let my Entertainment now Be so Exceeding Sweet That I may long to come again And at thy Table meet 6. Having directed you in your Preparation for this Ordinance next understand how you are to behave your selves at and under it First then Come to the Ordinance with high and raised Expectations to receive great Benefit and Advantage by it both as to the Mortifying of thy Sin and Quickning of thy Grace And whatever Lust it is that thou art most Captivated by and enslaved to be it Pride Passion Earthly Mindedness c. let us set our selves against that Lust with all our might and plead with God at his Table thus Lord I come to this Ordinance with a sincere desire and design to get Victory over every Lust but particularly against which doth so often solicite and importune me oh let it receive its Death wound in the Death of my Saviour and never molest or inslave me more Secondly When come to thy Lords Table labour to cast all thy Worldly Thoughts and Concerns out of thy Head and Heart And strive to lift up thy Heart unto the Lord as thou art exhorted by the Minister say unto all unsuitable Thoughts as Abraham did unto his Servants Gen. 22.5 Abide you here below whilst I go and worship the Lord yonder 3ly The better to keep all Impertinent and Improper Thoughts out of thy mind Entertain thy self with a frequent Remembrance of the Death of Christ at the sight of the Bread broken and Wine poured out call to mind at once the Passion of the Son of God and thy Sins which exposed him to such a Painful Shameful and Accursed Death Represent to the Eye of your minds your Dear Redeemer as hanging upon the Cross Bleeding Sighing Groaning Dying under the insupportable burthen of thy sins and his Fathers Wrath. 4ly When thou perceivest the Minister approaching with the Elements towards thee put thy self in the lowliest posture of Reverence and say thus betwixt God and thy Soul How Beautifull are the feet of him that publisheth Salvation and brings the proffer of a Saviour to me I am unworthy of Christ but he is worthy of me and of my Faith I do therefore Oh Lord with all Humility accept Thee for my King Priest and Prophet for my Sanctifier and Saviour 5ly When thou hast received the Bread say to this or the like effect Lord I receive this broken Bread in remembrance of thy broken Body Oh strengthen me with thy Heavenly Grace that I may continue thine for ever and daily encrease in thy Holy Spirit more and more until I come to thine Everlasting Kingdom Amen In like manner after thou hast received the Cup pray to this purpose Oh my God Let my Soul go forth as a Gyant refreshed with this Spiritual Wine and let all the Enemies of my Salvation fall before me may I walk in the Strength of this Spiritual Meal all my days and in the end of my days enjoy the full Manifestation of thy Love which is better than Wine in thine Everlasting Kingdom Amen 6ly Imploy your time whilest others are Receiving in Meditation and Prayer in meditating upon the Love of the Father in sending and upon the Love of the Son in coming upon this great Errand to accomplish the Work of Redemption of us Also in Praying unto God for all Mankind in General for the whole Church of God in special for that part of it planted in these Nations in particular for all Christian Kings Princes and Governours especially our own for all our Friends and Benefactors that God would requite the kindnesses they have shewn us for all our Enemies that God would Pardon the wrongs and injuries done to him to us and to their own Souls This being a Feast of Love in which we commemorate the highest instance of Love that ever the World was acquainted with a greater Expression of our Love we cannot shew to our offending Brother than in a readiness to forgive him and interceeding earnestly for his Soul Lastly As an Expression of thy Thankfulness to Christ for his Mercy and Compassion towards Thee lay hold upon this occasion to shew thy Charity to his Members that thy Prayers and thine Alms may be had in Remembrance of God and as thou refreshest the Bowels of the Poor so mayst thou find Mercy of the Lod in the needful day 7. It only now Remaines to shew how we ought to behave our selves after we have waited upon Christ at his Holy Table 1. Decline if possible all Company immediately after the Action and retire instanly into some Secret Places and there upon your Knees offer up your Thanksgivings to Almighty God for his Rich Mercy and Invaluable goodness vouchsafed to you in that Ordinance entreating him to Pardon all the defects of the whole Service and imploring the Gracious Assistances of his Holy and Good Spirit whereby you may be enabled to walk in the Strength of that Grace as becometh those who have recived such great Pledges of Salvation 2. When you are return'd into Company take heed that the spiritual heat which was inkindled in your Souls by and under the Ordinance be not quenched by a sudden falling into worldly Conferences and fruitless Discourses but labour to cherish and keep alive that Holy Fire upon the Altar of your Hearts and endeavour by Prayer Meditation and Holy Conference to improve it into a Holy Flame 3. Spend the Sacrament-day in Publick Private and Secret Duties of Religious Worship particularly in Prayer and Praises in After-Examination of your selves What Faith what Love what Humility what Sincerity was found with us when waiting upon your Saviour at his Holy Table Take notice also of any deadness of Heart and disposition of Spirit which thou labouredst under bewail it and beg pardon of it for Christs sake who bears the Iniquities of our Holy Things 4. Conclude the Sacrament-day with Prayer and an Hymn of Praise Thus did our Saviour after he had kept this Supper with his Disciples He sung an Hymn St Matth. 26.30 and betakes himself to God in Prayer and the Jews at their Passover did Sing the 113th Psalm with the five following Psalms which they call'd the great Hallelujah A Christian should every day of his Life give Thanks and Pray but especially on a Sacrament-day then should we Bless the Lord with our whole Souls and call upon all that is within us to Bliss his Holy Name such Christians as desire to do this but want suitable Words to express their desires in may make use of what here followeth A Prayer after the Sacrament FOr ever Blessed be thy Great thy Glorius and thy Holy Name Oh Lord For all thy unspeakable Favours and Benefits vouchsafed to me and to all Mankind particularly for thy invaluable Love in giving thy Dear Son to die for me in the Sacrifice and to be my Spiritual Food and sustenance in the Holy Sacrament Lord who am I and what am I that thou hast been pleased to
8. v. 34. 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 St. Matth. 13. v. 41 42. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things which offend and them that do Iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire where shall be wailing and weeping c. IV. Concerning the Way and Means to obtain Salvation by Christ 1. That the way and means appointed by God for the Sinners Salvation thro' Jesus Christ the Redeemer is by Faith Repentence and sincere Obedience So saith the Apostle Eph. 2.8 By Grace ye are saved thro' Faith Acts 11. r8 Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Heb. 5. v. 9. Christ became the Author of Eternal Salvation to them that obey him 2. That saving Faith is a Grace of the Holy Spirit wrought in us by the Ministery of the Word Whereby we do in our Understandings Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel as true and with our Wills embrace it as good And according to that Revelation do depend upon the merits of Christ alone foâ— pardon of Sin and eternal life on such conditions as the Gospeâ— has assured them upon Rom. 10. v. 10. With the heart man beliveth unto Righteousness St. John 6. v. 68 69. We believe and are sure that thou art Christ the Son of the living God to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life 3. That true Repentance consists in an hearty Trouble and Sorrow for sin past In an humble acknowledgment and Penitential Confession of sin both past and present but chiefly in such stedfast Purposes and Resolutions against sin for the time to come as do produce Actual Reformation and Amendment of Life 2 Cor. 7.11 Ye sorrowed after a Godly sort what carefulness did it work in you yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what revenge Isa 55.7 Let the Wicked forsake his way and turn c. 4. That Repentance being a real Change and Reformation of our Lives to defer it to a sick bed and a dying hour puts the Soul upon a mighty hazard it being then impossible to know the truth of our Repentance when we want time and opportunity to make tryal of the sincerity of it St. Mat. 3.8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for Repentance Isa 55.6 Seek ye now the Lord whilst he may be found and call upon him whilst he is near 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold now is the accepted time 5. That Sincere obedience consists in a conformity of Heart and Life to the Word and Will of God from an unfeigned Love to God and a sincere delight in keeping his Commandments Psal 40.8 I delight to do thy will oh my God yea thy Law is within my heart Acts 24.16 Herein do I exercise my self to keep always a Conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men 6. That the Obedience of the best of Christians in this Life when at the best is but imperfect attended with much weakness and accompanied with manifold imperfections which yet upon our humble acknowledgment God will graciously pardon and for Christs sake mercifully accept Job 9. v. 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn me If I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse 2 Chr. 30.18 19 20. The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God tho' he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the People 7. That no Obedience is sincere but that which is Universal and causes us to have an abiding respect unto all Gods Commandments to obey them and to all Christs institutions to observe and follow them Psal 119.9 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments St. Mat. 28.20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you 8. That the great Commands of God are to Love him with all our Hearts with all our Souls with all our Strength and to love our Neighbour as our selves Matth. 22.37 38. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self 9. That the great Institutions of Jesus Christ under the Gospel are his Word and Sacraments to wit Baptism and the Lords Supper which he Commands all his Disciples and Followers most Religiously to Celebrate until his coming again unto Judgment St. Math. 28. ult Go teach all Nations Baptizing them c. And lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come 10. That Baptism is a holy Institution of our Saviours for the benefit of Believers and their Seed Wherein by the outward washing with Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost it signifies the Spiritual washing of the Soul by the Blood and Spirit of Christ from the guilt and filth of sin Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved his Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleatnse it by the washing of Water and the Word 11. That the Lords Supper is an holy Ordinance wherein by Bread broken and Wine poured out the death of Christ is shewed forth and all the Benefits of his death are Represented Applied and Sealed unto Worthy Receivers 1 Cor. 10.16 The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Commmunion of the Blood of Christ c. 12. That the end of this Ordinance is to be a Memorial of Christs Death To strengthen our Faith in him To encrease our Communion with him To be a Spiritual Banquet wherein we feed upon him in order to our Spiritual nourishment and Growth in Grace 1 Cor. 11.26 As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come 13. That all such as are truly penitent for sin past and holily resolved against sin and for a new life for the time to come tho' their Grace be weak their doubts many and their fears great yet ought they often to come to this Heavenly Banquet for Spiritual strength and inward comfort St. John 6.51 I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever 14. That it is the duty of every one who would be a Worthy Receiver of the Lords Supper to prepare himself thereunto by previous Examination and to make proof of his Knowledge Faith and Charity and so to eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. See 1 Cor 11.28 But let a Man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup. 15. That the danger
of Unworthy Refusing is certainly as great as the danger of Unworthy Receiving The neglects of duty are as dangerous and damnable as the Acts of sin and sins of omission are certainly damning as well as sins of commission St. Mat. 3.10 Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire 16. That God hath appointed a time in which he will Judge all Persons as well for their omissions of good as for their commissions of evil and every one shall receive an unalterable Sentence according to his Works Rev. 20.12 I saw the Dead standing before God and the Dead were Judged according to their Works 17. That those who have done good shall be absolved and accepted and shall inherit a Kingdom of Glory prepared for them where they shall both see and resemble their Blessed Saviour in perfect holiness and endless happiness 18. That such as have here done evil and dyed in their Impenitency shall suffer an everlasting Imprisonment with Devils and damned Spirits in Blackness of Darkness for ever Undergoing the perpetual gnawings of the Worm that dyeth not and the extreme torments of the fire which never shall be quenched St. John 5.28 Marvel not at this for the hour is â—â—ming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and they shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation CHAP. II. Containing Practical Directions for the General Course of Life I. Direction For the Right Ordering of Our Thoughts COgito Ergo sum I Think therefore I am is a prime Conclusion with the Modern and Ingenuous Philosopher Thinking is the surest Proof and Evidence of Being I cannot so certainly conclude I am because I walk I drink I see and hear because the Senses are oft-times deceived but If I be sure I Think I am sure I Am because Thinking is an Operation that flows from Being Now as bare Thinking is an Argument of meer Being so Well-Thinking is an Evidence of Well-Being for says the Wise-man Prov. 23. v. 7. As a Man Thinketh in his Heart so is he Therefore in Order to the right Governing of thy daily Thoughts Observe the following Rules 1. Think frequently with thy self that as thy Pulse will be continually beating so thy Thoughts will be always working to thy Dying Hour and therefore had need be well imployed 2. Think often what a World of Sin a Man may be guilty of in his Thoughts Atheism Blasphemy Idolatry Adultery Murder and what not and Believe thy self to be no less Accountable to God for the Sin of thy Thoughts than of thy Words and Actions Eccles 12.14 God shall bring every secret thing into Judgment whether it be good or whether it be evil 3. Think often what a glorious Theme and Subject for thy Thoughts God has provided and laid before thee as himself in his Attributes his Son in his Natures Life and Actions his holy Spirit in all its gracious Operations his Word and Promises his Works of Creation Preservation and Redemption c. Astronomy does but Surveigh a Dunghill in comparison of what Christianity Comtemplates Stars are but dirty Clods compared with that Glory which lyes within the reach of the Christian's Thoughts 4. Think every Morning what good Offices thou hast to do that day and so Think all the Day as if all thy Thoughts were written on thy Forehead for the whole World to read them and so Act every Day as if thou hadst a thousand Eyes upon thee 5. Think thy own Condition to be certainly the best because the Wisdom of God sees it best for thee if thou hast not as much as others yet thou hast that which is Appointed for thee In Heaven our Reward shall be not according to the good things we have received here but according to the good Works which we have done here At the Reckoning Day he will be accounted the wisest Man that has laid out his time in good Duties and his Treasure in good Works 6. Think Contentment to be the truest Riches and Covetousness the greatest Poverty He is not Rich that has much but he that has enough that Man is Poor who Covets more and yet wants a Heart to enjoy what he has already 7. Think it no part of thy Business curiously to Search into other Men's Lives but narrowly to inspect the Errors of thine own It is much better to amend one Fault in our selves than to find out an hundred Faults in another 8. Think it a greater Virtue to forgive one Injury than to do many Kindnesses because it is harder and more against Nature 9. Think him no True Friend whom one Injury can make thine Enemy He must have no Friends that will have a Friend with no Faults 10. Take a View of thy Thoughts every Night as the Master does of his Servants Work every Day and so Think if possible of all things now as thou wilt think of them when passing into Eternity II. Direction For the right Ordering of our Words Speech is a very Noble and Advantagious Benefit to Man by which he excels the whole Creation Our Tongue is our glory the Index and Expresser of our Mind and Thoughts the Instrument of our Creator's Praise and there is no Subject so sublime and honourable for the Tongue of Man to be imployed about as the Word and Works of God There is a great Difficulty in governing of the Tongue it being a proud and active Member and therefore the Scripture places much of Religion in Bridling of the Tongue St. James 1.26 It is the great Wisdom of a Man to know both when and what to speak and also how and when to be silent for a Man may sin both ways by over-silence as well as by over-much speaking Wo unto us if we want a Tongue to publish God's Truth to plead God's Cause to Vindicate God's Honour and to sound forth God's Praise To avoid all Extreams Remember these Rules 1. Accustom not thy self to speaking over-much and before thou speakest Consider let not thy Tongue run before Reason and Judgment bid it go if the Heart doth not pre-meditate the Tongue must necessarily precipitate 2. Let the Matter of your Speech be both true and profitable True logically by an Agreement betwixt the Thing and your Words without falshood and True morally by an Agreement betwixt your Tongue and your Heart without Dissimulation 3. Speak always to God with extraordinary Dread and Caution and always of him with a profound Veneration and Awfulness of Regard 4. Speak of Holy Things frequently but always seriously yet place not Religion in Talk only nor measure Goodness by good Words 't is much easier to Talk like a Saint than to be one 5. Speak well of all Men 'till thou knowest otherwise and when thou canst not speak well be Silent 6. Speak not well of any undeservedly that 's sordid Flattery Speak not well of
in Compassion to our Infirmities has commanded us to say Our Father c. An HYMN Or Song of Praise for the Morning LORD for the Mercies of this Night My humble Thanks I Pay And unto Thee I Dedicate The First-Fruits of the Day My God was with me all this Night And gave me sweet Repose My God did Watch even whilst I Slept Or I had never Rose How many groan'd and wisht for Sleep Untill they wisht for Day Weary both of their Bed and Life whilst I securly lay Whilst I did Sleep all Dangers Slept No Thieves did Me affright Those Evening Wolves those Beasts of Prey Disturbers of the Night No Raging Flames Nor Storms did Rend The house that I was in I heard no Dreadful Cries without Nor Doleful Groans within What Terrors have I ' scap'd this Night Which have on others fell My Body might have Slept its last My Soul have wak'd in Hell Let this Day Praise Thee oh my God And so let all my Days And oh let my Eternal Day Be thy Eternal Praise An HYMN or Song of Praise for the Evening MY God my only Help and Hope My strong and sure Defence For all the Mercies of this Day I Bless thy Providence Lord in the day thou wert about The Paths wherein I tread Now in the Night when I lye down Be thou about my Bed This Day God was my Son and sheild My keeper and my Guide His Care was on my Frailty shewn His Mercies multiplied Minutes and Mercies multiplied Have made up all this Day Minutes came quick but Mercies were More swift and free than they New Time new Favours and new Joyes Do a New Song require 'Till I shall Praise the as I would Accept my Hearts Desire Now for a Close of this Advice to Family-Governours concerning their Performance of Family Worship I shall only subjoin this one Cautionary Direction Take heed of resting in thy Family-Duties and by no means think it sufficient to prove thee a Saint and evidence thee a sincere Christian because thou art frequent in Family-Duties Alas a Man may set up the Worship of God in his House and yet not Enthrone God in his Heart The Duty it self is good but the bare Performance of it will not demonstrate thee to be so look therefore how thou daily Walkest as well as how thou Prayest If thou meanest to foul thy Hands with Sins black work in the Day it is gross Hypocrisie to pretend to wash them by Prayer in the Morning 'T is sad to pretend to Religion in the House and to practise Deceit and Fraud in the Shop Oh how many begin with God by Prayer in the Morning and keep the Devil Compain Sin all the Day after The Neglect of Family Duties will certainly bespeak thee a Bad Man But the most constant performance of them without a Life suitable to them will never prove thee a good Man CHAP. X. Of Glorifying God in Secret Duties GReat is the Condescention of Almighty God in holding Communion with his Church in their Publick Assemblies when with United Prayers and Supplications they make their Solemnest Adresses to him But Oh how Adorable is his Condescending Love in stooping so low as to maintain a holy Fellowship and sweet Communion with a single Christian in his Closet-Devotions It is not enough that in Heaven when we shall put on our Robes of Glory that he will take us into his Royal Presence and Admit us there to the sight and enjoyment of his Face and Favour but will he now whilest we are clad with Raggs of Mortality and before our Grave Cloaths are thrown off entertain us also as his Friends and indulge us the liberty of giving him a Visit in the remotest Corner of our House Verily such astonishing Love and stupendious Condescention is rather to be admired than expressed by us Now there are several Secret Duties incumbent upon Christians which Almighty God upon our humble Application to him will afford us the sweet Influences the secret Aids and Assistances of his Holy Spirit in the performance of As namely 1. Holy and Devout Meditation when the Soul retires from the World and in a serious and solemn Manner sets it self to think upon God to contemplate his glorious Attributes to ruminate upon his gracious Promises to admire his wonderful Word and Works 2. Serious Self-examination by which we make a daily enquiry into the State of our Souls and thereby arrive at a well-grounded Kowledge of the safety of our State and Condition by comparing the Frame of our Hearts and the Course of our Lives with the Holy Rule of God's Commandements and observing their sincere Conformity thereunto 3. Secret Prayer and Supplication which ought to be performed constantly and seasonably twice a Day As soon as thou arisest out of thy Bed in the Morning begin the Day with God and make a most hearty tender of your self to his Service and Glory before you set about any Worldly-Business and never think of putting off your Cloaths to lye down at Night before you have commended your selves and all yours unto his merciful Protection For your Encouragment hereunto you have the Practise and Example of our Blessed Saviour whom you find early in the Morning Praying alone St. Mark 1.35 and late in the Evening St. Matth. 14.23 and that this was our Saviour's usual Practice may be gathered from St. Luke 22.39 compared with St. Luke 21.27 Thus Christ Sanctified this Duty by his own Example and has by his Promise annexed a Gracious Reward to the faithful doing of it St. Matth. 6.6 All this our Blessed Saviour did when he was here on Earth and now that he is Ascended up into Heaven to what Purpose is he appointed our Intercessor there if we send up no Prayers to him to be presented by him to the Father Besides this the Sense of our daily wants one would think should sufficiently excite us to this Duty we standing in continual need of God or if we could be supposed to want nothing yet the Sense we have that we hold All we call Ours by the meer Mercy of God should move us to acknowledge him and to pay our Homage and Adorations to him Add to this that there is no such way to make Almighty God intirely our Friend as by commending our selves in the Duty of Prayer to him with a Pious Trust in his Mercy and an intire Devoting of our selves to his Service and Glory But oh how inexpressible will be the Comfort of going to God as an Acquaintance when we are going out of this World if we can truly say as that Devout Man Dr. Preston did a little before his Death I shall change my Place but not my Company how joyfully may we hope and comfortably expect to go to God when we dye with whom we held a constant good correspondence and maintained a sweet familiarity whilest we lived Let these Considerations briefly hinted to thy Thoughts work in thee a Pious Resolution
to begin and end the day with God this will Antidote and fortifie thy Soul against the Contagion of Sin and the Temptations of Sinners Ecclesiastical History tells us that when St. Origen fell into that great Sin of Offering Incense to an Idol-god that Morning he went forth before he had performed his Private Devotions We are never safe either from Sin or Danger but when under the over-shadowing Care and Providential Wing of God and Prayer is the way and means to engage God Almighty's care over us and concern for us by Prayer we fix our Minds upon him we lay open our Souls before him we recomend our selves unto him which gives our Minds the sweetest and most solid satisfaction that whatever Providences befall us are certainly intended by an unerring Wisdom for our good and in Order to our Happiness Now in Order to your Glorifying Almighty God in Secret Duties let the following Directions be observed 1. Be sure that thou art Private in thy Private Duties let it be true Secret Prayer and not have its Name for nought Remember our Saviour's Advice St. Matth. 6.6 Enter into thy Closet when thou prayest and shut thy door and be sure to shut it so close that no Wind of Vain Glory may either get out or come in Some Hypocrites pray in Secret but as they handle the matter they are not Secret in their Closets like the Hen that goes into a Private place to lay her Egg but by her Cackling tells all the House both where she is and what she is about rather than be guilty of this Vanity shut the door of thy Lips as well as of thy Closet not but that it is lawful to use the Voice in Private Prayer provided it be not for Ostentation to be over-heard by others Yea and useful also as it helps the Attention of the Mind and prevents wandring thoughts and likewise quickens the Affections by raising them up to an higher degree and pitch of Fervency Christian Prudence therefore must direct Thee what is best in this Case 2. Look that thou art free and open with Almighty God in Private Duties come not to God in Secret and then conceal thy Secret from him lay open thy very Heart and spread all thy Secret Sins before him and be sure to hide nothing from him if thou art not free to Confess never expect that God will be faithful to forgive Prayer is called in Scripture a pouring forth of the Soul to God because a Gracious Person makes known all its wants and griefs to God and does this with much Freedom of Spirit Verily there is nothing that Almighty God resents more unkindly at his Peoples hands than their Attempts to conceal either their their Secrets Sins or their Secret wants from him when he stands ready so graciously to pardon the one and so mercifully to supply the other 3. Make use of the most proper and fitting Season for Secret-prayer and take heed that one Duty doth not interfere with another either with Family-Prayer or with Publick-worship the Beauty of Christianity consists in the Harmony of a Christian Obedience but the Devil takes a mighty pleasure in putting Persons upon setting the Ordinances of God at variance one against another look also that thy Closet-Devotions do not interfere with the Duties of thy particular Calling God allows time for the Shop as well as for the Closet as thou art to shut thy Closet-doors to pray so to open thy Shop Windows for work and if we be not faithful in the one we cannot expect his Presence in the other Go then Oh Christian into thy Closet before thou goest into thy Shop or else thou art an Atheist but when thou hast been with God there attend with faithfulness the Business of thy Calling or else thou art an Hyyocrite he that says Be fervent in Prayer also says Be not sloathful in Business 4. Take heed that your frequent performance of Secret Duties do not degenerate into a lifeless formality what we do very frequently we are prone to do very carelesly it is exceeding hard not to grow formal in those Duties which we are daily Conversant in Endeavour therefore with your utmost Care and Diligence to keep up the fervour of your Affections in your daily approaches to God and in order thereunto I would advise you to pray often rather than very long for it is difficult to be long in our Prayers and not to slacken our Affections Our Blessed Saviour himself we find praying often yea and using the same Words in Prayer St. Matth. 26.44 5. Rest not upon it as an Infallible Evidence of thy Sincerity thou art found in the practice of Secret Duties 'T is as possible for Hipocrisie to creep into the Closet as for the Frogs to get into Pharaohs Bed-chamber a man may perform Secret-Duties and yet indulge himself in many Secret Sins But if thou delightest in searching Duties as well as Secret in the close Examination of thy Heart in the impartial Trying of thy Ways in serious Meditation of the Threatnings of the Word so as to deterr thee from the Practice of all known Sin this will afford thee a good ground of Hope that thy Heart is upright in Gods sight 6. Let not Business divert thee let not the sense of thy own weakness and want of Abilities discourage thee from the practice of Secret Duties especially from praying daily by thy self alone confess all thy Sins and lay open all thy wants before Almighty God in the best manner thou art able and question not the acceptance of thy worthless Services for the sake of a worthy Mediator and rather than the sense of thine own weakness and want of Expression should tempt thee to neglect this Duty make use of the following Words A Morning Prayer for a Private Person OH Eternal and ever Blessed God! Thou art in thy self Infinitely Glorious in the Son of thy Love transcendently Gracious In all Humility I bow at thy Foot adoring thy Divine Majesty by whose Power I was brought into the World and by whose Providence I have been preserved to this Moment I acknowledge my self to have been estranged from Thee even from the Womb for I brought a sinful Nature into the World with me from whence all actual Transgressions havâ— flown and proceeded as impure Streams from a polluted Fountain Oh Lord humble me and that greatly for my Original Guilt for the Follies of my Childhood for the vanities and impieties of my Youth for the Transgressions and Provocations of my Riper Years give me a particular sight of them work in my Soul an Ingenious and Godly Sorrow for them an impartial hatred and enmity against them Accept of the Death and Sufferings of thy Son as a full satisfaction to thy Justice for all that wrong I have done to the Holiness of thy Law and enable me by Faith to repose the intire Trust and Confidence of my Soul on the sufficiency of his Merits and Oh let thy Holy Spirit
for the time to come so direct sanctifie and govern both my Heart and Life in the Ways of thy Laws and in the Works of thy Commandments that in all my Thoughts Words and Works I may ever seek thy Honour and Glory and may so Order my Conversation aright that at Death I may see the Salvation of God Prepare me for a sick-bed and fit me for a dying hour let not God be a Stranger nor my Conscience a Terrour to me when I come to die but do thou mercifully assist and succour me in my last Moments In the hour of Death and in the Day of Judement Good Lord deliver me and conduct me safely to thine Everlasting Kingdom I Bless thy Name Oh Lord for that good Providence of thine which has brought me to the Light of another day do thou so prevent me with thy Grace so direct and assist me by thy Holy and Good Spirit that I may not run this day into any Sin or Temptation that I may not follow nor be led by any Worldly and Carnal Lusts but be enabled in my place and station to perform my Duty to thy Self and my Neibour with such Care Fidelity and Chearfulness as may be acceptable both to God and Man I humbly commend this Church and Nation to thy merciful Care and Protection Let our Gracious King and Queen live in thy sight and rule in thy fear and let all their Subjects fear God Honour their Majesties and Love one another Assist all thy Ministers in their hard and difficult work and follow their endeavours with thy Blessing particularly his who labours amongst us in the Word and Doctrine Pity all in an afflicted Condition Pardon their Sins and supply their wants Remember all my Relations for good requite the kindness of my Friends pardon and forgive my Enemies and Enable me to forgive them also These Mercies with whatever else thou knowest to be needful for me and all Mankind I humbly beg in the Name and Words of my Blessed Redeemer saying as he has Taught me Our Father c. An Evening Prayer for a Private Person MOst Holy and ever Blessed Lord God! the Father of Mercies the Fountain of Goodness and the Author of all Grace I desire again this Evening to bow before thy Mercy-Seat to adore and praise thy Glorious Majesty for thy Gracious Care and Providence over me the day past Pardon unto me most Merciful Father I most humby Beseech whatever I have committed or omitted this day contrary to my Resolutions and Obligations Pity my weaknesses and accept my sincere endeavours to serve and glorifie Thee Wherein I have been wont to slip Lord help me to be more Watchful where I have been careless and negligent let me use greater Diligence and Circumspection help me more sensibly to groan under this Body of Sin which I carry about with me and which so interrupts me in thy Service that when I would do Good evil is present with me And oh that the Sense of that Corruption which I find stirring in my Soul may cause me more earnestly to implore the help of thy Blessed Spirit which alone can enable me to Mortifie all Evil and Corrupt Affections to deny all Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World Raise up my Heart and my Affections above this World and the things below and place them upon thy Self and the things that are above oh help me to Realize the Things of Eternity and another World to my Mind and to believe them as certainly as if I saw them with my Bodily Eyes Hear Oh Lord and Answer the Supplications and Prayers which have been put up unto Thee by any of thine this day on the behalf of this Church and Nation Oh that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be established amongst us for all Generations Secure the Persons of thy Servants King William and Queen Mary from all attempts of Violence and let that hand be for ever withered which shall be once stretched forth to hurt the Lords anointed and let all that are in Authority under them execute Judgment and Justice impartially to the Punishment of Wickedness and Vice and to the maintainance of thy True Religion and Godliness Let all that Minister unto Thee in Holy things endeavour both by the Purity of their Doctrine and the Piety of their Lives to win many to a Love of Holiness and Religion that they may shine as Stars for ever and ever Pity all those that are in a worse Condition than my self supply their wants out of thy abundance and work in me a readiness of Disposition to administer to their necessities according to my Ability Accept my Thankful returns to thy Majesty for all thy Mercies for the Fountain of them all the Holy Jesus for all the invaluable Benefits of his Incarnation Death and Passion Resurrection Ascension and Intercession for the Gift of thy Holy Spirit for the Light of thy Glorious Gospel for all the Comforts and Conveniences of Life afforded to me which many Better than my self are deprived of for thy watchful care and good Hand of Providence over me this day Receive me into thy Protection this Night sanctifie my Rest and keep me from sinning against Thee upon my Bed and let the natural repose of my Body put me in Mind that e're long I must sleep in the Bosom of the Grave and awake no more 'till the Morning of the Resurrection for which solemn hour good Lord prepare and sit me and all Mankind by a renewed frame of Heart and a Religious course of Life for thy Mercies sake in Christ Jesus who has both directed and commanded me when I pray to say Our Father c. A short Hymn for the Evening NOw from the Altar of my Heart Let Incense Flames arise Assist me Lord to offer up My Evening Sacrifice Lord Watch and Ward when I shall sleep I humbly Thee implore Thine Angels let my Guardians be Both now and evermore Into thy hands do I commit My Spirit which is thy due For why Thou hast created it Yea didst Redeem it too Lord if I live let me be thine Thine also if I die Come Life come Death let Heaven be mine Amen Amen say I. CHAP. XI Of Reading the Holy Scriptures THE Holy Bible being a Letter wrote unto us by the Finger of God himself what is our Reading of it and daily Conversing with it but a Communing with the Almighty and making an inquiry after that Revelation of his Will which his Wisdom has been pleased to make unto us How stupendious then is the Folly and Impiety of those who either lay the Bible aside as a neglected Book or else read it carelesly irreverently unattentively without an honest simplicity of Mind to be guided instructed and directed by it To prevent the Sin and danger of both which neglects it will be our Wisdom to resolve with our selves to redeem some time every
a borrowed Chamber in an upper Room in the Evening only to Twelve Persons and those Twelve Men yea Twelve Ministers and in a Coat without a Seam To keep thus strictly to Christ's Order in the use of this Ordinance I assure you is so far from being a Duty that it will be your sin But 2ly As to the Garment worn by us in the Administration why should a matter of such indifferency discompose thy Thoughts at such a solemn time Look you to your self that you come cloathed with the Wedding Garment of Repentance Faith Love and Joy and if there be any Evil in Colours in a White Garment more than a Black one he that wears it or the Authority that enjoyns it shall Answer for that and not you 3ly As to our using a Form of Prayer in the Administration know that all the Reformed Churches throughout the World have done the like the Church of Geneva not excepted for the Spirituality of Prayer doth not consist in an extemporary fluency of Words but in the Intention of the Mind and Devotion of the Soul if we pray in Faith with Humility with Holy Fervency with Humble Resignation we certainly pray by the Spirit tho' with a Form of Words before us and on the other hand if we pray without the forementioned Dispositions our Prayers are formal and unacceptable tho' we pray without a Form Lastly As to what is scrupled about Kneeling 1. It doth not clearly appear what Gesture our Saviour used when he celebrated this Ordinance the Scripture is very silent about it from whence I infer that had it been our Saviour's mind we should follow his Example in this Circumstance we should not have been left in the dark concerning it 2. Suppose it were Sitting this being but a Circumstance of the Action we are no more obliged to follow it than the other Circumstances of Time Place Habit c. 3. Let it be considered how far the Church of England has protested against all Adoration of the Elements so that they who suspect us Kneeling to the Bread and Wine do shew themselves to be either grosly ignorant or greatly malicious But because this is the highest Ordinance we attend upon Christ in and we receive the greatest Benefits by the Ordinance we are capable of on this side Glory even a Pardon Sealed from the King of Heaven which we would not receive in any other posture than upon our Knees from an Earthly Prince and forasmuch as the Sacrament is delivered to us with Prayer we judge it the most suitable Gesture for such a solemn Ordinance and both in Obedience to Authority and also from an Act of choice we use this Gesture as a Token of profound Reverence to our most endearing Redeemer These are all the most considerable Pleas and Pretences which I have met with from Persons for the neglect of this Duty If what has been here said tend to the satisfaction of any and they are willing to address themselves to the practice of this long neglected Duty I shall next inform them what Preparation is necessary to fit them for it 5. And here know in General that the best Preparation for the Sacrament is a Holy Life a daily walking before God in the Holy Path of his Commandments in an uniform Compliance with the Duties both of our General and Particular Callings exercising your selves daily in keeping a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men. In short the habitual devotedness of the Soul to God accompanied with a steady resolution to continue stedfast in our Obedience to him all our days is such a Divine Temper as gives us an undoubted right to the Ordinance and is the best Qualification for it But more particularly you are to understand that besides our habitual Preparation by Repentance and the constant Endeavours of a Holy Life we ought to set some time apart for Actual Preparation tho' how much every Person ought to allot of his Time for that Work cannot precisely be determined some have more cause for it than others having long neglected themselves and their Duty Others have more Leisure and Freedom for it No man ought to come to the Sacrament without due Care and Preparation but God doth not expect so much time should be set apart for Solemn Preparation by a poor Servant as he does from a Rich Master Now a Christian 's actual Preparation for this Ordinance I take to consist in the practice of these five following Duties Examination Humilation Resolution Meditation Prayer and Supplication 1. Examine thy self according to St. Paul's Advice 1 Cor. 11.28 For we stand too near our selves to see our Failings without great Observation Take therefore the Candle of the Word into thy hand to search thy Heart and examine thy Life by Particularly examine 1. What good there is in thee what Knowledge to discern the Lord's Body and to understand the Nature Use and End of the Lord's Supper What Faith to apply the Merits of his Death to thy own Soul What Love to thy Saviour's Person Precepts Promises People to every one that has the Image of Christ upon him What Repentance and Godly Sorrow dost thou find in thy Soul for Sin What Care every day to mortifie it and to die daily more and more unto it 2. Examine what Evil is in Thee and has been done by Thee See and be sensible of the sinfulness of thy Nature of the Sins of thy Heart and Life of thy Omissions of Good and Commissions of Evil of thy Sins against God and thy Neighbour in Heart Word or Deed And tho' it be impossible upon thy utmost search to find out all it will be a good Evidence of thy Sincerity that thou art not willing to hide any 2. Having by Examination found out thy Sins fall down upon thy Knees in Confession and Humiliation before God bewailing manifold Sins ond Wickedness which thou from time to time hast most grievously committed by Thought Word and Deed against his Divine Majesty Labour earnestly to repent and to be unfeignedly sorry for these thy misdoings beg of God that the remembrance of Sin may be bitter to thy Soul and the burthen of it be intolerable plead with him to forgive Thee all that is past and to give thee his Grace that thou mayst ever hereafter serve and please Him in newness of Life to the Honour and Glory of his Holy Name This done before thou arisest from thy Knees 3. Renew thy Resolutions for a Holy Life Vow to be more watchful more careful and circumspect for the time to come say with holy David Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will perfarm that I will keep thy righteous Judgments And be sure when you resolve against your Sins that you resolve against all Temptations which lead to Sin he that resolves against Drunkenness and Swearing must resolve to avoid wicked Company which draw him to that excess and to pass by the Door where he is wont to