asking his face and favour Paul tells you of your great need both of the shield of Faith that is defensive Armour and of the darts of prayer which is offensive Armour Ephe. 6. 16 18. Now this dart will not wound your Spiritual Enemies unless it be well-pointed steeled and sharpened with Zeal when the Souldier strikes with his full strength then doth he give his Enemy the Mortal wound Solomon saith what you do you must do with all your might Eccles 9. 10. you must much more pray the best of duties with all your might David danced before the Lord with all his might 2 Sam. 6. 14. surely he much more prayed with all his might he prayed and cryed with his whole heart Psal 119. 58 145. Sampson also bowed himself with all his might at the pillars of Dagons Temple Judg. 16 30. and surely had he not prayed with all his might likewise Ver. 28. he should never have been enrolled in that little Book of Martyrs amongst those great Favourites of Heaven Hebr. 11. 32. 24. You must therefore go forth in praying Work as the Sun in its strength Judg. 5. 31. and come as a Prince to God Job 31. 37. you should ask as a Son Isa 45. 11. as a Kings Son Judg. 8. 18. Jacob as a Prince had power with God and prevailed Hos 12. 4. and so should all the seed of Jacob do putting forth all the strength both of Soul and Body as he did in wrastling work Christ prayed so earnestly that he prayed himself into an horrid Agony so as to sweat clods of blood Luke 22. 44. Daniel prayed himself sick Dan. 8 27. and Nehemiah prayed himself pale Neh. 2. 6. Hannah also was so transported in prayer that old Eli thought she had been drunken 1 Sam. 1. 13 14. lastly Elijah put himself into such a posture of prayer as could not but strain all the strings of the heart he puts his head between his knees to pray 1 King 18. 42 45. and by this renting of his heart Joel 2. 13. so prayer is called and earnest prayer Jam. 5. 17 18. he procures the Key of Heaven to open and shut it at pleasure he prayed in his prayer as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports there was the prayer of his heart in the prayer of his Tongue or he prayed and the Spirit prayed too in his prayers according to Rom. 8. 26. while we make Intercession in our prayers the Spirit makes Intercession in and for us lastly he did not say his prayers but he prayed his prayer Thus must you set all your faculties and graces at work which all should be exerted and exercised in prayer do not poure out your Speech only but your Spirit also into your Fathers bosom Rom. 1. 9. then only is it an heart-transforming duty Luke 9 29. and then also thundrings comes out of the Temple Revel 11. 19. then breaks he Mighty Arrows Psal 76. 3. 25. Thus must you be Instant in prayer as well as constant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies extension First of the duty Secondly of the affections in the duty Act. 26. 7. serving God Instantly with a vehement extension of Soul and you must continue instant Rom. 12. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constant as well as instant a Metaphor from hunting Dogs that give not over the game till they have got it all along pursuing it with their utmost strength and skil The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same Root Eph. 6. 18 signifies invincible constancy or continuing in utmost strength So Col. 4. 2. you must not only be constant in respect of the time of your prayer but also be instant in respect of the strength of your affections you must keep up your heart upon the Wing of elevated affections desiring with David that your raised frame may be kept for ever upon your heart 1 Chron. 29. 18 when Divine wings are given you as Revel 12. 14. and you have a Divine wind the breathings of the Spirit in your Divine wings as Zech. 5. 9. then keep in the wind and upon the wing you may not flag and flatten in the duty If the world whisper in your Ear or if the tempter jog you on the elbow Answer them both as Nehemiah did the Adversary I am about a great work and I cannot attend you Neh. 6. 3. why should the work cease while I come down to you a Bell may be long in Raising but when once at the height it Rings most Tuneably but all the difficulty and skill is to keep it there that it cease not before the time 26. In a word as prayer is your Embassadour to Heaven so it must be accomplished as an Embassadour 1. It must be the Action of your Soul bodily exercise profits little 1 Tim. 4. 8. much Action and little affection availes not Soul-prayer when 't is alone is accepted but wo to Body-prayer when 't is alone Soul-prayer is necessary and Body-prayer is comely for you are to glorify God with both 1 Cor. 6. 20. you must lift up your heart Psal 25. 1. as well as your hands to your God 2. Not only your Soul must be in it but an intent Soul your heart-strings screwed up to the highest note Thus prayer is called a striving to an Agony as the Greek word imports Rom. 15. 30. and a wrestling so Rachel wrestled with God in prayer as well as her Husband Jacob Gen. 32. 24. Gen. 30. 8. with great wrestlings she obtain'd a Son and called him Napthali i. e. my wrestling every mercy you win by wrastling in prayer you may name it Napthali my wrastling 3. You must pray with your understanding as well as with your affections 1 Cor 14. 15. otherwise 't is but Barbarisme you bring to God and Psal 47. 8. you must understand your wants and your weaknesses and have the sense of them upon your heart This will make you cry and cry loud and your Soul will follow hard after God and his mercies Psal 63. 1 8. 4. Be clothed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. walk humbly through the work of prayer Micah 6. 8. Come in forma pauperis Thus did Abraham Gen. 18. 27. the Centurion Matth 8 8. and the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 27. Content with Crums if she may not have bread and content to be a Dog so she may be but Christs Dog 5. In faith Jam. 1. 7. you aske and miss because you aske amiss not beleiving that as Gods love mov'd him to make the promise so his truth binds him to perform it 6. By the help of the Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Mary would not serve alone she would have Martha's help Luke 10. 40. So you must have the help of the Spirit being all infirmity in your self you must go forth in his strength Psal 71. 16. get his hands on your hands and heart as 2 King 13. 16. to draw the bow of prayer and leane on him Cant. 8. 5. not on self Prov. 3. 5. 27.
of Honour from them Deo servire est regnare saith Augustin And David accounted it a greater honour to be Gods Servant then to be Israels King Psal 18. Title The great God is the most honourable Master who Employs his Servants in this most honourable work and will undoubtedly pay them with the most honourable wages even with an hundred fould in this life and in the World to come with life everlasting Mark 10. 30. I have no cause to doubt but that you are both of you already true Spiritual Pilgrims in this Divine walk and work And I cannot but be confident that you both do Ardently affect what soever may promote your Progress herein O that my poor Labours might contribute any thing to further your passage If but some few steps I could then wish every word were Ten every line a Leaf and every Leaf a Volum and that both my Tongue and my Pen might have ten-fold more of the Divine tincture upon them to be serviceable to you thereunto Your God and the God of your Fathers hath already done singular things for you and therefore he doth expect singular things from you Math. 5. 47. Where the Husbandman bestows his greatest cost there he expects his largest crop Your Trading and your Talents should be proportionable to whom much is given of them much is Required Luke 12. 48. I beseech you therefore as ye have received how ye ought to walk and to work in this paradise of christianity into which the second Adam hath graciously restored you as the first Adam cast you out in himself from thence so ye would abound more and more 1 Thes 4. 1. According to the Divine directions herein presented you That ye may follow the foot steps of your Father Abraham who followed God blind-fold when called as you have been out of one Land into another Heb. 11. 8. That ye may be called at last from Earth to Heaven in Soul and Body as ye are already in Spirit after ye have walked out your generation-work in Abrahams steps to be safely lodged in Abrahams bosom that the blessing of Abraham may come upon the hearts of your Son and Daughter and of their seed for ever and that your Walls and theirs may be continually before the Lord of the whole Earth Isa 49. 16. All this is the unfeigned desire and hearty Prayer which shall never be wanting of Your Worships sincerely and thankfully Devoted Christopher Nesse To the READER Candid and Christian Reader HEre I present you with the Walk and Work of a Christian upon Earth till he get to Heaven Wherein 1. Observe the matter And 2. The method hereof 1. The matter is twofold 1. Your Walk and 2. Your Work 1. As to your Walk there be three remarkable phrases in the holy Scriptures that all concern your Christian Walk 1. A walking with God 2. A walking before God And 3. A walking after God The first was that Walk of Enoch who is said to walk with God Gen. 5. 22 24. as a man walks with his friend with whom he is well agreed Amos 3. 3. hand in hand and heart in heart aequis passibus in equal pace and equipage And this he did not only for an hour or a day or a week or a month or a year but for 300 years Alas we can neither watch with Christ nor walk with God for the space of one single hour Mat. 26. 40. The second was the Walk of Abraham who is bid to walk before God Gen. 17. 1 that is to set himself evermore solemnly in Gods Presence as having the great God always in his Rear his Lieutenant-General and for his rereward Isa 52. 12. Thus the people of the God of Abraham had the cloudy pillar behind them in their passage through the red Sea Exod. 14. 19 20. where Jehovah himself brought up the Rear of 600000. Now to know that you are ever under Gods eye and ever before him this must needs make you walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurately Eph. 5. 15. and not to take up one foot until you know where to set down the other walking exactly by line and by rule and as it were in a frame footing it rightly and uprightly as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Gal. 2. 14. striving to get to the very top of Godliness The third was the Walk of Israel who were commanded to Walk after the Lord Deut. 13. 4. as after the Captain-General of their salvation Heb. 2. 10. Thus the pillar of glory went before them through the wilderness and they followed after it in all their removes Exod. 13. 21 22. Thus Caleb with a better Spirit than that of the World walk'd after God fully Numb 14. 24. as the needle doth after the Load-stone that draws it Cant. 1. 4. Joh. 6. 44. you walk after a good guide while you walk after your good God and in so doing you cannot easily wander in this wilderness of the World This will be a blessed Antidote to you against cursed Apostacy 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. and thus God must be your All and in All Col. 3. 11. he must be with you before you and behind you also that you may be as a Ship under Sail carried end-ways strongly by a favourable Wind and fearing neither Rocks nor Sands in the River of Gods Paradise Psal 46. 4. Gen. 2. 10. to 15. This same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Revel 10. 9 10. Or little Book is a rude draught or Plat-form or Land-Skip of the Gospel-garden of Eden the true Spiritual Paradise of pleasure the sublimest Spring-garden of Scriptural-Holiness wherein you have not only pleasant Rivers as above but also delightful walks far surpassing the best gardens and galleries that can be found in this Chabul 1 King 9. 12 13. or dirty world Herein you are directed not to be Idle nor to stand still but to go forward as walkers do and to walk Arm in Arm as it were not only with God but with his holy Angels Zech. 3. 4 5 7. Mat. 22. 30. Isa 57. 2. And that not in one walk only but in many Delectable walks whereof this blessed Paradise of Piety consisteth insomuch that as the laborious Bee in a fruitful field of fragrant Flowers when Tyred with one Flower flyeth to another even so you when wearied with one walk or duty for you may be weary in it when you are not weary of it then may you pass to another without nauseating upon any one only you may walk Orderly out of one Ordinance to another Secondly as to your work which is as the walk the best work in the World though it be least minded by the World 't is a work wherein you serve the most honourable Master that employs his Servants in the most honourable work and will reward them with the most honourable wages to wit with an hundred fold in this life and in the world to come again with life everlasting Mark 10. 30. yea 't
is a work that is wages to it self as you will find within Psal 19. 11. In as well as for keeping Gods commands there is great reward 'T is verily as the work of glorified Saints and of glorious Angels it being of the same nature with theirs whose work is their wages O then you may rationally conclude with your self from hence What a shame it is that I who am created to an Eternal being and that do possess an Immortal Soul should spend 20. 30. 40. or 50. Years in Vanity if not in Villany all the time wearing the livery of a cursed Master being a Slave to Sin and Satan and never look up to God the best Master and the Supreme good Alas you may hop from Mountain to Hill Jer. 50. 6. And go Satans round Jab 1. 7. yet find no rest with Noah's Dove for the Soles of the Feet of your Soul until you come to the Ark of this blessed work your Soul is Created with such vast Capacities as nothing bears proportion either to ' its being or to ' its wants below God no Created being hath Room enough in it to entertain so ample and so endless a guest 't is of such unlimited desires that nothing but the Immortal God can satisfy an Immortal Soul Secondly Observe the method which is first general in the whole duty of Man to God this is held out in those three general Names 1. Of godliness 2. Of Religion 3. Of Christianity Together with the necessity of each then Secondly you have more particularly the many good duties of Man to God both personal and relative Treated upon and that with as much perspicuity and plainness as so little a Book would admit of If you meet with any passage that seems obscure ascribe it to the Curtnes of my stile who indeavours to say much in a little and after some acquaintance herewithal with a little pondering you will be able through grace to understand the darkest Sentence If you desire direction in natural and civil Actions c. As well as in Religious I refer you to my little piece called the Crown and glory of a Christian If either in that or in this any thing may be blest to your Soul and bring you further of from Sin and nearer God which is the best thing in the World Psal 73. 28 both for Living and Dying let God have all the glory for the gift how mean soever bestowed on me how unworthy soever 2 Cor. I. II. And let me have the Relief of your Prayers for further abilities and your faithful Improvement of those poor performances which I commend to your Candour and your Soul to God and to the Word of his grace Subscribing my Self to be Yours in the best Bonds Christopher Nesse London this 10th of April 1678. Short Rules for your general Direction Let your Thoughts be Divine Awful and Godly Talk be Little Honest and True Works be Profitable Holy and Charitable Manners be Grave Courteous and Cheerful Dyet be Temperate Convenient and Frugal Apparel be Sober Neat and Comly Will be Ready Obedient and Constant Sleep be Moderate Quiet Seasonable Prayers be Short Devout and Frequent Recreations be Lawful Brief and Seldom Mind be Suitable to your Means Memory be Of Death Judgment and Glory Conscience be Void of offence to God and Man Task be Always doing or receiving good Conversation be In Heaven while your commoration be on Earth Latter-End be That of the Righteous Hopeful in the Lord not Hopeless in Sin A well-wish to your weal in both Worlds Utinam Saptres Praeterita Malum Commissum Bonum Omissum Tempus Amissum Intelligeres Praesentia Vitae Brevitatem Salvandi Difficultatem Salvandorum Paucitatem Praevideres Futura Mortem quâ nihil inevitabilius Judicium quo nihil terribilius Infernum quo nihil intolerabilius I wish you would First make a wise use of things past to wit evil committed good omitted and time lost and gone Secondly consider things present to wit the shortness of life the difficulty of Salvation and the fewness of those that are to be saved Thirdly Foresee things to come to wit death than which nothing is more unavoidable the day of Judgment than which nothing is more terrible the pains of Hell than which nothing is more Intolerable A Christians Walk and Work on Earth c. CHAP. 1. 1. YOU must know that Man is the master-piece of the Worlds ' Maker God calls as it were a Counsel in Heaven saying Let us make man Gen. 1. 26 Us all us the whole Wisdom of the Trinity was exercis'd in the making of Man The consultation and deliberation therein plainly demonstrates that there was then the bringing forth of a piece of work of greatest moment and importance and therefore what is said of Behemoth He is the chief of the ways of God Job 40. 19. may more eminently be said of Man he is the chiefest of the ways and of the works of God The Sun Moon and Stars are but the work of Gods fingers Psal 8. 3. But man is the work of his hands Psal 139. 14 15. Job 10. 3. 8. Hence David speaking of Man first wonders and then speaks and when he hath done to speak he hath not done to wonder Psal 8. 1. 9. 2. Every Creature of God is indeed a wonder yea little Creatures those Decimo-sexto's of the Creation are great wonders as well as the great Behemoth and other large Folio's thereof for the infinite Wisdom and Power of the Creator is manifest in couching up both life and motion in such a little compass as in Insects Flies Ants c. But Man is the greatest wonder as having the excellency of all other Creatures in him he is the abridgment of all wonders You believe that God is a Spirit and you see that the World is a Body Man is an Epitome of both 1. Of God in respect of his Spirit And 2. of the World in the composition of his Body as if the great Jehovah on purpose to set forth a plain mirrous of himself and his work designed to bring into this one narrow compass of Man both the infiniteness of his own nature and the vastness of the whole world all together 3. The soul of Man resembles the circumference of Heaven as being everywhere over the little world his brain the Sun that gives light to this little world and the senses stand round about it as so many Stars His heart represents the Earth in its Center his liver is as the Sea from whence flows the blood in all its circulations the like correspondency you may easily imagine in all other parts too long to particularize Hence is it that Tertullian calls the World a great Man and Man a little world Man the Microcosm is Gods Text as it were and all other Creatures in the Macrocosm or great world are as so many plain Commentaries upon that dark Text. 4. You may learn a little further herein if you would have yet more
Psal 45. 1. Hobr. in Divine Meditation Flies will not touch honey while it is Teething hot 2 For promoting good hereby you may obtain more familiar Acquaintance with your God and a more distinct understanding of your self both which are worth a Kingdom 2ly 'T is profitable to others for Meditation makes a Man a full Man it makes him accomplished to serve out his Generation and to be a blessing to every Relation round about him It fully furnisheth him for every good Work 1 Tim. 4. 15. 2 Tim. 3. 17. 9. As this duty is pleasant and profitable So 't is 3ly a necessary duty as necessary as chewing the Cud is to beasts of that kind and as a due retaining of food is to man as well as beast 't is a general Observation that such persons as do cast up their meat by vomit or cast it out by stoole as soon as they have eaten it be always ill-thriven persons for though the stomack may catch hold of some small parcel of the food and thereby maintain a life such as it is for a time yet is it no better then a life-less life 't is a life so filled with distempers that it becomes a burden to it self whereas when the food is retained and a due fermentation is wrought in the Stomach to a compleat concoction then is nourishment Ministred as Col. 2. 19. to all the parts which makes a strong healthy and well-liking constitution As it is thus in the life natural So 't is in the Spiritual Psal 119. 11. Luk 9. 44. Job 8. 37. Gods word hid and sunk in the heart that has a Room for it makes a thriving fat Christian 10. Meditation as it is a pleasant profitable yea a most necessary though much neglected duty is two-fold 1. Occasional 2. Appointed First occasional wherein all occurrences of Temporal objects occasionally met with affords you some Spiritual Considerations Note first this requires a Spiritual heart to make a Spiritual improvement of every Temporal object that Divine providence presents to your Eyes ears and outward Senses David made a profitable prospect of the Heavens crying Lord what is man Psal 8. and Christ at the Well of Shilo he who was Jacobs Shilo speaks there of the water of life Gen. 49. 10. Joh. 4. 10. c. A good heart makes every external object a Divine blessing the Husbandmans plowing sowing and reaping c. The Trades-mans buying and selling his weighing and measuring c. may afford you sundry Spiritual instructions And note secondly If you gain no more by them then a bare beholding of them with the Eye the very brutes gain as much as you If you content your self with a bare natural use of the Creature without a Spiritual Improvement thereof you get not the one half of that advantage by the Creature for which the Creator gave it you the Beasts of the field and the Birds of the Air have so much themselves you do not use the Creature as Lord of the Creatures so God made Adam Gen. 1. 26. unless you find your Lord in the Creatures 11. Every Creature preacheth to that Man in whom the Spirit of God first inwardly preacheth Note thirdly you never need to want matter if you want not an heart you may be cast into such a Condition as whereby you may be hindred from good Actions as by sickness Imprisonment c. But there is nothing in all the World save a naughty heart can hinder you from good Meditations go to the Ant O sluggard saith Solomon do you see how busy she is in the Summer to make provision for an hard Winter how much more ought you to concern your self in your Summer of health and strength before the Winter of death and Eternity come upon you do you behold the Spider in your window Spinning clammy threeds out of her own bowels and weaving cunning Webbs to catch and entangle the silly Flie laying snares for her life then consider with a sigh O how doth Satan all this and much more against my pretious Soul and all out of himself too though you had not a desperately wicked heart Jer. 17. 9. to assist him when he speaketh a lie he speaketh it of his own Joh. 8. 44. 'T is the Devils cursed disposition 't is as impossible for Satan to do good as it is for a Toad to spit Cordials 12. Note fourthly 'T is richly worth your Observation also that this Spiritual limbeck Divine Meditation doth not spoile the earthly Subjects that it extracts Heavenly Instructions out of as material limbecks do plants c. Put in them leaving them Sapless and useless save only for burning As the laborious Bee flies over a field of Flowers sucks Honey out of each of them yet leaves them all as fresh and as fragrant as before it found them So you in extracting Coelestial Meditations out of your Terrestrial Employments and Enjoyments which is the Sublimest Mellification in stead of hurting or hindring them you do verily both advance them and advantage yea enrich your self Note the fifth In a word you may not be like the foolish Child when you look on the Book of the Creature only to behold the gawdy Pictures and Babies therein or to gaze upon the gilded leaves and cover there of but you must mind your lesson that every Creature doth especially learn you the Stork Crane and Swallow know their Seasons Jer. 8. 7. the Ox knows his owner and the Ass his Masters Crib Esa 1. 3. and will not you learn from hence to know yours 13. As to your further improvement of the Book of nature with ' its 3. leaves of Heaven Earth and Sea I refer you to my Crown and glory of a Christian From Page 125. to 145. I now pass from occasional to Appointed Meditation which is the Souls setting of it's self apart silently and seriously to work out some profitable Meditations upon some chosen Subject out of its own heart throughly at a fit time and in a fit place thus Isaac went out into the field to Meditate as above Gen. 24. 63. That which concerns matter of knowledg for finding out truth doth chiefly belong to Students Schollars Ministers of the Gospel but matters of affection for inflaming our loves to God in Christ and for abasing our selves to a self-abhorrency this is of Universal concernment the work of every Christian 14. This blessed duty hath ' its beginning in the head but ' its ending in the heart 1. 'T is a pondering some Divine truth in your mind until you be well acquainted with it until you be seasoned with the Savour of it until it settle and take rooting in your Spirit until it beget in you good affections and fire your Soul in love to that truth 2. 'T is like the rubbing of a Man in a Swoon it as it were chases in the Oile of grace with a warm hand or rather with a warm heart 3. 'T is like the selvedge that keeps all the
you a worthless worm and wretch should hereby become not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Angels Matth. 22. 30. but even advanced above Angels for glorifyed Saints are Sons of the Kingdom when glorious Angels stand by as servants In a word all these love-tokens are such transcendent priviledges that they can never be enough thought on and admired no though you should think upon nothing else and that so long as your life shall last yea though you should live as long as the World shall last and therefore God hath appointed an Eternity in a better World where you shall have no other Employment but to ponder them and to praise God for them Singing Hallelujahs to him that sits upon the Throne for evermore 22. As you must thus Meditate on Gods works so secondly upon his word whether precepts or presidents or promises or Ordinances thereof all which have sweet Honey in them to the Divine Bee Your second Subject is concerning your self as David did when he Eat in his Pallace 2 Sam. 7. 14. Saying with an humble heart Lord what am I Not what am I not As Nebuchadnozzar did with an haughty Spirit as he sat in his palace Dan. 4. 29 30. Humble David who had neither an haughty heart nor a lofty Eye Psal 131. 1 2. hath exceeding high thoughts of God and exceeding low thoughts of himself he cannot name any thing bad enough to compare himself unto in his Lord what am I he saith not Lord what a great Monarch am I Or what a great Man am I But he saith I am a worm and no Man Psal 22. 6. I am a dead-dog or a Flea 1 Sam. 24. 14. Lord what am I O Imitate this Holy David as you sit in your House I am the least of Saints and greatest of Sinners Eph. 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. But take heed of Nebuchadnezzers self admiration who Trumpets out his own glory when none asked him the Question as if he had done all whereas Babylon was built above a thousand years before he was born and God that builds all Cities Psal 127. 1. had done nothing God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10. 4. he exalts self and excludes God 23. Your second step herein is progress which is more easy then the first As a Bird hath the greatest lift when she rises up from off the Earth but when once got upon the Wing then she mounts up aloft not only without much straining difficulty but with much sporting complacency then doth she sing out her Melodious note throughly so long as she listeth and liketh as likewise a Ship hath always the most difficulty to hale out of Harbour where many times she sticketh fast in the Mud but if once got under Sail and a fresh gale of wind sitting right for her O how she sports in the waters as the Bird doth in the Air and goes on gallantly towards her desired Haven yea even in a stormy and tempestuous Sea let her have but Sea-room enough and then she feares not to be driven by the storm either upon Rocks or Quick-Sands as 't is thus with Birds Ships so with Bells 't is hard to get them up when once raised then rung with ease and delight just so it is with your Soul in this Divine work all your difficulty is to get up from the low Earth upon the wing with the Bird of the Air and to get out of the muddy harbour with the Ship of the Sea under Sail if once set a float and forward bound under a fresh gale of the Spirit of grace O how merrily do you mount upwards with the Bird and how gallantly do you go end-ways towards the Cape of good hope with the Ship so that an entrance is administred unto you abundantly into the Heavenly Kingdom 2 Pet. 1. 11. as it were with Colours flying Drums beating Trumpets Sounding yea with top and top Gallant entring into your Masters joy Matth. 25. 21 32. 24. For furthering your Progress take these short directions 1. Direct when you have turn'd what you should not think on out of doors as Sarah did Hagar and taken in what is necessary expedient and profitable for you to Meditate upon then in Gods strength Psal 71. 16. you must view your Subject round about and observe all it's circumstances as well as it's substance thus the Psalmist counsels you that you may think the better upon the loving-kindness of God in the midst of the Temple to walk round about Sion and tell the Towers of it and mark well her bulwarks yea consider her Palaces c. Psal 48. 9 12 13. Until you fully and distinctly know all 2. Direct Then you must dwell upon it with your doubled and redoubled thoughts and fix your Meditation pondering it in your mind until it have a kindly influence upon your affections until it become a Rooted and Engrafted consideration Mountains are barren because the Rain of Heaven run's off from them but valleys are fruitful because it resteth there the Wolf greedily swallows his meat hair and all so all goes from him into excrements he presently voids all so makes all void and never fatteneth 3. Direct Retain therefore your Subject and duty till you find something of God in it dropping down upon your heart till you find Elijahs God in Elijahs mantle working wonders for you 2 King 2. 14. Let neither go without advantage 4. Direct When you have found God in your Subject and duty retain him some while as Abraham did the Lord Christ Gen. 18. 3 4 5. saying pass not away I pray thee from thy Servant but rest with me for a while c. O then are you an happy Son or Daughter of Abraham when you can thus engage the Lords stay with you in this Divine duty 5. Direct Forget not to retain your own slippery heart 't wil linger as Lot in Sodom If the Lord of Angels help you not Gen. 19 16. be oft crying O quicken this loitering heart Psal 119. 37. and O unite this treacherous heart Psal 86. 11. 25. Your third step is Egress when you have through grace brought your Divine duty to some profitable Issue then 1. take down your Soul by degrees and not all on the sudden 't is a dead Bird that falls down like a stone without hovering upon the wing as the living ones do as nature cannot endure any sudden alteration so nor grace Deus Natura non faciunt saltum God and Nature make no leaps 2. Direct When down review your whole perambulation wherein you have been enlarged be thankful and wherein you have been straitned be humbled 3. Direct Take heed of the cold Air of Tentation when warm'd by this work The sweating labourer sometimes sits down over hastily catches cold and dies of a Consumption be walking gently in musing still that this befal not you Of Prayer CHAP. IV. 1. PRayer follows Meditation as twins follow each other in their birth they both lay in the same
must find out that both by your own experience and by the Experiences of others It certainly availeth much though happily it availe not always God hath indeed said that the Children of Moab shall go into his Sanctuary to pray but shall not prevail Isa 16. 12. But he hath avowed before all the world that the Children of Sion shall not do so Isa 45. 19. They shall not seek the Lord in vain their Prayer shall be like Jonathans bow it shall never return empty God ever hears their Prayers always ad Salutem as Anstin saith though not ever ad Voluntatem he always hears their Prayers according to their well when he doth not hear them according to their Will 7. First the manner of Prayer Now that your Prayer may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a throughly-wrought effectual and available Prayer to work wonders in Heaven and Earth Jam. 5. 16. yea after a sort Omnipotent as Luther said take these following Directions for managing this duty aright first before duty as to the manner of it before in and after it First of those that are Antecedent or before Prayer Direct 1. You must be New born a New Creature until the Child be come out of the womb it cannot Cry no more can you Cry Abba Father so long as you are in the womb of a natural state Rom. 8. 15. God first accepts the person and then the Action or offering Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. your person must be accepted as Abel was and then your Prayer will be acceptable you must be Righteous in Christ 't is the Prayer of the Righteous that prevaileth Jam. 5. 16. as it is the Character of the unrighteous that they call not upon God Psal 14. 4. Paul was never said to pray till Converted from his Pharisaical State Act. 9. 11. So if at any time they do pray their Prayer is an Abomination Prov. 21. 27. and therefore 't is not accounted Prayer The long Prayers that Paul had while a Pharisee were not reckoned Prayer at all you must first be a Temple of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. and then you will be an House of Prayer for so the Temple is called Naturalists tell us of a Jewel that when put into a dead mans Mouth loseth all its Vertue So prayer a pretious Jewel in it self in the mouth of one that is dead in Sin hath no force nor efficacy God will not hear Sinners Joh. 9. 31. he will not take them by the hand Job 8. 20. Margin Hebr. and Geneva Biblt 't is but a Multiplying lies daily Hos 11. 12. a compassing God with lies to call God Father when we are not his Children and while we are without Christ You must pass through the merits of the Son into the mercies of the Father 8. The second Direction before duty is prepare to meet your God in duty Amos 4. 12. The Jews had their preparation for the Passeover Joh. 19. 31. So should you have for prayer setting some time apart as well to prepare for Prayer as for prayer it self 't is coming to duty with a common Spirit and with an Ordinary frame of heart that makes us lose many a duty 2 Chron. 12. 14. Ezra did better then Rehoboam herein Ezr. 7. 10. the latter lost all the former sav'd all hereby Labour therefore your heart into a praying frame before prayer this is done by getting First the Majesty of the great God before whom you are going wrought truly and throughly upon your heart Consider seriously he is a great King Mal. 1. 6 14. and a God that will be Sanctified of all that draw nigh to him Levit. 10. 3. this may help you to a God sanctisying frame of Spirit David prepared with all his might why the reason is rendred The Temple was not to entertain man but God therefore must it be more Magnificent and he more exact in all preparations for it 1 Chro. 29. 1 2. Christ tells you he is gone to prepare a place even a Temple a Mansion of glory for you Joh. 14. 2 3. and will not you prepare a place for him in that poor heart of yours Consider also Secondly his purity that the God with whom you have to do in prayer is a God of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity Hab. 1. 13. he cannot look upon it but he must loath it he cannot behold it but he must punish it this calls for a reverential heart Psal 2. 11. Before him who is in Heaven and you on Earth Eccles 5. 2. cover your face if Angels do so that are holy and blessed Esa 6. 2. Much more you that live in an House of clay and drinks up iniquity like water Job 4. 19. 15. 16. Tremble to bring along with you any Sin unrepented of unpardoned lay aside all filthiness Jam. 1. 21. as the Serpent her poison when she goes to drink yet with this difference she after drinking reassumes it again you may not do so with the Poison of Sin when you have been drinking of the Rivers of Gods favour this is to return with the Dog to his Vomit 2 Pet. 2. 22. you must know it again no more Gen. 38. 26. nor have so much as a leering look towards it Psal 66. 18. much less allow of it or wallow in it 9. Would you have leave with God in prayer then leave Sin and that for ever you may not say concerning your Sins as Abraham did concerning his Servants and the Ass which he left at the foot of the Hill Gen. 22. 5. saying I will come again to you but you must take an everlasting farewel of your Sin when you come to your God and with David keep your self for ever from your Iniquity Psal 18. 23. and as he wash'd his hands in Innocency when he did compass Gods Altar Psal 26. 6. So must you wash your heart in that fountain that is opened Zech. 13. 1. Thus Ruth did wash and anoint her self before she went up to Boaz. Ruth 3. 3. and Esther purified and persumed her self for acceptance with Ahasuerus Esth 2. 9 12. and the Captive Damosel was to pair her nails c. Before she became a fit bride for an Israelitish Bed Deut. 21. 12 13 14. and the Rabbies say that a Man might not come into the Mountain of the House of God with his staff nor with his Shoos nor with his purse nor with dust upon his Feet hence Lavers were set at the door of the Tabarnacle for washing off defilements at their entrance thither Exod. 30. 18 19. and Bernard used to say at his entrance to his publick Devotion O wordly thoughts ad templi Januam manete vos stay ye here at the Church door alluding to Abrahams words Gen. 22. 5. and to Moses deed Exod. 3. 5. as above in Meditation Thus also Solomon saith keep your foot when you enter into the House of God Eccles 5. 1. that is look well to your affections those feet and out goings of the Soul
of prayer Sanctified the Gold and all other Materials and Utensils in it Matth. 23. 17. So this holy duty of prayer doth Sanctify all things 1 Tim. 4. 5. All Ordinances all Providences all Enjoyments all Employments prayer doth not only Gild them over but also turns them into the finest Gold So that to pray continually is to carry this Temple as Austin called it about with you at all times in all places upon all occasions and in all conditions yea all your life even to your very death this Spiritual breath must conterminate with your Natural For the last work of a dying Christian is to breath out this prayer Lord Jesus receive my Spirit 19. The fourth true sense of praying always and continually is the keeping of your heart in a praying frame continually so that upon all occasions that occur you may be lifting up your heart your thoughts and affections unto God whom you have set always before you Psal 16. 8. and darting out frequent Ejaculations to the Throne of grace Thus your Harp or heart should be ever kept in Tune for prayer as the Souldier hath his Armes ready by him and right fixed upon any Assault of the Enemy and as the fire in your guest Chamber it is always prepared though it do not ever burn or blaze out upon your friends coming to be blown up into a Flame thus you may pray when you do not set your self a-part to pray even in the works of your callings and besides your set Meals for your Soul in your Morning and Evening prayer called the continual Sacrifice Numb 28. 3 4. as well as for your body you have many other refreshing morsels to wit occasional Apostrophes and Ejaculations to nourish the inner man and to make it increase with the increasings of God through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1. 19. Eph. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. 20. Thus to pray continually quoties aliquid occurrit as Dr. Willet senses Rom. 12. 12. as oft as any thing falls out that calls for Divine assistance 't is not only your duty but your priviledge 't is like the herb All-heal an universal remedy against all diseases a choice yet a cheap Catholicon and Antidote both against the evil of sinning and off suffring This is the best and most blest Expedient to avoid dangers to overcome difficulties and to procure both safety and success in all your honest designs Thu Nehemiah before he opens his mouth to the King even in the Kings presence first opens his heart to God Neh. 2. 4. his sudden and secret Ejaculation he darted up to God for ordering his speech and speeding his Petition is called his praying to the God of Heaven and this was his frequent practice upon several other providences Neh. 5. 19. 6. 14. 13. 29. Thus Abrahams servant darted out desires to God that he might prosper in his Enterprize Gen. 24. 12. 26. Thus Moses cryed to God yet said nothing Exod. 14. 15. Thus Hannah was not heard yet prayed and thus wherever God sets you up an Alter you must be ready to offer Sacrifice crying either mentally or vocally Lord prosper me in this work Lord protect me in this Journey Lord direct me in this duty c. Thus Christ often did for you 21. The fourth Direction is your prayer must be earnest and intent or instant you must not only pray but cry Psal 130. 1. out of the depth have I cryed unto thee David crys there and in many other places unto God with his utmost strength out of the depth of his heart You must be servent in it as well as constant to it neither the frequency nor the fervency of prayer ought to be abated prayer is cal'd wrestling which requires your utmost strength as well as skill it requires the very strength of your affections you must be fervent in Spirit while you are serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. and be instant as well as constant in it Ver. 12. your heart must be seething-hot as the word there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies your heart must be boiling a good matter as Davids Psal 45. 1. in the Hebr. Reading this will be the best cure of wandring thoughts Flies sieze not on Honey while it boiles nor Beelzebub the Prince of flies upon your heart while 't is boiling any good matter in prayer God loves not cold prayers as some men love not cold dishes yea even lukewarm hearts are Nauseous to him Revel 3. 16. every offering that is of a sweet Savour is made by fire unto the Lord Levit. 1. 9 13 17. 'T is three times over every Sacrifice must have fire in it aswel as Salt Mark 9. 49. the fire of Zealous Devotion as well as the Salt of truth and sincerity yea the Sacrificer as well as the Sacrifice must have both those Ingredients Salt and Fire in him You must have the grace of truth Psal 51. 6. which as Salt must dry up those evil humours in you that would breed the never dying Worm and you must have the grace of Zeal which as fire must burn up those corruptions in you that otherwise would carry you to that unquenchable Fire Mark 9. 43 44. 45 46 47 48. 22. This blessed Spirit of burning so cal'd Isa 4. 4. that makes a true and through combustion among your fleshly corruptions must prevent you of everlasting burnings Isa 33. 14. as the Sun of the Firmament with ' its hot Beams will eat out the Kitchin-Fire that is upon the Hearth So this Coelestial Fire of Zeal and fervency for God in prayer which is indeed a warm beam of the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4. 2. will eat out the stinking fire of Sin that is in your heart This fire of Heaven will devour that fire of Hell Jam. 3. 6. in you a live-Coal must touch your heart as well as your lips Esa 6. 6. and you must be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 4. 11. Act. 2. 3 4. Elijahs Sacrifice had not only much water out of Kishon but also fire from Heaven to Render it an acceptable Sacrifice 1 King 18. 33 to 30. So you must not only have the water of godly sorrow and Gospel repentance but also the fire of Zeal and servent Devotion to make an acceptable prayer unto God The fire of Aetna and the water of Nilus are said to be the Hieroglyphicks of those choice Ingredients of a rightly compounded prayer God requires hot bread to be set before him daily 1 Sam. 21. 6. 23. The breath that a pair of bellows breaths out is cold breath and so is it not properly breath but wind accordingly cold prayers that are carelesly breathed out are not truly prayer but wind and vanity the breath of a living Man is not cold as bellows breath but warm the lack of servency is the loss of prayer God will be cold and careless in accepting and answering if you dare be cold and careless in
The last Accomplishment of this Embassadour to God is it must come in the name of Christ As prayer without the help of the Spirit is but the cry of the Creature the heart will fall down like the heavy hands of Moses Exod. 17. 12. If this stone of help your true Eben ezer be not underneath 1 Sam. 7. 12. So 't is no better then presumption if presented in your own name or in the name of any Saint or Angel Christ is the only master of Requests Joh. 16. 23 24 26. Eph. 3. 12. The old Testament Saints cryed in prayer for the Lords sake Dan. 9. 17. and the New Testament Saints cry also for Christs sake Joh. 15. 16. Upon a two-fold account 1. As he is the only purchaser of access to God we are afar off in the first Adam but brought nigh by the second Eph. 2. 13 14. putting on us his own Robe for acceptance 2. He is the only Mediator of the Church the keeper of the great Seal in Heaven 1 Tim. 2. 5. Joh. 6. 27 37. Joh. 17. 12. this is shadowed to you as 1. No man was to offer up his own Sacrifice but he must put it into the hands of the Priest to offer it for him Levit. 1. 15 17. burn it and bring it c. 2. Every loaf of shew-bread had a dish of Frankincense upon it to perfume it for acceptance Levit. 24. 7. 3. While the people were praying without Zechary the Priest was offering Incense within Luke 1. 10. 4. The brazen Altar for Sacrifice was placed before the Golden Altar for Incense to shew there is no admission for prayer as Incense till first Christ our Sacrifice give us our Entrance Exod. 38. 30 39 40. as Jacob got the blessing in the garments of the Elder brother Gen. 27. 15. to 29. 28. The second general is the matter of your prayer as before the manner of it to wit according to Gods will 1 Joh. 5. 14. now his will is known either by his precepts what he hath commanded or by his promises what he hath ovenanted or by his Prophecies what he hath foretold those must be the bounds of prayer or more briefly those three may be reduced into one for Divine precepts and Prophecies are propounded to us in the nature of promises and so the Divine promise is the ground of every right humane prayer where-ever faith finds a promise it turns that promise into a Prayer and then God turns his promise into a performance Now the Divine promise which is the Christians Charter I will be to you a God c. Hebr. 8. 10. and all are yours 1 Cor. 3. 22. is wide enough in the general and there is no Cause why we should desire 't is further Enlargement Besides there is no condition you can fall into but there is a particular promise to that Condition if the word of Christ dwell richly in you Col. 3. 16. So as to find out all those Herbs of grace that grow in the Garden of the Holy Scriptures 29. You are bid to be Sober in Prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. This is to observe Gods limits your Prayers must not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 childish and feverish or distempred Prayers to aske neither Illicita unlawful things nor Inutilia unprofitable or hurtful things you may not aske Serpents instead of fish nor stones instead of bread the Disciples asked fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans Luke 9. 55. and the two Sons of Zebedee asked the priviledg of sitting on the Right and left hand of Christ Matth. 20. 21. they all went beyond the bounds of a Divine promise asking they knew not what Ver. 22. as Prayer is 1. An Act of Adoration so the hallowing of Gods name is first to be prayed see and nothing else without Subordination to his honour 2. As 't is an Act of Impetration so your own good and the good of others 1 Spiritual and 2 Temporal the good things of the throne first and then of the foot-stool Judg. 15 16. understanding what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5. 17. and referring all to his wisdom Act. 21. 14. Matth. 26. 29. 30. Lastly the consequent duties after prayer be four 1 walk humbly 2 wait patiently 3 work diligently 4 wear thankfully what you win by Prayer First of the first walk humbly if you have been truly and throughly servent in your praying work you will be very apt to catch cold after it and therefore you must still keep walking after duty and cool not over hastily lest you catch a cold and so a Consumption as before in the Chapter of Meditation you should take down your Soul by degrees and not grow remiss all on the sudden by letting your Spirit run freely into the World immediatly after your warm conversing with your God For there is the danger of deepest withdrawments to humble you after you have had the priviledg of highest Enlargements to help you Cant. 5. 1 2. after the spouse had been most largely feasting with her bridgeroom the very next news we hear of her is that she was fallen into a Spiritual slumber you may suppose it was through the want of this care she over-suddenly cooled and so catched a Spiritual cold and had she not had a blessed Physician that was as willing as able to help and heal her she might have fallen into a Spiritual Consumption can you be thus wise for your body in preventing such a danger the worser part of you which you have in common with beasts how much more ought you to be thus wise for your Soul that better part which you have in common with Angels beasts have bodies as well as men and Angels are Spirits as men have Spirits O be not more careful of the beast then of the Angel in you 31. And you must walk humbly too after Prayer Pride often follow Prayer and the worst Pride after the best Prayer you cannot be ignorant of Satans devices working in your own heart 2 Cor. 2. 11. 't is the Devils Chymistry to bring evil out of good as 't is Gods Chymistry to bring good out of evil Beelzebub that Prince of Flies will Flie-blow your best performances and make you proud of your most Seraphical Prayers as if God were then in your debt for them whereas you have done no more then your duty in so doing and 't is no matter of merit to pay your due debt and duty Luke 17. 20. and when you have done all you can you are but an unprofitable Servant coming far short both of Gods glory and your own duty Hence ought you to reflect upon your own imperfections in prayer after Prayer how your heart hath wandred in your work Moses could not keep his hands steady in prayer 't is only proper to God to have his hand stretched out still nor you your heart the best of Men cannot undergo any long intention you may be weary in prayer when you are not weary of
madness as to make them take up Arms against Heaven it self as seeking to kill a man only because God had made him alive They listened as little to him whom they saw as to Christ whom they heard but sought to kill him also as well as Christ Indeed who can believe the Testimony of a mere Creature that will not believe the Testimony of the Creator himself So that Hell is to be escaped by hearing Luke 16. 29. Esay 55. 3. Hear and live 12. The deafness of mans ear to hear the word of God causeth Christ to sigh Mark 7. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sighed as if himself felt and fainted under the burden of mans deafness Until Christ say Ephphatha be opened and boar the ear Psal 40. 6. God may speak once and twice and man not perceive it Job 33. 14 16. There be three vices in hearing which Christ must cure you of before you can be attentive to the Word of God 1. There is a Carnosity on the Tympanum Auris A fleshie excrescence upon the drum of the ear this must be removed to recover natural hearing so Carnal affections to the World will make you Spiritually deaf to the Word until you be Circumcised in ear as well as heart by Christ Act. 7. 51. Jer. 6. 10. Thus Herods carnality with Herodias made him deaf to Divine Doctrine Mark 6. 17 18. 2. There is abundance of bad humours in the brain that make a noise within so that a voice cannot be heard without Intus existens prohibet Alienum The head must be purged of those Vapours before hearing can be quick thus the heart must be purged of Pride passion or prejudice c. Those bad humours that deafs man to God the Jews ears were waxen fat herewith that they could not hear Christs voice Matth. 13. 15. 3. The Organ is sometimes hurt by a fall this is certainly done to the Inner-man by the fall of the first man our hearing is wounded till Christ cast out the deaf Spirit 13. Your heart thus purged by Christ for Vnguentum pretiosum Vasi faetido non committitur pretious Ointment may not be put into an unclean Vessel when Christ hath wakened Esa 50. 4. and opened your Ear Psal 40. 6. then attend the word with your ear not as the Word of Man but as the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. with all due reverence and true affection looking beyond the instrument which yet God useth at the Authority and institution how the treasure is precious though in an earthen Vessel 2 Cor. 4. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Oyster-shells a bright Pearl may be found therein though contemptible in themselves by a Divine appointment that it should be so pleaseth God as before Therefore set your self Solemnly in Gods presence as Cornelius and his friends did Act. 10. 33. we are all here present before God to hear all things commanded thee of God and as the Corinthian Convert saw God in the Ordinance 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. when he found that it told him as once to the Samaritan Woman Joh. 4. 29. all that ever he did 't is a curious Critick Hebr. 4. 12. It finds and ferrets out secret Sins 14. Hereupon must you 1. Give your best attention to it your plus and your prius First and most as to a Divine Institution whereof God himself is the Author Christ himself the matter and Salvation it self of your precious and immortal Soul ' its end look well then to your foot Eccles 5. 1. as one that expects some blessed News from Heaven and concerning matters of greatest Importance Expecting that God will Magnisy his Word above all his name Psal 138. 2. and longing for a word in Season which will be to you as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11 20. yea looking upon the word as a part of Christs purchase and every Syllable thereof as it were written with his precious blood and therefore desiring not only to hear it but also to feel it and to taste of it that your heart as well as your hand may handle of the Word of life 1 Joh. 1. 1. 15. And 2. you must attend it often as often as you can redeem time from your other Employments to embrace such a blessed and golden opportunity the Reason is you will never find your heart in the same frame at the next opportunity that the Word left it in at your last audience of it This is the disadvantage of the Ministry above all other callings in the World a Minister of Christ never finds his work as he leaves it the Carpenter the Goldsmith the Potter and men of all callings find their work next morning as they leave it over-night but a Minister of the Gospel doth not find the hearts of his hearers the following Sabbath in the same frame as he left them in the foregoing he sent them away with warm hearts but they return to him again with cold hearts So that he hath a new fire to Kindle his Iron to heat again before it will be Malleable to the hammer of the word Jer. 23. 29. his wax that is now grown hard by lying in the cold to mollify again before it will take the Impression of the Divine Seal Rom. 6. 17. therefore doth he pray for this before he Preach you will assuredly and by wosul experience find your heart not as the materials in other callings abiding in the same frame and tenure as they are left but rather as the flesh of the Peacock which Naturalists say though Rosted over night will be Raw in the next morning pray then with David keep this frame for ever on me 1 Chron. 29. 18. when you are warm'd with the word and lay your Soul often under the droppings of the Sanctuary for reforming your affection as well as for Informing your Judgment Isa 28. 10. 16. Thirdly you must attend the word without drowsiness if you sleep at the word the envious one will be sure to sow his tares while you do so Matth. 13. 25. Remember Eutichus Act. 20 9. you may get a worse fall then he did you may fall from the high pinacle of profession to the low Pit of prophaneness from the third Heaven to the lowest Hell where you shall have no Paul to take you up and recover you did you ever see a Man sleep at his Markets and so goe home empty neglecting to buy the Provisions for himself and his Family that he came thither for Your errand to Gods Market for your Soul is or ought to be to buy the truth Prov. 23. 23. O go not home empty-handed empty-hearted did you ever see a man fall asleep in taking and telling of Money 's such an one cannot tell whether he take right Money or wrong and is easily Cheated Yet alas how many by so doing put an everlasting Cheat upon their own Souls falling not only into a natural but also into a Spiritual slumber while they are talking and
3 6 25. Your Joseph your Jesus I dare assure you will be kinder to you if you so come unto him then ever that Joseph was to his Brethren whose rough words were indeed somewhat discouraging but his smooth deeds were wonderfully encouraging he sent them laden home not only with Corn but with their Money too Gen. 42. 7 27. 44. 1. Food as much as they could carry 22. Thirdly bring Enlarged hearts The greater your Vessel is and the wider mouth it hath 't is not only the sooner filled but you carry so much the more water home from the Conduit also Joh. 4. 7 28. Christs Ministers that beseech you in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. are compared to Clouds Jude 12. Upon a three-fold account 1. As they are driven to and fro 2. As sustained like Clouds full of water by the mighty power of God 3. As dropping down refreshing rain upon the droughty Earth now as the dry ground gapes for Rain so should you for the word Hebr. 6. 7. Deut. 32. 2. Ezek. 21. 2 They waited for Job as for the Rain Job 29. 23. Which in those hot Countrys was heartily longed for and highly prized and they opened their mouth wide to him as for the latter Rain That is they listened as for life and gaped as if they would have eaten his words Such a Divine thirst Davids Soul abounded with in his dry and thirsty land Psal 63. 1. 42 1. 2. 119. 20 81 And the Spouse Cant. 2. 4. Crying stay me with flagons 't is not a drop or a spoonful or a little Cup full that will quench her thirst but she must have whole Flagons You should come to an Ordinance just as Behemoth came to Jordan in his thirst Job 40. 23. The Elephant is such a thirsty Creature that he swalloweth abundance of water at one of his Mighty draughts he fancies when he comes to drink he can drink up a River and draw up great Jordan at one draught into his mouth and so great is his thirst that he is said to take the whole River with his Eye Ver. 24. his belly is better fill'd it seems then his Eye O that you could come with such an intent Soul to the Ordinance as if you could swallow up the whole blessing of the Ordinance your Self and drink it all up at one draught Suppose you could thus Monopolize and appropriate the blessing yet this would be no damnifying of others there is no envy in Spiritual things which may be divided in Solidum in the whole each Soul may have a whole blessing without wronging one another 't is otherwise in Temporals the World admits not of Rivals as being conscious of ' its own scantness and not having enough for all 23. Fourthly Be Reverent as to God The over-grown Heathen though a King Eglon shames and condemns many hearers in our day no sooner doth he hear Ehud say I have a Message from God unto thee O King but presently he arose from off his seat to receive it with Reverence though it proved a sad Message Judg. 3. 20. Yet the worshippers of the true God do not now raise up themselves nor raise up their hearts to receive a Message from God to them though it be not a Message of death and destruction as that to Eglon was but a Message of Life and Salvation Fisthly be earnest you must hear the word of God earnestly as blessed Baruch is said to repair the Wall of Jerusalem earnestly Neh. 3. 20. That is with all his heart Soul and strength being vexed with himself that he had begun no sooner The Hebrew word Hicherah hence the Latin Ira for Anger signifies there he burst out into an heat as being angry at himself that he had done no more and at others also that they had done so little Hereupon in an holy sume and fervency he finishes two parts and that quickly while others were busy but about one piece a ready heart makes riddance of Gods work and will kindle ' its own heat from other Mens coldness and quicken it self from others slothfulness what you do you must saith Solomon do with all your might Eccles 9. 10. If every Civil work much more this Spiritual which is of greatest Importance the strength of your affections must be here as well as in Prayer 24. In a word Sixthly to hear with Intention is to have your heart affected with that you hear so as it may not only burn in your heart as theirs did Luke 24. 32. but also melt kindly under it as Josiahs tender heart did at the hearing of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 27. yea and rejoyce greatly when you are made to understand it as the people did Neh. 8. 12. your heart leaping within you at it as the Babe sprang in Elizabeths womb when not the Lord himself but The Mother of our Lord spake to her Luke 1. 41. not only hear but feel Gods voice 1 Joh. 1. 1. 1. You must desire earnestly to hear Gods voice as well as hear Mans God saith in this Ordinance to his Angels of the Churches as he said at the Creation as some sense it to the Angels that left not their first state and habitation Jude Ver. 6. let us make Man Gen. 1. 26. So here let us both join together to make Sinners Saints Ministers of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow-labourers with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. and who would not but labour heartily with so sweet a companion he joins his Spirit to their word and makes them Preach all sorts of Sinners into another even the Divine Nature you may not then be satisfied till you feel God speak as well as hear man speak till God speak to your heart with a strong hand as he did to the Prophet Isa 8. 11. till he Single you out from others and speak to you with efficacy Many hear a Noise of Christ that do not hear the voice of Christ Act. 9. 7. with 22. 9. Eightly mix Faith with the word be sure you mingle the Word with Faith those two meeting together makes a precious Confection a blessed mixture Heb. 4. 2. 25. The third particular is retention of memory the Word 1. It must be laid up in the head you hear must not be like breath upon steel that is soon on and as soon off again nor as day flies call'd Ephemerae that are bred at noon and dead at night Nor as the morning-dew that soon goeth away Hos 6. 4. The Sun arising soon licks it up from off the Earth In the hearing of the Word a blessed dew falls from the drops of it Deut. 32. 2. but it should not go away as the dew If you cannot stay it but it will go away then pray that however some Manna may still remain as Exod. 16. 14 15. the Manna did come down with the dew Ver. 13. Christ that bread of life Job 6. 32. comes down in the Ministry of the word Psal 110. 3. the dew covered
Divine Worship must have a Divine Warrant this is principium eternoe Veritatis a maxim of everlasting truth and will prevail against all contrary assertions And assuredly there is no duty next to Prayer that is more pressed both in the old and New Testament by the most holy God although it be so little practiced by Sinful Man But waving the old Testament precepts which are liable to more exceptions the New Testament precepts are most cogent and they are principally three Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. and Jam. 5. 13. that in the mouth of three Witnesses this great truth might be established 3. The second Argument is taken from Divine presidents waving the Old-Testament in this also as before in Divine precepts and they are three likewise as Mat. 26. 30. Act. 16. 25. 1 Cor. 14. 15. The Example of Christ himself is the Regula Regulans rule ruling and the example of the Apostles is the regula Regulata rule ruled You cannot Write after a better Copy then after Christ and after his Apostles so far as they followed Christ His Pattern is for your Practice and he will not be a Saviour to you for happiness unless he be also a Samplar to you for Holiness you must either tread in his steps here in this world or you shall never lodge in his bosome in the World to come and you should follow them who through faith and patience do now Inherit the promises Heb. 6. 12. Follow the white-side though not the dark-side of this cloud of Witnesses Heb. 12. 1. 4. The third ground is Antiquity pure Antiquity This may give light when all other lights are out the laudable and comely customs of the primitive Church ought to be observed 1 Cor. 11. 16. as Water the neerer that it is to the Spring the purer doth it run in the stream so is Antiquity in customs the neerer to the Apostles times before the man of Sin arose to fowle them with his fowle foot Ezek. 34. 18. Rev. 13. 1. the purer they are and so are justly deserving a due esteem and diligent perusal in matters of fact which they must needs know better then others after them 'T is true the universal practice of Churches is no Rule for the word of God is the only rule and custom without truth is but a mouldy Errour and as a Cipher without a figure yet when the customes of the Church are backed with both Divine precepts and Divine presidents It should ever strike a Reverence upon the heart Gods word is truth Joh. 17. 17. and 't is that which must institute all Ordinances such customes as hold not a consonancy to the word are vain Jer. 10. 3. and ought to be abolished but in the duty of Singing custom and truth meets together 't was the practice of him that was truth it self and primum Cujusque Generis est mensura Reliquorum the first of the kind is a Rule to all the rest Christ was first in this Gospel-Ordinance and the Primitive Churches followed him herein as Justin Martyr Tertullian and others testify having their Cantus antelucanos Singing praises to God and Christ before day 5. The fourth Reason for reviving this Gospel Ordinance is the universal Obligation that lyeth upon all to performe it 'T is a natural duty as well as instituted and moral duty hence all lys under the Obligation of it Even all Creatures that receive mercy from God should return duty to God let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord Psal 150. last to wit in their kind and after their manner yea the whole Creation all the works of God whether Reptilia Aquatilia terrestria ceu Coelestia creeping things Fish Fowle Beasts below and Stars above shall praise God Psal 145. 10. all joins in consort with the Saints in praising work 'T is indeed chiefly Mans work as he is Gods Master-piece and endowed with both Speech and Reason above other Creatures Yet 't is not Mans duty only though it be his chiefly all Creatures do owe an Homage of praise to their Creator and all men may know either by the light of nature that this duty is natural or by the Law of God that it is moral besides what hath been said of ' its Institution in the Gospel 't is pitty that Man should rob God Or as the Hebr. is Mal. 3. 8. will Adam pillage Elohim to wit of his praise and 't is the greatest pitty that this should be done not only by Adam in general but also by any of the best of the Sons and Daughters of Adam 6. The fifth Argument is the Excellency of the duty above bare Reading Singing the word of God in meeter is fuller of Vigour and Spirit then Reading it in prose which of it self and in ' its own nature is a far more saint and seeble strain and hath not that sweet delectation in it to the Godly mind as frequent experience doth easily demonstrate how oft is a gracious Soul even elevated herein above it self thus David had his unspeakable ravishments in this Ordinance and therefore as being much vexed with his own natural dullness he stirs up himself as Deborah had done before him Judg. 5. 12. Awake Deborah Awake utter a Song So he awakes his tongue which he calls his glory his harp and his heart too for this duty wherein he found so much sweetness Psal 57. 7 8. 108. 1 2. 104. 33 34. 119. 103. 7 David did not only raise himself up from his indisposing drowsiness going out with Samson to shake it off from him Judg. 16. 20. but he reckons Gods statutes which he made his Songs in the House of his Pilgrimage to be better to him then thousands of Gold and Silver Psal 119. 52 54 and they were the rejoysing of his heart as his best inheritance Ver. 111. Thus should the word of Christ dwell in you Richly Col. 3. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indwell in you It must be in you and in you again well digested and turn'd into juice and blood and this cannot be so well effected by a bare and cursory Reading the Word as it may be by Singing it wherein there is a distinct and fixed Meditation upon it and upon every Syllable of it while 't is leisurely founded out by the voice the longer that you ponder it in your mind the more likely may it have a strong influence on your affections this pausing and pondering doth chafe supple and work the word into your Spirit and so makes it both a refreshing and a ravishing Ordinance to you having a more spriteful violence upon your heart then bare Reading for hereby Gods word takes a deeper Impression upon you and those things that you did know before come to be better known and more graciously understood the Spirit of God Sealing them upon your Soul then doth the word of Christ dwell in you Richly and you give rich and liberal entertainment to it and you will account all other but
trivial trash to this true treasure 8. The sixth Reason to enforce this Gospel-duty is as it is an Ordinance that is comfortable to Man oft sweetning his Spirit for God and Godliness so it is an Ordinance very acceptable to God not only Solomons Prayer to God but also his praising of God had a most gracious acceptance with God The fire that came down from Heaven upon his Sacrifice 2 Chron. 7. 1. as a visible evidence of acceptation was after both his praying and praising work 1 King 8. 55 56. 62. He blesses the Lord in a standing posture as well as the People when he had done praying to the Lord in a kneeling posture Ver. 54. 56 57. and this Ordinance of Singing praises to God is the more acceptable to him as it hath a more copious and ample profession of Piety in it then in other Ordinances when the word of Christ dwells in us Richly to make us Sing indeed Col. 3. 16. for 't is an Ordinance that contains in it an universal personal performance and Action every one must be an Actor in sounding out the praises of the God of Israel Psal 148. 11 12 13. both Princes and Peasants both young Men and Maidens both old Men and Children None are two high to do God Homage in their persons not by a proxy but as they are bound to do it as men so they are doubly-bound to it as great men and none are two low to pay this tribute of personal praise to God Hereupon the Psalmist Summons in all things to pay their Rent to God Factouring as it were among all Animate and Inanimate things to bring forth their proper praises to God 9. This duty hath such acceptance with God that he hath put a double honour upon it 1. In this World 2. In the world to come 1. Here God hath honour'd it with gracious effects far above the reach of either Nature or Art in two things 1. In allaying the evil Spirit 1 Sam. 16. 24. The sound of Davids Harp which could not be available alone was quickened with the spiritual Song wherein the breathings of the Spirit were these altogether made Saul well altogether 2. In Ministring to the good Spirit 2 King 3. 15. Elishah finding himself indisposed calls for a Minstril supposed to be some Godly Levite skilful in singing Davids Psalms upon his Instrument of Musick this prepared him for Prophecying which without Divine influence he could not have effected 2. Hereafter God honours it with making it the only and whole work of the other World where sighing is turned into singing sighing Hosannas into singing Hallelujahs David awakes up his glory to sing on Earth Psal 57. 8. but singing in Heaven shall be glory it self 't is a grace here as 't is glory hereafter it will be work and wages both 10. The seventh Argument for the singing-Ordinance is 't is prositable to the Church as well as comfortable to Man and acceptable to God in as much as it hath a greater Communion unto mutual edification in it then in other Ordinances Eph. 5. 19. speaking to your selves herein c. And Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another hereby this is done not only as there is a personal performance of every ones part in this duty above others but also as there is a shoring up of one anothers Spirits and Affections in it like City-buildings that bear up one another not like those in the Country that stand alone and bear up themselves upon their own single bottom besides when this singing work is carryed on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with joint consent this heaves upward every Petition more forcibly and takes Heaven as it were by storm and violence especially when Melody is made in the heart which is the best Tune to every Psalm Can the roaring Boys of the World stir up and provoke one another to Mad Merriments among their Cups by their loose and lewd Catches and may not the Saints provoke one another Heb. 10. 24. unto a Spiritual jollity in a sober sense to be expressed in Psalms When Spiritualized unto Spiritual Songs this is good fellowship of the best sort 11. 'T is pitty then that this honouring God with our glory as David that sweet singer of Israel calls it Psal 57. 7 8. should have so much dishonour and disgrace cast upon it either as to manner or as to matter either by those that are good or by those that are evil The Papists and Popish persons do indeed deride us for singing Geneva Jiggs as they stile the singing Psalms And others cry the duty down as a Novelty whereas the Antients tell us that Christians in their times were wont to sing Psalms in their very journeyings And that Maids and Servants made it their practice in their dayly work assuredly the Devil would do to the Church now as Balak with the Devils spel-man Balaam would have done to the Church in the Wilderness who when he could not cut off the whole Camp of Israel would be content to have part thereof cursed Num. 23. 13. 27. Thus Satan when he cannot Plunder the Church of all the Ordinances at once he will play at smaller-games rather then be Idle and endeavour only to cut her off from this Ordinance and the blessing of it 12. Now to Answer the Objections which is the second thing propounded The first Objection is that singing is comely for the upright only Psal 33. 1. So none else ought to Sing praises but they Answer the first the word only is not in the Text and it may be duty in sinners as well as comely in Saints 't is true high Speech so praise is being the proper work only of glorifyed Saints and of glorious Angels becomes not a fool Prov. 17. 7. Or a Nabal Hebr. that is a sapless or worthless fellow in whom all true worth is withered God likes not fair words that come out of a foul Mouth why do such take Gods word in their Mouth when they hate to be Reformed Psal 50. 16 17. The lepers lips should be covered according to the Law Levit. 13. 45. and laudari ab illaudato to be praised by a praisless person is no praise at all Christ silenced those Devils that confessed him the Son of the most high God Mark 5. 7. Luk. 4. 41. O then rather cover your lips with the leper or resolve to reform and let not your life give your lips the lie be not as the Blacks that are white in the Mouth only 13. The second Answer to this first Objection is all persons both Saints and Sinners do lay under an Obligation to this duty as it is both a natural and a moral or instituted duty as before 't is a duty enjoined upon all though all cannot perform this duty a like and after a comely manner or with an Evangelical Spirit 'T is true the old heart cannot sing the new Song Psal 3 3 3. the new Song before the Throne Rev. 14.
3. or the Song of the Lamb Rev. 15. 3. For should a man Sing a good Song with his Voice and play a bad one upon his Instrument it would make but an ungrateful grating Noise So it is with them whose lips and lives are not Relatives and whose Actions contradict their sayings and singings yet every thing that hath breath should praise the Lord. Psal 150. last and such as cannot do what they ought they resolving to reform ought to do what they can Seeing the positive command for this duty is general and universal Sing to the Lord all the Earth Psal 96. 1. and make a joyful noise all ye Lands Psal 100. 12. and Sing to the Lord all ye Kingdoms of the World Psal 68. 32. The duty is grounded upon the Soveraignty of God as he is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psal 95. 3. and as his works of Creation and Providence extendeth to all the Sons and Daughters of Men Psal 145. 6. to 10. Therefore the Psalmist Infers and we with him O that All men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Psal 107. 8 15 21 31. 't is oft over again and again 14. The second Objection is we may not Sing with a mixt multitude that do but take the name of the Lord in vain hereby we do but partake of their Sin and so make it our own Answer the first when Moses and the Children of Israel Sang that Famous Song Exod. 15. 1. there was not only a mixt multitude among them at that time as is expresly mentioned Numb 11. 4. but also such of the Children of Israel that soon forgat the works of God and tempted Christ in the Wilderness even of those that Sang his praise Psal 106. 12 13 14. and 1 Cor. 10. 9. And the Song of Moses recorded in Deut. 34. was appointed to be Sung by the Children of Israel not only in their upright state but also in their state of Apostacy that it might testify against them as a standing Witness Deut. 31. 19 21 22 29. even by such it was to be Sung as Moses knew would after his death corrupt themselves utterly and the New Testament also Act. 13. 44. tells you that almost the whole City of Antioch the greatest part whereof were poor Pagans came together to hear the Word of God and though the Apostle managed the work both in praying to God and in praising of God yet may it not be cal'd confusion if the whole Assembly said Amen to all This saying Amen by the people gave their assent to both Prayers and Praises 1 Cor. 14. 16. And was an universal acting personally in Gods worship as well as personal singing is 15. The second Answer is though Sinners which drive the trade of Sin do Sin in the manner of singing because they do it not after a Spiritual manner yet they do not Sin in the matter of the duty which is plainly Obligatory to all though it be comely only in Saints he doth bonum though he doth it not bene and yet the Saints themselves may Sin in the manner of it too as well as sinners alas none of us know either how to pray or how to Sing but as the Spirit helps our Infirmities Rom. 8. 26. so as to sing after a gracious manner and to make Melody in our hearts to the Lord and no sufficient Reason can be rendred why Saints should discontinue their duties because sinners do own God and their own duty both by the light of Nature and the Law of God enjoined them Paul both prayed and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all Act. 27. 35. even among poor Pagans rude Mariners and Soldiers that trusted to their own wisdom more then to Gods word Ver. 11. and that would have kil'd Paul not withstanding all his kindness to them Ver. 42. he doth not discontinuc his Devotion and duty upon the account of a mixt multitude besides God delighteth that his will should be obeyed and abhorreth that his Law should be disobeyed even by sinful men as in Sauls case 1 Sam. 15. 22 23. and in Ahabs 1 King 21. 27 28 29. God knows how to allow yea and to reward that which is his own when yet he takes no pleasure in the sinful manner of the performance of a Divine duty 16. The third Answer is there is a parity of Reason put upon both praying and singing Jam. 5. 13. is any afflicted let him pray is any merry let him Sing Psalms The stress of both those duties lays not so much upon the qualification of man as upon the commandment of God and though sinners cannot sing with grace in their hearts yet this excuses them no more from singing then from praying both which are alike general duties to all mankind and not peculiar to Saints the very light of nature pressed Jonahs Mariners to pray in distress Jon. 1. 6. And the Moral precept that forbids Atheisme commands Prayer which is an owning of God He is Davids Atheistical fool that saith in his heart there is no God and that calls not upon God Psal 14. 1. 4. Hence it is inferred that though carnal Ignorant or prophane people cannot Sing as they ought no more can they pray as they ought yet as this excuses them not from praying work neither can it from singing work whatever is not done with Faith is Sin Rom. 14. 23. and without Faith there can be no pleasing of God Heb. 11. 6. as to pray so to Sing without Faith is Sin yet not to pray at all is a greater Sin for the former is formality but the latter is Atheisme which is the worse of the two 17. The third Objection is Singing is but Temple-worship and should be assisted with Instruments of Musick c. Answer the first Moses and Deborahs Song was long before the Temple 2. The Song of the Lamb Rev. 15. Is taken out of several Psalms 3. Praying was Temple-worship and was attended with Incense there as well as singing was with Musical Instruments there and so the Argument lays as strong and as Cogent for abolishing the duty of praying now as well as of singing 4. Singing to Instruments then used were only typical and so but temporary belonging to the Ceremonial worship and so is ceased 't was accommodated to the Church during her Minority Gal. 4. 1 2. but singing with heart and voice is Moral-worship and so to abide among the mature heirs the Ceremonial and Pompous part of Temple-worship is done away but the moral part in simplicity and gravity remaineth and now no voice should be heard in the Church but such as is significant and is edifying by signification which the noise of Instruments cannot be 1 Cor. 14. 10 11 26. and in that Prophecy of the Gentiles Conversion Psal 95. We are commanded to make a noise with Psalms but not with Instruments Ver. 1. 2. 18. Briefly the fourth Objection
Ananias goods to God it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for your own use Act. 5. 1 2 5 10. and not keep it wholly and in every part of it holy to the Lord. 17. The fifth Direction is make this day a day of your delights as before a day of desires delight in the day and in every duty of the day account the Sabbath not only your duty but also your priviledg not only your work but your wages too Isa 58. 13. Call the Sabbath your delight and if it be not so you may not call it so surely it was not so to those Worldly wretches that cryed when will the Sabbath be over c. Amos 8. 5. as if they had been in the stocks all the while they were keeping a Sabbath The Greek word for delight is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag Psal 37. 4. c. Which comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Paradise or place of pleasure to intimate the Lord and his Sabbaths may not be as stocks to you but as a Paradise and a place of pleasure you should take as much delight therein as in walking the Round in the choicest Spring-garden O how should you bless God for the Sabbath as Neh. 9. 14. and rejoice in it as in the day the Lord hath made for Spiritual delight Psal 118. 24. counting it so and making it so not only a delight but also holy and honourable and because holy therefore honourable O may you but be in the Spirit on this Lords day as Rev. 1. 10. and tast how good the Lord is Psal 34. 8. in the dainties of holy duties and in his heart refreshing and Soul-ravishing Ordinances you will find most incomparable pleasure therein and far-far exceeding all the dirty delights of sensualists and Sabbath breakers Prov. 14. 10. Job 27. 10. 18. The sixth Direction be not weary of it before it be over The whole Sabbath should be spent without weariness in works of Piety mercy and necessity and in none else here 's variety to prevent nauseating in works of Piety you may pass from one Ordinance to another as the Bee flys from one flower to another and not be weary and from works of Piety you may go to works of Charity and from thence to works of necessity for your own natural nourishment O then here is no need of crying out what a weariness is it as Mal. 1. 13. or when will it be over as Amos 8. 5. as if in little ease all the while Carnal hearts know not indeed how to wear out the Sabbath 't is such a weariness to them and therefore they wish it over full loth would they begg Davids office out of his hand of being a door-keeper in the house of God who must be first in and last out Psal 84. 10. and what would they do to spend an everlasting Sabbath in Heaven that are so troubled and tyred with a short one on Earth not without a world of wilful distractions but the Spiritual heart that is rapt up and ravished in Spirit Rev. 1. 10. and is in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the holy Ghost all the day long Prov. 23. 17. can wish with Joshuah that the Sun stood still on that day for more killing of Sin and quickning of grace 19. The seventh Direction is be sure you make it a right day of restraint to you as it is called Deut. 16. 8. Jomegnatsereth diem Interdicti a day of prohibition from all Improper work the same word is used Numb 16. 48. and the Plague was stayed or restrained by either 1 Intreaty as 2 Sam. 24. 21. or 2 By Authority and Commands or 3 By strength and force all these ways you should Remember to keep the Sabbath if you keep not your heart with all keepings Prov. 4. 23. You can never keep the Sabbath holy The Plague of your heart mentioned 1 King 8. 38. will not be stayed or restrained unless you 1 Offer upon Christ your Altar Heb. 13. 10. Your Intreaties to God with David 2 Sam. 24. 21. and 2 Unless you lay Gods charge and command upon your extravagant heart to keep within compass Cant. 2. 7. Yea and 3 You must use holy force and Violence going but in Gods stregth Psal 71. 16. to restrain your loose slippery and treacherous heart both from wicked and from worldly work on that day for in the former work you keep the day to Satan and in the latter to your self but not to your Saviour in either besides every wicked work is cursed Sin any day but 't is doubly so on the Lords-day the season being a great aggravation of the Sin like that in Est 7. 8. 't is a ravishing the Queen of days before the very face of the King of Kings and every Worldly work done on Gods-day can never expect Gods blessing but will be a Canker and may say with Jacob I shall bring a curse and not a blessing Gen. 27. 12. he that did but gather a few sticks a small business some may say was paid home with stones because he did presumptuously on that day Numb 15. 30 32 35 36. If you must do no manner of work save only the three works of Piety Charity and Necessity no manner of Worldly work much less wicked work O do not eat forbidden fruit when you may eat of all the Trees in the garden on your six days do not your own works but cease from them Heb. 4. 10. nor speak your own words on this high and holy day Isa 58. 13. Exod. 31. 14. 20. The eighth Direction is never satisfie your Soul with spending one Sabbath without enjoying something therein of the Lord God of Sabbath never content your self with Elijahs Mantle without the Lord God of that Mantle 2 King 2. 14. O let it not be enough to you as it was not enough to Absolom to live in Jerusalem 2 Sam. 14. 32. without seeing the Kings face cry with David in every duty of the day O when will God come unto me Psal 101. 2. To miss of a good friend is sad to meet him is joyful Psal 73. 25. If you miss of this your best friend this will justly fadden you as it did even Saul himself 1 Sam. 28. 15. If you meet him and miss him not If your friend the King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. Sit at your Table then your Spiknard will send forth the smell thereof Cant. 1. 12. Such a sign of sweet friendship and fellowship must needs fill your heart with joy unspeakable and full of glory as it reminds and represents your Communion in Heaven and make the Sabbath a delight indeed to you then shall you delight your self in the Lord and he will not only cause you to ride upon the high places of the Earth but also upon the heights of the Heavens where you shall keep an everlasting Sabbath in which all Sabbaths meet and whereof there is no evening Is