heart to spiritual joy and delight therein Holy alacrity and joy is not onely a crown and credit to but also a special part of Christianity The Kingdom of God consisteth not in meats and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Gods ways are not so bad but that the Travellers in them may be chearful His work is good wages and therefore it s no wonder that his Servants are so joyful Because beleivers have ever cause of comfort therefore they are commanded always to rejoyce Phil. 3. Whether their sins or sufferings come into their hearts they must not sorrow as they that have no hope In their saddest conditions they have the spirit of consolation There is seed of joy sown within them when it is buried under the clods and appears not above ground But there are special times when God calls for this grain to spring up They have some red letters some holy days in the Calendar of their lives wherein this joy as Wine at a Wedding is most seasonable but among all those days it never relisheth so well it never tasteth so pleasantly as on a Lords day joy sutes no person so much as a Saint and it becomes no season so well as a Sabbath Joy in God on other days is like the Birds Chirping in winter which is pleasing but joy on a Lords day is like their warbling Tunes and pretty notes in Spring when all other things look with a sutable delightful aspect This is the day which the Lord hath made he that made all days so especially of this day but what follows we will rejoyce and be glad therein Psa 118.24 In which words we have the Churches solace or joy and the season or day of it Her solace was great We will rejoyce and be glad Those expressions are not needless repetitions but shew the exeuberancy or high degree of their joy The season of it This is the day the Lord hath made Compare this place with Mat. 21.22.23 and Act. 4.11 and you will find that the precedent verses are a prophetical prediction of Christs Resurrection Sic. Arnob. and so this verse foretels the Churches joy upon that memorable and glorious day And indeed if a feast be made for laughter Eccles 10.19 Then that day wherein Christ feasteth his Saints with the choicest mercies may well command his greatest spiritual mirth A thanksgiving day hath a double precedency of a fast day On a Fast-day we eye Gods anger On a Thanksgiving-day we look to God favour In the former we specially mind our own corruptions In the latter Gods compassions therefore a Fast-day calls for sorrow a Thanksgiving day for joy But the Lords day is the highest thanksgiving day and deserveth much more then the Jewish Purim to be a day of feasting and gladness and a good day On this day we enjoy the Communion of Saints and shall we not delight in those excellent ones Psa 16.3 On this day we have fellowship with the blessed Saviour and shall we not fit under his shadow with great delight Cant. 1. On this day we are partakers of the Ordinances of God and shall we not be joyful in the House of prayer Isa 56.7 On this day we have special converse with the God of Ordinances and who would not draw water with joy out of the Well of Salvation Isa 12.3 Surely whilst we are in the midst of so much Musk we must needs be perfumed Who can walk where the Sun shines so hot and not be warmed It is Gods precept as well as thy priviledge to make Gods day thy delight If thou call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord Isa 58.13 Delights Tremel reads it Thy delicate things according to the Septuag Whether thou art meditating on Gods works or attending on Gods Word which are the two principal duties of the day they both call for delight and joy If on this day of rest thou considerest the work of creation and Gods rest it behoveth thee to follow Davids pattern Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works I will triumph in the works of thy hands Psa 92.4 If thou considerest the work of Redemption and Christs rest surely out of the carcass of the Lion of the tribe of Judah thou mayst get some Honey as may delight thy soul and force thee to sing My soul doth magnifie the Lord my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. The babe in the womb leapt for joy of him before he was born The heavenly host sung at his birth and wilt not thou at his second birth his resurrection from the dead O let the Primitive Christians salutations be thy consolation The Lord is risen If thou meditatest on glorification and thine own rest canst thou do less then rejoyce in hope of glory what Prisoner shackled with Satans temptations and fettered with his own corruptions in the dark Gaol of this World can think of the time when his Irons shall be knockt off and he enjoy the pleasant light and glorious liberty of the Sons of God and not be transported with joy What heir in his minority banisht from his kindred and country can think without comfort of his full age when he shall have the full fruition both of his estate and friends doubtless friend the Sabbaths of the holy are the Suburbs of heaven In heaven there is no buying no selling no ploughing no sowing nothing but worshiping God communion with him fruition of him and delight in him There remains a rest for the people of God There they rest from their labours If thou on a Lords day turnest thy back upon the World and goest up into the mount conversing with and rejoycing in the blessed God what dost thou less then begin thine eternal Sabbath here Such a Lords day can be no less then Heaven in a looking glass representing truly though darkly thy future eternal happiness There is no perfume so sweet to a Pilgrim as his own smoak When thou art attending on the word truely that Aquavitae that hot water may well revive thy spirit Thy testimonies are my delight saith David I have rejoyced more in thy testimonies then in all manner of riches Psa 119.24 77. The Word of God is sometimes called a treasure and what beggar would not rejoyce in a treasure sometimes fire and truly Reader thine heart is frozen to purpose if this fire do not heat it Salomon tell us As cold water to a thirsty soul so is good news from a far Country Prov. 25.25 The Word of God contains the best news that ever ears heard Peace on earth good will towards men and the glad tidings of the Gospel come from Heaven a far Country What canst thou say then why they should not be as welcome and refreshing to thee as cold water to a thirsty soul Variety of things that are excellent is not a little ground of complacency in them Variety of choice voices please the ear variety
art a good Husband for thy soul I doubt not but thou esteemest thy time in the week days at so high a rate that thou darest not sqander it away in doing nothing or in that which is worse then nothing but O what worth what price wilt thou set upon an opportunity upon a Lords day How diligent wilt thou be to improve the least peice of that day God giveth thee six whole days for thine own works do not deny to him one whole day in seven Let thy conscience be Judge Is it not unrighteousness to buy by one measure which is greater and sell by another measure which is lesser when the day is consecrated to God as the goods of Ananias it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for our own use Do thou all the day long live and walk as it were in the other World Make it a Sabbath a day of rest 1. From sin and wickedness this is thy duty every day but especially on this day Every sin on a Sabbath is double the season is a great aggravation of the sin The wicked indeed are like the raging Sea which cannot rest but every day bubble up mire and dirt Isa 57.20 2. From the World and the works of thy calling Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore for it is holy unto you Every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death for whosoever doth any work therein that soul shall be cut off from among his people Exod. 31.14 The Jews were to rest from works of least importance as gathering sticks he that fetched in sticks was sent out of the World with stones and of greatest concernment as building the Tabernacle and though the Christian now hath more liberty yet he hath no leave at all to pollute the day by wickedness or to prophane the day by any earthly work which might have been done before the day or may be done as well after it May I not say to thee of this day as Elisha to Geehezi Is this a time to receive money and garments and sheep and oxen and men-servants and maid-servants 2 Kings 5.26 Is the Sabbath a time for civil affairs The Sabbath day is therefore called a day of restraint Deut. 16.8 because then men are forbidden all work saith Junius As none were ever losers by laying afide their own works to attend Gods Worship he took care of Israels safety whilst they were in his service that none of their Neighbours though bitter enemies should so much as desire their Cities Exod 34.24 so none I am confident were ever gainers by inching in some part of their callings unnecessarily at the end of Gods day and by setting God aside to serve themselves the very time will be a Canker to consume their estates And as they that take Crocus into their stomachs bring up not onely ill humours but that also which would prove good nourishment So some have had experience that their prophanation of Gods day to increase their estates hath forced them to vomit up the whole God hath given thee days enough for thy calling space enough to mind it in thou needst not trespass upon his holy day upon his holy ground It was no small aggravation of Adams sin that though he had choice of fruits he would eat of the forbidden fruit so it will much increase thy sin if when thou hast choice of time for thy trade thou shouldst meddle with it on a Sabbath Reader Debet totus dies festivus à Christiano expendi in operibus bonis Grostead in precept as thy duty is to rest the whole day from wickedness and worldly work so also to imploy the whole day in Gods Worship be either praying or reading or hearing or singing or meditating or discoursing with others about the Works or Word of God Be always taken up either with publique Hoc sensu loquitur propheta Sià primo mane incipimuslauda re dâ—um continuandas esse ejus laudesad ultimam noctis partem Calvin in loc private or secret duties In the 92. Psalm that Psalm for the Sabbath v. 1 and 3. we are exhorted to shew forth Gods loving kindness in the morning and his faithfulness at evening Now we know that in Scripture sense the morning and the evening are the whole day The whole day is Gods by ordination and why should not it be his by observation God hath dedicated this day wholly to hsi own Worship now every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord. Lev. 27.28 The Pope and Church of Rome have half holy days as St. Blacies day which is holy in the forenoon onely but God and the Church of Christ have no half holy days Observe how exact God is in expressing a whole natural day From evening to evening you shall keep the Sabbath Lev. 23.32 Their days were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation but ours because Christ rose in the morning from morning to morning If thou hast any sincere delight in God and esteem of the true riches I cannot but think that thou wilt be covetous of the smallest part of Gods day and wish as R. Jose Iewish Antiq. l. 3. c. 3. Ex Buxtorf Comment mas that thy portion may be to begin the Sabbath with those of Tiberias because they began it sooner then others and to end it with those of Tsepphore because they continued it longer then others If thy soul ever met God on a Sabbath thou wilt surely be ready to say with Joshua Thou Sun stand still in Gibeon Iosh 10 12. and thou Moon in the vallies of Ajalon O that the day were longer that I might have more time to fight the Lords battels against my spiritual enemies Eightly If thou wouldst make Religion thy business on a Lords day Meditate therein on the word and works of God Consider his works This is part of the work of the day David in that Psalm for the Sabbath gives thee a pattern O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep Psa 92.5 Is a dishonour to a workman to make excellent peices and to manifest abundance of Skill and Art and ingenuity and then not to have them taken notice of God hath done his mighty works to be remembred and wondred at It s said of Pythagoras that he lived sequestred from men in a cave for a whole year together that he might meditate on the abstruse points of Philosophy I wish thee to an easier and pleasanter task to sequester thy self some time every Lords day to ponder the infinite perfections which appear in the operations of his hand God will be both admired and magnified by his people on earth as well as in Heaven which none can do but those that seriously consider his works Men have been much wondred at for some peculiar rare works though in them a Christian should look farther even to God the Author of their skill and wisdom The very Greeks acknowledged somewhat like this that all
Arts come from God in making Minerva the Daughter of Jupiter and to have had her generation in his Divine brain but alas the choicest peices of men to the smallest Works of God are but as childrens houses of dirt to the stateliest Courts of Christendom Archites was much extolled for causing a Dove of Wood to hang in the Air being equally poised with its own weight but what is this to the work of God in hanging the earth upon nothing Job 26.7 The earth is the heaviest and lowest Element A little peice of earth held up and let fall will never cease moving till it come to rest upon some solid body and yet behold the great mass of earth with innumerable bodies upon it hangs fast in the midst of the open Air having no visible Pillar nor foundation to rest upon Well might God reckon it to Job among his wondrous works Job 38.4 5 6. Vpon what be the Sockets of it fastened Aristotle himself could not but admire it Archimedes was famous for contriving the motions of the Sun Moon and Stars in his Horology but alass what is this to the glorious heavens themselves which God stretcht out like a Curtain and to the Noble Host of great and glittering bodies keeping their Rank and File and being not onely incredibly swift but also regularly and orderly in their motions The Heavens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work There is so much of God appearing in the Heavens that many have taken them for God and given them divine worship Naturalists tell us that the head of Nilus cannot be found but many sweet springs issuing from it are discovered Though thy finite capacity can never reach fully the fountain and head Gods infinite Being and Excellencies yet thou mayst finde many refreshing streams which flow from it A little River will lead thee to the Ocean Ohow much of the goodness power and wisdom of God appeareth in the work of creation The Rabbies say that in every Apex of the Law there is a Mountain of sense sure I am that in the smallest Creatures there is abundance of the Creatour How doth the Wisdom of God shine forth in the exquisite workmanship variety order subordination and serviceableness of the Creatures one to another that David might well cry out O Lord how marvellous are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all Pontanus Scultet Annal. Chancellour of Saxony propoundeth to be viewed and weighed the most beautiful arch-Arch-work of Heaven resting upon no post but Gods power and yet standing fast for ever The clouds as thin as the liquor contained in them behold saith he how they hang and move though weighty in their burden thy salute us onely or threaten us rather and pass we know not whither How doth his goodness appear in furnishing the World so richly for the supply of his Creatures the earth is full of thy goodness Luther in his Colloquia Meâ—s tells us that God is at more charge every day to maintain Sparrows then all the yearly Revenues of the King of France are worth but especially towards man in making him so excellent a Creature and in making so many excellent creatures for him His power is also evident both in creating such great and noble creatures of nothing he used not the least tool or instrument in making the Heavens and earth and in having them all at his beck and bidding at his call and command the greatest do him homage and the smallest do him service The Sun as strong and swift as he is moving as some write every hour 16000 Miles yet he flies back like a Coward if God speak but the word Josh 10.12 Job 9.5 to 10. He armeth Flies and Lice and what Execution did they do upon the Egyptians Cambden tels us the Armes of the Shagburies in Warwick-shire being Stars Camb. Britain are found engraven in the very stones within their Manor of Shagbury Whether that be true or no I know not but sure I am that the Armes of the Infinite God his eternal power manifold wisdom and matchless goodness are so plainly written on his works in the World in that first volume of Creation that he that runs may read them Solomon tels us God hath set the World in mens hearts namely that the skilfulness of the Workman may be admired in the exactness of his works Eccles 3.11 I might draw thee farther and shew thee but that I would not be so large how these glorious perfections of God are Printed in a larger letter in a fairer character in the second volume the work of Redemption This is the object of Angels admiration and ought to be of thy meditation Truly thy duty is to read God in the first book the book of the creatures and more especially in the second in Jesus Christ upon his own day Thy meditation of Gods works as it will give honour to God so it will not a little further thy spiritual good When David considered the work of creation â—a 8.1 to 4 he falls presently upon exalting God and debasing himself When I consider the Heavens the work of thy hands the Moon and the Stars which thou hast made O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory above the Heavens there he sets God up high but then be casts himself downlow What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou dost thus visit him When thine heart is like Wax hardened bring it by meditation to the warm beams of this Sun and they will soften it So when David considered the work of Redemption how doth he magnifie God and vilifie himself What am I and what is my Fathers House that thou hast brought me up hitherto and yet this was a small thing in thine eyes O God for thou hast also spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come 1 Chron. 16.16 17. O Friend as rubbing the Limbs with hot Oyls is a great means to recover them when they are benumb'd so when thy heart is dull and dead on a Lords day if thou wouldst but ply it with the meditation of the infinite love and goodness of God in sending his Son to dye for thy soul it would be a Soveraign means to quicken and revive it Consider also the Word of God which thou hast heard on that day Do thou like Mary ponder it in thine heart Meditation to the word is what fire is to water though water be naturally so cold yet put fire under it and it will make it hot and boyling so though thine heart be cold in regard of affection to the word put but this fire under it and it will boyl with love to it O how love I thy law there is his heat of affection the expression is both by way of interrogation and acclamation shewing the fervency and intension of his love but what was the fire which caused it it is
be hurtful but helpful to our General Callings I conclude the Book with Government of Families wherein thou mayst learn that thy house must be dedicated to God Religion in thy house must of necessity be minded or the whole Family is cursed The Naturalists observe of the Eagle that building her nest on high she is much maligned by a venemous Serpent called Parias which because it cannot reach to the nest maketh to the windward and breathes out its poison that so the air being infected the Eagles young may be destroyed but by way of prevention the Eagle by a natural instinct keepeth a kind of Agath-stone in her nest Plin. Hist lib. 3. cap. 10. which being placed against the wind preserveth her young Satan the crooked Serpent is ever busie to poison the Air in thine house and thereby to destroy thy self servants and whole houshold the only stone for prevention is to set up Religion Neighbor I have many a time pressed this duty upon thee and I do again in the name of the blessed God charge thee as thou wilt answer it at the Bar of Christ that thou immediately set up the worship of God in thy Family Thou knowest how many Sermons I preached from Josh 24.15 on this subject all which ere long thou shalt give an account of how inexcusable wilt thou be if after all those warnings thy Family be found in the number of them that call not on God! Good Lord how dreadful will it be for thee to sink into hell with thy whole house on thy back And now Reader whoever thou art out of affection to thy precious soul and eternal salvation let me prevail with thee not to use Religion as men do perfumes refresh themselves with them whilst they have them but they can well enough be without them but to make it thy chief and main and principal business What shall I say to thee Assure thy self Religion will be thy best friend at last O if thou hadst but the same apprehensions of it now which thou wilt have on a dying bed and day of Judgement thou wouldst make it thine only business them Religion will be Religion indeed of infinitely more worth to thee then millions of worlds All other things will then like leaves in Autumn fall from thee but though all thy most loving friends will part with thee Religion will walk with thee in the valley of the shadow of death it will direct and refresh thee in the pleasant waters of life and it will protect and comfort thee in those salt waters of sickness and when thou passest the Mare mortuum the Sea of death When the world in thy extremity will serve thee as the herd do a Deer that is shot push thee out of their company When thy wife and children will like Orpah to Naomi kiss thee and take their leave of thee Religion will like Ruth stick closs to thee where thou goest it will go where thou lodgest it will lodge death it self shall not part thee and it As the noble Grecian answered Philip when he asked him Whether he was not afraid to die No saith he for the Athenians will give me a life that is immortal Thou shouldst not need to fear death for Religion will give thee a life that is immortal As the old grave Counsellors told Rehoboham Be thou a servant to this people this day and they will be thy servants for ever So say I to thee Be thou but a faithful servant to Religion in this short day of thy life and Religion will be thy servant to all eternity If thou art resolved to give thy self up to the service of this noble Mistris possibly this Treatise may do thee some little service by acquainting thee with her will and directing thee in her work If in the perusal of it thou receive any profit let God alone have the praise and remember him in thy prayers who is Thine in the Lord George Swinnock THE The Contents of the Chapters CHAP. I. THe Preface and Coherence of the Text page 1 Chap. II. The opening of the Text and the Doctrine page 7 Chap. III. What Religion or Godliness is page 12 Chap. IV. What it is to make Religion ones business or to exercise ones self to Godliness page 21 Chap. V. The first Reason of the Doctrine wherein is shewed that Religion is the great end of mans creation page 39 Chap. VI. The second Reason of the Doctrine wherein is discovered that Religion is a work of the greatest weight it is soul-work it is God-work it is eternity-work page 45 Chap. VII The third Reason of the Doctrine wherein is discovered the necessity of making Religion ones business in regard of Gods Precept the opposition a Christian meeteth with in the way to Heaven and the multiplicity of business which lieth upon him page 60 Chap. VIII The first Vse by way of complaint that this trade is so dead and the worlds trade so quick page 71 Chap. IX The same complaint continued that this trade is neglected and superstition and sin should be embraced page 82 Chap. X. The second Vse by way of advice to make Godliness our main business in the whole course of our lives page 94 Chap. XI How a Christian may make Religion his business in religions duties or the worship of God in general as also a good wish about it wherein the former heads are epitomized page 106 Chap. XII How a Christian may make Religion his business in Prayer and 1. Of prayer in general and the Antecedents to it page 136 Chap. XIII Of the concomitants of prayer wherein the matter of our petitions the qualification of the Petitioner and the properties of our prayers are handled page 163 Chap. XIV The subsequent duties after prayer as also a good wish about prayer wherein the several heads in the antecedents concomitants and subsequents of prayer are epitomized page 185 Chap. XV. How a Christian may make Religion his business in hearing and reading the VVord and of preparation for hearing page 197 Chap. XVI Of the Christians duty in hearing page 223 Chap. XVII Of the Christians duty after hearing as also a good wish about hearing wherein the former heads are all epitomized page 234 Chap. XVIII How a Christian may make Religion his business in receiving the Lords Supper wherein arguments to and the nature of preparation for it is discovered page 250 Chap. XIX How a Christian may make Religion his business at the Table when he is receiving page 284 Chap. XX. VVhat a Christian ought to do after a Sacrament as also a good wish wherein all the former heads are epitomized page 318 Chap. XXI How a Christian may make Religion his business on a Lords day page 335 Chap. XXII Brief directions for the sanctification of the Lords day from morning to night as also a good wish about the Lords day wherein the former heads are epitomized and a good wish to the Lords Day page 381 Chap.
some part but all the day Whether the actions he be about be natural or civil he makes them sacred whether the Company he be in be good or bad he will mind his holy calling whether he be riding or walking whether he be at home or abroad whether he be buying or selling eating or drinking whatsoever he be doing or wheresoever he be going still he hath an eye to further godliness Anima est tota in toto tota in qualibet parte because he makes that his business What the Philosopher said of the soul in relation to the body The soul is whole in the whole body and whole in every part of it is true of godliness in reference to the life of a Christian godliness is whole in his whole conversation and whole in every part of it As the constitution of mans body is known by his pulse if it beat not at all he is dead if it beat and keep a constant stroke it s a sign the body is sound Godliness is the pulse of the soul if it beat not at all the soul is void of spiritual life if it beat equally and constantly it speaks the soul to be in an excellent plight It was the practice of our Saviour who left us a blessed pattern therein to be always furthering godliness when bread was mentioned to him upon it he diswaded his Disciples from the leaven of the Pharisees Mat. 16.5.6 When water was denyed him by the Samaritan woman he forgets his thirst and seeks to draw her to the Well-spring of happiness John 4.10 When people came to him for bodily cures how constantly doth he mind the safety of their souls Thou art made whole go sin no more or thy sins are forgiven thee He went about doing good in the day time working Miracles and Preaching in the night time he often gave himself to meditation and prayer He that minds Religion by the by doth otherwise he can Proteus like turn himself into any shape which is in fashion Purch Pilgr Vol. 1. p. 416. As the Carbuncle a Beast amongst the Blackamores which is seen onely by night having a stone in his Fore-head which shineth incredibly and giveth him light whereby to feed but when he heareth the least noise he presently lets fall over it a skin which he hath as a natural covering least its splendor should betray him So the half Christian shines with the light of holiness by fits and starts every fright makes him hold in and hide it The mark of Antichrist was in his followers hands which they can cover or discover at their pleasure but the mark of Christs Disciples was in in their Foreheads visible at all times Thirdly To exercise our selves to godliness implyeth to persevere in it with constancy to our dissolution Men follow their Trades and open their Shops till death shut their eyes and gives them a writ of ease men pursue their earthly works till death sound a retreat and command their appearance in the other World Many a one hath breathed out his last in the midst of his labour His life and his labour have ended together Let every man abide in the calling whereto he is called saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.24 They who make Religion their business are constant immoveable and do always abound in the work of the Lord. Their day of life is their day of labour the sun ariseth and man goeth to his labour until the Evening Psa 104.23 Death onely is their night of resting when they die in the Lord then and not till then they rest from their labours Saints are compared to Palm Trees because they flourish soon to Cedars because they continue long True Saints in youth always prove Angels in age B. Hall med ti cent â— they often set out with the first but always hold on to the last The Philosopher being asked in his old age why he did not give over his studies answered When a man is to run a race of forty furlongs he will not sit down at the thirty ninth and lose the price The pious soul is faithful unto death and injoyeth a Crown of life As Cesar he is always marching forward and thinks nothing done whilst any thing remains undone Nil actumc edens si quid su per sset agendâ—m iâ—uâ—an As they are fervent in their work so they are constant at their work The Church of Ephesus had Letters Testimonial from Heaven for my names sake thou hast laboured and hast not fainted Rev. 2.3 Water in the Baths is always warm As long as there is Water there is heat not so our ordinary water though this may be warmed by the fire at present yet if taken off it returnes to its former coldness nay it is colder then before because the spirits which kept it from the extremity of cold are by the fire boyld out of it The reason is plain the heat of the Baths is from an inward principle and therefore is permanent the heat of the latter is from an external cause and therefore is inconstant That warmth of piety which proceeds from an inward principle of a purified conscience is accompanied with perseverance but that profession which floweth from an outward motive wheremen as Chamelions take their colour from that which stands next them their Religion from those they have their dependence upon is of short duration A man that minds Religion by the by is like Nebuchadnezzars Image he hath an head of gold but feet of clay His beginning may be like Nero's first five years full of hope and encouragement but afterwards as a carcass he is more filthy and unsavory every day then other His insincerity causeth his inconstancy Trees unsound at the root will quickly cease their putting forth of fruit Such men if godliness enjoy a summer of prosperity may like a Serpent creep on the ground and stretch themselves at length to receive the warmth of the Sun but if Winter come he will creep into some Ditch or Dunghil least he should take cold Travellers that go to Sea meerly to be Sea-sick or in sport if there arise a black cloud or storm their voyage is at an end they hasten to the harbour they came not to be Weather beaten or to hazard themselves amongst the boistrous Billowes but onely for pleasure But the Merchant that is bound for a voyage whose calling and business it is is not daunâ—ed at every Wave and Wind but drives through all with resolution He that onely pretends towards Religion if a storm meet him in the way to Heaven he leaves it and takes shelter in the earth as a Snail he puts out his head to see what Weather is abroad what countenance Religion â—ath at Court whether great men do smile or frown upon the Ways of God and if the Heavens be lowring he shrinks into his shell esteeming that his onely safety But they that make godliness their business do not steer their course by such cards
are all called to be Souldiers Our whole life is a warfare All the days of my appointed time Job 14.14 An Expositor reads it Ad agendum natâ—milites Cicer. All the days of my warfare I will wait till my change come The Souldiers life is no lazy life Armies are wholly for action especially when they deal with such subtile strong adversaries that assault them day and night without ceasing Who can conquer three such mighty Monarchs as Flesh World and Devil are or force his way through their temptations and suggestions unless he fight in earnest and make it his business That fire if ever any had need to be hot that must melt and overcome such hard mettal and that hand if ever any had need to work hard that will remove and level such high mountains If the silly Hare pursued by such a pack of Hounds offer once to stand still or lye down she is sure to be torn in pieces and devoured There is a time saith the holy Bishop Hall Holy observ 20. when Kings go not forth to warfare our spiritual war admits no intermission it knows no night no winter abides no peace no truce this calls us not into Garison where we may have ease and respite but into pitcht fields continually we see our enemies in the face always and are always seen and assaulted ever resisting ever defending receiving and returning blows if either we be negligent or weary we dye We can never have safety and peace but in victory There must our resistance be couragious and constant where both yielding is death and all treaties of peace mortal Secondly There is a necessity of making it our main work Because of the multiplicity of businesses that is incumbent on every Christian That stream had need to run freely and with full force that must be divided into many channels That estate had need to be large that must be parted among many children Who can count the variety of works that every Christian must be engaged in how many Dangers he must wade through how many Snares must he avoid how many Taunts and Mocks must he abide how many Temptations must he conquer how many Graces must he exercise how many Lusts must he mortifie how many Duties must he perform every relation every condition calls for answerable duty and diligence every Ordinance must be improved by him every Providence must be sanctified to him Mercies must like a ladder mount him nearer to Heaven Misery must like the famine to the Prodigal force him to hasten to his Fathers house His Wife his Children his Servants his Neighbors his Friends his Enemies his shop his closets his visits his journeys do all require suitable service and who can perform it that is not diligent and sedulous Consider him in reference to Gods immediate Worship he must pray hear read meditate watch fast sanctifie Sabbaths sing Psalms receive the Sacrament and in all walk humbly reverently and uprightly with his God Consider him in reference to poor men he must love mercy and supply their necessities according to his ability and not like a muck-heap good for nothing till carried forth whatever men he deals with he must do justly love his Neighbor as himself and as God gives him opportunity provoke them to mind Grace and Sanctity as Musk perfume if possible all that he comes near Consider him in reference to himself he must live soberly vigilantly his heart is like a subtle sturdy theif ever seeking to break the goal and therefore must have a strong guard his corrupt nature is like fire and his whole man like thatch and therefore he must keep a narrow watch his Sences are the Out-works which Satan is ever assaulting by them to gain the Royal Fort of the Soul that he must defend them with care and courage day and night What is said of the Husbandman is true of every Christian His work is never at an end The end of one work is but the beginning of another He must always be imployed either in dunging dressing ploughing sowing harrowing weeding or reaping his ground he hath no leisure to be idle and lazy who hath so much work lying upon his hand Nullus mihi per â—tium exiit dies partem etiam noctium studiis vendico non vacosomno sed juc cumbo oculos vigilia fatigatos cadentesque in opere detinco Sen. epist 67. Seneca thought Philosophy cut him out so much work that he was necessitated to spend every day and part of the nights in making it up Christianity a nobler Mistris as she gives better wages so she commands greater work that her servants may say well with the Emperor Let no day pass without a line and with Solomons Houswife not let their candle to go out by night Prov. 30. The French Duke de Alva could say when he was asked by Henry the Fourth Whether he had seen the Eclipse of the Sun That he had so much business to do upon Earth that he had no time to look up to Heaven Sure I am the Christian may say with more truth and conscience That he hath so much business to do for Heaven that he hath no time to mind vain or earthly things That servant who doth ponder the strictness of his Master consider the shortness of his time conceive the largeness of his task and beleeve the weightiness of his work how it must be done or he is undone for ever will be easily convinced that it nearly concerns him that it highly behoves him to shake off sloth and sluggishness to gird up the loins of his mind to give it the precedency in all his actions to pursue it with industry against all opposition to persevere in it with constancy to his dissolution and in a word to make it his main business his principal work CHAP. VIII A Complaint that this Trade is so dead and the Worlds trade so quick THe Use which I shall make of this Doctrine shall be either by way of Complaint or Counsel First By way of Lamentation If Godliness ought to be every ones principal business How sadly should it be lamented that this calling is so exceedingly neglected What one man is there of many that doth follow this trade and exercise himself to Godliness Men generally cry out Trading is dead their particular callings are gone they make no considerable returns they stand in their shops all the day idle But may not God rather complain The holy heavenly trade is decayed and dead general callings are left and lost Why stand ye all the day idle and refuse to work in my vineyard While the Devil has whole droves to do his drudgery the Flesh vast flocks to flatter its fancies and the World many millions to admire and adore its vanities the ways of Sion mourn they are unoccupied none come to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate While the Lawyers Closet is filled with Clients for counsel about their Estates the Physicians
the Sepulchres of their deluded Saints Al. oran The Turks willingingly lay down their lives in their Wars to propagate their Religion which their Prophet hath taught them must be done non disputando sed pugnando not by disputing with but by destroying others The unhappy Jesuite though his Religion be an heap of formalities as the Turks a bundle of fooleries is yet so zealous for it that Campian could impudently in a Letter to Q. Elizabeths Council affirm That as long as there was one Jesuite left for Tiburn they had vowed never to desist endeavors to set up their Religion in this Nation O devout ungodliness or ungodly devotion How few take such pains to go to Heaven as many do to go to Hell Alas what sorrow doth this call for and command that men should be so hot and fiery in Will-worship in false Worship wasting their wealth cutting and carving their bodies as if they were made onely to be their slaves and themselves to be the Tyrants over them laying out so much cost and exercising so much cruelty for that which is worse then nothing for that which will not onely not profit them but extreamly and eternally prejudice them and in the interim the easie yoke of Christ is scorned the power of Godliness slighted which might be minded with much more mildness and mercy to their outward and inward man It was a good meditation of a forequoted Author Those that travel in long pilgrimages to the holy Land what a number of weary paces they measure What a number of hard lodgings and known dangers they pass and at last when they are come within view of their journeys end what a large tribute they pay at the Pisan Castle to the Turks and when they are come thither what see they but the bare sepulchre wherein their Saviour lay and the earth that he trode upon to the encrease of a carnal Devotion What labour should I willingly undertake in my journey to the true Land of Promise the celestial Jerusalem where I shall see and enjoy my Saviour himself What tribute of pain or death should I refuse to pay â—or my entrance not into his Sepulchre but his Palace of glory and that not to look upon but to possess it Thirdly As many make the World their main work and others Superstition their principal occâ—pation so most make wickedne their cheif their constant trade and busine While sanctity is but coldly entertained but complemented with sin is laid in the bosome and heartily embraced the turnings and windings that are in the sinners way are not easily to be observed the pains which he takes to bring forth and breed up those Birds which will peck out his own eyes can neither be fully described nor sufficiently lamented In what hast and hurry is Absolom for an Halter what work doth lust make in Ammon to wast his body and send his soul to endless wo How fast doth Gehazi run after a Leprosâ—e as if he might come too late How sick and violent is Ahab for Naboths Vine yard How fiercely doth Balaam ride even without raigns after the wages of unrighteousness How eager and earnest were Pharaoh and his Egyptians to fight against God what a stir what a do they make to overtake destruction and to sink like Lead in the midst of the migthy waters Joshua could stop the Sun in his course but not Achan in his covetous career Paul before his conversion as one observes followed the Saints with such close persecution and was so mad upon it that like a tyred Wolf wearied in worrying the flock he lay panting for breath and yet still breathed out persecution In one Journey he travelled one hundred and sixty miles namely from Jerusalem to Damascus as an inquisitour for private Heresie At Muscleborough field many of the Scots ran away so fast that they fell down dead truely so do men by sin run away a pace from God even to the tyring of themselves here and tormenting themselves hereafter They run as fast as if they feared that Hell would be full before they came thither The wicked man travelleth with pain all his days Job 15.20 A wicked mans whole course is spent in carking care as the Seventy read it He hath many sharp throws bitter pangs before he can bring forth that hideous horible Monster Sin Some Women are very long in labour several days in pain but a wilful Wicked man travelleth with pain all his days He works himself weary in digging descents into Hell and labours harder at it then many do for Heaven I remember Buntingus in his Itinerarium totius Sacrae Scripturae when he comes to the Travails of Antiochus Epiphanius that fierce enemy of Gods people first relates the tedious journies in all eight thousand one hundred fifty three Miles various hazards desperate dangers and difficulties which this wicked wretch underwent to satisfie his malice and gratifie his revengeful spirit and then concludes thus We see that the Wicked with more sorrows troubles and vexations gain eternal damnation then the just though they suffer greivous affliction obtain everlasting Salvation For amongst all the Patriarchs good Princes and Prophets there is not found any that had so many long and tedious journies as this Antiochus who continually oppressed his mind and conscience with unprofitable vanities and wicked thoughts and at length had a miserable and terrible end Though God hath few diligent Servants yet the Devil hath many drudging slaves that work hard at grinding in his Mill all their days Their calling is a trade of corruption which they follow with diligence and constancy They plow iniquity sow wickedness and reap the same Job 4.8 Alass what pains do they take to pollute themselves spiritually and perish eternally They Plow iniquity Plowing is no easie lazy work We say of such works as require much pains a man were as good go to Plow all day These sons of Belial that will not stoop to the easie yoke of the Saviour can submit their proud Necks to the hard yoke of Satan and follow his Plow willingly Sin is their diet their meat and drink they eat the bread of violence and drink the wine of deceit Prov. 4.17 Nay it is their dainties their delicates let me not eat of their dainties Psa 141.4 These Apish Monkies who now and then act the part of Christians without a principle of Christianity feed on Spiders on Poyson Further it is not onely their nourishment in the day but their refreshment in the night They cannot sleep unless they cause some to fall Prov. 4.16 Till their stomachs are gorged and glutted with the sweet meats of sin and thereby their heads filled with filthy fumes and vapours arising thence they can take no rest They love sin above sleep and let them but riot they will lose their rest The Murderer riseth with the light to cut asunder the silver thread of his Neighbours life The Drunkard that hellish good Husband can be
Manna the Bread of Heaven and what a condition is thy poor soul in then They that have the Green-sickness care not for solid food but hanker after trash They have souls sadly sick that neglect the good Word of God and long after the fancies and wit of men God doth by the foolishness of preaching save them that believe that he alone might have the glory of their salvation That the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us 2 Cor. 4.7 When men nibble at the bait of Humane Eloquence and are caught the skill of the Angler is applauded but when men bite at the naked hook the simplicity of the Gospel all will grant this to be a miracle and say This is the finger of God Dost thou not see that as Daniel and his companyons thrived better and looked fairer with feeding upon pulse then the other Captives who fed on the Kings dainty provision Optimi concionatores ad vulgus sunt dixit Lutherus qui puriliter trivi aliter populariter sim lieiâ— sime dâ—cent Melch. Adam in vita So those Christians in every Parish look abroad where you will thrive more in holiness and are fairer in Gods eye who feed on plain naked Scripture then those whom no dishes will please but such as are curiously cooked for a Kings Palate Thou wilt not believe but that thy face may be seen in a glass where the sides are not guilded thou wilt chuse an horse not by its trappings and fine furniture but by its usefulness and serviceableness Why shouldst thou be so childish as to be in love with no garments but what are daubed with Silver lace when other plain raiment will warm thy body as well Reader if the fault be not thine own thou mayest gain much nay I must say most good by plain preaching Those that dwell by the Sea side gather up those precious commodities bequeathed to the Sea at the death or wrack of the ship when the Sea is lowest which they cannot do when the waters are highest I do not here plead for vain repetitions and tedious circumlocutions nor for them that dress their meat so slovenly that their Guests loath it I know it s below the Majestie of a King when he is delivering his minde by his Ambassador to play the Orator but it is not below him to speak sense and reason Wise men love a neat compact discourse but it must be more full of matter then words convincing the judgement and working upon the affections Plain solid Sermons are most acceptable to pious and serious souls There is a vast difference between washing the face of a Discourse clean and painting it the former is lawful and commendable the latter sinful and abominable Ministers must minde the capacities of their Auditories and not put that meat into their mouthes which their teeth cannot chew nor their stomachs concoct Their Sermons of quiddities haeccieties and School nicities may in the opinion of giddy men tend to their own praise but never to their hearers profit Such men when their children ask bread give them stones which may choak them but will not cherish them It is pity he should ever teach School that will not speak to his Scholars so as they may understand him But the worst supposition is Thy Teacher may be untaught himself his life may give the lye to his lips As to this prejudice 1. Remember That an accusation must not be received against an Elder except under two or three witnesses thy charity O Christian and the Dignity of his Calling must both move thee to be slow to believe As it is sinful to raise up an evil report Constantine the Emperor said That if he saw a Bishop committing uncleanness he would rather cover that foul fact with his Imperial robe then suffer it to be divulged to the dishonor of the Gospel so it is sinful to take up an evil report whoever laid it down ready for thee But secondly if thy Pastor like a wooden Vessel giveth that wine to thee which he never tasteth nor savoureth himself be not therefore wholly discouraged If it be true that thy Minister is false to God and his own soul that he onely wears Christs livery that he might the more unsuspected do the Devils work I confess it is matter of great lamentation the good Lord take care either for their conversion or ejection for certainly they being listed under Christs colours and false to their Captain do his adversary the Devil double service The sins of Teachers are the Teachers of sins they who forget their Sermons will remember their sins to patronize their own But if the providence of God should binde thee to such a Pastor which is no small unhappiness consider that God fed Elijah by a Raven and surely he can feed thee by an unclean creature He increaseth sometimes his Enemies gifts that they might be instrumental to increase his peoples graces It is unquestionable in my judgement though some I know doubt it that a sinner may convert a soul and my reason is this because the operation of the word doth not depend upon the piety of the Preacher but upon the free grace and power of the Lord. Yet I must also confess that I beleive that God doth not so often vouchsafe to his enemies as to his friends that honour and happiness But as bad as he is God may use him to do thee good As the best Ministers Sermons are not to be received for their good lives sake so the worst Ministers Preaching is not to be rejected because of their evil practices A blind man may hold a Candle to give light to others whilst he himself remains in the dark the Sun of righteousness may convey the light of holiness into the house of thine heart through this sluttish Window Thou mayst derive water from the Fountain of life through a leaden pipe A deaf bell may be useful to call a Christian to Church and he that never heard so as to live may call a soul to Christ Wholesom Sugar may be in a poisoned Cane The Egyptian Jewels were helpful to the Tabernacle David made the spoiles of the Gentiles service able to the Temple and surely the son of David can make the parts and guifts of an Egyptian an Enemy to God serviceable to thy soul The Pharisees in the days of Christ were many of them vicious persons yet they fitting in Moses Chair Christ doth not deny them audience but commandeth his Disciples to distinguish between their words and their works he doth not forbid them to hear their Doctrine but enjoyn them to forbear their doings Mat. 23.2 3. 2. The second thing requisite to preparation is this Before thou goest to hear labour to affect thine heart with the necessity excellency and efficacy of the word There was half an hours silence in Heaven before the seventh Trumpet sounded thy duty is to weigh the nature and end of the word before thou goest
famine How many starve for want of the bread of life Thou sittest it may be at a full Table but couldst thou conceive what millions famish for lack of this spiritual food thou wouldst pray to God earnestly to pity such places and praise him heartily for providing so plentifully for thee Their misery is sometimes set forth by darkness and the shadow of death Darkness is dreadful though but external T was one of the greatest plagues which befel the Egyptians When Job would curse his day with a witness what is his wish Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it let a cloud dwell upon it let the blackness of the day terrifie it Job 4.4 It was sad when Paul and his companions saw neither Sun nor Stars in many days but O how sad is it when men see not the Sun of righteousness shining in the Heavens of the Gospel all their days Such may enjoy the light of Gods providence but they enjoy not the light of his countenance How can they work that want the light of the word to direct them or how can they walk surely they that walk in the dark stumble the dark corners of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty and fall even into Hell Where no vision is the people perish O Reader what infinite cause hast thou to bless the Lord that thou art not in their condition If thou hast any compassion for the poor dark dead souls be instant with the Lord pray O send out thy light and thy truth that thy ways may be known upon earth and thy saving health unto all Generations If thou hast any affection to thy own soul praise God for his Law Blessed be the Lord who hath shown us light Procopius reporteth that nigh to the Pole where the night endureth for many Months together the Inhabitants in the end of their long night get up to the top of the Mountains striving who shall have the first sight of the Sun and as soon as they see it they embace and hug each other crying out Ecce Sol apparet Behold Lo the Sun the Sun appeareth This poor Island had a long night of darkness when the people in it served dumb Idols and Devils blessed for ever be the unsearchable goodness of God the Sun of the Gospel hath appeared amongst us Nay as it s said of Rhodes it may be said of England The Sun always shines on it What shall we render to the Lord for this benefit On the town house of Geneva is writen upon a Marble Table in letters of gold Post tenebrass Lux. After darkness light In remembrance of and thankfulness for their deliverance from the pride power tyranny and abominations of the Pope Anno. 1535. I doubt not but we in these parts of the World have as much cause to set up a Monument of praise and thanks to the blessed God for bestowing upon us the light of his glorious Gospel and freeing us from the power of that man of pride who exalteth himself above all that is called God Reader Is it not a priviledge for thee to sit by the fire of the word when many poor souls are freezing in the cold for thee to walk in the light of the word when many sit in darkness and the shadow of death for thee to be clothed out of the rich Wardrobe of the word when many have their nakedness appearing to their eternal shame nay what an advantage hast thou that when thousands and millions have none to give them bread but starve and famish thou hast a Table fairly spread and fully furnished with all sorts of food both for necessity and delight yea and if sickness hinder thee from coming down to Dine or Sup with thy brethren and sisters upon that day of exceedings the Lords day thy God is so tender of thee that he sendeth thee somewhat up to thy chamber alloweth thee his Bible and blessing at home for thy nourishment and comfort O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works to the children of men 2. Practice when the Preacher hath done in the Pulpit the Hearer must begin in his practice He heareth a Sermon best who practiseth it most what one saith of Psa 119. I may say of the whole Scriptures They are verba vivenda non legenda words to be loved more then to be read or heard A Christians life should be a legible comment on Gods Law The strokes in Musick must answer to the notes and rules set down in the Lesson It is observable that the blood was to be sprinkled on Aarons right ear right thumb and great toe of his right foot Exod. 29.20 the first did note his right hearing the Word the second and third his working according to it and walking in it The doing not the hearing or reading Christian goeth away with the blessing And he said yea rather blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Luke 11.28 The occasion of the expression is confiderable one of Christs hearers having tasted was so taken with the lusciousness of his Doctrine that she could not before all the company forbear commending the tree for the fruits sake Blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked Yea rather saith Christ Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it In which words he doth not deny her assertion but her inference or the foundation of it Mary though happy yet was not so happy in bearing the essential as in keeping the Written Word of God She was rather blessed in having Christ formed in her then in having him formed of her It was her greater honour and happiness to be a member of Christ then to be the Mother of Christ The Porter is not so rich by carrying a bag of Gold as the Merchant that oweth it The Christian onely that keepeth the word of Christ is truely related to Christ the Word Matth. 12. ult It is reported of the Nobles of Polonia that when the Gospel is read they lay their hands upon their Swords and begin to draw them intimating thereby that they will defend it with the hazard of their lives Saints must be ready to die for the Gospel but a Christian may defend it as truely by an holy life as by a bloody death A scandalous conversation is an offence to Religion and openeth the mouths of its enemies but as fire is a good defence to a man in a Wilderness against the fury of ravenous beasts so the heat of grace flaming and the light of holiness shining in the lives of professors defendeth the word against its opposers A Sermon practiced is a Sermon in print and by it the hearer teacheth all the Week long The Romans were commended for obeying from the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the form of Doctrine delivered to them Rom. 6.17 In the Original it is whereunto they were delivered A good hearer as I said before
Dignity to be crucified without the gate lest the City should be polluted with his blood Now Reader come along like the beloved Disciple and behold thy Saviour bearing his own Cross and going to the place of execution to dye the death of a Slave for no Freeman was ever crucified therefore Julian in derision called him The staked God He is no sooner come to the dismal place of dead mens skulls but they tear off his cloathes and some think skin and all glued to his back with their bloody scourgings Now they stretch his body as cloth with tenters and rack it so that his bones start out of his skin I may tell all my bones Psal 22.17 in nailing his two hands to the two horns and his feet those parts so full of nerves and sinews and so the most sensible of any parts of the body to the stump of the Cross They digged my hands and my feet and hang him up between two Thieves as the most notorious Malefactor of the three He was numbred among the Trangressors His bloody watching fasting scorched wracked body is oppressed with exquisite pain and his anguish so vehement that he cryeth out I thirst to quench which they give him vinegar and gall and spice it with a scoff to make it rellish the better Let us see whether Elias will come and save him But Oh! who can imagine what he suffered in his soul when he hung under the weight of mens revenge Devils rage the Laws curse and the Lords wrath Men revile him wagging their heads and saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three days save they self He saved others himself he cannot save To him that was afflicted pity should have been shewn but they added affliction to the afflicted and forsook the fear of the Almighty All the Devils in Hell were now putting forth their utmost power and policy for this was their hour and the power of darkness to encrease his sufferings that if possible they might provoke him to sin thereby to have separated his Humane nature from his Divine that it might have perished eternally and all mankinde with it but the sting of his death is yet behind The head of that arrow which pierced his heart indeed was the frown of his Father That his Kinsmen the Jews whom he came to sanctifie and redeem for he was the glory of his people Israel should deliver him up to be crucified was not a small aggravation of his misery That his Apostles that had been eye-witnesses of his miracles and ear-witnesses of his Oracles to whom he had spoken so pathetically Will ye also forsake me and who had told him so resolutely We will go with thee into prison and to death Luke 22.33 Mat. 26.35 should now in his greatest extremity turn their backs upon him added some more gall to his bitter cap That his Mother should stand by the Cross weeping and have her soul pierced through with the sword of his sufferings was far from being an allay to his sorrows but that his Father of whom he had often boasted It is my Father that honoreth me My Father loveth me I and my Father are one should now in his low estate in his day of adversity in his critical hour not onely not help him and leave him alone as an harmless Dove amongst so many ravenous Vultures to contest with all the fury of Earth and Hell but also pour out the Vials of his own Wrath upon him and though the Union was not dissolved yet suffer the beams the influences to be restrained that he might fully bear the curse of the Law and feel the weight of sin this was the hottest fire in which the Paschal Lamb was roasted this caused that Heart-breaking Soul-cutting Heaven-piercing expression My God My God why hast thou forsaken me O how how justly might he have cryed out with Joh. Have pity upon me my friend have pity upon me for the hand not onely of my Enemies and my friends of multitudes of men and of Legions of Divels but the hand of God hath touched me How truely might the Husband have taken up his Spouses lamentation Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Ah who can write or read such a tragedy with dry eyes Friend when thou art at the Sacrament think of these sufferings and beleive it they will make work among thy sins When thou takest the cup of wine do not forget the cup of Worm-wood which thy Saviour drunk for thy sake he drank of the Brook in the way he drank the cup of his Fathers wrath infinitely imbittered with the curse of the law that thou mightest drink the cup of blessing At the Table obey his own command Do this in remembrance of me Secondly Meditate on the affection of Christ We will remember thy love more then wine saith the Spouse when thou seest the wine think of that love which is better then wine Belevie it if ever there were a love-feast this is it Men testifie their love in bestowing food on their hungry friends but ah what love was that which gave his blessed body and precious blood to feed his starving enemies He that considereth what Christ suffered and for whom may well think he was little else but a lump of love His compassion is infinitely visible in his passion What love was that which moved him to lay down his life for thee Friend if ever thou hadst hard thoughs of Christ take a view of him in the former subject of meditation and consider whether his heart be not set upon sinners when he shed his heart blood for their souls The redness of the fire discovers its heat O how did the redness of this Rose of Sharon the blood which issued from his head and back and hands and feet and heart and whole body speak his burning his fiery love Well might the Apostle John joyn and pair those Turtle-Doves Who hath loved us and washed us in his blood Rev. 1.5 In every drop of his blood there is an Ocean of love Well might the Apostle Paul pâ—oduce this as an undeniable testimony of the truth of his love Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 His bleeding passion was such a full demonstration of his dearest affection as the whole World never saw the like before nor ever shall again In it his love was dissected and ript up you may tell all its bones Judas gave him to the Jews out of love to money The Jews gave him to Pilate to becondemned out of love to envy Pilate gives him to the Souldiers to be Crucified out of love to self interest but Christ gave himself out of pure love to save souls The great and glorious God doth things that are singularly eminent for the manifestation of his attributes When he
Angels for his Life-guard but he forbore it He laid down his life he gave himself He gave up the Ghost He had a Baptism to be baptized with and he longed to have it accomplished But Friend what thinkest thou was the lump of sugar which did so sweeten this cup notwithstanding all its bitter ingredients to make it go down so glib and pleasant truly nothing but love Love to Dinah made Sechem willing to be circumcised love to Christians made Christ willing to bleed and be buffeted and crucified The Mother can toil and moil all day with her childe and count it a pleasure when another had rather go to plough all day but what 's the reason nothing but her love Jesus Christ delighted in the work of mans Redemption I delight to do thy will O God which would have broke the backs of the very Angels and why because of his love It is observed the myrrhe which is let out by the incision of the tree is precious but that which floweth of its own accord is most choice and precious Christs veins were indeed opened by others incision when Pilat scourged his back and the nails his hands and feet but one drop of this blood is more worth then millions of World for even at these times he bled voluntarily as well as in the Garden when the myrrhe of his blood dropt of its own accord O of vvhat infinite value is his blood O hovv much did he love his vvhen the very oyl vvhich consecrated him to those unknovvn sorrovvs vvas the oyl of gladness to him Remember this love more then vvine Thirdly Meditate on thy corruptions As his love vvas the invvard moving cause so thy sins vvere the outvvard procuring cause of his sufferings He was wounded for thy transgressions he was bruised for thine iniquities the chastisement of thy peace was upon him Isa 53.5 When thou art at the Sacrament vvhich fitly representeth Christs sufferings consider vvith thy self What vvas that vvhich brought the blessed Saviour into such a bleeding condition It vvas my sin I vvas the Judas vvhich betrayed him the Jew vvhich apprehended him the Pilate that condemned him and the Gentile vvhich crucified him My sins vvere the thorns vvhich pierced his head the nails vvhich pierced his hands and the spear vvhich pierced his heart ' T vvas that put to death the Lord of life He dyed for my sins He was made sin for me who knew no sin his blood is my balm his Golgatha is my Gilead O vvhat a subject is here for meditation He suffered in my stead he bore my sins in his body on the tree he took that loathsome purging physick for the diseases of my soul When he was in the Garden in his bloody agony groveling on the ground there was no Judas no Pilate no Jew no Gentile there to cause that unnatural sweat or to make his soul sorrowful unto death but my pride my unbeleif my hypocrisie my atheism my blasphemy my unthankfulness my carnal-mindedness they were there and caused his inward bleeding sorrows and outward bloody sufferings Ah what an heavy weight was my sin to cause such a bloody sweat in a frosty night My dissimulation was the trayterous kiss My ambition the thorny crown My drinking iniquities like water made him drink Gall and Vineger My want of tears caused him to bleed My forsaking my Maker made him to be forsaken of his Father Because the members of my body were instruments of iniquity therefore the members of his body were objects of such cruelty because my soul was so unholy therefore his soul was so exceeding heavy O my soul what hast thou done We do not say the Executioner kils a man for theft or murder but his theft or murder they hang him so in this case it was not so much the Jews or Souldiers for they were the Executioners that put Christ to death as our thefts and murders and breaches of Gods Law which were imputed and laid to his charge There is a story of a King of France named ladoveyus that when he was converted to Christianity one day hearing Remigius the Bishop reading the Gospel of our Saviours passion he presently fell into this passionate expression O that I had been but there with my French-men I would have cut all their throats little considering that his and others iniquities were Christs greatest and most cruel enemies Reader when thou art at the Table think of those sins which caused such sufferings Consider the deepness of that stain which the blood onely of God could wash out Ah what a sickness is sin when nothing less then the blood of the Son of God can heal it Secondly as at the Table some Subjects must be considered so some graces must be exercised A Sacrament is a special season a spring time for those trees of Gods own planting to bud blossom and put forth their fruit Now Reader if ever rouse up thy spirit and stir up the gifts of God which are in thee Call aloud to thy graces which may possibly be sleeping as David Psa 57.8 Awake my glory awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early Awake my graces can ye not watch with my dearest Saviour one hour Awake my faith love and Repentance I my self will awake presently It is not the Haâ—wk which sitteth hood-winkt on the fist but the seeing flying Hawk which doth the service The Clock which standeth still is of no use it is the going moving Clock which attains its end Grace acted will now do thee eminent service and help thee to attain the end of the Sacrament First Act faith Dormit fides dormit Christus saith Austin If faith sleepeth Christ sleepeth Call forth first that Commander in chief and then the private Souldiers the other graces will all follow Faith must be the eye whereby thou seest Christ Zach 12.10 They shall see him whom they have peirced and mourn Faith is the mouth by which thou feedest on Christ John 6.53 Faith is the feet by which thou goest to Christ John 6.35 Faith may say to thee as Christ did Without me thou canst do nothing without me thou canst do nothing for thy own welfare nothing for Gods honour at this ordinance It is said of the Indian Gymnosophists that they will lye all day upon their backs gazing on the beauty of the natural Sun Friend at this Ordinance if at any time of thy life view the beauty of this true Sun As Pilate when he had scourged him in such a bloody barbarous manner brings him forth to the Jews with Behold the man So when thou considerest the bread and wine Behold the man Behold the broken bruised Saviour A man without faith like the unbeleiving lord seeth the plenty but doth not eat of it There is a threefold act of Faith to be put forth at a Sacrament First Faith must look out for Christ Secondly Faith must look up to Christ for grace Thirdly Faith must take Christ down or receive
and so is the time the day Thou hast Gods hand and seal to the duties he commands thee to pray hear sing meditate receive the Sacrament and thou hast also Gods hand and seal to the day Acts 20.7 1 Cor. 16.2 Revel 1.10 It is considerable that in the fourth Command God doth not say Remember the seventh day to keep it holy but Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy this Zanchy takes great notice of further the seventh or a seventh is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God so then the morality of that Command is one day of even The Jews seventh day was buried in Christs grave though its shadow walked a little while after Take heed how thou observest this day Gods eye is very much upon thy behavior in his house therefore in the Tabernacle the place of publike worship it was commanded Ne putes te in domo Dei male posse conversari occultari Oleaster Exod. 25.37 Thou shalt make seven lamps and they shall light the lamps that they may give light to teach us that nothing there escapes his sight for in his house there is always light His eye beholds all thy commission of evil and all thine omission of good there In his Sanctuary thou canst not sin in secret there are seven Lamps to discover thy miscarriages in the Lords house and therefore it behoves thee to be very pious in that place Afterwards when the Temple was built and became heir to the Tabernacle as that succeeded this in the Celebration of Gods Worship so also in Gods observation of all the works done there Mine eye saith God shall be there perpetually 1 Kings 9.3 There is a threefold eye of God present in the Assemblies of his people 1. There is the eye of observation and inspection God seeth what uprightness and seriousness there is in thy prayers and performances God eyeth and takes notice what integrity and fervency thou hast in thy services and sacrifices Mine eyes are upon all their ways Jer. 16.17 Whether thou art praying or reading or hearing or singing his eye is upon thee and whether thou performest thy duties slothfully and sluggishly or dutifully and diligently he observeth thee His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men 2. There is the eye of favour and benediction Gods eye can convey a blessing as well as his hand I will set mine eyes upon them for good Amos 9.4 And Gods eye can speak his good will as well as his heart Mine eye and my heart shall be there that is in my house 2 Chron. 7.16 The affection of the breast is seen at the brows Mine eye shall be upon the faithful of the Land Psal 101.6 Gods eye is in his house to approve and bless thee if thou sanctifie him in Ordinances Friend keep the Lords Day with care and conscience perform thy duties with suitable graces and Gods eye will be upon thee thou shalt see his love in his pleasant and gracious looks Jesus Christ beholds and approves the gracious performances of his people he seems to say to them as Paul to the Colossians Though I am absent from you in the flesh yet am I present with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your order Col. 2.15 3. There is the eye of fury and indignation Gods looks will speak his anger as well as his blows His fury is visible by his frowns Mine eyes shall be upon them for evil Gods sight can wound as deeply as his Sword Job speaks of him He sharpneth his eyes upon me Job 16.9 Wilde Beasts when they fight whet their eyes as well as their teeth An Enemy enraged looks on his Antagonist as if he would look through him He sharpneth his eyes upon me as if he would stab me to the heart with a glance of his eye so an Expositor glosseth on it If thou wait on God irreverently Worship him carelesly and prophanest his Day either by Corporal labour or Spiritual idleness thou mayest not expect his eye of favour but of fury If ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath then will I kindle a fire which shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and none shall quench it Jerem. 17. ult Ezek. 22.26 31. Gods severity hath been remarkable on the Prophaners of his Sabbath The first blow given the German Churches was on the Lords Day which they carelesly observed on that day Prague was lost When men disturb Gods rest God doth usually deprive them of rest The day of the Lord is like to be a dreadful day to them that despise the Lords Day Truly God is as jealous in his Courts under the Gospel as he was under the Law Christ whose eyes are as a flame of fire walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks throughout the World He observes how holy duties are performed and how his holy day is sanctified When two or three are gathered together in his name he is in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 He is in the midst of us to behold our inward and outward carriage in his Courts he observeth in praying what confessions are made of sin with what confusion of face and contrition of heart what petitions are put up for grace and pardon with what integrity of spirit and fervency of affection He observeth in hearing whether men hear with attention sutable to that word which is able to save their souls whether men receive the truth in the love of it whether they resolve on subjection and to give themselves up to that form of Doctrine which is given down to them or whether men hear Sermons as Children turn over books meerly for the gays that are in them He goeth down into the garden of Nuts to see the fruits of the Valley Cant. 6.11 He seeth the rotten bough of Hypocrisie the leaves of profession without the fruits of an answerable conversation He seeth all thine unripe sowre indigested duties Reader If I were to counsel thee how to spend a Market day so that thou mightest gain much wealth and treasure I doubt not but thou wouldst hearken to me I am now to advise thee how to spend the Lords day the Market day for thy soul so that thou mayst get the true treasure durable riches and righteousness I pray thee to hear and obey the directions which I have to deliver thee from the Lord for that end First Make preparation for the day There is scarce any work which admits of any considerable perfection but require some previous preparation In works of nature the ground must be dunged dressed plowed harrowed and all to prepare it for the seed In works of Art the Musitian tuneth his Viol screwing up some of his strings higher letting some down lower as occasion is and all to prepare it for his lesson and indeed without this he would make but sad Mâ—sick Truely Friend thus it is with us in matters of higher moment hearts like soil must be prepared for the seed of the Word how
many a Sermon hath been lost because this was wanting and the Viols of our souls must be tuned to praise God or otherwise they will sound but harshly in his ears The Priests were to wash in the Laver when they went into the Tabernacle and when they came near to the Altar to Minister upon pain of death Exod. 30.19 20. Signifying that to holy performances there is required holy prepartion Sutable to which is Davids speech I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compass thine Altar Psa 26. When the Temple was to be built the stones were hewn and the timber squared and fitted before they were brought to the place where the Temple stood there was neither ax nor hammer nor any use of them in the Temple And what doth this speak but that the Christian must be pollished and prepared to be a spiritual Temple an habitation for the God of Jacob and also fitted for his worship which was then in the Temple There is no duty but requires some previous dispositi on A little break-fast quickens the appetite to a good dinner duty fits the heart for duty Consider prayer The Christian must be poor in spirit that would prevail in prayer for spiritual riches The vessel must be empty before it can be fil'd O Lord thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Psa 10.17 for hearing the weeds must be pluckt up before the grain be thrown into the ground Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and Hypocrisies As new born born babes desire the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.1 2. In singing the lungs must be good the inwards clean before the voice will be sweet and clear O God my heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psa 57.7 So for the Lords day the Israelites had their preparation It was the preparation that is the day before the Sabbath Mark 15.42 The preparation for the Lords day consisteth partly in care so to order Worldly businesses that they may not incroach on the Sabbath Some expositours observe that the word Remember in the fourth Command enjoyneth a provident foresight and diligent dispatch of earthly affairs on the day before that nothing may remain to disquiet us in or disturb Gods day of rest There is an observable place If thou keep thy foot from my Sabbath Isa 58.13 that is from treading on my holy ground with the dirty feet of earthly affairs or affections The Jews preparation began at three of the clock in the afternoon Inritibus Pagan which the Hebrews called the Sabbath Eve The antient Fathers called Caena pura from the Heathen say some whose Religion taught them in their Sacrifices to certain of their Gods to prepare themselves by a strict kind of holiness at which time they had a Supper consisting of meats holy in their opinion The Jews were so careful in their preparation Buxtoâ—â— Syna gog Iud. c. 10. extalmâ—d that saith mine Author to further it the best and wealthiest of them even those that had many servants and were Masters of Families would chop hearbs sweep the house cleave wood kindle the fire and do such like things The marriner that intendeth a voyage putteth his Ship off from Land so truly Friend if thou woulst lanch Heaven-ward upon a Lords day there is a necessity that the Vessel of thy heart be put off from the earth When our blessed Saviour was teaching the people he was disturbed by one that told him Behold thy Mother and thy brethren standwithout desiring to speak with thee Mat. 12.47 So when thou art hearing or praying or about any Religious Ordinance what an hinderance what a disturbance will it be for thy heart to suggest to thee Man thy calling thy companions or such and such things which lye upon the spoil through thy negligence in the week-days they all stand without desiring to speak with thee If thou wouldst avoid distraction prevent the occasions As Isaiah said to Hezekiah Set thine house in order against thy deaths day So I say to thee Set thy house in order and thy heart in order against the Lords day The main preparation of the heart for a Sabbath lyeth in removing the filth of Sin Accedentiad divina mysteria deique contemplationem deponenda sunt calceamenta i.e. passiones affectiones simul rationes humanae terrenae Cor. a Lapid in Exod 3. and in quickening and awakening grace sin must be removed If the stomach be foul it must be purged before it be fed or the meat will nourish and strengthen not nature but the ill humours If a man purge himself from these It is true of evil affections as well as evil persons he shall be a Vesselunto honor sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 2 Tim. 2.21 Superfluity of naughtiness must be laid aside before we can receive the word with meekness James 1.21 When the Vessel is unclean it sowres quickly the sweetest liquors powred into it when the heart is unclean it loseth the good it might receive by the truths of God As sin must be cast out so grace must be called up Grace is like fire apt to be deadish and dull thy duty is before-hand therefore to blow it up Most people upon a Sabbath adorn their bodies with their best cloaths but Alass who almost attireth his soul as he ought on this day when he is going to meet the blessed Redeemer Reader Suppose thou wert a person of great quality and estate and the King should send thee word that he would dine with thee to morrow what preparation wouldst thou make for his entertainment would not thy first work be to cleanse thy house by causing the dust to be swept out the flores to be washt nay rubd every thing to be neat and cleanly Wouldst thou not put up thy choicest Hangings lay on thy richest Carpets bring out thy best plate adorn thy room with thy costliest furniture endeavour that all things should be in print somwhat suitable to the dignity of so great a Prince I tell thee that the great King of all the World doth give thee notice in his Word that on such a day being the Sabbath he intends to sup with thee Now friend what preparation wilt thou make to testifie thy respect to this blessed and onely Potentate Canst thou beforehand do less then sweep out the dust of sin and wash the room of thine heart clean adorn it with the best furniture the Graces the embroidery of the Holy Ghost Truly unless this be done Christ will not think himself welcome nay all thy pretended entertainment of him will be not onely infinitely unworthy of but also provoking to so jealous and glorious a Prince Believe it thy profit by a Sabbath depends not a little upon thy preparation for the Sabbath till the matter be prepared how can it receive the form Job 11.12 13. Thou hast enjoyed many Lords
Days and it may be got little soul-saving good Thou goest to the House of God where a table in the preaching of the Gospel is set before thee spread with all the dainties of Pardon Love Grace Peace and Eternal Life at which others sit and feed their Souls are fill'd with Marrow and Fatness and their mouthes praise the Lord with joyful lips but thou hast no stomack canst eat little and savour nothing I dare be the Physician to tell thee the cause cure of this the cause is Thy stomack is foul thy heart is unclean and therefore as a man that hath a cold or some disease predominant cannot rellish his meat but complains sometimes of the meat sometime of the Cook when the fault is in himself so thou canst taste no goodness in the best meat neither Prayer nor Scripture neither Sermon nor Sabbath are savoury to thee yet it may be thou blamest the Preacher he doth not dress the meat to thy mind when the fault is in the foulness of thy affections Thy cure must be to purge out this old leaven to take some pains beforehand in cleansing thy heart When the stomack is clean as after purging or fasting how sweet is a piece of bread So if thou wouldst but in secret search thy soul vomit up thy filth by a penitent confession cleanse thine heart by sincere contribution and wouldst then frequent the publique Ordinances thou wouldst finde prayer sweet preaching sweet the Sacrament sweet every service sweet O how wouldst thou love the habitation of Gods House and the place where his honor dwelleth Prepare to meet thy God O Christian betake thy self to thy chamber on the Saturday night confess and bewail thine unthankfulness for and unfruitfulness under the Ordinances of God shame and condemn thy self for thy sins entreat God to prepare thy heart for and assist it in thy Religious performances spend some time in consideration of the infinite Majestie Holiness Jealousie and Goodness of that God with whom thou art to have to do in sacred duties ponder the weight and importance of his holy Ordinances how they concern thy salvation or damnation thine everlasting life or death how certainly they will either further thine unchangeable welfare or encrease thine endless wo meditate on the shortness of the time thou hast to enjoy Sabbaths in how near thy life may be to an end how speedily and how easily God may take down thine earthly Tabernacle how there is no working no labouring no striving in the other World to which thou art hastning and continue musing and blowing till the fire burneth thou canst not think the good thou mayest gain by such fore-thoughts how pleasant and profitable a Lords Day would be to thee after such a preparation The oven of thine heart thus baked in as it were over night would be easily heated the next morning the fire so well raked up when thou wentest to bed would be the sooner kindled when thou shouldst rise If thou wouldst thus leave thine heart with God on the Saturday night thou shouldst finde it with him in the Lords Day morning Secondly Possess thy soul in the morning with the greatness of thy priviledge in the enjoyment of a Sabbath and such seasons of grace Look upon thy work that day as thy reward thy duty on that day as thy greatest Dignity O what a favour what an honor what happiness doth God vouchsafe to thee in affording thee such a golden season David though a King the Head of the best people in the World esteemed it an honor to be the lowest Officer in Gods House to be a Door-keeper there to fit at the threshold as it is in the Hebrew Psal 84.10 If the Queen of Sheba could say when she saw the wealth and heard the wisdom of Solomon Happy are these thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom and blessed be the Lord God of Israel which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee King 1 Kings 10.8 9. mayest not thou when thou beholdest the beautiful face of thy Saviour in the glass of Ordinances and hearest the sweet delightful voyce of Jesus Christ a greater then Solomon when thou seest the delicate and plentiful provision the feast of fat things of wine on the lees well refined which he makes for his people upon better ground say Blessed are thy servants that hear thee daily watching at thy gates waiting at the posts of thy doors Prov. 8.34 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praising thee And blessed be the Lord God of Israel which delighted in thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel because he loved Israel for ever therefore hath he made thee King The Ordinances of God are called an appearing before God the fruition of them is a seeing his face Capernaum because of them was said to be lifted up to Heaven Who can tell what honor it is to appear in the presence of this King or what happiness it is to see his comely countenance Those that enjoy this are lifted up to Heaven Israel was an unparallel'd people because of this incomparable priviledge For what Nation is there so great which hath God so nigh unto them Deut. 4.7 In the Ordinances of God the Christian hath sweet communion with ravishing delight in and enflamed affection to the blessed God in them he tastes God to be gracious hath the First-fruits of his Glorious and Eternal Harvest Well might the French Protestants call their place of publique meeting Paradise Well might David cry out Psal 84.1 2. 27.4 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts At the Tabernacle God did meet David Who can tell what joyful greeting there was at that holy meeting what sweet kisses what loving embraces God gave his soul As the Ordinances are Heaven in a glass so the Lords Day is Heaven in a map This is to be valued at an high rate because therein we enjoy all the means of communion with God in the highest degree and measure without interruption The Hebrews call thee Week days prophane days but this is an holy pious day The Greeks call them working days but this is a day of sweet rest Other days are common and ordinary handmaids but this is fitly termed by the Jews the Queen of days Many Daughters have done wisely but thou hast excelled them all Many days as Lecture-days Fast-days Thanksgiving-days have done vertuously have done valiantly but thou O Queen of days hast excelled them all They like Saul have slain their thousands of Spiritual Enemies but thou hast slain as David thy ten thousands They like the people must worship afar off but thou like Moses mayest draw near go up into the mount There is none like thee whom God knoweth face to face Well may other days say to thee as the people to David Thou art
the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Open unto Christ when he knocketh at the door of thy heart with the finger of his Spirit Do not bid him come to morrow lest that morrow never come It s good we say to make Hay while the Sun shines for the Heavens may be cloudy It s good to embrace a present opportunity for time is bald behind thou canst not assure thy self of a second Sabbath Seasons of grace are not like Tides that a man may miss one and take another What Christ said of himself is true of Sabbaths The poor ye have always with you but me ye have not always Time thou hast always with thee while thou livest but the Sabbath thou hast not always Nay within a shorter time then thou imaginest God may deprive thee both of time and opportunity both of Week days and Lords days and if thou art now sleeping and snoring when thou should be waking and working what a cut will it be to thy heart to reflect upon the Sabbaths which thou hast had and lost enjoyed and mispent Jerusalem in the days of her affliction and of her misery remembred all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old Lam. 1.9 So Reader if thou shouldst neglect to improve Sabbaths now in the day of thy misery or rather in the everlasting night of thine affliction in hell thou wilt remember thy Sabbaths seasons of grace and all thy pleasant things which thou hadst in the days of old Good Lord what a rueful woful remembrance will it be to call to mind the means the mercies the helps which were afforded thee to have avoided Hell and attained Heaven and yet thou like a fool or rather a mad man didst dally about them and delay till the Market was done Now is the time for thee to accept of grace because now is the onely time that grace will accept of thee O that thou wouldst know in this thy day the things which concern thy peace before they be hid from thine eyes Fourrhly Esteem the publique Ordinances the chief work of the day and let thy secret and private duties be so managed that thy soul may be prepared for them and profited by them Duties in thy closet and family are of use and have their blessing but to put God off with these and neglect the publique Worship is to rob God of a greater sum to pay him a lesser The Sacrifice of the Jews on that day was double they offered Sacrifice in the Tabernacle besides their Lambs for the daily Sacrifice It is worthy our observation that the Sabbath and publique Service are by God himself joyned together and therefore let no man put them asunder Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord Lev. 19.30 They that despise Gods Sanctuary cannot observe Gods Sabbath Every thing is beautiful in its season Private duties are beautiful and in season every day but publique Ordinances are never so lovely and beautiful because never so much in their prime and season as on a Lords Day In publique Worship God receiveth the highest praises I will praise thee in the great Congregations Psal 29.9 In his Temple doth every one speak of his glory I had gone with the multitude to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Psal 42.4 The gracious God is pleased to esteem it his glory to have many Beggars thronging at the beautiful gate of his Temple for Spiritual and Corporal alms What an honor is it to our great Landlord that multitudes of Tenants flock together to his house to pay their rent of Thanks and Worship for their All which they hold of him How loud and lovely is the noise of many golden Trumpets Good Lord what an eccho do they make in Heavens ears Deus pluris facit preces in Ecclesia quam domi factas non ob locum sed ob considerationem multitudinis fidelium Deum communi consensu invo cantium Riv. in Cath. Orth. When many skilful Musicians play in consort with well-tuned and prepared Instruments the Musick cannot but be ravishing to God himself Methinks its a notable resemblance of the sweet melody which is made by the Celestial Quire above Psal 68.26 Bless ye God in the Congregation even the Lord from the fountain of Israel for he loveth the gates of Zion above all the dwellings of Jacob Psal 87.2 As in publique God receiveth the highest praises so there he bestoweth the richest mercies Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple Psal 65.4 Here is Davids Position and its proof His Position is That the Templer or Inhabitant in Gods House is an happy man Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy House The proof of it is from the quality and quantity of the provision which God makes for them that are of his Houshold For the quality of it it is not onely good but Goodness which word signifieth not onely the good will which God beareth to but all the good things which God bestoweth upon his people Pardon Peace Love Grace every good thing all good things are in the womb of that one word Goodness Gods provision for his people is beyond all their knowledge or apprehension There be four ordinary ways by which men come to the knowledge of good things either by hearing them immediately themselves or by hear-say from others or by the sight of the eyes or by discourse of Reason But from the beginning of the World men have not seen nor heard nor perceived by the ear nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath provided for them that love him 1 Cor. 2.9 Isa 64.4 The love discovered there is an unknown love the joy bestowed there is unspeakable joy All the costliest dainties prepared for Heavens Table the fulness of joy and pleasures for ever at Gods right hand are expressed by this one word Goodness Psal 31.19 So that the quality of the provision is beyond all exception it is Goodness For its quantity it is to satisfaction We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thy Holy Temple The Saint shall have enough of this luscious fare to content him Indeed the Christians full meal is reserved for him till he comes to eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven but here he hath enough to stay his stomach He is very well satisfied that his allowance in this World is sufficient God calls him in the other World to greater work and so will give him a greater allowance for suitable strength but God doth not in this World underkeep him He feeds proportionable to their employments nay to their satisfaction and contentment all
of curious colours delight the eyes variety of dainties are acceptable to the taste Nero promises rewards to them that invented new pleasures God hath for that purpose disht out his worship into several and various duties that it might be more pleasant to us Sometimes we speak to God sometimes we hear from God sometimes we are praying for supply of our necessities sometimes we are praysing him for his infinite excellencies sometimes our mouthes are open to sing sometimes our ears are open to hear the Sermon sometimes our eyes are open to see the Sacrament The same meat is drest several ways to make it the more welcome and so the more strengthning to us Hippocrates observes that that food which nature receives with delight though not so good in it self affords better nourishment then that which is more wholesome against which nature hath a reluctancy Reader thy delight and pleasure in the sacred Ordinances of the Lords day will help to make them more profitable to thee Some colours which do delight do also strengthen the sight Sixthly if thou wouldst make godliness thy business on a Lords day Let no duty satisfie without communion with God in it Ordinances are the Galleries and Gardens and for that end appointed wherein God and thy soul may walk together For this cause they are called a glass because therein the Christian beholds the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 As Zacheus climbed up to the Sycamore Tree to see Jesus and when he once had a sight of him he came down joyfully so go thou up into the Trees of duties for this purpose that thou mayst see God in Christ and unless this be granted thee come down sorrowfully When men go to meet a friend at a certain place and they miss him how discontentedly do they go away Alas what are the Ordinances without God but as a Table without meat from which a living soul must needs depart thirsty and hungry David loved the habitation of Gods house but it was because it was the place where Gods honour dwelt Psa 27. David longed for the courts of God more then for his Crown relations or possessions or any outward comforts but it was because God afforded there his gracious presence Gods glorious presence is in his Church Triumphant but he is graciously present in his Church Militant My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh eryeth out for the living God Psa 84.2 His desire was as eager and earnest as of a longing woman with child who is ready to faint away and dye if she be not satisfied Sometimes he compares his desire to thirst of which creatures are more impatient then hunger Psa 63.1 Sometimes to the thirst of an Hart after the water-brooks which creature being naturally hot and dry in a very great degree is exceeding thirsty but the object of his desire of his thirst was God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God O when shall I come and appear before him Psa 42.1 2. To see thy beauty and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary It was communion with God in his life and love in his graces and comforts which the Psalmist so much longed for The sweet smiles of Gods face the honey dews of his Spirit were Davids Paradise of pleasure his heaven upon earth They that come to duty meerly for duty know not what it meanes to meet with God and therefore though they neither see his face nor hear his voice yet are contented like those that were born in some dark Dungeon and never yet saw the Sun they are well enough satisfied without it but those who have seen it and know that that light is pleasant if they look up to the heaven of Ordinances see not the Sun of righteousness it s no longer day with them The true Disciples met together the first day of the week and enjoying Jesus among them rejoyced indeed but they are onely glad in duties when they had seen the Lord John 20.20 They were glad when they had seen the Lord. Reader when thou goest to the Ordinances of God go to meet God in the Ordinances As Moses go up into the Mount of duties to converse with thy Maker Go to view the beauty of his face when thou enquirest into his holy Temple When thou goest to prayer let it be in hope to get thy heart nearer to heaven When thou goest to hear mind communion with him that speaks from heaven and then onely rejoyce in the word when as the star to the wise men leads thee to the place where Christ is It is God in the Word which causeth efficacy it is God in prayer who causeth prevalency it is God in the Sacrament who causeth alacrity it is God in a Sabbath who causeth complacency When thou goest to the waters of the Sanctuary say as Elisha at the waters of Jordan Where is the Lord God of Elijah Where is the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ Why is thy Chariot O Son of righteousness so long a comming Why tarry what clogs the wheels of thy Chariot O when wilt thou come unto me Psa 101.2 When thou comest from the Ordinances and hast not met God in them though thou hast shewed never so great parts or gifts or outward devotion say as Absolom All this avails me nothing so long as I may not see the Kings face 1 Sam. 28 15. Saul himself was sad and sorrowful when he enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him not and canst thou O Saint be joyful when thy beloved hath withdrawn himself Look upon performances as boats to ferry thy soul over and give it a passage to God and take heed of going contentedly from God without God Psa 43.3 4. let thy prayer be O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me to thy holy hill to thy Tabernacle then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy Seventhly Sanctifie the whole day to Gods service Be early up in the morning and as late as thy body will permit at night The Israelites when they were to batter down the strong holds of Jericho rose up early in the morning Judg. 6.15 Upon the Lords day thy work must be to batter down the strong holds of sin rise early lose no time Do not lose the least moment if it be possible of this sacred day The very filings of Gold are of worth The smallest part of this holy day is of great price The word Shamur to keep the Sabbath Lev. 19.30 signifieth to keep with care and diligence as a great treasure of which a man would lose none When men beat Ginger they will if good Husbands be careful that little fly out of the Mortar but if they beat pearl they are extraordinary watchful that not the least of that be lost because a little of that is of great value Reader if thou
my meditation all the day Psa 119. The reason why some men profit so little by the word is want of meditation If a man eat his food and as soon as it is in his stomach vomit it up again it is no wonder if he get little strength by it or if he pine and consume away Truly if Sermons enter in at one ear and out at the other making no stay with thee I shall not marvail if they work no change in thee CHAP. XXII Brief Directions for the Sanctification of the Lords day from morning to night REader beside those general directions which I have largely insisted on I shall annex here some short directions how thou mayst spend a Lords day from the begining to the end of it as may be most for the honour of God and the furthering thine own everlasting good 1. Be sure thou takest some paines with thy heart the afternoon or evening at least before to prepare thy soul for the ensuing Sabbath As our whole life should be a preparation for death yet the nearer we draw to the night of our dissolution the more gloriously as the setting Sun we should shine with holiness so in the whole Week we should be preparing for the Lords day but the more the day doth approach the more our preparation must increase The bigger the Vessel is the more Water may be carried from the Fountain According to the measure of the Sacks which the Patriarchs carried to Joseph so were they filled with Corn by Joseph preparation doth not onely fit the heart for grace but also widen the heart that it may receive much of the Spirit of God Some Servants when they are to bake in the Morning put their Wood in the Oven over night and thereby it burneth both the sooner and the better Men make much the more riddance of their work who being to travail a great journey load their Carts or put up their things and lay them ready over night If thou art a Christian thy experience will tell thee that after thou hast on a Saturday called thy self to account for thy carriage on the foregoing Week bewailed thy miscarriages before the Lord in particular thy playing the Truant on former Lords days when thou shouldst have been learning those Lessons which Christ hath set thee in his Law and hast been earnest with God for pardon of thy sins and a sanctified improvement of the approaching Sabbath I say thy experience cannot but teach thee that thy profit after such preparation will make thee abundant amends for thy pains and that thou hast the best visits the sweetest kisses when thy lips thy heart are thus made clean beforehand 2. If the weakness of thy body do not hinder rise earlier on the Lords day then ordinary When the Israelites were encompassing Jericho on the seventh day they rose early in the morning and according to many Expositors it was on the Sabbath day the walls of Jericho fell down Josh 6.15 One main work which thou hast to do on a Lords day is to batter down the strong holds of sin to conquer those Canaanites which would keep thee out of the promised land do thou rise early for this end He that riseth and setteth out early goeth a considerable part of his way before others awake It s sordid to lie lazing and to turn upon thy bed as a door on the hinges and never the farther off upon any day butmost sad and sinfull on a Lords day 3. When thou first awakest turn up thy heart to God in praise for his protection the night past for the light of another day especially of his own day and in Prayer for the light of his countenance and for assistance in every duty and his direction throughout the day As thou art rising if no other more profitable Subject offer it selfe to thy thoughts Meditate how the night is spent the day is at hand it concerneth thee therefore to put off the works of darkness and to put on the armor of light When thou thinkest on the nakedness of thy body how unseemly it would be for thee to walk up and down without raiment do not forget the nakedness of thy soul by sin and how uncomely thou art in the sight of God without the robes of Christs righteousness and the graces of the Holy Ghost 4. When thou art drest let nothing hinder thee from thy secret devotion When thou art in thy closet consider of the price which God hath put into thy hand the value and worth of a Lords day the weight and concernment of the duties therein and the account thou art ere long to give for every Sabbath and season of grace These thoughts as heavy weights on a clock would make thee move more swiftly in the work of the day After some time spent in meditation in some short yet reverent and hearty petitions intreat Gods help in the present and subsequent duties of the day After which read some portion of the Scripture and pour out thy soul in prayer Get thy heart effectually possessed with this truth That God must work his own work in thee and for thee or it will never be done that as the Spirit moved on the waters at first and then the living creatures were formed so the Spirit must move upon the waters of Ordinances before they can produce or increase spirituall life Hereby thou wilt be stirred up to more fervent supplication for and more importunate expectation of help from heaven In thy prayers remember all the assemblies of the Saints that they may see Gods beauty power and glory as they have sometimes beheld them in his sanctuary Intreat God to cloath his ordinances with his own strength that they may be mighty through him for the bringing in and building up many souls In speciall when thou art at prayer think of the Preachers of the Gospel Conceive that thou hearest every one of them speaking to thee as Paul to his Romans I beseech thee for the Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me Rom. 15.30 Their work is of infinite weight it is God-work Soul-work Temple-work Not one of them but may say with Nehemiah on a Lords day upon much greater reason O I am doing a great work Nehem. 6.3 Their opposition is great The Devill will do what may be to hinder them the world hates them their own hearts will distub them Their strength is small their graces are weak Alas what can they do O therefore pray for them 5. After thy secret duties thou mayst if nature require refresh thy body with convenient food Thy God alloweth thee to cherish though not to overcharge thy outward man I shall speak to thy carriage about eating and drinking in the twenty third chapter and therefore omit it here Vide Family duties in Cap. 27 6. In the next place it will be fit that thou call thy family together and
enter upon family duties Namely to read the word of God to call upon the name of God and to sing to the prayse of God 7. Let as many of thy family as can convâ—â—â—enny be spared accompany thee to publick Ordinances Vide more of this in Cap. 27. Remember the command Thou thy Son thy daughter thy man-servant and maid-servant and all within thy gate Do not pamper their bodies and starve the souls of thy houshold It is Recorded of Dr. Chaterton Mr. of Emannel Colledge that he never caused any of his Servants to stay at home on a Lords day barely to dress meat be able to say with Cornelins who feared the Lord with all his house we are all here present before God 8. As thou art going to the place of publique Ordinances consider with thy self that thou art going to converse not with men but with God even with that God who searcheth the heart who will not be mocked and who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity that thou mayst hereby be quickened unto uprightness and seriousness and to dart up some ejaculatory prayer to God for aid and assistance 9. In every part of publique worship carry thy self with reverence humility love faith and sincerity Hear sing pray receive the Sacrament as one that doth all in Gods sight as one that is working for his immortal soul and as one that within a few days shall enter the gates of death and never have a season more for such sacred duties Depart not from the Church till all be done In a Court of civil Judicature thou willt stay till the Court riseth If thou wouldst have Gods blessing with thee do not leave it behind thâ—â—â—â— As thou comest from the Church meditate on what thou hast heard chew that meat which the Minister hath put into thy mouth thereby thou mayst get much spiritual nourishment 10. When thou art come home usually let nothing hinder from prayer either in thy family or closet wherein I would advise thee to turn the heads of the Sermon and Chapters read into Petitions as also to beg pardon of thy wandrings in the Worship of God and beseech him who with his own hand wrote the Law in two Tables that he would write the word Read and Preached in the Tables of thine heart 11. At Dinner take heed of excess whereby thy body will be unfitted to serve thy soul yet do not pinch or punish thy body because the day is a day of joy and delight I would wish thee to watch thy heart and tongue all the day long but especially at meals that thou mayst not think thine own thoughts nor speak thine own words If thy self or others start any unseasonable or earthly discourse at Table give conscience leave to speak to thee as Judas to the Apostles What needeth this wast What needeth this wast of precious time of so rich a treasure as every part of this day is Let the first dish at Table be Gods I mean when a blessing is desired let presently some savory discourse be offered hereby fin may be prevented The Jews had two notable defeats on the Sabbath day because they would not defend themselves Iosephus l. 12. c. 8. l. 14 c 8 the first defeat was by Antiochus the second by Pompey the Great Reader if thou wouldst not have Satan to foil thee on a Lords day keep a strict watch over thy thoughts words and works After Dinner as time will give leave either Sing or Pray with thy family or repeat what thou hast heard or busie thy self in Godly conference chiefly about what was Read or Preached that morning 12. Neglect not afternoon Ordinances Some Persons are like some Physitians Fore-noon men they must be sought to in the morning onely if you would find them about Religious duties Friend If thy soul ever met thy Saviour in publique duties thou canst not but love and prize them at an high rate In the close of the day sometimes God sendeth in the cheif blessing of the day A Sabbath Tide hath brought in many a good draught of Fish Be present at serious in publique Ordinances As an error in the first concoction can never be mended in the second so an error or carelesness in publique cannot be mended by carefulness in private 13. When thou returnest from publique Ordinances take some time to meditate on the word or Works of God thou mayst read over the eighth particular in the twenty one Chapter to help thee therein 14. Do not lessen thy secret or private duties on that day let them rather be increased then diminished The Offerings under the Gospel were Prophesied to be greater then under the Law Under the Law one Lamb was to be offered Under the Gospel six Lambs Numb 28. Ezek. 46. 15. Call thy Children and Servants to account what they have learned that day and explain what they understand not hereby thou wilt benefit both thy self and others Chemnitius observeth that our blessed Saviour in the 4. of Mark and 14. of Luke Examen de dieb fest after he had instructed the people as a publique Preacher on the Sabbath day did examine and teach his Apostles as a private Master of a Family 16. At Evening Sing Pray and if thou canst repeat the heads at least of both the Sermons Plutarch reporteth of a River which runneth sweet in the morning and bitter at night Let it not be said of thee that thy Morning was like Nebuchadnezzars Image of Gold and thy evening like the feet of it of clay 17. Before thou goest to rest examine thy self what thou hast got or lost that day Reflect upon the carriage of thy heart in the several duties as also what welcome thou hadst at the Throne of grace what covered dishes were brought thee by the spirit from Gods own Table that accordingly thou mayst beg pardon or return praise If thou hast been melted with Gods affection obtained any strength against thy corruptions or received any degree of grace take heed of ascribing the glory to thy self In Justinians law it was decreed That no Work-man should set up his name within the body of that building which he made out of another mans cost If thou didst pray or hear or sing or read or meditate with any life or delight seriousness or sincerity in any measure agreeable to his Word and Will all was from God there was not a stone used by thee towards this spiritual building but it was taken out of his Quarrey As he is the Author so let him have the honour 18. Be watchful over thy self at the latter end of the day with all imaginable circumspection that the last part of the day may be the best part of the day Some Souldiers prevail in the day but lose all again at night because they are slothful when their Quarters are beaten up by their Enemies Some lose at night what they got in the day like Hannibal they know how to obtain a
Victory but not to improve a Victory Usually the Evenings are cold though the days are hot 19. As Oratours at the close of their speech use all their Art and Skill to move the affections of their Auditors so at the close of the Lords day put forth all thy grace and spiritual strength to prevail with God for a blessing Say of the Sabbath as Jacob to the Angel I will not let the go without a blessing 20. Labour to keep the influence of Lords day Ordinances warm upon thy spirit all the week after let not thy devotion pass away with the day Some Children when they put on new Shooes on a Sabbath are very careful to keep them clean are unwilling to set their feet to the ground for fear of dirt but in the week days will run up to the Ankles in Water or Mire O let not childrens play be thy earnest but endeavour that thy practices in secret and private in thy calling and in all companies on the Week days may be answerable to the great priviledges which thou didst enjoy and the grace which thou didst receive on the Lords day A good wish about the Lords day wherein the former heads are Epitomized THe first day of the Week being of divine institution The Introduction and Baptized by God himself with that Honorable name of the Lords day partly in regard of its Author This is the day which the Lords hath made partly in regard of the blessed Redeemer who rose that day and Triumphed over the Grave the Devil the Curse of the Law and Hell it being a day Sanctified for the glory of my Saviour of which I may say as of Jacob The Lord hath chosen it to himself for his peculiar Treasure Psa 135.4 and a day set apart for the spiritual and eternal good of my precious soul wherein I may enjoy communion with my God in all his Ordinances without interruption I wish in general that as the Spirit may be in me in the week days so that I may be in the Spirit on the Lords day filled therewith and enabled thereby to have my conversation all the day long in Heaven O that my care in fitting my soul for it my holy carriage at it and my sutable conversation after it may testifie that I had rather be a Door-keeper in the House of my God then to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness and that I esteem one day in his Courts better then a thousand else-where I wish in particular that I may prepare for it Preparation as for a Wedding day wherein Christ and my soul are to be espoused together and to that end before it cometh may be careful so to order my earthly affairs that they may not incroach upon this Holy ground and so open the door of my heart and adorn it with spiritual excellencies that the King of Glory may enter in and think himself a welcome Guest in my soul O that I might never give my God cause to complain of me as once of the Jews Your Sabbaths and solemn feasts I cannot away with for your hands are defiled As Nehemiah shut the Gates of the City that no burdens might be carried in on the Sabbath day so let me secure the Gate of my heart that no Worldly things may disturb me in Sabbath duties O let me not like Martha be careful and troubled about many things but on this day especially sit at Christs feet mind the one thing necessary and chuse the good part which shall never be taken from me I wish that I may long more for it then ever a Bride-groom did for his Bride that when it is come in I may bid it heartily Welcome and that as my Saviour rose early that morning to justifie me so I may rise early on this day to glorifie him I desire that this holy day may be an high day in my account both because the Lord of the Sabbath hath separated it to sacred uses and because it is the day of his resurrection whence so much good cometh to my soul Esteem the day as a priviledge By his passion he layd down the price of my redemption but by his rising again the Judge of Quick and dead sending his officer an Angel to roul away the stone open the prison door and let him out he manifesteth to the world that the debt is discharged and the law fully saatisfied O of what value should this day be to me My Redeemers humiliation indeed was like Josephs imprisonment but his delivery out of the grave like Josephs enlargement and preferment whereby he came into a capacity to advance and enrich all his relations I pray that I may look on this day as a special season to sow to the spirit in and improve it accordingly A price to get and increase grace I believe that my God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name or spends his day in vain O let me not like a foolish child play by that candle which is set up for me to work by lest I go to the bed of my grave in the dark of sin and sorrow Publique Ordiuances to be esteemed the chiefest work of the day I wish that I may not neglect either secret or family duties on this sacred day but yet that I may so perform them that they may be helps not hinderances to publique Ordinances that since God loveth the gates of Sion above all the the dwellings of Jacob I may set an high price upon and have an ardent love to the habitation of Gods house and the place where his honor dwelleth Delight in it that as a true child of my heavenly Father I may love most and like best that milk which is warm from the breasts of publick ordinances I wish that I may call the Lords day my delight it being a day wherein I enter into the suburbs of the holy City and begin that work of praysing pleasing and enjoying my God which I hope to be employed in to eternity that it may be my meat and drink to do the Will of my God O that I might so savour the things of the Spirit and so taste the Lord to be gracious that love may be the Loadston to draw me to my closet family and to Church and season every service I am called to upon the Sabbath Sanctifie the whole day Because every part of this day is of great price more worth then a whole World I desire that not the least moment of it may be squandred away but as the Disciples after the miracle of loaves I may gather up with care and conscience the smallest fragments that nothing be lost My God giveth me good measure heaped up pressed down shaken together and running over why should I be niggardly to him to my self indeed for it is my profit not his when he is so liberal so bountiful to me I wish in regard the blessed God is not onely the Master Communion
of God in Ordinances but also the Marrow of his day that no Lords day may satisfie me without the Lord of the day Alass what is the best time without the Rock of eternity what is the best day without the Ancient of days what are the Ordinances of God without the God of Ordinances what are Sabbaths Sermons Sacraments and Seasons of Grace without the dearest Saviour but as broken Cisterns glorious Dreams or guilded nothings I have read of a good soul who answered his Friend Speak to me while you will no words can satisfie except you mention Christ write to me what you will it will not satisfie except in your Letters I may read Christ O that in no Sermon I might be contented till I hear Christ and that in no Chapter I might be pleased till I can read Christ that as the Needle touched with the Load-stone never resteth till it turn to the North so my heart may be reâ—â— less in holy duties till it turneth to and hath fellowship with the Lord of Heaven The Lords day is an excellent resemblance of my future blessedness wherein I shall enjoy my Saviour fully and my God shall be all in all to me Lord let never this day pass without some taste of those celestial pleasures Meditation on the Works and Word of my God being a duty most in its prime and season on a Sabbath day I beg that what time I spare from publique private or secret performances I may imploy to this purpose that I may behold my God to be infinite in wisdom power and goodness in his foot-steps of creation and stand amazed at that rare Workmanship those curious contrivances of his which Angels look into with admiration that appear in his Master-peice that work of Redemption and for his word let my heart be able to say with David O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day I wish that I may watch over my thoughts words Watchfulness and actions all the day long in special that as when the holy things belonging to the Sanctuary were to be removed they were covered all over lest any dust should soil them so I may cover my heart with such circumspection that no dust of sin may cleave to it O that I might be so wise and watchful that there may not be the least minute of the day wherein I may not either do or receive some good Lord let no Sabbath pass without some saving good to my precious soul I desire Finally Conclusion of the day that I may not lose the heat of the day in the cool of the Evening I mean that what good If gain from my God through his Ordinances in the day may not be lost by my negligence at night but that as a wise Commander I may then double my Guard and expect with much importunity some evening dews of comfort and grace O that I might so keep the Sabbath of my God chuse the things that please him and take hold of his Covenant that I might so turn away my foot from the Sabbath from doing my pleasure on his holy day Is 56.4 5. and 58.13 and call the Sabbath my delight the holy of the Lord that I may have with the Eunuch within the House of my God a name better then of Sons and Daughters even an everlasting name that shall not be cut off Amen A Good Wish to the Lords day HAil thou that art highly favoured of God Luk. 1.28 thou map of Heaven thou golden spot of the week thou Market-day of souls thou Day-break of eternal brightness thou Queen of days the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among days I may say to thee what the Angel said to Daniel Dan. 9.23 O day greatly beloved Psa 45. Thou art fairer then all the Children of time grace is poured into thy lips God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of gladness above thy fellows Of the Jewish Sabbaths and other Festivals in comparison of thee it may be spoken They perish but thou remainest and they all wax old as a Garment Heb. 1.11 12. And as a vesture hast thou folded them up and they are changed but thou shalt maugre the malice of men and Devils continue the same and thy years shall not fail As the Temple succeeded and exceeded the Tabernacle this was fleeting that was fixed so dost thou all former Sabbaths they were but morning stars to usher in thee the Sun and then to disappear Other Festivals in all their Royalty are not arrayed like unto thee All the graces triumph in thee all the Ordinances conspire to enrich thee the Father ruleth thee the Son rose upon thee the Spirit hath overshadowed thee Thus is it done to the day which the King of Heaven delighteth to honour Thou hast not onely a common blessing with other days by the law of nature but a special blessing above all other days from the love of thy Maker Let thousands mark thee for their new birth-day Exod. 12.42 be thou a day as it was said of that night to the Jews much to be Remembred much to be observed to the Lord for bringing many out of worse then Egyptian bondage Esther 8.16 be thou to them a day of light and gladness of joy and honour and a good day On thee light was created the Holy Ghost descended life hath been restored Satan subdued sin mortified souls sanctified the Grave Death and Hell conquered O how do men and women flutter up and down on the Week-days as the Dove on the waters and can find no rest for their souls till they come to thee their Ark till thou put forth thy hand and take them in O how do they sit under thy shadow with great delight and find thy fruit sweet to their taste O the mountings of mind the ravishing happiness of heart the solace of soul which on thee they enjoy in the blessed Saviour They are sorry when the days shorten for thy sake they wish for thee before thou comest they welcome thee when thou art come and they enjoy so much of heaven in thee that thence they love and look and long the more for their eternal Sabbath Go forth O thou fairest among Women and be thou fruitful in bringing forth Children to thy Maker and Husband Gen. 24.60 Be thou the Mother of thousands and of millions and let thy seed possess the Gate of them that hate them Do thou like Rachel and Leah build up the House of Israel do thou worthily in Ephratah and be thou famous in Bethlehem Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O thou mighty and gracious day and in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of meekness righteousness and truth let thy right hand teach the terrible things let thine arrows be sharp in the hearts spiritual enemies whereby the people may fall under thee Psa 132. The Lord hath chosen thee he hath desired thee for his habitation
in their journey The feast which Moses made for his Father in Law and the Elders of Israel is called bread Exod 18.11 So also the entertainment of Christ at the House of one of the chief of the Pharisees Luk. 14.1 2. and the daily fare of the Disciples Acts 2.46 47. Elijah could be content with a Raven for his Cook Daniel sed and thrived upon Pulse he looked fairer by it then those that did eat of the Kings fare Brown bread and the Gospel are good chear said the Martyr John the Baptist could live upon locusts and wild hony The Apostles had some ears of Corn for a Sabbath days Dinner Though God is pleased out of mercy to afford us better provision yet our work must be to mind moderation O how great a curse is it for thee like Cham to be a servant of servants a servant to thy belly which should be a Servant to thee Thy soul in such a body is but a bright Candle in a greasie Lanthorn How much was that speech below a rational creature which Philoxenus uttered I wish that I had the throat of a Crane that the pleasure of my tast might last the longer The Spider is little else save belly but she is full of poison Besides it will be a poor account which such men can give for their expences this way at the great day God give thus our wealth for necessaries conveniencies and moderate delight not for prodigality and luxury Heliogabalus made whole meals of the tongues of Singing-Birds and Peacocks and brains of costly creatures He used to say That meat is not savoury whose sauce is not costly Many men have sold all their Lands for their Kitchin What a pattern doth the heir of all things give us of providence Joh. 6.12 Gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost Some indeed are Debtours to their bellies they pinch and pine them with penury not allowing them what nature requires whose Gold is their God They are worse then Cannibals eating their own flesh He that is cruel to his flesh troubleth his own house Prov. 11.17 But the bellies of most are debtours to them receiving much more then is fit or due as if they had been born to bow down to and worship their bellies If Esau had the Title of prophane for selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage when he was hungry Heb. 12. How prophane then are they that sell their estates and reason and health and souls and Saviour and salvation and all for a a moments brutish pleasure intemperate eating or drinking Our Lord Jesus commandeth his Disciples not to be curious about their diet Whatsoever is set before you eat Luk. 9. If it be wholesome though it be not toot-some accept it The Turks will drink no Wine because Mahomet their false Prophet fordids it Reader be thou temperate both in regard of the quantity and quality of thy food because the blessed Jesus the true Prophet of his Church commandeth it Thirdly thy duty is to eat and drink seasonably We read of eating in due season Eccles 10.17 As there is a season for spiritual actions when they are most profitable so there is a season for natural actions when they are most proper It s a foul fault not to observe fit hours for our food Our diet is unseasonable when we begin the day with it There is a wo to the Nation whose Princes eat in the morning Eccles 10.17 and a wo to the persons that rise up early in the morning to follow strong dring Isa 5.11 It is a bad sign when men leap out of their Beds into their Butteries and like Children call for their breakfasts as soon as they are up The Servant must wait on his Master till he hath fed After him is manners The body must wait on the soul till that hath broke its fast and had some spiritual refreshment with the blessed God The bodies place is after not before the soul The first of the day must ordinarily be given to the ancient of days God hopeth to hear from men before either their Butlers or Cooks hear from them He expecteth that we should serve him before we serve our selves though indeed our serving of him is the onely serving of our selves Moller pinsal 5.3 Mollerus observeth that David thence pleaded for early protection because he was early at his petitions He was early in the morning at his prayer and therefore he hoped that God would not come late at night with his answer Food is unseasonable when one meal treads upon the heels of another like Jobs Messengers The Holy Ghost speaks of some that are early up at it and continueat it till night Isa 5. Some make but one meal as it were all day If either meat or drink be offered them they can no more refuse it though they were full before then a Dog his bones Like Children and Chickens they are always feeding Too much Oyl puts out the Lamp Men eat and drink unseasonably when they turn the night into day and when God and nature call them to rest they ordinarily like the Roman glutton spend that time in pampering their bodies I have read of one that boasted he had not in so many years seen the Sun The Dutch will sit at a Wedding Feast from eight at night to four in the morning rising in the interim two or three times to ease nature and then to their dainties and Sweet-meaâ—s again They are industrious on the water and Gluttonous on the land Reader I hope though they are prodigal yet grace hath taught thee to be more provident of thy time CHAP. XXIV How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in his Apparel and Sleep Apparel and Sleep being of less concernment then some other subjects I shall speak but little to them yet because in these things we must walk by the rule of Gods Word I shall not wholly omit them And first for Apparel The Saints outward as well as his inward clothing must be sacred Spiritual Priests do all wear in a sense holy Garments Sin may cleave to our cloaths The Leprosie was not only in the Israelites houses but also in their Habits Lev. 13. Some persons carry the plague up and down in their Rayment their Garments are spotted with the flesh with pride and wantonness and prodigality A Christian may manifest grace in his Garments he may clothe his soul in covering the nakedness of his body his Garments may smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Gassia Psa 45. Exod. 19. Numb 11. As under the Law the cloaths of Gods people were washed and purified Ceremonally so our apparel under the Gospel if we observe Gods Counsell about it may be clean and pure spiritually For thine help herein Reader I shall speak briefly 1. To the ends of Apparel which must be minded 2. To the sins about Apparel which must be avoided 3. To the vertues in Apparel which must be manifested First To the ends
thou daily passest so Godliness must be the Ecliptick line to go through the midst of it Godliness must be the key to open the shop Godliness must be the whip to drive the Cart Godliness must be the Cock to call thee up to thy work Godliness must be the clock to call thee off from thy work Godliness must be the principle the rule and the end of thy work Holiness to the Lord was written upon the bridles of the horses Zach. 14.21 Truly Reader thy care had need to be great about thy calling lest it cause thy ruine More dye by meat then by poyson By lawful things many perish Worldly things will court thee that they may kill thee They that dig deep into the bowels of the earth have not seldom been stifled with the damps that arise thence These things are so subject to defile and destroy us that God made a Law that they should not be used before they were purified Numb 31.22 23. Some are destroyed by those houses which were made to defend them like Saul they fall on those swords which should have been for their safety Particular Callings were designed for our good but how often do they prove our grief Are there not those who like Corah and his company are swallowed up alive of earth and consumed Pliny observes Pliny Nat. Hist l. 2. c. 106. that in Phoselis the hill Chimaera burneth night and day The fire saith he is kept burning by water but quenched by earth The earth of particular Vocations hath sometime put out that fire of devotion which the water of affliction could not do It behoves thee to take heed how thou handlest these thorns if thou wouldst not prick thy fingers and pierce thy conscience I shall for that end give thee some Directions out of the Word First be diligent in thy Calling It is observable that the Apostle adviseth the Romans Be not slothful in business serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 All the children of Adam are enjoyned to minde their particular callings by vertue of that command or threatning to their Father In the sweat of thy brows thou shalt eat thy bread Gen. 3. As in the Body Politick so in the Body Natural there must be order to which three things are requisite 1. That every part be in its proper place each Star in its own Orb. 2. That the parts have each to other a due proportion 3. That every member do its duty and be some way or other helpful to the Body Idle persons are like Wens in the face which receive of the bodies nourishment but serve onely to disfigure it Those that are no workers in Gods account are disorderly walkers 1 Thess 5.14 Augustus built an Apragapolis a City void of business but God made not the World to be a Nursery of idleness Alex. ab Alex. The Ethiopians as the Historian observeth would acquaint their youth that they were born to labour by accustoming them betimes to fling great stones Amongst the Turks every man must follow some Trade the Grand Seigneur himself not excepted The Censores morum among the Romans were to observe who were diligent who were negligent in their Vocations and accordingly to commend or condemn them The Grecians according to Solons Law were great discouragers of them that like Vermine lived onely to eat what others earn The Council of the Areopagites enquired how every man lived and punished such as they found idle The Devils themselves are diligent about their deeds of darkness Creatures void of life are serviceable in their places and stations Angels nay God himself is always working An idle person cannot finde either in Heaven or Hell a pattern Our lives are therefore called The lives of our hands because they are to be maintained by Gods blessing on our labours The Patriarchs those persons of renown were eminent for taking pains they did not eat the bread of idleness How frequently and how ardently doth the Word call upon us to be working in our particular callings What Precepts doth the Scripture give for it That you do your own business and work with your own hands as we commanded you 1 Thess 4.11 What Promises doth God make to it He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread Prov. 12.11 24. The soul of the diligent shall be made fat Prov. 13.4 That arm which is most used groweth stronger and bigger then the other The more the Vine spreadeth it self against the wall the more it receiveth of the Suns Warmth and Influence Pliny reporteth of one Oressianus Lib. 18. cap. 6 who from a little piece of ground got much wealth and more then his neighbours could from a greater quantity whereupon he was accused of Witchcraft but to defend himself he brought forth his servants and instruments of labour on the day of tryal and said Veneficia mea Quirites haec sunt These O Romans are all my Witchcrafts I say not to my Servants Go and do this but Come let us do this and that and so the work goeth on The keys that men keep in their Pockets and use every day wax brighter and brighter but if they be laid aside and hung by the Wals they soon grow rusty Students who are given to a sedentary life often waste in their strength when others whose time is spent in bodily labour increase in strength In all labour saith the wise man there is profit There is a threefold care mentioned in the Word of God There is a care of the head a care of the hand and a care of the heart The care of the head is the care of providence this is commendable Pro. 31.16 The care of the hand is the care of diligence this is profitable Pro. 21.5 The care of the heart is the care of diffidence this is abominable Phil. 4.6 Upon which words Zanchy observeth well God doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not do nothing but be careful for nothing The two first are commanded but the last is forbidden Reader thou mayst as well expect riches to rain down from Heaven in silver showres as to provide for thy family and Children without industry in thy calling Solomon telleth us the blessing of the Lord maketh rich and the diligent hand maketh rich Pro. 12.24 and 10.4 22. As the nether Milstone is heavy slow and of small riddance yet the upper Milstone though of greater agility and quicker dispatch doth not grind without the nether but both together make good meal so the diligent hand of it self can do little nay nothing without the blessing of God yet the Blessing of God though of infinite efficacy will seldom do any thing without the diligent hand but both together make a person rich Besides negligence about mens vocations is one great cause of corruption The proud person is Satans Throne and the idle man his Pillow He sitteth in the former and sleepeth quietly on the latter when men have nothing to do the Devil always sets them a
purpose Sins is a subtle Sophister it will bring Arguments and Reasons for all it doth as is plain in Sauls sparing Agag and the best of the flock The beasts were to be Sacrificed to God and in Jeroboams Calves they were set up to save the Jews those tiresome journeys to Jerusalem but take heed that thy heart be not hardened through the delightfulness of sin Remember Piety is the best path to outward prosperity Aristotle though a blind heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arist Poli. lib. 7. cap. 8. could see and say Make Religion thy first and chief care that thou mayst prosper The Mahometans are so sensible of this that what occasion soever they have they will pray five times a day Because the Jews suffered Gods house to lie wast therefore God blew upon their heaps and wasted their wealth He that stealeth away time from his general for his particular calling like a thief in the Candle wasteth all our work on earth is done best when our work in heaven is done first Religious duties in reference to our Worldly occasions is like sharpening the tools which helpeth our work forward with more speed and ease Mass and Meat hinder no mans thirst was a truth visible in the dark night of Popery He that neglecteth the service of his God for the following his trade may put what he getteth into his eye as our proverb is and never see the worse nay like the gold of Tholouse or the Vineyard of Naboth to Ahab the profit will be the perdition and ruine of the possessor They who want time to do Gods Work must want an eternity to receive Gods reward If men are so busie as not to attend their souls God will be so busie as not to bestow salvation I know Farmes and Oxen and Wives do hinder many from holiness and I know also that they will hinder many from Heaven Luk. 14.24 Mat. 22.5 That German Prince who would not part with his silver to pay his Souldiers lost thereby his Empire and treasure too He that will not spare time from his present business for his future blessedness is like to lose both How much time dost thou squander away in long meales in vain sports inidle discourse in superfluous sleep and yet hast thou the face to tell God that thou hast no time in a whole day to seek his favour and to mind thine eternal felicity The truth is thou dost not so much want time as waste time Do not think that it will be a sufficient excuse at the last day to tell God that thy devotion was neglected because thy earthly occasions abounded and pressed upon thee If thy servant should tell thee when he hath neglected thy business of concernment that he could not help it because he had business of his own to look after a Friend called him to the Ale-house wouldst thou think that a sufficient plea Beleive it thy defence is far worse when thou omittest the service of God for thy particular calling The Philosopher could say Aristippus apud Plot. de tranq a nimae that he would rather neglect his means then his mind and his farm then his soul The very Turks though they work their Slaves hard will yet allow them time every day for food and rest Wilt thou Reader deal worse with thy precious soul then the Turks do with their Gally-slaves For shame man be not so cruel to thy best part A Good Christian if business crowd in upon him so much that he cannot wait on them and Worship God daily in his Closet and Family as he ought will rather like a wise Marriner when the ship is overburdened cast some overboard then endanger the loss of all and himself too Times of earing and harvest were very busie times with the Israelites yet then God would not allow them to make bold with him Exod. 32.21 He that is a faithful and wise Steward will give every one their portion their meat in due season as he will give his body and his family their portion every day so he will give his God and his soul their portion every day surely he is not faithful who atteneth the lacquey all day and neglecteth his Lord much worse is he who feedeth his flesh and starveth his spirit Reader take notice that there is a time for all things as there are plowing times so there are praying times every day as there is daily time for thy shop so also for thy Closet When the Jewish daily sacrifice was intermitted as in the days of Antiochus it was the abomination of desolation I am the larger in this particular as observing that professours are exceeding faulty in suffering the Canker of their particular callings to devour and eat up the gold and silver of their general callings Sometimes they will wholly omit family duties because the world will not permit them to be at leisure but too too often when they perform them they turn them off with a short cut in a hudling manner as a Physitian his poor patients though their business with him concern their lives when rich men stand without expecting to be called in because the World stayeth at their doors to speak with them Friend as a special help against this soul-hinerance let me perswade thee to be early in the morning at thy Religious duties Some men must be spoke to betimes in the morning or not at all their publique affairs take up the whole day and would if it were twice as long The Devil hath a thousand divices to make him an Athiest all day who neglecteth morning duties Be not so hasty about thy calling in the morning as to forget to take God along with thee Remember this one note If the World gets the start of Religion in the morning religion seldom overtaketh it all day Something warm in the morning before men go to work is very wholesom A warm prayer warm communion with the blessed God in meditating or reading will help thee to work with more comfort and courage and may prevent infections from ill fumes and vapours in the day time Job had a large family much Cattel he had besides his domestical much civil business for he was a Magistrate Job 1.5 yet Job rose up early in the morning to offer up Sacrifice and thus did Job continually In the day time also or at evening let nothing put by the concernments of thy God and thine everlasting estate what company soever thou art in say as a devout soul I have read of when his hour of prayer was come you must excuse me I must be gone a friend meaning his God stayeth to speake with me Cato repented of three things one of which was Plut. in vit That he had spent a whole day idly Truely friend if thou neglectest thy general calling how busie soever thou hast been all day long about thy particular I must tell thee though an hour cannot be bought with the revenues of
this and hast thou not abundant cause to be heedful lest by thy pattern thou shouldst draw thy Children to sin and to Hell The Idolatrous Israelites drew their children to joyn with them in the Worship of false Gods Ezek. 18.2 Plutarch observeth of Cato that he was very wary not to speak an uncomely word in the presence of his Children Plut. in vit Cat. This Heathen will condemn many Christians who will curse and swear and drink and roar and that in presence of their children Reader avoid sin both for thy own and others sake As a stone thrown into the water makes but one circle at first but that one begetteth many so though the sin in thee at first be but one ye it may cause many both in thy children and servants The sin of a Master or Mistris is like an infectious Air which others breathing in are infected by it Thy servants will as readily put on thy lusts as thy livery and thy Children will be proud of such a patronage such a cloak for their villany A dark eye benights the whole body Weigh all thy words and all thy works considering how many followers thou hast he that sinneth once sinneth twice if he sin before others Be serious and diligent about the concernments of God and thy soul that others may take example by thee The biggest Stars are brightest and give light to those that are of a lesser magnitude Thou who art the greatest shouldst be the most gracious in the family if the Sun shine not on the mountains it must needs be set in the vallies If thy children and servants behold thee careful of thy language and consciencious in thy carriage when they see thee humble fervent constant and serious in holy duties they may learn by thee and write after thee such a patten may tend exceedingly to thy spiritual profit It is observed of Caesar by Cicero that he would never say to his Souldiers Ite sed Venite Go ye but Come ye marching before them himself and giving them a pattern Do thou Reader go before thy Family in Sobriety and Sanctity as their faithful Captain and they may sooner then thou expectest follow after thee Naturalists tell us of the Mulberry tree that there is nothing in it but what is Medicinal in some sort or other the fruit the root the bark the leaf all are useful Truly so it ought to be with thee All thy expressions all thy actions should be instructions to thy Inferiours Thy behaviour in private in publique towards God towards thy Wife towards thy Children towards thy Servants towards thy Neighbours should all be Lectures to teach others Religion and Righteousness that you may be able to say to your Children as Seneca to his Sister Though I can leave you no great portion yet I leave you a good pattern Besides one work required of thee as I shall shew thee before the conclusion of this Chapter is to admonish and reprove others in thy family for their faults which with what face canst thou do or with what hope of success unless thou art free thy self It was a shame to Plutarch that his Servant should say My Master writeth falsly he saith it is unbeseeming a Philosopher to be angry ipse mihi irascitur and he himself is angry with me If thou reprovest thy childe for not praying and thy servant for drunkenness and art guilty thy self though thou acquaintest them never so much with the wrath of God which will certainly seize upon Atheists and Drunkards they will never believe thee for they know thou dost not believe thy self Thy words would seem to draw the nail of sin out but thy works are such an heavy hammer that they drive it in to the very head When the rude Souldiers saw the Roman Senators sit gravely and discourse soberly they took them for gods and were awful of them but when they perceived one of them to grow waspish they took them for men and spoiled them Herod feared Johns reproof knowing that he was a just man Mark 6.20 Where there is piety in the person there is majestie and authority in the reprehension Let the Righteous smite me Psal 141.5 The Snuffers of the Sanctuary were of pure gold He that would reprove others dimness and make them shine brightly with the light of holiness had need to be irreproveable himself Reader walk unspottedly otherwise when thou threatenest thy children or servants with the judgements of God against fin thou dost like David pass a sentence of death and condemnation against thy own soul Fourthly Be careful and diligent that thy whole Family may sanctifie the Lords Day When the Israelites were to sacrifice to God in the Wilderness they went with ther little ones and all their housholds Exod. 12. When Elkanah went up to sacrifice to the Lord all his house went with him 1 Sam. 1.21 Thy duty is according to these examples to see that all thy family unless necessity should hinder serve the Lord in publique Do not suffer any of thine to be playing idly in the Churchyard when they should be praying earnestly in the Church nor to be talking vainly of the World when they should be hearkning reverently to the Word O what pity is it that they should be sucking poyson when they should be sucking milk out of the breasts of Consolation The fourth Commandment doth fully speak thy duty not onely to be careful that they forbear thy work but also that they minde Gods Worship Thou knowest not but that thy childe or servant by missing one season may miss of salvation Possibly they are wrought hard in the Week days and have very little time for their souls so that their onely time of improving their spiritual stock by trading towards Heaven is on a Sabbath Day Or it may be they are careless of their main work of providing for the other World all the Week that if thou shouldst neglect them on the Lords Day they will he left under a necessity of perishing Surely they who have but one good meal in seven days and are robbed of that are unconceiveably wronged When David came to his Brethren to the Camp Eliab said to him How camest thou down hither Where is the flock and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the Wilderness 1 Sam. 17.28 I know the pride and the haughtiness of thy heart Give not God cause to greet thee thus at Church How camest thou hither Where is thy flock thy Family With whom hast thou left those few sheep thy Children and thy Servants I know thy pride they are not good enough to come along with thee or to be minded by thee or I know thy covetousness thou hast imployed them about earthly businesses or I know thy carelesness and Soul-cruelty thou carest not what becometh of them whether they be saved or damned for ever I tell thee Friend some Gentlemen by going abroad alone without their servants have lost their silver and
for ought I know by thy going to Church without thy company thou mayest lose the blessing and efficacy of the Ordinances How canst thou expect that God should have any care of thy soul when thou tramplest the precious souls of others under thy feet which he hath given thee special charge of O Reader think of it Are not thy children and Servants strangers to God and alienated from his life through the ignorance that is in them And is not the Ministery of the Word appointed to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God How shall they be converted if the Ordinances of God be neglected Though a person be dangerously diseased if he observe his purging days according to the advice of his able Physician there may be hopes of recovery but if he neglect the means if he perish it will be no marvel If thy children and Servants are holy canst thou expect the fire of Grace should continue or encrease whilst thou takest away the fuel Dost thou think that Spiritual Life can be maintained without Spiritual Meat In private also be watchful over thy Family that all under thy charge be present at holy duties as Singing Praying repetition of Sermons and the like Thou art careful that in the Week days they do work diligently and why shouldst thou not be as careful that they do Gods work on his day Is thy work of greater concernment then Gods or dost thou love thy self the poor withering World I mean above the blessed God Examine those who waited on the Word of God in publique what good they have got what lessons they have learned from the great Master of Assemblies Our Saviour after Sermon asked those of his Family Have ye understood all these Sayings Mat. 13.5 Hereby thou wilt make them more attentive in publique Ordinances and better their memories as also by this means thou mayest quicken thy own affections Suffer none of thy house to spend any part of the day either in idleness pastimes or worldly business Thou art accountable to God as well for sins of permission as for sins of commission and it will another day be imputed to thy charge if the day be prophaned by thy carelesness If thou wouldst not suffer for others do not suffer others in sin Fifthly Let Discipline be set up in thy Family When Jacob would dedicate his house to God he commandeth all his Family to change their garments and put away their strange gods Their change of garments did signifie that change of heart and life which he desired should be his housholds livery Gen. 35.1 2. As the Governor of a Family must be a Priest to pray and a Prophet to teach so also a King to rule to be a terror to evil doers and an encouragement to them that do well in his family Let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacle Job 11.14 Zophar meaneth not a natural or personal though so the word is sometimes taken as 2 Cor. 5.1 but a domestical and civil Tabernacle Though sin may come into thy house by children or servants commission yet it must not dwell there but be cast out by severe reprehension Wickedness is a bold guest it will come uncalled but it must be more bold then welcome it must not dwell in thy Tabernacle It is said of Cato he would bear with faults any where rather then at home Bishop Jewel at night called his servants to an account how they had spent the day and after prayer admonished them accordingly Thy duty is to warn the unruly 1 Thess 5.13 to acquaint them of sin how near and dear soever to thee with the dishonor they bring thereby to God the disgrace to the Gospel and the disadvantage and destruction to their own souls If the fault be the first or of infirmity or not so great a sin as to waste the conscience and poyson thy family by its pattern let the medicine thou appliest for its cure be milde Earthen glasses must be tenderly washed when iron vessels must be scoured with wisps Of some have compassion making a difference Jude v. 22. Who would that is wise give the same physick to an infant which would purge a lusty grown person Isa 28.27 28. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument neither is a cart-wheel turned about with the Cummin but the fitches are beaten out with a staff and the Cummin with a rod. If the crime be crimsom and scandalous or repeated or justified rebuke sharply hard knots must have strong and sharp wedges Others save with fear pulling them out of the fire Jude v. 23. In such a case weak physick will onely stir not remove the disease and thereby leave the Patient in a worse condition then it found him Nettles touched gently sting the more A prick with a rapier is more dangerous sometimes then a wound with a sword because the latter wideneth the orifice and thereby maketh the place more open to the plaister which should heal it It is much better for them to be preserved in brine and pickle then to rot in flesh-pleasing and fondness Kindeness and bearing with such in thy family is like the kiss of Judas to Christ a betraying them and like Joabs salutation to Abner destroying and killing them Be sure therefore not to bear with any under thy charge in sin Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them He is a drone unserviceable to his house his hive who hath lost this sting of reproof Pious Asa would not suffer sin in his own Mother Asa removed his mother Maachah from being Queen because she made an Idol in a grove and Asa cut down her Idol and stamped it and burnt it at the brook Kidron 2 Chron. 15.16 Patient Job would not suffer sin in his own Wife Thou speakest like a foolish woman Job 2.6 Plain-hearted Jacob would not suffer sin his his own Children Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the Land Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel Gen. 34.30 and 49.7 David would not abide sin in a Servant Psal 101.7 nor Edward the sixth in his own Sister Let thy reproofs against sin be mingled with and so managed that they may manifest love to to their souls When the nail is dipt in grease it entreth without renting the board When reprehension is dipt in and tipt with love it will probably enter the heart without cutting it in pieces with rage and revenge Prudence may do much towards the advancement of the offendors profit in this particular Though thy words should be soft yet thine Arguments should be hard against the sin committed To this end let thy reproofs be as near as may be in Scripture phrases that the offendor may see it is not so much man as God who rebuketh him for his fault The Word is a hammer if well laid on it will drive the nail of