their Covenant with God Now unlesse wee doe joyne the inward with the outward we may fast but the Lord seeth it not wee may afflict our selves but hee taketh no notice wee may cry and boule but cannot make our voyce be heard on high But when God seeth the workes of them that fast that they turne from their evill way yea that they strive to turn and seek him with all their heart then hee will turne to them his bowels of compassion doth yerne towards them and I will have mercy on them saith the Lord. After the time of the Fast is ended eat and drinke but moderately For if you then shall glut your selfe it will put your body and soule much out of order Secondly your Fast being ended hold the strength which you not that day as much as you can keepe your interest and holy acquaintance which you have gotten with God and with the holy exercises of Religion Though you have giveÌ„ over the exercises â—â— the day yet unloose not the â—ent of your care and affections against sinne and for God It is a corruption of our nature and it â—â— a policie of Satan to helpe it forward that like some unwise â—arriours when they have got the day of their enemies wee â—ow full of presumption and severity by which the enemy taketh advantage to recollect his forces and comming upon us â—â— looked for giveth us the fosse not the overthrow we are too apt after a day of humiliation to fall into a kinde of remissenesse as if then we had gotten the mastry whereas if Satan fly from us if sinne be weakned in us it is but for a season and but in part and especially if we stand not upon our watch Satan will take occasion to returne and sin will revive in us I 〈…〉 few Cautions â—ouâ—… excellent but neglected duty â—â— Fasting 〈…〉 body although it must be 〈…〉 downe yet it must not buâ— destroyed with Fasting It musâ— not be so weakened as to be disabled to performe the workes 〈…〉 your ordinary Calling In private Fasts you must 〈…〉 be open but as private as conveniently you may â—ever not the inward from 〈…〉 outward Thinke not to merit by yoâ—… Fasting aâ— Papists doe Presume not that presently up on the worke done God must grant your asking as Hypocrites doe that say to him we have fasted and thou dost not regard it You may and must expect a gracious hearing upon your unfained humiliation but as for when and how you must wait patiently faith secureth you of good successe but neither prescribeth unto God how nor yet doth it make hast but waiteth his leisure when in his wisedome hee shall judge it most seasonable CHAP. VI. Of the Sabbath IF it bee the Sabbath or Lords day you must remember to keep it holy according to the Commandement For this cause First put a difference betweene this and the other six dayes even as you put difference betweene the bread and wine in the Sacrament and that which is for common use And that because it is set apart for holy use by divine institution For as the Seventh day from the beginning of the Creation untill the day of Christs blessed Resurrection so our Lords Day which is the day of the Resurrection iâ— morall and by divine institution The Commandement to keepe an holy rest upon the Seventh day after six worke dayes which is the â—…stance of the fourth Commandement remâ—â—neth the same And Adam â—o doubt by the instinct of incorrupted nature which yeeldethâ— time for Gods honour and â—o lemne worship he knowing thaâ— God finished the Creation in six daâ—es and rested on the seventh might by discourse of his reason have judged one day in seven the fittest time to bee dedicated to his service But certaine hee could not bee either that God would have one day in Seven or which of those dayes he would have set apart for rest and for holy use Wherefore it pleased the Lord of the Sabbath by a positive institution to determine that the Sabbath should bee one day in Seven and that from the beginning of the world unto the Resurrection of Christ it should be the Seventh from the Creation but as it shall appeare by the change of the day under the Gospell after the Resurrection hee appointed it to be kept the Seventh from thence by vertue whereof wee now keepe the Lords day a holy Sabbath to the Lord So that to keepe a day holy to the Lord and to keepe that day which the Lord should appoint is absolutely morall as all the other Commandements are according to the light and Law of nature And in particular the keeping the Seventh from the Creation till the Resurrection and the Seventh from the Resurrection ever since to the end of the world was to them and is to us a morall duty immediately binding the conscience and is no way alterable by man because it is set apart by Diuine institution That there was such an Institution I shall evidently prove For the Sabbath was sanctified by God and was to be observed by his people from the beginning of the world when there was no distinction of Iew and Gentile untill the writing of the morall Law I know some deny this but without good ground For wee haue reason to thinke that ever since the Creation Time hath beene divided by weeks whereof the seventh day is the boundary as well as by Moneths and Yeares And this reason of the Commandement He blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it importing the prime institution did concerne Adam and all before the Law as well as since This was a received opinion amongst the ancient Iewes that this Feast did belong to all Nations from the beginning of the world And the Fathers observed it before Moses And though there be no mention of the Saints observing of it before Israels going out of Aegypt yet where there is an Institution there it must in charitie be presupposed that it was observed of the godly except the Scripture deny it which it doth not but doth imply the contrary For the Sabbath day is spoken of before the re-delivering of it in the Mount as of a solemne day ordained before and wel known to the Iewes Tomorrow saith Moses is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. And againe he saith The seventh day which is the Sabbath Moreover the Apostle doth intimate that the rest of the Sabbath was kept from the beginning of the world This be said of the Sabbath before the pronouncing and writing of the Law And when it was written God wrote and placed it in the heart of the ten Commandements as that which by the holy exercise thereof and keeping it holy should give life to the keeping of all the rest The reasons of the fourth Commandement doe as well urge the observing of it to all men at
but chiefly considering that by this his passion he hath made full satisfaction for you and withall seeing God and Christ himself by the hand of his Minister truely giving Christs â—…ery body and bloud sacramentally to signifie and seale it unto you it should raise your heart â—o an holy admiration of the love of God and of Christ and it â—hould stirre you up in the very â—ct of taking the bread and wine 〈…〉 a reverend and thankefull reâ—â—iving of this his body and bloud 〈…〉 faith discerning the Lords boâ—…e gathering assurance hereby â—…at now all enmitie betweene â—…od and you is done away and â—…at you by this as by spirituall â—…od and life shall grow up in â—…m with the rest of his mystiâ—…ll body unto everlasting life After that you have received untill you bee to joyue in pubâ—…ke prayse and prayers affect â—…ur heart with ioy and thankefulness in the assurance of the pardon of all your sinnes and of salvation by Christ yea more than if you being a bankrupt should receive an acquittance sealed of the Release of all your debts and with it a Wil and Testament wherein you should have a Legacie of no lâ—sse than a Kingdome sâ—aled with such a seale as doth give cleare proofe of the fidelitie ability and death of the Testator or then it having been a traitour you should receive a free and sulâ— pardon from the King seaâ—ed with his own seale together with an Assurance that â—â—â—aâ—h adopted you to bee his câ—ild to be married to his sonne the hâ—ire of the Crowne This is your case when by faith you receive the bread wine the body and bloud of the Lord. Thinkâ— thus therefore with joy and rejoycing in God oh how happiâ—… am I in Christ my Saviour Gâ—… who hath given him to death foâ—… me and also given him to me how shal he not with him give me all things also even whatsoever may pertaine to life godlinesse and glory Who shall lay any thing to my charge c Who or what can separate me from the love of CHRIST c Resolve withall upon a constant and an unfained endevour to performe all duties becomming one thus acquitted thus redeemed pardoned and advanced and this in token of thankfulnesse even to keepe covenants required to be performed on your part undoubtedly expecting whatsoever God hath covenanted and sealed on his part Ioyne in publike prayse and prayer heartily and in a liberall contribution to the poore if there be a Collection After the Sacrament If you feele your faith strengthned and your soule comforted nourish it with all thankfulnesse If not yet if your Conscience can witnesse that you endevoâ—ed to prepare as you ought and to receive as you ought be not discouraged but wait for strength and comfort in due time Wee doe not alwaies feele the benefit of bodily food presently but stirring of humors and sense of disease is sometimes rather occasioned yet in the end being well digested it strengthnetâ—â— so â—â— is oft with spirituaâ—l food corruption may stirre and temptations may arise more upon the receiving then before especially sith Satan if it be but to vexe a tender-hearted Christian will â—ereupon take occasioÌ„ to tempt with more violence But if you resist these and stand resolved to obey and to rely upon Gods mercy in Christ this is rather a signe of receiving worthily so long as your desires and resolutions are strengthned and you thereby are made more carefully to stand upon your Watch. Endeavour in this case to digest this spirituall food by further meditation improving that strength you have praying for more strength remembring the Commandement which biddeth you to be strong and you shall be strengthned Lastly If you finde your selfe worse indeed or doe feele Gods heavy hand in speciall sort upon you following upon your receiving and your Conscience can witnesse truly that you came not prepared or that you did wittingly and carelesly faile in such or such a particular in receiving it is evident you did receive unworthily In which case you must heartily bewaile your sin confesse it to God aske and beleeve that he will pardon it and take heed that you offend not in that kinde another time Vpon the Lords day you must likewise bee readie to visit and relieve the distressed Take some time also this day to looke into your by past life and chiefly to your walking with God the last weeke asbeing in freshest memory and bee sure to set all straight betweene God and you Last of all on every opportunitie take good time to consider Gods workes what they are in themselves what they are against the wicked what they are to the Church and to your selfe and to yours And in parricular take occasion from the Day it selfe to thinke fruitfully of the Creation of your Redemption Sanctification and of your eternall Rest and glory to come For God in his holy wisedome hath sâ—t such a divine print upon this our Lords day that at once it doth minde us of the greatest workes of God which either make for his glory or his Churches good As of the Creation of the World in six dayes hee resting the seventh which specially isattributed to the Father And of mans redemption by Christ of whose resurrection this Day is a remembrance which is specially attributed to the Sonne Also of our sanctification by the Spirit for that the observation of the Sabbath is a signe and meanes of holinesse which worke is specially attributed to the holy Ghost Lastly of your and the Churches glorification which shall be the joynt work of the blessed Trinity when we shal ceasefrom al our works and shall rest and bee glorious with the same glory which our Head Christ hath with the Father to whom be glorie for ever and ever Amen Doe all these with delight raising up your selfe hereby to a greater measure of holinesse and heavenly mâ—naeâ—nesse Doe all this the rather because there is not a clearer signe to distinguish you from one that is prophane than this of conscionable keeping holy the Lords Day Neither is there any ordinarie means of gaining strength and growth of grace in the inward man like this of due observing the Sabbath For this is Gods great Mart or Faire day for the soule on which you may buy of Christ wine milke bread marrow and fatnesse gold white raiment eye-soelve even all things which are necessary and which will satisfie and cause the soule to live It is the speciall day of Gods hearing of suites and receiving petitions It is his speciall day of proclaiming and sealing of Pardons to penitent sinners It is Gods speciall day of publishing and sealing your Patent of eternall life It is a blessed day sanctified for all these blessed purposes Now lest this urging of the moralitie of the Sabbath and so strict an observation of the Lords day in spending the whole day in holy
questioning the truth of his being and of his Word denying his Providence Power or some other of his Divine Attributes Have I not been ignorant of God and of his will and erroneous and mis-beleeving if not hereticall in my conceits concerning God the Father Sonne or holy Ghost Have I not beene over-curious in prying into the nature and secret counsels of God beyond the rule of the revealed wil of God Have I not set up false Deities or put my selfe or any other creature in the place of God through pride preferring and resting upon mine owne way and will before Gods or by making my selfe mine utmost end professing God and his Religion onely to serve mine owne ends or by seeking to the creature as to Angell Saint Devill or Witch instead of the Creator Have I not beene forgetfull of God and of his will Is not my Conscience impure blinde deluded or seared and my will perverse obstinate impatient and murmuring against God and ful of dissimulation Have I not set mine affections upon the World rather than upon God loving that which is evill hating that which is good yea God himselfe if not directly yet in his Holines shining in his Ordinances and in his children or as hee is a severe inflicter of punishment Fearing man more than God trusting in the Creature making something besides God my chiefe joy Have I not presumed when I had cause to despaire and despaired after that I had cause to hope Have I not â—empted God many wayes And have I not in the matters of God beene either cold lukewarme or blindely or preposterously zealous Hath there not beene a pronenesse in my whole outward man to rebell against God The second Commandement concerneth all such lawfull worships of God which he onely hath appointed whereby he communicateth himselfe to man and man againe maketh profession of him forbidding under one kinde all such as are not by him ordained Thinke thus Have I worshipped God in spirit and truth in all the kindes and parts of his Worship publike or private ordinary or extraordinary as by hearing reading and meditating of his Word by praying praising and giving thankes to him by a right use of his Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and by Religious Fasting Religious Feasting and making of vowes according as I have had speciall occasion And have I done what did belong to me for the setting forth and maintaining of Gods true Worship and have I according to my place executed aright or submitted unto the government and discipline of the Church Or besides the omission of the former duties Am I not guilty some way or other of Idoll-worship conceiving of GOD in my mind or representing him to my sense in the likenes of any creture Have I not added to or detracted from any part of Gods Worship Have I not run into the appearances and occasions of Idolatry as by presence at Idoll-service by marriage and needlesse â—amiliarity with Idolatrous persons by reserving undefaced monuments of Idolatry At least is â—ot my heart guilty of not hating but rather lingering after Idolatrous worship Have I not been guilty of superstition or Will-worship c. The third Commandement concerneth the glory of Gods holy Name shining forth in his Titles Attributes Religion Word Ordinances People or any thing that hath in it any print of his holinesse or excellency forbidding the taking of it in vaine and that in all actions religious or common Have I glorified God by answering my holy profession with an holy and unblameable conversation by performing all holy duties with due preparation knowledge and devotion also by thinking and speaking of the Names and holy things of God with holy reverence and in particular by fearing an Oath Or have I not caused the Name Religion and People of God to be ill thought of and dishonoured by my evill course of living or at least by committing some grosse sinâ— Am I not guilty of rash unprepared heedlesse forgetfull and fruitlesse reading hearing receiving the Sacraments or performance of any other the worships of God Have I not thought or spoken blasphemously or contempiuously of God or of any the things of God Have I not used the Name of God needlesly rashly wickedly or falsly in swearing or lightly in my Salutations Admirations or otherwise in my ordinary communication Have I not abused the Name of God his Scriptures his Ordinances and Creatures using them for other purposes then hee alloweth as for sports spels charms or any sorcery luxury or the like Have I not passed by the great workes of Gods power mercy and judgements without due observation and acknowledgement of God therein The fourth Commandement concerneth the ordinary solemne time of the service and worship of God requiring that the seventh day now our Lords day be kept with an holy rest Have I upon the six dayes Remembred the Lords day that I might dispatch all my worldly businesse and prepare my heart that when it came I might keep an holy Sabbath to the Lord according to the Commandement Did I according as my health would permit rise early on that day Have I performed my daily both morning and evening exercises of Religion alone and with my family that day in private Have I caused all under my authority according to my power to rest from all manner of workes and worldly sports also my selfe not onely from the labour of my body but of my mind in all worldly businesse except about the things that concerne common honestie and comelinesse workes of mercy and such workes of necessitie as could not be done before or stay to be done afterwards Have I alwayes prepared my heart before I went into the house and presence of God by meditation of Gods Word and Workes and in particular by examination and reformation of my wayes also by prayer thankesgiving and holy resolution to carry my selfe as in Gods presence and to heare and obey whatsoever I should bee taught out of the Word of God Have I caused my family to goe with me to the Church And did I with them come in due time and being there did stay the whole time of prayer reading and preaching of the Word singing of Psalmes receiving and administring the Sacraments even that of Baptisme when others are Baptised and did attend diligently and joyne with the Minister and the rest of the Congregation in all those holy exercises Did I spend the day after the Morning and Evening Prayers Sermons or Catechisings in meditation and as I had opportunitie in conference and repetition of what I had heard also in visiting the sicke and other workes of mercy and so from the beginning to the end of the day have beene imployed in holy thoughts words and deeds and all this with spirituall delight Or Am I not guiltie of forgetting it before it came and of neglecting and prophaning it when it came as by meere idlenesse or by taking opportunity of leisure from busines of my calling to be
all times as to the Iewes It was also reserved in the Arke with the other ten and is one of the Commandements mentioned in the new Testament as parcell of the Royall Law of which S. Iames saith Whosoever shall offend in one point hee is guiltie of all he meanes the ten Commandements hee understands the fourth Commandement for one else he would not say all Wherefore albeit there are some things that have particular reference to the Iewes in the written Law as the reason taken from bringing them out of the Land of Aegypt which concerneth us onely by Analogie and albeit the circumstance of time in respect of which day of the Seven was alterable but by the Lord of the Sabbath removing it from the seventh of the Creation to the day of Christs Resurrection yet there is not any of those tenne Commandements which is not morall and of morall equitie But some object The observing of the weekly Sabbath was a signe betweene God and the Iewes that they might know that the LORD did sanctifie them therfore was abrogated by Christ with other Ceremonies Answ I â—â—â—gh every Ceremony determinable in Christ was a signe yet every signe was not a ceremony to end at Christs death All signes and types of justification by Christ to come were nailed on the Crosse with him but signes of the worlds preservation also declarative and probative signes and arguments of sanctification together with the type of rest and glorie did not end at Christs death there being as much use of them to us now as was to any other before Obiect They object farther All Sabbath daies are abrogated by expresse termes Col. 2. 16. Answ Hee speaketh there of none but Leviticall Sabbaths for marke it he saith they were shadows of such things to come whereof Christ was the body verse 17. But the weekely Sabbath had no more shadow or reference to Christ than any other of the ten Commandements Obiect They yet object No man must esteeme one day above another for conscience sake Rom. 14. 5. Answ No such thing can be concluded thence For the Apostle warning both strong and weake Christians not to offend nor bee offended one with another would have each doe as they should be fully perswaded in their owne minde and not judge or despise each other but in what things in every thing no but onely in things in their owne nature indifferent or for the time tolerable be instancing in meaâ—s and dayes But I deny the fourth Commandement ever to have beene of the number of indifferent things If yet they say If the fourth Commandement be moral why doe you not keep the day which the Iewes did I answer Keeping holy a Sabbath or the Sabbath is absolutely morall and the principall intention of the fourth Commandement but the keeping it upon that day which is intimated in the Commandement or the keeping of this day practised now by us became a morall duty that to them this to us because by a Divine positive institution God had appointed that day to bee observed by them and since that he hath appointed this to bee observed by us Now sith that the Lord of the Sabbath hath ordained another day in so doing he hath caused though not an abolishing yet some change of the Law which hath caused the former to cease and bindeth us in conscience to observe this That it was the will of our Lord and Saviour Christ that we should since his Resurrection keepe for our Sabbath that first day of the weeke on which he arose it may easily appeare to any whose judgements are not corrupted with prophanenesse of heart or are not clouded with selfe-conceit and prejudice For in that he arose on that day and appeared divers times on this our Lords day to his Disciples before his Ascension and did on this day being the day of Pentecost fill his Disciples with the gifts of the holy Ghost they being assembled together this giveth a preeminence to this day and a probabilitie to the point The Apostles who followed Christ and delivered nothing but what they received from Christ and whose determinations were infallible did observe this Day as a Sabbath The Apostle Paul staying seven daies at Troas might haue chosen any of the other dayes for the people to assemble to heare the Word and receive the Sacrament but they assembled to receive the Sacrament and to heare the Word upon the first day of the weeke which is our Lords day Moreover the keeping holy of the Lords day hath constantly and universally from the Apostles downeward to vs beene observed amongst Christians in all places and in all ages Now the approved practice of the Apostles and of the Church with them recorded in Scripture carrieth with it the force of a precept and argueth divine institution Moreover the Spirit of GOD honoureth this day with the Title of Lords Day as he doth the Communion with the Title of the Supper of the Lord What doth this argue but as they both have reference to Christ so they are both appointed by Christ The Spirit of Christ knew the minde of Christ who thus named this day Secondly being coÌ„vinced of the holines of this day the better to keepe it holy when it commeth you must on the weeke dayes before the Sabbath or Lords 〈…〉 remember it to the end that none of your worldly businesse be left undone or put off till then especially upon Saturday you must prepare for it Then you must put an end to the workes of your Calling doe whatsoever may be wel done before-hand to prevent bodily labour even in your necessary actions that when the day coÌ„meth you may have lesse occasion of worldly thoughts lesse incumbrance and distractions and may be more free both in body and minde for spirituall exercises Thirdly you your selfe and as much as in you lyeth all under your authority must rest upon this day even in earing time and in haruest the space of the whole day of foure twenty houres from all manner of workes except those which have true reference to the present dayes works of pietie mercy and true â—…ssity not doing your owne waies not â—â—nding your owne pleasures nor speaking your owne words Obiect If you obiect that some understand this place of the day of Atonement and yeerely fast spoken of in the beginning of the Chapter Answ Many Interpreters understaÌ„d it of the weekly Sabbath yet suppose it should be understood of the Sabbath of Atonement I urging it onely to prove the externall rest it serveth for my purpose for these two differed not in their externall rest except that in the day of Atonement they abstained from meat and drinke untill even Vpon all other Gods Sabbaths and holy feasts the children of Israel were forbidden not all worke but onely servile worke But neither on the weekly Sabbath nor on the day of Atonement might any manner
hony enough from any one neither would Salomon have tryed so many conclusions if the enioyment of anie creature could have made him happy Would you know the cause why so many like Ixion make love to shadowes and leave the substance or that I may speake in a better phrase forsake the fountaine of living water and dig to themselves broken Cisternes that will hold no water Briefly it is because man who in his pride would have seene as much as God is now become so blinde that hee seeth not himselfe For if men knew either the disposition of their soules by Creation or the distemper of their soules by corruption they would easily escape this delusion 1. The soule is a spirituall substance whose originall is from God and therefore its rest must be in God as the Rivers runne into the Sea and as every body rests in its center The noblest faculties are abased not improved abused not imployed vexed not satisfied when they are yoaked and subiected to these in eriour obiects as when Nebuchadnezzar fedde amongst beasts Or when as they that were brought up in Scarlet embraced the dung Or as when Servants rode on horse-backe and Masters walked like Servants on the ground Or as when 70. Kings like dogges did eate bread under Adoni-bezeks table Or as when Sampson made the Philistims merry with his eyes put out 2. Consider the soule as it is now in this state of corruption nothing can now content it but that which can cure it The soule is full of sinne which is the most painefull sicknesse hence the Prophet compares wicked men to the raging waves of the Sea that is never at rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt what will you doe to comfort him that is heart-sicke Bring him the choisest delicates Hee cannot relish them Compasse him about with merry company and musicke It 's tedious and troublesome to him bring him to a better Chamber lay him in an easier bed all will not satisfie him Bring the Physician to him then he conceives hope let the Physician cure him of his distemper and then hee will eat courser meat with a better stomacke and sleepe on a harder bed in a worse chamber with a more quiet and contented heart Iust so it is with a guilty Conscience though hee is not alwayes sensible of it What comfort can his friends give him when God is his enemie What delight can hee take in his stately buildings or frequent visits who may expect even this night to have his soule fetcht away from him and to be cast into hell amongst Devils What is a golden chaine about a Leprous person or the richest apparell upon a dead carkasse Or what comfort will a costly banquet yeeld to a condemned malefactor who is now going to execution Surely no more than Adam found when hee had sinned in the Garden or then Hamon had when Assuerus frowned on him in the banquet On the other side Let a man bee in peace with God and in a sweet communion enioy the influence of heavenly graces and comforts in his soule he can rejoyce in tribulation sing in prison solace himselfe in death and comfort his soule against principalities and powers tribulation and anguish height and depth things present and things to come This true happinesse which all men desire but most misse it by mistaking the readie way conducing to it is the subiect matter of this Booke Here you shall learne the right way of peace How a man may doe every dayes duty conscionably and beare every dayes crosse comfortably receive it thankefully and read it carefully But this course is too strict In bodily distempers we account that Physician the wisest and best who regards more the health than the will of his patient The â—â—rpenter squares his worke by the Rule not the Rule by his worke Oh miserable man what an Antipathy against truth is in this cursed corrupted nature which had rather perish by false principles then be saved by receiving and obeying the truth But secondly as it 's strict so it 's necessary and in that case strictnesse doth not blunt but sharpen the edge of industry to dutie Therefore saith our Saviour strive to enter in at the straight gate that is therefore strive to enter because the gate is straight Bradford well compared the way of Religion to a narrow Bridge over a large and deepe River from which the least turning awry is dangerous Wee see into what a Gulfe of miserie Adam plunged himselfe and his posterity by stepping aside from Gods way Therefore forget not these Rules of the Apostle Walke circumspectly and make straight steppes to your feet lest that which is halting be turned out of the way But many of Gods children attaine not to this strictnesse yet are saved It 's true though all Gods children travell to one Countrey yet not with equall agility and speed they all shoote at one marke yet not with the same dexterity strength Some difference there is in the outward action none in their inward intention some inequality there is in the event none in the affection in degrees there is some disparity none in truth and uprightnesse All that are regenerate are alike strict in these five things at least First they have but one path one way wherein they all walke Secondly they have but one rule to guide them in that way which they all follow Thirdly All their eyes are upon this rule so as they are not willingly ignorant of any truth Nor doe they suppresse or detaine any knowne truth in unrighteousnesse but they stand in the waies and aske for the old way which is the good way Fourthly They all desire and endevour to obey every truth not onely to walke in all the Commandements of God without reproofe before men but also in all things to live honestly and uprightly before God Fiâ—tly If they fall by occasion as a member may by accident bee disioynted yet they are in paine tâ—â— they be set right againe if they stumble through infirmity as sheepe may slip into a puddle yet they will not lye downe and wallow in the mire which is the property of Swine if they are sometimes drawne aside by violent temptations or step aside by mistake yet they will not walke on in the Counsaile of the wicked nor shall any way of wickednesse that is a constant or daily course in any one sinne bee found in them They are so far from perverting the straight wayes of God that is Speaking evill of that is good that they will iustifie God in condemning themselves and subscribe to the righteousnesse of his Word praying that their wayes might be directed to keepe his statutes To conclude Laying aside all cavils beg of God a teacheable dâ—sposition and make thy best profit of the labours of this faithfull servant
your selfe to sleep at night you must as Christ foreshadowed David did have thoughts on â—…d and set him alwayes before 〈…〉 When I awake I am still with 〈…〉 saith David in the night remembred God and his hope 〈…〉 meditation was on Gods word â—…iah in the person of all the â—…hful saith With my soule have â—…sired thee in the night yea with 〈…〉 spirit within me will I seeke â—…e early 〈…〉 In the Instant of awaking let our hart be lift up to God with â— thankfull acknowledgement â—f his mercy to you For it is he â—…at giveth his beloved sleepe â—ho keepeth you both in soule and body while you sleepe Who â—…enueth his mercies every morning for while you sleepe you â—…e as it were out of actuall posâ—â—ssion of your selfe all things â—…se Now it was God that kept â—ou and all that you had restoâ—ing them againe with many â—ew mercies when you wake 2. Arise early in the morning if you be not necessarily hindred following the example of our Savior Christ and of the good housewife in the Proverbs For this ordinarily wil make much for the health of your body and for the thrift both of your temporall and spirituall state for hereby you shall have the day before you and shall gaine the most and the fittest times for exercises of Religion and for the workes of your calling 3. In the time betwixt your awaking and arising if other pertinent profitable thoughts offer not theÌ„selves it will be useful to think upon some of these I must awake from the sleepe of Sinne to Righteousnesse as well as out of bodily sleepe unto labour in my calling The night is far spent the day is at hand I must therefore east off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light I must walke honestly as in the day I am by the light of grace and kowledge to arise and walke in it 〈…〉 well as by the light of the Sun 〈…〉 walke by it Think also of your waking out of the sleepe of death â—…d out of the graue at the â—…und of the last Trumpet even 〈…〉 your blessed resurrection unto â—…ory at the last day It was one 〈…〉 Davids sweet thoughts speaâ—…ing to God When I awake I â—…ll be satisfied with thy likenesse When you arise and apparell â—our selfe lose not that prime â—ime when your wit is freshest with uncertaine impertiâ—ent boundlesse and fruitlesse â—houghts as it is the fashion of most men and women for to â—oe This is a fit time to thinke upon the cause why you have need of apparell namely the fall and sinne of your first Paâ—ents which from them is derived to you For before their fall their nakednesse was their comelinesse and seeing it they were not ashamed It will likewise be to good purpose to consider what base stuffe thâ— wise providence of God hath appointed to bee the matter oâ— apparell The riâ—ds of plants thâ— skinnes haire or wooll of bruiâ— beasts and the Spittle of thâ— Silkworm very excrements and cast apparell of vnreasonable creatures Which as it doth magnifie the wisdome power and goodnes of God in chusing and turning such meane things to such excellent use so it should humble and keepe downe the pride of man For what man who is in his wits will bee proud of the badge of his shame even of that arparell for which under God he is beholding to very plants and beasts Now also is a good time to cal to mind what rules â—reto be observed that you may apparell your selfe so as becommeth one that professeth godlines namely That your apparell for matter and fashion doc suite with your enerall and speciall calling and â—ith your â—sstate sex and age That your wearing your appaâ—ell be for health honostic and â—comelinesse 3 That you rather goe with 〈…〉 lowest than with the highest of your state and place 4. That the fashion be neither strange immodest singular or â—idiculous 5. That you be not over curions or overlong taking up too much time in putting it on 6 Neither the making nor wearing of your apparell must savour of pride lightnes curiositie lasciâ—iousnesse prodigalitiâ— or base covetousnesse But it must be such as becommeth holinesse wisedome thrift and honesty and such as is well reported of 7 Follow the example of those of your ranke and meanes which are most soâ—er most frugall and most discreet While you apparel your selfe it wil be seasonable and profitable also by this occasion to raise your thoughts and to fixe them upon that your apparell which doth cloath and adorne your inward man which is spirituall and of a divine matter which never is cut of fashion which never weareth out but is alwaies better for the wearing Thinke thus If I goe naked without bodily apparell it will be to the shame of my person and to the hazard of my health and life But how much more will the filthy nakednesse of my soule appeare to the eyes of men of Angels and of God himselfe whose pure eyes cannot abide filthinesse whereby my soule will be exposed to most deadly temptations and my selfe to Gods most severe Iudgements except I have put on and doe keepe on mee the white linnen of Christs Spouse the righteousnesses of the Saints that is Iustification by faith in â—…st and sanctification of every 〈…〉 by the Spirit of Christ â—…nd because every day you â—…be assaulted with the world â—…esh and the devill you shall â—…veli to consider whether you â—…e put on and doe improve 〈…〉 coat of male that complete arâ—… prescribed â—…hen it shall happen that you 〈…〉 use your looking-glasse and â—xperience find that it serveth â—iscover and to direct you â—…w to reforme whatsoever is â—…omely and out of order in â—…r body you may hereby reâ—…mber your selfe of the necessiâ—… and admirable use of the mirâ—…r and glasse of Gods Word and â—…spell of Christ both read and â—…ached for the good of your â—…le For this being understood 〈…〉 beleeved doth not onely â—…w what is amisle in the soule 〈…〉 how it may bee amended 〈…〉 insome measure will enable you to amend for it doth noâ— onely shew you your owne face but the very face and glory 〈…〉 God in Christ â—esus which bâ— reflexe upon you will through the Spirit worke on you a moâ—â— excellent effect than on Mos face in the Mount which yet wâ—… so glorious that the people couâ—… not endure to behold it For 〈…〉 this Gods glory which by faitâ— you behold in the Word yoâ— shall be changed into the same 〈…〉 mage from glory to glory even 〈…〉 by the Spirit of the Lord. Touching these things whicâ— I have prescribed to be though upon when you arise and pâ—… on your apparell in the morning and those other which I shâ—… prescribe when you put off yoâ—… apparel at
going to bed at nighâ— my meaning is not to urge thâ—… as necessary as if it were sinneâ— omit any of these particulars bâ—… except better come in place 〈…〉 most coÌ„venient Wherfore taâ—… these Cautions First as I said if other pertiâ—ent more profitable thoughts â—ffer not themselves or if you be â—…rren of other holy meditatiâ—ns use these Secondly the bare similitudes â—nd allusions with all such reâ—emblances which are free not â—ommanded by God but in our â—…oyce to take up from things â—atural artificiall to put vs in â—…ind of spirituall things and to â—…eare our judgements therein â—ust beused with puttinga wide â—ifference betweene them and â—hofe which are Sacramentall â—or the SacrameÌ„ts besides their â—aturall aptnesse to signifie what â—hey doe represent they have diâ—ine institution from GOD whereby to the beleever they â—re through Gods Spirit effectuâ—ll not onely outwardly to signiâ—ie exhibit seale but inwardâ—y to apply and confer the thing signified these not so yet as â—elps to your memory and understanding these are of singular use For our Saviour in his speeches while hee lived upon the earth and in his writings in the holy Scripture is frequent in the use of them as you may observe in the manifold parables and similitudes in the Gospell CHAP. III. Of beginning the day well walking with God SECTION I. VVHen you are thus awake and are risen out of your bed that you may walke with GOD the remainder of the day It will be needfull that you first renew your peace with God and then keepe it by doing those workes of pietie equitie mercy and sobrietie which any way may concerne you that day For how can two walke together safeâ—y especially a weake one with him that is strong except they be agreed And how can any walke with God if hee be not holy in â—ll his conversation You have as much cause to beware of him and to obey his voice and not provoke him who goeth before you in the wildernesse of this world to guide and bring you to his heavenly kingdome as the Israelites had to beware of him who went before them to keepe them in the way and to conduct them unto the earthly Canaan the place which he had promised and prepared for them It was for this that Iosuah told the people that except they would feare the Lord and serve him in sincerity and put away their strange gods they could net serve God they could not walke with him For he is saith he a holy God he is a iealous God hee will not forgive your transgressions nor your sinnes For this cause if unavoydable necessity hinder not Begin the day with solemne prayer and thanksgiving Before which that these duties may bee the better performed it wil be convenient if you have time that you prepare your selfe by meditation the matter whereof should be an enquiry into your present estate how all things stand betweene God and you How you have carried your selfe since you last prayed and renewed your peace with God what sinnes you have committed what graces benefits you want what fresh favours God hath bestowed on you since last you gave him his Tribute of thankes and how much prayse and thanks you doe owe to him also for continuance of the old Thinke also what imployments you shall have that day Consider likewise what ground and warrant you have to approach to the Throne of Grace to aske â—ardon and to aske and expect â—avour and helpe of God Vpon â—hese considerations rightly proâ—ecuted you must worke your â—eart to a resolution through Gods grace to reforme whatsoever you find to be amisse And that you will flie unto and only relie upon Gods mercy in Christ that you will acknowledge him in all things and that you will now seeke grace and helpe of him whereby you may walke as in his sight in all well-pleasing all that day To further you herein doe thus First lay a peremptory charge upon your conscience to deale unpartially plainely and fully in this examination and judging of your selfe Secondly you should be so well acquainted with the summe and meaning of the Law that you may bee able to carry in your head a Catalogue or Table of the principal duties and vices required and forbidden in each Commandement whereby you may try your obedience past and may set before you a rule of your life for time to come Thirdly lest the calling to minde the multitude and greatnesse of your sinnes by the Law should make you despaire of Gods favour you should be so well exercised in the Articles of the Christian faith and in the principall promises and precepts of the Gospell that you may be able also quickly to cal them to mind for the strengthening of your faith and hope in God The patterne of wholesome words should be familiar unto you for these purposes All this need not take up much time you will finde it to bee time well redeemed For first by such preparation you shall keepe your selfe from that rude and rash thrusting yourselfe into Gods holy presence whereof â—ou are warned in the Scripâ—ures Eccles 5. 1 2. Secondly when by this meanes â—ou have well humbled softeâ—ed seasoned and set streight your heart to God-ward so that you can say you regard no iniquity in your heart and when hereby you have called your thoughts in from stragling and have gotten composednesse of minde and inward strength of soule without which the arrow of prayer can never flye home to the marke then you may approach unto Gods speciall presence with more faith and boldnesse you shall be more able to utter before him apt confessions lawfull requests and due thankesgivings more understandingly more distinctly more humbly more devoutly more feelingly more fervently and with more assurance of a gracious hearing all which are requisite in prayer then possibly you could ever be able to doe without such preparation Thirdly this due preparation to prayer doth not only fit you to pray but is an excellent furtherer of a godly life For it maketh the conscience tender and watchfull over you by the daily exercise of the knowledge of the precepts and threats of the Law and of the precepts and promises of the Gospell And it being enforced to examine accuse judge and passe sentence yea to doe a kind of execution upon you for your sinne smiting your heart and wounding it selfe with godly feare griefe and shame a worke to which the coÌ„science is loth to come till it must needs wherefore to prevent all this trouble vexation and smart it will rather give all diligence in other acts which are more pleasing namely it will direct you in the wayes of God check and warne â—ou before-hand lest you should sinne to the end that when you come to examine your selfe againe it might finde matter not of grieving and tormenting but of reioycing comforting your heart
for God is many times best pleased with your services when through an humble sense of your failings you are displeased with your selfe for them Yea if when you have wrastled and contended with God in praier you are forced to goe halting and limping away with Iacob in the sense of your infirmities yet be not dismaied for it is a good signe that you haue prevailed with God as Iacob did God useth when hee is overcome by praier to work in them that do overcome some sense of weakenesse to let them know that they prevaile with him in prayer not by any strength of their own or by any worthines of their prayer when they have praied best but from the goodnesse of Gods free grace from the worthinesse of Christs intercession by whom they tender their praiers and from the truth of his promise made unto them that pray If it were not thus many whē they haue their harts desire in prayer would ascribe all to the goodnes of their praiers and not to the free grace of God and would be proud of their owne strength which in truth is none at all CHAP. IV. How to walke with God the whole day after it is well begunne SECTION 1. VVHen you haue thus begun the day by prayer by your selfe thus making your peace with God craving his gracious presence to goe along with you and for you that day you must then conscionably according to the nature of the day be it one of the sixe dayes or the Sabbath and Lords day apply your selfe to the businesse of that day whether it be in acts of Religion or of your personall calling or in any other workes belonging unto you as you are superiour or inferiour in Family Church or Common-wealth whether it be also in acts of bodily repasts recreation or sports doing all as in Gods sight And because all lawfull businesse is sanctified by the Word and Prayer and for that it is part of your calling as you are Master of a Family to gouerne your people in the feare of GOD and to teach them to live godly therefore it is your part to take the fittest time in the morning to call them together and pray with them before which prayer it will be profitable to read the Scripture in order with due reverence taking also opportunities in al fit times to instruct them in the principles of Religion oft whetting the Word upon them If it be a working day Betake your selfe ordinarily to the worke of your particular calling For whosoever hath no calling wherby hee may be profitable to the society of man in Family Church or Common-wealth or having a lawfull calling doth not follow it he liveth inordinately God never made any man for play or to doe nothing And whatsoever a man doth he must doe it by vertue of his calling receiving warrant from it else hee cannot doe it in faith without which no man can please GOD. Besides whosoever is called to Christianitie hath no way to heaven but by walking with GOD in his personall and particular calling as well as in his generall calling 1. That you may doe this first be sure that the thing wherabout you labour either with head or hand be lawfull and good 2. Be diligent and industrious for the sluggard and idle person desireth but hath nothing but the diligent hand maketh rich 3. Let there be truth plainenesse and equity in all your dealings with men Circumvent and defraud no man Make not your own gaine the waights and measures to trade by I will propound unto you sealed waights and rules according to which you must converse with all men 1 Consider your neighbours good as well as your owne Weigh unpartially with your selfe what proportionable commoditie in common estimation according to the times your neighbour is like to have for that which you receive of him For you must love your neighbour as your selfe In whatsoever you have to doe with men you must not looke onely to your owne advantage but to the benefit also of your neighbour 2 Observe the Royall Law the Standard of all equitie in this kinde Whatsoever you with a rectified judgement and honest heart would that men should doe unto you doe you even so unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets 4. Be provident that you let not slip your opportunities and take heed lest in these evill times you be circumvented by fraud and falshood and be insnared by unnecessary Suretiship 5. Whereas in every calling there is a mysterie and for the most part each calling and condition of life hath its speciall sin or sinnes which the Devill and custome for gaine or credit sake amongst wicked men hath made to seeme lawfull yea hath put a kinde of necessitie thereupon which cannot bee shunned but with exposing a mans selfe to losse or censure Looke you narrowly by the light of the Word and by experience to finde out that or those sinnes then be as carefull to avoid them SECTION 2. Concerning Superiours and Inferiours THere are other works also such as concerne you as you are a superiour and in authoritie or as you are inferiour and subject either in Familie Church or Common-wealth in doing whereof you must take GOD along with you following the directions of his Word and Spirit 1. As you are a Superiour first walke worthy of all honour and due respect carrying your selfe in your place with such holines wisedome gravitie justice and mercy keeping such a meane betweene too much rigour and remisnesse betweene straining your authoritie too farre and loosening it too much that those under your charge may have cause both to feare and love you 2. Wait on your office and be watchfull over your charge with all diligence and faithfulnesse using all good meanes to containe them in their duties of Godlinesse and honesty which is the onely end why God hath set you over them The meanes are 1 Goe before them in good example Examples of Superiours have a kind of constraining power working powerfully and insensibly upon inferiors 2 Pray with and for them 3 Command onely things lawfull possible and convenient and onely those to which the extent of your authority from God and man doth allow you 4 As much as in you is procure for them the meanes and put them upon the opportunities of being and of doing good 5 Prevent likewise and remove all occasions of their being and of doing evill 6 Protect and defend them as much as lyeth in you from all wrongs and injuries 7 When they doe well incourage them by letting them see that you take notice as readily of their well doing as of their faults and so farre as shall be fit let them have the praise and fruit of their well-doing 8 When they doe evill rebuke them with more or lesse heat of anger according to the greatnesse of
more thorow humiliation but in private Children and Ideots are to be exempted Secondly Novices and unexperienced Christians are not to fast in private such were Christs Disciples then when exception was taken at our Saviour because they fasted not whom he excuseth not onely for that it was unseasonable to fast in a time of joy while he the Bridegroom was with thē but because they were not able to beare so strong an exercise they being like old vessels and old garments which would be made worse rather than better by the new wine or new cloath of fasting Strong physick is good but not for babes There is not the same reason why they may fast in private as in publike because the Minister by teaching them by praying with them and for them taketh from them the greatest part of the burden of the fast in publike Thirdly all such as are not in their owne power are not to keepe a private fast when those under whose power they are shall expresly contradict it For the husband might disallow the vow of his wife even that wherewith she had bound her selfe to afflict her soule by fasting Wherefore none may fast against the will of those which have full power to command their service and attendance Publike Fasts are to be kept as oft as Authoritie shall see cause Private as oft as a man shall have more then ordinary cause of seeking unto God either for others or himself for removing or preventing imminent judgements from the Church and Common-weale or for the procuring their necessary good for subduing some head-strong lust for obtaining some necessary grace or speciall blessing for preparing himselfe for some speciall service of God or the like Though I cannot but justly complain of Christians seldome fasting yet I dare not allow you to make this extraordinary exercise of Religion to be ordinary and common for then it will soone degenerate into meere Forme or Superstition but wish you to observe it as you shall have speciall occasion and when ordinary seeking of God is not likely to prevaile It is indifferent which of the six daies you set apart for fasting according as shall best sute with your occasions As for the Lords day though it cannot be denyed but that if the present necessitie require you may fast upon that day neither can I utterly denie servants and such as are under the power of others if they can have no other time sometimes to make choyce of that day yet because the Sabbath is a day of Christian Chearefulnesse And for that Heretikes have heretofore made the Sabbath their Fasting day and so it may be a scandall to Religion and because Fasting is somewhat of the nature of a free-will-offering I thinke you shall doe best to set such a day apart to your selfe for Fasting which is more your owne and not the Lords day The Scripture hath not determined how long a continued fast should be kept We have examples that some have fasted a longer time as Three dayes some a shorter but none lesse than one day In hotter Countryes they could without impeachment of health abstain from food longer then wee can who live in a colder but the body cannot be sufficiently afflicted through want of food in lesse time than one day Thus I have proved Religious Fasting to bee a Christian dutie And have shewed what it is also the parts and kindes of it Who should and may fast when and how long It remaineth that I shew you how you may keepe a Fast acceptably to God and profitably for your selfe which is the principall thing to be regarded in a fast And this I doe the rather because many wel-affected Christians have importuned mee thereunto who have professed that they would gladly set about the dutie but ingeniously confessed that they knew not how to doe it and in particular how to bee intentive and spiritually imployed for want of matter for a whole day together But of this in the next Section SECTION 2. BY way of preparation to a religious Fast doe thus Take but a moderate supper the night before for if a man glut himselfe over night hee will be more unfit for the duty of humiliation the next day and it differeth in effect little from breaking of fast next morning When you commend your selfe to God alone by praier that night as every good Christian usually doth then set the time alloted apart for that holy work setting your selfe in a special sort to seek the Lord as the Saints of God in the beginning of their fasts have done propounding to your selfe the end of your intended Fast Remembring this that if the chiefe occasion and end be your owne private good that you forget not others nor the publike or if it be the publike yet minde also your owne private For untill you have made your owne peace with GOD your fasting and praying will prevaile little for the publike And God having joyned the publike with our private good in prayer we must not disjoyne them in our fasting Resolve with your selfe to the utmost of your power to keepe a religious fast unto God according to his will For this cause in those your prayers adde serious petitions to God in that behalfe When you awake that night let not your thoughts bee upon worldly businesse much lesse upon any wicked thing but let them be holy such as may tend to the furtherance of the holy actions to be done the next day Fourthly if necessitie hinder not Arise early the day of your fast It agreeth wel with a fasting day whereon your flesh is to be tamed that you give not your selfe to so much sleep as at other times It is probable that for this cause some lay on the ground others in sackcloth in the nights of their fasts not onely to expresse but to further their humiliation by keeping them from sleeping over-much or oversweetly Your body being emptie if withal your soule continue earnestly bent upon afflicting it selfe these will keepe you from drowsinesse that day When the day is come Be you strict in observing the outward Fast To this end First forbeare all meat and drinke untill the set time of the Fast be ended which usually is about Supper time A generall Councell in the Primitive Church decreed that totall abstinence should be observed untill Evening prayer was ended In case of necessitie that is when totall abstinence shall indeed disable you from doing the maine duties of that day you may eat or drinke for in such cases GOD will have mercy rather than sacrifice but then it must bee a small refection onely such and so much as may remove the impediment to the spirituall performance of the duties of that day Secondly Abstaine from all other worldly delights as so farre as will stand with comelinesse from fine and best apparell also from all sports and pleasant musicke
from the marriage-bed and the like Thirdly Abstaine from all worldly labour as upon a Sabbath day for worldly busines the cares thereof doe as well as worldly delights distract the thoughts and hinder humble devotion and a ceasing there-from giveth a full opportunitie to holy imployments the whole day Therfore the Iewes were commanded to sanctifie a fast And that yearely Fast called the day of Atonement was upon perill of their lives to be kept by a forbearance of all manner of worke Now albeit the Ceremonials of that day are abolished in Christ yet forbearing worke as well as meate and drinke being of the substance of a Fast doth remaine to bee observed in all such as may properly be called Religious Fasts Thus much for the outward fast you must be as strict in observing the inward Begin the day with prayer according as I directed you to doe every day but with more than ordinary preparation with fervency and faith praying for Gods special grace to enable you to sanctifie a fast that day according to the Commandement Then apply your selfe to the maine worke of the day which hath these parts 1 unfained Humiliation 2 Reformation together with Reconciliation and 3 earnest Invocation The soule is then humbled the heart rent and truly afflicted when a man is become vile in his owne eyes through conscience of his owne unworthinesse and when his heart is full of compunction and anguish through feare of Gods displeasure with godly sorrow and holy shame in himselfe and anger against himselfe for sinne These affections stirred doe much afflict the heart To attaine this deepe humiliation know that it is to be wrought partly by awakening your Conscience through a sight of the Law and apprehension of Gods just judgements due to you for the breach of it which wil break your heart and partly by the Gospell raising up your heart to an apprehension and admiration of the love of God to you in Christ which will melt your heart and cause you the more kindely to grieve and to loath your selfe for sin and withall to conceive hope of mercy whence wil follow reconciliation reformation and holy calling upon God by prayer To worke this Humiliation there must be First Examination to find out your sinne Secondly a Accusation of your selfe with due aggravation of your sinne Thirdly Iudging and passing sentence against your selfe for sinne Sinne is the transgression of the Law and revealed will of God Wherefore for the better search and finding out of your sinne you must set before youthe glasse of the Law for your Light and Rule And if you have not learned or cannot beare in minde the heads of the manifold duties commanded or vices forbidden then get some Catalogue or Table wherein the same are set downe to your hand which you may reade with pausing and due consideration staying your thoughts most upon those particular sinnes whereof you finde your selfe most guiltie If of those many that are you doe not meete with one more fit for this purpose or which you shall like better then use this Examinatorie Table in manner as Followeth But expect not herein an enumeration of all particular sinnes which is beyond my skill nor yet of all the heads of duties or kindes of sinnes which would require a volumne but of those which are principall and most common yet hereby if your Conscience be awake it will be occasioned to bring to your thoughts those other not mentioned in the Table if you bee thereof guiltie The first Table of the Law concerneth duties of love and pietie to God the performance whereof tendeth immediately to the glory of God and mediately to the salvation and good of man The first Commandement concerneth the setting up of the onely true God to your selfe to bee your God Examining your selfe by this and so in the other Commandements thinke thus with your selfe Doe I know and acknowledge the onely true GOD to be such a one as hee hath revealed himselfe in his Word works namely One onely Infinite Immateriall Immutable Incomprehensible Spirit and Everlasting Lord God having beeing and All-sufficiencie in and from himselfe One who is simply full of all perfections and uncapable of the least defect being Wisedome Goodnesse Omnipotencie Love Truth Mercy Iustice Holinesse and whatsoever is originally and of it selfe Excellent The only Potentate King of Kings Lord of Lords of whom through whom and to whom are all things The Father Sonne and holy Ghost God blessed for ever Amen Doe I Beleeve his Word in all things related commanded promised and threatned therein and that his holy and wise Providence is in all things Have I Him and his Word in continuall remembrance Doe I esteeme and exalt God in my heart above all so that it doth humbly adore him at the very mention and thought of him making my selfe to be nothing in mine owne eyes yea esteeming all creatures to bee nothing in comparison of him Have I given religious worship to him onely Have I beleeved in him and in him onely Have I sworne by him as there hath beene cause and by him alone Have I prayed onely unto him and have I sought to him and to obtaine helpe of him only by such meanes as he hath appointed giving the glory and thanks of my being and well-being and of al other things which are good unto him Is my Conscience so convinced of the truth Authority of God that it holdeth it selfe absolutely bound to obey him in all things that it doth incite to that which is good restrain from that which is evill encourage me in well-doing and check me when I doe ill Is my will resolved upon absolute and unfained obedience to doe whatsoever God commandeth to forbeare whatsoeuer hee forbiddeth to subscribe to whatsoever he doth as well done and have I borne patiently all which either by himselfe or by any of his creatures hee hath inflicted upon me Have mine affections beene so for God that I have loved him with al my heart loving nothing more than him nothing equally to him Doe I hate every thing that is contrary to him Hath my Confidence beene onely in him and my expectation of good from him Have my desires beene to him and for him longing above all things to have communion with him Hath it beene my greatest feare to offend him or to be severed from him Hath it beene my greatest griefe and shame that I have sinned against him Have I reioyced in God as in my chiefe Good Hath mine anger risen against whatsoever I saw crosse to his glory Have I beene zealous for God And have I made him the utmost end of all mine actions Hath my whole outward man as tongue senses and all other active powers of my body been readie to professe the true God and to yeeld obedience to his will Or contrariwise Am I not guilty of denying of God in word in workes or at least in heart
the matter of their soules or bodies of the things of this life or of that which is to come God freeth them from all carefulnesse and would that they should free themselves there-from God would have you use all good meanes for this life but without taking thought for to morrow about what you shall caâ—e what you shall drinke what you shall put on or what shall become of you and yours another day He would not have you to be so distrustfull of him as to take the care of afterward the care of successe from him upon your selfe eating out your heart with doubt and feare till you find it But his wil is that when you have done what you can with a chearefull and ready mind that you should leave the whole matter of good or ill successe to his care In like manner GOD would have you to use meanes to save your soule but when you have so done and continue so to doe he would have you care no further He would not have you to doubt and feare that all shal be in vaine and to no purpose or that you shall not be saved not withstanding He would not that you should discourage and enfeeble your heart by taking thought about the issue of any trialls and temptations that may befall you before they doe come for that is vaine nor yet when they doe come for that is needlesse In such cases you need onely to serve GODS providence in the use of the present meanes of Salvation gaining as much grace and strength as you can against such times improving that grace and strength which you have in such times of tryal but touching successe either how much grace and comfort you shall have or when you shall have it and whether you shall hold out in tryall in the evil day or be saved in the end you must not trouble your selfe through doubtfull and distrustfull feares You must trust God with these things also For our â—aviour prohibiteth his Disciples all trouble that might arise through feare of ill successe in the profession of Christianity And S. Paul easeth himselfe of this trouble and feare committing his soule and the issue of all his tryals unto GOD saying I know whom I have trusted and I am assured that he is able to keepe that which I have committed to him against that day He is confident in God for good successe in his whole Christian warfare so should you Now to disswade you from all carefulnesse and to perswade you to rest secure in God touching the particular events of all actions and touching the finall and happy event and good successe of your Christian profession Consider these reasons 1 shewing why you should not care eagerly and inordinately for earthly things 2 Why you should not take thought about any thing whether earthly or heavenly First informe your self throughly that all earthly things are of little worth very fading and transitory likened when they are at best to the flower of grasse Wherefore they cannot be worthy of your carefull toyle or carking about them It is extreame folly for man being indued with reason to set his minde upon that which is little or nothing worth in comparison nay whieh as Salomon calleth riches is not which is but of short coÌ„tinuance and onely for bodily use while he hath it which also is cast by God unto the wicked even to his enemies rather than upon the godly Secondly Inordinate and immoderate care of earthly things is exceeding hurtfull For besides that it breedeth many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drowne men in perdition it doth hinder the care of things spirituall and heavenly It causeth that either a man shall not come at all to the means of Salvation or if he come to the Word Prayer Sacraments good company and good conference it causeth him to depart without spirituall profit It will cause a man to erre from the saith and to be altogether unfit for death and unprepared for his latter end For when any one part draweth more nourishment to it selfe then it ought some other parts must needs be hindred in their growth And when the strength of the ground is spent in nourishing weeds tares or corn of little worth the good wheate is pulled down choaked or starved He whose cares are too much about the earth his care will be too little for heaven Next Consider the reasons Why you must not care at all about successe of your lawfull indevours any more then by Prayer to commend them to God First because it is to usurpe upon Gods peculiar right to trench farre into Gods prerogative divine taking his sole and proper work out of his hands For care of successe and of what shall be hereafter is proper to God Secondly It is a vaine and bootlesse thing when you have diligently used lawfull meanes for any thing to take thought for successe For who can by taking thought adde any thing to his stature or make one haire white or blacke Vnderstand the like of all other things Thirdly every day bringeth its full imployment with it together with its crosses and griefes so that you shall have full work enough for your care to endevour to doe the present dayes worke holily and to beare each present dayes affliction fruitfully and patiently you have little reason therefore to eat out your heart with taking thought of future events and of what shall be tomorrow Fourthly It is altogether needlesse to take thought about the successe of your actions for successe is cared for already by God One whose care is of more use and better consequent than yours can be You are cared for by one who loveth you better than you can love your selfe who is wisdome and knoweth what is better for you and what you most need better than your selfe who is alwaies present with you who is both able and ready to doe exceeding abundantly for you above all that you can aske or thinke even God who careth for meaner creatures than you are who also is your GOD your heavenly Father of whose care you have had happy experience who in times past cared for you when you could not carefor your selfe who hath kept you in and from your mothers belly who before you were ordained you to Salvation Who in due time gave his onely begotten Sonne for you and to you as appeareth in that now he hath given you faith hope in him love to him It is your God and Father who hath commanded that for the present and for for hereafter you should cast your care and burthen on him having withal made many gracious promises that he will care for you that he will sustaine you and that hee wil bring your waies to passe What wise man will clogge himselfe with needlesse cares Fiftly Carefulnesse and taking thought of successe
them no mercie and he that formed them will shew them no favour Thus it is spoken to every sinner remaining in his sin notwithstanding that GOD made him 2. Some say their afflictions have beene so many so great and so long-lasting that they hope they have had their Hell in this life whence it is that their hearts are quiet in respect of any feare of wrath and judgement at the last day I would aske such Whether they being thus afflicted have returned to God that smote them whether their afflictions have made them better or whether like Salomons foole brayed in a morter their sinne and folly is not departed from them if so they must know the more they have beene and now are afflicted if they be not reformed by it this doth presage that there is the more worse behinde as it was in the case of Iudah Many have beene oft and extreamely whipt by their Parents and at the house of Correction yet they remaining incorrigible were at last executed on the Gallowes 3. Some though their wayes be never so grievous yet because to them Gods Iudgements are farre above out of their sight and because they have no changes God forbearing to execute his judgements upon them speedily they perswade themselves that God seeth not or that hee is not angry with them or that hee regardeth not and that hee will neither doe good nor bad thinking that God hath forgotten or that hee is like them well enough pleased with them Hereby they lay their Consciences asleepe promising unto themselves immunity from punishment and that they shall never be mooved Know yee that Gods for bearance of his wrath is not because he seeth not or because hee hath forgotten or regardeth not your wickednesse but because hee would give you time and means of repentance it is because hee would not have you perish but come to repentance that you may be saved Which if you doe not this his bounty and long-suffering maketh way for his justice and serveth to leave you without excuse and to heape up wrath for you against the day of Iudgement the day of the revelation of the iust iudgement of God who shall render to every man according to his workes For God knoweth how to reserue the wicked to the day of Iudgement to be punished He will take his time to heare and afflict you When hee shall set all the sins of you that forget him in order before you then if your speedy repentance doe not now prevent it he will teare you in peeces when there shall be none to deliver The longer he was in fetching his blow the more deadly will his stroke be when it commeth Many malefactors are not so much as called at a quarter Sessions when lesse offenders are both called and punished yet have they no cause to promise safety to themselves for they are reserved for a more solemne try all and execution at the grand Assises So wicked men that are not afflicted here are reserved for the last Iudgement at the great and terrible day of the Lord. 4. There are some which hope that God doth love them and that hee doth intend to save them for they prosper in every thing and are not in trouble and distresse as other men hereupon their Consciences are quiet and without feare Let mee tell you who thus thinke that alas this is a poore foundation to build your hope upon What are you the better for your prosperitie are you more thankefull and more obedient Doe you the more good by as much as you doe prosper more If so well if not know Salomon by the Spirit of truth telleth you that â—o man can know Gods love or haâ—red by all that is before him be it prosperity or adversity In these things there may be one and the same event to the righteous and â—o the wicked Know moreover that the wicked for the most â—art thrive most in this world God giving them their portion in this life wherewith they fat theÌ„selves against the day of slaughâ—er making their owne table their snare and their prosperitie their ruine 5. There are many who comparing themselves with themselves passing by their own many sins looking onely upon their owne Hypocriticall and civill good purposes and deeds comparing also their sinnes with the notorious sinnes of Gods people committed before their Conversion and with the grosse sinnes of Noah Abraham Lot Peter and other godly men after Conversion hence conclude that sith such are saved they conceive a good opinion of themselves and hope they shall be saved they thinke that all is well with them being such of whom our Saviour speaketh that need no repentance I would have these to know that they that compare themselves with themselves are not wise and they that thinke well of themselves and commend themselves are not approved but those onely whom the LORD commendeth Moreover the slips and fals of the Elect both before and after Conversion did serve for their owne humbling and for a warning to all that should heare thereof God knoweth how to reproove and chasten his owne that offend giving them repentance to life and Salvation and yet justly will condemn all those that shall wittingly stumble at their fals and wilfully lye in their sinnes being fallen It is not safe following the best men in all their actions for in many things they sinne all not onely before but after conversion And as the cloud that guided the Israelites had two sides the one bright and shining the other blacke and darke such is the cloud of Examples of godly men Those which will be directed by the light side thereof shall with the children of Israel passe safely towards the heavenly Canaan but those that will follow the dark side of it shal all perish with the Egyptians in the Red sea of destructioÌ„ Whatsoever any were before coÌ„version or whatsoever grosse sinne they fall into after conversion if they be humble and truely penitent none of them are laid to their charge because they are done away by Christ Iesus These are in better state than those who for matter never committed so great sins if Pharisie-like they repent not of their lesser sinnes as they esteeme them and are proud of their supposed goodnesse and wel-doing For God in justifying the humble Publican rather than the proud Pharisie sheweth that proud innocencie is alwayes worse than humble guiltinesse 6. There are likewise some others who are guilty to themselves of damnable sins yet hope to be saved by the goodnesse of other men by pardons from the Pope by absolutions of Priests and by certaine satisfactory penitentiall externall acts of their owne and by good workes such as almes c. These are Papists who if they may have hope of the Popes Indulgences if they can get his pardon and a Priests absolution if they
is not of it selfe so strong nor so constant nor so infallible as the certainty of Faith and Adherence is For sense and reason since the fall even in the regenerate though they will lay some foundation in the Rules of Faith to proceed by yet erring in or misapplying the rule are weake variable and their conclusions are not so certaine as those of pure Faith Because Faith buildeth onely upon Diuine Testimonie concluding without reasoning or disputing yea many times against reasoning So that notwithstanding the excellent and needfull use of Assurance and certainty of Evidence it is Faith and the certainty of Adherence whereby even in feares and doubts a man cleaveth fast to the promises and is that which we must trust unto and is the Cable wee must hold by lest we make ship wracke of all when wee are assaulted with our greatest temptatioÌ„s for then many times our Assurance leaveth us to the mercy of the winds and Seas as Marriners speake If you have Faith though you have little or no feeling you are yet sure enough of Salvation indeede though not in your owne apprehension When both can be had it is best for then you have most strength and most comfort giving you chearefulnesse in all your troubles but that certainty of Faith and cleaving to the naked word and promise is that to which you must trust See this in the examples of most faithfull men for when they have beene put to it it was this that upheld them and in this was their faith commended Abraham against all present sense and reason even against hope beleeved in hope both in the matter of receiving a sonne and in going about to offer him againe unto God in Sacrifice He denyed sense and reason he considered not the unlikelihoods and seeming impossibilities in the iudgement of reason that ever he should have a seed hee being old and Sarah being old and barren or having a seed that he should be saved by that seed sith hee was to kill him in Sacrifice He onely considered the Almighty power faithfulnesse and soveraigntie of him that had promised he knew it was his dutie to obey and to waite and so let all the businesse thereabout to rest on Gods promise For this his faith is commended and hee is said to be strong in faith Iob and David or Asaph shewed most strength of Faith when they had little or no feeling of Gods favour but the contrary rather Iob had little feeling of Gods favour when for paine of body hee said wherefore doe I take my flesh in my teeth and in anguish of soule he said Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Yet then this certainty of faith which made him cleave unto GOD made him to hold fast and say in the same Chapter Though hee slay mee yet I will trust in him When David said to GOD Why hast thou forgotten mee His Assurance was weake yet even then his Faith discovered it selfe when he saith to his soule Why art thou disquieted within mee Hope in God who is the health of my countenance and my God You see then that the excellencie of Faith lyeth not in your feeling but as the Psalmist speaketh by experience in cleaving close unto the promise and relying on God for it upon his bare word For he saith It is good for mee to draw neere to God I have put my trust in the Lord God this was it which secretly upheld him and kept him in possession when as you may see in that Psalme his Evidences and Assurance was to seek Wherefore Beleeve Gods promises made to you in Christ and â—est on him even when you want â—oy and feeling comfort For â—aving Faith you are sure of heaven though you be not so fully â—ssured of it as you desire It will â—e your greatest commendation when you will be dutifull servants and children at GODS Commandement though you have not present wages when you wil take Gods word for that Those are bad servants and children which cannot go on chearfully in doing their Master or Fathers will except they may receive the promised wages 〈◊〉 least in good part aforehand Oâ— every day or except they may have atleast a good part of the promised inheritance presently and in hand Feeling of comfort is part of a Christians wages and inheritance to be received at the good pleasure of God that freely giveth it rather than a Christian duty To comfort and stay ourselves on God in distresse is a duty but this joyous sense and feeling of Gods favour is a gracious favour of God towards us not a duty of ours toward God It is from too much distrust in God and too much self-respect when wee have no heart to goe about his worke except we be full of feeling of his favour Hee is the best child or servant that will obey out of love duty and conscience and will trust on God and wait on him for his wages and recompence Though want of apprehension of Gods favour and of feeling of comfort may be accounted a great misery yet it is not to be judged a proofe of no grace or of no true Faith Thirdly when you say you cannot feele that you have faith or hope you meane as in deede many good soules doe you cannot finde and perceive that these graces bee in you in truth which if you did you would not doubt of your salvation My answer is If faith and hope be in you then if you would judiciously enquire into your selves and feele for them you may finde and feele them and know that you have them For as certainly as he that seeth bodily may know that he seeth so he that hath the spirituall sight of Faith may know that he hath Faith Wherfore try and feele for your Faith and you shall finde whether it be in you yea or no. For this cause 1 Try whether you ever had the necessary Antecedents and Preparatives which ordinarily make way for the seed of Faith to take deepe root 2 Consider the nature of saving Faith and whether it hath wrought in you accordingly 3 Consider some consequents and certaine effects thereof First hath the Law shut you up in your owne apprehension under the curse so that you have beene afraid of Hell And hath the Spirit also convinced you of sin by the Gospell to the wounding of your conscience and to the working of true humiliation causing the heart to relent and to desire to know how to be saved and if after this you have denied your selfe and received and rested on Christ according to the nature of true Faith as followeth then you have Faith If you doubt you were never sufficiently humbled then reade Chap. 16. Sect. 6. Secondly Consider rightly the nature and proper acts of Faith lest you conceive that to be faith which is not and that to be no faith which is You may know wherein true saving Faith consists by
of worke be done whether servile or any other Quest But are we under the Gospell tied unto as strict a rest as the Iewes Answ We are bound to keepe as strict and as holy a Rest as the fourth Commandement tied them but not to that strictnesse which some appendixes to the Law which were onely Ceremoniall or Iudiciall did binde them such as dressing their meat on the Eve not kindling a fire putting a man to death for gathering sticks c. These as it is probable were not onely peculiar to the Iews but for that present time onely while they were in the Wildernes and lived upon Manna And forbidding to kindle a fire seemeth to be a speciall restraint for that time to shew that God preferred the holy keeping of the Sabbath before the materiall building of his Tabernacle whereabout the kindling of fire was needfull see Exod. 31. 7. 14. and chapt 35. 2. 3. 5. c. But if these bound the Iewes at all times then they were part of that yoke and pâ—dagogie of the Iewes of which Peter saith neither they nor their fathers were able to beare all which were done away in Christ and doe not binde us Fourthly it is not enough that you observe a rest but you must keepe an holy Rest Which that you may doe you must in your awaking put difference between it and other dayes not thinking on worldly busines no more then will serve for a generall providence to preserve them from hurt or losse Both in your lying awake and rising this morning make use of the directions before shewing you how to awake and rise with God Rise early if it will stand with your health and not binder your fitnesse for spirituall exercises through drowsinesse afterward that you may shewforth Gods loving kindnes in the morning Double your devotions on the Lords day as the Iewes did their morning and evening sacrifice on the Sabbath day Prepare your selfe for the publike holy services by reading by meditation and by casting away all filthinesse that is repenting of every grosse sinne and casting away the abounding of naughtinesse that is let no sinne be allowed or suffered to reigne in you Then pray for your selfe and for the Minister that GOD would give him a mouth to speake and you an heart to heare as you both ought to doe All this before you shall assemble in the Congregation Being thus prepared bring your people with you to the Church Ioyne with the Minister and Congregation Set your selfe as in the speciall presence of God following the example of good Cornelius with all reverence attending and consenting saying Amen with understanding faith and affection to the prayers uttered by the Minister attending unto beleeving and obeying whatsoever by the Minister is commanded you from GOD. Afterward by meditation by conference and if you have opportunity by repetitions call to minde and wisely and firmely lay up what you have learned The like care must be had before at and after the Evening exercise If Baptisme be administred stay and attend unto it 1 To honor that holy Ordinance with the greater solemnity 2 And in charity to the persons to be Baptised joyning with the Congregation in heart prayer for them and in a joyfull receiving them into the Communion of the visiblë Church 3 Also in respect of your selfe For hereby you may call to mind your owne Baptisme in which you did put on Christ which also doth lively represent the death buriall and resurrection of Christ together with your crucifying the affections and lusts being dead and buried with him unto sinne and rising with him to newnesse of life and to hope of glory understanding clearly that the Bloud and Spirit of Christ signified by waeter doth cleanse you from the guilt dominion of sin to your Iustification and Sanctification Remembring moreover that by way of Sealing your Baptisme did in particular exhibit and apply to you that beleeve Christ with all the benefits of the CovenaÌ„t of grace ratified in his blood minding you also of this that it doth not onely seale Gods promises of forgivenesse grace and salvation to you but that also it sealeth and bindeth you to the performance of your promise and vow of faith and obedience which is the branch of the Covenant to be performed according as was professed on your part Recourse to your Baptisme is an excellent strengthner of your weake faith and an occasion of renewing of your vow you having broken it and of resisting temptations considering that they are against your promise and vow in Baptisme When there is a Communion receive it as oft as without interrupting the order of the Church in populous Congregations you may But be carefull to receive it worthily It is not enough that you be borne within the Covenant and that you have beene Baptised but you must have knowledge of the nature of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper both that it is by divine institution and that it is a signe and seale of the righteousnesse of faith signifying to you by the breaking and giving of the bread and by pouring out and delivering the wine the wounding bloud-shedding and death of Christ in whom the Covenant of grace is established presenting also and sealing unto you by the elements of bread and wine the very body and bloud of Christ with all the benefits of the new Covenant of which you receive indeed livery and seizon in the act of receiving by Faith whereby you also grow into a neerer union with Christ your head and communion with all his members your brethren Besides there must be a speciall preparation by examining your selfe making your peace with God before you receive which that you may the better doe read Chap. 5. Sect. 2. Also make your peace at least be at peace and in charity with your neighbour by an hearty acknowledging your fault so far as is fit and making recompence if you have done him wrong and by forgiving and forbearing revenge if he have done you wrong In the act of administring and receiving joyne in confession and prayers and attend to the actions of the Minister when he breaketh the bread powreth out the wine and by blessing setteth it apart for holy use by faith behold Christ by representation wounded bleeding and crucified before your eyes for you looking upon him whom your sinnes condemned and pierced to the death rather than his accusers Pilat and those which nailed him to the Crosse and which ran a speare into his side who were though malicious but instruments of that punishment which Cod with other tokens of his wrath did execute upon him though in himselfe a Lambe without spot justly for your sin he being your surety This looking upon him whom you have pierced should partly dissolve you into an holy griefe for sinne
meditation holy exercises and workes of mercie excepting onely necessary repasts and a generall providence over their estate should be thought as it is by some to be meerely â—ewish and to be onely the private opinion of some few Zelots more nice then wise Know that in all things wherein weâ— are tyed by a commandement common to us and the Iewes to observe that as the Iewes did by vertue of that commandement is not to bee Iewish as to forbeare to kill and to commit adulâ—erie and such like The same reason is for keeping the fourth Commandement which as hath beene proved is one of the Motals Besides know that the observing the Lords day by vâ—rture of the fourth Commandement and the change of the 〈…〉 day unto the Lords day to â—e by divine institution and that it should bee kept strictly holy as I have shewed you is the professed doctrine of this our Church of England And I would that all would know and see that the taking away of the morality of the fourth Commandement unloosing the conscience from the immediate bonds of Gods Commandement and tying the conscience to observe a day for Gods solemne worship only by humane constitution doth overthrow true Religion and the power of Godlinesse and opens a wide gap to Atheisme proâ—anenesse and all licentiousnesse As daily experience doth shew in those Countries where the moralitie of the Sabbath is not maintained and in such places where the Lords Day is not holily and duely observed CHAP. VII Shewing how to end the day with God VVHen you have walked with God from morning untill night whether on a common day a day of Fast or on the Lords Day according to the former directions it remaineth that you conclude the day well when you would give your selfe to rest at night Wherefore First looke backe and take a strict view of your whole carriage that day past Reforme what you finde amisse and rejoyce or be grieved as you finde you have done wel or ill as you have gotten or lost in grace that day Secondly sith you cannot sleep in safetie if God who is your keeper doe not wake and watch for you and though you have God to watch when you sleepe you cannot be safe if hee that watcheth be your enemy Wherfore you shall do wel if at night you not onely conclude the day with your Family by reading some Scripture and by prayer but you must alone renew and confirme your peace with GOD with prayer with like preparation therto as you received directions for the morning commending and committing your selfe to Gods tuition by prayer with thanksgiving before you goe to bed Then shall you lye downe in safety All this being done yet while you are putting off your apparell when you are lying downe and when you are in bed before you sleepe it is good that you commune with your owne heart If other good and apt meditations offer not themselves some of these will be seasonable 1. When you see your selfe stript of your apparell consider what you were at your birth and what you shall be at your death when you put off this earthly Tabernacle if not in the meane time how that you brought nothing into this world nor shall carry any thing out naked you came out of your mothers wombe and naked shall you returne This will be an excellent means to give you sweet content in any thing you have though never so little and in the losse of what you have had though never so much 2. When you lye downe you may thinke of lying downe into your winding-sheete and into your grave For besides that sleepe and the bed doe aptly resemble death and the grave who knoweth when he sleepeth that ever he shall awake againe to this life 2. You may thinke thus also If the Sunne must not goe downe upon my wrath lest it become hatred and so be worse ere morning then it is not safe for me to lye downe in the allowance of any sinne lest I sleepe not onely the sleepe of naturall death but of that which is eternall for who knoweth what anight wil bring forth Now it is an high point of holy wisedome upon all opportunities to thinke of and to prepare for your latter end 4 Consider likewise that if you walke with God in uprightnesse your death unto you is but to fall into a sweet sleepe an entring into rest a resting on your bed for a night untill the glorious morning of your happy Resurrection 5. Lastly if possibly you can fall asleepe out of some heavenly meditation Then will your sleepe be more sweete and more secure your dreams fewer or more comfortable your head will be fuller of good thoughts and your heart will be in better plight when you awake whether in the night or in the morning Thirdly being thus prepared to sleepe you should sleepe onely so much as the present state of your body requireth you must not be like the sluggard to love sleepe neither must you sleepe too much for if you doe that which being taken in its due measure is a restorer of vigor and strength to your body and a quickner of the spirits wil make the spirits dâ—l the braine soâ—tish and the whole body lazie and unhealthy And that which God hath ordained for a furtherance through your sinne shal become an enemy to your corporall and spirituall thrift Thus much of walking with God in all things at all times CHAP. VIII How to walke with God alone SECTION 1. THere is no time wherein you shall not be either alone or in Company in either of which you must walke in all well-pleasing as in the sight of God Touching being alone First Affect not solitarinesse be not alone except you have just cause namely when you set your selfe apart for holy duties and when your needfull occasions do withdraw you for out of these cases two are better then one saith Salomon and woe be to him that is alone 2. When you are alone you must be very watchfull stand upon your guard well armed lest you shall fall into manifold temptations of the Divell For solitarinesse is Satans opportunity which he wil not lose as the manifold examples in Scripture and our daily experience doth witnesse Wherefore you must have a ready eye to observe and an heart ready bent to resist all his assaults And it will now the more concerne you to keep close to God and not lose his company that through the weapons of your Christian warfare you may by the power of Gods might quit your selfe and stand fast 3. Take speciall heede lest when you be alone you your selfe conceive devise or plot any evill to which your nature is then most apt And beware in particular lest you commit alone by your selfe contemplative wickednesse which is when by feeding your fancy and pleasing