prov. 8. 2. Joh 1. 1. Phil 2. 6. Joh 16. 15. 3 He is the only Sonne by nature not adoption wee are Gods Sonnes by adoption not by nature as he is 4 The fourth title is our Lord so the Psalmist stileth him Psalm 110. 1. so Math 22. 44. Act 2. 36. Let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that he is made of God Lord and Christ. This Jesus I say whom yee have crucified So 1. Cor 8. 6. We have one God one Lord Jesus Christ. See Rev 1. 5. Phil 2. 10. It is not unworthy our noting that when this Lord of Lords was come into the world God's secret hand of providence made the great Master of the world Augustus Caesar vaile bonnet by a strict edict commanding that no man should give or receive the title of Lord. Christ is our Lord by right 1. of creation Joh 1. 3. 2. Redemption 1. Cor 6. 20. 3. Preservation and government Ephes 5. 23 that we may obey him trust in him and acknowledge him our Lord and God as Thomas did that we may worship him in the unitie of the sacred Trinity and finally commend our spirits into his hands as the first Martyr did Lord Jesus receave my spirit 1 We are also to beleeve that Jesus Christ our Lord was conceived by the holy Ghost as Luk 1. 35 this is that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh for though he was to be truely man consisting of an humane body and reasonable soule of the seed and posterity of Abraham yet was he not conceived of humane propagation but an extraordinary way The first Adam in whom all dye was not begotten by man but framed and made by the power of God and so it became the second Adam by whom we are restored to life to become man by the immediate sanctifying power of God whose word caused the vast seeds of the world to conceive and frame the severall parts thereof the heavens aire water and earth as now we see them And so the spirit of God was said to move upon the face of the deep Gen 1. 2. which is spoken to expresse an omnipotent and lively efficacy of the spirit and power of God digesting forming and framing the creatures according to his wisedome so must we here understand Christs humane conception to be by the power of Gods spirit so commanding and therefore so framing Christ of a sanctified masse as that the deity and humanity of Christ became one person Neither may we think that the father and the eternall word and sonne of God were here excluded because the action is attributed to the holy Ghost but this is said to intimate that this was so by the free gift and grace of God for 't is said the power of the most high shall overshadow thee Luk 1. 35. that the manhood of Christ being but a creature should be so annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes that it should become a part of the sonne of God
of death I will sing my nune dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace securely may hee dare Death and Hell Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory who can indeed say Thankes be unto God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Confesse and repent thee of all thy sinnes that is forsake them and thou shalt find mercy if thou hidest them under any pretence of merit or pleading not guilty thou canst not prosper God's family saith not I am whole but heale mee O Lord and I shall be whole repentance is the second table after the shipwracke of our soules wee read that Peter after his fall repented wee read hee wept wee read not that hee satisfied repentance is no cause but a condition of our pardon without which it cannot be obtained because God is just as well as mercifull if God should forgive before we repent it were approbation of the fact rather then mercy nor could it stand with his justice This repentance is 1. in knowledge of our sinne without which we cannot repent therefore David prayeth Lord open mine eyes that I sheep not in death it is a fearfull judgement of God not to know our sinnes that we may repent The first degree of happinesse is not to sinne the second to knowe our sinnes there in entire innocency to save here followeth the medicine to heale 2. In hearty sorrow for all our sinnes without which we doe not repent 3. In a constant change of the minde purpose to sinne no more and forsaking our evill waies 't is not only in saying God be mercifull to me but in turning to him that hee may shew mercy who had not had any Saint had hee not pardoned sinners therefore the Prophet bids us search and try our waies turne againe unto the Lord. 3. Apply the word of God home to thy conscience that thou maist understand thy sinne and misery comming on thee and be toucht at heart as Peters hearers were Act 2. 37. 4. Pray earnestly to God to take away the stony heart which hindereth thy repentance and the comfortable effects thereof this lieth like the cover on the wells mouth at Padan Aram till it be roled away the flocks cannot bee watred the rocks at Horeb could not yeeld a drop of water till the rod of God smote it nor can mans harder heart one teare of faithfull repentance untill God touch it 5. Beware of living in or relapsing into any knowne sinne least the end be worse then the beginning in such case it had beene better for thee not to have knowne the way of righteousnesse then after the knowledge thereof to returue with the dog to the vomit 6. Be sure thou forgive 't is the condition of remission of thy sinne which Christ annexeth to thy petition for forgivenesse as we forgive them that trespasse against us and repeateth it to teach us the necessitie thereof for if we forgive them their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you but if yee forgive not â—neither will your father forgive your trespasses malice is strange fire which never came from heaven no sacrifice of prayer can be acceptable therewith be resolved then seeing thy daily infirmities put thee upon a daily asking mercy to shew it that thou maist find it that thou be not with the evill servant who would receive but shew no pitty delivered to the tormentors for the exaction of that which thou canst never satisfie A Prayer for repentance and remission of sinnes O Lord God of mercy and compassion slow to anger and more ready to forgive then we can be to beg pardon forgive us all our sinnes which we have at any time committed in thought word or action give us hearts to consent and obay that thou maist bee pleased according to thyne owne gratious promise to make our scarlet sinnes white as snow to take away those filthy habits where with we are naturally clothed and to put us on the robe of Christ's innocency give us hearty and unfeigned repentance of all our sins that we may abandon all our evill vaine and unprofitable waies whereby we have provoked thy wrath against our owne soules Seale up our pardon by the certaine testemonie of thy spirit of truth which cannot deceave in a comfortable peace of conscience and assurance of our reconciliation by the merits of our Lord Jesus Give us security on the second table of repentance who have unhappily let goe the first of innocency As thou hast in the pretious blood of thy deare sonne Jesus cancelled the hand writing of ordinances which was against us fastning them on his crosse so accomplish thine owne mercy cancelling them to the sense of our consciences by a certaine assurance of our salvation that the stings of death may not afflict us nor the gates of hell ever prevaile against us but that our sinnes being covered and no more imputed to us we may cheerefully thankfully and holily live before thee to thy glory the good example of of others and the assurance of our owne hearts before thee that thoâ—â— who hast in some measure sanctified hast also freely and fully pardoned us Lord answer unto our soules with good and comfortable words through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour AMEN CHAP. X. § 1. Of the resurrection from the dead § 2. How the truth thereof may appeare § 3. What wee are to make of the meditation hereof 1 THe third benefit of the Church shall be the Resurrection from the dead in the first Adam all dye in the second all live hope of a joyfull resurrection is the root of all good workes Act 24. 15. 16. Act 26. 6 7. 2. It is necessary that sinne which brought death into the world like a viperous brood eating through its mothers bowels should be destroyed by death and as necessary that sins kingdome so ended all should rise againe that they may come to judgement 3. Resurrection is of the dead body of man for first death is not only a bare negation but a privation of life so dead and livelesse differ that only which had life and after died riseth againe Secondly there are two sorts of dead bodies the first sine potentiâ ad vitam without possibilitae of rising againe so beasts dye never to live againe or in potentiâ ad vitam in abilitie once to rise againe by the power of God so determining it so man dyeth and shall assuredly rise againe all men elect and reprobates shall come from death as Pharaohs two servants from their prison one to honour the other to execution some to the joyes of heaven eternall blessednesse of body and soule the other to endlesse shame and unspeakable torments in hell sire with the Devill and his Angells 4. The same body which dyeth shall be raised againe the same substance as
known to his brethren the joy was so great that it pleased Pharaoh and all his servants Genes 45. 16. how great shall the joy be when all the Saints that ever have beene shall meet together in the court of the king of glory and Christ shall manifest himselfe unto us If John Baptist not seeing Christ with his bodily eyes did yet spring in his mothers wombe at the salutation of the blessed Virgin how shall we rejoyce when we come not only to see him face to face but to be fully and eternally united to him At Solomons coronation there was such joy as that the earth range with the sound of them but how unspeakeable shall our rejoycing be when Christ our peace shall appeare in his kingdome of glory of which shall be no ende Certainely no wise and considering man looketh on any worldly joy otherwise then on a dreame and soone vanishing vision but here shall be an interminable joy which no sorrow shall ever interrupt no time or age end As the Psalmist saith of Jerusalem many excellent things are spoken of thee O city of God yet as the Queene of Sheba said of Solomons magnificence I may of this life halfe was not told me Comfort thy selfe in all pressures of life and death what ever thou now canst suffer can be but short but the happinesse of the life to come shall be eternall The Prayer O Lord God Almighty the resurrection and life of all them that beleeve in thee strengthen our faith and comfort us in all our present sorrowes and decayes with a lively and full assurance that in the ruine and dissolution of these earthly tabernacles thou wilt repaire us to eternall incorruption and glory by the same power of thy quickning spirit which raised up our Lord Jesus the first fruits of the dead Give us a part in the first resurrection from the death of sinne unto the life of righteousnesse that the second death may have no power over us Give us grace to evercome all the messengers of Satan and the sinfull corruptions of flesh and blood which fight in us against our owne soules that we may triumph and rest secure in the victory of our faith that the gates of hell powers of death shall never prevaile against us give us that puritie of heart and sanctity of life wherewith thou here preparest all those whom thou wilt hereafter perfect with glory and eternall salvation Give us firme hope for the Anchor of our soule which in the fiercest rages that afflict our present life may lay sure and stedfast hold on the land of the living entring into that which is within the vaile whither the fore-runner Christ Jesus is for us entred Give us patience to â—eare all our present wants and greivances with that cheerefulnesse which becommeth those who are confident that thou who hast laid up the crowne of life for them wilt never faile them nor forsake them let it be a sure and never fading comfort to us a strong consolation for us who have fied for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us by thy owne word the Gospell when the sorrowes and terrours of death arest us and at our last gasp that our Lord Jesus dyed and rose againe to abolish death and bring life and immortality to light to purchase eternall glory for us â—nd that our death is but a short passage to blessednesse the gates of everlasting life and the sorrowes thereof but an entrance into eternall joyes and true endlesse and unspeakable happinesse through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN CHAP. XII Concerning Prayer § 1. What and how necessary it is § 2. The conditions thereof § 3. Motive to the earnest practice hereof § 4. Rules hereto belonging 1 WE have considered those things which wee are to beleeve that we may be saved we are next to consider those things which we must doe to Gods honour our consolation and assurance that our faith is sound seeing that not not every one that saith Lord Lord shall be saved but he that doth the will of God 2. The things which we must do are comprehended in the Law the first table whereof cencerneth our duty to God the second our duty to man Among our duties to God prayer is one of the chiefe 3. Prayer is a divine worship wherein we speake to God in true humility and devotion of the heart according to his will in true faith fervency of the spirit through the merit and mediation of Christ begging the things we want deprecating that we feare interceding for others or giving thanks for that we or others have receaved It is a colloquie of the soule with its Creatour when we read or heare his oracles the holy Scriptures he speaketh to us when wee pray we speake to him 'T is a kinde of reâ—luous grace which he only giveth who giveth the spirit of prayer helping our infirmities who know not what to pray as we ought it is a Postilion for heaven passing betweene God and man ariving in the moment 't is sent out nay before we speake hee will answer and while we are speaking heare who knowes all our wants before we aske it is the Dove of the soules Arke going and returning till it bring assurance of peace it is the ascension of the minde to God without which bended knees out spread hands and eyes lifted up the most decent and devout gestures with the most excellent compture and composure of words are but worthlesse shells of religion and vaine drawing neere to God with our lips the heart being farre from him The fervent intention of minde the silent language of the heart God heareth without any voice uttered when Moses was in an exigent at the red sea we read of no vocall prayer yet God said wherefore cryest thou unto mee 'T is better pray in silence then in attention of minde God heareth the heart what can lowd words availe where that is mute 4. He that will walk with God must often pray and heare prayer like Jacobs ladder lands thee in heaven and sets thee in Gods presence and the foot thereof is in humility The foundation of all vertue without which whatsoever and how high soever is built is but magnificent confusion Pride cast the apostate Angells from heavâ—â— how easily shall it keepe the presuming Pharisee thence The Publican going home justified only as a selfe condemning sinner not worthy nor daring to lift up his eyes to heaven but crying God be mercifull to mee a sinner sheweth humility to be a safe vertue 5. God's spirit inditeth and giveth audience to our prayers This is confidence we have in him if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us prayer is a divine antidote and remedy against the venome of sinne grounded on Gods promises extracted and gathered out of the Eden of his word whence we must collect both lawes to
Babylonish fornace the midst of the sea So may the way thou travellest on the bed thou liest on but if it be in thy choice take that place which is freest from distractions most decent private and accommodate whether thou prayest alone or with thy family 't is never importune to any state or condition it will make thy prosperity secure and thy afflictions tolerable only when ever thou prayest doe it as with deepest sense so with greatest humility and reverence of body and soule in asâ—urance of God's mercy He that dares speake to thee said the souldier to Caesar knowes not thy Majestie he that dares not thy Clemency He knowes not the dreadfull Majestie of God who dares any way be prophane or irreverend in prayer and hee is ignorant of Gods mercy who will not be confident to pray unto him A Prayer for the spirit of Prayer O Lord God of truth and father of mercy and compassion who art clothed with Majestie and glory and yet so regardest man man vile dust and earth yet that worke of thy hands which beareth thyne owne image as that thou framest his heart and enclinest thyne eare to his petitions heare us now calling on thy holy name and let thine eare be open to our requests Lord we humbly acknowledge that we are lesse then the lest of all thy mercies spirituall and secular and their continuation as in respect of our manifold sinnes whereby we have provoked thy justice so also for our undervalewing thy inestimable favours offered us in the most easy and gracious conditions of mercy which thou hast proposed unto us concerning remission of sinnes deliverance from judgments and all blessings of this life and that which is to come whereof thou saiest but aske and have we have yet so much neglected the meanes of our being happy that we haue amongst many other sinnes of omission either forgotten and neglected to pray or formally drowzily and carelessely performed the same so many haue our failings herein been that whensoever we haue prayed for blessings or forgivenesse we had need againe to pray that thou wouldst forgiue the sinnes of those prayers lest they should awake thy justice instead of pacifying it and imploring mercy And now O Lord seeing thou art a God of pure eies dreadfull Maâ—â—stie and asearcher of hearts as we are a people of unhallow thoughts and polluted lipps wherewith all shall we come and bow our selues before the most high thou hast indeed shewed us what is good and what acceptable but we have not done justly loved mercy nor in that humility we ought walked with thee when thou wouldst instruct us we have hardened our hearts and refused to obay when thy chastning have beene upon us we have not powred out our prayer nor in our trouble visited thee as appeareth this day now when thyne arme is streched out over us with dreadfull judgements threatning utter ruine and desolation of this whole nation so stupid is our security and hardnesse of heart such a spirit of slumber is fallen upâ—n us that yet we cannot or will not understand those things which concerne our peace and attonement with thee now when the Tents of Israel are beset with destroyers so much worse then Amalekites comming against us by how much more dwelling amongst us we cannot yet repent and cry for mercy in our prayers we soone let fall cur fainting hands for want of those supports of faith fervency and resolution never to hold our peace day nor night nor to give thee rest untill thou establish us and restore our religion and peace now when the houre of darknesse is at hand the dispersion of thy litle flock to be feared and dangerous tentations by seducers able if it were possible to beguile the very elect now when the great day of of the Lord draweth neere and hasteth on us when the sound thereof in warres and rumours of warres affrighteth us on every side a day of wrath trouble distresse and desolation a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of trumpet and alarme so senselesse a security hath taken away our hearts that we still goe on in our sins corrupting our waies and so wounding our own consciences that wee are not only become loathsome in thy sight miserable in our present condition and helplesse in our selves but also heartlesse to fly to the Sanctuary of thy mercy and saving health our owne consciences deterring us because we cannot but know that we deserve thy justice who so long centemned thy mercies and that thou maist most justly stop thine eares to our prayers as we have ours to thy precepts and leave us comfortlesse in our distresse who have so many yeares beene fruitlesse in our abundance of peace and prosperity yet Ô Lord our God in assurance that thou art true and faithfull who hast promised saying aske and yee shall have and trusting in his merit and mediation who hath said Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laded and I will give you rest wee come unto thee humbly praying thee to be reconciled unto us to open our eyes that we sleep not in death to pardon all our sinnes our neglects and defects in prayer to frame our hearts and tongues thereto to helpe our infirmities who know not what to pray as we ought to assist us with the powerfull evidence of that spirit of Christ Jesus which enditeth all those prayers to which thou hast made the promise of obtaining to send downe that heavenly fire fervency of spirit which may direct and make this spirituall incense ascend up holy and acceptable in thy sight through his mediation who now sitteth at thy right hand to make requests for us so that we may have a cheerfull assurance of being heard Lord restraine the vigilant malice of the tempter take from us all hardnesse of heart unbeleefe doubting wandering thoughts drouzinesse and deadnesse of spirit and whatsoever else hath hitherto made us unapt to pray and lesse successeful in our prayers give us true humilitie holy reverence of body and soule and that wisedome to behave our selves in thy dreadfull presence that thou maist be pleased gratiously to accept our petitions that we may carry backe a comfortable answer to the assurance of our hearts and consciences before thee and further encouragement to continue our supplications unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour AMEN CHAP. XIII § 1. Of hearing Gods word § 2. Motives thereto § 3. The usuall lets § 4. Conditions requisite to profitable hearing § 5. Rules of practice thereto appertaining 1 SInne to Gods dishonour and mans misery invaded the soule principally by the eare and it is Gods pleasure to beat it out againe by the same doore that as in our first parents we heard Satans seducements to our ruine so for our repaire we should heare the voice of Christ which is our life our wisedome and blessednesse if we keepe it 2. No word can binde and stay the conscience
that is bitten with hels fiery serpents all other wayes uncurable by looking upon Christ with the eye of faith shall be saved therefore in case thou find any stupid impenitencie in thy stony heart be thou the more attentive in hearing the word and more serious in applying it to thy conscience more fervent in prayer and more frequent in receiving this holy Sacrament thou shalt at last find an happy effect hereof 5. Examine whether thou be in charity with all men as he that presumed to offer with any other fire then that which came from heaven was cut off from Israâ—l so shall it be with those who offer this spirituall sacrifice in malice if hee that touched the Arke with unconsecrated hands was smitten dead what shall become of them who dare come to the Lords table with bloody hands and malicious hearts if thou be not in charity leave thy gift before the altar go first and be recenciled neither maist thou thinke thy selfe excused from communicating by thy malice God biddeth thee be reconciled and then come and offer neither maist thou thinke to lay downe thy malice as they speake of the serpent while she drinketh for a time only to resume it againe in a wilfull abstinence there is a contempt of the Sacrament which shall condemne a man and in comming to Christ our Passeover with the leven of maliciousnesse is the same danger there is no safe way but in reconciliation that thou maist receive worthily 2. The second point is how we must receive we must do it with hearts lifted up to God in holy meditations of Christ's passion frequent ejaculations imploring Gods gracious assistance obsignation and sealing up of our salvation with hallowed thoughts minds sequestred from all worldly things and the most attentive and holy reverence of soule and body for so ought wee to appeare before God in his worship Psal. 95. 6 7. Secondly the riches of Gods grace all the merits of Christ are here offered and held out to us by the hand and ordinance of Christ Thirdly 't is administred and received with a prayer for which no gesture can be too humble lastly when Moses rehearsed the mercie of God to Israël in the institution of the Passeover then the people bowed downe and prostraited themselve the same reason have wee to expresse a reverend and humble thankfulnesse for Christ our Passeover 3. After receiving 1. Give thanks to God for these seales of thy redemption in Christ. 2. Be carefull to performe all thy promises vowes holy resolutions conceived and made in thy preparation to receive and live every day of this life as if thou didst therein communicate 3. Keepe a carefull watch over thy body and thy soule least the evill one repossesse himselfe of the swept garnished roome and bring with him seaven worse spirits then himselfe Lest thou relapsing to the filthy vomit of thy old sinnes thy end proove worse then the beginning I have washed my feet said the Spouse of Christ how shall I defile them 4. Pray the Lord to make good his own ordinance unto thee effectually sealing thee up unto the day of redemptioÌ„ 5 Examine thy selfe whether thy soule be nourished and strengthned by receiving which will appeare if after it thou art more cheerefull in greater assurance of thy salvation remission of sinnes peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost if thou art more quick active and able to all holy duties if receiving breed in thee a spirituall appetite to receive againe that thou maist more be confirmed in Christ if it beget a fervent love to God and thy neighbours amendment of life and more hearty loathing thy sinnes inward sense of the life of Jesus dwelling in thee an holy contempt of this world with a longing desire and constant hope of a better life to come causing thee to set thy affections on things celestiall to walke with God in holinesse and to have thy conversation in heaven if these things are in thee blessed art thou hee hath sealed thee with his holy spirit who will knowe thee for his owne and so protect thee with his providence that the destroying Angell shall not touch thee To conclude when the diseased woeman of whom spake but touched the hemme of Christ's garment shee presently felt the powerfull effect thereof in her healing though Christ had made her no such promise and if we have received his body and blood according to his command his promise must be fulfilled and wee shall be strengthned and healed we shall feele the same power nourishing us to eternall life A private Prayer before the receiving of the Lords Supper MOst gratious Lord God Father of mercy and truth Who dwellest in that light which none can attaine unto yet vouchsafest to prepare the hearts of thy servants here on earth to help their infirmities and to heare their petitions prepare my heart teach mee to pray encline thine eare unto mee and have mercy upon mee O Lord thou art a just and a severe Judge how shall I then vile and unworthy wretch appeare this day before thee in the courts of thyne house I came into this world a child of wrath disobedience naked and destitute of all goodnesse but thou O Lord my Redeemer hast bestowed the seale of thy righteousnesse upon mee in my Baptisme thou hast called mee to the knowledge of thy gospel thou hast given me the earnest of my redemption by the spirit of regeneration Lord establish now the thing which thou hast freely wrought in mee and as thou hast this day invited mee to thy table and the communion of the body and blood of thy holy Sonne Jesus Christ so Lord bestow the wedding garment on mee that I may appeare before thee cloathed in his righteousnesse whom thou madest an offering for sinne that in him wee might become righteous before thee Lord what is man that thou so regardest him and who among the sonnes of men hath more cause to praise thy mercies then wretched I thy mercy hath long spared me thou hast taken me out of the power of darknesse kingdome of Satan thou hast given me the glorious freedome of the children of light what shall I rendër the Lord for all his benefitts towards me I will call upon the name of the Lord I will declare his mercies I will take the cup of salvation and pay my vowes all is to little which I have to give thee O Lord thou hast in my creation given me my selfe in my redemption thou hast restored me to my selfe therfore now accept againe thyne owne gift Lord let me be wholy thyne And beeing now to appeare before thee whith a sacrifice of praise I pray thee for Iesus Christ his sake prepare the alter purge me with Hysope create a cleane heart within me renue a right spirit sprinkle the doore of my soule with the blood of the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world that
the destroyer may not enter send into my soule that heavenly fire of love to thy sacred Majestie and charity to all men which may assure mee of thy acceptance of me and my sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving clens out of mee all the old leaven of sinne and maliciousnesse open my understanding increase my faith that I may see and know the assurance of my sinnes remission in the seale of eternall life which by thy mercies I am now to receive Thou hast taught mee O Lord that my blessed Saviour in the night that he was betrayed made this holy testament wherein as he tooke flesh and blood of us that he might dye for us so hee bequeathed his body and blood to us that wee might live in him and left this Sacrament as a faithfull pledge of his love to remember us of his dying for us till he come againe O Lord I know thou art the life and truth and wouldst not leave thy Church any effectlesse earnest of their salvation Lord Jesus therefore be present with my spirit worke powerfully on thine owne ordinance that it may indeed seale up my salvation in my soule with that conconstant assurance that the gates of hell may never prevaile against it that no terrour of conscience nor any delusions of Satan may be able to overthrow it but that I may with a lively faith lay hold on all thy merits that I may find therein an inward peace in confidence of my sinnes remission reconciliation with my God sound joy in the Holy Ghost my comforter sanctified will and affections purity of life and holy obedience which hath the testimony of a good conscience to be a sweet comfort both in life and death assuring me that I have fought a good fight with entire faith and therefore shall enjoy the crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall at that day give to all them that love his appearing Grant this O Lord and whatever else thou knowest to be needfull for me for Jesus Christ his sake who with thee and the holy spirit liveth and raigneth ever one God world without end AMEN An other private Prayer for one ready to receive the Lords Supper HOly Lord I humbly beseech thee for Christ Jesus sake whose sacred body and blood are here represented forgive me all my sinnes and give me a stedfast hearty and constant resolution never to commit the like againe give mee a lively faith that through these signes which my Saviour hath appointed to be received in remembrance of his death and passion untill his comming againe I may really apprehend the spirituall relish of the bread of life and to be assured that Christ's body was given for me and his most pretious blood shed for my redemption Lord lift up my soule above all worldly thoughts that I may by a steady and confident application of all the benefits of his death and passion see Christ Jesus sitting at thy right hand feed on him by a justifying faith and thereby be nourished to eternall life Holy Father heare and assist direct and guid me according to thine owne will Lord Jesus who gavest thy selfe to death for my salvation deny not the requests of my feeble soule longing for the assurance of thy saving health hungring and thirsting for thee and thy righteousnesse O holy Ghost the sanctifier of all the elect throughly cleanse me from all the old leaven of sin prepare me body and soule to an holy reverend and effectuall receiving these sacred mysteries that my soule and conscience may thereby be sealed up to redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN A private Prayer after receiving the Lords Supper MOst gratious God and mercifull Father who of thine owne free love and good pleasure hast elected created redeemed regenerated reconciled justified and preserved me unto this present who hast also bestowed â—on me unworthy of the least of thy mercies the peaceable use of thy holy word and sacraments I humbly thanke thee as for all other thy favours so for this present comfort which I have now received Lord accept this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ whose oblation of himselfe once offered for a full and perfect price of our redemption and satisfaction for all our sins we have hereby according to his owne ordinance remembred Lord perfect the worke which thou hast begun in me make good thine owne institution unto my soule seale me up unto the day of redemption worke in mee a full assurance of my sinnes remission and my reconciliation to thee by the death and merit of thy holy sonne Jesus give me a lively sense of my union with him and his living in me so guiding me by his holy spirit that his life may appeare in all my thoughts words and actions that I may henceforth live no more to sinne but being freed from the power and laws thereof may have my fruit unto holinesse and eternall life Lord make me every day more and more able to doe thy will and to abandon mine owne corrupt desires let me now feele in my soule conscience the reall benefit of thy word and sacraments which thou hast promised to all those that truely seek thee give me that longing desire of right cousnesse which is by thy grace secured from despaire and preserved from vaine glory and presumption satisfie me with that measure of grace which thy wisdome knoweth sufficient for me Lord make me knowe assuredly that I have not now received this holy sacrament in vaine nourish me hereby to eternall life give me a greater strength to walke righteously before thee with sound faith cheerefulnesse of minde firme and comfortable peace of conscience and that joy of the holy Ghost which may ascertaine me that thy kingdome is established in me Give me a zealous love of thy glory ready obedience to thy law feare to displease thee innocency of life and that holy charity towards all men which may give me boldnesse in the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus order thou my conversation so that it may be unblamable towards all men and holy before thee to thy glory and the good example of those with whom I live assist me with such a measure of thy sanctifying spirit that I may indeed performe all those vowes which I have made before thee that every day of my life may be to mee as this Sabbath an holy rest from sinne Lord who powerfully commandest all thy creatures prevent the mischievous subtiltie of the tempter let thy holy spirit keepe me body and soule give me an holy contempt of this present world and affections set on high where my blessed Saviour sitteth at thy right hand who shall in the appointed time appeare in judgement and gather his elect unto him These things and whatsoever else thou knowest needfull for me or any part of thy whole Church militant I begge at thy gratious hands who hast commanded us to aske and
promised to give Lord give therefore a gratious answere through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee O Father of mercy and the holy Spirit the Comforter be all honour and glory in heaven and earth to all eternity AMEN Another private Prayer immediatly after receiving the Lords Supper LOrd make us thankefull for all thy mercies especially for the knowledge of thy sonne our ever blessed Redeemer and for these seales of our salvation now received Holy Jesus who even now from the right hand of the father hearest and beholdest what we have done according to thine owne institution in remembrance of thy death and passion forgive us all our failings and imperfections accept our wills to obey thee more perfectly and as thy selfe gavest the signes so give thou who only canst the powerfull effects thereof that every one of us may evidently feele the vigour and strength of this spirituall refection in our soules and consciences more and more to a full assurance of our interest in thee peace of conscience through thee sanctified wills and affections by thee and that candor of manners holinesse of words and actions which may cleerely shine in our conversations before all men to thy glory and our comfort in life and death Lord heare and help us Lord encline thy mercifull eare unto us and doe it for his merit who now intercedeth for us thy sonne our holy Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN CHAP. XV. § 1. Of the Sabbath the name institution things considerable for the sanctification the beginning and ending reasons of Gods institution thereof § 2. Of the change to the Lords day now to be observed of Christians § 3. How we must now sanctifie it 1 SAbbath signifieth a rest from motion or worke hence this day set a part for holy conventions and the publike service of God is called a Sabbath thereto sanctified and hallowed by Gods appointment for every rest or cessation from worke is not the Sabbath of the Lord. 2. The Lord having perfected the worke of creation rested on the Seaventh day that is ceased from creation blessed it sanctified or appointed it to be kept holy by man as is repeated and interpreted in the morall law given by the ministry of Moses 3. In this praecept are considerable those things which are 1. Morall and Naturall 2. Positive and ceremoniall 1. The Morall part is that a seaventh day be set apart and kept holy for divine worship and rest from servill workes and this as all morall precepts having their ground in the law of nature concernes and bindes all men in all ages whose reason telleth them that there must be a time for the publike service of God 2. The Positive and Ceremoniall part is that which bound all men to the observation of the seaventh day from the creation untill it was changed as all the Leviticall ceremoniesâ— for a seaventh day to begin from Christs resurrection from the dead and also that which bound the Jewes to the observation of certaine ceremoniall rests and solemnities thereon untill the substance of those shadowes were come so wee read of their severall Sabbaths as first their great Sabbath which was that on which concurred a double solemnity as the last day of the Pasover and the seaventh day Sabbath secondly their holidaies or solemne feast daies wherein they were to feast and rejoyce before the Lord see Levit 23 24. c. Deut. 16. 14. and these were also to them Sabbaths Lam 1. 7. the adversaries saw her and did mock at her Sabbaths Thirdly their Sabbath of the earth every seventh yeare to rest Exod 23. 11. Levit 25. 4. Numb 28. 10. Fourthly Sabbaths of yeares seven times seven yeares 49. after which the trumpet was to â—ound the Jubile Levit 25. 8 9. Fitly their Sabbath of weekes see Levit. 23. 15 16. Deuâ— 16. 9 10. these were ceremoniall appertaining to the Levitie all law and therefore determined and ended with the rest of those ceremonies so Paul arrangeth them and would have no man judge Christians in respect of any such Sabbath Colos 2. 16. yea hee counteth it returning to weake and beggerly elements to observe daies c. Galat. 4. 10. 4. The seventh day Sabbath began at Evening and so ended the next day Evening according to the beginning and ending of naturall daies from the Creation as 't is saide the evening the morning made the first day from Even unto Even shall you celebrate your Sabbath but our Lords day beginneth in the morning from the resurrection of Christ on the morning of the third day and that 's not without a mystery that the Legall sabbath began with darknesse and the Evangelicall beganne with light 5. God appointed the observation of the Sabbath for many reasons 1. That it might be a day for Gods publike service as it was and is observed that men might come together to heare the Law pray receave the holy Sacraments c. Luk 4. 16. Act 20. 7. 1. Cor 16. 2. 2. To keepe in memory the work of creation Exod 20. 10 11. 3. In the giving of the law was added that which concerned Israels deliverance from their Egyptian servitude a type of our freedome from the bondage of sinne and Satan remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keepe this Sabbath day 4. That it might be a signe betweene God and his people that they might knowe that he is the Lord that sanctifieth them and a signe of the eternall rest in the life to come as it is said there remaineth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbath keepping to the people of God 5. To move masters to be just and equall to their servants and beasts in remembrance of their owne condition on the seventh day thou shalt rest that thy Ox and thy Asse may rest and the sonne of thy hand-maid and the stranger may bee refreshed Exod 23. 12. that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou and remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt c. 6. That God and his lawes may be remembered that in case any forgetfulnesse of him should fall on man most apt to forget God the very solemnity of the day might remember him 6. Sanctification of the Sabbath on Gods part was his appointment to keepe it holy on mans the setting it apart from common use and ordinary workes to spend it in holy exercises according to God's commandement profanation of the Sabbath was and is by doing those workes which God prohibited to be done on that day as servile workes or on any day as sinne or any thing hindering his workship on that day to bee performed as humane servile or ordinary workes of ourcallings all workes are not prohibited on the Sabbath the Preists by the law did sacrifice thereon this as other like were divine or such as appertained to the
sanctification of the Sabbath so are meditation on Gods workes wisedome power benificence providence c. hearing reading preaching praying administration and receaving the sacraments workes of mercy and necessity c 1. This Sabbath so farre as it was ceremoniall was changed for the full and true morall part thereof to bee performed on the Lords day which is a Christians sabbath or holy rest for to the publike service of God still religiously to be kept because 1. It is the Key of religion and that which being duely observed enableth us to the performance of all the rest for therein we are to learne our duty to God and man 2. This law God twice wrote with his owne hand in tables of stone to â—â—itate the perpetuity thereof as farre as it is morall 3. If there were no fixed time for the publike service of God how should men agree to meet therein One would have a farme another Oxen or some other secular businesse to distract them one from another Moreover if there were no fixed day 't is much to bee feared the men of this world for their present emoluments would often adjourne Gods service as Felix did Pauls discourse of righteousâ—esse temperance and future judgement with a goe thy way for this time and when I have a convenient season I will call for thee 4. The same reasons for the keeping holy a Sabbath remaine to Christians which for substance God gave for the performance thereof before the Gospell we and our servants have need of rest need to remember God to learne his will to pray and joyne in his publike worship 5. Christ came not to repeale or dissolve the morall law in any one jot or title nor indeed is it changeable or dispensable nor may any part of Gods worship therein commanded be taken away though we are not now to keep so rigid a rest as was ceremoniall to the Jews to remember them of something peculiar to them in their minority and subjection to those ceremonies which were their schoolemaster to Christ. 6. The Church of Christ hath constantly since the Apostles time kept this day which we now celebrate as an holy rest to conclude it is the worlds birth day wherein it first saw light the Queene of daies the praeludium of the Saints resurrection Math 27. 53. the type of the eternall rest and Sabbath to come Isai 66. 23. which yet remaineth for the people of God Heb 4. 9. 2. For the better understanding of these things wee must first consider that though we read no particular precept for the transposition of the Sabbath from the seventh to that which we now celebrate which is the first of the weeke Mat 28. 1. Mark 16. 1. 2. 6. Luk 24. 1. 3. Joh 20. 1. 1 Cor 16. 2. Rev 1. 10. yet is it most likely that Christ the Lord of the Sabbath prescribed the change and that as hee was with Moses forty daies in the mount to teach him the law and government of the Church under the same not leaving his people to any the least point of will-worship and voluntary religion as may appeare in his strict limiting them to the patterne shewed Moses to the very snuâ—â—ers ashpans basons and pinnes of the sanctuary so also when he was before his ascension forty daies with his disciples teaching them what to preach and how to governe the Church though hee would not againe relade and burden them with antiquated ceremonies as touch not tast not handle not yet neither would he leave them to any will-worship but prescribe them what they should doe concerning so maine a point as the transposition and change of the Sabbath neither needed he otherwise to confirme a law naturall and morall then by shewing himselfe Lord of the Sabbath by taking that away from it which was ceremoniall and transporting it to another day so that as from Christs own appointment of the sacrament it was called the Lords Supper so also from his owne appointment this which we now keepe Sabbath was called the Lords day For who may presume to appoint such a thing but the Lord of the Sabbath Or who may call any thing the Lords or ordaine any thing in his holy worship which his selfe hath not appointed And it is worthy our noting that Paul appointing collections for the poore on that day 1. Cor 16. 1 2. saith also 1 Cor 11. 23. 1 Cor 15. 3. that he delivered them that only which he had received of the Lord and that there speaking of that day he spake as of a thing then in use and custome for holy conventions preaching praying receaving the Sacraments among Christians See Act 20. 7. so that Christ commanded and instructed them and they only ordered the Churches accordingly without all dispute it is sufficient for us to bee followers of the Apostles as they were of Christ considering that they were assisted by an infallibility of spirit in these things Secondly we must consider why Christ changed it which was because 1. The ceremoniall part thereof was changable by the Lord of the Sabbath he tooke it not away because the morality is indispensable and unchangable as having it's ground in the law of nature not withstanding that which some obiect to the contrary that there is no principle thereof leading a meere naturall man to the observation of a seventh day sabbath for 1. In the very creation God sanctified the Sabbath and hallawed it by his owne rest thereon as afterward by his absteining to give them Manna on that day and before Moses received the law on Sina written on tables of stone he said unto the people Exod 16. 29. The Lord hath given you the Sabbath 2. The naturall mans principles before the fall and after the fall in the state of corruption differ in many things and degrees as light and darknesse The naturall man in this existence neither doth receive nor can knowe the things of Gods spirit so that he wanteth illumination and consequently the use of diverse principles necessary to lead and guide him in the way of sanctity which in his pure essence and state of innocency he had as a compleate and perfect law of nature 3. The darknesse of minde which fell on man by sin was so generall that it left him only some such obscure knowledge of a Deity to be worshipped and a conscience which served rather to check their failings therein then to enforme them as that it left them without all excuse thus they that had not the written law were a law to themselves the prudent among them acknowledging that there was no nation so immane and barbarous but it beleeved there was a God yet condemning their own ignorance as much in the manner of his worship as their apprehension of him knowing like blinde men out of the way that they erred they groaped after him but could not finde the way
his voice wherein are the issues of life and death remember that the time is holy by Gods owne institution that the place is consecrated and set apart for Gods publike worship and let that come into thy minde which God said unto Moses approaching towards him loose thy shooes from thy feet for the place thou standest on is holy ground to thy selfe thus appliable put off all thy carnall affections resigne thy selfe body soule unto the guidance of Gods holy word and spirit Christ said not in vaine my house shall be called an house of prayer to all nations and where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them 6. Pray privatly that God would forgive thee thy sinnes give thee such a measure of his spirit to enable thee to serve him as may make thee therein acceptable to him blesse his owne ordinance unto thee sanctify thee body and soule to his service that thou maist sanctify his Sabbath with that zeale care and fervency of spirit which may please him that hee would assist the Ministers of his word and thy selfe and the whole congregation so that the word may profit you to the amendment of life and building you up to the assurance of salvation in Christ. In the Sabbath if thou wilt performe thy duty well thou must 1. Begin with delight in it and all the service of God therein to be performed this was God's condition of prospering Israel that they should call the Sabbath a delight the carnall man for feare of humane law or censure resteth from his ordinary workes goeth to Church joyneth with the Congregation in prayer hearing c. but it is irksome to him he thinkes the time long because he delighteth not in the Lord and his Sabbath but he that through delight therein keepeth it not as in help to sanctification keepeth it no better then a beast 2. Glorifie God therein In hearing praying receiving the holy Sacrament singing praises c. thou shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies any servile worke Those things may be done which are subordinate to the sanctification of a Sabbath as the Priests laboured in sacrificing the Ministers now doe in preaching and officiating without breach of this precept Workes of necessitie or mercy to man or beast are to be done the Ox fallen into a pit must be releived the Physitian Apothecary Chirurgion or others in case of necessitie may and must respectively helpe though it be the ordinary worke of their calling because it is a worke of mercy so to doe is to honour God as on the contrary it were to his dishonour as if his law bound any man from doing all the good hee can or shewing mercy to the distressed whereas indeed he is a God of mercy loveth the same in all those who beare his image but thou must not for gaine doe that which might equally be omitted as bargaining bearing burdens or other servile worke or labour of thy calling or travelling except in case of necessity or subordination to a Sabbath dayes workes it is certainly an ingratefull sacriledge to rob God of his owne daies service appointed for no necessitie of his but only for our own good and salvation and to entrench on that which he hath reserved to himselfe whereas he hath allowed men six daies to doe their workes and take their lawfull delights therein Therefore hee saith as we must not on the Sabbath doe our own waies so must not we finde our owne pleasures nor speake our owne words it is an hatefull robbery of God to use pastimes on that day though lawfull on others much worse those which are never lawfull whereby the Devill is more served on that day then any other The many fearefull judgements of God on offenders herein and that which usually befalleth them in that God seldome prospereth the most probable industries of such is enough to deter all considering men from profanation of the Lords day 3. Doe what good thou canst to thy selfe in that which concerneth thy soule or thy body health and preservation in case of necessitie or to others in the like at convenient times when the publike or private worship of God require not thy attendance walke in the fields or gardens that thou maist contemplate on Gods creatures and his benificence power providence and wisedome therein visit the sick and imprisoned if thou have ability and convenience of releiving or comforting them 4. Absteine from immoderate drinking feeding sleeping and whatsoever else may render thee lesse apt for the sanctification of this day 5. As all thy life thou must rest from sinne so specially on this day wherein the very sanctity of the time violated doubleth the offences committed there when God specially requireth the sanctimony and endeavours to learne his will and doe not thinke it enough to rest from labour as God resteth not in an inactive contemplation and as the glorified Saints in the life to come in their rest aud refreshing shall yet continually sing their Halleluiahs and doe those things which shall be to the eternall glory of God in them so doe thou now compose thy selfe to have thy present conversation in heaven and to begin thy rest and Sabbath here which shall never end When the Sabbath is ended if thou canst write down some principall heads for directions or of comforts heard that day and by often perusing them commit all to memory However repeat to thy selfe if single or with thy family the summes of that thou hast heard praise God for the same sing Psalmes meditate of the eternall rest whereof this is a type frame thy whole life for the attaining thereto beg pardon of God for thy severall failings and defects and pray for the assistance of his good spirit and that his ordinance may be powerfull in thee and thine to life eternall A Prayer for the Sabbath day morning O Lord our God holy and merâ—â—â—â— Wâ—â—umbly pray thee for Jesus Christ sake to forgive 〈◊〉 our sinnes to cleanse us bodies and soules from all those corruptions which make us lesse able to serue thee as we ought and unworthy to appeare before thee O our God be pleased to send the Comforter to enlighten us and to open our understandings that being now sequested from all worldly cares affections and thoughts we may lift up our hearts to thee serving thee in fervency of spirit and truâ—th that we may this day beginne our heaven on earth in doing thy will here as it is there done And because they are unworthy of new blessings who are unmyndfull of those they have received we here desire to render thee the fruites of our hearts and lipps praise and thanksgiving for all thy mercies and favours eternall and temporall for thy unspeakable love in electing us to salvation for thy infinite goodnesse in creating us after thyne owne glorious image to a capacity of light and understanding that we might be able in some measure
parity of manners conciliateth love but Gods love createth our likenesse to him hence is it that the most excellent creatures love him most whereby they are made such some think that ardency of love denominateth those Angells which stand in Gods presence Seraphim certaine it is such are we as is our love our manners are not estimable by that which we knowe but by that we love good or evill love maketh us such if we love God we are godly if the world worldly if sinne sinfulf all men the best of all doe sinne but the wicked only love sinne looke how the glasses species are as is the posture thereof if you turne it to heaven you see only heaven in it if to the earth only earth so is it in our love the soules looking-glasse wherein we may see and judge of our selves 6. Without this love there can be no true happinesse for the wrath of God the severity of his justice remaineth for those who hate him give him all that a sinfull soule can desire make him times minion the worlds favorite you can make him nothing better then a devill But with the love of God though a man may possibly seeme or be said unhappy he cannot be so for all things worke together for good to them that love God prosperity adversity life death all things shall finally advantage them he that seeketh the love of God must looke for many enemies but contrary to their intentions they shall doe him good the love of the world is sweet at first but bitternesse in the end and the love of God hath many sharpe trialls at first but in the end shall be most comfortable This love is that divine Elixer which maketh the vile pretious an indeficient treasure which whosoever hath can never lack that which is good he that hath it not can never be the better for all hee hath what good or salvation can he expect who is so unhappy as not to love the fountaine of all blessednesse what can hee reasonably feare who loveth an omniscient and righteous God who is a pleanteous rewarder of those that love him Though we cannot be saved for any desert of Love to God for it is his mercy not our merit wee cannot be saved without it if any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema maranatha 1. Cor 16. 22. 7. So excellent is this one possession that Paul counted all but meere losse for it dying Joshua left this as the chiefe legacie to his friends and family concerning whom hee resolved as for me and my house we will serve the Lord take good heed therefore unto your selves that yee love the Lord your God he need no more it is better to love God then to be heire of the world if thou canst not know this living thou shalt when thou art dying let my children faithfully love God I wish them no greater blessing who with my soule pray they may be truly blessed A Prayer for love to God O Lord God Almightie great and glorious who art cloathed with Majestie the beauty of holinesse perfection of beauty who hath filled heaven earth with the gratious effects of love and goodnesse I thy poore creature prostrating my selfe before thy mercy seat humbly acknowledge the many sinnes which render me utterly unworthy ever to appeare before thee specially that great ingratitude which maketh me ashamed to speake unto thee who art the searcher of all hearts yet in assurance of my acceptance in the son of thy love who now sitting at thy right hand maketh requests for me I am bold to pray thee to fill my heart with thy love which is better then all things that with my soule I may desire thee in the night with my spirit within me seeke thee early O Lord though the remainder of sinne in me create me many distractions though fraile flesh and blood starteth at the apprehension and feare of thy just judgments or murmur at the bitternes of thy present corrections yet thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee though with a fraile yet with a sincere heart and love with thine owne spirit infused into me O Lord my soule thirsteth after thee and thy holy presence in my sanctification and full assurance of thy mercy Therefore according to thine owne promise who caâ—st not deceive sanctifie me herein that I may love thee more and more cleanse me from all my sinnes create that purity of heart in me which may assure me of a capacity to behold thy goodnesse in the land of the living fill my lips with grace diffusive of it selfe to thy glory and the ministration of grace to the hearers guide me in the whole course of my life in that holinesse which may please thee disburden my conscience of all that guilt which leaveth me in any feare of that way by which thou hast appointed me to come unto thee and thy kingdome of glory that no afflictions paines feaâ—es or terrours of life or death may be able to separate me from thy love in Christ Jesus Blessed Lord only assure me of thy love and let thy holy will bee done with me I am thine thou madest me to thine owne image thou redeemedst and repairedst the same by thy free spirit when I was dead in trespasses and sinnes thou neither madest redeemâ—dst nor sanctifiedst me for my selfe therefore when thou doest that with me which shall best please thee in the advancement of thy glory in my salvation thou makest me happy in the end of my creation redemption and sanctification Lord it was thine owne free love which by revealing thy selfe and the inestimable riches of thy mercy to mee made me knowe what I had to love in thee neither didst thou finde in me any thing worthy of thee but the effects of thine owne love which in my election before I was determined to make me an object of thy mercy therefore thou who art Love didst set thine own image on me thou best knowest that I am of my selfe but worthlesse dust and earth and by my sinnes a masse of corruption such as onely can displease thee and deserve thine anger but O Lord God of mercy who foundest me a child of wrath and madest me a sonne an enemy and reconciledst me by the death of thy holy sonne Jesus accomplish the worke of thine owne mercy in me and love me still give mee an heart to love thee so above all with all my soule minde and might love that which thou hast wrought in my heart cherish thine owne graces in me though my love be full of imperfections yet thy worke is perfect in thee is no shadow of change Lord for thine owne loves sake now make me such as thou maist love me to eternitie through the merits of thy sonne Jesus Christ my Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN CHAP. XVII § 1. Of love to our selves of the kindes thereof § 2. Of Love to our
a sicknesse of the mind proceeding from severall causes indignation anger envy so Caine to Hamon were impatient sorrow apprehension of injuries affliction deluded hopes and the like as the diseased body can neither indure heat nor cold so neither can an impatient and discontented minde comply with prosperity or adversity every present estate disliketh it because it cannot make good use of any it is not only a sinne but a punishment of the sinne of ingratitude to God therefore God threatned to send them trembling hearts sorrow of minde pendulous thoughts and feare In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning sick of this wayward distemper was he who being at Rome liked Tybur best at Tybur Rome The sick man changeth roomes and beds as the wounded Hart goeth from brake to brake but cannot find ease in any because he carrieth that messenger of death the fatall Arrow in his side so doe impatient malecontents change between dislike of present and vaine hopes of future but he changeth the aire not his minde who only goeth beyond Sea where ever thou goest thou findest thy selfe in whom as the evill is not in the externall condition so must it be cured so must the remedy be as small matters distemper not a man in good health the least thing will the sick he will rest any where but the sick in a bed of Gold or Wood in the Pallace oâ— cottage is alike restlesse so is it here a sound mind will rest contented in any estate I have learned said Paul in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content and that very minde is health to the sick enlargment to the Prisoner and better then a Kingdome to the possessour the sick mind is troubled and discomposed with every trifle I doe well said pettish Jonah to be angry even unto death 't was but for a poore Gourd when many a thousand lives at stake troubled him not The way to cure is not by change of any thing externall but by cleering the mende of the malignant perturbations which disaffect it and to strengthen it by a right information of the understanding and rectifying the distempered affections untill the mind enjoy a calme of patience Patience is afflictions cordiall despares antidote Daughter and Nurse of hope the Saints share with Christ. the way to the inheritance and Heb. 12. 1. The proceed of confidence Jam. 1. 3. Heb. 6. 12. The operatory of perfection Jam. 1. 4. The seale of salvation 2. Pet. 1. 10. Symptome of Faith and Hope in Christ. 1. Thes. 1. 3. 2. Thes. 1. 4. Patience is an equanimity in bearing adversity and a fruit of charity as it is written the fruit of the spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gal. 5. 22. and Charity suffereth long 1 Cor. 13. 4. Impatience is a perturbation of the mind a selfe-fretting tormenting bitternesse of the Soule proceeding of impotency or levity of minde a secret contest with and repining at the providence of God the shame of Rich men and vexation of the poore the Mother of despaire sad fury and Asmodeus of the inward house every roome and recesse whereof it disturbeth with hideous cries like Ziim and Ohim dolefull beasts in the desolations of Babylon it is a folly and sober madnesse wherein the sick minde rejecteth all remedy striketh at the Physitian recrudeth and teareth open it own wounds an heart-eating canker the inward mans wolfe which devoureth that which feedeth it the worme which biteth the Soule which Prometheus-like feeds the vulture which afflicteth it delighted in that which grieves it nor is this sicknesse peculiar to the wicked the best men have some fitts Davids expostulation with himselfe why art thou so sad ô my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me declareth it yea Christ who bare all our sorrowes without sinne in the sense of his fathers wrath acknowledged that his soule was heavy to the death and wrestling with that most sad passion he cryed on the Crosse my God my God why hast thou forsaken me he could no otherwise feel the torments of Hell due to us in his humane soule then by loosing the present sense of the Deiâ—ies assistance which wheresoere it is makes Heaven he lost in that agony a present sense not an indeficient interest for even then he called God his God which sheweth a vast distance between the impatience of desperate unrecoverable sinners and the estate of the soule-sick holy men who though like the Israëlites marching with the Egyptians into the same waters have there a way opened to their promised rest where the enemy is drowned Concerning this evill we must know it groweth on by degrees first in unadvised anger mixt with sorrow which are the seeds of impatience next to a dislike of every accident and estate then to an inward murmuring so like a Gangren it invadeth the Souls vitalls hope content and cheerefull dependance on Gods providence creeping on to violent despare so that it concerneth a man highly to prevent this evill by staying its beginnings learning to make a prudent use of every affliction and to expell all those discomposed thoughts which any way feed it to practice in the whole course of life that Saint like patience and moderation which becometh those who depend on the providence of God which that thou maist doe consider these like motives to Patience and contentednesse 1. God commandeth it Rom. 12. 12. 1 Thes. 5. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 8. Heb. 13. 5. Psal. 37. 7. c. 2. Consider the disadvantages of Impatience and the advantages of Patience no man can be happy who doth not think himselfe so what matter is it what thy condition is if thoâ— thinkest it evill the patient man is happy in every estate because God will heare him Psalm 40. 1. Psal. 37. 7. The patient is better then the proud in spirit Eccles. 7. 8. The Lord will give him eternall life Rom. 2. 7. By patience a man possâ—sseth his own soule Luke 21. 19. All affliction to him is but bitter Physick which he willingly swalloweth because 't is given to cure him and to bring him the quiet fruits of righteousnesse Heb. 32. Herewith Godlinesse is great gaine I Tim. 6. 6. Patience maketh a burthen lighter and therein defeateth the malicious adversary the fruit of whose injury is the griefe and impatience of the injured when Job bare patiently the Devill was beaten at his own weapon as the Balas if it be solodged that it cannot move or shoote bringeth the Sayling ship to rights but otherwise foundreth her so is it with Patience in the soule it was a blessed victory obtained at Job's first encounter at which the Angells of heaven could doe no lesse then give a plaudite when Satan had charged him with all his machinations and Job received all those fierce blowes on his shield of patience the
Angels pitch round about his to deliver them and when we seem most overmatcht they are more with us then can be against us as that fearfull servant saw at last It made David so confident In the Lord put I my trust how say yee then to my soul Flee as a bird to your mountaine all confidence in men their counsels or an arme of flesh is unhappy and must faile beeing under the curse God cannot si fractus illabatur orbis therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed and though the mountaines be carried into the midst of the sea 4. Hearken unto the Word of God whoso hearkneth unto mee shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil thou shalt walke in the way safely when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid herein thou shalt know God's power trueth providence mercy and justice and so trust in him as it is written They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 5. Love the Lord sincerely the more thou lovest him the more thou wilt rest assured of his love and protection the more perfect thy love is the more it casteth out fear 6. Depart from evill as the Princes of the Philistines said of David Let him not go down with us to the battle leâ—t in the battle he be an adversary to us Set thy selfe to seek the Lord as Jehoshaphat did when many enemies were upon the march against him and atcheived a glorious victory against them Keep a good conscience it shall be a wall of brasse unto thee when that is safe a man is bold as a lion but if we see the smoke of hell ascend there wee must needs faint like the men of Ai when they saw their City on fire Sinne in the conscience maketh men cowardly they may possibly speak glorious words who have timerous consciences but as one said of the fearfull dogg vehementiùs latrat quà m mordet hee must needs feare who hath no peace in himselfe 7. Consider the end of the â—aints sufferings which hath ever been happy in that they are the more partakers of Christ's glory by how much more of his sufferings consider how long they have suffered or thou canst fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast sâ—me of you into prison that yee may be tryed be thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee the crown of life It is true flesh and blood must have it allowance for its infirmity but the more wee can lay to heart the end of the saints so happy that even the wicked affect it and the quiet fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised the lesse we must needs feare the malice of any creature 8. Labour for peace with God give him no rest till he speak it to thy conscience resolve not to let him go untill he blesse thee and assure thee of thy remission in Christ. What hath he to feare whose sins are forgiven the sting of death pâ—lled out who would not dare it therefore the Apostle did because he could say Thanks be unto God who giveth us victory through Jesus Christ this is Faith's victory over the world 9. In thy greatest feares pray more fervently so did our Saviour being in an agony he prayed more earnestly so did Jacob in fear of his brothers long-studied revenge pray that God would open thine eies to see his saving health God many times terrifieth to awaken our drouzie souls and open our mouths to earnest prayer which in prosperity are too prone to the spirit of slumber and coldnesse feare hath many tongues and can open the mouth of the dumb Even Jonah's mariners in their feare will pray and instigate others thereto that one example of Croesus sonne Athis before dumb crying out O Cyrus spare my father and by our misfortunes learne that thou also art but a man sheweth what the violence of feare can do A Prayer against Feare O Lord God almighty dreadfull in thy wrath and indignation against sinners I humbly acknowledge that there is not one of thy judgements which I may not reasonably fear who have deserved them all the miseries of this life terrors of death and future condemnation But O Lord God of consolation assure mee of my sinnes remission and my peace with thee for Christ Jesus sake fill my heart and affections with that measure of thy love which may exclude all servile feare give mee the testimony of a good conscience to comfort me against all vain fears of the wicked lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and assure me that thou who rulest in heaven and earth from the Angel to the worm art my defence and help at hand Thou art omnipotent and canst doe what thou wilt Lord let it be thy will to deliver me from the affliction which I fear that I may live to praise the and declare thy goodnesse toward mee if it be possible let this cup passe from mee if otherwise thy holy will be done Lord suffer mee not for any tryals to fail from thee consider my weaknesse remember whereof thou hast made me that I am but dust and earth soon passing away give me patience to endure thy fatherly hand and full assurance that all things shall work together for the best give me fervency of spirit to pray more earnestly give me that â—aith to which thou who canst not deceive hast made the promise of audience and granting our petitions Give mee an invincible resolution not to let thee goe untill thou blessest me with some happy issue through Jesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen Of Cares CAre is the childe of Providence some say the souls apparitor to summon all it's faculties to it's Senate or Committee it is rather counsels president determining what to pursue and what to decline the weight which moveth all it's wheels that taken off or quite run down all the nerves of providence are loosed and the soules faculties become inactive and resty so as we neither affect the good nor feare the evill Care is the centinel which gives the alarme to awaken wisedom to it's offices the steward of the inward house the Palinurus and pilot which sitteth at the helm to steere and direct the course lest industry be wanting to prudent decrees and resolutions or successe to industry so necessary is this vigilancy of the soule that without it we can neither be profitable to our selves or others in things divine or humane though salvation shall neither be in his care who willeth nor his that runneth but in him that sheweth mercy yet if thou care not to lay hold on his promises and to beleeve and obey thou shalt finde that he that made thee without thy care will not save thee without it because
first Adam that native inclination to sinne which continually carrieth us away captive to the lawes thereof to that evil which wee would not do which wee loath abhorre and in bitternesse of soule repent us of Lord create cleane hearts in us renew right spirits enlighten our understandings with a sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternal life and salvation sanctifie our wills and affections and according to thine owne gracious promise put thy Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that wee may know thee from the least to the greatest forgive our iniquity and remember our sinne no more O Lord who didst by thy Word so heale the fountaines so that death and barrennesse was no more therein heale wee humbly intreat thee the wretched corruptions of our hearts cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof by the sweet and blessed influence of thy holy Spirit so guiding governing and directing us in the way which thou wouldst have us walke in as that wee may in all our thoughts words and actions be acceptable to thee mortifie and subdue all our evil desires and thoughts subject them all to thy holy will and pleasure that wee may constantly resist all temptations to sinne and wickednesse Keepe us and counsel us in all our affaires spiritual and temporal that wee may be filled with the holy fruits of the spirit of sanctification appearing in new and hollowed thoughts of words and actions to thy glory and our further assurance before thee so that in our bodies and in our spirits wee may be kept blamelesse in this sinful and miserable world unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ To him with thee O Father of mercy and the holy Spirit the Comforter of the Elect be â—rendred all honâ—r and glory in heaven and in earth from this time forth and to all eternity Amen CHAP. XXI Concerning the guidance of the Tongue § 1. Of the excellent use al use and evils of the Tongue concluding the necessity of a right guidance thereof § 2. Motives thereto § 3. Rules by which it may be done 1. THe use of the Tongue and speaking is a singular gift of God to man whom he furnished herewith that hee might communicate that inward and secret light of reason which hee created in the soule and the divine motions which by his holy Spirit hee infuseth into the same speech as reason is peculiar to man of all earthly creatures It is the soules image and interpreter neither could one soule shut up within the houses of clay other waies convey its notions into another soule or enterchange thoughts with another hereby we declare the counsell of God for our salvation in Christ hereby wee blesse God comfort and edifie one another hereby wee instruct direct aske and give counsel it were too long to reckon all 2. As Satan hath been malicious to poison the fountain of words and actions the heart so hath hee to corrupt the speech perverting that to God's dishonor overthrow of religion and sanctity and embittering of humane society by that which God ordained for the advancement of that and comfort of this God appointed the tongue for a main agent for his Kingdome but the enemy usurpeth it for the building up of his nor is there any â—acultie of man spiritual or corporeal by which hee more effecteth it there is no sinne which he promoteth not hereby the evil tongue is lusts bawd heresies disperser 〈◊〉 factor impostures agent sinnes soliciter generall ready to advance any mischiefe Art thou angry thy tongue runneth to usher in murder calumnie slander proâ—anations what mischiefe can wee think of turpâ—â—oquie perâ—ury blasphemy lying any sinne wherein the tongue is not a ready advocate and procurer 3. The holy Ghost intimatâ—th the variable mischiefes of the tongue under the severall characters wherewith hee brandeth the flattering tongue the deceitfull the double the censuring vexing bitter backbiting railing slandering lying perverse raging scandalous busie obscene and profane tongues these are the divels organs lusts bellows adulteries brokers the troublesome mischiefe of humane societies going through the world medling with and censuring every man this is the Epidemick evill so bitter as that none can well avoid it nor patiently endure it It is a fire a world of iniquity it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the whole course of nature being it selfe set on fiâ—e of hell it is a little but unruly untamed member full of deadly poison 4. These being the diseases of the sinne-infected tongue followed with many severe judgements the necessity of a better and more holy guidance thereof appeareth which being neglected is the cause of all that evill which these worst times complain of What mischiefe is done which is not begun and fomented by the evill tongue as it is written his heart gathereth iniquity to it selfe when hee goeth abroad hee telleth it So one encourageth another or tempteth to a mischievous consent in that which is dishonour to God disadvantage to humane society and destruction to themselves That therefore every one may addresse himself to some meanes of a through reformation herein it is behovefull that we seriously weigh these ensuing motives to a matter of râ—high concâ—â—â—ment 1. Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soule from troubles The inconsiderate man is snared and taken with the words of his own mouth Hee that loveth life and would see good daies let him refraine his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Many saith the wise man have fallen by the edge of the sword but not so many as have fallen by the tongue How happy had it been for many a man to have been dumb some thinke it a glorious liberty to speak what they list to exercise their dogged eloquence barking at all that passeth by them snapping at every thing but so shall they make their owne tongues to fall upon themselves therefore the wise man saith Who shall set a watch before my mouth and a seale of wisedome upon my lips that I fall not suddenly by them and that my tongue destroy me not for the lips of a foole will swallow up himselfe death and life are in the power of the tongue For saith our Saviour by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned 2. If a man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body but if any among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans religion is vaine 3. Men shall give an account at the day of judgment of every idle word how much more of malicious and impious words there 's not a word in thy tongue but God heareth it Therefore for the better guidance of thy tongue observe these and
not on theâ— Cursing is the language of reprobates the bitterness of a malevolent heart overflowing the tongue these vices as they are fearful sins so dangerous symptoms of an impious soule loathsome habits such as could not become an heathen Mahumetan why any Christian should think them gratefull I could never understand 8. Let thy study be in Gods word acquaint thee with his oracles and make their language familiar to thee so shalt thou finde an holy savor in them beyond all excellency of the tongues of men and if thou give thine heart sincerely to obey them the holy Ghost will derive thence a sweet influence into thy tongue and so season thy heart that all the tempters suggestions shall be bitter to thee 9. Lastly because even the answer of the tongue is from the Lord who made the mouth pray him to heale thy natural corruptions to sanctifie thy heart and tongue and watch thou over thy selfe according to all these and the like rules A Praier O Lord God my helper and guide of my soule to thee are all the fruits of my heart and lips praise and thanks-giving most due touch thou my tongue with a coale from thine altar purge my sins and take away mine iniquity thou hast the key of David which openeth and none can shut open my lips that my mouth may shew forth thy praise remove far from me vanities and lies a deceitfull tongue bitternesse reviling injurious unpeaceable profane uncharitable and all unhallowed speeches which may any waies displease thy holy Majesty or hurt my neighbour heale the corrupt fountaines of my soule season them with true wisedome and sanctity cause thy word to dwell â— leâ—tifully in mee set a watch before the doores of my lips that no corrupt communication may proceed thence but that onely which may relish of thy good spirit administer grace unto the hearers and give good example unto my brethren to the advancement of thy kingdome and the comfortable assurance of my conscience before thee through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen CHAP. XXII Of external actions in general § 1. Whence good Actions are How requisite How regulated § 2. Rules concerning them 1. THe Actions of men are the proceed and fruit of their thoughts as we owe sanctimony to God and our consciences within so doe wee good example to our neighbour in things external as Christ saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven 2. Good actions proceed from sound faith without which they cannot be good nor pleasing to God for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne faith apprehending Christ to the justification of our person maketh our workes acceptable to him so farre as they are fruits of regeneration and uniting us to Christ giveth us a capacity of his spirit sanctifying and enabling us in some measure to overcome sinne and doe that which is holy in his sight therefore the Scripture saith Shew mee thy faith by thy works which yet saith also a man is justified by faith only without the workes of the Law 3. Though the best of our works cannot justifie us before God because they are imperfect yet are they never severed from true faith and they are the way to Gods kingdom though they cannot be the cause of our arrival there therefore to the yong mans quaere who would be justified by workes Christ answereth Keep the Commandements thus hee convinced him who had not yet learned the righteousnesse of faith which saith Beleeve and thou shalt be saved Thereby shewing that yet he wanted something who excelled many men in most things and therefore must seek salvation in something else that is by faith as also that the way to heaven is onely by sanctity this is a condition not the cause of our salvation wee can never be saved for it because our best is imperfect nor without it because wee owe our best endeavours to Gods honor 4. It is not enough to intend or speak good Satan is contented either that men should draw neer unto God with their lips if their hearts he farre off or that they speake well if they will doe evill Words at best are but feminine vertues workes are masculine of these the spiritual Pharoah giveth charge to smother them but we desire to convert our words into actions and not onely to speak but to doe holy things 5. Actions humane natural or civil are no otherwaies here concerned then as they are in order to the moral and so regulated by the Law and holy Word of God in the affirmative or negative precepts which is the onely rule of all our moral actions toward God or man neither example of others prescription universality of consent nor commands of men may carry us against the expresse word of God these have place onely in those things which Gods law alloweth commandeth or leaveth arbitrary Concerning thy actions in generall these Rules are to be held 1. Neither propose nor doe any thing evil or unjust for any worldly gaines honors or pleasures because it is an undeniable losse to get the world with the losse of thy soule what can secular honors advantage thee when God condemneth thee when all the world cryeth thee up when opinion of the multitude canonizeth thee for a Saint or applaude thy actions as the people Herods speech for more then humane Gods Angel may smite thee and the wormes destroy thee What are pleasures in their birth they look toward a precipitate end and the change of this scene serveth onely to aggravate the misery Dives heard in hell Sonne remember thou receivedst good things present remembrances of pleasures past embittereth the torments 2. Make God's Law thy counsellers in all things weigh all thy purposes hereby before thou â—ut any thing in execution resolving to do nothing but that which is there permitted or agreeth thereto David could not enterprise before he had consulted God's oracles not the very â—eathens but would send for the doubtful Effataes of their priests When the word of God is our rule we will not set up strange gods in our hearts as they doe who adore their owne inventions in will-worship and voluntary religion wherein all even the most zealous and painful actions as pilgrimages superstitious fasts foolish penance and idolatrous oblations or costly dedications shall be rejected with a Who required this at your hands The Lord will not be pleased with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oile for saith the Prophet hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee In religious acts as wee have noted God left not Israël to their owne wills in the least things but commanded See thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount Also when God's word is our rule wee will neither lay snares upon
that we may know him and feel in our souls and consciences the comfortable power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death in the mortification of all those corrupt and sinful affections which continually resist the working of thy regenerating spirit in us O Lord our God being deeply sensible of our own disability to save or helpe our selves wee â—ast all our care and confidence of present protection preservation and future salvation on the merits of thy son Christ Jesus in assurance that thou art faithful who hast promised as by him to save us so through him to hear and help us in all our wants and distresses O Lord God of trueth and mercy who hast commanded us to aske and promised to grant accept our obedience and confidence in asking and according to thy trueth grant our requests in forgiving all our sinnes and giving us all those blessings which thou knowest needful for us that wee may serve thee cheerfully sanctifie our bodies and soules to thy service that in them both wee may cleave to thee please thee and rest assured by the testimony of thy holy spirit and the powerful working thereof in us that thou hast sanctified called and elected us to life everlasting Lord give us experience of thy trueth which never failed give us lively and justifying faith to apprehend Christ Jesus and all his merits give us perseverance therein that no trials of life or death may ever separate us from thy love nor any powers of hell be able to overthrow our confidence therein And now O Lord our God who makest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee wee humbly thank thee as for all thy mercies and favors spiritual and temporal continually poured out upon us in our election creation redemption calling from the kingdom of darknesse our sanctification preservation from daiely imminent dangers of body and soule our liberty peace health and all those temporal necessaries for the comfort sustenance of us and ours which thy fatherly providence hath bestowed upon us so also for that it hath pleased thee to preserve us this night past from the powers of darknesse terrors of night and all the ovils thereof Lord continue thy mercy to us safely brought to the begining of this day the day is thine the night also is thine thou hast prepared the light and the sunnâ— O Lord our refuge let no evil befal us this day let not any plague come neer our dwelling give thine Angels charge over us to keep us in all our waies that wee may in nothing displease thee as thou hast put away the late darknesse which covered the face of the earth and waters by the comfortable appearance of this great light which thou madest to govern the day that men may follow their several labours therein so blessed Father of lights cause the sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus to arise on every one of our hearts thence to chase away the remainders of ignorance darknesse of minde and unbeliefe to open our eies that wee sleep not in death to enlighten us with a sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternal life and salvation that we may arise and shake off the dangerous security in sinne and conscionably walk with thee who hast called us to thy kingdome that we may please thee being fruitful in every good worke encreasing in the knowledgâ— of thee strengthned to all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse and thankfulnesse for that thou hast made us partakers of the inheritance of thy saints in light that wee may walke worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called with all holinesse and meeknesse love and charity toward all men endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bâ—nd of peace so labouring in our several callings as being ever careful first to seek thy kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof in assurance that so all temporal necessaries shall be administred unto us in all our endeavours expecting the blessing from thee without which it is but lost labour to rise early late take rest eat the bread of carefulnesse and deprive our souls of ease Blesse all the creatures to us this day make them good and prosperous unto us direct us so in all our thoughts words and actions that wee may glorifie thee preserve a good conscience and give an example of holinesse to those with whom we converse that in nothing the trueth of religion with which thou hast blessed us be evil spoken of through our failings but that we may by our integrity stop the mouths of all adversaries and adorn the Gospel by walking unblameably toward all men and sincerely before thee ever remembring that of all our thoughts words and actions we must give a strict inevitable account at the dreadful day of judgment now kept from the knowledg of all men that they may every day live as if it were their last keeping a constant and careful watch in exspectation of that houre which shall come like a theefe in the night wherein thou wilt assuredly bring to light things hid in darknesse and make the counsels of all hearts manifest judging every man according to his workes Neither pray wee for our selves only but wee also beseech thee for thy whole Church and all thy distressed servants whether their afflictions be in body minde or estate comfort now and in thy good time enlarge all prisoners and captives which suffer for or with the testimony of a good conscience Lord God of all consolation assure them that when thy will and work is done in them thou wilt shew thy self their gracious deliverer and comforter Lastly we pray thee O Father of mercy blesse this family wherein by thy providence we are blesse us all from the first to the last with all those whom thou hast made neer unto us prosper us O Lord and our endeavours upon us feed us with bread of our stature that which thou knowest necessary and convenient for us give us a faithful dependance upon thy fatherly hand which never leaueth them destitute who trust in thee give us a prudent holy and thankefull use of all those good things which thou hast bestowed upon us that thou maist be pleased to continue thy mercy and providence over us give us contented mindes free from covetousnesse and distracting cares in assurance that thou wilt never forsake us and good Lord as thou art pleased to adde this day to our transitory lives so adde that grace to this day which may direct and guid every one of us in our bodies and souls that we may spend it and the remainder of our daies to thy glory and the comfortable assurance of our consciences before thee so that having our present conversation in heaven and walking with thee in sincerity of heart when these fleeting daies are ended we may live with thee in thy kingdome of glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen A Short Evening Praier O
workes layed afflictions upon our loines and broken our land yet heale the breaches thereof though thou hast caused us to drinke of the wine of astonishment in thy sore displeasure and made us examples of thy just judgments yet turn again unto us and make us instances of thy mercy that sinners may in our story read that which may make them afraid to sin and confident of thy mercy in their unfeigned repentance remember thy mercy which hath been ever of old before all times thou electedst us at the begining of time thou createdst us to thine owne holy image in the fulnesse of time thou gavest thy holy sonne Jesus to death for our redemption Lord cast not that away which thou hast purchased at so deare a rate we know thy mercy faileth not thou art ever the same not like man that thou shouldst repent thee as mistaken in thy choice or defeated in thy counsels O Lord our God accomplish thine owne election in us thou hast given us thy son Iesus how shouldst thou not also with him give us al things needful for us thou hast for his sake acquitted us from eternal condemnation how shouldst thou not also spare us and deliver us in the temporal 'T is little O bountiful God which we beg at thy merciful hands for our present releife to that which thou freely gavest us before wee could aske nor is it because wee have none to stand up in the gap for us that thy wrath is not yet appeased seeing thy Christ our faithful high Priest sitteth at thy right hand making intercession for us O Lord for his sake be reconciled to us deny not our requests heare and helpe us establish thy free covenant and mercy with us strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought for us and our fathers when thou deliveredst us from the powers of darkness and taking us to be thy people didst translate us into the kingdome of thy deare son establish the trueth sincerity of religion unity of hearts and abundance of peace which thou then gavest us forgive the sins of thy people turn our hearts unto thee from the first unto the last give us unfeigned repentance and humiliation under thy mighty hand that thou maist spare us and grace to forsake all our evill waies that thine anger may cease from us give us patience to bear thy fatherly corrections who hast with so much patience born with our iniquities Bless thy Church universal with trueth and unity shew thy mercy on her distressed thou hast hid thy face from us and consumed us because of our jniquities but Lord remember them not for ever appoint now unto them that mourne in Sion give them beauty for ashes the oile of joy for mourning and the garment of praisâ— for the spirit of heavinesse comfort her waste places make her wildernesse like Eden and her desart like the garden of the Lord give her joy and gladnesse and let the voice of thanks-giving and melody be heard in her again Blesse that part thereof which thy right hand hath planted in great Britan and Ireland blesse this family and every part thereof forgive us all our sinnes sanctifie our bodies and souls to thy service give us that blessed peace of conscience which the world can neither give nor take away give us assurance of our iustification in Christ Jesus fill us with fruits of righteousnesse that wee may not foolishly sleeâ—e without oile in our lampes because wee know not whether the day now spent shall be our last when wee sleepe let thy providence which watcheth over all thine preserve us from the powers of darknesse perplexing fantasies and troublesome dreames that 〈◊〉 may rest in thee and being refreshed rise againe to glorifie thee in our several places and callings through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Amen CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and the dueties thereof § 1. Of Marriage the institution end and fruits thereof § 2. Of choice in general and particular who are to be avoided § 3. Dueties of the Married mutual and peculiar § 4. Advice to the widow 1. MArriage is the conjunction of one man with one woman according to the lawes of God and man in the holy indissoluble band of Wedlock whereby they become one flesh I say of one man with one woman for so God made them at first and so appointed from the begining See Matth. 19. 4 c. so that plurality of wives or husbands at once is adultery though when either party dyeth the surviver is free to marry in the Lord according to the lawes of God who saith Let every man have his owne wife and every woman her own husband and the wife is bound by the law to her husband so long as hee liveth Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled forbidding to marry is the doctrine of devils who labour to pervert the order and institution of God to corrupt and dishonor the fountain of humane propagation with impure and wandring lusts And also according to the lawes of man which being grounded on God's law necessarily binde all men thereto subject as cautioning against emergent inconveniences with relation to times places and persons as where they binde to publish the sponsals or contracts to prevent marriage without consent of parents and governers or where they limit to certain houres in the face of the congregation c. to avoid clandestine marriages or incontinent living under pretence of marriage next I say it is an holy and indissoluble band holy for whatsoever is not so in respect of the persons capacity and fitnesse the end and use thereof is neither lawful before God nor man and I say indissoluble for they two become one flesh partners of one condition in weale and woe whence they call it conjugium as à communi iugo and for this cause shall a man leave father and mother and remaine with his wife which is not simply but comparatively to be understood as if hee said Thou shalt more constantly keep with her or rather leave father and mother then thy wiâ—e and the word of Christ is cleere what God hath joined together let no man put asunder whosoever shall put away his wife except it be for fornication and shall marry another committeth adultery now in case of adultery man separateth not but a just punishment as death dischargeth the party innocent he is cruelly impious who putteth away a chaste wife and hee impiously foolish who keepeth an adulterous or dead one by him Neither may wee conceive that God joineth all them together that are married before men there is a just age fit to give consent required freedom in consent and where these are not it is no lawful marriage If there be deceit as where the man is an Eunuch where there is fraud or errour as where a Leah is substituted for a Rachel where there is a lawful preâ—ontract of either party with some other where either party
quickly to the throne of Grace to implore mercy before wrath come out against thee catch hold quickly on this second table repentance who hast lost the first of innocency condemne thy selfe and Christ will justifie thee hee onely expecteth thy voice when thou sayest I have sinned hee saith I forgive thee Doe but mark how quickly the pardon followed David's confession no sooner had hee said I have sinned against the Lord but the Lord said by the Prophet the Lord also hath put away thy sinne Peter quickly repented and as quickly found mercy Esau staied too long and so found no place for repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares If the grando fiered be suddenly cast back againe it proves only the assailants harme or danher such shall Satan's fire-works prove if thou presently cast out his tentations and heartily repent thee where any of his darts touch thee 9. Give not thy selfe over to pensive dedolency worldly sorrow and fruitlesse solitarinesse that will but feed the bitternesse of spirit think not too much of thy afflictions but sweeten them with the frequent remembrance of God's mercy toward thee take heed of worldly sorrow that is unto death cheer up thy selfe in God as David did Why art thou so sad O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee trust in God for I shall yet praise him a merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance but by the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken 10. Hearken diligently to the word of God hee is the God of all consolation and the word is his minde and revealed will for our good that is a full store-house there is no affliction incident to man which may not there finde a proper cure here thou shalt finde rules to guide thee and keep thee from sinne here thou shalt finde the sweet mercy of God in Christ Jesus to wash away the guilt of all thy transgressions but be thou not only a hearer but a constant doer of the word and lay the gracious promises up in thine heart so shalt thou in due season feele the work of God's spirit distilling the former and the later rain upon the seed to make it take root and be fruitfull 11. Hereto adde zealous and frequent prayer as the Saints have done in all their distresses and be assured that hee will not leave thee comfortlesse but at last coming with great assurance of thy salvation will abundantly recompence thy patience in suffering and perseverance in praying for pardon Satan is never more foiled and fooled in his own work then when hee gets leave to wound the hearts of the elect for as Romanus the martyr told the tormenter look how many wounds hee gives them so many mouthes hee setteth open for them to cry to God for helpe and indeed these jewels cannot come to their glorious lustre without hard grinding by afflictions A Praier for them who are of a wounded spirit in respect of their grievous sins O Lord God gracious and merciful rebuke not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure my soule is sore vexed and Lord how long Have mercy on mee for I am weak Lord heale my soule and deliver it O save mee for thy mercy sake I am weary of my groaning mine eie is consumed with griefe Lord heare my supplications receive my praier I am sorely afflicted Lord quicken mee according to thy word in thy loving kindenesse and multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from my sinnes cleanse me from all mine iniquities the greatnesse and number whereof is such as that I am ashamed and afraid of thy blessed presence I acknowledge my selfe unworthy to look up to heaven to appeare before thee with petition for mercy who have so uncessantly provoked thy justice the filthy leprosie of my sinnes stop mine own mouth my heart answereth that I am unworthy that ever thou shouldst encline thy gracious eare unto so wretched a sinner These terrors of conscience wherewith thou hast now afflicted my soule are thy just judgments the fears of hell and eternal condemnation wherewith thou hast wounded mee are incomparably lesse then my sinnes but Lord remember them not who canst not forget the sufferings of thy holy sonne Jesus for them all I am not able to answer thee one of a thousand nor can thy justice require that of mee for which my Saviour and redeemer hath satisfied therefore I renounce my selfe that I may be found in thy Christ not having on our owne righteousness according to the condemning letter of the law but that I may be clothed in his righteousnesse who hath long since cancelled the hand-writing of ordinances that were against me and payed the debt for me Lord for his sake I humbly entreat thee to turne this judgement under which I now labour into mercy let it beget in my soule a true loathing of all sinne a stedfast purpose to forsake all my evil waies a comfortable experience of thy mercy pronouncing pardon to my afflicted conscience by the infallible evidence of thy holy spirit and assurance of peace with thee make mee to hear of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice in thee cast me not away from thy presence take not the holy Spirit the comforter from mee but restore mee to the joy of thy salvation and uphold mee with thy free spirit despise not a broken and contrite heart but heale my wounded spirit then will I teach transgressors thy way that they may fear thee who art so terrible in thy justice and convert unto thee who art so abunâ—amt in thy mercy Lord heare mee Lord encline thine eare to a poore distressed soule Lord consider and do it for thy only sonne our Saviour Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee O heavenly father and the holy spirit be all honour and glory in heaven and earth from this time forth and for ever Amen CHAP. XXVII § 1. Sense of spiritual wants afflicteth but not so much endangereth the soule § 2. What we are herein to consider § 3. How we must examine the conscience § 4. Rules of practice hereto necessary THe second thing wounding and afflicting the conscience is sense of defects and spiritual wants as want of faith hope assurance of salvation want of sanctification purity of heart the spirit of praier and hearing want of ability rightly to performe other holy dueties In these the spirit is stupified and fearfully darkned in the saint for a time a man sometimes feeleth dulnesse to and want of fervency in praier and want of comfortable assurance that God heareth or regardeth it because hee doth not presently answer or not at all grant that which wee aske sometimes hee feeleth a deviation of his minde and discomposure of thoughts in attention and unbeleef in hearing the word or reading the
and honors and undoubtedly it doth so much please God that a man doth in sense of his wants from his heart and before all things begge grace and sanctity of him that he will not deny him but adde to his grant more then wee are able to aske or thinke of A Praier for comfort and supply in case of spiritual wants O Lord God abundant in mercy and trueth who delightest not in the destruction of wretched creatures nor despisest the groanes of a troubled spirit I poore afflicted man in bitternesse of soule acknowledg my vilenesse and want of grace the corruption of my sinful nature the misery which I have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy holy lawes and my impotency to any thing that is good I am as that wretched traveller wounded and cast down only sensible of my wonnds utterly unable to move or helpe my selfe the Priest and Levite passe by and helpe mee not no creature can yea thy holy law which saith Doe this and live is so farre from helping or releeving mee that now by reason of my infirmity it becometh to mee a killing letter at best but like the Prophets staff sent before by the ministery of the servant not able to give life only shewing mee my sinnes and rendring me guilty as before thy dreadful tribunal so at the barre of mine owne conscience Lord let the good Samaritan the Prophet himselfe Christ Jesus my Saviour naw come to mee he only can binde up my wounded soul and heale it Thou hast wounded mee by an heavy apprehension of thy justice now heal mee by the assurance of thy mercy strengthen my faith in Châ—ist who freely justifieth sinners as thou hast in thine eternal love given him to death for my redemption so give me an infallible assurance that hee is my Jesus and Saviour that according to thine owne gracious promise in him I may live with thee Blessed Saviour who sentest the holy Ghost the comforter of all thine elect to thy afflicted Disciples to strengthen them send him to my more feeble and wretched soul it is neither of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of thine own goodnesse shewing mercy thou workest both the will and the deed of thy good pleasure be graciously pleased to sanctify my corrupted will and affections as thou hast given me a will and an hearts desire to serve and please thee that I might be saved so perfect thine owne worke in mee establish that thing which thou hast begunne will thou that I will not in vaine thou hast nothing the lesse by communicating thy goodnesse to others Lord give me true holinesse repaire thine own image in mee that thou maist own mee for thine manifest thine own worke in mee unto mee Let not the good spirit which dwelleth in mee be any longer hidden from mee Lord Jesus manifest thy selfe unto my soule let the light of thy spirit breake out in full assurance of faith that I may no more doubt of thy mercies give mee an evident victory over sinne and despaire by the manifest presence of the comforter Lord my afflicted soule knoweth no sanctuary but thy mercy unto thee it gaspeth as a thirsty land O showre downe that abundant dew of grace which may refresh my wearied spirit and fill mee with the fruits of righteousnesse which may appeare in my life and conversation to thy glory and the assurance of my election calling sanctification perseverance and salvation in thy beloved sonne my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with Thee and the holy Spirit three Persons one immortal incomprehensible omnipotent onely wise God be rendred all honour and glory in heaven and earth now and to all eternity AMEN CHAP. XXVIII § 1 Of the conscience afflicted with feare of tentations and falling away What wee are herein to consider § 2. How wee must examine the conscience herein § 3. What wee must practice WEe are next to consider the wounded spirit or conscience afflicted with feare of tentations and falling away through them enclining it to despair of grace sufficient to resist them hereby the soule is in heavinesse through manifold tentations in which case it is necessary to consider that 1. A tentation is a tryal or taking an experiment of some thing the Devil who cannot compel tryeth men whether he can allure them to sinne and this is tentation 2. There is a temptation of tryal see 1 Cor. 10. 13. Act. 20. 19. Rev. 3. 10. and so James saith My brethren count it all joy when yee fall into divers tentations for when he is tryed hee shall receive the crown of life and blessed is the man that so doth God who is said to tempt no man that is to evil because as there is no sin in him so neither is there any of him yet tryed Abraham to make him known to others and himself for no man untryed knoweth himself which is called tempting or proving as Deut. 13. 3. Ex. 15. 25. Ex. 16. 4. Deut. 8. 16. Psal. 26. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 6. And there is a temptation of seducement which is a solicitation to defection and falling from God by sinning and doing evil 1 Tim. 6. 9. 1 Thes. 3. 5. so that God tempteth that he may teach us but the Devil that he may destroy us 3. Some temptations arise from the corruption and sin inherent in the flesh Jam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted when hee is 〈…〉 his own lusts such as are mentioned Galat. 5. 19 20. Some are suggested by the tempter who being a spirit hath power to inâ—â—â—uate and convey his impious notions into our mindes suggestion between spirits being as contiguity and touching of bodies now whereas hee cannot know the unuttered secrets of the heart it being Gods peculiar to search that he marketh mens natural inclinations and their habits by their words and actions and so prepareth baits for them accordingly sishing in these depths the secrets whereof hee knoweth not till hee perceive his suggestions are swallowed and the sinner taken therefore he presenteth such thoughts as he conâ—ectureth will take by that which is obvious to the senses of men as hee sitteth an opportunity of treason to impious Judas by the malice of the high Priests of lust to Amnon of venturing on the cursed thing to Achan of revenge to Cain of idolatry to Ahaz by the altar of Damascus 4. There are foure degrees of tentations by which it cometh to full maturity 1. Suggestion 2. Delight therein 3. Consent to 4. Acting the same as James 1. 14 15. Man is tempted when hee is drawn away of his own lusts and eâ—iced thenwhen lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth sorth death the first of these a bare suggestion is not our sinne if there be no delight therein or consent thereto for Christ was tempted in all points like as wee are yet without sinne The
devils sinne it is when ever he suggesteth evil The second as the third and fourth is sinne in its degree for every delight in evil speaketh a mans will such declining from good and enclined to consent and act evil 5. Tentation of tryal to the saint is but as fire to gold it purifieth and maketh more precious in Gods esteem as 't is written Psal. 116. 15. Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints and that the tryal of your faith being much more pretious then of gold which perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise c. so saith that mirror of patience When he hath tryed mee I shall come forth as gold tentation only burneth out the drosse it is as a winnowing winde so Satan by a temptation winnowed Peter now consider with thy selfe Can the refiner of gold so provide that he will not loose it in the fornace can the husband-man so use the winde that hee will not loose the corne but thereby cleanse it from the chasse and canst thou think that God will loose thee by permitting thee to temptations Assure thy selfe hee cannot erre hee measureth all is faithfull and will not suffer thee to be tryed above that thou art able Hee knoweth how to deliver his out of tentations therefore hee biddeth them not to feare any of these things which they should suffer whom Satan should cast into prison 6. There can be no victory without an enemy nor crown without a conflict no faith without troubles nor conflict without some adversary when God permitteth thee to tryals hee stands and beholds how thou entertainest the enemy how thou receivest his charges hee supplieth thee with fresh aids as necessity requireth and in the meane time prepareth the crowne many by long and secure peace grow impotent and for want of experience unable to resist an enemy when hee invadeth perhaps their own pride born out of self-ignorance overcometh them or fulnesse debancheth them whereas exercise maketh them strong and temptations humble least I should be exalted above measure saith Paul there was given to mee a thorn in the flesh the messengers of Satan to busset mee truely conscience of sin and feare of punishment make the regenerate more religious and so it is much the firmer faith which repentance storeth up that yee sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you 7. The spiritual Pharoah most eagerly pursueth those who are going out of his kingdome hee passeth by his owne as captives hee chaseth those in whom hee perceiveth Christ liveth when he must be cast out then he teareth most furiously Luke 9. 42. so that his rage against thee is no argument of despair but rather of great confidence that the devil himself findeth that thou must be none of his were hee secure of thee hee would let thee go untroubled to destruction and never disquiet thee least any agitation should bring thee to repentance and him to losse This our Saviour taught When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 8. Consider well that the best have been and the best that live are tempted the Jebusite was left in Jerusalem for an exercise of vertue the man rapt up into the third heaven was buffeted by the messenger of Satan once for all Christ in whom was no sin was tempted that thou art tempted is no argument of despair I know not how heaven and earth are here so mixed together wee being partly spirit and partly flesh that wee cannot be as wee would wee finde an irksom law in our selves against our selves our repaire is something and supernatural but so short of that which shall be that our selves like the Israëlites in Ezra's time sound a discordious concord of sharpes and flats joy and sorrow we must look for perfection in heaven our present freedom from sin is rather a desire to be free then our being so 9. Lastly consider that Gods grace who at his pleasure chaineth up the tempter is sufficient for thee Hee restraineth him so much that hee cannot be a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahab's Prophets untill hee have leave to tempt him out to his destruction from him who justly permitteth to strong delusions that they should perish in beleeving lies who receive not the love of the trueth that they might be saved God knoweth best how farre hee will suffer thee to be tempted and accordingly measureth out the sufficiency of grace to all the regenerate Why hee suffered David so dangerously to fall why Peter why Paul I know not except to humble them and leave us motives to repentance I am sure his judgements are ever just Secondly wee are againe for comfort in this case to examine 1. Whether art thou delighted in the temptation or no if thou neither delight in nor consent to it but rather startlest at it as a thing which thy soul loaths and abhorrs it shall not hurt thee 2. Whether the temptation which commonly afflicteth thee be such as probably ariseth from the corruption of thine owne heart which is usually inferred by the thoughts discourse from one thing to another by direct or naturall mediums but if it be a temptation of Satan's cast into thy soule it is commonly abrupt and such as thou didst not think of incongruous sudden unnatural sometimes and such as thou tremblest at as blasphemous bloody or desperate though in some temptations hee maketh use of that wee see or heare joining himselfe with our natural inclination to sinne so are those stimuli carnis his messengers like traytors corrupted by some foraigne State against their native soile if a temptation arise of corrupted nature the cure must be by beating down carnal reason and the affections of flesh if of Satan the very discovery is enough to make thee hate it and that to overcome it seeing if wee yeeld not he is overcome 3. When thou art moved to any thing whether within thee as by suggestion or without thee as by perswasions of men examine the spirits whether they are of God or no thou maist not beleeve all because many false prophets are gone out into the world and God hereby proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and the Apostle saith there must be heresies or sects among you examine therefore whether they bring any propositions against faith the substance of the Gospel sanctimony commanded in Gods law peace order charity and unity to the end that if we finde any thing in mens perswasions or any inward suggestions contrary hereto wee may conclude them carnal earthly sensual and devillish and so take course to resist them which may be by the practice of these following rules 1. Every day dedicate thy first and thy last waking thoughts to God in earnest and hearty praier to preserve thee from temptations
and to guide all thy thoughts words and actions so that waking thou maist walke sincerely in his presence and sleeping rest confidently in his protection 2. Prepare and arme thy selfe against these encounters of tentations with the whole armour of God look before hand for tryals thou hast to resist flesh and blood principalities and spiritual wickednesses it is a conflict by so much more terrible by how much more hidden and with an unseen puissant unwearied and restlesse enemy with whom thou canst have no safe truce therefore cast before-hand like the wise builder to lay the foundation upon the rocke against which no windes stormes or floods can prevaile The sea-man doth not contrive his shippe for calmes onely but also against furious storms and rough seas prepare thee good ground-tackle the anchor of the soule hope to lay hold on Christ who therefore suffered and was tempted that hee might deliver thee from and in temptations get the ballast of patience and all things necessary for tryals which thou must in reason look for before thou canst make thy port It were great incogitancy to thinke that Satan who could not abstaine from tempting Christ in whom hee found no sinne will ever give thee rest from temptations in whom hee conceives some hopes of prevailing because some sinnes to foil and grieve thee though not to make thee finally his 3. Watch least yee enter into temptation your adversary continually watcheth to destroy you be not lesse vigilant for your own salvation Many a man not marking whether a mischievous temptation carrieth him hath been surprized and led into some desperate sinnes which waking hee abhorred and trembled at looke for more and more assaults Satan leaveth men sometimes to returne with seven worse spirits that security may destroy them whom nothing else could 4. Be not precipitated into any sudden undertaking but consult with God's Oracles first and resolve to be directed thereby Let them be as the cloudy pillar to Israël where that designeth thy stations or marches there rest or thence advance 5. Resist the devil and hee will flee if thou yeeldest or givest him the least ground hee is tyrannous flee from thy lusts they are like serpents there 's no safe debate with them except by fasting and praier the best way is flight stop thine ears to the enchanting Syrens make a covenant with thine eies not to see that which thou maist not desire in thine heart Take heed of all incentives and occasions thereto beware of Tamar's waies and Delilah's embraces the curtisans invitations and presented opportunities suspected company lascivious entertainments betraying gifts and whatsoever may lead thee to the pathes of death 6. As the subtile enemy sets his snares according as hee findeth men inclinable to be taken therewith as hath been said so be thou carefull most to fortifie thy selfe where thou findest him placing his main batteries there most carefully watch over thy selfe where hee most frequently assaileth thee and be constant herein because hee is so in his malice to destroy thee he sometimes changeth his artifices now hee cometh like a mischievous fruiterer with his destructive commentaries on the forbidden fruit sometimes like an holy prophet with lying visions to bewitch the foolish and unstable sometimes like a beguiling courtier with large promises of worlds of honor and wealth sometimes hee plaies the pander shewing a naked Bathsheba sometimes the secret conspirator and puts into Judas heart to betray the King of Kings and presently the executioner presenting the desperate traitor an halter to make away himself the rule therefore is be careful and search again and again into his gifts whatever they are feare the enemy as Saul said of David See his place where his haunt is for hee dealeth very subtilely he never offereth any good but for some mischievous end hee is a great studier of men where hee findeth a gentle nature hee tempteth to luxury where an ambitious to some high and impious designes where an angry to revenge be thou as cautious learne thy selfe well and where thou art most weake most fortifie thy selfe against him 7. Take heed of idlenesse that lazy mother of all evil ever set thy selfe about something which is good that the tempter as I said may never finde thee at leisure to entertaine him What fearful advantages found hee on David in his few houres vacancy to staine so glorious a life 8. Dally not with temptations happy shall be hee who dasheth them yong as Elisha said of Jehoram's messenger Looke when hee cometh shut the doore and hold him fast there is not the sound of his masters feet behinde him So must we do with Satan's messengers sent to take away our lives wee must destroy the cockatrice egges least breaking out into a fiery serpent wee cannot overcome it but say too late as the Turke of Scanderbeg this enemy should have been subdued in his minority a tentation is nourished that houre it is not mastered 9. Pray constantly and fervently leade us not into temptation oft-times these are a divine revenge on some precedent unrepented sinne against which the Saints usually pray and if as often as Satan assaileth wee could betake our selves to hearty prayers wee should beat him at his owne weapon and hee should give us frequent alarms to awaken us to a stronger guard and occasions of fleeing to the shadow of God's wings The first enemy that assailed Israël in his way to Canaan was overcome by prayer when Moses held up his hands Israël prevailed the greatest of our enemies shall so be repulsed Mat. 17. 21. An ejaculation fit to be used as sonne as thou wakest LOrd be merciful unto us blessed be thy name as for all thy mercies so for thy gracious preservation of us this night continue thy goodnesse to us this day keep us from sinne and shame preserve us bodies soules and estates let no evil come neer our dwellings let not the mischievous tempter gaine any advantage upon us or ours this day but direct thou all our thoughts words and actions by the continual presence of thy holy spirit that wee may wholly spend this day to thy glory and our comfort Preserve the Church this family and all those whom thou hast stirred up to shew thy goodnesse to us or appointed to receive it of us blesse us all and keepe us this day through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN After thou hast strictly examined thy conscience what good dueties thou hast omitted or what evil thou hast done in the day and hast heartily repented of the sin compose thy last waking thoughts with such an ejaculation LOrd forgive us all our sinnes and failings this day seal up our redemption by thy good spirit the comforter of thine elect give us that peace of conscience which may cause us to rest securely on thy mercies let our sleep be reâ—reshing and comfortable unto us restrain the enemy that
he may neither perplexe nor disturb it Lord whose providence sleepth not preserve us and ours sleeping waking living and dying that in every estate it may appeare wee are thine through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN The prayer of a wounded spirit against temptations O Lord God Almighty all-seeing examiner of the heart and reines who knowest before wee aske what wee have need of who by thy holy spirit helpest our infirmities who know not what to pray as wee ought and thereby makest requests for us according to thy will with nnutterable groanes which thou only understandest helpe my infirmities endite my praiers and restraine the busie malice of the tempter Direct my praiers as incense in thy sight let them come into thy presence through Jesus Christ our onely redeemer and advocate Trueth it is O Lord that all things shall worke together for the best to them that love thee and are called according to thy purpose for thou hast said it and that it shall be good for mee which thou doest to mee I am confident O my God that it shall once appeare that it is happy for mee that I have been in trouble when after the tryal of my faith and exercise of my patience thou shalt give mee the quiet fruits of righteousnesse I beleeve that they shall not finally miscarry who trust in thy mercy this is the voice of my faith in thee whom I beleeve and know to be the God of trueth but O Lord thou best knowest that I am also fraile flesh and blood full of infirmities feares doubtings and failings because mine iniquities have taken such hold on mee that I cannot looke up they are more in number then the haires of my head so that my heart faileth mee neither have I to deale with flesh and blood onely Lord thou knowest those unseen powers of darknesse which wth restlesse encounters assault my soule to destroy it O Lord God of my salvation be not thou farre from mee shew thy power and deliâ—iver mee from the messengers of Satan which are too mighty for mee rescue mee bridle their insolent malice binde the stâ—ong man and deliver thy vessel from his usurping tyranny that I may in every faculty of my soule serve and please thee pardon all my sinnes for thy holy sonne Jesus sake who died for mee heale my wounded soule which hath to the present sorrow of my heart so often sinned against thee hide not thy face from mee in the time of my trouble forget not my bitter affliction which maketh mee goe mourning all the day long while the insulting enemy oppresseth mee thou art my King command deliverances I am poore and needy destitute of helpe and strength to resist Satan's fiery darts put thy whole armour upon mee that I may be able to stand arise for my helpe O thou Preserver of men redeeme mee from the devouring lyons mouth for for thy mercy sake thinke upon mee make haste to helpe mee make no long tarrying O my God suffer mee not for any tryals to fall from thee lay no more upon mee then thou wilt give mee strength patience and perseverance to beare cheerfully confirme mee unto my end that I may be blamelesse unto the day of our Lord Christ give mee a blessed effect of and issue out of every tryal that the more thou permittest mee hereto the more certaine experience I may have of thy mercy and the greater assurance that thou wilt never faile mee nor forsake mee that I may through him who hath by suffering vanquished death hell and him who had the power of death overcome all these spiritual wickednesses which fight against my soule I have trusted onely in thy mercy holy Father who hast ordained strength in the mouths of babes and inâ—â—â—s strengthen mee unto the end that my heart may rejoyce in the salvation spare mee that I may recover my strength put thou a new song into my mouth that I may praise thee for my deliverance and declare unto afflicted sinners what thou hast done for my soule Lord heare mee and have mercy upon mee Lord who art ever more ready to give then wee can be to aske deny not the requests of a poore sinful soule crying unto thee for Jesus Christ his sake our only Lord and Saviour AMEN CHAP. XXIX Concerning the guidance of the minde in the encrease of wealth § 1. Afflictions common their fruit in good men Poverty a great tryall riches great temptations commonly mistaken § 2. How to guide thy selfe in the encrease of riches or a full inheritance 1. TEmporal afflictions are common to the just and wicked wee are here like the clean and unclean in Noah's ark shut up in one condition into afflictions wee goe like Israël and the Egyptians into the red-sea to events most contrary deliverance or destruction to the saint they are but as the raine to the arke the more it fell the more that was lifted up Being sanctified they give understanding and are though rough-handed yet excellent masters of vertue like biting frosts to the trees restraining the luxuriant sap and rendring them more fruitfull 2. Among other afflictions in this life want and poverty as among temptations wealth is not the least These are commonly the minds Scylla and Charybdis the two great and antient diseases of Republicks Families and incautious soules there being great hazard in either concludeth a necessity of a right guidance of the minde herein so great as that the wise man deprecated both extreames Give mee not poverty nor riches Having spoken of those things which appertain to man are in man or incident to him within it is requisite that wee consider him in the discomposures which proceed from things external as poverty imprisonment banishment old age sicknesse and death In these first estates which I proposed my purpose is to lay down some rules directing how happily to use the one and bear the other 3. Because riches are great temptations and men are commonly deceived in judging of them too much admiring and affecting these and as much impatient of poverty whereas indeed they are neither absolutely good nor alwaies signes of an happy owner but good or evil according to their use and therefore are they commonly evil because as Aristides said Many use riches ill few can well therefore it highly concerneth those who enjoy encrease or great riches to mark and practice these and the like rules 1. If riches encrease set not your heart thereon Psal 62. 10. where they have the heart there is no place for faith charity humility equity modesty or honesty He saith not Get not riches but set not your heart upon them for so they carry it away from God many of the Saints have been rich but their rule was not to trust in uncertain riches all earthly possessions often change their owners often desert and leave them to wants The heathen Solon told Croesus as much though he could not beleeve
rich epulo but the worlds minion Wants occasion many a mans return unto God as it was with great Nebuchadnezzar who through the dark shadows of affliction as men at noon day see stars out of some deep well could at last looke up to heaven and finde the glorious omnipotency of God and his sovereignty ruling over all which the glittering light of his prosperity did before hide from him To conclude when a man hath duely weighed what this world is how unconstant all things thereof how short a time he can enjoy abundance or bear wants he shall finde no just canue either to be proud of external riches or dejected in want 4. Aspire to a better world riches which perish not food and raiment which shall not faile nor decay how great should our reward be with our heavenly father if wee would not affect our reward here 5. Learn to depend on Gods providence aske of him daily bread bread of thy stature that which hee knoweth convenient for thee food raiment and protection as Iacob did or as Iabez who called on the God of Israël saying O that thou wouldst blesse mee indeed and enlarge my coast and that thy hand might be with mee and that thou wouldst keep mee from evil that it may not grieve mee and God granted him that which hee requested I have been young saith David and now am old and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken and his seed begging bread though possibly in extreame wants yet never forsaken 6. Seek happinesse within thy selfe such is the brevity of this life such the variable inconstancy of all external estates so many accidents like stormes from divers quarters lie upon this sea of glasse that in the possessions thereof they leave no place for true happinesse which is in that whereof the least measure is enough and the greatest secure from losse The best ornaments and truest riches are those which are layed up in a good conscience where no violent hand can reach them Be not deceived by the false lustre of secular prosperity and thou shalt not be broken with adversity The poor mans Petition O Lord God great and glorious severe in thy judgements and abundant in mercy the earth is thine and thy providence divideth it among the sons of men thou bringest down to the grave and raisest up again thou makest rich and poore thou bringest low and liftest up the needy out of the dust that hee may glorifie thee thou savest the poor from the hand of the mighty redeemest from death and in famine givest hope thou art the Saviour and deliverer of the fatherlesse and him that hath no helper the needy shall not alwaies be forgotten nor their exspectation perish for ever because thou wilt preserve thine own work when they cry thou wilt arise and deliver them from their troubles who hast of thy goodnesse prepared to satisfie them Lord behold my necessities who despisest not the needy though thou thus afflict mee yet strenghten mee so that my wants may never cast me down to despaire of thy favour nor endeavour their supply by any thing which offendeth thee what ever I want let mee never want the comfortable assurance of thy love and mercy what ever else thou pleasest to take from me take not thy holy spirit thy mercy thy selfe from mee Be my strength in distresse a refuge from the storme a shadow from the heat I am weak and my heart is wounded in mee Lord assure mee that thou carest for mee Thou hast said blessed Jesus that first seeking the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all bodily necessaries shall be administred unto us Lord give mee an heart so to doe sanctifie those wants to mee that thou maist comfort mee make mee rich in faith and those spiritual treasures which once had shall never be lost againe Lord Jesus who becamest poore to make us rich poure out the riches of thy grace into my poore soul Thou best knowest before I aske what I have need of who feedest the sowles of the aire and clothest the lilies of the field Lord famish not the afflicted soule of thy servant man liveth not by bread only but by the power of thy word blessing it O God who madest the Sarephtan's little store sufficient what ever thy providence shall allot mee let thy blessing be upon it that I may finde a sufficiency therein that I may serve thee contentedly and cheerfully depending confidently on thy fatherly providence which never faileth them which trust in thee O Lord who art a refuge in trouble who never forsakest them that truely seek thee supply all my necessities heare mee and make speed to relieve mee forsake me not O my God open the high places and the fountâ—ines in the midst of the vallies for the thirsty soule let thy hand relieve mee until thou shalt be pleased to bring mee into thy blessed presence where is fulnesse of joy without want measure or end Grant mee these things O merciful God and what ever else thou knowest necessary for mee for thy dear sonne my evâ—r blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ his sake AMEN CHAP. XXXI § 1. Liberty and restraint misplaced by an injurious world § 2. Comforts for Prisoners § 3. Rules thereto appertaining 1. LIberty is the natural inheritance of every good man but what doth not the malice of the world which hateth them and the impiety thereof pervert to the same merit this unjust judge swayed by affection seldome led by reason or equity adjudgeth contrary rewards for the like sinne one is crowned and another crucified it vexeth the innocent dove and dismisseth the bloody raven the wicked Pilate sitteth judge where holy Jesus is arraigned as guilty hee is condemned and Barrabbas acquitted by their proclamation who cryed but now Hosanna to Christ and now deliver us Barrabbas If they doe this in the green tree what will they do in the dry Why the supream judge admitteth such surrogates or permitteth Satan to governe such judges as 't is written Satan shall cast some of you into prison whosoever is the delatour or sergeant to imprison the saints Satan makes the mittimus they but doe him service wee know not wee know it is for the more heavy damnation of the one and the greater glory of the other in his conformity to Christ's sufferings which as they abound in us so our consolation shall in him if so be that wee suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 2. Among external afflictions wee may reckon imprisonment and captivity yet have these a capacity of comfort for the Saint whose peculiar advantage it is that all things work for good to him 3. Among the comforts of the Prisoner these have I learned as Protogenes the true pourtraict of meagered Ialysus by being dyeted himselfe with pulse wherein blessed be God even the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the father of
sinners death but his conversion Lord convert my soule remove my sins frame my heart affections and life according to thine own will thou who hearest the poor and despisest not the wretched captive visit all that are bound Lord our redeemer hear them in an acceptable time and help them in the day of salvation preserve the oppressed and despised of men say unto the prisoners Goe forth and to them that are in darknesse Shew your selves binde up the broken hearted proclaime liberty to the captives and opening the prison to them that are shut up comfort them that mourne let their deep sighing come before thee according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou them that are appointed to dye Lord lift thou up my head enlarge my feet bring me out of bondage that I may live to serve and praise thee in the assemblies of thy servants however thou pleasest to dispose of mee let all my sufferings redound to thy glory and my salvation give me patience to endure constancy to depend on thee firme faith to apprehend thy promises and hope to expect thy saving health Consider my weaknesse and lay no more upon mee then thou wilt enable mee to bear cheerfully sanctifie my afflictions and make them good to mee in the fruits of righteousnesse which thou hast laid up for all those who rest on thee Heare mee O Lord let my cry come unto thee and have mercy upon me through Jesus Christ our Lord and blessed Saviour AMEN A Morning Praier for prisoners O Eternal and Almighty God Creator Preserver and Governer of all things in heaven and earth before whom the Thrones and Dominions Powers Cherubims and Seraphims vaile their faces with their wings not able to behold the brightnesse of thy Majesty nor to comprehend thy being known to none but thine owne infinite wisedome At the blasting of the breath of thy displeasure the earth is moved and the pillars of heaven doe tremble yet in thy unspeakable mercy thou vouchsafest to looke downe from thy throne of glory and to take care for man yea the poorest and most despised among the sonnes of men and not only to bow downe a gracious eare to their petitions but to command them to call upon thee that thou maist relieve and deliver them to this end hast thou made so many instances of that word of thine The fervent praier of the righteous availeth much Such praiers have divided the Seas and made their swelling waves stand on heapes beat down the armies of aliants stopped the mouthes of lions restrained the devouring flames opened and shut heaven made the Sunne and Moone stand still converted the revengeful malice of enemies into pity and compassion broken the heavy yokes of bondage shaken off the chaines opened the prison doores and delivered those that were appointed to death so that thou hast not in â—ain sayed Call upon mee in the day of thy trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Lord thy mercy is not changed thine arme shortened nor thine eare heavy only our sins have separated between thee and us this is that filthy leprosie over-spreading every part and faculty of our bodies and souls which hath covered our mouths and hindred our praies from thy graecious presence turning away thy merciful eares so that as wee have not hearkned when thou spakest unto us by thy Prophets to warn us from the waies of death and destruction so thou maist justly refuse to heare our cries But O Lord God if thy mercy could have been hindred by mans sin thou hadst never elected him to salvation for thou fore-sawest all things from eternity to all times to come If any evil could have overcome thy goodnesse thou hadst never redeemed us with so great a price as the blood of thy sonne Jesus for thou fore-knewest that they to whom thou sentest him as a redeemer would crucifie the Lord of life if the iniquity of an impious world could intercept thy bounty this sun should not shine nor thy rain descend upon the wicked neither wouldst thou have preserved us this night past that we might now meet to call upon thee for mercy and deliveraâ—ce if thy justice had not given place to mercy we therefore humbly acknowledge thy goodnesse and our own vilenesse and unworthinesse and for thy mercy sake beseech thee to pardon and put all our sins out of thy remembrance that they may no more appeare to provoke thine anger to our destruction O Lord we know not what or how to pray as wee ought help thou our infirmities by thy holy Spirit who maketh intercession for us according to thy will with groanings inuterable it is the same spirit of thine which indited the praiers of thy Prophets and Apostles by which they obtained such marvellous things which now also moveth in and for thy poore afflicted children crying unto thee Good Father give us that lively faith fervency and evidence of spirit to which thou who art the God of trueth and canst not deceive hast made the promise of audience and attaining Lord shew us the effects of that good word which saith Ask and you shall have Now give unto us that aske forgive us all our sinnes and give us an happy deliverance out of the pressures which lie so heavily upon us Give us peace with thee in the testimony of a good conscience and if it be thy holy will peace with all men as thou hast passed by us with fire storme and earth-shaking indignation so now speake unto us in the still voice of thy mercy and compassion Lord if it be possible let this cup of anger passe â—rom us if not thy will be done Give us patience and perseverance give the blessed issue who givest the bitter tryal consider whereof thou hast made fraile man Remember that wee are but poore dust and earth and as the grasse soon withering away deale with us so here that wee may not faile of living to thee in this life and with thee in that eternal life to come And now O Lord who causest the out-goings of the morning and evening to praise thee wee bless thy holy name for thy gracious providence preserving of us this night past and giving us this present oportunity of presenting our supplications unto thee Good Father continue thy mercy to us and ours this day sanctifie us unto thy service direct all our thoughts words and actions so as that in the several waies of our callings they may all tend to the glory of thy holy name the good example of our brethren and the further assurance of our consciences before thee Lord blesse thy holy Church in all nations specially that which thy right hand hath planted in this Blesse Lord our several families let our innocency appeare as the light lift up our heads from these bonds and in thy good time restore us to them againe hear their praiers for us and ours for them and both for thy sonne Jesus sake O Lord who art the
God of all true consolation who defendest the fatherlesse and widowes leave them not comfortless be thou their guider and protector though thou pleasest to take us from them take not thy grace and holy spirit from us nor them and so thy will be done Blesse all those who any where suffer in the like durance with us blesse us all here present grant that wee may make a right use of our present afflictions that they may better us give us hearts to trust in thee what ever thou doest to us cheerfully to discern thy mercies in the midst of our corrections and ever to blesse thy holy name for that thou hast corrected and not given us over to final destruction Lord encline thine eare and heare Lord help us Lord consider in mercy and do it for Jesus Christ his sake in whose ever blessed name we conclude our petitions in that absolute forme of prayer which hee hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. AMEN An Evening praier for the same O Most gracious and glorious Lord God we do not here appear before thee with any confidence in our own merits being such in respect of our unhallowed thoughts corrupt words and sinful actions as that if there were neither in earth or heaven among men or Angels any witnesse of our iniquities our owne consciences would accuse and convict us and if there were no other judge our own hearts could not but condemne us and thou art greater then our hearts and nothing can be hid from thee the just and all-seeing judge of the living and the dead who must all stand before thy tribunal wee therefore in all humility of soules appeale from thy justice in which wee can looke for nothing lesse then death and destruction the due wages of sin unto the sanctuary of thy mercy there laying hold on that altar on which thy sonne Christ Jesus was offered up a living sacrifice for us who were dead in trespasses and sinnes hee is that lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world and that great Angel of the Covenant who in the precious censer of his merits offereth the praiers of the Saints as Sweet odors holy and acceptable to thee for his sâ—ke â—arden all our sinnes which have rendred us not onely lesse then the least of thy mercies but also worthy of thy severest judgments temporal and eternal for his sake let our complaints come before thee and from thy mercy seat 〈◊〉 thou our supplications which come not out of feigned 〈◊〉 but from the depth of our afflicted soules Trueth it is O Lord wee have procured all these miseries unto our selves and the bitternesse wherewith thou hast filled us is none other but the fruit of our owne inventions who have obstinately followed our owne vain and unprofitable waies refusing the guidance of thy good spirit and holy word recalling us to the paths of eternal life But O Lord God of mercy thou desirest not the death of sinners but that they may be converted and live thou art the sole fountain of holinesse every good and perfect giving descendeth from thee who art the father of light enlighten thou our understandings open our eies that wee sleep not in death sanctifie our depraved wills rectifie our sinful affections and subject them all to thine owne holy will and pleasure frame every faculty of our soules and bodies to a new and sincere obedience to thy law that wee may neither decline to the right hand nor to the left but may henceforth make strait steps to our salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. In his name wee continue our supplications to thee in the behalfe of thy Church universal Lord gather dayly to her such as thou hast elected to salvation enlighten those who have not yet known thy name take off the vaile from the hearts of thy ancient people the Jewes that now neer the fulnesse of time they may see unto Christ the end of the law to every one that beleeveth both of Jewes and Gentiles shew more and more mercy in the confirmation of us whom thou hast called until our fulness be come in Discover and confound the man of sinne daily abolishing the mystery of iniquity by the brightnesse of thy coming the sword of the spirit and evident preaching the Gospel to all nations until thou shalt at thy second coming manifest thy selfe our Saviour and Redeemer and wipe all teares from our eies even so come Lord Jesus And now O Lord who lookest with a tender eie upon the pressures of thy servants let the sighing of the Prisoners come before thee and according to the greatnesse of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die be merciful to us here present before thee we have indeed at thy hands against whom wee have sinned deserved this rod but O our God correct us in mercy not in thine anger for what are wee in thy hands and who can stand before thee when thou art angry Wee have not rendred unto thee according to thy goodnesse wee have surfeited on the sweet blessings of peace and abused our liberties not valuing the benefit thereof but vainly reckoning it among our hereditary possessions as if it might never be taken from us when we had freedom to goe into the assemblies of thy children the places where thine honour dwelleth to hear thy word and present our supplications unto thee Lord how often have vain pleasures or worldly profits detained us or coming before thee how seldom have wee returned with any fruits of amendment therefore doest thou now teach us by wanting these comforts their estimate which wee would not know while wee enjoyed them But O good God seeing thy fatherly corrections are not to destroy but to amend us give us now good understanding by these chastisements give us discerning spirits that through these afflictions we may look up to the hand that smiteth us and by our corrections gain a true loathing and detestation of all the sins for which thou art displeased with us Lord if it may stand with thine honor enlarge and deliver us in mercy restore every man to his own family to the mutual comfort of us and ours that with them we may praise thy holy name and better serve thee then ever wee have done if otherwise Lord proportion our patience to our tryals forsake us not in our sad distresses be thou ever present with us that we may rest assured of thy mercies give us peace of conscience and a blessed freedom from the bondage of sin that wee may therein know that neither stone walls nor armed guards can shut thy holy spirit the comforter from us nor bar our praiers from ascending up to thee Lord as our tryals encrease encrease our comforts in thee so that as the more it rained the more the arke was listed up in which thou hadst enclosed those whom thou didst thereby save in a
to this day unpeopled undiscovered our Ancesters who first inhabited this land were strangers here wise men think themselves citizens of the world and well resolved natural men take that to be home where ever they are well 〈◊〉 â—nd the Saints country is every where and no where on earth Wee have here no continuing city wee are here but pilgrims and while wee are here from home It is not then so much in the change of place as company which embittereth exile and certainly company is either a great good or a pernicious evil to be banished from ill company is an happinesse and from good company wee can be banished but for a short time maâ—ger the malice of the world and therein not so much as the world thinketh seeing in the communion of Saints however dispersed we are united by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus 3. Consider well how many have been advantaged by their banishment I might instance in Themistocles honored enriched in the Persian court where keeping an honorable table he said O children we should have been undone if we had not been undone in Zeno who in a forreign land could say Then I had faire winds when I was cast away because thereby hee was brought to the study of philosophy in some others so improved that they seemed sent out to the Schoole of Wisedome not to banishment but our Henry 7. is a neerer example whose exile gained him powerful friends and us a good King and deliverer from an usurping tyrant whereas then as I began to say nothing is more dangerous then evil company which disgracing vertue brings sinne into fashion such a tyrannical usurpation of right hath custome and company gotten that 't is sometimes judged madnesse not to be mad for company and the Saints sometimes share in temporal judgements for their ill company as it befell Lot Genes 14. 12. Genes 19. 15. sequestration from such is a blessing and meanes of safety and to all Gods children the worst of this kinde of affliction as any other is but as grinding to the jewel setting the fairer lustre on them and making their value better knowne as it was with Joseph 4. When it must be so goe willingly and beare it so then shall it be a peregrination not an exile a willing minde preventeth compulsion impatience onely can make it wretched patience conquereth violence whose owne weight breaketh it falling on the willing how many strangers for trade or gaine live among us how many of ours for the same cause are contented to live in forreign parts and therefore are not banished because they live willingly there how few live where they were borne how many willingly purchase experience and knowledge of other states with many years absence from their own how many have gone into a voluntary exile as Lycurgus that his lawes might be kept inviolable Chabrias Conion Iphicrates Chares Pythagoras Solon Scipio and others If thy minde be willing as a wise man 's ought to be to make the best of that thou canst not avoid it is a liberty not a restraint if thou wert confined to that one place whence thou art banished thou wert banished from a greater part of the world so that upon the matter the minde onely maketh the material difference between absence and banishment except you will conceive a difference between him that goeth free and him that goeth freely that being in the power of others this in our own To conclude that can be no absolute evil which our minde can remedy or ease and hee is of a weak understanding or an ungoverned affection who will make that heavier which hee must bear 5. Make a good and prudent use of thy travels so that it may appeare that thy country was rather unworthy of thee then thou of it that it hath lost thee not thou it Aristides being demanded why hee so much took his banishment to heart replyed because of my countries dishonor A nation can no waies more dishonor and make it selfe infamous to forreign parts and future ages then by banishment and imprisonment of good men for what ever popular rage drunken with its own fury dreameth however they idole their owne suffrages what sober man will not conclude them impious who cannot endure and comply with good men In fine some mens banishment hath made them wise and some good it had been unhappy for them not to have been banished while the most precious jewels lie concealed in their native place the sea or rocks they have neither beauty value nor use taking them out bringeth them to these so shall it be to thee if thou wilt make a right use of thy banishment 6. A man doth but perversly grieve at that which maketh him more happy not to say that exile is a singular master of â—rugality a profitable worme-wood layed to the breast to wean thee from the pernicious love of the world a School of humility temperance and patiâ—nce I say onely that in thy exile others doe that for thee by violence which thou shouldst have done for thy selfe in discretion that is they withdraw thee from the injurious and wicked thou wouldst not count it any loss to thee to be taken away from serpents or to be drawne out of a perishing Sodom as Lot was why shouldst thou think it any losse to be taken away from men worse then serpents they are good in their kinde men that have the poison of aspes under their lips But thou maist say the grief is to leave my goods livelyhood dear friends wife and children Truely this is the affliction of the parted and the curse of the parters the pleasant possessions made Lot's wife look back but yet consider 1. That hee that kept thee at home can provide for thee abroad and if thou trust in him will hee can restore thee to those dear jewels hee gave thee however thy praiers for them are as neere heaven in exile as at home count them not lost no not dying they but goe before thee wherein if thou canst satisfie thy afflicted minde what other great emolument canst thou loose by changing place If thou have the same judgement dexterity fortitude wisedome justice health strength means to get necessaries all which may there be found where thou thinkest thy selfe lost hereto adde that God by this means taketh men away from destruction rather then their country as he did Lot 2. Consider whether all those things whose losse thou lamentest be truely goods perhaps they hurt thee or are not thine it is certain thou couldst be but a tenant at will they only are thy goods which cannot be taken from thee in life or death reckon like a wise man and in the testimony of a good conscience thou maist also say all that is mine I carry with mee and so not have a dangerous eie backe againe 3. Consider well the difference between acquaintance and friends how many friends thou
and art delivered from so many unjust and pernicious tyrants in that the incentives of sinne are grown inactive in age 2. Study to be wise it is great misery to be old and not wise it was too much to be guided by the affections of youth if that be past remember that age is wisdomes flower or fruitfull autumne rather venerable not for number of years but merit if thou encrease in this strength of minde thou shalt so much the more recompence the decay of bodily strength as the soule is more excellent then these walls of clay or man then beast this wisdome is not in gray haires but in such a guidance of the minde as that the aged be sober grave temperate sound in faith charity and patience and that Women be in behaviour such as becometh holinesse teachers of good things that the younger may by them learne to be wise to love their Husbands and their Children to be discreet chast keepers at home good obedient to their Husbands that the word of God be not blaspheamed some extreamly erre thinking it the only wisdome of age to be attent to worldly gaines some heathens could say what can be more absurd then the lesse way we have to goe the more solicitous to be to get viands and that they grew old every day learning something how much more studious ought we to be true wisdome which Gods word teacheth 3. Be holy the feare of God is the old mans glory whereof the hoary head is the crowne if it be found in the way of righteousnesse such shall flourish like the Palme tree and Cedar in Lebanon bringing forth fruit in age those I say that are planted in the howse of the Lord. as they that gathered Manna on the Sabbath eve gathered twice as much as for an other day so they that are holy lay up a double store in age for their eternall rest at hand their encreasing sanctity like shadowes of the setting sunne is then multiplied They injure age who casting their faults on it entertaine it as some unwelcome guest some evill it is their errour which makes it so it can never be well with the sinner but every age is good to the just as evill to the sinner is that most which is neerest his judgement 4. Live to God and thine own eternall blessednesse if thou wilt live to men in temporall relations these gray haires wrinkles and ruines of youth strength and beauty may create thee some contempt but if the centre of thy desires be the chiefe good that must best please thee which makes thee best and so these sorrowes of thy aged brow fraitfull of counsaile gravity temperance holy contempt of the world and preparation for a passage to a better life as thy hoary head wisedomes banners shall be welcome to thee make use therefore of time for eternity and provide for that state to which this decaying earthly tabernacle shall againe be so repaired that the glory of the second house shall be greater then that of the first so shall thy life seem long enough if in an age long or short thou canst reckon but few mispent daies so shall thy bodily defects not be so grievous a little strength will be enough to lift up the hands to God where the heart is right neither those of the minde as decay of memory and the like old men can remember that they most care for and age hath a capacity of amendment in those evills which blemish it as talkativenesse anger frowardnesse and such like which removed it shall be more lovely winning by a milde gravity and of more authority with men however God taketh no advantages on our weaknesse so shall this age appeare most happy he lived not unprofitably who dyeth happily 5. Consider the vanity and frailty of this present life and learne to live which few doe though they number many years none truly doe who live not to God the end of their creation and living she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth living to God shall make that age more happy which bringeth thee neere as that most happy which brings thee to him The Old Mans supplication O Lord God of my salvation I humbly desire to render thee all due and hearty thankes for thy abundant mercies and favours spirituall and temporall thy gracious preservation of me from my youth up unto my hoary haires that thou sparedst me in thy fatherly mercy when thy justice might often have destroyed me Lord as thou hast given me place for repentance reserving me to age who mightest justly have cut off the daies of a mispent youth so now accomplish thine own worke give me an heart faithfully to turne unto thee that I may constantly endeavour to redeeme the vaine errours of my time past by becomming a patterne of faith and obedience to all those with whom I converse Lord fill me with thy holy spirit that I may beare more fruit in my age Forsake me not now I am old and gray headed Remember not the sinnes and follies of my youth let thy power appeare in my weaknesse and the work of thy spirit in the decaies and ruins of this earthly tabernacle by the evident repaire of thine own image in me mortifying the remaindes of sinne and assuring me of my election and calling in Christ Jesus and now ô Lord that the time of my departure draweth nigh give me a watchfull spirit that I may be ready when thou callest seeing there are but few steps between me and this worlds end Lord strengthen me give me a lively faith invincible and constant perseverance in this race the few and evill daies of this earthly pilgrimage that by thy mercifull assistance who workest both the will and the deed and shewest mercy where thou pleasest I may so runne that I may obtaine that when thou pleasest to give me rest from my labours and gather me to my Fathers I may against all the paines and sorrowes of death willingly and cheerefully yeeld up my soule into thy gracious hands in full assurance of my redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN CHAP. XXXIV Meditations for Woemen neere their Travaile § 1. All misery proceedeth from sinne § 2. Our sinnes pardoned in Christ Why the punishments are not taken away Woemens comfort therein § 3. Directions necessary hereunto 1. ALL misery is the undoubted issue of sinne man was happy in his pure naturalls and creation to the Image of God the only fountaine of blessednesse untill sinne defacing the same subjected him to the curse The first sinner heard the terrible sentence of the almighty peculiar to her sex I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy Conception in sorrow shalt thou bring forth Children these paines in travaile are the first fruits of misery appearing in that Sex which was first in the transgression so dangerous is it to be leaders into sinne
not on her with honour tender love and duty nothing can fully recompence the ingratitude of this generation of Vipers their Mothers sorrow and destruction but hell Gods children love and honour his Ordinance in their parents For direction and comfort before their Travaile let Women 1. Spend the time of their expectation as they would doe the howers of their last day in hearty repentance for all their sinnes making their peace with God labouring to strengthen their faiths by recounting the comfortable promises of God in Christ Jesus rendring themselves with patience meeknesse and confidence into his mercifull hands who alone can keep them strengthen and comfort them in their paines and make them joyfull Mothers 2. Consult with God in all their fears and sorrowes as Rebecca did by the holy scriptures which are his Oracles giving certaine and infallible answers conference with the prudent Saints meditations and ascensions of the afflicted soule into Gods gracious presence 3. Reconcile themselves to all those whom they have injured by repairing them what they can for it is a condition of their salvation in childbearing that they continue in Faith and Charity and if all must quickly agree with their adversaries while they are in the way then they specially who as they say of Seamen may be reckoned between the living and the dead and in hazard of a sodaine convention at the barre by the end of this life 4. It must be a grave document as to all so specially to married Women of modesty and chastity I know not what comfort the adultresse can have who bringeth forth her Husbands irreparable injury her own shame Children of Whoredomes the indelible staine of their blood and their posterities dishonour all this with paine and horrour or more dangerous stupidity of a sinfull conscience whereas the good conscience of the chast is the soules rest bed of perfumes Garden of spices sorrowes lenitive griefes faire havens the soules Paradice and afflictions sanctuary with which though they have externall sorrowes yet are they blessed happy is the way however rough and fearefull by which they come to eternall life as the externall prosperity of the wicked can never make their waies better then destructive and unhappy So neither can any afflictions sorrowes feares or paines of the elect make them lesse then truely blessed because all these are but as the stepps in Jacobs ladder whose last shall land them in the presence of God as it is written we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdome of God 5. Let them pray frequently and fervently that God would be pleased to measure their sufferings by that assistance which he will give them strengthen them to their labour mitigate their paines grant them a speedy and safe deliverance that they may enjoy the blessing of propagation to the encrease of his Kingdome the glory of his holy name and their eternall rejoycing after their temporall sorrowes which hee hath appointed them A prayer for Woemen in or neere their Travaile MOst glorious and holy Lord God almighty creator and mercifull preserver of all thy creatures who hast commanded the weary and heavy laden to come to thee and promised by the sonne of thy love and truth Christ Jesus to ease them we prostrate our selves before thy throne of mercy with bended knees and trembling hearts yet with assurance of thy faithfulnesse to performe who hast freely promised Truth it is O Lord when we consider our own deservings we can look for nothing but the severity of thy justice and rejection from thy gracious presence that thou shouldest take no delight in us when we come before thee but that the spreadiâ—g out of our hands in Prayer should be a trouble and wearinesse unto thee we confesse that destruction of body and soule by all those judgements which thou hast denounced against the first sinners is due unto us if thou enter into judgement with us we accuse and condemne our selves as most vile and utterly unable to stand in judgment before thee the searcher of the heart and reines and most unworthy of the least of those favours which our necessities compell us to beg at thy mercifull hands in confidence that thou wilt not breake the bruised reed reject the penitent nor condemne them who condemne themselves we renounce our selves that we may be found in the righteousnesse of our Lord Jesus It was he ô blessed Father who being the eternall Word Wisdome and Power by whom the World was created and is still sustained yet to save us miserable sinners and so his enemies was made flesh for us became man to set us free took on him the forme of a Servant to sanctify and redeeme us from sinne begun in our conception and encreasing from our birth vouchsafed to be conceived in the Virgins wombe by the Holy Ghost and to be borne the man of sorrowes to suffer the severity of thy wrath against sinners 't was he that dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification that thereby he might pull out the sting of death and change the judgements into fatherly corrections 't was he that became a curse for us to redeeme us from the curse of the law that by his stripes we might be healed that the blessing the promise of the spirit the comforter might come on us through faith in him for his sake holy Father be reconciled to us for his sake encline thy gracious cares to our prayers now according to thine own appointment calling on thee Thou hast indeed threatned the first sinner to multiply her sorrowes in her travailes and that sentence as the sinne in which we fell is become hereditary in paines sorrow feare and anguish in these bitter effects of sinne we acknowledge thy just judgements but Lord correct us not in thine anger consider the frailty and infirmity of this poorâ— dust and earth wherewith thou hast clothed us consider not what we have done but what thy holy Sonne Jesus in that sacred flesh indivisibly united to the Godhead hath suffered for us accept his obedience who hath done and suffered all things which thy determinate counsaile had before all worlds appointed for the worke of our redemption We are unworthy to be heard but Lord heare him ascended into heaven to take possession thereof for us and now sitting at thy right hand a faithfull mediator for us and bearing the remembrance of us before thee he is truely God able to heare and help all them that call upon him faithfully and truly man who hath had experience and can be toucht with a sense of humane miseries for his sake heare us speaking the same things to thee here on earth which his own spirit helping our infirmities both dictateth to us from heaven and presenteth to thee for us in heaven Lord for his sake helpe us give us true and hearty repentance assure us of our sinnes remission and our discharge from the curse and rigor of the law
appearing meane time make us patient cheerefully to endure our trialls give us hearts rightly composed to wait all the daies of our lives till our changing come And now O gracious Father though wee are most unworthy to speake unto thee for our selves yet seeing thou hast commanded us to call upon thee one for another with promise that the prayers for the righteous shall be available if they be fervent so that they shall save the sick that thou wilt raise them up and if they have committed sinnes they shall be forgiven them we humbly pray thee for this our sick brother Lord assure him of his sinnes remission by the merits of Christ Jesus give him that peace of conscience and inward comfort of thy holy spirit which may manifest thy favour and mercy to him There is nothing impossible to thee which thou wilt doe heare therefore and have mercy on him only speake the word and blesse the meanes that he may be healed if otherwise thou hast determined thy holy will be done Lord who canst make all things happy to thy children give him patience meekely to beare thy fatherly hand remember whereof thou hast made fraile man consider his infirmity measure out his tryalls with that tender hand which best knoweth how to proportion the affliction to that strength which thy selfe hast given him O Lord God of all comfort leave him not comfortlesse but as the outward man decayeth strengthen the inward suffer not the malicious tempter to cast down or shake his confidence in Christ Jesus let not the sonne of violence come neere him as thou hast all his life time from his mothers wombe unto this present given thyne angells charge over him to pitch their tents about him so be pleased in this time of tryall to open to him the eie of faith whereby he may cleerely perceive that they are more and stronger with him then can be against him send the holy spirit the comforter to his afflicted soule to bring to memory and apply all these gracious promises which thou hast made thine elect Blessed Jesus who hast therefore taken our fraile nature on thee that thou mightst have experience of our miseries who best knowest what it is to dy having in thyne own death and bitterest passion overcome death and him that had the power thereof to deliver us from sinne and destruction the bitter fruite and effect therof now appeare his comforter assuring him of his interest in thy sufferings give him such a sense of thy mercy that the gates of hell may never prevaile against it such experience of the life of thy spirit and power by which thou didst rise againe from the dead that hee may certainely know that his Redeemer liveth and shall at last shew the same power in his resurrection in which he shall with the rest of thine elect at the voyce of the last trumpet be raised from the dust of the earth to meet thee in the clouds of heaven to see thee with those now languishing eyes which must at and to the appointed time be cloased to sleep in thee that hee may rest from his labours And now O Lord who hast hid from us the houre of our dissolution that we might alwaies expect thee let thy good spirit which sleepeth not set a carefull watch over every one of our soules that we may never sleepe without oyle in our lamps but be ready at thy appearance to enter with thee into thy kingdom where all sorrow shall cease in the fulnes of joy faith in the fruition of thy promises and this state of misery and corruption in a never ending life of glory and immortality Lord heare and help us Lord grant us these requests and whatsoever else thou knowest more needfull what thou hast promised or we should aske for thy Sonne Christ Jesus sake in whose words and mediation we conclude our imperfect prayers Our Father which art in heaven c. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Thanksgiâ—ing for health recovered O Lord God gracious and mercifull aboundant in goodnesse and truth heaven and earth sound out thy praise all thy creatures tasting of thy providence and preservation praise thee and what have I more to present thee with them what can I lesse then my humble and hearty thanks for thy tender mercy toward me whom thou hast therefore delivered from sicknesse and sorrowes of death that I might yet live to glorifie thy name among the living and for the comfort of others to declare what thou hast done for my poore soule how thou hast raised me by casting mee down and healed me by wounding an afflicted conscience with a terrible sense of thy severe judgements how thou didst sanctify my sicknesse by giving me an heart to looke up to thy fatherly hand which smote me to acknowledge my sinnes for which thou correctedest me to repent me of the same assured of thy mercy in Christ Jesus to resolve and vow to forsake all my sinfull waies to doe a more holy and faithfull endeavour to serve and please thee And now O Lord I humbly pray thee enlarge my heart and tongue to praise and glorifie thy holy and great name all things are of thee and what can any creature give thee but of thine owne hand Lord give mee that sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving which may be acceptable to thee that I may henceforth not onely speake but live thankefully and holily before thee that I may pay my vowes which I made in my distresse and feare so that it may be good for me that I have beene afflicted that I may in all temperance and godlinesse make a right use of health restored me and of the daies which thou addest to my life to thy glory and the comfortable assurance of my conscience both in life and death That thou who hast begun to shew mercy maist be pleased to continue the same in thy gratious preservation of me so that at my last houre which thou hast appointed me the former experience of thy mercy may give me a sound hope and full assurance that thou wilt keepe me unto and in my end that when this house of clay shall be dissolved I shall rest with my Saviour Jesus Christ untill the time determined to raise the dead in him to the life of glory in which our Forerunner now sitteth at thy right hand to whom with thee O Father of mercy and God of all consolation and the holy spirit bee rendred all honour praise and glory in Heaven and on Earth for ever and ever AMEN A Prayer for the sicke of the Plague O Allmighty God great and terrjble in thy judgments yet of infinite mercy and compassion to those who truly seeke thee wee humbly acknowledge that not only this plague wherein thou now afflictest this land is due unto our sinnes but also allother thy severe judgments to our destruction and desolation and to whome shall we seek for helpe but to the whome we haue so continually
read hee cast himselfe into the sea what ever other speculations they had with Adrian Caesars uncertainty what should become of the soule after death there could be no solid and true comfort in it nor can any thing be so infallible as to comfort an afflicted soule in death but that onely which God saith where that pronounceth blessed are the dead their spirits rest in Christ they shall rise againe and see God in the same flesh we may rest assured of those comforts heaven and earth shall passe away but no tittle of Gods Word shall faile 10 Repent and turne unto the Lord quickly deferre not with the foolish virgins untill the bridegroome come it will be too late to knocke when the doore of mercy is shut up remember that profane Esau sought the blessing too late he that hath promised mercy to the penitent hath not promised thee to morrow nor to give thee an heart to repent then Fly youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2. 22. but as the Angell said to Lot going out of Sodome Genes 19. 22. Hast thee now while thou art in health fly from the wrath to come in death thy slight will be heavy after death impossible the evill thou wilt not now fly thou canst not then those things which thou here committest with delight shall there follow thee with revenge Ever feare least this day may be the last because thou art not sure thou shalt live to morrow how many seeming healthfull how many young and strong hast thou knowne sodainly taken away If thy youth be past in sinne yet amend thy age Happy shall he be who under the stroke of death can with the penitent theefe turne unto the Lord. 11 So ever behave thy selfe towards men that thou needest not be ashamed to live longer and so make thy peace with God that thou maist not feare to dye As dying Ambrose said because we have a good God Knowing the strict examination of Gods justice he saith he trusted in the good God not in any merits of his own though men knew nothing of him whereof he might be ashamed It is an happy temper of the minde wherein we neither wish nor feare to dye The misery of the unbeleever is that being weary of life he is yet afraid of death Only assurance of thy sinnes remission and eternall salvation in Christ can give thee comfort against and in death seeke thy peace with God through him To comfort our selves in our deare friends death the rule is that we sorrow not as men without hope sorrow we may that is humane sorrow hath its place in man and justification in Christs teares at Lazarus grave but it must hold a mean the Saints have mourned for the dead but moderatly and not without the resolution which David expressed 2. Sam. 12. 23. I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me least too much affection should be mistaken and piety toward the dead misconstrued by unbeleevers for dispaire in God The apathie of Pericles Zenophon and others in their sonnes deaths are not examples for us The meanes to comfort herein is 1 To consider and firmely beleeve that they are but gone before us they are not lost that the living body which thou now sowest with teares shall rise againe with joy a glorified creature that we shall meet in heaven and never part againe and that with greater advantage of love and perfection the most perfect secular amity hath some bitternesse because the best have some imperfection but there shall bee nothing in friends to grieve and discontent each other because no sinne nor imperfection Now if wee are indeed confident of such a resurrection why should we bewaile the dead Why too much if we believe they are not lost Why should wee impatiently take it that they are withdrawne for a time whom we beleeve returning to eternity Why should we immoderatly grieve that our friends goe before us seeing wee must quickly followe them 2 To consider that thou lamentest thine own losse not thy good friends wherein as I said thou shouldst rationally rejoyce rather that thou hadst such a one then mourne that hee is gone to God could the deceased Saint for whom thou grievest but heare and speake from heaven to thee what would he else say then that which our blessed Saviour going to overcome death by dying said to the daughters of Jerusalem weepe not for mee but weepe for your selves They need not ever sorrow who are arrived there where there can be no sorrow 3 To consider what state wee have in any thing secular and for what terme what canst thou so call thine as being certaine thou shalt enjoy it one day more and shal we for want of wisedome to hold these temporall blessings with a loose hand ready to let goe when God will resume make them bitter to us also did our deare friends qualities therefore delight us when they lived with us that their memory might afflict us when they are deceased Telamon and Anaxagoras knew but they had mortall children and shall not wee know that our immortality is not here but in the world to come It is a shame to Christians if their faith come short of others infidelity Heathens could say that we ought not to bewaile that death which immortalitie followeth that the deceased lived a more happy life that the soule is divine and heavenly how unexcusable is it for us to thinke the Saints were made for earth onely and to be imprisoned in these houses of clay for ever They condemned immoderate sorrow for the dead how doe we bewray our carnall dissidence or perverse affections in our excesse when we grieve for them who are incomparably more happy then we They stand on the blessed shore expecting our arrivall from this sea of glasse mingled with â—ire And who can say that those new inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem doe not daily looke for us among the happy soules as Joseph and Mary sought Christ at the earthly The old Massilians buried their dead without mourning The Easterne people with musick some bewailed their births and rejoyced in their funerals others crowned their dead as then victorious it is enough to comfort us concerning them did not flesh and blood beare too great a part that God pronounceth them blessed There are three things which are counted sorrowes lenitives Time Reason and Religion the first will prevaile to asswage sorrow even in bruits The first and second in carnall men and why then dost thou immoderately mourne who hast the helpe of religion the comfort of knowledge and Gods oracles to allay thy griefe Why should not rather sanctified reason then time asswage thy sorrow To conclude remember these three things 1. That it is no extraordinary thing to loose a deare frrend and why then should'st
be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde let nothing be done through strife If yee have any part in the communion of Saints hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace if there be envy malice contentions schismes factions and discords 't is an ill signe of your interest in this holy communion God's sonnes are peaceable all that are guided by his spirit who is Love love and care for each other as the members of the body mutually defend and hide the blemishes of their fellowes 2. Be compassionate if one member suffer all grieve because they are animated by one soule and is it possible that any man should make himselfe beleeve that the spirit of Jesus hath quickned him who not only remembreth not but malitiously promoteth the affliction of Joseph 3 Forsake not holy assemblies where Gods word soundeth and his honour dwelleth 'T is a delusion of Satan who advanceth his throne most in our divisions which maketh men prefer private prayers and exercises before the venerable publike 4 Unite to holy societies and with draw from evill company 't is very dangerous to have society with the wicked Jehoshaphat found it so what makest thou in the way to Egypt said the Prophet The wisest Solomons hazards were from evill company have no fellowship with them saith the Apostle In the society of the holy there is good even to the wicked sometimes for their sakes Potiphers house prospered for one good Josephs sake the ships company were saved for one Paul how much more are the Saints advantaged by their holy communion Begin thy heaven on earth having society and communion with the Saints here or thou shalt never have the happinesse thereof hereafter 5 Be thou holy if thou wilt be of this society you knowe in worldly leagues 't is parity of manners which begeteeth amity like loves his like get on the wedding garment if thou wilt rejoyce with the invited If we say wee have fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we ly and doe not know the truth Saul among the Prophets became a proverb of a prodigie The Nethanims joyned themselves to Israel but when they returned they could not finde their pedegrees and therefore were diffranchised as hypocrites shall be from the elect there 's no admission of any thing uncleane into heaven no wealth can purchase entrance but only sanctity if Simon had the Indies to morgage he could not enter 6. Let it comfort thee in thy sufferings feare not they are more with thee then against thee in every distresse thou partakest of the sweet odours ascending up into Gods holy presence the prayers of the Saints if one Moses by standing in the gap could divert the plague raging among the people what shall not many thousands doe for one afflicted man We will goe with you said they in the prophesie for wee have heard that God is with you God is with thee in all that thou dost said Abimelech and Phicol to Abraham therefore they thought themselves happy to have a covenant with him what ever thou sufferest they share with thee and intercede for thee CHAP. IX Concerning Remission of Sinnes § 1. Of the necessitie hereof to whom it belongeth it is the summe of the Gospell § 2. Rules hereto appertaining THE second benefit which God bestoweth on his Church is remission of sinnes which is a free pardon of all their transgressions so that God will never impute them remember or charge them upon any of those who are justified by faith in Christ. This is an article of great necessity to be beleeved for what could communion availe us if a free remission of our sinnes did not acquit us of a due condemnation Without this what could we be but a wretched condemned society What ever we else beleeve concerning Christ the Saviour without this wee were no better then excluded Virgins with oylelesse lamps then Judas amongst the Apostles sonnes of perdition This remission is when God forgiveth faults and punishments neither imputing the one nor executing the other not onely some sinnes but all as 't is written Thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the depth of the sea and Psal. 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities who healeth all thy diseases 'T is true that sometimes the chastisement lasteth longer then the imputation of the fault so when the Prophet had said to David repenting the Lord hath put away thy sinne yet hee could not prevaile for the life of his child neither did the sword depart from his house but this was a fatherly correction an healing not a punishment and David confessed as much 't is good for mee that I have beene in trouble and it standeth good by reason that God remitteth all sinnes if any for seeing he that breaketh any one commandement is guilty of all if God retained any one sinne unremitted the whole debt must be charged upon the sinner This was that which Christ declared to Simon in the parable of the two debters one owed 50. the other 500. pence and when neither had to pay the creditor equally forgave both 2. This benefit is peculiar to the elect the Church the people that dwell therein shall have their iniquities forgiven they onely are the redeemed of the Lord all others out of Christ are in the gall of bitternesse having no part nor fellowship herein there is no other name under heavenby which we can be saved he was delivered for our offences by his blood we are redeemed the Paschall lambe belongeth onely to this house herein however the grace of God is given in diverse measures remission of sinnes is equally bestowed on all the Saints 3. This great benefit is the summe of the Gospell proclaimed by John Baptist given in charge to be preached to all for this cause God sent his onely Sonne into the world to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sinnes in him we have redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of sinnes To this point appertaine these rules 1. That we despaire not in respect of the greatnesse of our sinnes how great soever it be it is farre lesse then the infinite merit of Jesus Christ whose blood cleanseth us from all sinnes though your sinnes be as scarlet twice dyed in originall and actuall transgression they shall be white as snow there were many who went out of Christs presence very happy some restored to sight some to hearing some to health some dispossessed of uncleane spirits some restored to life 't was true of him what was said of Caesar hee sent none away sad the yong rich mans owne fault dismissed him so but none more happy then her that heard goe in peace thy sinnes are forgiven thee let the spirit of truth say only this to my soule and in spight
in the inquest after that which they most hate and feare to finde the soules absynthium and overflowing bitternesse the scourge and torture of afflicted mindes really tormenting sometimes with imaginary evils ever with vain the devils master-piece and quintessence of his enyy to make the honorable and otherwise happy estate of matrimony which God appointed to be the greatest worldly comfort the most odious and unhappy Possibly therefore it may be called the spirit of Jealousie a worse never vexed mortall man 3. Now whereas the Drama in this unhappy scene is of two persons at least the rules of advice in this case must at least have a double addresse first to the jealous man or woman 1. Make not anothers sinne thine by a foolish and impious connivance at the basest sinne Hee that inhibiteth divorce in any other cause permitteth it in the cause of adultery and the Law sayed when the jealous man shall have set his wife before the Lord and justice shall be executed upon her then shall the man be guiltlesse from iniquity and the woman shall bear her iniquity 2. Be not rash least thou be injurious to the innocent It is an innate corruption to intend others faults rather then their vertues and to thinke that evill is which may be done hence cometh it that they who are evill themselves are commonly most jealous of others he that looketh through a yellow glasse thinkes all the world of that color Consider well if it be not thine owne guiltinesse which is the false medium casting that complexion on others which is indeed in thy selfe not in them 3. Give not place to the devil his malice is like those envious Philistims to cast dirt into the pure fountaines of humane propagation to make man and wife jealous of each other that by this venome hee may cause dislike and loathing there where God hath appointed the most strict and comfortable unity in the world Sometimes hee will aggravate the least suspicions to make the man or wife mad with reason rather then faile he will suggest some dream of that which never was sometimes hee will tempt the woman or man to meetings whisperings or some such â—ame behaviour and familiarity with others as may unhappily create suspicion in the good and prudent neither shall hee want the service of others mischievous tongues to foment and feed this malignant humor hee that said matrimony might be happy if the wife were blinde and the man deaf either did or might meane if the wife had not wandring â—ies nor the husband open ears to malicious reports 4. Consider the vanity of this evill be wise and know that all self-vexing is folly as all folly is self-vexing If with all thy care thou couldst doe any more then torment thy selfe there were some color for thy vexing thy selfe herewith but none can be chaste except she will the Heathens knew this Argus hundred eies cannot keep her safe who will be lost 5. If thy jealousie be causelesse what hast thou more to feare or vexe at except the levity and vanity of thine owne minde if just what hast thou to hate or malice assure thy selfe the adulteresse is unhappy enough there is no creature on earâ—h more despicable and odious nor is there any sinne in this life followed with so many varieties of plagues and judgements so that they are great objects of pity if all this a wounded conscience the devil's â—arnest to the impenitent and assurance of hell and damnation can make them so The second addresse must be to them who are suspected 1. Consider the odiousnesse of adâ—ltery out of all measure sinfull in the man who thereby sinneth against his owne body defileth the temple of the holy Ghost strikes through his own bowels with a dart of rottennesse and that which shall make him mourn in his end Beyond all this in case of impenitency which the wilfull presumer may justly suspect it is that whereby hee barreth himselfe from the kingdom of heaven there are yet som aggravations in the adulteresse crime hereby robbing her husband of his prosperity obtruding a base and adulterous issue and so stealing away his estate and inheritance by giving it to a stranger setting on an indelible character of dishonor and bastardy upon her childe who but for her impotent and ungoverned lust might have been noble an injury which she can never expiate nor impaire to the innocuous sonne with rivers of tears and streams of her infected blood this multiplied sinne is sometimes concealed from men but never from an all-seeing God who is a severe revenger of all injury Other sinnes are grievous yet neither lying stealing idolatry murder nor witch-craft can of it selfe dissolve the sacred bond of wedlock that onely adultery doth therefore no cause of 〈◊〉 is admitted by Christ but it And it is to be noted that when God would set out the loathsomnesse of idolatry which most diâ—pleaseth him hee calleth it whoredome and himâ—elâ— a jealous â—od And certainly though there be not now in use the bitter water can 〈◊〉 the curse and rotting of the thigh with swelling ensuing that antiquated ceremony yet the bitter morall and substance is still the same 2. Avoid all that which you know hath created you suspicion otherwise you are guilty if not of adultery yet of a just cause of jealousie Lysander punished one of his souldiers for going out of his quarter resolving that hee would have none of his look or goe out like a plunderer â—inah's idle visits proved her dishonor effusion of guiltlesse blood her fathers trouble and her brothers curse The wisest of men recordeth it as the mark of an harlot her feet abide not in the house now shee is without now in the streets lying in wait at every corner It was an Italian severity in Sulpitius and a disposition to part with his wife who divorced her for going out of doores bare-headed the Law said hee confined thee to mine eies and approbation not to please others The Romane Law noted any going out unvailed with the odious brand of adultery so carefull were they to avoid all occasions of that sinne or suspition thereof however foolishly strict they were I am sure Jerom's rule fore-noted is good whatsoever saith he may probably be feigned be thou cautious that it may not be feigned thou owest this to thy husbands love thine owne indemnity and honor and the right and credit of thy children A Prayer for the sanctification of our Thoughts O Eternal and almighty God Father of lights and of the first-born which are written in heaven the spirits of just and perfect men searcher of hearts and reines to whose all-seeing eie every creature is manifest every thought of the heart naked and open wee humbly pray thee to take from us our stony hearts and to give us hearts of flesh to subdue in us by thy omnipotent spirit the miserable remainders of the
same sometimes want of patience want of love to God and charity to men in fine such a general debility or distemper of the inward man that hee readily concludeth with Paul I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with mee but how to perform that which is good I finde not for the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death These are great maladies of the soule and wounds of the spirit but the sense hereof as I sayed is a good sign of a bad cause where these are and the sinner is not sensible thereof they are desperate Symptoms For comfort herein let us as was proposed in case of the precedent distresse consider 1. That the very same measure of grace which to the present sense of a regenerate man seemeth incompetent may yet be a sufficient measure to save him and he is then strong by the power of Christ resting upon him and shewing it perfection in mans weaknesse when crying out for God's assistance he is most weak in his own sense so in Paul's distresse the Lord thus answered his petitions My grace is sufficient for thee hee saith not it shall be as relating to a greater supply but it is sufficient as speaking of the present measure of grace which then hee had when hee seemed to himselfe weakest 2. That the saints present measure of assurance is such as that they must not only give diligence to make their calling and election sure that so an entrance may be administred to them abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of Christ but though it be God which worketh in them both to will and to do they must also work out their own salvation with fear and trembling 3. All unbeleefe concludeth not a reprobate sense there is an unbeleefe in the elect before and a perplexing remainder thereof after their calling yea in their best estate here why else did the Apostles pray Encrease our faith and why did our Saviour upbraid them with unbeleefe 4. That saving faith differeth in degrees so that there is a stronger and a weaker faith yet both true and justifying so do all other graces one hath a greater and more excellent measure of the spirit of prayer then another one hath a more discerning and attentive spirit of hearing then another and yet in either instance the least may be true and sufficient for to every man is given according to the measure of Christ one hath ten talents another but two yea in one and the same mans faith there is sometimes a greater sometimes a lesser measure of confidence and assurance and so wee must judge of other gifts sometimes there is more fervency in praier sometimes lesse the sun-beams fall not on us at all times alike neither doth the light of grace 5. That a true saving faith may be very weak and the beleever may have very little sense thereof for the time and yet the gates of hell shall never prevaile against it as may appear in Peter's example 6. That there are doubtings and failings in the best on earth because wee are here but partly spirit wee are not yet come to perfection faith here must receive contintuall encreases and be subject to tryals so must all other graces 7. That true faith can never never shall finally fall away or utterly faile though it be subject to intension and remission because Christ intercedeth for us as hee said to Peter Behold Satan hath desired that hee may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not because his grace by which wee are called and stand is immutable in the counsell and decree of God and because hereto wee are scaled up by the holy spirit of promise and the like wee are to judge of all the fruits of sanctification which being the gifts and graces of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as God repenteth not of neither finally with-draweth Wee must here againe examine the conscience I have spoken something concerning the examination of faith in the 2. Chap. but intend here onely those things which concerne this present Argument of comforting the afflicted soule aske thy conscience therefore whether 1. Thou hast indeed a true sense of thy spirituall wants and grievest at thy corruptions of heart which on every occasion breake out into acts of sin against God is this a grievous burden unto thee be comforted thy sin is out of it proper place a stranger unto thee for nothing in it owne place is heavy The danger is want of sense and taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse if a man feele not when hee is wounded hee is either dead or in some dangerous ectasie No part hath sense but the living though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole yet sense of smart in thy wounds concludeth life and indeed in God's cures who maketh all things work for the best to them that love him a better state in respect of the quiet fruits of righteousnesse accrewing to them that are thereby exercised and the ulcerous corruptions of our souls often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed then the secure prosperity of sinners it is good at the last for the saint that he hath been troubled When thou hearest or readest the Scriptures doest thou feele the want of saith assurance sanctification the spirit and fervency of praier be comforted as the sunnes eclipse and failing of light towards us can be discerned by no light but it own so neither can the want of grace be possibly discerned by any thing but grace 2. Hast thou an hearty desire to have these wants of grace supplied feare not that very desire of grace is grace without which thou couldst not desire it Blessed are they who doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled God will never famish that soul which desireth him and his saving health none can hunger but the living none hunger for grace but hee that liveth thereby but thy desire of grace must be hearty not languid such as cannot rest unsatisfied with any thing else in the world there may be a feeble or oblique appetiâ—e of salvation in Balaam for feare of damnation but hee more loved the wages of unrighteousnesse the most happy thirst for the waters of life is that which afflicteth the soule till it be obtained which can never rest or joy in any thing without it so that indeed this very condition which so much afflicteth and affrighteth thee is the most secure and happy and thou shalt once know that which hee said in the happy event of his unhappy ship-wrack Wee had perished if wee had not thus perished And when thou hast received the spirit of God in such
a measure as thereby to know the things that are freely given thee of God thou shalt finde that Blessed is the man whom the Lord chasteneth and teacheth in his law that hee may give him rest from his daies of adversity 3. In sense of spiritual wants aske thy soule whether ever thou hadst that whereof thou now feelest the want if thou hadst be assured it shall revive againe and finally overcome as it is written Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh our faith And this sense and sorrow is a certain token of thy recovery and soules health as that seven times neesing of the Shunamites sonne before hee opened his death-closed eies was of his lifes returning If thou never yet hadst the grace whereof thou now beginnest to feele the want it appeareth by this sense that now thou shalt have it and this trouble of thy soule is but as the moving of Bethesda waters a certain signe of an healing power descended thereinto 4. Aske thy conscience as the Prophet saith Hast thou not procured this unto thy selfe this of which thou complainest of hast thou not neglected the appointed meanes Suppose want of faith perplexe thee hast thou not carelesly heard the Gospel hast thou layed it up in a carefull heart hast thou valued it and begged it fervently and frequently of God above all things in the world Thou complainest of want of the spirit of praier hast thou not neglected this duety in times past doest thou duely prepare thyself thereto doest thou use that vigilancy which Christ enjoined Watch and pray by re-calling thy profane and wandring thoughts from their extravagancies and in all attention of spirit fixing them on Jesus Christ thou feelest the want of sanctification in thy heart tongue and actions Ask thy conscience if thou hast not heretofore buried the checks thereof for some vaine pleasure or profit's sake If thou wouldst have the effect cease remove the cause God will have his ordinances duely observed wherein they shall never want their promised effect 5. Ask thy conscience whether thou doest not live in some grievous sinne It is but folly to cry out of the heat and still cast oil on the fire if it be an Achan's wedge hidden search for the cursed thing and the plague in thine own heart in the cure whereof thou shalt be comforted if it be a sleeping Jonah cast him over-board as Eliphaz said If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put iniquity farre from thy tabernacles the Almighty shall be thy defence then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God thou shalt make thy praier unto him and he shall hear thee The rules of practice are 1. Heare God's word preparedly that is as hath been said renew thy repentance and pray for a blessing thereon heare it reverendly and attentively faith is by hearing so is sanctification Gods spirit working upon his own ordinance to make it active thereto The very cause why so many hear so often and so few so seldome practice and receive true comfort thereby is because they prepare not but are like men that sow among thorns 2. Let faith and all other graces be precious to thee for his sake whom it apprehendeth God will never bestow his inestimable gifts on men who sleight and undervalue them how few set a right estimate on precious faith the spirit of praier or memory of good things till it be too late things of this world are rated high enough but where is the man that riseth early late takes rest eats the bread of carefulnesse ventureth sea and land to get faith and sanctity doe but thou so value and desire these best gifts and God will not with-hold them from thee Psal. 84. 11. 3. Jesus said Hee that beleeveth in mee out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters that is the abundant graces of the holy Ghost labour for this faith but if thou wilt attain it endeavour to remove all lets and obstructions thereto resolution to continue in any known sin and true faith are inconsistent Hardnesse of heart is like the great stone on the mouth of the well at Padan-Aram which keepe men from the refreshing waters these must first be removed sin in the affections is like a venemous toad in the mouth of the fountain stopping up the waters of life 4. Consider God's work in thee by comparing thy condition with others thou art possibly not heard in thy prayers not to say Doest thou aske according to his will I say mark Gods work which is to save thee and make thee eternally blessed if he do that by a means which he knoweth best Wilt thou be impatient with Naaman if thou art not healed and helped according to thy way which thou proposest Is it not enough that hee will do that which is best for thee and canst thou judge so well of that as God nay but subject to God's good will and infallible wisedom thou maist erre in asking who hath not but hee cannot in giving for the best it may be hee seeth best to try thy perseverance patience whereof I confess I know no harder object then opinion of his not hearing our praiers It was no small tryal when David cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee why art thou so far from helping mee and from the words of my crying It was the greatest when our Saviour repeated the same Moses was denied entrance into Canaan but received into heaven the cup did not passe away from Christ but Gods will was done in the work of mans redemption and so hee was heard Thy faith beareth many sharp charges of the tempter mark Gods work therein Doth hee not even by this means more confirm it Is not every temptation as the shaking of the trees which loosning the ground maketh them take the deeper root thou feelest great defects of sanctification and thence many dubious conflicts between the spirit the flesh making thy soul cry w th Rebecca perplexed with her wrestling twins why am I thus despair not but consider Gods work thus he forceth thee often to fly to him and to consult his oracles thus hee exerciseth thee to humility without which the most excellent graces could not save thee He that prayed for Peter fallen could have kept him from falling into that sin but thus he kept him from presumption and fitted him to confirm his brethren 5. Begge holinesse of God who hath said Aske and yee shall have it is a vehement motive hereto to consider that God is holinesse and certainly hee cannot chuse but love his own image in us and give us that which hee loveth it pleased God that Solomon before riches revenge and life it selfe begged of him Wisedom so that he did not only grant his request but over and above gave him riches