increased or inflamed that thy self and others may see our Chast Conversation coupled with Fear Let us keep up the Honour and Ends of Marriage Be linked together in one common Care and live together in one Spirit to thy Glory the Edification and Benefit of others the real Comfort Advantage and Contentment of each other the Promoting and Advancing thy Kingdom that we may together enjoy thee Eternally through Jesus Christ Amen The Husband's Duty TO be the Head bespeaks not only your Dignity but Duty to study and design your Wife's Comfort and Welfare to be the Seat and Fountain of Reason Understanding and Discretion to her to excel her in Knowledge Patience Christian Courage and Resolution Chief in bearing Trials and Infirmities with all privacy love and mildness guiding directing reproving her Let love sweeten your Speech Carriage Actions and Advices to her Let not your Commands be unreasonable or imperious but lawfull managed with Meekness Gentleness Familiarity and Discretion that she may see as well Love and Reason as Relation binding her to Obedience Avoid all bitter Language or such as may argue disaffection which sinks deep into the Mind and is hardly obliterated with any after-excuse giving Cause to suspect 't was the Issue of a festered Heart and that a precipitated Passion did not produce but discover it In her Houshold-affairs if you interpose let it be rather by Advice and Assistance than Superiority Avoid Passion Frowardness Austerity and Reservedness towards her Stand by and for her on all Occasions Keep up her due Authority and Honour in the Family Chearfully and willingly not grudgingly or by constraint allow her Necessaries and Conveniences according to your Place and Ability Render her life as comfortable as may be She is thine own flesh so is to be nourished and cherished hath forsaken all for thy Love and is come under thy Roof for Protection Love and respect her as your Yoke-fellow not as a Slave or Servant The Woman was taken out of the Side near the Heart The Wife of thy Bosome to be valued as far more excellent than any other Member under the Head and almost equal to it Husbands love your Wives and be not bitter against them (r) Col. 3.19 Let her be as the loving Hind and pleasant Roe let her Breasts satisfie thee at all Times and be thou Ravished always with her Love (s) Pr. 5.18 19 His Prayer MOst gracious and merciful Father who hast been my God and Guide from my Birth and by thy disposing Providence brought me into this state Forgive whatsoever I have done or thought displeasing unto thee before and since my entrance into it Mortifie in me every Inordinate Affection and Desire Give me Grace still to Remember that those that have Wives should be as if they had none Let not my love unto her swallow up greater unto thy self Let me not prize the Spouse of my Bosom above the Bridegroom of my Soul Now I have Married a Wife let me give a Bill of Divorce to all other Lovers but true Goodness and make it appear thou hast given me a Help-meet not a hinderer therein now I have most need of it As her faithful head Indeed let me guide and instruct her see and speak to and for her nourish and cherish her love her not only as my self but as Christ the Church Bear her Burdens defend her in Danger cover her Infirmities sympathize with and Comfort her under Crosses that I may be better to her than Ten Sons that she may find all those Relations and far more she hath left to cleave unto me in me That when I am as I trust I shall e'er long be happy in Heaven my other part may not through my sin unworthiness or neglect be miserable on Earth But after we have enjoy'd the Comfort of a sweet Society here and been a Blessing to each other and all near unto us we may be translated to a place of perfect Love and Joy to all Eternity Through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Another ALmighty God who of thy great Goodness hast given Man dominion over the Works of thine hands putting all things in Subjection under his feet and Man to be the Head of the Woman Furnish me with suitable Abilities for the place thou hast set me in Make me a Teacher and an Example of well doing Give me a right Judgment in all Things and a perfect Command over my Passions and Affections that I may not be amazed at Trifles nor discompos'd at every Contrariety of Accidents and Disappointments nor passionate for the things of this world nor discontented if thou should'st smite me in any part nor suffer any Undecency or violent Transport But may pass through all the Accidents of my life with meekness and a sober Spirit Patience and Charity Prudence and Holiness and with an even mind do my Duty in all things Comply with every variety of thy Providence be useful to and careful of mine ever approving my self to thee in a holy hearty obedient Piety and Devotion Wisdom and Humility Chastity Purity and a Holy Conversation Preserve me and mine from all Danger accept of us in and through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Glory Honour and Praise now and ever Amen The Wife's Duty GIve to your Husband due Honour sweetned with Love and Familiarity and expressed by an inward Esteem and outward Reverent Respect Speech and Carriage towards him in regard of his Superiority by Creation and God's Institution thy desire shall be to thy Husband and he shall Rule over thee (t) Gen. 3.16 Be voluntarily subject to his Will in all lawfull things as unto the Lord (v) Ep. 5.22 Col. 3.18 From which Nobleness of Birth Greatness of Portion Excellency of Parts cannot exempt A Son may have more wit than his Father and a Subject than his Prince yet both must obey They may advise perswade intreat not be sullen scornfull disdainfull scold reproach taunt or disobey The Place if not the Person is to be regarded Live in a chearfull Contentedness with your Condition Avoid tedious curious gaudy Dressing all lightness and immodesty in your Behaviour and Attire Affect not Vanity in Apparel or Curiosity in any thing about you Be willing and diligent in your proper part of the Care and Labour of the Family Be a constant meet Help both as to his Person Estate Houshold and Holy Education of Children Dispose not of his Estate without his Consent Consider not only whether the Work be good you lay it out upon but what power you have to do it Avoid an impatient murmuring unquiet Disposition and maintain a holy peaceable meek and quiet Temper which is in the sight of God of great Price Her Prayer IN all Humility of Soul and Body I Prostrate my self before thy Divine Majesty most gracious and merciful Father It 's of thy great goodness for which I render unto thee all
uncustomarily Put such Books into their hands as are meetest for them Imprint upon their Minds the greatest things not uncertain Opinions for Damning and Saving Points or uncharitableness hatred prejudices as to Parties but such solid substantial Principles as may have the largest greatest influences on the future Conduct and Government of their Lives according to their particular Tempers Dispositions Inclinations Possess their Minds with the fear of God and their Obligations to him as their Creator Redeemer Preserver Governor Speak always before them with great Seriousness Honour Reverence and Praise of the Holy Scriptures Holy Men and Holy things and with displeasure and loathing of every Vice and of vicious Men. So soon as capable bring them to publick Ordinances appointed for begetting and encreasing Grace and to which God hath promised his special Blessing (x) Ps 133.3 Teach them to do rather than to talk of Virtue and Religion put them upon the Practice and Exercise of it that gives the best the truest the perfectest Knowledge of any thing Intice them with Kindness and Rewards the way to Indear your Persons and Instructions Labour to make all sweet easie and pleasant to them Commend allure them into Goodness with all Attractive Encouragements that they may know and love not know and hate Goodness at once by thinking of the Severities wherewith it was accompany'd in their Minority Make Holiness appear to them the most necessary honourable gainful delightful amiable course of life and principal thing Win them to a liking and love of it and keep them from looking upon it as needless dishonourable hurtful or uncomfortable and from such Company as may encline them to think so Inure them to speak always with Honour Respect and Reverence to your selves and others Break them of their own wills Suffer them not to carry themselves Irreverently or Contemptuously towards any Tell them lovingly of the Excellency of Obedience Humility Submission Condescention and how it pleases God and man Let Necessary Correction be according to their Tempers and with Discretion Not in Passion that they may see not your Anger but Reason is the Cause Not so seldom as to make them fearless nor so frequent as to discourage or harden them For offending God rather than your selves Always shew them the Tenderness of your Love and that you do it for their good Take heed of an over-fondness or visible partiality If Nature make a difference it 's natural to help the weakest and a Virtuous carriage to increase Respect 'T is good to incourage Ingenuity but not to provoke Pride or Envy The over-Indulgence of Parents is the refuge of Vanity the bane of Children and provokes God to take them away Give them Countenance and convenient maintenance that they may not be tempted to indirect courses nor your Life be their Burden Keep things in your own power to Reward Duty that they may be beholden to you not you to them yet so gotten that a Blessing not a Curse may go along with them Train them up in a life of Diligence and Labour use them not to Ease and Idleness Chuse them such a Calling and Course of life as tends most to the good of Church and State and their own Souls Place them with those that may not hinder that nor undo your Care of them while with you Look out such a Match for them when you find it needful as is Pious and Prudent rather than Rich. Observe their Inclinations and counsel them by Arguments drawn for their own good rather than by your Authority Affections are rather to be led than driven Forced Marriages and Callings seldom Prosper Let your own Example teach them that holy heavenly blameless Tongue and Life you desire them to practice 't will be hard to perswade them against that their young fancies from drawing after your own Resemblance Great Reverence is due to Children Infancy that understands not words are led by Imitation of those that gave them being and on whom they depend Practice not what 's not Prudent or Expedient before them Such as they see your behaviour is will theirs be behind your back Woe to them who make their Children witnesses of their Impieties Every President of yours is as a Monument and Motive to Posterity In all this use great Care and Diligence Think not that God will make them wise and good because they are yours Young Plants must be often watered Line upon Line Precept upon Precept Good Principles must be Distill'd into these narrow Vessels that cannot take in much at once by degrees as they are capable It 's easie to palliate Nature but it requires long and constant Attendance thoroughly to cure and conquer it Joyn constant earnest Prayer for accompanying your Endeavours with the Divine Assistance and Blessing without which all 's Ineffectual Children of many Prayers seldom miscarry But whatever the success be you will have the Comfort of discharging your Duty Their Prayer MOst gracious and merciful Father who shewest Mercy to Thousands of those that love Thee and keep thy Commandments We give thee hearty Thanks for thy Tender Care of us all our Days and for so early preventing us by thy Grace and Inclining our Hearts unto thy Service Oh go on to be gracious to us and ours Forgive us all our Sins and lay them not to our to their Charge Take them into the Protection and Guidance of the same good Providence which hath been so bountiful to us so watchful over us all our dayes Implant in them all the graces of thy Holy Spirit and accompany all Instructions and Endeavours to that End with thy Blessing Mercifully provide for dispose of and place them in this world so as may further them in and render the ways of Virtue easie and pleasant to them Preserve them from the Dangers Allurements and Evils of the Age. Let them be sanctified even from the Womb and fear thee from their Youth all their Days We recommend them to thy never-failing Mercy and Compassion Be our and their God O let them live in thy sight and us be able at last to say Behold we and the Children God hath graciously given us thorough Jesus Christ to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and for ever Amen Another ALmighty God who hast promised thy Spirit to us and our Children even to as many as the Lord our God shall call deny it not to us and ours Give us grace by good Counsels and Example to lead and bring them up in thy Faith and Fear Make us Spiritual as well as Natural Parents Let us see the Travel of our Souls in them and be satisfied Let them be Born again of Water and of the Spirit Season their Tender Age with thy Grace let it have early possession of them Take them into thy Care Charge and Covenant into the Bosom of thy true Church into the Arms of thy Mercy into a Right of the Promises into the
with undaunted undismayed Courage and Constancy under all the Uneasinesses of a rugged way Lift up the Hands that hang down and strengthen the feeble Knees Let the weak say I am strong and the lame Man leap as an Hart (e) Heb. 12.10 Isa 35.3 c. These are the Days of Conflict and Conquest that admit not of Repose untill the Evening when he that hath been eminently good chearfully patient constant and couragious under great Disadvantages and Discouragements shall be proportionably rewarded When all Distempers and the Causes of them shall be wholly removed No more Hospitals nor Diseases No more seeking for or need of Cure or Remedy when the Mountebank's Stage shall be pulled down and all Physicians of no value The Doctor and Apothecary consulted no more They shall give over acting Experiments upon afflicted Mortals And the great Physician of Soul and Body who himself took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses (f) Mat. 8.17 perfected his undertaken Cure And God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things that disturbed them are passed away (g) Rev. 21.4 The thoughts the belief of this is the chief Refuge and Delight of all true Christian Sufferers Whilst this Cordial is next their Hearts they are healthfull secure and satisfied The Comfort of that day heals and redresses all their Wounds their Wrongs their Injuries Asswages and allays all their Pains and Perplexities expells all melancholy Thoughts banishes all Sadness from their Hearts stills all their Murmurings and Complaints stifles innumerable Sighs stops Rivers of unprofitable Tears from flowing from the Afflicted raises the Minds of the Miserable and Unfortunate supports and refreshes the Spirit of Heaviness makes the Cross of Christ a light Burden As being both consistent with his love and the Effects of it influential upon their Happiness Prayers for the Sick O Thou great Creator and Wise Disposer of all things in whose Hands are our lives and breath and all our ways in all Humility we prostrate our Souls before thee acknowledging it of thy Infinite Mercy and Goodness that we have access unto thee and may find acceptance with thee in and through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for his sake pardon all our Sins and receive us into thy Favour In much Mercy and tender Compassion O thou that delightest not in the Miseries of thy Creatures regard this thine afflicted Servant Thou woundest and thy Hands make whole thou bringest down to the Grave and raisest up again Direct to proper means we humbly beseech thee and accompany those used for his health with thy Blessing Speak the Word and thy Servant shall be healed If it may stand with thy good Pleasure let him not die but live and declare the Works of the Lord However fit him for whatsoever thou hast designed for him Give him a true Sence of and Repentance for all his Sins and a well-grounded Faith in our great Redeemer of Souls Sanctifie this thy fatherly Visitation to him let the sickness of his Body tend to the health and good of his Soul Mitigate his Pains increase his Patience Give him a quiet contented resigned Spirit unto thy blessed Will Lay no more upon him than thou wilt inable him to bear let thy Grace be sufficient for him In the multitude of his thoughts within him let thy Comforts delight his Soul When his Body returns to the Earth as it was let his Spirit return unto God that gave it and be glorified together with thy self thorough Jesus Christ our Lord in whose Blessed Name and Words we further pray Our Father c. Another ALmighty and most Mercifull Father the God of the Spirits of all Flesh thou sendest forth thy Breath and we live thou recallest it and we die and return to our dust O pardon unto us we humbly intreat thee our unthankfulness for our former health and all thy Mercies that we have made so little use of the same for thy Glory Give us grace for the future to be more sensible of more fruitfull under them In particular look with an eye of favour on this thy suffering Servant Let thy Power appear in his weakness strengthen him on his Bed of languishing make all his Bed in his sickness Rebuke remove his Distempers in love to his Soul deliver him from the Pit of Corruption and cast all his sins behind thy Back Let not his sickness be unto Death but thy Glory if it may stand with thy good pleasure but if thou hast otherwise determin'd fit and prepare him for thy self As his outward Man decays let his in ward Man be renewed day by day Take him not hence untill thou hast made him meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in life Give him an easie and comfortable Passage out of this Vale of Misery and receive him to the Eternal enjoyment of thy self in Heaven And give all of us grace in Health to provide and prepare for sickness in our most prosperous and best Estate to consider how frail we are in a full perswasion of thy unerring Providence over us and Infinite love towards us let us resign our selves intirely unto thee resolving by thy gracious Assistance to rest satisfied with thy Appointment That we may rejoyce in hope of that Immortal Life and Happiness when thou shalt wipe away all Tears from our Eyes and there shall be no more Death neither Sorrow nor Crying nor any more Pain but that after Death hath parted us we may meet together and acknowledge with Eternal Praises thy wise and mercifull Providence which by ways contrary to our desires hath brought us to endless and undisturbed Rest through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thy blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and for ever Amen Another EVer blessed Lord the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who art not willing any should perish but that all should come to Repentance We praise and adore thee for thy Patience forbearance and goodness to us all our days that we have enjoyed so much Health and Ease Peace and Plenty so many Mercies to sweeten our Passage through this Vale of Tears O forgive our Ingratitude for our Abuse of thy Bounty and Kindness to us and be at Peace with us in and through our Lord and Saviour and for the time to come give us grace to carry our selves well-pleasing in thy sight In particular we now recommend unto thee this thy Servant beseeching it may please thee to restore him unto Health unto thee no Cure is difficult no Case desperate but all things possible O command create Deliverance direct to sutable means and super-add thy Blessing to them O spare him that he may recover strength before he goes hence and be no more But however thou dealest with him let it be in love and mercy unto him pardon all his Sins
Thee Reform my life that I may serve Thee and be saved by thee Cleanse me from my secret Sins and let no Presumptuous Sins have Dominion over me Wean me from the world let my Heart my Treasure my Conversation be in Heaven Turn away mine Eyes from beholding Vanity Set a watch O Lord before my Mouth and keep the Door of my Lips that I offend not with my Tongue Let me delight in that which is Good eschew and abhor that which is Evil set thee always before me that I may not dare to Sin against Thee Make me peaceable and contented in my self useful and beneficial to others well-pleasing and acceptable unto Thee Mind me frequently of my latter end while I live let me live unto thee when I die let me die unto thee living and dying let me be thine Be very merciful to all Mankind especially those that are called Christians Inlarge and Bless thy Holy Catholick Church with more abundant Peace Purity and Concord Pardon the Crying Sins of these three Nations let us search and try our ways and turn unto thee our God make us a People peculiar to thy self zealous of good works Bless our Soveraign with all our Magistrates and Ministers let them discharge their Duty as those that must give an account Be with me this Day and all my Days where-ever I am and whatsoever I am doing let me awefully Remember God made me God preserves me God redeemed me God sees me and God will Judge me Never leave me nor forsake me Guide and direct me by thy Counsel Assist me by thy Holy Spirit Prosper me in all my ways and at last Receive me unto Glory through Jesus Christ in whose Holy Name and Words I further Pray Our Father c. Evening Prayer MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord God Thou hast Commanded me to Pray and so it is my great Duty and hast stiled thy self a God hearing Prayers and so it is my great Privilege In Obedience to thy Command and in Confidence of thy Promises I desire in all Humility and holy Confidence to wait upon thee at this Time in and through my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for his sake beseeching thee for Mercy and Grace Mercy for the Pardon of my Sins without which I am of all Creatures most miserable and Grace for the sanctifying of my Nature and amendment of my life Search me O Lord and Try me and whatsoever is displeasing in me unto thee remove it thence and lead me in the way everlasting Let me value and mind the things that are not seen more than the things that are seen because the things that are seen are Temporal and those that are not seen are Eternal Incline my Heart unto thy Testimonies and not to any Evil way Let not the Pleasures nor Troubles of this world allure or hinder me from serving thee with Chearfulness and Delight Prepare me for every Condition for every Change especially for my great and last Change give me Grace so to live that I may be neither asham'd to live nor afraid nor unfit to die that when thou shalt Call me hence thou may'st Receive me unto the Eternal Enjoyment of thy self in Heaven Be very Gracious and Merciful to all Mankind to all Jews Turks Pagans and Infidels bring them to the Knowledge and Obedience of the Truth Bless Prosper and Protect thy Church and every Member of it be with it unto the End of the World and let not the Gates of Hell prevail against it Reform whatsoever thou seest amiss in the Belief and Lives of Christians especially in these Three Nations Continue unto us Peace with the Gospel of Peace for thy Name sake Bless our Soveraign and all in Authority with Holiness here and Happiness hereafter Let all his Subjects live under him quiet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty I et the Ministers of thy Gospel Preach both by their Lives and Doctrine and daily turn many unto Righteousness Let none of my Relations be Strangers unto thy self nor any of thine Afflicted Servants be forgotten by Thee Relieve them according to their several Necessities and the Riches of thy Grace in thy Son I Praise Thee for what thou hast afforded me Thy good Creatures thy Blessing with them thy Provision for me and preservation of me this Day and all my Days Let me lie me down and take my Rest and Sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Whether I sleep or wake live or die let me be found thine own to thine Eternal Glory and my Everlasting Salvation through Jesus Christ who hath taught me when I pray to say Our Father which art in Heaven c. Grace before Meat BLess and Sanctifie most Merciful Father These thy good Creatures to my use and me unto thy Service give them strength to nourish me and me grace to serve Thee through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Grace after Meat BLessed be thy Holy Name O Lord for all thy Mercies for these thy good Creatures make them healthful for my nourishment and me thankful for all thy Mercies Inable me by them to live to thy praise through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen How to spend the Lord's Day REmember the Lord's Day before it come so as to prepare for it by suitable Meditations Go seasonably to your Rest to prevent heaviness or drowziness Prudently dispose and dispatch your Earthly Affairs that they may be off your hands and out of your mind as much as possible on that Day that so your Heart may be more free and fit for the Duties of it Seek Remission for the Miscarriages of the Week past that you may not come with guilt or trouble upon your Consciences before the Lord. Think not your worldly Business more worthy of your Early Rising than your spiritual Imployment Let your first Thoughts be not only Holy but suitable to the Day With gladness consider how Early your Redeemer arose what a Day of Mercy you are awoke to to wait upon God for Receiving and Exercising of Grace in order to Glory to Cast off the Distracting Thoughts and Businesses of the World and what a Happy opportunity of Good is put into your Hands to get more in one Day than this World can afford you in all your lives Spend it as a Day of Thanksgiving for the greatest Mercies Therefore let the manner of it and the frame of your Hearts be holy Joy Gratitude and Love stirred up by the exercise of Faith and Hope Inlarge your Personal Devotions on this Day and let not Secret Prayer be slubbered over slightly but performed with Seriousness Reverence Alacrity and sutable to the nature and end of the Day Go to the solemn Assembly with Joy and Gladness as to the receiving of a great Blessing with desires after and hope to speed not with unwillingness as to an unpleasant Task and Burden as Carnal Hearts that love not God his Grace or Service are weary of all they do and glad when it
in thee and thy gracious Promises fervent Affections unto thee and all that bears thy Image and Likeness Let us be filled with the joyfull Exercises of Faith and Love Praise and Thanksgiving to which we are invited Let us sensibly feel the Death of Christ to be sweet and pleasant refreshing and strengthening unto our Souls as we shall the Creatures of Bread and Wine unto our Bodies Let us Take and Eat the Elements in a thankfull Remembrance that his Body was broken and given and his Blood shed for us Let our Taking Eating and Drinking be significations of our receiving and applying Christ with all his Benefits unto our own Soul's Comfort and Advantage upon thine own Terms as made Man for us and a Sacrifice for our Sins Let every Grace of thy Holy Spirit be sutably acted and increased by thee That we may go from strength to strength from one degree of grace to another be more inabled chearfully to do and suffer thy Will untill Grace be perfected in Glory through Jesus Christ our great High-priest Sacrifice and Alter to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Glory Honour and Praise now and evermore Amen At the Sacrament THis Sacrament is a visible Representation of the Sacrifice our Redeemer made upon the Cross to the Father for our Sins to keep up the Remembrance of it and affect us with it and to profess our Confidence in a crucified Christ for the Pardon of our Sins Acceptance of our Persons and all our Performances In him I see Divine Anger appeased his Justice satisfied our Debt paid O what hath our Lord done for our sake How hath he ascertained his good Will to our Nature by assuming it into his own Person when we might have expected rather that it should have been an Abomination to him Those amazing difficulties and discouragements that stood in the way of his Kindness could not hinder or diminish it He hath endured the Cross and despised the shame for the love wherewith he loved us Giving sensible demonstrations that it was easier to him to suffer such Torments than to see us perish and to abide all the Despites Indignities Contradictions of Sinners than to forbear to save them O astonishing undeserved Kindness We could plead nothing of our own except provocation and perversness could pass for desert then indeed we had been great Meriters How great therefore is the depth of that Wisdom and how is that Goodness to be adored that when Heaven and Earth was at so great a distance found out a way for Reconciliation 'T was righteous with the provoked Majesty of Heaven and Earth to execute speedily upon me the Sentence against Evil-doers But behold him offering by his Ambassador Terms of Peace and Amity to proclaim and seal a perpetual Agreement and Reconciliation This Sacrament seals Remission of Sins to all that perform the Conditions of the Covenant O unmerited unthought of Mercy Favour and Kindness towards a Stranger a Rebel an Enemy That can do nothing to oblige him that hath done so much to incense him that 's so unworthy of him so unmeet unprepared to receive him to entertain him to be so nigh unto him But O Infinite Condescention the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity dwells in the humble and contrite Heart that trembles at his Word O take possession of thine own which thou hast so dearly purchased by thy own Blood let that cleanse me from all Sin When you receive the Bread THis is the Bread that came down from Heaven and giveth life unto the World which I receive as a sacred Memorial of his exceeding Love his painfull Sufferings as a Seal of those gracious Terms of Mercy he hath thereby purchased who suffered the Punishment due unto me died for my Sins rose again for my Justification and ever lives to make intercession for me Who can sufficiently admire and praise thee O mercifull Lord for this thy condescending goodness in taking upon thee our Nature standing in our stead making thy Soul an offering for our Sins Glory be to God on high for Peace between Heaven and Earth for his Good-will towards Men. I do this in remembrance of thee most mercifull Saviour who remembredst us in our low our lost Estate becamest our Surety paidst our Debt pacifiedst reconciledst an offended God enduredst the Cross underwentst the Shame who after thou hadst by thy self purged our Sins sat down at the Right-hand of the Majesty on high where thou pleadest our Cause and preservest in thy Favour all those that sincerely wait upon thee and serve thee Let not O let not this unspeakable Mercy and Kindness be ever forgotten by me O keep such a lively Sence thereof upon my Soul as may inflame me with Love unto thee delight in thee a continual Care to please thee to do all I can for thee let nothing blot out the Remembrance of this thy Love unto me let every thing mind me of it untill I come to be for ever with thee When you receive the Cup. BEhold the Blood of the Covenant between God and Sinners shed for the Remission of my Sins as well as for any others by my Lord and my God who loved me and gave himself for me Unto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Adored be thy Infinite Wisdom Love and Mercy in our Redemption that left us not as the faln Angels to perish without a Remedy but took upon him our Nature that he might die for our Sins That thou invitest and bringest us into a Covenant of Amity and Kindness who canst not be injured by our Enmity who hast no need of our Friendship who art no more benefited by us than the Sun is by darting its Beams on a grain of Dust on a polluted Creature on a corrupted Carcass with whom it 's as easie to breath us into Hell as to breath out one kind invitation to us Worthless vile Wretch am I that deserves to be utterly abhorred forsaken rejected by him who is become my reconciled most mercifull Father my God in Covenant who will subdue and pardon mine Iniquities who knows what I have need of here and will give it who will assist accept of and bless my sincere Endeavours for which he hath given me his Word his Oath his Seal who cannot lye which shall never be broken O my God I praise and magnifie thee for this thy Infinite Eternal Goodness this inexpressible Love Let such a deep and lasting Sence thereof rest upon my Soul that it may be my great Satisfaction and Pleasure to meditate upon and commemorate it my dissatisfaction to be long diverted from it O hasten the day when I shall have nothing else to do but to sing thy Praise to celebrate it world without End In the mean time I offer up my Soul and Body all that I
am and have unto thee to be sanctified guided saved disposed of by thee Beseeching thee to make me willing and obedient patient and contented humble and submissive chearfull and believing stedfast and unmoveable in thy Service unto the End Let me approve my self actually reconciled unto thee by my Hatred of my Enmity with Sin which made the first Separation between thee and us and for which thy Son was made a Sacrifice and be afraid of offending thee not only because thou hast Power to punish but because of thy Love wherewith thou hast loved me And the Conditions of our Peace which are so reasonable so comfortable that we repent of and forsake our Crimes Receive thy Son as our Mediatour serve thee which are such desirable Priviledges our Happiness as well as our Duty O make good the gracious Promises of the Covenant unto me that thou wilt be my God forgive my Sins give me a new Heart sanctifie my Nature put thy fear within me that I shall never depart from thee that thou wilt never leave me nor forsake me O free me from the listlesness and backwardness of my Will to give up my self wholly unto thee who so willingly gavest thy Son an offering for my Sins Let this Love make us more and more affectionate in our Attendance upon thee to approach thee with Alacrity and Delight that wa' st so solicitous and at so much Cost to be at Peace with us to combine all our Thoughts and Affections together to serve thee who hast done so much to reduce us honourably and successfully unto thy ever blessed self With great Thankfulness let me accept of the smartest Dispensation and be contented in every Condition now I am reconciled Meekly enduring the Chastisements of a Father since they are all for my Profit since I am not like to feel his Stroaks as a Judge Blessed is he whose Iniquities are pardoned unto whom the Lord imputeth not Sin Let me never more harbour any hard thoughts of thee after so signal a Discovery of thy self in thy Son If so willing and desirous to make Reconciliation by his Blood for our Sins when they lay before thee in their crimson Aggravations much more on a particular fall that we are truly humbled for How can we refuse Peace so tenderly and importunately offered by Thee who shuts out none that shut not out themselves Art more willing to receive us into favour to embrace us than we to go to thee to receive thee Extend thy Mercy O Father of Mercies to all Mankind Give Repentance unto Sinners increase of Grace and Strength to all thy Servants reduce those that are out of the way raise up those that are fallen confirm and strengthen those that stand relieve and comfort all that are in distress pity the Follies the Degeneracies of Mankind deliver them from their Sins and from their Miseries Hear the daily Prayers and Groans of thy Holy Catholick Church and every Member of the same enlighten those that are out of it with the Knowledge of thy Truth make us in these three Nations a Holy People a Habitation of Righteousness a Place where thy Honour dwells Reward and Recompence all our Friends grant Forgiveness and Charity to all our Enemies continue good Will among our Neighbours support the Sick in Faith and Patience be with those who are leaving the World fit them and us for a better receive the Souls which thou hast redeemed with thy Son 's most precious Blood to whom with thy blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Glory Honour and Praise now and for ever Amen A Prayer after the Sacrament ALL possible Praise and Thanks be given unto thee most gracious God and mercifull Father for all the Instances of thy Goodness unto me for my Health Peace Safety Food and Rayment the Society Kindness and love of Friends Success of my Labours and good Endeavours after the things of this life and a better for all the Blessings I have enjoy'd for preserving me from those Evils I have deserved and escaped for the means of Grace the Assistances of thy Holy Spirit any Inclinations towards thee any care to please thee any fear of offending thee for the Fountain and Foundation of them all the Lord Jesus Christ for thy wonderfull Love in sending him to save us from Sin and Misery to reveal and lead us to Eternal Happiness and for giving me this Day the Pledges and Assurances of the same My highest Praises fall infinitely short of thy most Excellent Majesty and I am ashamed of the most affectionate Thanks I can render unto thee for those inestimable Benefits thou hast conferr'd upon me and so long continued unto me How much Cause then have I to be abased for my shamefull Disobedience forgetfulness of thee and Ingratitude to thee to whom I owe all I have in this World or hope for in the next I humbly implore thy tender Mercies in the forgiveness of all my sins for his sake who hath born the Burden of them and satisfied thy Justice for them Let me have such a lively sence of thy marvellous love and of my Redeemer's sufferings always possessing my Soul as may oblige me for ever unto thee Constrain me to love thee to obey thee to trust in thee to be always content with the Portion thy Wisdom and Love allots unto me and to rejoyce in the midst of all the Troubles of this Life now thou hast given me the Earnest the Pledges of my Eternal Salvation Preserve in me a constant sence of the great value of my Soul for which he hath paid so dear and a great Esteem of that Purity and Holiness for the restoring of which he was obedient to the Death of the Cross Let the same mind be in me that was in Christ Let that Lowliness and Humility Tenderness and Compassion Love and Meekness Heavenly-mindedness and Submission Holiness and Delight to do thy Will Patience and Forgiveness that shone in his Life and Sufferings appear also in mine That living in the Imitation of his Holy Example I may be made partaker of the Benefits of his Death and Passion his gracious undertakings for me Let me live in the daily Thoughts and Praise of his exceeding love Let it be the Care and Business of my life to serve please and enjoy thee for ever Let many be daily brought in to understand and partake of this great Salvation purchased by our Redeemer let him be made known and faithfully obey'd all the World over Enlarge reform unite thy Church more especially in these three Nations let every Member of it be sanctified supported and saved by thee Let all of us that have waited upon thee this Day at this solemn Ordinance be pardoned and accepted in the beloved be mindfull of the Vows and Engagements that are upon us Let us love one another as Christ hath loved us and given himself for us and live as thy Redeemed ones that have tasted how good the Lord is and
more Comfort than all the Mirth and Jollity of the Earth A Holy Life give more satisfaction than all the licentious Humours of this Jovial Age. When God shall give Relaxation and Rest to his troubled Saints When all their Burthens of Persecution Temptation and Sin shall be removed All their bodily Diseases and Infirmities end in perfect Vigour Agility Spirituality Incorruption and Glory All their Ignorances in a perfect Intuition and Vision of God All their Troubles of Conscience in perfect Peace All their Distempers of Sin in perfect Subjection to the Will of God All their exorbitant Affections in a regular and harmonious Motion towards the Supream good All their Distractions and deadness in Duty in a vigorous Activity and uninterrupted Exercise of Grace All Church-Divisions in perfect Union and Communion of Saints When they shall have no misgiving Thoughts no remaining Depravity in their Nature or new contracted Guilt to eclipse the Face of God or deject theirs and make their Countenance fall before him Nothing taken from them but their Prison their Chain their Clog their Shame their Sting their Poyson their Burden their Misery The Consideration of Judgment to come is enough sure to perswade us to a strict and diligent Care of our Lives and Actions to cast a damp upon all youthfull Dalliances and Solaces to check them in their eager pursuit of their most delicious Pleasures (y) Ec. 11.9 To make the Judge upon the Bench tremble at a few words of a Prisoner at the Bar (z) Act. 24.25 The Drunkard to let fall his Cups and the Busie Worldling to stand at gaze the Prophane Atheist to hide his Head and the sleepy Sot to start up into Anxious Wonder to hush the loud Companions into Silence and the merry Droll into a carefull Look No Sinner knows how soon he may be reduc'd to the very last opportunity of making his peace with God and brought into those straits that no wise considerate man would be in for all the World Into such a Condition as to have nothing to save him from perishing but a sudden Repentance to have but this Plank left which is a Thousand to one whether ever it will bring him safe to shore Now he apprehends himself in danger he is infinitely troubled for his neglecting Preparation for that which he could not for his life but believe would come He thinks and it 's to be fear'd very right it 's somewhat too late to set about it to little purpose to gird up his Loins when he can do no Service to light his Lamp when all his Oil is spent He 's afraid he shall have no time to do any thing considerable in this work that God will not accept of any thing he doth at such a time he vainly wishes for some of those Hours he was sick of hung upon his Hand he foolishly wasted and mis spent and nothing hinders him now from setting about the Work with all his Might but that â—â—e hath neglected it so long and that it 's â—ow too late But is it not better to preâ—ent the occasion of it To take away the ground of such vain Wishes such sad Complaints Why should we not resolvedly do that now which so many when they come to die heartily wish they had done The Foundation of our Peace and Comfort at Death must be laid in our youth and health living in a continual Expectation and Preparation for it doing all things in order to it getting a stock of habitual Grace and keeping our Souls in a vigorous vigilant Posture Let your loins be girded about and your lights Burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately Blessed are those Servants Luke 12.35 36 37. whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching A Prayer for a Comfortable Death To be added to our daily Devotions ALmighty Creator and most mercifull Redeemer who hast made me as the Clay and wilt bring me to Dust again Have Mercy upon me now and at the Hour of my Death By a Holy Conversation and habitual Performance of my Duty let me be always ready for it Let it not be unprovided or untimely having in it nothing extraordinary but an extraordinary Piety and the Manifestation of a great and miraculous Mercy Hide thy Face from my Sins and blot out all mine Iniquities Let me pass through the Valley of the shadow of Death with safety and a well-grounded Peace a meek and quiet Spirit and a Sence of thy Love and Mercy let me then fear no Evil because thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff comforts me when my Flesh and my Heart faileth me be thou the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever Give me a right use of â—â—y Sences and Understanding an unâ—â—gned Repentance a strong Faith and â—â—tience a firm Hope a sincere Love 〈◊〉 thee and all the World Be thou â—â—e Portion of all my Relations and â—â—iends and our exceeding great Reâ—â—rd When our Earthly House of this â—â—bernacle is dissolved let 's have a Builâ—â—g of God an House not made with â—â—nds Eternal in the Heavens while â—â—ive let me live unto thee when I 〈◊〉 let me die unto thee living or dyâ—â—â— let me be thine through Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Lord. Amen Another O Judge of all the World and Father of Mercies In all Humility I â—strate my self before thee O Reâ—â—mber not against me the Sins of my â—â—th nor of my riper Years but acâ—â—â—ding to the Multitude of thy tender â—â—â—cies blot out all my Transgressions 〈◊〉 me not in a short life create to my 〈◊〉 Horror Amazement and Eternal Torment but be every day doing that which will be matter of Triumph and Rejoycing when I come to die All the days of my appointed Time let mâ— wait till my Change come Preservâ— me in thy Faith Fear and Love to my Life's End Cast me not away from thy Presence take not thy Holy Spirâ—â— from me Deliver me whom thou haâ— redeemed with thy most precious Blood from the Power and guilt of Sin from offending thee or others by an impatâ—â—ent uneasie Spirit from the Assaults 〈◊〉 Satan from an immoderate Fear 〈◊〉 Death from Eternal Damnation Thâ—â— when I have served thee in my Generâ—tion I may have an abundant Entranâ—â— into the Kingdom of our Lord and Savâ— our Jesus Christ to whom with thâ— Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be a Glory Honour and Praise now and eveâ— more Amen Another O Thou that art the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation receive and keep me in thy Favour in the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Faith and Peace and in Righteousness of Life Make me always sensible of the shortness and uncertainty of my Life and of the suddainness and certainty of that Day when thou wilt bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether
Burdensom Prepare for the worst If it come the labour 's well bestow'd if not well lost Think not every day will be a wedding-day In Matrimony God marries Comforts and Crosses together as well as Man and Wife such shall have trouble in the flesh (o) 1 Cor. 7.28 Study to please not to be pleased then all the fault you find will be with your selves Let all your strife be which shall love and please God and one another most and upon any difference who shall first seek for Reconciliation Construe words and Actions in the best sence Stifle little things Abstain from whatsoever is found contrary to each other A Prudent observation of each others Tempers and forbearance of what may provoke will prevent many fallings out Think not much less do any thing that may tend to lessen but whatsoever may knit what God hath Tied with his own Hand If Passion arise in one let the other be silent If Satan hath sown Discord sleep not until the Tares be plucked up Two Cholerick Persons living together many years were never heard to fall out because said one of them being asked when one was angry t'other had the wisdom to forbear Cross not each other in the spring Tide of Passion but stay till ebbing Water then mildly argue it and that not so much to condemn one another as to acquit your self we are more Tractable in Cold than Hot Blood it portends Ill luck when two Fire-Balls meet Be helpfull to each other's Health Comfort and Advantage as to your Bodies Estate good Names Souls Bear one anothers Burdens Personal and Domestical Discover not but bear with one anothers Infirmities yet so as to quicken one anothers Graces and not to suffer Sin upon you Share in each others Joys and Sorrows Jointly endeavour to make the Weight of the Family the more tolerable the Load is lightned by carrying it evenly equally Speak one to not one of another It ought to be so amongst Christians much more York-fellows Debate it between your selves not before your Families or Strangers 'T is a lessening of your selves when standers-by take notice of your Grievances Dissents between Man and Wife are uncomely Differences intolerable I would suffer much before I would make my Complaint to another They are ill Birds that defile their own Nests In case of Correction or Rebuking any of the Family though there be an Errour in the Application let not one Yoke fellow contradict the other before the offending Party but debate the Mistake when you are alone least you abate due Fear and Reverence and teach others to despise your Discipline and your selves 'T is not safe for one Yoke-fellow to receive an Appeal from any of the Family nor to take the Rod out of the other's hand Improve your Conjugal Converse for Spiritual Ends. Let not the Body Rob the Soul nor the Elder serve the Younger Redeem the Time that you may bless God you ever met and not as too many do Curse one another for silently advancing each others Ruine So when the Land-flood of youthfull violent Affections is dried up the Fountain of Spiritual Love will still run with a more sober and moderate but more constant and lasting stream Season your Natural Society with Spiritual Communion in secret serving God and you 'll avoid the Surfeit of Society which choaketh Love Reckon your selves one anothers more than your own and the Lord 's more than one anothers Let your Fellowship together be such as you both in it may have Fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ whose Image and Superscription this Relation bears Be holy in all manner of Conversation Possess your Vessels in Sanctification and Honour Defile not the Marriage-Bed Be not drunk with your own Wine All things are sanctified by the Word and Prayer Be much in Prayer for and with one another you will then blame your selves not one another and be ashamed to jar considering you must shame your selves before God for it As to Children pray not only for due Parts Proportion and safe Delivery but Children sanctified that your Families may be the Enlargement of Christ's Kingdom and of the Houshold of Faith As God encreases your Relations enlarge your Requests for every one in particular Those Petitions will not suffice when you are many that did when you were one Make God's House as yours and yours as God's Join with Elkanah and Hannah in giving up your Children to God's Service and in going together to sacrifice (p) 1 Sa. 1.21.28 Account that the greatest Riches not which you lay up for your selves or yours but out for God He is mercifull and lendeth and his Seed is Blessed (q) Ps 37.26 Their Prayer O Thou that art the great Creator and wise Disposer of us and all things in Heaven and Earth who hast ordained Marriage for our good and made us two one Flesh We give thee all humble and hearty Thanks for preserving us in our single State so innocent and chast so free from Shame and Reproach For conducting us through the Temptations of this Life so mercifully so wisely for keeping us from the effects of thy Wrath and our own Infirmities O forgive whatsoever might cause thee to Imbitter this state unto us and accept us in the Beloved Indue us with a Spirit of Love of Kindness of Condescension and prevent whatsoever might Disturb our Happy Union Let our chief love and delight be grounded upon the Hopes we have of being Heirs together of the grace of Life Let us walk Hand in Hand to our Father's House in a chearful and faithful discharge of our respective Duties to each other and those Committed to us and be still provoking one another to Love and to good Works That after Death which shall e're long separate us for a little while we may with Comfort meet together where they neither Marry nor are given in Marriage but are as the Angels perpetually praising thee for all the Instances of thy Kindness and Endless Love Through Jesus Christ to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and evermore Amen Another WE come unto thee most gracious God and merciful Father who in Infinite Wisdom and Goodness hast brought and united us together and do prostrate our Souls before thee in all Humility under a deep sense of our unworthiness and unbecoming Demeanure in thy sight O Pardon it unto us that we have liv'd no more to the great Ends of our coming into the World and into this state which thou Institutedst in Innocency Let it not be a state of Temptation or Sorrow by occasion of our Sins and Infirmities but of Holiness and Comfort as thou intendedst it to all that love and fear Thee Allay in us all sensual Bruitish love Purifie and sanctifie our Affections that we may not Dishonour or Pollute the Bed thou hast called Undefiled But use it so as Carnal Lust may be slacked and subdued not provoked
possible Praise that though I have deserved nothing but Trouble and Affliction thou hast been so careful of me so good unto me all my dayes In particular as to the Choice thou hast made for me O Pardon the Vanity the Follies the Errors the Miscarriages of my younger and riper years and punish them not upon me with those extream Troubles Disquiets Dissatisfactions those find in this state who have provoked thee Give me Prudence and Discretion to know and do my Duty with a chearful Heart and willing Mind Let it be my study and delight to please Thee and Him thou hast set over me To bear with his Infirmities To Help and do Him good all his days Free us from all peevishness sinful passions mistakes causless Jealousies and endue us with such meek quiet chast Dispositions as may encrease each others Joy and lighten each others Sorrows That in all the Changes and Alterations of our Condition we may preserve a sincere love unto Thee and one another Make us always mindful of the sacred Vow and Covenant wherein we stand engaged to Thee and each other and to stir up one another to the love of Thee and our Neighbour That in the sence of a good Conversation we may leave the world under well grounded hopes of dwelling together with Thee in Heaven Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour the Head and Husband of his Church to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and for ever Amen For Safe Child-bearing MOst great and only wise God who sanctifiedst Marriage in Innocency for the Propagation of Mankind If it be thy good Pleasure make me Partaker of that Blessing Prevent a Barren a miscarrying Womb and dry Breasts Make me a Joyful Mother of Children That I may serve Thee in increasing and bringing up thy Faithful ones Deny not due Parts Senses Reason and Comfortable use of the same in thy own due Time Mitigate and Asswage the sharpness of that Curse and inevitable pain upon my Sex for the Offence of our first Parents Be not far from me when Trouble is nigh O Lord make hast to help me Give me Patience Submission Resignation to thy Will a seasonable easie safe Delivery Keep me from all sad Accidents and Passions from all Undecency of Deportment and unquietness of Spirit Impatience or Distrust from doing any thing sinful or feeling any thing intolerable Give me the expected fruit of my Womb and a thankful Heart to Consecrate it and my self to thy Service Punish us not in or by it nor it for our Sins assure us of the Pardon of them Increase my Faith support and strengthen me by thy Holy Spirit vanquish my Fears and Sorrows But I wholly submit all unto thy Holy Will and Pleasure whose Wisdom is Infinite whose Counsel is secret and knows what 's best for me and hast promised all Things shall work together for my good However thou dealest with me Give me not up to a Barren unfruitful heart Beget Preserve Encrease Confirm in me good Purposes and Resolutions Let them not prove Abortive but bring forth continually the fruit of good Living Give me Contentment in every Condition and Grace to Discharge the Duties I am or shall be called unto to my own and others Comfort the Credit of Religion the Praise of thy great Name thorough Jesus Christ Amen Thanksgiving after Deliverance ALL possible Thanks and Praise be given unto thee most gracious God and Heavenly Father for all the Instances of thy Goodness unto me all my Days Particularly for not turning away my Prayer nor thy Mercy from me for supporting me in the time of my Distress and Extremity when I might have perished in it O Sanctifie this great Deliverance that it may be in Love and Mercy unto me Keep me from all evil and further Danger of Childbed Give me a quiet Spirit increase of Strength a healthful Body ability for my Duty stedfast Confidence in thee a lively and lasting sence of thy Mercy a thankful Heart inlarged Affections to Praise thee to be joyful in thee to speak good of thee chearfully to serve thee all my Days Let this Experience of thy Power Mercy and Goodness learn me for ever to Trust in thee to rely cast all my Burden upon thee in a sincere observance of thy Holy Commandments Let me be as solicitous to glorifie thee for delivering of me as I was in calling upon thee for it That this great Mercy may not be in vain unto me but a fore-runner of my Deliverance from the pit of Eternal Destruction through my Lord and Saviour who was Born and Suffered the pains of Death for me to whom be Glory Honour and Praise now and ever Amen Parents Duties BE deeply sensible of the miserable state your Children have derived from you and of the gracious Terms offered by God for your and their Salvation Resign and Dedicate them to Him and Solemnize the same by Baptizing of them Nothing but the want of Milk or Ability excuses the Mother from Nursing them upon her own Breast (w) Ce. 21.7 1 Sa. 1.24 Ps 22.9 Lu. 11.27 The neglect of which is a great wrong to the Child who too often inherits the Diseases Humours and Dispositions of the Nurse and occasions less love to her who ought to have done it Lay not too much stress on the forward beginnings of wit and memory which often fail in their Age of all their Childhood promis'd But we can never hope too much of the timely Blossoms of Grace whose spring is perpetual and whose Harvest begins with our End Check the first appearings and buddings forth of Sin in them and encourage all good beginnings of Virtue when they are able to learn any thing it 's high time to reach them that which is good Stop their little Undecencies keep them from the Confines of Evil. Train them up to those things which are Immediate Dispositions of Virtue and Religion As Meekness Gentleness Patience Modesty Diligence Pity Compassion Mercifulness Government of their Tongue and Passions Silence Sobriety Comly speech to speak the Truth at all times which are great Preservatives against Impudence Unchastity Idleness Malice Hatred Revenge Oppression Injustice and all kind of Vices when we see a Child strike a Servant rudely jear the poor or silly Person Cheat his Play-fellow talk light Things little Boldnesses wrangling and lying for Trifles c. we encourage laugh at and are delighted with his wanton Wit and Confidence please our selves to see him displease God not considering these beginnings are growing up to Impudence and Revenge Injurious Actions false Witness Perjuries Tyranny Treason Education even alters Nature and moulds a Man a-new Instill Goodness betimes into them as they are capable Learn them and see they understand the Creed the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments and all the Principles of the Christian Religion in a familiar way according to their Capacities Teach them to Pray constantly and
Service of Christ into the Communion of Saints Keep them from the Loss or Injury of any Sence or Member from every sad Accident from Evil Temptations or Examples prevailing upon them from being useless unprofitable or vitious that they prove not a Curse but a Blessing and Comfort to us and others and attain what thou hast promised to those that Honour and Obey thee and their Parents and not provoke thee to visit the Iniquity of their Fathers upon them Give us grace to carry our selves so as we may be able with Confidence so leave our Fatherless Children with thee and bid them trust in Thee O thou that hast sent forth thine Angels for Ministring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation give them Charge over us and them for Preservation and Safety thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Childrens Duties LOve and Honour your Parents in your Thoughts Speeches and Behaviour be they never so mean in the World or Understanding though you cannot as Rich Wise or Religious you must as Parents Think not contemptuously of them speak not dishonourably irreverently saucily to them or of them Deride not their failings or miscarriages but conceal lament cover them Bear with their Infirmities of Mind and Body when old Age makes them Troublesome to others let them not be so to you Carefully lay up all their wholsome Precepts Imitate them in all that 's good while they live and when they are dead Remember what Grief of Mind your Miscarriages will be to them and how much your Happiness will be theirs Make not their lives miserable by undoing your selves Bear with them when froward and twice Children as they did with you when you were theirs Murmur not but willingly and thankfully be instructed and reprehended by them Obey them in all lawfull things Chearfully submit to any labour they injoyn you or Correction they lay upon you Be content with their Allowance and Provision for you and disposal of you Marry not without their Consent Children are so much their Parents Goods and Possessions that they cannot without a kind of Theft give away themselves without their Approbation that have a Right in them If they be in want relieve and maintain them and that not as Servants or Inferiours but Superiours See they fare as well or better than our selves Though you got not your Riches by them you can never requite them for what you have received of them Pray and do what in you lies for their Health and Life Peace and Comfort Remember how much you owe them for all their Cares and Fears their Cost for you and pains with you Be far from those who imbrue their Souls in bloody Wishes for their Parent 's Death Though they wish them in Heaven it 's not so much that they may have Ease and Rest at their Journey 's End as because they must needs take Death in the way If long Life be promised as a Reward for honouring Parents such may expect untimely Death as a Punishment on the contrary Reverence Kindness and loving Respects to them never went unrecompensed even in this Life Their Prayer MOst Merciful and Heavenly Father who Invitest little Children to come unto Thee and lovest those that do O take me into the Arms of thy Mercy and Bless me who am dedicated to thee in Baptism Make me always mindful of my Vow and Promise to forsake the Devil and all his works to believe in thee and to serve thee to be Dutiful Obedient and Thankful to my Parents and Instructers Humble Reverent and Meek to my Superiors gentle sober and Temperate all my Dayes Keep and defend me from all Evil lead me into all Good Bless me and my Parents O my Heavenly Father The longer I live the better let me be Let me increase in Wisdom and Stature and favour with thee and men to the Glory of thy great Name the Delight of my Relations my own Happiness in this World and that which is to come thorough Jesus Christ in whose Holy Name and Words I further Pray Our Father which art in Heaven c. Another MOst Gracious and Merciful Father who madest preservest and providest all Necessaries for me Pardon whatever I have done amiss and grant I may do so no more Give me Grace to obey Thee and my Parents to be helpful and a Comfort to them Keep me from slighting of them Irreverence Undutifulness Disobedience to them Let me never forget or slightly Remember my many Bonds and Obligations of Duty Obedience and Thankfulness to them their Sorrows Pains and Care for me that I may never make their Hearts sad or bring down their grey hairs with Sorrow to the Grave Increase the Number of their Dayes and thy Graces in them to thy Glory in their Generation Watch over us for good all our Dayes through Jesus Christ who hath Taught me when I Pray to say Our Father which art in Heaven c. The Masters Duties LEt your first Care be to admit none into your Service but such as will serve God with you (y) Ps 101.4 c. A wicked Person is a dangerous Infection in a Family Disobedience is from Irreligion There can be no true Fidelity and Subjection but out of Conscience Keep your Servants from Evil Company and from being Temptations to one another Watch over them for their good Encourage the Obedient Rebuke convince admonish the Contrary so as their own Consciences may Condemn them without Bitterness Reviling Sharpness which oftner hardens than Reforms Defend and Protect them in doing their Duty Bear them not out in wronging any but right them when they are wronged Refuse not their just Apologies Hearken to and Redress their Grievances (z) Job 31.13 Deny not necessary wholsom sufficient Food and Rayment if the Contract be so Physick Lodging Wages Think not much of maintaining them when by Providence disabled from serving you Oppress them not with too much Labour Let your Commands be lawful feasable necessary convenient that they may Obey with chearfulness Your Reproofs and Admonitions short plain material prudent sober private seasonable familiar with good Advice according to their different Tempers when it 's most like to do good and to convince them of it with such winning Mildness and Concern as they may see you 're more ingag'd for their welfare than themselves Rule with Wisdom and Discretion Love Gentleness Tenderness not Rigour and Severity Looking on them not as Slaves but fellow Pilgrims fellow-Servants fellow-Christians and Brethren (a) Phil. 1. Knowing you have also a Master in Heaven (b) Ep. 6.9 Col. 4.1 An austere Master makes Eye-Servants his Person hated his Business neglected No Servant will do his Duty except out of Conscience or Love to his Master Fairness sweetens Advice and purchases Love without which there can be no true Fidelity and Respect Constraint is for Extremity when all other ways fail Let your Corrections be prudent moderate unpassionate joyn'd with Instruction proportionable to the Person 's
may be found to have made unto my self Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness and when they fail be received into everlasting Habitations through Jesus Christ to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour and Glory now and ever Amen Another MOst glorious Creator of all things and liberal Benefactor to all thy Creatures That art pleased out of the Freedom of thy Bounty to deal out so largely to me of those good things which many others want Give me Grace to be duly sensible of thankfull for and to make a right Use of them Let them not be occasions of my Sin and Ruine but Incentives and Encouragements to love and serve thee Keep me from Pride Haughtiness Intemperance Covetousness Remisness in thy Service despising others loving the World trusting in uncertain Riches Give me Humility lowliness of Mind love and an open-handed Charity a fellow-feeling of others Necessities and to relieve them as I ought Let me not be of the number of those Fools that lay up Treasures for themselves and are not Rich towards thee But to make a true Use of all thy Blessings that when the Judge of all the World shall call me to give an Account of the same he may say unto me Well done good and faithfull Servant thou hast been faithfull in a little I will make thee Ruler over much Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord In whose Holy Name and Words I further pray unto thee saying Our Father c. Duties of the Poor BE truly Religious and bring up your Children so too that you may leave them with God who will take Care of them when you can leave them nothing else And that you may not be miserable for ever as well as Poor here miss of both the good things of the Life that now is and of that which is to Come Be Diligent and Painful Frugal and Provident Repent of and avoid those Sins that have brought you or tends to Poverty as Pride Idleness Intemperance Falshood Deceit unjust getting c. without which you can never expect your Condition should be Sanctified unto you Be not more Cruel to your selves than uncharitable men are if they keep you Poor keep not your selves ungodly and miserable The less Comfort you have or hope for here the harder the World uses you the more fervently seek after the Heavenly Treasure those that want that are Poor indeed and none but those Envy not but give due Respect to those above you let not your Eye be Evil because God's is Good Let your low Condition teach you to Contemn the World to be Humble Holy Heavenly-minded Take heed of Murmuring and Repining against the Will of God Bring and keep your Minds in a chearful contented frame with your present state well pleased with the Station and Condition he hath placed you in who must Dispose of us and ours and should be our Rest Learn to depend contentedly upon him alone for a comfortable supply of all needful things without Anxiety or Distrust Study his Provident Care Goodness Faithfulness and All-sufficiency When you have not a place or Friend on Earth Comfortably betake your selves to him for Relief who hath obliged himself to give Necessaries to all his faithful Servants his Dependent Children Those that follow Christ profess they want nothing (m) Lu. 22.53 Bethink how unfit you are to be choosers of your Condition That 's best for you which brings you to Happiness which he knows better than you and how dangerous what a great hinderance the world would be to you How few of the Rich and Rulers of it are Humble Heavenly Self-denying Mortified men and no wise man hath Reason to long for a hinderance of his Salvation or to Pray to God to make it as hard a Thing for him to Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven as for a Camel to go thorough the Eye of a Needle (n) Mat. 19.24 Remember your Fore-runners Christ and many of his faithful followers chose or were contented in a life of Poverty that had not where to lay their Head A state so Tolerable and Advantageous that it hath been Courted and Elected by many before ever any particular Providence pointed out the Necessity or lay'd the Constraint and Recommended by such as have dedicated their lives to Wisdom and Philosophy Nor hath Christ spoken a much harder thing in the Gospel than what relates to a Confidence in Riches allowing only a possibility with God for the Refuge and Salvation of the wealthy as it were not Receiving them within the ordinary Extensions of his love and tenderness but referring them to the Omnipotency and last reach of his Mercy (o) Mat. 19.26 You little know the Troubles Cares Fears and Vexations of the Rich who in a little while dye as Poor as Naked as you but usually with more guilt unwillingness discomfort and regret The Thirst of Greatness and Riches is the Root of Wars Factions Slaughters Disguises Disquiets Toils Dangers Hazards and Ruin You have no Cause to fear the Rumors of Wars unfaithful Servants the sly Thief crafty Lawyer abuse of Flatterers bloody Designs spiteful Machinations no Man whets his Ax to cut down a shrub Be not sorry that your Condition subjects you to Contempt rather than Envy Flattery and those Temptations opportunities and assistances to be wicked Pride Intemperance oppressing and despising others abusing God's Creatures trouble and noise of Company Vanity and loss of Time by Impertinent Ceremonious Visits Mutual Entertainments perpetual Dreads and Suspitions Sutes and Turmoils of a great Family declension of Estates Impatience of Losses and Disgrace the neglect or scorn of some great one makes all their grandure unsatisfying Your Condition Exercises you in man-like Labour renders you and yours more healthy strong able to abide Cold and Hardship furnishes you with a pleasant Appetite sweet unmolested Rest brings you acquainted with Truth and Plainness teaches you to place your Hopes only in God and to Contemn all other things frees you from Surfeits and many Diseases presses you to be more certain in your Devotion more resolved in Danger more undaunted to maintain the Truth fitter to flie in Times of Persecution better disposed at all times to welcom Death without casting a back look upon the World having nothing to lose or leave but trouble no Lands to settle no Executors to mistrust no answerable Portion to raise no Cry of Orphans Widdows Tears Complaints of the Oppressed to disquiet you in your passage which use to follow the Oppressor to the Gates of Hell Their Prayer MOst Gracious and All-sufficient Lord God who art the Maker of the Rich and the Poor and no Respecter of Persons In an humble sense of my own vileness and unworthiness 〈◊〉 prostrate my self before thee acknowledging it thy Infinite Mercy and Goodness that I am on this side Hell and the Grave and have any of the Necessaries of this Life O Pardon my unthankfulness for so many Mercies that
and evidence the same unto his Soul give him seasonable Ease Rest and Sleep and patience under his Sufferings and let these light Afflictions that are but for a Moment work out for him a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory let the Lord Jesus be unto him both in Life and Death great Advantage Take him not out of this Life untill thou hast fitted him for a better Let not the Enemy have any Advantage over him or be able to shake his Faith and Confidence in thy Mercy through Jesus Christ to whom with thy Blessed Majesty and Holy Spirit be all Honour Glory and Praise now and evermore Amen Another WE prostrate our selves before thee O great Physitian of Soul and Body in a deep sense of our own vileness and unworthiness acknowledging it of thy free grace and mercy that thou hast not cut us off in the midst of our Sins without giving us space to beg thy Pardon and Mercy Beseeching thee for the sake of our All-sufficient Mediator to be reconciled unto us and at Peace with us Wash us throughly from our Iniquities and cleanse us from our Sins In particular be very gracious and mercifull to this thy Servant Thou hast all Distempers at thy Command if thou sayest go they go come they come unto God the Lord belong the Issues from Death O raise him up from his Bed of languishing Return O Lord deliver his Soul O save him for thy mercies sake for in Death there is no remembrance of thee in the Grave who shall give thee Thanks O let him live that he may bless thee and be instrumental for thy Glory But if his days are determined to end now prepare him for leaving the World Make him truly sensible of all his Offences and accept of the Death and Passion of thy beloved Son as an Expiation for them Let him sleep in Jesus die in the Lord and rest from his Labours Take away all sad disquieting discouraging perplexing thoughts Quiet compose support his Spirit Inable him to wait in an humble Submission for that peaceable joyfull Repose and Rest which thou hast prepared for thy Servants for his sake who subjected himself to Mortality who died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and intercedes for us at thy Right-hand the Anchor of our Hope and Foundation of our Happiness in whose Holy Name and Words we further pray unto thee saying Our Father c. How to spend every Day well WAste not your precious Morning hours sluggishly in your Bed Allow your selves so much sleep only as is necessary for your Health Begin the day with God Offer up unto Him who giveth his Beloved sleep and careth for you when you cannot for your self the first of your Thoughts and Affections As soon as you awake lift up a Thankful Heart for your Comfortable Rest and Sleep and Preservation Let not the Continuance and Commonness of the Mercy make it seem less but Encrease your Thankfulness Beg of Him to preserve you from all Evil especially Sin To Protect direct assist and Bless you in all your lawful undertakings and ingage in none wherein you cannot expect it Resolve not to lose or mispend the Day before you which when gone you shall see again no more for ever Think what a Blessed Rest you shall have in the presence of his Angels and of the Happiness and Privilege of being in his Love and under his Protection Let the naked ness of your Body mind you to avoid Sin the Cause of Shame your Rising out of Bed of the general Resurrection at the last Day before the Judge of all the World The light of the Day of the Sun of Righteousness the several parts of your Cloaths of taking unto you the whole Armour of God c. This is the way to keep out vain Thoughts and your selves in a Better frame all the Day which is usually spent well or ill according as we set out in the beginning of it Let your Apparel be Modest Decent according to your Place Condition and Station and not Expensive of Time in putting on not to nourish Pride or occasion Lust It 's not enough to look to our own Thoughts except we beware also of provoking others Affectedness in any thing is Commendable in nothing Night and Morning Devotion keeps the fire of the Altar always alive Enter upon no Business until you have offered up your Morning Sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving Recommend your self and your Affairs unto God by Solemn Prayer and Return him Thanks for his Care of you and goodness unto you the last Night and all your Days And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (b) Mat. 6.6 Call to mind and arm your selves against the Temptations and failings you are liable to by-Reason of your Company Imployment Inclinations and watch over them continually Look for Evils every day and cast all your Cares and Fears upon God Let your Carriage be such all the Day as those that must appear before him at Night In all Difficulties ascend to him for Counsel and Direction in all Troubles for Support in all your Undertakings for a Blessing Be still asking whose am I what do I here am I in my way Is this my last Day or do I look for another Entertain not vain Desires or worldly Lusts but resist reject them Turn and fix your Thoughts upon something that is good frequently lift up your Souls to God in mental Praises and Supplications Make a Covenant with your Eye and Ear the Inlets of Lust and Vanity Set the Lord always before you Do nothing that may Create sorrow at Night or Confusion at the great Day Resolve to spend the day as usefully as possible to God others your self to speak for God and his Glory what ever it cost you not to be terrified from or ashamed of him or his Service so as the Testimony of a good Conscience may be ground of your Rejoycing Your Heavenly work is to run a Race to fight a good fight to strive and wrestle which cannot be done without giving all Diligence Care and Watchfulness Follow your Earthly Imployment though Difficult with Chearfulness and a Heavenly Mind Be Industrious in your Business and Honest in your Dealings Take no Advantage of any oversight work not upon the Ignorance Unskilfulness Weakness or Necessity of others Do as you would have done to your selves or yours It 's better to suffer wrong than do it Use not many words and those understood by the Contractor All the Business of a Bargain is summed up in a few He that speaks least usually means fairest and He that deceives by speaking what is true in a sence not intended or understood by the other is a Liar and a Thief Avoid not only what is false but that also which deceives all Equivocating Intricate Crafty speeches speak the sence of your Mind a Bargain may be as unmerciful as a Robbery God still takes the weakest part and
only the Person hâ— assumed had been the better for it But the Divine Person assumed to himself the Humane Nature So that the Manhood subsists in the Godhead and they are so inseparably united that the same Person which is God is also Man Thus as God he is Eternal born in Time as Man Creator as God a Creature as Man Invisible as God visible as Man Immortal as God Died as Man Had he not been God and Man in One Person the Sufferings of his Humane Nature could not have derived that Infinite Value and Merit from the Divine nor his Bloud been called the Bloud of God (l) Acts 20.28 i. e. It was the Bloud of that Man that was God He was 1. God That he might bear the Wrath of God without sinking under it Give Worth and Efficacy to his Sufferings Obedience and Intercession Satisfie Divine Justice Purchase his Favour and Eternal Happiness for his People Overcome Death and the Devil Be the Head of his Church Recommend Infinite Love in the Abasement of himself for us 2. Man that he might obey suffer and intercede for us in our Nature have a fellow-feeling of our Temptations Passions Infirmities that we might have Access to the Throne of Grace and receive the Adoption of Sons As Creatures we were bound to the Precepts of the Law which we had broken and were without strength unable to perform And as Transgressors under liable to the Curse of the Law the Wrath of God which we were unable to bear Christ by his Active and Passive Obedience of Infinite Merit fulfilled all Righteousness purchased for us Pardon Grace and Eternal Life satisfied Divine Justice paid our Debt wrought out our Redemption procur'd our Liberty by giving a satisfactory Ransome to the Justice of God for our Life and Deliverance from the Captivity of Sin Satan and Death according to the Covenant made between the Father and Him from Eternity Of the Sacraments THE Two standing Sacraments of the Church of God of Old were Circumcision and the Passover Under the Gospel we have Baptism and the Lord's Supper wherein by visible signs the Benefits of the New Covenant in Christ's Bloud is represented sealed and applied to those that are within the Covenant who partake of them as Pledges of his Love and profess themselves thereby bound to all thankfull Obedience Baptism confirms and signifies 1. Our publick Initiation Entrance or Admission into the visible Church and Covenant of Grace distinguishing us from those out of it 2. Our being sprinkled washed and cleansed by the Bloud and Spirit of Christ from the guilt and filth of Sin our Dying to it and rising again unto Righteousness 3. Our having taken upon us the Badge and Livery of our Christian Profession That we have listed our selves as Soldiers to fight under Christ's Banner against the World the Flesh and the Devil which we have hereby renounced and resigned up our selves to Him and his Government to become his faithfull Subjects and Servants unto our lives End By the Minister's baptizing us In or into or unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is meant his doing it by the Authority and Command of the Three Persons in the Divine Essence to be in and by this Rite publickly consigned devoted or consecrated unto the Faith Profession and Obedience of Them or separated unto their Service We ought to improve our Baptism in the whole Course of our Lives especially in the Time of Temptation and when we see others baptized by frequent Consideration of the Nature Use and Ends of it Institution Priviledges and Benefits sealed by it and our solemn Vow and Engagement made therein Endeavouring to live in newness of Life and brotherly Love as those that have given up their Names unto Christ and been baptized by the same Spirit into one Body The Lord's Supper Of that afterwards The Apostle's Creed SO called either because 1. Made by the Twelve Apostles every one an Article and the whole approved of by all of them before they separated themselves to Preach the Gospel Or 2. Agreeable to and a Summary of their Writings and collected out of them Article I. I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth I Believe in one Eternal most glorious Being infinite in all Perfections The Fountain Soveraign and Disposer Creator Sustainer and Governor of Heaven and Earth and all things therein II. And in Jesus Christ The Second Person of the Trinity Called 1. Jesus which signifies a Saviour or Salvation because he saves his People from the guilt defilement dominion and punishment of their Sins 2. Christ which signifies Anointed as of old were Priests Prophets and Kings when consecrated for those Offices which he took upon him was Anointed set apart unto fully furnished with all Authority and Ability As a Prophet he made known all things necessary for our Salvation by his Word and Spirit As a Priest he offered up himself a Sacrifice for our Sins and makes continual Intercession for us As a King he governs provides for rewards his People reduces them to his obedience rules in them by his Spirit restrains subdues or destroys their Enemies Jesus is a Hebrew Christ a Greek or Gentile Name or Appellation which Names he obtained by becoming the Saviouâ— of both i. e. the whole World Jesus point out and imports his Mediatorship Christ his Offices Jesus that he became our Saviour Christ which way i. e. by being our Priest Prophet and King His only Son By Eternal inconceivable Generation Begotten of the Father before all Time Our Lord By Right of Creation Preseâ—vation Dominion Purchase Redemption and particular Covenant III. Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary I believe that Hâ— came down from Heaven and was by thâ— Power of the Holy Ghost after a wonderfull manner conceived and made Man in the Sanctified Womb of a Virgin and born of her so being not begotten of the corrupted finfull Seed of Adam free from Original Sin and as foretold â—he Seed of the Woman (m) Gen. 3.15 of the Tribe of Judah (n) Heb. 9.14 of the House and Family of David (o) Luc. 1. 27. IV. Suffered under Pontius Pilate was Crucified Dead and Buried He endured many Bitter Things in the whole Course of his Life but the Weight and Extremity of his Sufferings were immediately before and by his Crucifixion a painfull shamefull accursed Death to which he was adjudged by Pontius Pilate Governour of Judea under â—he Roman Emperour Tiberius to whom â—he Jews were then subject He died to â—edeem and ransome satisfie and make aâ—onement for us to take away Sin the sting â—nd fear of Death to take from us upon himself the Curse of the Law to confirm â—he Testament or Covenant of Grace for where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator (p) Heb. 9.16 He was Bury'd â—s prefigured and foretold (q) Ps 16.9 10.
be in vain in thee Let us walk Circumspectly not as Fools but as Wise Redeeming the Time because the Days are Evil. Make us more and more sensible of our frailty and mortality seeing these Earthly Tabernacles our Bodies shall be dissolved let us frequently and seriously consider what manner of Persons we ought to be in all Holy Conversation and Godliness Pity the Degeneracy of Mankind Visit the dark Corners of the Earth with the light of thy glorious Gospel Purge out of thy Church whatsoever is an offence and dishonour unto thee and indangers the Souls of Men. Bless us in these three Nations by turning every one of us from our Iniquities Indue our Soveraign with those Gifts and Graces of thy Spirit that are necessary for him as a King and as a Christian Let us and all his Subjects live under him quiet and peaceable lives in all Godliness and Honesty Make all our Ministers and Magistrates faithful and successful in encreasing and encouraging Holiness and Discountenancing Vice Let none of our Relations be Strangers unto thy self nor any of thine Afflicted Servants be forgotten by thee Relieve them as thou knowest best for them Recompence those that have shewed us Kindness do good to those that have done us Evil. We Praise thy holy Name for all thy Mercies for thy Care of us and Goodness to us this Day and all our Dayes Take Care of our Persons and of all thou hast Committed to us this Night Let us lye down in a sence of thy daily Kindness unto us and awake in asence of thy continual Care of us and do abundantly for us above what we can ask or think for the sake of thy Son Jesus Christ the Righteous who hath taught us to Pray Our Father c. Servants Duties INwardly Esteem outwardly in works gesture and behaviour Honour and Reverence your Masters From which neither Age Sex Birth Breeding Condition Gifts or Means can free you Reveal not their Secrets and Infirmities Dishonour them not behind their backs Stand up for them speak respectfully to them and to others of them Preserve their Reputation and the Families Talk not to others of what is said or done at Home Give them no just occasion of distast Let as many Servants as are under the Yoke account their own Masters worthy of all Honour (c) 1 Tim. 6.1 Readily and sincerely obey their Commands please them well in all lawful and indifferent things not answering again (d) Tit. 2.9 The Master's place is to dispose of and order his own Business and the Servant to submit unto his will in it chearfully without grumbling at it or at their work or that they are Servants and not as those they serve 'T is uncomfortable to your selves and them that you go about your Business with heavy sowr looks and discontented Spirits forgetting you are serving the Lord while you are doing their work Be not slothfull careless negligent but faithfull diligent industrious in it not loytering or minding your own ease and pleasure A Burdensome Imployment is made easie by Custome and to a willing mind doth it self Labour to preserve and encrease their Estate to further and advance their Interest by all good and lawfull means Be provident frugal and wary for their Advantage and see nothing be lost damaged wasted or consumed through your default Beware of secret Theft of purloyning stealing giving lending making away any thing without their Consent Remember your Father Jacob and the Blessing upon him when a Servant who served with all his power was carefull Night and Day of what was committed to him and made good what was torn or lost (e) Gen. 31.39 And how those that improved their Master's Talent were commended and rewarded while the idle and unprofitable was cast into outward darkness (f) Matt. 25.14 c. Do your work well and as soon as you can knowing you and your Time is not your own Be as thrifty and carefull as if it were your own Concern and serve as you would have others serve you Let your Answers be true direct dutifull not sullen muttering saucy irreverent contradicting or disputing with them Beware of excusing any unwarrantable thing or adding one Sin to another by telling a Lye which is an Abomination to the Lord which his Soul abhors which he punishes in this World and that which is to come Bear with meekness patience and submission the sharpest Reproofs and Corrections though wrongfully inflicted without Cause God will vindicate your Cause if wronged and reward you Look upon your Condition as chosen for you by God and your selves as his Servants and your Work Allowance Provision and Restraints as his and do all as to him Pray daily for a Blessing upon him his Affairs the whole Family and your Labours A Godly Servant hath been an Eminent Blessing where he hath lived They are not worthy to partake of the Mercies of the Family that pray not endeavour not for them Servants be obedient unto them that are your Masters according to the Flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of Heart as unto Christ not with Eye-service as Men-pleasers but as the Servants of Christ doing the Will of God from the Heart With good-will doing service as to the Lord and not to Men knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free (g) Ep. 6.5 c. Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward for this is thank-worthy if a man for Conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully For what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently But if when you do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable unto God for even hereunto were ye called c. (h) 1 Pet. 2.18 c. Their Prayer ALmighty Omniscient Omnipresent Lord God in all Humility I prostrate my Soul before thee acknowledging and adoring the Wisdom and Goodness of thy Providence in appointing every one his Station and disposing all things and Persons into their several Ranks Orders and Degrees some to command and others to obey for their mutual Help and Benefit I humbly submit to the State and Condition thou hast placed me in beseeching Thee to forgive me all my failings and disobedient Carriage towards thee and those thou hast set over me for his sake who though he was Lord of all took upon him the form of a Servant that by Obedience and Suffering he might procure the Salvation of all his Servants whether bond or free Give me a humble obedient contented Heart to serve thee and those thou hast obliged me unto diligently faithfully carefully with all chearfulness and gladness of Soul without repining murmuring envying or unwillingness Remembring I deserve not a Being upon Earth much less to be thy Servant Let me think my self happy therein and
young (q) Isa 40.11 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World (r) Matt. 25.34 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (s) John 3.16 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off (t) John 6.37 Say unto my Brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God (u) Joh. 20.17 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant be (w) Joh. 12.26 By him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses (x) Acts 13.39 I will be mercifull to their unrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more (y) Heb. 8.12 There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the Right-hand of God who also maketh intercession for us c. (z) Rom. 8.1.33 c. Blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their Labours and their works do follow them (a) Rev. 14.13 And you that are about the Sick urge them betimes to make their Will if they have not Use your utmost Endeavours for their Ease and Recovery Be not weary of them but tender patient compassionate bearing with their Impatience Grudge not any trouble they put you to not knowing how soon 't will be your own Case Deal faithfully and prudently with them according to their state flatter them not with groundless Hopes of this or a better life Keep such from them as may hinder or annoy them with Impertinencies get such about them as will assist them in their passage to endless Best Let the Spectacle of Weakness Frailty and Mortality have a due Influence upon your selves See what they want which you would desire in their State and speedily supply them with it Pray with and for them and for your selves against that Hour Support for the Sick MOre particularly to direct and assist your Patience in Sickness Beware of a troublesome querrelous peevish Temper as to those about you The Lord heareth your murmuring which you murmur against him They may say unto you and what are we Are we the Cause of your Distemper and Pains Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord (b) Ex. 16.18 Shall the thing say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Liable to these Distempers and Diseases Impatient Complaining multiplies our Pains by adding Sin unto it and fruitless vexing our Souls for the Sufferings of our Body Encreases our own and other's Sorrows about us who are apt to sympathize with us in our Sufferings when by our calm Submission we should teach them Patience the only Remedy or Allay of those Evils which we cannot avoid or remove What Folly is it to vex or disturb our selves at that which we cannot help which Providence and the Frailty of our Nature hath made necessary for us to endure and which others do who are not assisted with the Result of a long Experience nor know how to turn Sickness into a Virtue and Pain into a Reward That raise not up their minds to the ever quiet Region of undisturbed Health and Ease That have the Wrath of an angry God to conflict with attoned and reconciled to us thorough the Merits of our Saviour's Sufferings How many without the Advantages of the Gospel have thought it mean and effeminate to lament or be dejecteed in pain Through Fortitude and Bravery of Spirit undergone wracking Tortures with Constancy and Sedateness for Praise Dignity Decency of Demeanour Stoutness of Resolution By presenting to their minds Noble precedents Taking heed of doing any thing to be repented of dishonourable low spirited unmanly unbecoming their Patience their Gallantry of Mind whereby they not only put a Check upon themselves and restrained their Spirits but even alleviated the very Pain it self Accounting nothing evil but what was base and vitious and him a wise couragious valliant Man who was constantly composed undervaluing all the Contingencies and Inconveniences of Humane Life But our Redeemer hath restored us to a more lively Hope That after we have undergone the Labours of a painfull Life our Troubles shall all end in greater Joy and Gladness as the escaped Marriner after a Ship-wrack A lively Apprehension of which will encourage us to endure Hardship as good Soldiers of Jesus Christ And not suffer us to think that he who designed us good by all our former Afflictions intends us otherwise by this or that he hath a greater Kindness for his most flagitious Enemies because he affords them the Ease he denies us Was God's Providence to Christ the more to be questioned because he was oppressed afflicted a Man of Sorrow Or his love less to him because he was acquainted with Grief An ill Habit of Body is a proper Season for the Acquisition and Exercise of many Graces A happy Impotency as to the most wasting Vices An excellent Monitor of our own Frailty and Mortality Every little Ach toles the Bell and every extreme pain is turning Dust to dust and Ashes to ashes A firm Constitution of Mind is often wrought from the Diseases of the Body And the Soul grows more active and refined by still working out its own Separation Whilst the Mortal part by a continual Succession of little Dissolutions is better prepared to drop with Ease and just Maturity into that final one of Death which rends strong robust Tempers with great Concussion and Violence It 's not much material how weak and ruinous our Prison is seeing we are to tarry in it but a very little while seeing we shall the sooner and easier obtain our Liberty and Freedom And though here a little Pain molests in the Grave whole Limbs fall off and crumble into Dust without disturbing that quiet Repose which buries all the Sorrows of this Life in a profound Oblivion and Insensibility Rouse up therefore from that Sluggishness of Temper and forgetfulness of your Profession to which you are inclin'd Remember in whose Hands you are who puts forth his Hand now and touches your Bone and your Flesh (c) Job 2.5 who cuts you off with pining Sickness (d) Isa 38.12 and is ordering all for your good Make the truth of your profession more apparent and illustrious Rejoyce that by this Trial is manifested the Victory of Faith the Omnipotency of Grace the Miracle of Patience Humility Resignation and Complacency under sufferings Bear up