thou Lord art most assuredly with him Giue mee and the rest of thy flocke this grace O Lord God of heauen I doe humbly beseech thee that as hee shall teach soundly aptly and powerfully so wee may all most humbly submit our selues vnto his ministery as well when hee conuinceth our errours rebuketh vs of sinne and threatneth Gods fearfull plagues for the same as when he preacheth peace to the penitent and comforteth the sorrowfull spirit Oh let vs not make exceptions against any thing commanded him to speake but rather iudge him the more faithfull and so to loue him more for the truth sake and for his sincere handling of the same Qualifie him euery way for vs as he may go wisely in and out before vs in soundnesse of doctrine in holinesse of life in humility in godly grauity with wisedome and authority familiarly conuersing among vs. And for his encouragement make vs willing to frequent diligently the Church to heare attentiuely to abide reuerently and to learne of him gladly not to looke vpon his humaine frailties but in true loue to passe them by to make much of him lest wee stumble at his doctrine Make vs conscionable towards him in his maintenance to deale vprightly and liberally that hee may doe the worke of his ministery cheerfully And when we haue heard thy word blesse vs O Lord with conscience of holy meditation and prayer suffer not me nor any of thy seruants as the common custome is to be content onely to heare and to remaine still in ignorance and errour to come and goe and yet neuer the better let not thy word so be the sauour of death vnto death to our deeper condemnation O Lord pardon my former negligence and forgiue vs all this wretched prophanenesse and carelesnesse of our saluation as if we were either soul-lesse or senseles Lay not this sin O Lord vnto our charge but afford vs thy grace to heare in hearing to learn and in learning to beleeue so to professe constantly and practise religiously euery day more more till we become perfect in Christ Iesus Giue mee grace O Lord to auoid all occasions of prophaning this day keepe mee from ill companie and from all vaine carnall worldly minded people which may withdraw my heart and thoughts from better things Cause me to make conscience of my whole carriage of my thoughts words and deeds that by vaine talke leaud sports light behauior vnnecessary businesses of the world I may not my selfe bee guiltie of prophanenesse neither by example may moue others to doe amisse Let my thoughts be vpon that which I haue heard and other heauenly things my words vttered to tend to edification Let my mirth be that heauenly melody singing Psalmes to thee O Lord in my heart and my companie such as I may either learne good from them or doe some good vnto them that so the day thus set apart wholly to thee and diuine exercises wee thereby may the better be furnished and made able in the weeke following to do the duties of our calling conscionably in all truth and equitie to thy glory and our owne cōforts that for Iesus Christ his sake our only Lord Sauiour in whose name for my selfe for this congregation and thy holy Church vniuersall I call vpon thee further saying Our Father c. Gaius By the helpe of my God I will surely make more conscience of this dutie then I haue hitherto done I well perceiue the necessity of praier before for indeed Paul may plant with his profound learning Apollos may water by his powerfull eloquence but all is nothing except God giue the encrease except hee giue eyes to see eares to heare and hearts to vnderstand the Teacher shall teach in vaine and we also heare in vaine Iohn Thy resolution Gaius is very good and thou hast also well considered of the necessity of prayer before thou doest go to Gods house Verily the neglect of this holy dutie and the comming of people so prophanely to Gods worship as thou formerly hast complained without due preparation is the very cause why men reape so small fruit by the meanes Cursed is their irreligious cōming their cursed customarie seruing of God their hellish luke-warmenesse their presumptuous prophanesse without any feare of God estimation of Gods ordinances reuerēt respect of his ministers or care at all truly of their owne saluation Oh daies without pure deuotion O times for temporizers But goe thou on good Gaius as thou doest and as thou stil resoluest to do he that is filthie let him be filthy stil follow thou not their guise pray continually and the Lord deliuer his people from the tentations of the times of luke-warmenes and carnall securitie in a worldly peace which is the blūter of zeale the death of true deuotion the very prison of sincere piety the breeder of Atheisme the cause of the contempt of religion the nurse of proud presumption of mercy of vanity wantonnesse with all kind of wickednesse Gaius Sir wofull experience hath proued this for truth in many ages I haue learned it but by your words I haue more reason to consider of it And therefore the Lord directing mee and in his mercy making good these fatherly aduisements vpon me that I may haue the grace to follow the same I hope hereafter to auoid better the occasions of euill and the intrapments of Satā this seducing wicked world which I will daily pray for and in mercy I hope the Lord will heare me But reuerend Sir lest I be too tedious let it please you to finish this work in adding that one thing remaining which is a forme of prayer vpon the Sabbath day in the euening Iohn Hauing meditated somewhat before of the doctrines vses and instructions deliuered of the benefit of the Sacraments of the excellency of religion as also of the publike worship of the diuine exercises and of the fellowship of the godly and in like manner hauing considered what good thou hast receiued thereby wherein informed for rectifying of iudgement wherein instructed to follow vertue wherin reproued for amendmēt of life wherein conuinced of errour wherein comforted concerning affliction and strengthened against tentation thou mayest thus or after such a like maner both heartily praise God and humbly pray vnto him as followeth O Lord God most gracious Euening Prayer for the Sabbath and mercifull Father I doe render vnto thy heauenly maiesty all humble hearty thanks praising and lauding thy most holy name for that of thy great compassion thou hast affoorded vnto mee and thy people the preaching of thy word the effectual means of saluation to as many as truly beleeue Oh how pleasant is thy dwelling place to all that delight in goodnesse better is one day in thy house then a thousand yeeres elsewhere right ioyfull are the feete of thy faithful messengers bringing to vs poore soules the glad tidings of peace Oh that I might dwell in thy house for
eternall mansion consider of the earth as but the place of thy pilgrimage not any continuing habitation Thinke of thy remoue all prepare for a better home Prouide for thy selfe with God thereupon often set thy mind but vpon this world vaine and fading away no more thē needs must knowing that he which is least intangled in mundane affaires is most fit for God and can with the greatest ease bid farwell to this world Make all the day time the manifestation of thy graces thy calling the circuit of thy walking thy iust dealing with men the true triall of thy faith towards God thy painfull labour in thy vocation the ordinarie means of thy maintenance be neuer either idle or ill exercised In thy conuersing with How to behaue our selus in conuersing with others men doe as thou wouldest bee done vnto buy and sell in truth and equitie moderate by mercy what thou mayest haue by law in extremity Seek not gaine vnlawfully neither that which may vndoe thy brother Make no vniust prey vpō thy poore neighbours necessity neither seeke aduantage vpon meere mistakings in word or deed Hee that trusteth thee faile him not frustrate not a hopefull expectation of thy goodnesse Secrecies in friendship reueale not no though the partie become thy deadly enemie Bee not hastie to promise but thy word being past keepe it faithfully deale warily and yet liue innocently In companie with persons vnknowne haue a wise respect to thy words and behauiour and be religiously suspicious feare the worst till thou know more as thou shalt find men worthy thy loue so afford it them and therein proceed by degrees and abide constant Loue onely for vertues and forsake not friendship because of humaine frailties Intermeddle not in other mens matters be no busie body to speake or do without the compasse of thy vocation If thou bee intreated to interpose thy selfe betweene parties let thy words aduice tend to peace and iudge without partiality be alike iust therein to friend and foe To conclude so liue in the view of all as none may iustly condemn thee though some maliciously slander thee so also as all good men may behold thee in thy iourney towards heauen as Gods steward in thy course ready at euery houre to giue vp thine account to the Lord with a chearful hart Gaius A men amen I beseech thee good God of Israel For if euery man would thus behaue himselfe abroad The good which cōmeth by mens iust and faithfull dealing then would fraud and falsehood bee sent packing oppression would be suppressed cruelty would bee turned into Christian compassion and friendly courtesies biting vsurie into workes of mercie vniust gaine by periurie briberie robberie and symonie into iust dealing equitie and pietie Wee should heare no more of hard hartednesse extortion malicious reuenging the extremitie of iustice the mischiefs of iniustice for all misse-deeds would bee turned into almes-deeds and duties of loue by which peace is preserued and charity practised And so though wee were abroad wee should neither offend nor easily bee offended and when wee bee returned home wee might sit downe with ioy to meditate vpon Gods mercies to sing praise to him to conferre of the best things to be think our selues in the euening how to prepare our selues to our nights rest in which point also I desire to bee instructed For hauing learned my mornings meditations and the duties therof also how to carrie my selfe abroad on the day I would be glad my Father to know how to behaue my selfe returning home sitting in the house and going to my rest at seasonable houres Iohn Good Gaius I Directions for the euēing perceiue thou art loath to break off before thou hast perfected the worke it is my ioy to goe on with thee being sure that thou doest willingly turne euery good precept into a cōscionable practice When therefore thou doest returne home First giue thy selfe to Meditations in returning home meditation vpon these things 1. That as the end of the day cuts off thy worldly businesse abroad and causeth thee to returne home euen so the worlds end shall cut off all earthly businesses and bring vs to our euerlasting home 2. That as the setting of the Sunne and the darknesse of the night couering vs doth make vs that we cannot follow our callings abroad euen so by the declining of Gods grace the losse of the light of truth blindnesse and darke errour possessing vs wee cannot follow the workes of pietie nor doe the duties of good Christians 3. That as after thy long trauel and absence from home yet thou doest returne again euen so there is a time comming when thou must though heere staied very long returne to thy home thy euerlasting mansion 4. That as thy house being faire and Heauen pleasant they also which liue in it louely peaceable and ioyfull at thy comming doe much reioyce thy heart to enter in and to sit downe with them hauing sustained much trouble abroad euen so may it be great ioy to vs after this miserable life ended to enter into heauen into that pleasant Paradise and to sit downe among that louely peaceable and ioyfull company of elect men and Angels And on the contrary as mā hauing had pleasures honour and all contentment abroad returning home to a filthy house Hell the people in it most disorderly and nothing among them but wickednesse the punishments thereof woes miseries much lamentations as such a man I say would be exceedingly cast down to thinke that he must goe to such a home and it would be as bitter to him as death to enter into his house euen so will it bee to all such as here liue in this world full of honour pleasures and riches with all fleshly and carnall contentment whē they must needs goe to their home euen hell the harbour for all those that liue and die irrepentantly there to bee tormented with the diuels and his Angels for euer Secondly being entred Another duty being set downe into thy house and set downe then call to remembrance what God hath done for thee what mercies hee hath shewed what benefits bestowed what friends raised what comforts affoorded and so forth And againe on the other side what euils preuented what dangers auoided how peaceably continued and preserued and such like that so the Lord for them may bee most worthilie magnified Consider what thou hast done what duties performed to see the continuance of grace what duties omitted and sinnes committed to behold thy imperfections and decay in goodnesse except thou repent Thirdly after these A third dutie at night things take Gods booke into thy hand reade it for thy selfe others if thou hast a familie conclude with prayer and a Psalme of praises vnto the Lord. And withall meditate vpon the candle brought for thee to reade by that as thou canst not reade without light no more canst thou vnderstand without the illumination
the death of sin the strength of grace of thy contempt of the world and of thy desire to bee with Christ for by a constant course in this daily exercise thou shalt see these things more and more to encrease vpon thee if indeed this worke for euery weeke without formall and customarie hypocrisie in a holy and conscionable respect of thy dutie bee religiously and constantly performed Thirdly consider how thou hast passed ouer so many dayes the allotted time for worldly labours and so hast brought the weeke to an end that so thou mayest meditate of thy shortening of thy daies and drawing nearer vnto iudgemēt Also how thou hast ended daies and weekes and so shouldest end thy sins and as times renew vpon thee and yeeres encrease so shouldest thou be daily renewed in minde and bee encreased in goodnesse that so the longer thou doest liue the better thou may bee more holy to God more vpright to men more spiritual lesse worldly more desirous of immortality lesse regarding vanitie so liuing as thereby leauing a blessed name to posterity so dying as thou mayest enioy a better life in eternity Fourthly with the rest of thy former daily deuotions and euery nights exercise and godly meditation going to bed adde to this night these two considerations That the week is as the end of the world and the seuenth day following as the eternall Sabbath when all the elect of God shall be assembled to worship him for euer and euer Gaius Reuerend Sir although thus be ended the duties and meditations for the sixe daies in the weeke yet is not this worke for euery weeke fully finished One thing remaineth of which though many haue spoken I beseech thee say something and set downe in a few words how I may behaue my selfe vpon this day of rest to sanctifie it and to keepe it holy vnto the Lord. Iohn Friend and faithfull Gaius thy desire is good and I cannot but condescēd to thy request to make vp this so little a worke for him that readeth it which yet will bee a most holy labour to him that practiseth it Concerning this thou art to know three things first 3. Things to bee knowne for the keeping of the Lords day holy what to doe before thou goest to the assembly then how to demeane thy selfe there and thirdly how to behaue thy selfe afterwards Gaius What am I to do I beseech thee in the morning Iohn Thou art not only now to performe thy euery day mornings deuotion but thou must make a speciall preparation for this day First awake early and What to doe vpon the Lords day in the morning arise be times as thy age and health wil suffer thee the sooner vp the more ready for holy exercises and longer time for them It is meet thou shouldest assoone rise for the Lords seruice to the soules safety as in the weeke day for thy selfe or earthly master to get maintenance for the body Secondly being thus risen and ready bee earnest and ardent in prayer and therin first for thy Pastor and Teacher that God would enlarge his gifts vpon him that hee would giue him vtterance and liberty of speech that hee might speake powerfully that the spirit might work both in him and by him effectually that so he himselfe might be a preacher in word and works a liuely paterne of his doctrine in a holy life and conuersation then for thy selfe and the rest of the hearers that they might haue prepared harts as good groūd for the Lords seede that they might bring forth plentifully for the Lords haruest for your ministers encouragement and your owne comfort After this reade some portion of Scripture with the text to be handled if hee goe on with a scripture calling to minde what hee hath spoken where hee left that so you may prepare your selues better to that which remaineth and so with some sweete Psalme of Psal 14. 92. 95. comfort praise God Thirdly and lastly after all these things speedily dispatch all businesse of absolute necessity auoide whatsoeuer is superfluous leaue as few as possibly may be at home make hast to the assembly and thinke whether thou art going looking to thy feet before thou enter into the house of the Lord and be more ready to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles Gaius Oh Lord God Of mens vnpreparednesse to Gods house how vnpreparedly come most into Gods house wee doe vsually rush into the holy assemblie without doing any of these duties from worldly businesse stuffed with cares of this life which choke the seed of Gods word some out of the Alchouse with red faces bidding defiance to all sober spirits other hardly gotten from their beds hauing not shaken off their idlenesse and perhaps their wantonnesse other spend all the time in dressing and attiring themselues that they may come to see and to bee seene into the congregation as the diuels ensigne-bearers of vanity pride Some come with couetousnes as Iudas some with hypocrisie as Ananiah some with enuie as the Pharisies some with Prophanenesse and mocking spirits like the Iewes some to cauill and catch aduantage as certaine did in Ieremies daies some come for companie as good fellowes not for conscience some onely of a fashion and of a custome taken vp vpon a kind of religion but neither knowing why nor wherefore nor euer learning any thing for their reformation Some come for feare of man but not of God most that come come as the people did to Ezechiel to heare but very few to doe because indeed they come not thus in a conscionable preparation But I haue been too long in this sorrowfull complaint shew me I pray thee what I am to do in the open congregation Iohn 1. Be thou respectiue How to carry our selues in the open congregation of Gods presence the presence of his holy Angels 2. Shew a reuerent behauior in thine eies countenance gesture of thy whole body whether it bee standing sitting or kneelings 3. Wholly addict thy selfe to attentiue hearing ioyning with the minister and the rest of the congregation in all the publike exercises is the preaching of the word in administration of the Sacramēts in distributing to the poor in their necessities in prayer and singing of Psalmes vnto God 4. Auoid all wandring thoughts idle gazing drowsie sleeping superstitious praying there alone also priuate reading and whatsoeuer may shew either neglect or contempt of the publike administration of holy thing 5. Continue constant with the congregation abide to the end and conclude with the rest depart with a heart lifted vp vnto God for such heauenly means of saluation and so goe forth with a reuerent and a holy behauiour in respect of God of his Angels of Gods Ministers and his people and in respect of departing so immediately from such holy and heauenly exercises and also in regard of the place but without superstition set apart to so holy an end Gaius Alas alas
my minde in heauenly meditations from vncleane vnquiet and foolish dreames and so refresh me by the quiet benefit of sweet sleepe that I may arise more chearfully comfortably in the morning to the labours of my particular calling While I doe sleepe watch I beseech thee ouer me cause thy holy Angels to pitch their tents about me that so I may rest and also arise in safety and therby be moued to laud and praise thee still renewing my thankes as thou doest renew thy mercies daily And now Lord going to my bed I commend my selfe my soule and body into the hands of thy fatherey protection for thou art awake when I sleepe and thou onely art able to preserue mee If it so please thee now this night to take my life from me and to remoue me out of this vale of miserie this doe O Lord of thy great mercy pardon me all my sins wilfull transgressions negligences and ignorances euils committed and duties omitted in any measure manner or any way displeasing to thy Maiesty and that for the death and passion the righteousnesse the merits and intercession of Iesus Christ thy Sonne and our blessed Sauiour I humbly beseech thee and for his sake take vp my soule to thy heauenly habitation there to rest vntill I come wholly body and soule vnto thee in that great day of the resurrection But if it yet please thee stil further to prolong my life then I hartily pray thee good God of thy tender mercy herein to heare mee that as dayes be added to the time of life so graces may bee encreased that as I grow in yeeres so may I also bee fruitfull in good workes encreasing in grace to thy praise my better preparednesse to death and to my eternall comfort at the last day the time of my perfect redemption through Iesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and that blessed Spirit bee giuen all honour glory and praise of me and all thy people as is most due for all thy louing mercies past and present for the future hope of eternall blisse this night and for euermore Amen Gaius Now if it please thee my Father proceed to the next point and shew vnto me what meditatiōs I should haue in the night season if it happen that then I should awake Iohn Let it 1. put thee Meditations vpon our awaking in the night in mind of awaking from sinne as thou hast awaked frō sleep that thou perish not by death 2. Thinke also how God can make men which are dead in the graue to liue againe as easily as hee hath made thee to awake out of thy sleepe 3. By thy sudden awaking to consider how suddenly thou mayest bee raised vp and summoned to iudgement Secondly by the darknes Of darknesse of the night first thinke of the spirituall darknesse in which natural men sinfully and desperately doe sleepe to pray that God would open their eyes to see the wonders of his law then of the vtter darknesse into which all such impenitent sleepers shall bee cast to moue thee to mourne for them aliue that they may not bee damned when they bee dead further by this darknesse so comfortlesse behold also their comfortles estate for as they cannot which are in darknes see either themselues or others or their way or house or friends or enemies no more can men in spirituall darknesse know thēselues nor the Church of God nor discerne the godly from the vngodly nor the way of life from the way of death nor foresee perils or the pit prepared for them no more then men which remaine in darknesse can see to auoide the dangers which they may fall into vntill the light doe againe shine vpon them Thirdly if thou canst Of dreames cal thy dreames to remembrance by their vanitie iudge of thy leuity by their vncleannesse thy filthinesse by their idlenes thy foolishnesse by the furie in them thy madnes by their much vncertainty thy wauering and inconstancie the delight in their deceits thy easinesse to bee led by delusions the fearfulnesse in them thy timorous heart the seldome thoughts of goodnes thy much delight in wickednesse and little care of godlinesse Fourthly in the silent night vpon thy bed it is good to fall into an examination of thine owne heart it is the time freest from disturbance in respect of outward impediments thou mayest haue with thy soule free and peaceable conference By a true and serious search thou mayest finde out thy selfe and so bee better knowne to thy selfe and the more thou art acquainted with thy owne corruption the more wilt thou bewaile thy wants and seeke after the grace of sanctification Fifthly in thine inclination to sleepe againe note thereby how a man may awake from sin through Gods mercy and yet bee readie to sleepe againe in sinne by his owne infirmitie Sixthly before thou sleepe againe commend thy selfe in some short prayer to God according to the former meditations and so asleepe for refreshment taking so much as may suffice nature for more strength of labour but not to satisfie the flesh to grow thereby lazie and lustfull Gaius Oh what conceited Laodiceans are we wee out of an ordinarie profession in any measure aboue our brethren hold our selues full of deuotion wee iudge our selues goodly Christians rich in graces flowing in goodnesse lacking little to perfection but alas now I see by the neglect of these things that we are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked I confesse that the Lord hath cause to rebuke and chasten vs except wee speedily grow more zealous and amend Iohn Indeed Gaius men are too wickedly carelesse of a holy conuersation and how to keepe a good cōscience towards God man Men seeme to hate so very much popish superstition as they neglect altogether Christian deuotiō it is iudged enough to bee no Papist though otherwise a man bee little better then a very Atheist in all his courses Gaius Right so my father such as see it may lament it but not remedie it I pray for better vnto him that can reforme it But leauing this proceed on I beseech thee with mee as thou hast begun and come to the last particular how I may make my selfe readie for the sanctifying of the Sabbath Iohn I perceiue that thy heart thirsteth after grace the Lord more and more perfect the same so happily begun in thee First besides these things Directions for a preparation to the Sabbath before mentioned carefully haue in remēbrance euery day the Lords day to keepe it holy when it commeth therefore foresee thy businesse neglect no ordinarie labour order thy worldly affaires so as that day bee set apart for the speciall and publike worship of God that so thy deuotion bee not hindered nor the day prophaned hee hath vtterly lost the power of religion that is carelesse of the Sabbaths sanctification Secondly in the end of the weeke iudge by this holy course of thy growth in religion of