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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	holy_a	lord_n	sabbath_n	5,103	5	9.4103	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34597	The country-curate's advice to his parishioners, in four parts I. Directs us, how to serve God on the Lord's day, II. On the week day, III. How to discharge our duty in our several relations, as husband and wife, parents and children, masters and servants, IV. How to prepare for death / by H.C.	H. C. (Henry Cornwallis), 1654?-1710.	1693 (1693)	Wing C6333; ESTC R37664	30,893	81

may learn to redeem time and number all our days our Sabbaths more especially that so we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom that we may now get wise religious believing and Repenting Hearts O Lord give us Grace to consecrate this day as a day of delight holy and honourable to thee not doing our own Works nor following our own Pleasures nor speaking our own words but exercising our selves in duties of Piety and Mercy publickly and privately in thy House and in our own So that we may make this Season a day not only of reconciliation for the Sins of the Week past but also a day of Preparation and spiritual Provision furnishing our selves for the better performance of the duties of the Week to come And now O Heavenly Father we are going to thy House to partake of thy Ordinances we beseech thee to go with us thither and stand by us there and bring us back again rejoicing when we shall find our Faith encreased our Hope quickned our Zeal kindled our Hearts inflamed with the Love of thee and our Brethren Let us not we beseech thee make thy House which is an House of Prayer and Spiritual Exercises to be a Den of Thieves but let us look to our Feet that so we may be more ready to hear than to offer up the Sacrifice of Fools It is a fearful thing when this word which should he a Savour of Life unto Life does prove a Savour of Death unto Death as it does to many who regard not what they hear Grant therefore O Lord that we may take diligent heed what we hear and how we hear keep us we humbly pray thee that we be not like unto them that be compared unto the high way who do not so much as bend their minds to regard what is taught nor to them who are compared to the stony ground who do it but shallowly and superficially nor to them that be compared to the thorny ground that do choak and smother it with minding their ease pleasure gain and profit over much But give us Grace to be like the good ground who coming to the word with honest and good hearts bring forth good Fruit with Patience and in good Season So that keeping this day as we ought to do we may be translated to keep an Everlasting Sabbath in the highest Heaven Amen CHAP. V. Of the great obligation that lies upon every one of us to worship God in Publick NEglect not publick Ordinances upon pretence of serving God in private that God Almighty gives his Blessing both to private and Family-Duties is most certain but to put God off with these and neglect publick Worship is to rob him of a greater summ and pay him with a less It is worth our Observation that the Sabbath and publick Worship of God are by him joined together therefore let no Man put them asunder Ye shall keep my Sabbath and reverence my Sanctuary I am the Lord your God They then that despise God's Sanctuary cannot observe God's Sabbath Do but consider David's Tears for the want and his Prayers for the fruition of Publick Ordinances even then when he had opportunity for private Performances and surely then thou wilt esteem the Ministry of the word no mean mercy See his sorrow for the want of them I was driven saith he from the Sanctuary when I did but think of it my Soul was poured out like water for I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God Psal 42.3 My Soul was poured out that is was over-whelm'd with grief and even ready to dye when I compare my present condition with my former happiness in the fruition of religious Assemblies How bitterly and passionately doth he plead with Saul If the Lord hath stirred thee up against me let him accept an Offering but if men Cursed be they before the Lord for they have driven me out this day from the inheritance of the Lord. 1 Sam. 16.19 How pathetically does he bemoan his own Soul Woe is me for I dwell in Meseck and have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar The loss of his Father Mother Wives Children Lands Liberty nay life it self would not have gone so near his Heart as the loss of the publick Ordinances As his sorrow was great for the want so was his Soul most earnest for the fruition of them How many Prayers does he put up for the liberty of the Tabernacle Psal 43.3 4. and Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will seek after viz. That I might dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and visit his holy Temple And Verse 8. When thou saidst seek my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek David at this time was banished the Temple and he among other reasons useth this argument to restore him to his happiness as if he had said O God thou hast commanded me to worship thee in the Temple To appear before thee is my delight my heart desires to seek and see thy face there Thus he prays to God for the performance on his side that he might be enabled to obey God's Precept Peter and John went up to the Temple at the hour of Prayer Acts 3.1 and St. Paul reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath day Acts 13.14 those that by their practices contemn publick worship have neither Christ nor the Apostles for their Pattern One of the Jewish Rabbies hath a saying he that dwells in a City where there is a Synagogue and cometh not to Prayers merito dicitur vicinus malus if thou forsakest the Assembly of God how useful thou maist be to others Bodies I know not but I am sure thou art neither to thine own Soul or theirs in neglecting God's service Consider the condition of Primitive Christians who were forced to serve the Lord with fear and attend his Ordinances with trembling who built Churches under ground rather than they would want the opportunity of serving God in Publick Consider also how David bemoan'd himself counting Swallows and Sparrows in this much better than he because they could build their Nests in the Temple while he was banished from it Psa 84.1 2 3. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Yea the Sparrow hath found an House and the Swallow a Nest for her self where she may lay her young even thine Altars O Lord of Hosts my King and my God Did David being abridged thereof thus bemoan himself Surely then we should count it a great Mercy that we have Publick Churches and Oratories to go unto without any lett or molestation that we have no Tyrants no Foreign Enemies no Rods no Axes no noise of War to affright us from God's publick Ordinances what cause of rejoicing is here But yet if this liberty of ours make us wanton and the plenty God gives us tempts us to

name thereby through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen You may also add this Prayer O Lord Holiness becometh thy House and dutifulness becometh me to go into thy Courts and wait upon thee and this is the great day of thy Service thou that hast given me to see the light of this day make me careful to do the duty of it timely to present my self unto thee and reverently to behave my self before thee that when I go hence I may return with fruit and favour from thee for Jesus Christ's sake Amen When you go to receive the Sacrament use this Prayer O Thou in whose Temple every man speaks of thine honour whose Glory no mortal man can sufficiently express whose Goodness no tongue is able to display whose Holiness transcends all the perfections we see here below overaw my Spirit when I go with the multitude to the House of God with the Voice of Joy and Praise O let me consider that it is the All-seeing God in whose presence I stand and that holy Angels are sent to observe my Devotion Give me sober Thoughts holy Affections devout Postures steadiness of Mind ardent Desires modest Looks and a grave Behaviour especially now I am going to receive the Sacrament Now let all that is within me turn into holy breathings banish from me all undecent thoughts and if thou dost not think fit to free me from temptations before they come give me Grace vigorously to resist them that I may show my Zeal to thy Glory by my abhorrence of all imaginations that exalt themselves against the obedience of Christ Jesus Amen CHAP. IV. Of Family-Duty ere we go to God's House AFter thou hast fitted thy Self for Church thy next care must be carefully and conscientiously to perform Family-Duties Jos 24.15 Let others do what they will I and my House saith he will serve the Lord. In order to the performance of which duty take along with you these following Rules 1. See that your Servants and Children waste not away the Morning in sleep and idleness 2. Cause them to join together in Prayer reading or any other Godly Exercise Gen. 18.19 3. Make them accompany you to Church command their Bodies though you cannot their Souls 4. Inform your selves and them what a great and glorious Majesty and Master you are to serve a God so glorious that the very Angels vail and cover their Faces not being able to behold the brightness of his Glory And if this lowly Reverence be performed by them who are in such nearness to God what posture is low enough for us who in comparison of those Heavenly Spirits are viler than the ground we tread on 5. Make them sensible what poor Worms and wretched Creatures they are Dust and Ashes their Hearts full of Putrefaction and a sink of Sin and therefore ought to come crawling crouching and trembling to the Throne of Grace 6. Examine what Preparation they have made for the Sabbath whether they have not spent more time and care to dress their Body for the Eye of Man than to deck their Soul for the Eye of God Whether they have prayed in private for a blessing on God's Ordinance 7. Inform them seriously of the great work they go about what a weighty work it is how that their Weeks Works are but toys and trifles in comparison of it What are Sheep Oxen or Shops to Grace Christ and Heaven Exhort them all to be careful and serious in God's work in Soul-Salvation-Work and therefore they ought to prepare themselves with all their might Remember the Fourth Commandment binds you to look to all within your care both Man-Servant and Maid-Servant c. Whosoever rides them unnecessary Journeys on that day the groans of the tired Beast will rise up in judgment against them and condemn them for breaking God's Command As Motives hereunto consider 1. That it is God in a Family not Man only that maketh it to prosper so that if thou wouldest have it go well with thy Family then oughtest thou to set up the worship of God in it The Lord blessed the House of Obed-Edom for the Arks sake so God will bless thy House if the Ark that is his worship be there Wouldst thou have thy Family flourish set up the worship of God in it Let no wicked Person remain in thine House He that will not pray and join in the worship of God with thee Let him not eat with thee Make Joshua's resolution As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. 2. Remember you must be accountable to God for those Souls he hath committed to your charge you ought therefore to take care that they be trained up in the fear of the Lord. See that none of your Family be given to any Vice viz. Swearing Drinking Lying or the like Make choice of such Servants as fear God chuse for him somewhat and not altogether for your self Enquire in the first place whether they will submit to his word if not let them not come under thy roof As thou wouldst not have the Devils Company in thine House so do not entertain any of his Friends and Servants but rather let it be an Harbour and Habitation of God's Children for so shalt thou be blessed You know that God blessed Laban for Jacob's sake so may you likewise expect a Blessing if you entertain such in your House A Family-Prayer before we go to Church O Lord encrease our Faith and by thy holy Spirit prepare our hearts to pray as we ought and for Christ's sake accept this Morning Sacrifice of Prayer though weak and imperfect which in his Name and by his Mediation and Intercession we offer up to Thee We humbly and heartily acknowledge thy infinite Wisdom tender Love and Fatherly Goodness towards us thy unworthy Servants most vile and wretched Sinners in that it hath pleased thee not only to give us a liberal allowance of time to do our own Works and follow our own Callings and Recreations for the health of our Bodies and the necessities of this present Life but also to appoint us one day in seven to attend upon thee do thy Work and fit our selves to keep with thee an Everlasting Sabbath in the highest Heavens We know O Lord that we are bound in Conscience to serve and worship thee every day of the Week and every day to set apart some time for Spiritual and Heavenly Exercises yea and when we are in Earthly business to carry Heavenly minds about with us yet it hath pleased thee further to allow us one day in seven to attend wholly upon thee and more throughly to acquaint our selves with thee with thy ways and with our sinful and deceitful hearts to wean them from the Love of this World and set them upon Heavenly Joys And now O Lord as thou hast given us a day to serve thee fit and prepare every Soul to worship thee as we ought To this end give us the assistance of thy holy Spirit that we

not mine Ears listned unto filthy Communication And my taste delighted it self in Gluttony and Drunkenness 5. Have I been so truly thankful for God's Mercies as I ought to have been 6. Have not I this Week omitted my Prayers Slovered them over or suffered my thoughts to wander in them Lastly Have not I been guilty of some crying Sin that might justly cause God to reject them These Queries proposed and thy Heart O Christian upon Enquiry declaring thee guilty with me say Of these and all my other Sins that I have committed from my youth up unto this present day I most heartily repent me O Lord my God! and I am truly sorry for every thought word and act by which I have provoked thy wrath and indignation against me especially for my disobedience of so holy a Law and extream ingratitude to so bountiful a Lord. O God I do acknowledge my self unworthy the least of thy Mercies and obnoxious to the greatest of thy Judgments but thou hast revealed thy self a God of Pity and Compassion for giving the Iniquities of such as truly repent and acquitting those that voluntarily acquit themselves Wherefore with a penitent and contrite Heart I confess my own guiltiness resolving patiently to bear whatsoever affliction thou laist upon me for my Sins hoping for Pardon through the alone Mercies of our Saviour Christ And now O most gracious and liberal Benefactor with my whole strength and faculties of Soul and Body I praise and magnify thy name for thy great and innumerable benefits proceeding purely from thy bounty and intended wholly for my good Particularly for preserving the this Week in the midst of so many dangers incident to my condition and delivering me from so many Calamities and Miseries due to my Sins Thou art my Creator O my God! and gracious Protector thou art the ultimate end of my being and the supream perfection of my Nature and under the shadow of thy Wings is my perpetual repose from the Light of thy Countenance flows Eternal Joy and Felicity To Thee be Glory and Honour Adoration and Praise from all Creatures now and for evermore Amen And since thou hast ordained us the day to labour in and the night to take our rest as I praise thee for the blessings of the day past so I beseech thee for thy Protection this Night Let the Eye of thy Providence watch over me and thy holy Angels pitch their Tent about me that being safely delivered from all dangers and comfortably refreshed with moderate sleep I may be the better enabled to perform the employment of my condition and faithfully persevere in the duties of thy Service to my Lifes end Amen Beware of sitting up late your self on the Saturday Night or of causing others to do so Lest when you go into the House of God to join with the multitude in Prayer you are fitter to sleep than pray differing little from the dead Bodies asleep in their Graves The one sleeps above the Earth the other underneath it And when you are laid in your Bed let not your mind run on Worldly thoughts but think of the infinite Majesty of God that you are then to meet think of the great weight and importance of the holy Ordinances then vouchsafed you how they concern thy Salvation or Damnation thy Everlasting Life or Death Meditate on the short time thou hast to enjoy the Sabbath in how near thy Life is to an end how easily God can take down this Earthly Tabernacle how there is no working no labour no striving in the other World to which thou art going and continue thus musing till the fire of Meditation begin to burn If thou thus leavest thy Heart with God on Saturday Night no doubt but you will find it with him the next Morning CHAP. II. Of Awaking with God AS soon as sleep hath unseal'd thine Eyes lift up thy Soul in Thanksgiving to thy Maker for preserving thee that night and affording thee a good beginning of a new day especially a Sabbath day to labour for his Glory and the good of thine own Soul And that you may be incited to perform this Act of praise consider these several motives 1. That perhaps many others not so sinful as thy self have been hurried from their Beds to the Bar of Judgment from a Bed of Down they have been cast into a Bed of Flames yet God in his infinite Mercy hath spared you until now to Repent and prepare your Accounts 2. Consider that many others are visited by God Almighty with Sickness so that they cannot serve God in the Publick Assemblies while you enjoy your health and free liberty to go with the multitude into his Courts 3. Consider that you are now brought to the beginning of another day which when past you shall never see again Thou maist possibly see more Sabbath Days but that space of time when the Sun is once set thou shalt never see again any more How careful then should'st thou be to improve this Day so that it may turn to the best account Solomon sends Man to School to the Ant to learn this good Husbandry Prov. 6.6 7 8. Oh that we were as wise for the Bread of Life that came down from Heaven as the poor Pismire for Bread that springs out of the Earth The Sabbath is an Harvest and he that sleeps away his time in Harvest is a Son that causeth shame The Seaman or Mariner observes his Wind and Tide otherwise he cannot get to his intended Harbour but Seasons of Grace are not like the Tides of which if you miss one you may get another How careful then shouldst thou be to improve every Minute Our Saviour Christ said to his Disciples concerning the Loaves and Fishes Gather up the Fragments that nothing be lost The like advice I give you concerning the Lord's Day Gather up the Parcels thereof Let no part of it be lost no not the least Minutes which are pretious to this end Spiritualize all the objects you meet with in the Day as thus When first awake think that God Almighty can as easily awaken you out of your Graves from the sleep of Death as he hath in your Beds from the sleep of Nature Let the rising out of your Beds put you in mind of the Resurrection And when you see the Sun Let your Meditation be That if the rising of one Sun be so glorious how glorious will that day be when so many thousands of Bodies far brighter than the Sun shall appear to accompany Christ at the great Assizes Consider that this great Star must run in one Day ten or twelve Millions of Leagues and shall you make no progress in Virtue Consider that unwearied Harbinger is gone to take you up a Lodging in the Grave each Minute is so much deducted from your Life Follow therefore the Counsel of the Son of God Work while it is Day for the Night cometh when no Man can work Let not then this Light burn in vain but