it being the Ordinance he hath sanctified for that very end Time spent in prayer will bee no hinderance but rather a furtherance of our worldly businesses and imployments this will oyl the wheels for any work making it more easie yea and sanctifie all the things we take in hand making them successful unto us for those works which are sanctified by Prayer doe usually speed best Obj. 2. Some object their great inability to prâ—â—â—â—hey know not how to pray not having the spirit of prayer Ans. 1. Let such bewayl this their sad condition and mourn under the sense of it remembring what our Saviour saith Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted 2 Goe unto Christ and say unto him as the Disciples did Lord teach me to pray with an acknowledgement of thine own inability beg the assistance of Gods Spirit and say Lord thou hast promised thy Spirit to help the infirmities of thy Servants O make good this thy gracious promise to me thy poor weak and unworthy Servant let me feel and finde the assistance of thy Spirit strengthening my weakness and enabling me to pour out my soul before thee in some acceptable manner 3 Call to mind thy sins with the aggravations of them and withall consider thy Spiritual wants and then put thy self upon the duty of Prayer confess thy sins unto God with all the aggravations thereof as well as thou canst begge the pardon of them and be earnest with God for such Graces as thou standest in most need of By using and exercising that small ability to pray that thou hast thou shalt increase it and grow more able to doe it with comfort 4 Know this that a man may pray most effectually and acceptably even when he cannot express himself in any apt words for the work of the Spirit in Prayer consisteth not so much in the expression of the tongue as in the affection of the heart wherein the very life and soul of prayer doth consist Having answered the fore-mentioned Objections I shall now give you some directions for the right manner of performing this duty of Prayer so as it may be acceptable and pleasing unto God To this end 1 Some things are required before Prayer 2 Some things in Prayer 3 Some things after Prayer 1 Before Prayer there is required preparation which consisteth in two things 1 In a serious Meditation of the infinite Majesty and glory of God on the one part and of thine own Vileness and unworthiness on the other 2 In a sequestration of thy thoughts from earthly affairs and worldly businesses For thy better help thereunto observe these rules 1 When thou art going to prayer renew thy resolution against wandring thoughts saying with thy self I have lost many a prayer through the distractions of my thoughts and wandrings of my mind after worldly matters therein and I am in danger to lose this prayer also if I be not the more watchful over my self therefore I doe now resolve with the assistance of Gods grace to be more watchful over my thoughts to keep my heart close unto the duty I am going about and not to suffer my mind to wander after other matters as formerly it hath done if thou wouldst make trial hereof thou wouldst find there is great power in such a resolution when it is fresh upon thy heart and spirit 2 Beg of God that he would by the assistance of his holy Spirit restrain all vain and wandring imaginations 3 Vse thy voyce in prayer so often as conveniently thou maist provided it be not for oftentation to bee heard of others which thou wilt finde very effectual as for the intention of thine affections by raising them to an higher pitch so for the attention of thy mind in keeping it from wandring and roving after worldly thoughts and imaginations 4 But if notwithstanding thou findest that in praying thy mind and heart hath been sometimes taken up and possessed with worldly thoughts and distractions it will be a good course in thy private prayers to repeat that again which so coldly and carelesly passed from thee labouring in thy repetition to repel all wandring thoughts and to pour forth those petitions again after a more hearty manner For by imposing this task upon thy self thou wilt become more wary and watchful over thy thoughts lest otherwise thou be enforced to continue long at that exercise unto which through the depravation of thy nature thou art so backward and averse II. As preparation is necessary before Prayer so in prayer divers things are required as 1 Faith Prayer must be made in faith which our Savior plainly expresseth where he saith Whatsoever things yee desire when yee pray beleeve that yee receive them and yee shall have them Beleeve that as God is able so willing to grant whatsoever thou prayest for so far forth as in his wisdome he seeth it to be good for thee 2 Fervency that thou pour out thine heart and soul unto God with great ardency and earnestness of affection For the Apostle Iames telleth us that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much so that it is the fervent prayer only that is effectual And without doubt this is one special reason why our prayers are so seldom answered namely because they are performed with such deadness of heart and dulness of spirit for the luke-warm prayer is cooled and frozen before it can ascend up to heaven As therefore thou desirest to have thy prayers effectual let them be fervent and so thou shalt not need to doubt of a gracious and happy issue I grant thou canst not always have a like fervency yet thou must always strive against deadness of heart and dulness of spirit for God regards the manner of our actions as much as the matter how we pray as well as what we pray for III. The Duties required after Prayer are these 1 Diligently to look after thy prayers observing what answer and return the Lord giveth thereunto Thus did David and Habakkuk For hereby thou shalt bee the better fitted for thankfulness being furnished with more abundant matter of praise And also bee the more provoked and stirred up thereunto 2 Look back and consider the manifold weaknesses infirmities and imperfections which have passed from thee in thy praying how dead and dull thine heart was and how distracted thy thoughts were therein and let the apprehension thereof prevail with thee as to disclaim all thine own righteousness as filthy raggs so to drive thee unto Christ to roul thy self upon him resting upon his perfect Righteousness alone for life and for salvation As this is one chief end why God suffers corruption to remain in his children even after their Regeneration and to have an influence into all their holy services So it is the use which wee should make thereof And therefore so often as thou findest thine heart dead and dull and thy mind distracted with worldly thoughts in
many excellent and weighty exhortations 3 Act thine obedience by resigning up thy self unto the Will of God to be at his dispose either for life or death As thou must not be unwilling to dye when God calleth thee so neither must thou be over eager to dye before hee call thee thou maist not desire Death out of discontentment of mind because of some present miseries and afflictions which lye upon thee nay thou maist not absolutely wish to dye out of a desire to be rid of thy sins and to bee with Christ but it must be with a submission to the Will of God if he see it meet and convenient for thee though Paul knew it were far better for him to dye than to live yet did he not desire death absolutely but with a submission to the Will of God VII Be frequent in reading the holy Scriptures or cause them to be frequently read unto thee for there thou shalt find 1 Examples of Gods mercy shewed to the afflicted 2 Instructions how to bear and improve thy present Visitation 3 Comfortable promises of support under the sorest trials And know for certain that one Promise in the Book of God will bee more effectual to yeeld thee comfort on thy Death-bed than all the counsel of thy friends that shall be then about thee VIII Be often lifting up thine heart to God in Prayer And when through weakness of body and faintness of spirit thou art not able to pour our thy soul in any set and solemn Prayer send up some short ejaculatory Prayer unto God as that of the poor Publican Lord be merciful to me a Sinner and also that of the poor man Lord I beleeve help thou my unbelief and that of the Apostles Lord increase my faith and that of Stephen Lord Iesus receive my spirit These ejaculations going from the heart they are acceptable and pleasing unto God let us therefore as Austine adviseth us endeavour to dye praying by a frequent breathing forth of these or such like ejaculatory Prayers IX Be often resigning up thy soul into the hands of God saying with our blessed Saviour Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Little Children for the most part desire to dye in their Fathers bosome or upon their Mothers lap even so shouldst thou in the hour of death cast thy soul into the arms of thy heavenly Father and rest in the bosome of Jesus Christ. If thy Disease be painful turn to those Direction in the fore-going chapter How to bear afflictions willingly and cheerfully CHAP. XIX Directions to such as visit the Sick VIsiting the Sick being a work of Mercy it will be thy wisdom so to manage and improve the same that thou maist both benefit thine own soul thereby and likewise doe good to the sick Party I. That thou maist benefit thy self thereby take these few directions 1 In visiting thy sick Neighbour take occasion to think of thine own mortality and proneness to fall into Sicknesses and Diseases for that which befalls one man may befall another in that we all carry about us as mortal so frayl bodies subject to the like calamities which the Lord knows how soon may befall any of us 2 Lift up thine heart in thankfulness unto God for that health and strength of body he is pleased still to continue unto thee Health is a greater mercy than most doe imagine Ask the sick man what hee thinks of health and he will tell thee it is the greatest of Temporal mercies and in it self a mercy not to be valued the truth is all Mercies are prized by the wanting of them more than by the having and enjoying them As no body admires the Sun but when it is eclipsed so neither doth any esteem health but when by sickness they are deprived thereof 3 Labour to be compassionately affected with the miseries and afflictions of thy brother for as Iob speaketh To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend Which duty is often urged and pressed in Scripture as by the Apostle Paul Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep and by the Apostle Peter in this phrase Having compassion one of another which Beza Paraphrastically well turns Be touched with the sence and feeling of one anothers griefs And truly that communion and nearness of conjunction that sincere Christians have one with another doth call for this duty for as they are all sons of one Father so are they members of one body in respect whereof there should nay there ought to be such a compassion and sympathy in the members of the Mystical body I mean among Christians as there is in the members of the Natural body Now you know that in the Natural body if one member suffer all the members suffer with it as the Apostle expresseth it 1 Cor. 12. 26. which place Saint Augustine in his Works often expounding most excellently shewes the mutual compassion betwixt the members of a Natural body Behold saith he the foot treadeth on a thorn and see how all the members condole it the Back bends it self the Head stoopeth the Eye though remote in place diligently searcheth it out the Tongue complaineth as if it self were pricked and the Hands doe their best to pluck it out and yet neither Back nor Head nor Tongue nor Eye nor Hand nor any member but the Foot was touched with the thorn and surely such a sympathy and fellow-feeling there ought to bee amongst true Christians who are all members of one body whereof Christ Iesus is the head II. As in visiting the Sick thou must be careful to benefit thine own soul thereby so likewise to doe what good thou canst to the sick Party To that end observe these few Directions 1 Forbear to talk of any vain worldly or needless matter before him but let thy discourse be as savoury and Spiritual so in some measure suitable to his condition as of Death and preparation thereunto of the Day of Judgement of the happiness of those who have an interest in Christ and his Righteousness and the like 2 Perswade the sick Party to settle his estate by making his Will if he have not done it before that so hee may with more freedome wholly mind the spiritual good and welfare of his soul. This counsel did the Prophet Isaiah give unto King Hezekiah when hee was first struck with sickness 3 If thou apprehendest his Disease to be dangerous flatter him not with a hope of recovery lest thereby thou betray his soul to eternal death but deal faithfully with him by declaring unto him his weak and dangerous condition and advising him as to think of death so to prepare for it telling him that the fitter hee is to dye the fitter he will be to live if the Lord should adde more days to his life 4 If thou perceive him to be ignorant instruct him in the Principles of
that trespass against us which latter clause is added partly to stir us up readily to forgive those who have wronged us and partly to strengthen our faith in the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins committed against God from our readiness to forgive those who have wronged us in that our forgiving of our Brother is a fruit proceeding from Gods forgiving of us V. Labour to clear up thine Evidences for Heaven that thou maist upon good ground be able to say with the Apostle Paul I know that when the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved I shall have a building with God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens The Scripture layeth down sundry clear evidences of a true right and title unto Heaven which who so finds in himself may rest assured of a blessed life after this I shall instance only in one which indeed is the principal of all and a very comprehensive one viz. Faith in Iesus Christ which we find often set down in Scripture as a sure evidence for Heaven for saith our Saviour God so loved the world that he gave his only begotton Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and saith Iohn Baptist He that beleeveth on the Son hath everlasting life i. e. he is as sure of it as if he were in actual possession of it Q. How may I know whether I have a true sâ—ving faith A. Most Divines doe hold forth the fruiâ—s and effects of faith as the only signs thereof and means whereby men should try and examine their faith but the truth is the fruits of a saving faith in many Christians are often times so weak that if they should examine their faith only by them they would bee apt to question the truth thereof yea to conclude against themselves that they have no true faith at all therefore I shall briefly shew thee the Antecedents of Faith by declaring the ordinary method oâ— Gods Spirit in working true faith in the soul which is this 1 God by his Spirit in the Ministery of the Word doth awaken a mans Conscience and maketh him to see and discern as his manifold sins and transgressions so his misery by them in regard of the dreadful punishments due unto him for the same This method the Lord observed in those three thousand Converts mentioned Acts. 2. 37. Examine therefore whether thou hast by the Ministery or the Word been convinced of thy Sins and of thy miserable condition thereby how thou art liable to the Wrath of God to all Judgements and Plagues here and to Eternal Death and Condemnation hereafter for till thou beest convinced of thy sins and misery thou canst see no need nor want of Jesus Christ. Hence the Law is said to be our School-master to bring us to Christ because it doth discover as our sins and our misery by reason of them so our need of Christ. 2 The next Work of Gods Spirit is to make the soul sensible of its wretched miserable condition affecting it with some measure of grief and sorrow for the same This method likewise the Lord observed in those three thousand Converts mentioned Acts 2. 37. where it is said When they heard this i. e. when they were convinced of that horrible Sin of theirs in Crucifying the Lord of life they were pricked in their hearts viz. with the sence and apprehension of their wretched miserable condition Examine therefore whether thou hast been truly sensible of thy wretched miserable condition and whether the sence thereof hath affected thee with true grief and sorrow for the same Though all men are noâ— alike afflicted with a sence of their wretched miserable condition but some much more deeply than others yet few pass through the pangs of their New Birth without some throws some grief and sorrow for their sins neither can I conceive how any should cloze with Jesus Christ as their Saviour till they have been so sensible of their sins as that they are sensible of their need of a Saviour 3 Another Work of the Spirit is to convince the Soul of its own unrighteousness that so it may the more willingly seek out after the righteousness of Christ to be cloathed therewith for so long as a man is conceited of any righteousness of his own he will never be beholding unto Jesus Christ for life and for salvation for as our Saviour saith The whole need not a Physician they need neither Physick nor Physician and therefore care for neither In like manner such as are strongly possessed with a good conceit of their own estate and condition of their own righteousness see no need they have of Christ and his Righteousness and so regard him not Examine thy self therefore whether thou hast ever been truly and thorowly convinced of thine own unrighteousness whether thou hast discerned the Sins of thy holy services whether thou hast cried out with the Church All my righteousness is as filthy raggs c. 4 The next Work of the Spirit is to convince the soul of the perfection of Christs Righteousness and of the All-sufficiency of his Sacrifice that his righteousness is a most perfect and exact righteousness that his sacrifice upon the Cross was a full satisfaction to Gods Justice for the sins of all the Elect it being the sacrifice of the Son of God even of him that was God as well as Man which indeed added an infinite value to all which Christ did and suffered for mans Redemption in which respect the redemption wrought by Christ is called plenteous redemption enough and enough for all the sins of his people how many or how hainous soever they were Now examine whether thou hast found this work of the Spirit upon thy soul so that thou art convinced thorowly as of thine own unrighteousness so of the perfection of Christs righteousness and of the all-sufficiency of his Sacrifice which far exceedeth the merits of thy sins 5 The next Work of the Spirit is to convince the soul of Christs willingness to receive all poor Sinners sensible of their sins who will come unto him and cast themselves and the burden of their sins upon him by affecting them with a serious apprehension of the manifold gracious invitations of Christ unto poor Sinners as that in Isaiah Hâ— every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters he that hath no money i. e. no goodness nor righteousness of his own let him come and that fore-mentioned place Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all yee that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest Examine thy self therefore whether thou hast been thorowly convinced of Christs willingness to receive all poor Sinners that will come unto him and cast the burden of their sins upon him 6 The next Work of the Spirit is to stirre up in the soul some earnest longing desire after Jesus Christ so that the soul cries out Oh that Christ were mine oh that upon
glory for humility is an ornament as the Apostle Peter implieth under that phrase Bee cloathed or decked with humility as with an ornament Many men think humility a debasement but the Spirit of God counteth it an ornament VI. Labour for the true spiritual Riches namely saving sanctifying graces that thy self may bee rich and not thy chest onely And truly rich men of all others stand in most need of sanctifying graces in regard their riches are great snares unto them and occasions of sin as a long coat is in greater danger to be dagled than a short one Oh therefore beg of God that hee would not 〈◊〉 thee off with the things of this world but that together with his outward blessings hee would give thee his inward blessings true saving sanctifying graces especially the grace of spiritual poverty which is the foundation of blessedness for saith our Saviour Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven It was an excellent speech of Luther when the Princes of Germany sent him in great presents I profess saith hee the Lord shall not put mee off so Do thou in like manner take up the same resolution VII Communicate out of thy store towards the relief of others Giving to the poor as it is a duty incumbent upon all that are able so especially upon the rich The Apostle Paul therefore willeth Timothy to charge such as are rich in this world that they do good that they bee rich in good works c. Iob is a worthy pattern herein for rich men he having abundance would not see any perish for want of cloathing nor any Poor without covering the Law which enjoyns such as had Harvest and Vintage to leave gleanings and after-gatherings for the Poor sheweth that of mens abundance the poor must have a part The better to quicken you up to this Duty consider these two Arguments 1 This is an especial end of Gods giving more to some than to others that they who have more abundance should thereout give to them that need This inference doth Saint Paul make 2 Cor. 8. 14 15 from the distribution of Manna Exod. 16. 18. for they that gathered more than was needful for themselves and their Housholds gave of their abundance to such as had not enough 2 Rich men are not Lords of the abundance which they have but Stewards and therefore must dispose it according to the mind of the Lord and that is some part thereof to the poor hereof they shall give an account And therefore of all unmerciful men such as are rich and have enough for themselves and others too are worthy of most blame such an one was that rich man in the Parable of whom it is said that he was cloathed in Purple and fine Linnen and fared sumptuously every day and yet it is implied that he afforded not to poor Lazarus the crumbs that fell from his table Let such unmerciful rich men well weigh the end of that rich man and bee henceforward stirred up to take due notice of a main duty that lieth upon them which is to be free and forward liberal and bountiâ—â—l in distributiâ—â— to the necessities of the poor Knowing Hee that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully though God reward none by way of merit for their works sake yet he will render to every one according to his deeds so as rich men shall lose nothing by being rich in good works but rather gain very much thereby CHAP. XV. Directions to the Poor HAving given Directions to the Rich I come now to give Directions to the Poorer sort who stand in as much need as the former I. Labour to be content with thine estate as being that portion God hath allotted unto thee and repine not against his Providence because thou hast not a larger allowance which is the counsel of the Apostle Paul Having food and raiment let us bee therewith content Q. Wherein doth this contentedness consist A. In bringing down your minds to your present state and condition It is the great mistake of many to think that contentedness consisteth in abundance in raising up their estates to such a pitch conceiving they should then be contented whereas indeed true contentedness consists rather in an evenness suitableness and proportion between a mans estate and his mind The better to perswade the Poorer sort to this Duty of Contentedness I shall propound some few considerations 1 That such as have convenient food and raiment injoy as much as the richest men on earth whereupon saith the Apostle in the forementioned place Having food and raiment let us be therewith content Though a man possess never so much of this worlds goods yet doth he enjoy no more thereof than himself eateth and weareth for the rest goeth to others and is nothing to him Obj. Happily thou wilt say that though his belly can hold no more than thine yet his fare is better and more delicious Ans. Though his fare may be much better and more delicious yet his delight therein may be less than thine in thy courser diet and his delicious fare doth usually prove hurtful to him as the Wise man noteth Eccles. 5. 12. 2 A little with the fear of God is much better than great treasures with trouble and vexation of spirit as the Wise man expresseth it Prov. 15. 16. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasures and trouble therewith intimating that a small estate with the fear of God is farre more comfortable than a great and plentiful estate without the fear of God which is usually accompanied with much trouble and vexation of spirit 3 That every mans estate is ordered by God who as hee is the soveraign Lord of Heaven and Earth and may doe with us as hee pleases so he is infinite in Wisdome and thereby knoweth what estate is best and most convenient for us even better than we our selves yea and is rich in mercy and goodness and thereby willing and ready to doe that which in his wisdome he knoweth to be best and most convenient for us which if it were seriously considered would be a special means to work up our hearts to some measure of contentedness in our meanest estate and condition 4 That our blessed Saviour Iesus Christ though he was rich yea Heir of all things yet for our sakes became so poor that as himself expresseth it he had not where to lâ—y his head And we read that Women ministred unto his necessities Christ became thus poor for gracious ends as 1 That hee might sanctifie Poverty to all his members for Christ by undertaking it sanctified it 2 That he might minister comfort to his poor members for in his example it is evident that Gods dear Children may live here in a poor and mean estate 3 That he might by his example teach us to submit our selves to the Divine providence resting
any terms my soul might enjoy him which desires are the lifting up of the doors and gates of the soul for the receiving of Jesus Christ. 7 The Spirit of God having thus prepared the soul to a closing with Jesus Christ then he works the grace of faith in it whereby it throwes it self into the armes of Christ rolls it self upon him and rests upon his perfect righteousness and all-sufficient Sacrifice for the pardon and forgiveness of its Sins here and for eternal life and salvation hereafter Thus have I shewed thee the ordinary way and method which the Lord useth for the working of true saving faith in the hearts of his people Wouldst thou then know whether that faith thou pretendest to be a true saving faith try examine it by the fore-mentioned particulars consider whether it was thus kindly wrought in thee according to the ordinary method of Gods Spirit if so then though the fruits of faith are very weak in thee yet thou hast a comfortable evidence of the truth thereof and so consequently hast a sure evidence for heaven Obj. Though I cannot deny these fore-mentioned particulars to bee wrought in me yet notwithstanding I have no comfortable evidence and assurance of Heaven nor of my interest in Iesus Christ. Ans. For answer hereunto I shall lay down three comfortable considerations 1 A man may have the faith of adherence and dependence though he hath not the faith of evidence and assurance For the better understanding whereof you must know there is a two-fold faith as Divines distinguish viz. The faith of adherence whereby we roul our selves upon Christ and rest upon him and his Merits alone for â—ife and for salvation and the faith of evidence and assuranâ—e whereby wee know and are assured of our interest in Christ and consequently of our right and title unto Heaven This latter is the refleâ— act of the soul by which a Christian clearly seeth his own happiness whereas the former is the direct act of the soul. Now a man may have the faith of adherence which is true justifying faith that giveth him an interest in Christ and a right to Heaven and yet may want the faith of evidence and assurance so that he knowert not his own happiness As the child may truly hang about the mothers neck or cast it self into her armes and yet receive neither kiss nor smile from her so a poor soul may truly roul it self upon Christ cast it self into his armes and rest in his bosome which is true faith and yet have neither kiss nor smile from him therefore far be it from thee to question the truth of thy faith meerly for want of Christs smiling upon thee or to question thy faith of adherence because thou hast not the faith of evidence and assurance 2 Assurance of our interest in Christ and of our future happiness though it be requisite to the consolation of a Christian yet not to his salvation though to his comfort yet not to his safety his condition may be safe though not very comfortable at present for a Christians safety doth not at all depend upon his assurance but upon his faith That Christian that can by faith roul himself upon Christ cast himself into his armes resting upon his merits alone for life and for salvation his state and condition is safe though he hath not that assurance which he doth desire for the promise of life and salvation is made to faith and not to assurance the tenour of the Gospel is Beleeve and thou shalt be saved as Ioh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life It is not said that whosoever hath assurance of his interest in Christ and of eternal life and salvation but whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall be saved This consideration may revive many drooping souls who though they doe renounce all confidence in themselves and in any righteousness of their own and place their whole confidence upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the merits of his Death and Passion yet have no comfortable assurance in their own souls of their interest in Christ or of their eternal life and salvation let such know that their condition may bee good and safe for all that 3 Assurance of Salvation is not so ordinary as many Christians doe imagine for indeed they are but for Christians who doe here attain to a clear evidence and full assurance of their salvation such whom the Lord here calleth forth to hard services or great sufferings to them he is pleased many times to give some clear evidence and assurance of their eternal life and salvation for their better comfort and support Thus many Martyrs have expressed their full assurance of a better life after this whereas such a measure is not usually granted to ordinary Christians their trials being but flea-bites in comparison of the others VI. Then especially act the graces of Gods Spirit in thee as 1 Thy Falth which is a grace of special use to thee so long as thou livest in this world but most of all at thy last Sickness and in the time of Death therefore then especially bee often actuating and exercising thy faith in Jesus Christ with the eye of faith look upon Christ hanging upon the Cross there offering up his life as an all-sufficient Sacrifice and full satisfaction to Gods Justice for thy Sins and cast thy self into the armes of Jesus Christ resting upon his Merits alone for life and for salvation with a disclaiming of all confidence in thy self or any righteousness of thine own place thy whole confidence upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ and upon the merits of his death and passion 2 Then especially act thy zeal for Gods glory by giving good counsel to those who are about thee or come to visit thee it is the last time thou canst doe any thing for God in this world therefore then shew thy love to him and zeal for his glory by calling upon others to fear him and serve him by a conscionable discharge of the duties of their places callings and relations perswade them to minde the things of this world less and the things of Heaven more to prize health and improve it for the good of their souls to lay up a stock of graces and comforts against the evil day and to get their evidences for Heaven clear before they be cast upon their Death-beds Words of dying men are of most efficacy and authority and therefore improve thy dying speeches to the glory of God and the good of thy neighbour Thus our blessed Saviour when he was to leave the world shewed his zeal for Gods glory and love to his Disciples in leaving with them many precious counsels comforts and exhortations and the Apostle Paul being aged and knowing the time of his departure was at hand called for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and leaves with them
revenge in the night and in the morning bring forth some mischief or other and therefore as we say of the Toad-stool it grows up in a night and dyes in a night so should this poysonous weed of anger dye on the day wherein it was born IV. Before thou goest to bed be sure to offer unto God thine evening sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving this is hinted unto us under the Law where the Lord required his Evening Sacrifice as well as his Morning Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the Altar two Lambâ— of the first year day by day continually the one Lamb thou shalt offer in the Morning and the other Lamb thou shalt offer at Even This was the daily ordinary Sacrifice which the Lord required under the Law and therefore much more doth hee require a Morning and an Evening sacrifice of Prayer and Praises now under the Gospel And truly if thou shalt lye down in thy sins unrepented of thou mayest happily awake with Hell flames about thine ears and therefore farre be it from thee to presume to goe to thy bed before thou hast offered unto God thine evening sacrifice of Prayer and therein heartily begged the pardon and forgiveness of all thy sins in and thorow the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. Shouldst thou put off the performance of this duty till thou art in thy bed as the practise of too too many is it is very likely thou wilt fall asleep before thou hast made any great progress therein and those prayers which thou makest in thy bed will prove but drowsie yawning prayers at the best therefore bee sure to offer up thine evening sacrifice before thou goest into thy bed and if conveniently thou canst before supper for by experience we find that our bodies are much more drowsie and our spirits much more dead and heavie after supper than before Q. Whether a man finding his body drowsie and his spirits dead and heavie had better fall upon the duty of Prayer or forbear it for that time Ans. Drowsiness of body and deadness of heart is no sufficient warrant for the omission of thine evening sacrifice of Prayer but thou oughtest to â—erform it notwithstanding as well as thou canst and that for these Reasons 1 Because the Scripture giveth us no warrant for the omission of a bounden duty because of some present drowsiness and indisposition thereunto but doth rather expresly hold forth the contrary enjoyning Christians to pray always and to pray continually with sundry the like expressions Which imply as a frequent lifting up our hearts to God in ejaculatory Prayers so a constant observance of our set times of solemn prayer 2 As man that hath little or no appetite to his meat yet by forcing himself to eat a bit or two he begins to have a better stomack thereunto so when a Christian hath no mind or disposition unto Prayer but findes his body drowsie his spirit heavie and his heart dead yet by forcing himself thereunto though against his mind doth many times find his affections â—â—ickned and his spirits raised up in Prayer yea it is wonderfuâ— what quicknings and enlargements do many times come upon an adventurous soul upon a soul that will adventure upon duty against deadness drowâ—ness and such like discouragements and therefore let not the drowsiness of thy body nor the heaviness of thy spirit so far prevail with thee as to forbear and omit thy course of praying But fall upon it and for ought thou knowest thou mayest feel and finde the lively quicknings and inlargements of Gods Spirit upon thy spirit in the performance thereof 3 When a Christian feels and findes his body drowsie his spirit heavy and himself very indisposed unto the duty of prayer yet hee may do it with much uprightness and sincerity of heart that is hee may do it in obedience to the command of God as in the sight and presence of God with a desire to approve himself unto God in the doing of it and herewith hee may exceedingly comfort himself against deadness and drowsiness for such is the excellency of this grace of sincerity that it maketh all our services to be pleasing unto God though they bee performed with deadness of heart and dulness of spirit 4 Though our prayers bee performed with much deadness of heart and indisposition of body yet being put up in the name of Christ they finde acceptance with God in and thorow his Mediation and Intercession Let us therefore put up our prayers in the name of Christ and by Faith cast our selves and our services upon him and then wee shall not need to doubt of Gods acceptance of them Thus have I shewed thee the duties to bee performed by thee in the evening before thy going to bed I come now to the duties to bee performed by thee at thy lying down I. As thou art going to bed take all occasions of holy and heavenly Meditations To give you some hints As thou art putting off thy cloaths think how it will not be long before thou beest stripped of all and go out of the world as naked as thou camest into it which Iob excellently expresseth Naked saith hee came I out of my Mothers womb and naked shall I return thither q. d. I came into the world destitute of cloathing and of all outward comforts whatsoever and naked shall I return thither not into his Mothers womb again for that is impossible but to the grave the womb of the earth and common Mother of all so that his meaning is I shall go out of the world as naked as I came into it Heâ—ce Death is called an uncloathing because it strips a man of all his ornaments not only of his apparel but also of his honours wealth and riches How should the consideration thereof stir thee up to labour for the true riches and spiritual cloathing I mean the saving graces of Gods Spirit and the robe of Christs Righteousness and then thou shalt not goe out naked but adorned and enriched As thou art laying thy self down in thy bed let the bed mind thee of thy grave thy sheets mind thee of thy winding-sheet and thy sleep mind thee of death for death is but a kind of sleep sleep is a short death and death is a long sleep Hence Sleep and Death are often put the one for the other in Scripture and death is often set out by sleep That thou maist lengthen out this meditation think of the several resemblances between Sleep and Death as 1 Men asleep are at rest free from all trouble from all toyl and travel so the dead doe rest from their labours as Revel 14. 13. blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours that is from their troubles and travails 2 Men asleep rise again so the body after it is dead and laid in the grave shall arise again death is but a sleep somewhat
to remember the Sabbath to keep it holy 2 At your first awaking in the morning lift up your hearts to God in Prayer and Thanksgiving for that comfortable rest and sleep hee hath vouchsafed unto you the night past For it is he â—hat giveth his beloved sleep and who reneweth his mercy every morning And then begge of God the assistance of his Spirit to carry you through all the duties of the day 3 Rise early on the Sabbath Day for in regard there are as secret duties of Piety to be performed by you in your Clossets so private duties of Piety in and with the Family if you live in a Family before you goe to the publick Congregation yee ought to rise so early that you may have convenient time for these duties and be at the Church at the beginning of the Exercises How blame worthy then are they who on the week-dayes can rise betimes to follow their worldly businesses but on the Lords Day doe lye longer in bed than ordinarily giving themselves up to their carnal ease and rest Is this to keep holy the Sabbath Day thus to sleep away the first and chiefest part thereof 4 In your rising let out your hearts in a serious meditation of Iesus Christ and of the great things he hath done and suffered for you and of the many good things whereof in and through him you are made partakers Meditate likewise on the infinite Majesty of God whom the glorious Angels adore with covered faces that your hearts being possessed with an aweful apprehension thereof you may perform the duties of Gods worship and service with such everence as becometh so sacred a Majesty 5 So soon as you are up and ready with-draw your self into some privaâ—e place and there read some porâ—ion of the Scriptures which will be an excellent means to season your hearts and compose your minds yea hereby you will be the better prepared to hear the Word preached and the better enabled to try the Doctrines delivered according to the exhortation of the Apostle Prove all things hold fast that which is good 6 As Prayer is a duty to be performed every morning so especially on the Lords-Day morning which is in some measure to bee suitable thereunto Having therefore confessed your sins and begged the pardon of them together with power against them and grace to serve God then pray both for the Minister and for your selves 1 For the Minister that God would give him a door of utterance that he may open his mouth boldly to publish the Mysteries of the Gospel yea that he may speak the VVord truly sincerely powerfully and profitably delivering that which is suitable and seasonable to your condition 2 For your selves that God would banish out of your heads all worldly wandring thoughts which may distract your minds in the hearing of the Word and so choaking that heavenly seed make it fruitless And that he would give unto you as attention to hearken so understanding to conceive wisdome to apply judgement to discern faith to beleeve memory to retain and grace to practise what you shall hear that so the Word may prove unto you a savour of life unto life and not a savour of death unto death These two last duties of reading the Word and Prayer are not to be performed only alone in secret but likewise in and with your Families if so be you be Parents and Masters of Families and therefore before you goe to the publick Ordinances call your Family together and pray with them as for other things so in special for the influences of the grace of God and the incomes of his Spirit upon your hearts and spirits in the good duties you shall take in hand that so you may perform them after such a manner as glory may redound to Gods name and some spiritual good and advantage to your own souls These are the duties to be performed by way of preparation Having thus fitted and prepared your selves I. Call your Fâ—mily together your Children and Servants and take them along with you to the publick Congregation and â—et Ioshuahs resolution bee often in your mind As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. And as you are going 1 Consider whither you are going viz. Not to a Fair or Market but to the House of God where God himself is present to behold you yea where God himself speaketh by the mouth of his Ministers 2 Go with a readiness of heart and resolution of mind to receive every truth that shall bee made known unto you out of Gods Word with such an heart came Cornelius to hear Peter Wee are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God said Cornelius to Peter And it is said of the Bereans that they received the Word with all readiness of mind II. Being come into Gods House observe these Rules and Directions 1 Set your selves as in the sight and presence of God who not onely observeth your outward carriage and behaviour but likewise understandeth all the imaginations of your hearts and is privy to every wandring thought in praying hearing and other holy duties which will be a special means to keep your minds from roving after other matters 2 Labour to hear the word with profit To this end and purpose I finde four special virtues commended in the Scripture viz. 1 Humility 2 Honesty 3 Attention 4 Faith 1 Humility for when a man is of an humble lowly meek and contrite spirit then is hee fit to hear the Word because hiâ— heart being emptied of pride and self-conceitedness there will be room for the Word to take place therefore saith David The meek will the Lord guide in judgement and the meek will hee teacâ— his way And saith the Lord himself by his Prophet Isaiah To this man will I look even to him that is poor viz. poor in spirit and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word 2 Another virtue requisite to the profitable hearing of the Word is Honesty or uprightness of heart whereby a man sincerely purposeth in every thing to approve himself unto God as to avoid every sin whatsoever that the Word condemneth be it never so delightsome or profitable unto him so to indeavour himself to the performance of every duty belonging to his place and calling which the Word commandeth This is that honest and good heart which our Saviour intendeth Luk. 8. 15. 3 As Honesty so Attention is requisite while the Word is preaching you must diligently attend thereunto as they who would be loath to lose a word that should be delivered This particular is noted of those that heard Christ-preach of whom it is said That they were attentive to hear him or as the Greek text hath it All the people hanged on him to hear him i. e. They were very attentive as unwilling to let any thing pass them So should you be as attentive to the Ministery of the
bread and wine into spiritual bane Hee therefore that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy It is said of the Viper that when she goeth to joyn with her Mare she casteth out all her poison How much more oughtest thou when thou goest to have communion with thy heavenly Spouse the Lord Jesus Christ cast out thy sins which are a spiritual poison worse than the poison of any Viper In this Examination as thou must search after thine evil thoughts woâ—ds and deeds and after thy sins of omission and commission so likewise and especially after the sins thou hast committed since thy last receiving of the blessed Sacrament and such as are most against the vows and covenants that formerly thou madest with God and which do mostgaul thy conscience or most disgrace thy profession or are greatest occasions of dulling thy spirit that these being found out they may be the more lamented and pardon for them more earnestly desired In the examining thy self it will be a good help to read such a Treatise as doth in particular set out the several sins against the several Commandements For when by such a Treatise thou art shewed that such a thing is a sin against such a Commandement thy conscience will upon the reading of such sins tell thee that therein thou hast sinned Having examined and searched thine heart thorowly of all thy known sins then humble thy self before the Throne of Grace in a true and unfeigned acknowledgement and confession of them freely judging and condemning thy self before God with a broken and contrite heart Directions to help thee in the right manner of confessing thy sins See in Chap. 20. And having confessed thy sins pour out thy soul in hearty prayer unto God for the pardon and forgiveness of them all And then be earnest with him to make the Sacrament effectual to thy comfort effectual to the mortifying of thy lusts to the strengthening of thy graces especially to the confirming of thy Faith in the assurance of the pardon and forgiveness of thy sins c. III. Having shewed the duties Antecedent come we now to the duties Concomitant i. e. such as must accompany the action of receiving But first I shall premise some few Directions touching the Manner of thine approaching to the Lords Table 1 Having thus prepared thy self go not in the strength of thy preparations but onely in the strength of Iesus Christ looking for acceptance onely in and thorow his merits and mediation For though thou hast prepared thy self after the best manner that thou canst yet if with an impartial eye thou shalt look back upon thy preparations how full of weaknesses infirmities and imperfections wilt thou finde them So that if Christ do not cover both thy person and thy preparation with the Robe of his Righteousness and sprinkle them with his blood neither thy person nor thy preparation will finde acceptance with God Cast therefore all thy preparations at the feet of Jesus Christ and say Lord I come not in the strength of my preparations but onely in thy strength I come in thine alone name and mediation to partake of thy body and of the benefits of thy death and passion And thou mayest then be confident that God will over-look thy manifold weaknesses and imperfections in the work of preparation and accept of thee and of thy services in and thorow his beloved Son Jesus Christ. 2 As thou art going meditate on the ends and benefits of that solemn ordinance some whereof are these 1 The remembrance of the death of Christ it being instituted as a memorial thereof 2 The spiritual nourishment of our souls 3 The strengthening of our Faith in the assurance of the pardon and forgiveness of our sins 4 The sealing of the Covenant of Grace with all the blessings thereof unto the beleeving soul. 5 The encreasing of our spiritual union and communion with Christ and all his members A serious meditation of these will be a special means to stir up in us some spiritual appetite after the ordinance that we shall go with hungring and thirsting desires after the same 3 Go with a strong expectation to receive much from Christ in and thorow that ordinance knowing that Christ will inlarge himself unâ—o all those who come with inlarged hearts with a strong expectation of many good things Open thy mouth wide saith the Lord and I will fill it So that if thou open thy mouth wide in a longing expectation of great matters he will fill it Yea the more thine heart is inlarged in desire and expectation the more will Gods heart be inlarged in bounty towards thee As therefore God hath promised in the Covenant of Grace to pardon thy sins to subdue thy corruptions to give thee a soft heart and the like go with an expectation of these and such like blessings and thou shalt not be disappointed of thine hopes 4 Approach to the Lords Table with all holy reverence in respect of Gods glorious Majesty who is in a special manner present at that ordinance to behold his guests and will be sanctified by all those who draw nigh unto him 5 Approach thereunto with all humility in respect of thine own vileness and unworthiness who art but sinful dust and ashes and if thou hast any light of grace in thee canst not but be conscious to thy self of more corruption in thine own heart than thou knowest to be in the heart of another And therefore say not Such an one is ignorant and such an one is loose in his life and conversation but say Lord I am ignorant I am unworthy to draw nigh unto thee in so holy an Ordinance not worthy to gather up the crumbs under thy Table And know that the more unworthy thou art in thine own account the worthier guest thou art in the account of God 6 As thou art going to the Lords Table cast all thy worldly thoughts and businesses out of thine head which otherwise will carry away thine heart from the ordinance and exceedingly disturb thee thereat In Iob 1. 6. wee read There was a day when the Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also amongst them In like manner on the day when Gods Children present themselves before the Lord in that solemn Ordinance Satan will be sure to appear amongst them to disturb and distract them therein as much as possibly he can by casting into their heads vain and impertinent thoughts And therefore it concerneth thee to be watchful over thy thoughts and to keep thine heart close to the ordinance To that end it will be thy wisdome oft to eye the outward elements of bread and wine and diligently to observe the outward rites and actions in the ordinance and thereupon to meditate of the spiritual things signified thereby These things premised Come we now to the Duties to be performed at the Ordinance which are these I. When
measure suitably thereunto To that end observe these Directions 1 So soon as you get home withdraw your self into some secret place and there upon your knees from your heart bless God as for hâ—s manifold favours mercies and blessings so especially and above all for the fountain of all blessings the Lord Jesus Christ for his Covenant of Grace made unto you in him for adding the Sacraments as Seals to the Covenant of Grace for the strengthening of your Faith and for making you that day partakers of his blessed Sacrament and for that comfort and refreshment which you finde therein I hope you are not such beasts as to forget to return thanks to God for the food wherewith your bodies are refreshed And will you bless God for your corporal food and not for your spiritual food whereby your souls are nourished unto everlasting life Will you bless God for a crumb and not for a Christ in whom are all good things contained in a most eminent manner 2 Did you finde your hearts cheared and warmed at the Lords Supper beware of quenching that spiritual heat which was there kindled in you by a sudden falling into worldly conferences and fruitless discourses But labour to keep alive that sacred fire which you found then kindled in your hearts by prayer meditation and holy conferences for know that a sudden quenching of the Spirit will exceedingly tend to the hardening of your hearts 3 Maintain a stricter watchfulness over your selves against sin for the time to come Were your souls washed at the Sacrament with the blood of Christ from the filthy spots and stains of sin and will you sâ—on after with the Sow wallow again in the filth of sin and miâ—e of sinful filthiness Did you upon your approaching to that Ordinance cast up your sins by confession and will you now with the Dogge return to your vomit again Did you there by the eye of faith see Christ crucified for your Sins under the rites of breaking the Bread and pouring out the Wine and wil you now by a fresh committing of sin crucifie him again rather resolve and strive hence forward to crucifie your sins for which Christ was crucified to hate abhor and abandon every Sin as much as in you lieth 4 Labour to live more soberly righteously and godly in this present world More soberly towards your selves more righteously towards your Neighbours and more godly towards God As you have been made partakers of an Ordinance not common to all but peculiar to Saints so your lives should have somewhat peculiar in them which is not common to wicked men You should live convincing lives by exceeding others in holiness and in righteousness You must be more frequent and fervent in Family-duties more careful in sanctifying the Lords Day more just and honest in your dealings with men living so as you may credit your Profession and adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And when you are tempted to any sin thus reason the case with your selves Was I not lately at the Lords Table and did I not there vow and promise to be more watchful against Sin and more careful to walk in the waies of godliness and shall I now step out of the way of godliness into the way of sin Thus lay your temptation to the touch-stone of your vow and try whether it bee not against it which through the blessing of God may prevent many a Sin CHAP. XXIII Of the Common mutual Duties betwixt Husband and Wife HAving shewed the general Directions which appertain to Christians as Christians I come now to the particular Duties which appertain to thee in thy several and distinct relations For it is not sufficient that thou make conscience of the general Duties of Christianity but thou must also be conscionable in the performance of the particular duties of thy several relations whereby much good is both mutually communicated one to another and received one from another Whereas the Apostle Paul in setting down the severul Duties of relations doth still bring them under three Heads viz. Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants I shall follow his Method shewing thee the duties of each of these For the Duties of Husband and Wife they may be drawn to two Heads 1 To such as are common to both 2 Such as are proper and peculiar to each severally The common and mutual Duties are these I. A loving affection of one to another I call this a mutual Duty because as the Husband is to love his Wife so the Wife is to love her Husband Love is a duty which every Christian oweth to another Love thy neighbour as thy self saith our Saviour Where by Neighbour is meant every man every woman so that we are bound to love every one even our enemies for Christs sake But the nearer any are knit together the more they are bound to this duty of love and to abound therein Now who are so nearly knit together as Husband and Wife and therefore there ought to be a mutual loving affection between them and that love which one sheweth to the other will stirre up the other to requite that love again so as there is nothing lost by love II. Outward concord and agreement This should be as farre as is possible with all men i. e. so farre as may stand with faith and a good conscience but more especially between Husband and Wife who are so nearly knit together For without concord and agreement between Husband and Wife what comfort can either find in their house The truth is every one lives more or less comfortable in his house as there is concord and agreement there And therefore saith the Wise man Better is a dinner of herbs or roots where love is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith And again Better is a dry morsel and quietness therewith than an house full of sacrifice with strife i. e. slender fare yea a dry crust with peace and concord is more comfortable than good chear with strife and contention for that will so imbitter the sweetest Meats that a man can find little relish in them For the better preserving of concord and agreement betwixt Husband and Wife take these few Directions 1 Labour to suppress and keep down all furious Passions which doe usually occasion discord and dissention especially when one is passionate it will be the wisdom of the other to act patience and to express a spirit of meekness for when both are hot and angry together then the fire of contention is like to increase to such a flame as will not suddenly bee quenched And therefore I would commend this rule to Married persons To beware of beâ—ing both angry together but rather let one be to the other like Davids Harp to apt ease Sauls fury 2 Though the fire of contention be kindled at home yet let it not break forth into thy neighbours house but bee sure thou keep it within