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<DATE>2012-04-06</DATE>
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<NAME>Leah Yurasek</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1">
<P><HI>Enter into thy Clo&s;et,</HI> OR A METHOD AND ORDER FOR PRIVATE DEVOTION.</P>
<P>A Treati&s;e endeavouring a plain di&s;|covery of the mo&s;t Spiritual and Edifying cour&s;e of Reading, Meditation, and Pray|er; and &s;o, of Self Examination, Humilia|tion, Mortification, and &s;uch mo&s;t nece&s;&s;a|ry Chri&s;tian duties, by which we &s;ue out the pardon of our &s;ins from Heaven, and maintain an holy Conver&s;e with God.</P>
<P>Together with particular per&s;wa&s;ives there|unto, and helps therein.</P>
<Q><BIBL>Zech. 3. 2.</BIBL> <HI>Is not this a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire?</HI></Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed for <HI>John Martyn,</HI> and are to be &s;old at <HI>Will. Faithornes</HI> without <HI>Temple. Bar.</HI> 1666.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>AN ADMONITION TO THE READER.</HEAD>
<P>_WHat it is the fa|&s;hion to call an <HI>Epi&s;tle to the Reader,</HI> or, if it be &s;omewhat longer, a <HI>Pre|face,</HI> the Author &s;tiled an <HI>Admonition,</HI> or <HI>Adverti&s;ement to the Reader,</HI> that by a more unu&s;ual title he might the more &s;urely draw him to read it, before he doth the Book.</P>
<PB REF="3">
<P>And the fir&s;t thing, which he admoni&s;heth thee of, Good Reader, is, that thou neither que&s;tion nor &s;cruple what judgment he is of, before thou ha&s;t con&s;idered what he here &s;aith: nor that when thou &s;halt have read a little way into the Book, thou make &s;uch conjectures of its Au|thors opinion, as to con|clude the book fit onely to be laid a&s;ide by thee, be|cau&s;e he, who writ it, may haply di&s;cent from thee in
<PB REF="3"> &s;ome matters. He very little meddles with any matters here, in which it is likely that any &s;ober Chri&s;tian di&s;cents from him. A di&s;|relli&s;hing expre&s;&s;ion, or a chapter, &s;hould not be war|rant enough to thee for thy &s;entencing him this or that, and rejecting what el&s;e he &s;ays for thine and common good. Perhaps he may make mention of a <HI>Common|prayer-book,</HI> or <HI>Holy days,</HI> on|ly to draw in them, who will hear of no devotion
<PB REF="4"> which rejects the&s;e, but ex|ecrate it &s;till as <HI>Fanatical,</HI> to the reading his Book, and thereby to a more &s;e|rious and Chri&s;tian u&s;e of tho&s;e things, than what all are guilty of. Perhaps, on the other &s;ide, he may be in good earne&s;t, and thinking them right Chri&s;tian and u&s;eful, commend them to thy practice, and direct thee, &s;o to u&s;e them, as that thou &s;halt by &s;uch u&s;e of them begin le&s;s to quarrel with them. Either de&s;ign is
<PB REF="4"> hone&s;t, and it is no matter whether it is, which he hath, nor who, or what he is. He would onely have thee to take him for a man of &s;erious and &s;ober princi|ples, and one who would have all that profe&s;s Chri|&s;tianity to be &s;uch al&s;o: (and &s;uch thou mu&s;t either take him to be, or el&s;e, be|ing that thou knowe&s;t him not, and &s;o can&s;t not know him to be otherwi&s;e, thou art uncharitable: ) And as being &s;uch, that, which he
<PB REF="5"> endeavours here, is to bring thee &s;eriou&s;ly upon thy knees before God, there to examine thine heart and actions according to that Chri&s;tian rule, which in|di&s;pen&s;ibly enjoynes thee Charity, Meekne&s;s, Mode|ration, Peaceablene&s;s, and &s;uch &s;weet Virtues; which if thou do but u&s;e thy &s;elf to, thou wilt judge thy &s;elf no otherwi&s;e a Chri&s;tian than as the&s;e Chri&s;tian Graces are in thee, and re|ceive, as a new-born babe,
<PB REF="5"> the &s;incere milk of the do|ctrine of godline&s;s, come it to thee in what ve&s;&s;els &s;oever.</P>
<P>Another thing, which he hath to advi&s;e thee of, is matter of direction in the u&s;e of this Book: in which ca&s;e his de&s;ire to thee is, that thou wilt fir&s;t read o|ver the Table, which is at the beginning of it, and mark the &s;ub&s;tance of what he there promi&s;eth to treat of; that then, if thou re|&s;olve to make u&s;e of this
<PB REF="6"> method for thy devotion (and, the Author thinks thou wilt, if thou have the patience to con&s;ider it, and can&s;t obtain lei&s;ure of thy &s;elf to practice it) that thou wilt read the Book once or twice over, and endeavour, by attent con&s;ideration, to under&s;tand it; and when thou ha&s;t once got the Book thus into thine head, the practice will &s;oon grow ea&s;ie (he is &s;ure, at lea&s;t, mo&s;t &s;weet and ble&s;&s;edly delightful. ) Be but per|&s;waded
<PB REF="6"> to try it one month or two, and &s;ee if thou can&s;t find in thy heart to be &s;o injurious to thine own fe|licity, as to lay it a&s;ide a|gain.</P>
<P>Somewhat too there &s;hould be &s;aid as to what is likely to be objected a|gain&s;t the contents hereof. It may haply be conceived, there are here &s;ome practi|ces directed to in ordinary Devotions, which are too high for every mans reach (as is meditating upon
<PB REF="7"> Scripture, in &s;uch &s;ort as is here taught, endeavouring the mortification of &s;in in &s;uch rational methods, <HI>&amp;c.)</HI> &s;ome circum&s;tances too, as to the place of re|tirement, unnece&s;&s;ary, or above mo&s;t mens conditi|on, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> As to the former of which, the Authors an|&s;wer is, that patterns of this nature mu&s;t not be &s;et too low, for that men are apt rather to aim under than over; that he thinks there is very little of practice
<PB REF="7"> here, by which a plain ca|pacity may not under&s;tand &s;omewhat, which he will conclude to be his duty, though it may be he reach not all in that ca&s;e; and further both as to this and to the latter point &s;uppo|&s;ed to be objected, that the higher matters and more curious circum&s;tances are commended onely to men of abilities, e&s;tates and lei|&s;ure &s;uitable: Let all go as high as they can, and their devotions will be &s;ure to
<PB REF="8"> be more compleat, than if they had aimed lower.</P>
<P>Now, which is all that &s;hall be added, po&s;&s;ibly &s;ome may think &s;uch Books as the&s;e needle&s;s at pre&s;ent, after &s;o many ex|tant in this kind already. Hereunto the Authors A|pology might be, that the number of &s;uch books is much at pre&s;ent le&s;&s;ened by tho&s;e mercile&s;s flames, out of which the provi|dence of God &s;aved this Book (when it was in a
<PB REF="8"> manner all printed off &s;ave this Preface) that this pre&s;ervation of it is &s;ome excu&s;e for its appearance, and pre&s;age that it may not be altogether fruitle&s;s: But this being waved, that which was his an&s;wer in the Preface, which tho&s;e forementioned flames con|&s;umed, when the Book it &s;elf e&s;caped, is, that he is not much read in our Eng|li&s;h books, and &s;o knows not what or how many of this nature are extant; but
<PB REF="9"> that of tho&s;e, which it hath been his lot to &s;ee, he knows none, which do more aim at the hitting the genius and humour of every mans devotion (be he of what judgment he will) than he hath done in this; and that, be the Reader a conforma|ble per&s;on, or any of the contrary per&s;wa&s;ions, if he be but &s;erious, and re&s;olved not to reject the main, which he cannot but like, for a page or two, which though he may not much brook,
<PB REF="9" MS="y"> yet he can &s;carce be very angry with; the Author be|lieves &s;uch per&s;on will not think his pains to no pur|po&s;e: However, that, in this hope he cannot but be con|fident, that the meer wri|ting and publi&s;hing hereof will be a perpetual engage|ment to him&s;elf of a more &s;trict and circum&s;pect life; and that therefore, if in none other, yet in this re|&s;pect, it comes not forth in vain.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="table of contents">
<PB REF="10">
<HEAD>A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The Fir&s;t Part contains onely a preparatory di&s;cour&s;e and introduction to the re&s;t.</HEAD>
<ITEM>Chap. 1. <HI>OF the nece&s;&s;ity of Privacy and tho&s;e Chri&s;tian duties which require it.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 2. <HI>Of the &s;ituation and furni|ture of their clo&s;et who have choice.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="10">
<ITEM>Chap. 3. <HI>Of the mo&s;t common entrance into our clo&s;ets.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The Second Part treateth of &s;olemn retirement to our Clo&s;et, and our daily duties there.</HEAD>
<ITEM>Chap. 1. <HI>That if I am a per&s;on of lei&s;ure I ought daily twice in the day to retire into my clo&s;et for de|votion &s;ake.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 2. <HI>Con&s;iderations to per&s;wade to daily devotion and prayer in pri|vate.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 3. <HI>Of the &s;ub&s;tance of every dayes private devotion: to per&s;ons of lei&s;ure,</HI> Reading, Meditation and Prayer.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 4. <HI>Of reading the holy Scrip|ture: the mo&s;t edifying method and manner of reading it con&s;ulted of.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap 5. <HI>Of Meditation, and the mo&s;t edifying cour&s;e in it.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 6. <HI>Of Prayer. Fir&s;t of its &s;ub&s;tance and parts.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="11">
<ITEM>Chap. 7. <HI>Of the right manner of Prayer. Fir&s;t of its inward man|ner. Some con&s;iderations to quicken to &s;incerity and heartine&s;s in pray|er. What graces are to be exerci&s;ed in each part of prayer.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 8. <HI>Of the be&s;t outward manner of prayer in &s;it po&s;tures and fit words. Of praying by gift, and the inconveniencies alledgable in this ca&s;e again&s;t it. Of praying by form, and the inconveniencies in this ca&s;e alledgable again&s;t it. An ac|commodation and reconcilement of both.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 9. <HI>A form of prayer made ac|cording to the former Accommoda|tion, which may be u&s;ed in our morning privacy.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 10 <HI>A form of prayer made as the other, which may be u&s;ed in our evening privacy.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 11. <HI>Some further directions touching the u&s;e of the&s;e pray|ers.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<PB REF="11">
<HEAD>The third Part treateth of a more &s;olemn retirement in|to the Clo&s;et upon Holy|dayes and Sundayes, and duties then and there.</HEAD>
<ITEM>Chap. 1. <HI>That our devotion &s;hould be greater upon Holy-days than on or|dinary days. The end of Fe&s;tivals, and their vindication from abu&s;es and cavils.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 2. <HI>What there &s;hould be of new in our private devotions upon Holy|dayes.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 3. <HI>An Exemplification or Pra|ctice of the former rules in</HI> Chri&s;t|ma&s;s day, <HI>with a fit prayer to be added to my ordinary prayers there|upon.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 4. <HI>An exemplification of the &s;ame rules in St.</HI> Stephens-day, <HI>with a prayer which may be u&s;ed on any Saints day.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 5. <HI>Of what remains to compleat</HI>
<PB REF="12"> <HI>our private Fe&s;tival devotions,</HI> viz. <HI>Alms giving.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap 6. <HI>That the Lords day ought to be kept holy, and what the keeping it holy means.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 7. <HI>Of preparation for the Lords day. A preparatory prayer thereto.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 8. <HI>Of the true manner of &s;an|ctifying the Lords day</HI>
<LIST>
<ITEM>&sect;. 1. <HI>Before going to Church.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 2. <HI>Of &s;ecret devotion in the clo|&s;et before going to Church</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 3. <HI>Of devotion in the family be|fore going to Church. A digre&s;&s;ion touching what our devotion in the family is alwayes to con&s;i&s;t of.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 4. <HI>Of re&s;orting to the Church.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 5. <HI>Of due behaviour in the Church.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 6. <HI>Of due behaviour betwen morning and evening &s;ervice.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 7. <HI>Of re&s;orting to evening &s;er|vice.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 8. <HI>Of the duties after retun from evening &s;ervice.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<PB REF="12">
<HEAD>The fourth Part treateth of mo&s;t &s;olemn retirement in|to the Clo&s;et for humiliati|on of our &s;elves, and duties there.</HEAD>
<ITEM>Chap. 1. <HI>An account of what is to be treated of particularly in this part.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Ch 2. <HI>Of the nature &amp; ends of fa&s;ting.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 3. <HI>That fa&s;ting is a Chri&s;tian duty.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Ch. 4. <HI>How often a Chri&s;tian is to fa&s;t.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 5 <HI>Of preparatory acts for pri|vate fa&s;ting dayes.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 6. <HI>The order of true humilia|tion, or penitentiary devotions.</HI>
<LIST>
<ITEM>&sect; 1. <HI>The entrance unto this work how it &s;hould be.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 2. <HI>Of reading &s;o as to fit my &s;elf for &s;elf-examination.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 3. <HI>Of &s;elf examination and the view of our life.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 4. <HI>Of the endeavour of godly &s;or|row. How to work our &s;elves to it.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 5. <HI>Of Repentance, which is the effect of godly &s;orrow, its true na|ture and way of practice.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="13">
<ITEM>&sect; 6. <HI>An exemplification of the for|mer rules in two &s;ins.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 7. <HI>A further con&s;ideration of Repentance in regard to &s;ome particular &s;ins.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 8. <HI>Of that faith which is requi|red in order to the pardon of &s;in.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 9. <HI>Of prayer upon &s;uch fa&s;ting dayes. A prayer which may be u&s;ed on &s;uch dayes, made according to the rules of the former.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&sect; 10. <HI>Of my offerings to God for the u&s;e of the poor requi&s;ite on my fa&s;ts, and of my carriage after my devotions fini&s;hed.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 7. <HI>Of great and more &s;olem, Fa&s;ts, and the work thereof.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Chap. 8. <HI>The Conclu&s;ion of all.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>ERRATA.</HEAD>
<P>PAge 9 line 12. read <HI>or:</HI> p. 26. l, 14. r. one: p. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> l. 26. r. <HI>as to the:</HI> p. 49. l. 16. r. <HI>an end:</HI> P. 57. l. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> r. <HI>they may be:</HI> P. 71. l. 21. r, <HI>admiration:</HI> P. 79. l. 7. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>cannot, except:</HI> P. 84. l. 7. add <HI>off:</HI> P. 111. l. 19. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters"> <HI>prayer:</HI> P. 124, l 24. r. <HI>light:</HI> P. 150. l. 26. r. <HI>lamentatine</HI> P. 156. l. 9. r. <HI>compri&s;e:</HI> P. 158. l. 17, r <HI>my:</HI> P. 152. l. 16. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>will, I pre&s;ume, be:</HI> P. 178. l. 3. r. <HI>di&s;pence:</HI> P. 184. l. 1. 1. <HI>left.</HI> P. 222. l. 20. dele <HI>fully:</HI> P. 243. l. 12. dele <HI>not:</HI> p. 26<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> l. 3. r. <HI>righteou&s;ne&s;s. To tru&s;t.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="13">
<HEAD>Enter into thy <HI>Clo&s;et.</HI> OR, A METHOD For Private Devotion:</HEAD>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Part I.</HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. I. <HI>Of the nece&s;&s;ity of Privacy, and tho&s;e Chri&s;tian duties which require it.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_THat per&s;on can no wi&s;e be e&s;teemed a &s;erious and through Chri&s;ti|an, uprightly and cor|dially di&s;charging his duty towards God, who is a &s;tranger unto privacy, and u&s;eth not to with|draw him&s;elf from company, even
<PB N="2" REF="14"> the company of his neere&s;t friends, pre&s;enting him&s;elf alone before God: For that be&s;ides the wor&s;hip of God, which we performe to him in the <HI>publick a&s;&s;emblies,</HI> and joynt|ly with the re&s;t of the <HI>Family,</HI> of which we are members, be&s;ides, I &s;ay, praying, hearing, and receiving, &amp;c. in the Church, and praying with the people of our own hou&s;e, there are &s;everal religious duties to be performed by us, without which the power of godline&s;&s;e can never be kept alive in our hearts, nor the &s;er|vice, which before or with others we do unto God almighty, be through hearty and compleat; which duties I &s;ay can never be performed as they &s;hould be, if we are in company. To wit,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t it is indi&s;pen&s;ibly nece&s;&s;ary that a Chri&s;tian often examine him|&s;elf, take account of his own &s;tate and actions, whether his heart be &s;o &s;ted fa&s;t in holy purpo&s;es as it hath been or ought to be, or as he hath vowed to God it &s;hould be: whether his
<PB N="3" REF="14"> practices of late have been an&s;wer a|ble to &s;uch re&s;olutions and engage|ments, as he hath made: or whether his heart be more indifferent and carele&s;s than it was, his actions more loo&s;e and irregular; This, I &s;ay, is ab&s;olutely nece&s;&s;ary to an holy life: for that without it he may in&s;en&s;i|bly go back and grow wor&s;e, he may delay his returns unto God, or not return after &s;everal wandrings, and (if &s;uddenly catcht) die without the particular repentance of many &s;ins.</P>
<P>Secondly, it is as nece&s;&s;ary that a Chri&s;tian confe&s;&s;e him&s;elf to Al|mighty God, that is, that having taken &s;uch an account of his wan|drings, he acknowledg them, be|waile them and beg pardon of them before God.</P>
<P>Thirdly, becau&s;e repentance can|not be without reformation, it is nece&s;&s;ary that he con&s;ult and con&s;i|der with him&s;elf how he may grow better; what occa&s;ions of his &s;ins there were, which may be avoided;
<PB N="4" REF="15"> what means of the contrary virtues, which may be u&s;ed; and re&s;olve &s;e|riou&s;ly with him&s;elf, that the&s;e and the&s;e occa&s;ions he will avoid, the&s;e and the&s;e means u&s;e.</P>
<P>Now fora&s;much as &s;uch re&s;oluti|ons can never be upright and firme, except made with deliberation, heed and thoughtfullne&s;s; and for|a&s;much as &s;uch deliberation cannot be taken in company, nor all things duly weighed, where we have a crowd of occa&s;ions and objects to take of our thoughts, it is therefore nece&s;&s;ary that for &s;uch work we be alone: and in the other ca&s;es, be|cau&s;e that examination of our &s;elves mu&s;t needs be very &s;lighty &amp; &s;hort, which we make while we &s;it and talk with others; becau&s;e al&s;o tho&s;e con|fe&s;&s;ions, which we make in publick or with others, may be, and mo&s;t frequently are, too generall to reach our particular ca&s;es and &s;ins, it is therefore nece&s;&s;ary for the doing of them al&s;o, that we retire or go a|lone.</P>
<PB N="5" REF="15">
<P>And to Conclude, becau&s;e he that would keep him&s;elf clo&s;e to the waies of holine&s;s, mu&s;t do all the&s;e things often, it is therefore nece&s;&s;a|ry, that he be often alone, at lea&s;t as often as with any tollerable con|venience he can, and, to that pur|po&s;e, if his condition admitt or will afford it, that he have a place conve|nient to retire to, which we will call a <HI>Clo&s;et.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. II. <HI>Of the Situation and furni|ture of their Clo&s;et who have choice.</HI></HEAD>
<P>NOw (it being &s;uppo&s;ed that my condition allowes me &s;o much choice, as that I might have it &s;o) my <HI>Clo&s;et</HI> would I have no unplea|&s;ant place, as &s;weetly &s;ituated as any place of my hou&s;e, that I might de|light to be therein; and by no means a low or dark&s;ome room, but
<PB N="6" REF="16"> as high as I well could: for that &s;o it will be mo&s;t remote from the noi&s;e, company, and di&s;turbance of the people who are bu&s;ied u&s;ually below; and be&s;ides that, &s;ome &s;e|cret property there is in &s;uch high and eminent places, whence we may behold the heavens and overlook the earth, which to me much rai&s;eth the &s;oul and elevates the affections, as if we derived or partaked more from heaven, by how much neerer we come to it. Our <HI>Saviour</HI> there|fore u&s;ed to go up <HI>into a mountain to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 10. 9. Acts 1. 13. &amp; 20. 8.</NOTE> <HI>pray:</HI> and <HI>St. Peter went up upon the hou&s;e</HI> for the &s;ame purpo&s;e, that is probably into an upper room &s;uch as the <HI>Di&s;ciples</HI> were a&s;&s;embled in. And if it might be my pa&s;&s;age there. unto &s;hould be through two other outer rooms, at lea&s;t through one, the door or doors of which I might ever have &s;hut when I <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> retir|ed, to the end that my <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> which many times I &s;hall have occa&s;ion, for my own quickening, to u&s;e, might not to be heard without.</P>
<PB N="7" REF="16">
<P>The furniture of my clo&s;et I would have a little more, than that of <HI>Eli&s;ha's</HI> chamber, <HI>A Table a Stool and a Candle&s;tick:</HI> and in&s;tead <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Kings 4. 10.</NOTE> of his bed, an hard <HI>couch</HI> or great chair on which I might &s;ome times lean my weary or aching head: But a couch the rather for that &s;ome|times I haply might find it nece&s;&s;ary to &s;pend the whole night there, and might thereon take &s;ome repo&s;e. To the&s;e I would add a <HI>Bible</HI> a <HI>Com|mon prayer book,</HI> two <HI>paper books</HI> (which when fild mu&s;t be &s;upplyed by two others) and a <HI>Pen</HI> and <HI>Inke.</HI> Another book or two (of which hereafter) I may al&s;o &s;ee occa&s;ion to add to the&s;e. A chimney, again&s;t winters cold, to make the place en|durable, if need be, a whole night, would be no contemptible conveni|ence. If be&s;ides the&s;e I there keep any thing, as Students do books, Gentlemen writings, and Ladies Me|dicins, &amp;c. all the&s;e I would have placed on one &s;ide, or at lea&s;t, one &s;ide I would have free from them,
<PB N="8" REF="17"> again&s;t which &s;hould either &s;tand a table, or a <HI>Praying de&s;k</HI> (that when occa&s;ion &s;hould be I might lay a book or paper before me) and the wall over &s;uch de&s;k or table &s;hould be hung (if I were able to do it) with &s;ome &s;tuff, of one colour, (Green the be&s;t) to the end that when there kneeling at my prayers, I might have in mine eye nothing to call away or divert my thoughts.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. III. <HI>Of my mo&s;t Common entrance into my Clo&s;et.</HI></HEAD>
<P>MY <HI>Clo&s;et</HI> being thus <HI>fitted,</HI> it is &s;uppo&s;ed that my recour&s;e thereto is either more or le&s;s &s;olemn. At no time (except upon mo&s;t ear|ne&s;t and ha&s;ty occa&s;ions) &s;hould my entrance thereto, want the &s;olemni|ty of a <HI>&s;hort</HI> (but hearty) <HI>Prayer.</HI> For this being a place principally de&s;igned for my devout retirement,
<PB N="9" REF="17"> and the performance of tho&s;e pri|vate acts of wor&s;hip which I owe to God, it becomes, by this its end and de&s;ignement, after a &s;ort &s;eparate or &s;acred, a certain &s;ecret Chappel for my &s;elf; and may not therefore wantonly or &s;lightly be by me en|tred into. I &s;ay, not by <HI>Me:</HI> for what ever it is to others to me ought it to be reverend. As there|fore, when our ordinary occa&s;ions call us into our through Churches, we u&s;ually out of Reverence to him, to whom tho&s;e places are de|voted, and in memory of tho&s;e &s;pi|rituall fea&s;ts, which we or our Chri&s;tian brethren have there and in &s;uch places ta&s;ted, fall down on our knees and wor&s;hip God, beg|ging his ble&s;&s;ing upon us &amp; his peo|ple, as often as there a&s;&s;embled, and prai&s;ing him for the benefits, which we or his people have there partak|en of; &s;o when I come, though up|on common matters, into my clo|&s;et, yet con&s;idering with my &s;elf, that I am now in that place, where
<PB N="10" REF="18"> in I have &s;o often wor&s;hipped (or at lea&s;t re&s;olved often to wor&s;hip) God, and had &s;weet conver&s;e with him, in memory thereof, and for rea|&s;ons hereafter mentioned I would kneel down and pray, to this or the like effect.</P>
<P>My good God, whom I here frequently and with my heart wor&s;hip, Ble&s;s me I be|&s;eech thee in the affaires I go about. Keep my heart with thee, at lea&s;t ever keep it up|right before thee: And as of|ten as I here pre&s;ent my &s;elf, let thy good Spirit be pre&s;ent with me, to di&s;po&s;e me unto, and a&s;&s;i&s;t me in thy &s;ervice, through Je&s;us Chri&s;t my Lord and Saviour. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>And having thus or otherwi&s;e, as I am able, or have opportunity, prayed, I would forthwith apply my &s;elf to what I intended.</P>
<PB N="11" REF="18">
<P>Now &s;uch cour&s;e ob&s;erved, as often as I enter my <HI>Clo&s;et,</HI> will be many waies advantageous to me. Fir&s;t, it will be a means to keep my heart much with God, and to recall it to him, in ca&s;e my thoughts have too much wandred from him. It will make me &s;pirituall in ordinary mat|ters and conver&s;e. Secondly, it may be a means to procure a ble&s;&s;ing upon my undertakings. Thirdly, I may the better expect Gods pre|&s;ence there, when I come purpo&s;e|ly to &s;eek him.</P>
<P>It needs not after this di&s;cour&s;e, to admoni&s;h that we ever take heed what matters here we do. I would not choo&s;e this as a place of my vainer di&s;cour&s;e, or freer hours, as &s;ome do; who are ever &s;evere&s;t in company, and allow them&s;elves liberty in private or among&s;t their confidents, whom if they can but get into &s;uch a place, where neither mens eye, nor ear can reach them (as the clo&s;et for the main is &s;up|po&s;ed to be) their company &s;hall
<PB N="12" REF="19"> be vain and &s;rolick to as high a de|gree almo&s;t as any mens. <HI>I take it, and I am greatly deceived if I mi&s;|take it, for a certain argument, that the &s;erious belief of a God and of the World to come, is much wanting in his heart, who dare be naught, idle, or &s;infully merry, if he can but get out of mans &s;ight and cognizance.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="part">
<PB N="13" REF="19">
<HEAD>PART II. Treating of <HI>Daily Clo&s;et-Duties.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. I. <HI>That if I am a per&s;on of lei|&s;ure, I ought daily, twice in the day, to retire into my</HI> Clo&s;et <HI>for devotions &s;ake.</HI></HEAD>
<P>It followeth now to be con&s;idered of my more &s;olemn retirement or entrance into my <HI>Clo&s;et.</HI> Now that I account a &s;olemn recour&s;e thi|ther, when my bu&s;ine&s;&s;e there is purely devotion. And &s;uch recour&s;e is either ordinary, or more &s;peciall.</P>
<PB N="14" REF="20">
<P>My ordinary retirement into my <HI>Clo&s;et</HI> &s;hould be daily, and that if my condition will conveniently ad|mit, as mo&s;t mens may twice a day: oftener I may, as at noon, &s;eldom|er I well cannot.</P>
<P>I am bound thereto upon the &s;ame grounds, upon which I am bound to pray twice a day: and the &s;um of them is, that the command &s;aith, <HI>Pray continually;</HI> the mean|ing of which we cannot but take to be, 1 either pray alwaies when you may for other duties (that is, &s;o much time as thou can&s;t &s;pare from the work of thy calling and due care of thy body, and other of|fices of Charity and Piety, &s;pend in that duty of prayer) or el&s;e 2. (parallel to that of the <HI>continual burnt Offering</HI> which was called <HI>Continual,</HI> becau&s;e ever <HI>continued</HI> in its cour&s;e twice a day. ) Keep a continuall cour&s;e of prayer morning and evening. And this the practices of the Saints in Scripture (which we may look upon as Exempl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">fications
<PB N="15" REF="20"> of that forenamed command) to wit, the Practice of David praying <HI>Evening, Morning, and at Noon,</HI> of <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 55. 7. Dan. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Daniel</HI> as many times, and none that we read of le&s;s than twice, cannot but enforce upon us, as the lea&s;t which can be our duty in this ca&s;e.</P>
<P>If any think they are excu&s;ed from private prayer twice a day, by their praying twice a day with the Family, of which they are a part, They are to under&s;tand, that there is no particular &s;trict command, touching the nature of our daily de|votions, pre&s;cribing them to be ei|ther publick, or private, or both: but that it is mo&s;t ju&s;t and equita|ble that <HI>God &s;hould have a liberal part of our time, as well as of our e|&s;tates:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dr. Ham: Pract. Catech. Lib. 3. &s;ect. 2.</NOTE> that therefore if our con|dition be &s;uch, that be&s;ides the time, which we &s;pend in prayer with the Family (which no one, who would have God to ble&s;s his Family, can think he may neglect) we have con|venient lei&s;ure from other nece&s;&s;ary matters, it cannot be better be&s;tow|ed,
<PB N="16" REF="21"> than in our <HI>Clo&s;et,</HI> and upon our <HI>Soules.</HI> And it will que&s;tion|le&s;&s;e be a piece of very &s;infull vani|ty, to trifle it away, and omit what it might &s;o well have been imployed upon; According as in matter of my e&s;tate, if after &s;ufficient nece&s;&s;a|ries and conveniences provided for my &s;elf and Family, there do yet remain in my hand a portion of what God hath given me, I cannot but look upon it as my duty, to &s;up|ply therewith the nece&s;&s;ities of tho&s;e who want, and as my &s;in, for me idly to &s;quander it away, which might have fild &s;o many hungry bel|lies, or cloathed &s;o many naked or ragged backs. Further, God hav|ing in joyned me the duty of prayer, but left the particular frequency of it, after the nature of other freewill offerings, to my Chri&s;tian di&s;creti|on, I ought not to be therefore the more heedle&s;s: but rather, becau&s;e I know my &s;acrifice will be ever ac|cepted how often &s;oever brought with an hone&s;t heart, out of an holy
<PB N="17" REF="21"> ambition of plea&s;ing God and &s;end|ing up an odour of a &s;weet &s;avour unto heaven, to bring it as often as I can: And &s;urely twice a day I may pre&s;ent even my private devo|tions.</P>
<P>If I be &s;ingle and in my own pow|er, there is no que&s;tion but I may: If I be the Ma&s;ter or Mi&s;tris of a Family, there is little que&s;tion of it: If I be a &s;ervant, or one who works for my living, there is indeed &s;ome|what the more que&s;tion; for that not only I may be &s;traightned in time, but want the conveniency of privacy. But, yet even in this ca&s;e, what hinders, but that being I can|not do &s;o well as I would, I may do &s;o well as I can? to wit, ri&s;ing one piece of an hour ordinarily &s;ooner, or lying down &s;o much lat|ter, fall down upon my knees by my &s;elf at my beds &s;ide, and privately poure out my confe&s;&s;ions and pray|ers before God. And what if my fellow &s;ervant be with me? Why &s;hould I be a&s;hamed to do, before
<PB N="18" REF="22"> him, what he cannot but acknowledg he al&s;o ought to do? &s;hall I not one day much more blu&s;h and be con|founded at the omi&s;sion of my duty before <HI>Men</HI> and <HI>Angels</HI> and <HI>God</HI> him&s;elf, than here at the perform|ance of it? And which &s;hame ra|ther to be cho&s;en? That before God, all Men, Angels, Devils, than this before one or two? That which is eternall, or this, which af|ter I have once or twice de&s;pi&s;ed, I &s;hall be troubled with no more? Begin to do &s;o, and after the fir&s;t or &s;econd time, thou wilt never be a&s;hamed of it: I a&s;&s;ure thee at lea&s;t thou wilt never repent.</P>
<P>This then &s;hould be my ordinary retirement twice a day.</P>
<P>Our more &s;pecial retirement ought to be upon <HI>Lords daies, Holy|daies,</HI> and our own <HI>private Fa&s;t|daies,</HI> each of which will come here|after to be con&s;idered. In the mean time our daily retirement and de|votions mu&s;t be proceeded with.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="19" REF="22">
<HEAD>Chap. II. <HI>Con&s;iderations to per&s;wade to daily devotion and pray|er in private.</HI></HEAD>
<P>ANd to the end I may be &s;ure to keep &s;uch cour&s;e as before|&s;aid, let me &s;it down and &s;eriou&s;ly weigh.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, the concernment, impor|tance and va&s;t moment of tho&s;e things, which by prayer I am to &s;eek and may obtain, above the other, upon which mo&s;t of my time is &s;pent. What is it of worldly goods, which will not pa&s;s away (at lea&s;t as to me and my injoyment of it) with my &s;elf? I dying, all dyes with me: my e&s;tate, my honours, my friends, and all &s;uch, are no more comfor|table to me, when death once ap|pears; but haply a torment, being that they are all now to be left. It is therefore but to the end of my
<PB N="20" REF="23"> three&s;core years and ten (if I &s;hould live &s;o long) or thereabouts, that the&s;e can be good at all: And of the&s;e my three&s;core years and ten (which it is a thou&s;and to one whe|ther ever I reach) how many are already gone? Perhaps one Moy|ety, perhaps more. So then all tho&s;e things, which my other time &s;eeks, are of a pitifull &s;hort and tran&s;ient concernment. But the graces of Gods &s;pirit, an holy heart a good con&s;cience, reconciliation with my heavenly Father, the&s;e, and &s;uch like, are not only of con|cernment for my pre&s;ent happine&s;s but for my eternall. The riche&s;t honorable&s;t and mo&s;t worldly-happy Man, if devoid of grace, an enemy unto God, con&s;cious to him&s;elf of villany, cannot in all his abundance here enjoy or like him&s;elf, much le&s;s either account him&s;elf, or be ac|counted, an happy per&s;on. For what can that Man acquie&s;ce in, who&s;e own heart calling him a rogue laye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> a fatall nece&s;sity upon him to hate
<PB N="21" REF="23"> and to be ever and anon ready to execrate him&s;elf? Certainly there is no pre&s;ent po&s;sible happine&s;&s;e, which is comparable to that ble&s;&s;ed calm and quiet, which ari&s;eth from the &s;en&s;e of a Mans one upright heart heart and di&s;charged duty. In&s;o|much that were there no &s;uch thing as an heaven to come, I &s;hould not fear to pronounce, that that man neglects tho&s;e things which are of greate&s;t conducement to his pre&s;ent happine&s;&s;e who neglects to &s;eek un|to God, to commune with his own heart, to &s;et all &s;traight and to re|claim him&s;elf to an holy life, the great means by which &s;uch peace, the mo&s;t reall felicity in the world, can be had. But &s;uppo&s;e we &s;uch a per&s;on ready to die, <HI>and it &s;aid unto</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. xii. 20.</NOTE> <HI>him, Thou fool this night &s;hall thy &s;oule be taken from thee;</HI> his peace being unmade with God, him&s;elf unacquainted with heaven, his con|&s;cience telling him that all his time hath been &s;pent on what he mu&s;t now leave, and no provi&s;ion made
<PB N="22" REF="24"> (but of <HI>a trea&s;ure of wrath again the day of wrath)</HI> for that etern<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;late, into which death is his en|trance; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 12.</NOTE> is he not now a mo&s;t unhap+py wretch? Is it not to him a pa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">+equal to the paines of death to thi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> he mu&s;t leave all? Hath he <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> therefore, by devoting him&s;elf to this world, and &s;craping togeth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;uch an ample portion thereof, o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> made him&s;elf more mi&s;erable, a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> that in this pre&s;ent life? For is th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> any mi&s;ery here, like to that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">+gui&s;h, which racks &s;uch a &s;oul up his now in&s;tant departure? A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> would I, then, &s;o &s;pend my time that I might, by the &s;pending of become more mi&s;erable than a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ave tho&s;e who have lived as Would I &s;o &s;pend it, as that the v<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> thinking or reflecting how I &s;pent it, &s;hould then mo&s;t torm<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> me, when I have mo&s;t need of co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">+fort, to wit in my dying hour? <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> yet thus do all men &s;pend their d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> who neglect their devotions, ot<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ies of daily addre&s;&s;e unto God.</P>
<PB N="23" REF="24">
<P>But further &s;uppo&s;e we &s;uch a per&s;on dead; and we have him &s;tript of all even his imaginary happine&s;&s;e, naked of every thing &s;ave his &s;ins: Of the&s;e <HI>his bones are full and they &s;hall lye down with him in the du&s;t.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Job. 10. 11.</NOTE> His <HI>workes follow</HI> him and his <HI>wayes</HI> meet him. Evident therefore it is, that what he hath &s;pent his life up|on, is now of no concernment or moment to him at all, any other|wi&s;e, than to render him for ever as mi&s;erable as he can be. And is this a de&s;irable end for a man all his dayes to be driving at; to be mi&s;e|rable in life by rea&s;on of an evill con&s;cience, or an impo&s;&s;ibility of lik|ing and loving him&s;elf; to be mi&s;e|rable in death, by the advancing of that di&s;quiet, his former torment; and mo&s;t mi&s;erable after death by the perfection of that and all other mi&s;chiefs? Whereas, if &s;ome of tho&s;e dayes which the world employed been taken up in &s;eeking unto God, how might that portion have &s;ancti|fied all the re&s;t, have led him to a
<PB N="24" REF="25"> right improvement of what he got, and that improvement of all been an un&s;peakable plea&s;ure and content to him here, and hereafter have wrought him an eternity of ble&s;&s;ed|ne&s;s! Not to mention that un&s;peak|able &s;atisfaction, which the hearty performance of &s;uch devotions, through the bloud of Chri&s;t, would have filled him with, which we may hereafter con&s;ider. Who&s;o there|fore truly loves him&s;elf will love his <HI>Clo&s;et</HI> and his <HI>Prayers.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, Let me weigh the <HI>Rea|&s;onablene&s;&s;e</HI> hereof, that <HI>God</HI> &s;hould have a <HI>con&s;iderable part</HI> of my <HI>Time,</HI> who hath given me <HI>&s;o much</HI> for my <HI>&s;elf,</HI> and the <HI>unrea&s;onablene&s;&s;e</HI> of the <HI>contrary.</HI> Let me deal ingeniou&s;ly: may not God well expect more of my time, than what is by any law &s;et apart or con&s;ecrate to this wor|&s;hip? And it being the genuine Evangelicall &s;en&s;e of the fourth com|mandement, Keep all thy life an <HI>ho|ly re&s;t from doing thy own workes delighting thy &s;elf</HI> and acquie&s;cing
<PB N="25" REF="25"> ever in <HI>the Lord,</HI> will it not in a good mea&s;ure hold thus, Re&s;t as much as thou can&s;t to thy devotions, &s;pend <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai. 58. 13; 14.</NOTE> as many houres as thou can&s;t with God? Or &s;uppo&s;e that this law would not in equity bind me here|unto (which yet it &s;eems to do) is it not rea&s;onable, that there &s;hould be free will offerings of our time as well as of our e&s;tates? And will there be any better way found for the imploying of what we can &s;pare thereof, than the thus &s;anctifiing and devoting it unto God? I am confident whatever mens practices may be, their con&s;ciences cannot gain&s;ay but do highly approve and commend to them what is pre&s;&s;ed. We may complain fondly of the <HI>&s;hortne&s;&s;e of time:</HI> but evident it is that we &s;pend much upon this world; much upon our games, much upon our plea&s;ures, much upon our ambitions, much al&s;o upon tho&s;e ne|ce&s;&s;ary acts of life, Eating, Drink|ing, Sleeping, and much to upon (God knowes) we know not what.
<PB N="26" REF="26"> Now let tho&s;e who account them|&s;elves to have lea&s;t lei&s;ure, find but time enough to con&s;ider, when they go to bed every night, how much time they have lo&s;t, or trifled away, that day, and &s;etting it down every night, reckon at the weeks end, and &s;ee, to how many hours it will a|mount. Do &s;o but one week o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> two, and &s;ee if you do not blu&s;h at the ordinary excu&s;e for neglect of prayer, that you have not time. Fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the i&s;&s;ue will be of the&s;e two, the own either my whole time hath been really imployed, and that upon my common affaires and nece&s;&s;ary care of my body, or el&s;e &s;ome part of it (to wit, &s;o much as hath not been imployed) hath been trifled away. Now <HI>(utrum horum)</HI> Let me take which I plea&s;e. If it be &s;uppo&s;ed all to have been imployed, is it not mo&s;t unrea&s;onable, that worldly bu|&s;ine&s;&s;e and my body &s;hould have all, and God and my &s;oul have none, or next to none? Did God make me for him&s;elf, and allot me &s;uch a mea|&s;ure
<PB N="27" REF="26"> of time for his glory and for provi&s;ion for my &s;oul, and are they only &s;ome few minutes, which I can find either for him or it? Was, I &s;ay, every day given me for the&s;e ends, and can I &s;pend all without con&s;iderable &s;eeking either, as I do if I allow nothing to private devoti|on? Ought I not therefore to le&s;&s;|en my bu&s;ine&s;&s;e, rather than neglect the great ends of my being? If, on the other &s;ide, a con&s;iderable part of my time were lo&s;t and trifled a|way (as I dare &s;ay infallibly it will appear upon due account taken) is not this a mo&s;t unrea&s;onable part in me, that I can find time to loo&s;e, and yet no time to pray?</P>
<P>And further, Thirdly, it may &s;omewhat quicken me, if I con&s;ider, that though it &s;hould be que&s;tioned whether it be &s;trictly my duty <HI>thus and thus oft to pray,</HI> becau&s;e there may &s;eem to be wanting an expre&s;&s;e command, yet I cannot but be &s;en&s;i|ble that it is my duty <HI>to pray, and to pray often,</HI> (for, this there are not
<PB N="28" REF="27"> wanting commands) and that therefore prayer being a duty and well plea&s;ing unto God, the more thereof is performed, the more ac|ceptable &s;ervice do I do to God: provided, prayer thru&s;t not out my other duties. The frequency, I &s;ay, can never offend, except in the ca&s;e of neglecting other duties to per. forme it: and herein commonly men are not apt to be guilty. Sup|po&s;e it therefore not to offend in this ca&s;e being that it is a duty, it mu&s;t plea&s;e, and plea&s;e the more, by how much it &s;elf is more. Now this to ingenuity is no mean incentive unto prayer, that hereby I plea&s;e my God, and delight heaven.</P>
<P>Fourthly, Let me con&s;ider, that as Prayer it &s;elf is the mo&s;t power|full and effectuall means, that a Chri&s;tian can u&s;e for the effecting of all he would, &s;o there is no prayer more powerfull than that which is mo&s;t frequent and importunate. In generall as to the power of prayer, it is &s;uch that it &s;eems to have done
<PB N="29" REF="27"> violence to omnipotency it &s;elf; as in the ca&s;e of Mo&s;es when God as though graciou&s;ly held or re&s;train|ed bids him <HI>lot him alone:</HI> and in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exo. 32. 10 I&s;ai. 45. 2.</NOTE> &s;ome cau&s;es, if duly performed, God hath as it were allowed it to <HI>command</HI> him. But what or who&s;e prayers are they, which are thus powerfull? Surely not theirs, who &s;o &s;eldom come to heaven, that if it were for nothing el&s;e, but becau&s;e they are &s;uch &s;trangers, they would not &s;peed: but theirs rathers, who&s;e daily and frequent application of them&s;elves to the throne of grace, hath rendred them there well ac|quainted and favourites. We may therefore ob&s;erve, that <HI>the mo&s;t ab&s;o|lute and encouraging promi&s;es of be|ing heard, are made to the importun|nate &s;uitors.</HI> The widdow in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 18.</NOTE> parable, whom inju&s;tice it &s;elf could not deny, was &s;uch, and therefore &s;ped becau&s;e &s;uch, becau&s;e &s;he came &s;o often. And that precept, each gradation of which hath a promi&s;e proportionably attemporated and
<PB N="30" REF="28"> fitted thereunto, as it pre&s;cribes, &s;o chiefly encourageth importunity, that is, <HI>frequency</HI> as well as <HI>ferven<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y.</HI> It is no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;aid, onely <HI>A&s;ke,</HI> nor onely <NOTE PLACE="marg">Math. 7. 7.</NOTE> <HI>Seck,</HI> but both, and <HI>Knock</HI> be&s;ides. The la&s;t alone, <HI>viz.</HI> Knocking, implies frequency, and therefore much more do all the three. And to the <HI>Knocking,</HI> as being of all the three the cleare&s;t denotation or ex|pre&s;&s;ion of importunity, it is pro|mi&s;ed <HI>It &s;hall be opened:</HI> as if it had been &s;aid, tho&s;e who onely aske and &s;eek may come to &s;peed; but tho&s;e who knock, tho&s;e who are oft and and earne&s;t in their prayers, &s;hall have the trea&s;ures of heaven <HI>opened</HI> and free to them, out of which to take full &s;atisfaction and &s;upply.</P>
<P>Now becau&s;e all the&s;e things are &s;o, therefore can it not be but that the <HI>benefit</HI> of &s;uch practice mu&s;t be <HI>un&s;peakable,</HI> which as another (and for the pre&s;ent the la&s;t) incite|ment unto daily private devotion is worthy my con&s;ideration. Fir&s;t, as to the inward temper of my heart
<PB N="31" REF="28"> (which rightly to di&s;po&s;e, and &s;o di&s;po&s;ed to keep, is a matter of the greate&s;t concernment to an holy life) there can be nothing thought of more effectual than &s;uch practice, nor can it indeed well be conceived, how that mans heart can be kept in a thorow &s;en&s;e of his duty, and clo&s;e with God, who maintaines not &s;ome &s;uch daily cour&s;e of devotion as is under pre&s;ent con&s;ideration.</P>
<P N="1">1. The maintaining hereof will keep alive in me a continual fear and awfull apprehen&s;ion of God: it will habituate me, in all my wayes, often to think upon and remember him. Now there is nothing, the apprehen&s;ion of which is of more whole&s;ome con&s;equence unto a man, than of God and his all-&s;eeing eye. One, who is &s;en&s;ible and mind|full hereof, cannot be long vain, but, if he do forget him&s;elf at any time, will &s;oon return to his old &s;eriou&s;|ne&s;&s;e.</P>
<P N="2">2. Such practice will al&s;o much conduce to the keeping of me hum|ble,
<PB N="32" REF="29"> as being &s;en&s;ible of (becau&s;e often minding) my &s;ins: my &s;ins I &s;ay from my youth up to my pre|&s;ent years, my pre|&s;ent years, my perpetual prone&s;&s;e and frequent relap&s;es unto vicious cour&s;es. The&s;e, being matter of my daily confe&s;&s;ions thoughts and me|ditations, cannot but in &s;ome good mea&s;ure keep under any towring o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> proud conceits, which I am apt to have of my &s;elf.</P>
<P N="3">3. It will al&s;o make and keep m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> tender, affectionate, and truly Zea|lous in my &s;ervice of God. Ther<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> will be in me an habitual preparati|on for all dutyes; in&s;omuch that I can no &s;ooner be at them and have engaged my &s;elf in them, but with <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> great deal of vivacity and readine&s;&s;e of Spirit, and with many inward meltings of heart I &s;hall conver&s;e in them: this being not onely my dai|ly but my frequent practice, at lea&s;t frequent endeavour.</P>
<P N="4">4. It mu&s;t therefore much in|crea&s;e all manner of Chri&s;tian graces in my Soul: ina&s;much as grace, ac|cording
<PB N="33" REF="29"> as we now &s;peak thereof, is nothing el&s;e but the due di&s;po&s;ition and re&s;olution of the &s;oul, which as is evident will be the natural con|&s;equent and fruit of &s;uch prac|tice.</P>
<P>Secondly, it will have a very whole&s;ome influence upon my life, as in all ca&s;es el&s;e, &s;o e&s;pecially in this, that I &s;hall at no time carry on any de&s;igne, which I dare not bring unto the te&s;t of heaven, and beg thereon the ble&s;&s;ing of the God of Holine&s;&s;e.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, the mercies which I re|ceive in my own per&s;on, in my rela|tions, in all my affaires as procured and impetrated from God by the&s;e my daily and frequent prayers will be innumerable; and that inward comfort and clearne&s;&s;e of heart, with which I &s;hall entertain and re|ceive the&s;e mercies, or any thing el&s;e, which comes from the hand of my gracious God, inexpre&s;&s;ible. The &s;ame mercies evidenlty are not the &s;ame to all men, no more than
<PB N="34" REF="30"> are the &s;ame cha&s;ti&s;ements. But to whom&s;oever mercies are greater mercies, or afflictions le&s;&s;e afflicti|ons, it cannot be but that to him who thus con&s;cientiou&s;ly daily conver&s;|eth with God, all mu&s;t be mo&s;t kindly.</P>
<P>Now the con&s;ideration of all, which I have thus meditated, cannot &s;ure but move me to &s;ome mea&s;ure of di|ligence in the&s;e duties. If therefore at any time negligence begin to grow over me, it may be of good effect to read over and duly to weigh the&s;e or the like motives, that I may be quickened to re&s;ume, and proceed with, my propo&s;ed cour&s;e: and what that cour&s;e &s;hould be, it followes in the next place that I con|&s;ult.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="35" REF="30">
<HEAD>Chap. III. <HI>Of the &s;ub&s;tance of every dayes private devotion; To per|&s;ons of lei&s;ure,</HI> Reading, Meditation, <HI>and</HI> Prayer.</HEAD>
<P>THe private devotion of every day will be different to par|ticular per&s;ons according as their conditions differ, from &s;uch who are &s;ervants or lead a &s;ervile life, I mean all tho&s;e who get their living by their daily labour, who&s;e abilities of mind are therefore meaner and and who&s;e privacy more difficult, from &s;uch I &s;ay no more than this may &s;eem to be expected, that both in the morning being ri&s;en, and at night being about to lye down, they in the fear of God fall down before him and pray unto him, touching which directions will a non follow.</P>
<P>From tho&s;e, who&s;e way of life being more liberal, their abilities
<PB N="36" REF="31"> and opportunities are greater, more may &s;eem ju&s;tly to be looked for, according to that rule, <HI>To whom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 12. 48.</NOTE> <HI>much is given, from them &s;hall much be required.</HI> Speaking therefore to to &s;uch who have e&s;tates and lei&s;ure, and &s;o may have opportune privacy, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;uppo&s;e their daily private devoti|on cannot be compleat, except con|&s;i&s;ting of <HI>Reading Meditation</HI> and <HI>Prayer.</HI></P>
<P>Touching <HI>private Prayer</HI> it hath been before &s;poken and nothing now can by &s;uch, whom the pre&s;ent con&s;ultation concerneth, be &s;aid for the di&s;pen&s;ing with it, being it is e|ven their duty, who are of meaner qualily and capacity and therefore much more theirs, who are of great|er. Touching <HI>Reading</HI> and <HI>Medi|tation;</HI> if any &s;u&s;picion ari&s;e, it will ea&s;ily be removed by tho&s;e com|mands, which enjoyn us that we <HI>Search</HI> diligently <HI>the Scriptures, that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John. 5. 39, <GAP DESC="foreign"> Colo&s;&s;. 3. 16.</NOTE> <HI>the word of God dwell plentifully in|us,</HI> and by &s;uch Characters of righte|ous per&s;ons, as that they are &s;uch
<PB N="37" REF="31"> <HI>who&s;e delight is in the Law of the Lord,</HI> and who <HI>meditate therein day and night.</HI> And certainly &s;uch com|mands <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;ai. 1.</NOTE> being capable to be intended. or remitted (I mean being to be con&s;trued with &s;ome regard) and ac|cording to that general rule afore|mentioned <HI>[to whom much is given from him much &s;hall be required,]</HI> cannot but be interpreted to re|quire greater and more diligent <HI>Searching</HI> (that is more of <HI>Reading</HI> and <HI>Meditating</HI> upon) Scripture, from tho&s;e who have greater op|portunity and ability to do it, than they do from others who are mean|er in both. Of &s;uch an one therefore, who hath not time every day, or if he haply have, yet cannot read, it may be thought he di&s;chargeth his duty of <HI>&s;earching the Scripture</HI> if in a way proportionable to his ability he endeavour to acquaint him&s;elf, with Scripture, to wit; by a diligent attention to it, and inquiring of it (as|he hath conveniency) when it is read on preached. But of &s;uch an
<PB N="38" REF="32"> one who can <HI>read</HI> and hath time to <HI>meditate</HI> on what he reads, and whom, it may be, it concerns to in|&s;truct others in the knowledg of Scripture (as being over them) of &s;uch an one, I &s;ay, being that more is required, than of the other, it can|not in rea&s;on be thought, that he hath done his duty by bare attenti|on unto Scripture read, except he him&s;elf read and meditate therein. And he will very hardly (we may not fear to &s;ay, not at all) approve him&s;elf to be a Godly man, if he be|have not him&s;elf as Godly men did of old, that is if he <HI>delight not in the Law of the Lord,</HI> and therein daily <HI>meditate.</HI> If I &s;hould doubt there|fore, whether it be &s;trictly my duty <HI>day</HI> and <HI>night, morning</HI> and <HI>evening</HI> to read the Scriptures and meditate, I cannot doubt (for I &s;ee plain evi|dence for it) that it is a Godly mans Character, one part of his practice as he is a Godly man, to <HI>road</HI> and <HI>meditate,</HI> if therefore intend to be a Godly man, it mu&s;t be my care and practice too.
<PB N="39" REF="32"> Wherefore of the&s;e three, <HI>Reading, Meditation,</HI> and <HI>Prayer,</HI> &s;eeing that none may be well omitted (at lea&s;t not ordinarily neglected) it is re|qui&s;ite more particular con&s;iderati|on be had.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. IIII. <HI>Of Reading the Holy Scrip|ture. The mo&s;t edifying method and manner of Reading it con&s;ulted of.</HI></HEAD>
<P>BY <HI>Reading</HI> here I under&s;tand reading the &s;ole word of God: and this as it &s;hould con&s;tantly (for the main at lea&s;t, if not ever) have a place in my daily devotions in private; &s;o therein, me-thinks, will mo&s;t conveniently take place in the beginning of them, on this wi&s;e. Be+ing entered into my <HI>Clo&s;et</HI> for my devotions &s;ake, it becomes me fir&s;t in all humility and out of the fear of God, not out of cu&s;tome, to fall
<PB N="40" REF="33"> down before him, and in &s;hort ac|cording to former direction to beg his ble&s;sing upon me and pre&s;ence with me there pre&s;enting my &s;elf to wor&s;hip before his maje&s;ty: To which purpo&s;e the Form <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Part. 1. Chap. 3.</NOTE> already delivered may be proper either for u&s;e, or further direction, according as I &s;hall &s;ee &s;it. This being done, forthwith let me apply my &s;elf to the reading &s;oine portion of the word, according to my prefixed cour&s;e. And what cour&s;e &s;hall that be?</P>
<P>Mode&s;ty would pre&s;ently an&s;wer, The &s;ame which the wi&s;dome of the Church hath pre&s;cribed for publick u&s;e. And the truth is (the Church con&s;ulting herein, as &s;he ought, the edification of the people.) this order hath, in this point, the advantage of all other, that it will lead us to read over all the mo&s;t u&s;efull parts of Scripture and tho&s;e mo&s;t frequently: to wit, the New Te&s;tament except|ing onely &s;ome Chapters of the <HI>Re|velation,</HI> three times a year; the
<PB N="41" REF="33"> <HI>P&s;almes</HI> once a month; the <HI>Old</HI> Te&s;tament (excepting onely the two books of <HI>Chroni les,</HI> which are for the mo&s;t part extant in the <HI>Kings</HI> and <HI>Samuel,</HI> and &s;ome other Chap|ters of other books, cheifly relating to the <HI>Jewi&s;h</HI> &s;tate) once in a year. But then if we con&s;ider its complyance with our pre&s;ent de&s;igne, it hath the&s;e two exceptions lying again&s;t it. Fir&s;t, that the portions of Scrip|ture, by that order to be read daily, are greater than what every mans or mo&s;t mens conveniency will af|ford time to read, and meditate up|on, as it is (&s;uppo&s;ed at pre&s;ent) be&s;t for a devout Chri&s;tian to do. And then Secondly, that by this means a con&s;iderable part of the <HI>Old</HI> Te&s;ta|ment and &s;ome part of the <HI>New</HI> will be left out; which parts are not que&s;tionle&s;s without their u&s;e, though, comparitively, not &s;o ne|ce&s;&s;ary for the publick commonalty as the other. And to the Churches pre&s;cription it may be &s;aid, that it was never the Churches intention
<PB N="42" REF="34"> to pre&s;cribe this order for mens <HI>Clo&s;ets</HI> in private, where &s;he can neither take notice of their ob&s;erv|ing nor neglecting it, but onely for publick edification and uniformity.</P>
<P>This order therefore being taken not to be &s;o proper for our pre&s;ent purpo&s;e, the next which will offer it, &s;elf will be the natural order of the books in which they lye. Now this, though not liable to the exceptions, which we found again&s;t the former (being that nothing then will be o|mitted, nor the Reader over burden|ed with too great a portion, being he is left to him&s;elf) yet hath this inconveniency, that it will detain the ob&s;erver of it a great while in tho&s;e parts of Scripture, which may not edifie him &s;o much, as would the o|ther: &s;o that haply <HI>Reading</HI> &s;hall be a duller and le&s;&s;e &s;piritual an exer|ci&s;e, than it would be, did he more wi&s;ely order it. Yet hath it this advantage al&s;o, that the <HI>Revelations</HI> of God and eternal life being &s;till clearer in each &s;ucceeding part of
<PB N="43" REF="34"> Scripture (I mean clearer in the <HI>Pro|phets</HI> than in the <HI>Law</HI> and in the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> than in either) one months reading may make me &s;ee more into that of the former month, and all lead me to the magnifiing of God for the pre&s;ent manife&s;t revelation of his will.</P>
<P>The&s;e things being &s;o, it may hap|ly conduce mo&s;t to our private edi|fication if we keep &s;trictly to neither of the&s;e orders, but ob&s;erving the conveniences and inconveniences of each to our private purpo&s;e, accord|ing to our Chri&s;tian di&s;cretion frame to our &s;elves one out of both, which may have the commodities of both, and incommodity of nei|ther. And that may be &s;uch as this: To begin every Reading with a <HI>P&s;alm,</HI> or, where the <HI>P&s;alms</HI> are very long, with a good portion of one, taking the <HI>P&s;alms</HI> in their cour&s;e: (This I therefore commend, by rea&s;on of the exceeding u&s;efull|ne&s;&s;e of that book of <HI>P&s;alms</HI> for prayer, it furni&s;hing a man with
<PB N="44" REF="35"> petitions, hymnes and ejaculations of all &s;orts, and be&s;ides di&s;covering very much of the hearty practice of <HI>Devotion</HI> and <HI>Godline&s;&s;e.</HI> ) That be|ing fini&s;ht, in the morning to take in order as the books and Chapters lye, &s;uch a portion of the <HI>Old</HI> Te&s;ta|ment, as my Chri&s;tian prudence, con&s;idering my own conveniences and occa&s;ions, &s;hall judge fit: which, where the matter affords more work for <HI>Meditation,</HI> may be &s;hort|er, where le&s;s, larger. In like man|ner at evening, beginning with a like portion of the <HI>P&s;almes,</HI> take a part of the <HI>New</HI> Te&s;tament, as it lyes in order, greater of le&s;s, accord|ing, as before&s;aid, it findes my devo|tion work. Some &s;uch cour&s;e as this would I ob&s;erve, till I had read over the <HI>Holy</HI> Scripture twice or thrice with &s;uch care, attention and meditation, as &s;hall pre&s;ently be de|&s;cribed; by which time I &s;hould begin to be a little ver&s;t in it, and to know what parts of Scripture I u&s;ed to read with greate&s;t Chri&s;tian
<PB N="45" REF="35"> advantage, which therfore after|wards I would read oftener than the other; &s;etting alwaies a mark at the name of each book, as they &s;tand in the <HI>Table</HI> at the beginning of my Bible, when I had read that book o|ver, that &s;o I might know how often I had read each, le&s;t I come too long to neglect the reading of any. This as to the <HI>Order</HI> of my <HI>Reading.</HI></P>
<P>Having now my work thus or|derly before me, it remains in the next place that I look to the be&s;t <HI>manner</HI> of doing it: whither belong the following rules.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that I endeavour to read with compo&s;edne&s;&s;e of mind and attention, not onely to the &s;en&s;e, &s;ub&s;tance, or &s;ubject matter of what I read, but as to the very expre&s;&s;i|ons of it. For that the very ex|pre&s;&s;ions of Scripture are not onely very u&s;efull in prayer (God loving to hear his children call upon him in his own language) but do al&s;o ma|ny times carry in them &s;uch &s;ecret empha&s;es and force, as &s;hall much
<PB N="46" REF="36"> comfort &s;upport, aw, and otherwi&s;e affect the heart which con&s;iders them.</P>
<P>Secondly, that I be &s;ure, as I read, to ob&s;erve the &s;cope and drift of the portion of Scripture, which I read. For as to particular pa&s;&s;ages, it may &s;o happen, that the plain reader may many times &s;carce un|der&s;tand them, they puzling ever learned heads: but as to the &s;co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of the whole, as to that which the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> cheifly drives at, th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> may be commonly more ea&s;ily un|der&s;tood: and this being under|&s;tood doth not onely en&s;ure me o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;o much benefit as I have under&s;tood of it, but will give e&s;pecial light unto tho&s;e darker places, who&s;e meaning I do not &s;o well conceive.</P>
<P>Thirdly, That if ever I inten<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> this part of my devotion, to wit my <HI>Reading,</HI> &s;hould be acceptable to God, or otherwi&s;e than a witne&s;&s;e again&s;t my &s;elf, I re&s;olve upon the impartiall practice of what &s;oever <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> by reading find to be in Scripture
<PB N="47" REF="36"> commanded, and e&s;chewing of what &s;oever I there find forbidden. Such godly purpo&s;e will encrea&s;e my very knowledg; <HI>For the &s;ecret of the Lord is with them that fear</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 25. 14.</NOTE> <HI>him, and he will teach them his Sta|tutes:</HI> whereas other, who bring not a re&s;olution of &s;uch con&s;cienti|ous practice, but bearly inqui&s;itive diligence, may come to be in a greater mea&s;ure ignorant of his mind.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. V. <HI>Of Meditation, and the mo&s;t edifiing cour&s;e in it.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe&s;e rules being thus ob&s;erved, and a certain portion of <HI>Holy</HI> Scripture thus read, it will be proper for me in the next place to proceed to <HI>Meditation.</HI></P>
<P>Now <HI>Meditation</HI> here I take not for the &s;imple thinking of any thing divine, which &s;hall offer it &s;elf, but
<PB N="48" REF="37"> for an orderly and &s;erious con&s;ide|ration of the particulars following.</P>
<P N="1">1. Upon that portion of Scrip|ture, which I have read.</P>
<P N="2">2. Upon my own &s;tate and waies.</P>
<P N="3">3. Upon the prayers (that is, confe&s;&s;ions petitions and thank&s;giv|ings) which I am pre&s;ently to offer up unto God.</P>
<P>Touching the fir&s;t there are the&s;e three things for me to con&s;ider.</P>
<P>Fr&s;t, If I have not, as I read, been able to under&s;tand the de&s;ign and drift of the <HI>Holy</HI> Gho&s;t in what I have read, let me con&s;ider touching that: and, by a &s;hort reveiw of it, comparing the parts or &s;everal mate|rials &s;poken of, and attending how they hang together, endeavour to comprehend their &s;ub&s;tance and &s;cope. He reads to no purpo&s;e who reads not thus; for it is not repeat|ing the words of Scripture, but un|der&s;tanding and dige&s;ting their &s;en&s;e and &s;ub&s;tance, which is to be ac|counted reading the Scripture: and one Chapter thus read is worth ten ha&s;tily run over.</P>
<PB N="49" REF="37" MS="y">
<P>Secondly, If there be in what I have read any difficult or harder place, which &s;eems to contain any matter of practice or article of faith (I mean which is likely to in&s;truct me in any thing nece&s;&s;ary to be be|lieved or done in order to my &s;alva|tion) that let me con&s;ider, and endeavour thereof to find the mean|ing. As to tho&s;e difficulties, which concern controver&s;ies, that is que&s;|tionable opinions in divinity, or inquiries into matters of meer knowledge or &s;peculation, (&s;uch things, which when they are known there is no end of them) the&s;e may be very well overlooked by an or|dinary per&s;on. As for in&s;tance; Reading <HI>Acts. 13,</HI> (the la&s;t Para|graph or partition of the Chapter, which begins <HI>ver&s;. 44.)</HI> I find therein <HI>(viz. ver&s;. 48.)</HI> a certain difficult expre&s;sion, <HI>As many as were ordained unto life believed.</HI> What <HI>believing</HI> and what <HI>life</HI> (ie, heaven and ble&s;&s;edne&s;&s;e) mean I know: but what <HI>ordained</HI> unto <HI>life</HI>
<PB N="50" REF="38"> means, I doubt; and truly need not much trouble my &s;elf to inquire. Sufficient it is that I conclude from thence, that <HI>all they who &s;hall obtain everla&s;ting life are believers,</HI> not one unbelieving or ungodly per&s;on &s;hall ever enter into heaven, and there|fore particularly that I re&s;olve upon an hone&s;t cordial receiving of the Go&s;pell, as my duty, if ever I intend for happine&s;&s;e. Again, Reading <HI>Ex|odus. 32.</HI> I find that <HI>Mo&s;es took the Calfe they had made and burned it is the fire and grownd it to powder:</HI> Ho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the burning gold in the fire, which onely purifies it ordinarily, &s;hould come to make it friable or brittle, that it might be grownd unto pow|der, I need not &s;tand to inquire. A &s;horter and better way it is, to be|lieve the matter fea&s;ible, and this relation true, as being part of Gods word: all I need to conclude thence is, that Idolatry is to be de&s;troyed, and that in &s;uch &s;ort as the people may not return to it again, but ra|ther loath and abominate it, as we
<PB N="51" REF="38"> do that which pa&s;&s;eth through our bodies: and that it is the wi&s;dom of Magi&s;trates, whom it concerns to de&s;troy it, as it was <HI>Mo&s;es</HI>'s, to find out and contrive &s;uch waies or Me|thods of de&s;troying it. This is I &s;ay as much as can concern any or|dinary per&s;on, and as for the curio|&s;ity touched it may &s;afely be neg|lected. We give not rules to make a Divine but to direct a Chri&s;tian. Now all &s;uch difficulties and curio&s;i|ties being left out, I pre&s;ume the difficulties, which ari&s;e in practi|cable matters will be but few. And for my help herein, it will be meet I reflect upon that which (according to the former rule) I found to be the &s;cope or drift of that Scripture, and con&s;ider the difficulty with &s;ome relation or regard thereto, ob&s;erv|ing the occa&s;ion, upon which that expre&s;&s;ion came in. This will help me very much many times. But for my further help therein, if I am able, it would be expedient I had &s;ome &s;hort glo&s;&s;e, or book explaining
<PB N="52" REF="39"> &s;uch matters: and truly what book to pitch upon, as be&s;t in this ca&s;e, is not ea&s;y to re&s;olve. For I &s;uppo&s;e there are not many books of notes or commentaries upon the whole Bible in Engli&s;h, which meddle one|ly with nece&s;&s;ary and practicable matters, omitting controver&s;als, which a private Chri&s;tian, to his better edification, may well &s;pare, For the <HI>New</HI> Te&s;tament I much ad|mire Dr. <HI>Hammons</HI> Paraphra&s;e, and could ten thou&s;and times wi&s;h &s;uch a piece were extant upon the whole. But yet it is too difficult for every plain reader. <HI>Bi&s;hop Hall</HI> hath a Paraphra&s;e upon the whole Bible, which comes much necrer to our pre&s;ent de&s;igne: But I fear this is &s;carce. The frequente&s;t, be&s;t, and in|nocente&s;t that I know is <HI>Diodates Annotations:</HI> they have indeed a <HI>Geneva tang</HI> now and then, but pret|ty &s;oberly. Some &s;uch book ac|cording as I can gett, I would fur|ni&s;h my &s;elf with, which I might con&s;ult touching the meaning of
<PB N="53" REF="39"> &s;uch difficult places as my Chri&s;tian direction &s;hould tell me to be pra|cticall, and for my nece&s;&s;ary edifi|cation.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Having thus found out the de&s;ign of that whole portion of Scripture which I have read, and the meaning of &s;uch particular Texts as I &s;hall have occa&s;ion to &s;earch into, let me in my meditations ca&s;t over again, or recollect the &s;ub&s;tance of it, and con&s;ider, what am I the better for the reading hereof?</P>
<P N="1">1. Am I in&s;tructed or further con|firmed in any matter of faith?</P>
<P N="2">2. Am I taught any duty which before I either was ignorant of, or neglected? Do I here find any pre|cept or command which I never be|fore took notice of, or had forgot, &amp;c?</P>
<P N="3">3. Is there any thing which may quicken me to any duty, in which I am &s;lack, or deter me from any &s;in to which I am prone? Any threat|ning of Gods wrath? Any example of his judgments? Any promi&s;e of
<PB N="54" REF="40"> mercy? Any in&s;tance of ble&s;&s;ings on his diligent &s;ervants?</P>
<P N="4">4. Is there any thing which may &s;trengthen me in any temptation, comfort me in any affliction, di|&s;tru&s;t? &amp;c.</P>
<P N="5">5. Is there any particular empha|tical or affectionate &s;peech which may at any time quicken me? Any proper petition, confe&s;&s;ion, invoca|tion, thank&s;giving or the like, which may be of u&s;e to me in prayer, or otherwi&s;e?</P>
<P N="6">6. Is there any thing which I can ob&s;erve of the experiences of holy men of old? any thing of the deceit|fulne&s;s of &s;in? &amp;c.</P>
<P>Through &s;uch heads as the&s;e may my meditations briefly run: which heads till I am perfect in, it may not be ami&s;s to open this my book and examine what I have read according to the&s;e directions laid down. And if I am able, I &s;hall find it an incredi|ble benefit, in the end of the&s;e my meditations to u&s;e my pen, when&s;o|ever by any reading I have gained
<PB N="55" REF="40"> any more remarkable benefit, and to regi&s;ter in one of my paper books (re&s;erved ever for this purpo&s;e, which I may account my <HI>Memori|all)</HI> that particular which I have gained: in which I need to ob&s;erve no other method, but onely to write all the notes which I take out of any one book, as of <HI>Matthew, Mark,</HI> &amp;c. together, that &s;o at my &s;econd or third reading that particular book over, I may &s;ee, what the &s;econd or third reading of it advantaged me more than the fir&s;t. And the&s;e notes thus taken, becau&s;e intended as helps to my memory, I mu&s;t be &s;ure to find time within a conveni|ent &s;ea&s;on to review. This is a pro|fitable cour&s;e for me to ob&s;erve in my ordinary meditations upon the Holy Scriptures.</P>
<P>The next thing which my medita|tions are to be imployed upon, is upon my particular <HI>State and Waies,</HI> which I am in &s;ome mea&s;ure to take notice of, as well that I may be more circum&s;pect in &s;uch particu|lars,
<PB N="56" REF="41"> wherein I &s;hall find greater need of circum&s;pection, as that I may be able to addre&s;s my &s;elf to God in a way &s;uitable to my con|dition. For my condition varying, my prayers ought to vary accor|dingly.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t then, As to my <HI>Waies;</HI> Let me con&s;ider what new temptations have befallen me, whether as to in|ward &s;ins, &s;uch which are acted in the mind, or as to &s;uch which are matter of outward and bodily com|mi&s;&s;ion; how far my heart hath clo&s;ed with them, and been over|come by them? And this is to be laid open before God.</P>
<P>Secondly, As to my pre&s;ent <HI>In|ward &s;tate,</HI> the temper of my mind: Let me examine that; whether I find any relentings or meltings of heart for tho&s;e my wandrings, which I have before viewed, any firmne&s;s and re&s;olution for the future again&s;t the like: Accordingly I am to apply my &s;elf to God, either for the gi|ving me a due &s;en&s;e of, and remor&s;e
<PB N="57" REF="41" MS="y"> for, and re&s;olution and watch|fulne&s;s again&s;t my &s;in, or for the heightning and &s;trengthning tho&s;e degrees hereof, which I already have.</P>
<P>Thirdly, As to my <HI>Outward &s;tate;</HI> Let me con&s;ider, how Gods holy providence hath either favoured or cro&s;&s;ed my ordinary affairs and de|&s;ignes: for accordingly &s;till I am to addre&s;s my &s;elf unto God in prayer; either by prai&s;ing him for my &s;ucce&s;&s;es, or bewailing tho&s;e &s;ins and omi&s;&s;ions which I may judge have bla&s;ted them, or otherwi&s;e, as my Chri&s;tian di&s;cretion &s;hall &s;ug|ge&s;t.</P>
<P>The la&s;t head, upon which my meditations are to be imployed is my <HI>Prayers,</HI> which I am now about to offer up unto God: in which if I u&s;e a &s;et form, I am to con&s;ider; where tho&s;e new particulars of con|fe&s;&s;ion, petition, or prai&s;es mu&s;t come in, after what &s;ort they be conveniently expre&s;&s;ed, and &s;ome|times (when my condition requires
<PB N="58" REF="42"> and my time will permit me to be more large or earne&s;t in any part of prayer) with what arguments I may &s;trengthen my faith, and plead with God touching what I de&s;ire to &s;peed for; or again with what cir|cum&s;tances of my &s;ins, or Gods mercies I may heighten my repen|tance for my &s;ins, or thankfulne&s;s for tho&s;e mercies. If I do not u&s;e my &s;elf to a &s;et form, then will it be nece&s;&s;ary that I more deliberately meditate what I intend to confe&s;s, to ask, to prai&s;e God for, how <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;hall &s;o call upon him or conceive of him, as may &s;uit with tho&s;e main and principal addre&s;&s;es, which I am to make to him. Whether every particular expre&s;&s;ion, or the ju&s;t words be forethought, it haply mat|ters not very much: but that &s;ome fit &s;ignificant proper and quickning expre&s;&s;ions, for the &s;everal parts and &s;ub&s;tantials of my prayer, be prepared, it is expedient; as well for the greater readine&s;s of the &s;oul in prayer, which when it is much to
<PB N="59" REF="42"> &s;eek in this ca&s;e, cannot do its duty with attention, nor without di&s;tur|bance and intermi&s;sion of due affe|ction, as al&s;o that nothing unworthy of the nature of prayer, and the wor&s;hip of God, may be offered up unto him. And in this point it may be &s;ingularly helpfull to con&s;i|der, what of tho&s;e expre&s;sions, pro|mi&s;es, narratives, experiences, &amp;c. which <HI>I</HI> have at any time read in the Word of God may be u&s;eful to me in tho&s;e my inten|ded addre&s;&s;es to the Throne of grace. God (as already intimated) loves to hear his own language from us; and &s;o it is, that the very ex|pre&s;&s;ions of Scripture have a mar|vellous affecting power upon the de|vout heart, beyond tho&s;e, which &s;eem not to have been alike &s;ancti|fied by the holy Gho&s;t u&s;ing them.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="60" REF="43">
<HEAD>Chap. VI. <HI>Of Prayer, and fir&s;t of its &s;ub|&s;tance and parts.</HI></HEAD>
<P>WHat I have <HI>read</HI> being thus dige&s;ted through <HI>Meditati|on,</HI> and by the like meditation, pre|paration being made for <HI>Prayer,</HI> that now remains as the third and mo&s;t compleat act of my daily de|votion: touching which, be&s;ides the precepts already given, others yet remain to be given, when the con&s;i|deration of the nature of the duty hath a little made way for them.</P>
<P><HI>Now Prayer is the &s;eeking unto God, and before him repre&s;enting our E&s;tates and De&s;ires.</HI></P>
<P>The general nature of prayer is a betaking or addre&s;sing our &s;elves to God: and therefore its fir&s;t act is <HI>Invocation</HI> or calling upon him. Now our condition, who are <HI>du&s;t</HI> &amp; <HI>a&s;hes</HI> &amp; his Maje&s;ty being con&s;idered,
<PB N="61" REF="43"> we cannot well be e&s;teemed to &s;eek unto him without adoration or wor|&s;hiping of him in the beginning of the&s;e our addre&s;&s;es; for that in all &s;eeking to Superiours we ever begin with &s;ome acknowledgments of their being above us, able to help us, &amp;c. upon which accounts we u&s;e or|dinarily &s;ome te&s;timonies of reve|rence towards them. If we there|fore put both the&s;e together, we have the fir&s;t part of <HI>Prayer</HI> to wit, <HI>An invocatory adoration of God,</HI> that is, <HI>an humble calling upon him,</HI> ac|companied with <HI>Wor&s;hipping and adoring his infinite Maje&s;ty.</HI> And this in mo&s;t compleat prayers extant is Scripture we may ob&s;erve: par|ticularly in that for ever to be reve|renced pattern, our Lords prayer, the fir&s;t &s;entence contains what we &s;peake of. <HI>[Our Father:</HI> this is a calling upon God. <HI>which art in Heaven;</HI> the&s;e are words befitting one who adores his Maje&s;ty.] So in that prayer of <HI>Hezekiah, I &s;aiah</HI> xxxvii. 16. <HI>O Lord of Ho&s;ts, God</HI>
<PB N="62" REF="44"> <HI>of I&s;rael, that dwelle&s;t between the Cherubims: thou art God, even thou alone,</HI> &amp;c. How evidently doth this beginning of his prayer carry in it a calling upon God, accompanied with the acknowledgement and a|doration of his Deity. The fir&s;t part of prayer we gathered out of tho&s;e words (expre&s;&s;ing its general nature) it is a &s;eeking unto God. The &s;econd we may gather out of them, which follow, it is a repre&s;en|ting our e&s;tate before him. Our e&s;tates naturally are &s;inful and mi&s;e|rable. SO far forth as we retain any thing of our old nature, &s;o far are &s;in and mi&s;ery in&s;eparable adjuncts or attendants unto us. The repre|&s;enting therefore our e&s;tates before God, is the confe&s;sing our &s;ins, and laying open our grievances and wants before him. A &s;econd part of prayer then is <HI>Confe&s;&s;ion</HI></P>
<P>That which all &s;inners &s;hould de|&s;ire is pardon: that which all mi&s;e|rable per&s;ons do naturally de&s;ire is help. The repre&s;enting then our
<PB N="63" REF="44"> de&s;ires before God is the <HI>begging mercy and grace to help in time of need;</HI> that is,</P>
<P N="1">1. Pardon of &s;in.</P>
<P N="2">2. Deliverance from our mi&s;ery. Internal, by the &s;anctification of our hearts. Externall, by meet &s;upplies of our outward wants.</P>
<P>A third act of prayer therefore is, <HI>Petition of Asking.</HI></P>
<P>Somewhat more yet is con&s;idera|ble in our &s;tates here below, which though naturally mi&s;erable, as afore|&s;aid, yet are by the manifold grace of God made in &s;everal re&s;pects more comfortable, by rea&s;on of variety of ble&s;sings. Now he that receives a benefit ought to have at the lea&s;t a will and de&s;ire of thank|fulne&s;s. He therefore who duely re|pre&s;ents his &s;tate and de&s;ires unto God, laies open al&s;o before him tho&s;e &s;everal mercies which at his hands he receives, humbly ble&s;sing
<PB N="64" REF="45"> and prai&s;ing him the author of them. The la&s;t part of prayer then is <HI>Thanksgiving.</HI></P>
<P>Now becau&s;e all the&s;e may be done either for our &s;elves or others, therefore is prayer double, or of two &s;orts.</P>
<P>That which meerly re&s;pects our &s;elves.</P>
<P>That which we offer up for others, called <HI>Interce&s;&s;ion.</HI></P>
<P>From all this it is evident, that the fir&s;t thing, which he, who would learn to pray, mu&s;t take care of, is, that he throughly know him&s;elf, that is, (1. ) Be acquainted with his own &s;tate, with his &s;ins, his mi&s;eries and wants, inward and outward: other|wi&s;e he can never duly repre&s;ent them unto God. (2. ) That he well know his own de&s;ires and re&s;oluti|ons, le&s;t he play the hypocrite with God, <HI>asking</HI> what he de&s;ireth not, or <HI>vowing</HI> what he intends not. The&s;e are the &s;ub&s;tantials of prayer.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="7" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="65" REF="45">
<HEAD>Chap VII. <HI>Of the right manner of pray|er. Fir&s;t, of its inward manner. Some con&s;idera|tions to quicken to &s;ince|rity and heartine&s;s in Prayer. What graces are to be exerci&s;ed in each part of Prayer.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe manner of the performing every duty is much looked upon by God. Now prayer being &s;uch an immediate act of wor&s;hip, and it being mo&s;t ju&s;t, rea&s;onable, and ne|ce&s;&s;ary that we &s;hould wor&s;hip God with the whole man, that is, both with &s;oul and body, in the man|ner of prayer there can be onely con&s;iderable, its Inward and Out|ward part.</P>
<P>The inward manner of prayer is unque&s;tionably mo&s;t re&s;pected by
<PB N="66" REF="46"> God: for that according hereunto is the prayer, and the man, &s;incere or otherwi&s;e. And the Con&s;idera|tion hereof &s;hould incite us cheifly to care herein. I may pray in as good &amp; as many words, in as devout po&s;tures, and, in a word, after as pi|ous a &s;ort, as to what there is out|ward in prayer, as ever man did, and yet he hypocritical in my prayers. But it is impo&s;sible, that I &s;hould pray with my <HI>Soul and all that is within me,</HI> and not be cordial, ho|ne&s;t and &s;incere in tho&s;e prayers which I &s;o make. And therefore as God doth, &s;o, I &s;ay, every Chri&s;ti|an ought to look cheifly to the in|ward di&s;po&s;ition of his &s;oul in his <HI>Devotions.</HI></P>
<P>We may note further for our quickening herein, that God not onely requireth the heart in prayer, but hath accepted and often doth ac|cept the inward breathings of it, and an&s;wer them as fully, as if all other circum&s;tances belonging to the out|ward manner of prayer had been
<PB N="67" REF="46"> ob&s;erved. As in the ca&s;e of <HI>Han|nah;</HI> who in that &s;o &s;ucce&s;sfull and effectual prayer of hers <HI>spaks in her heart onely.</HI></P>
<P>Now prayer is then right as to its inward manner, when there is an hearty excerci&s;e of Chri&s;tian graces and affections &s;uitable to the &s;ub|&s;tance of the prayer, which we offer up to God. (That is to &s;ay, to go through the parts of prayer.) <HI>I a|dore and call upon God as I ought,</HI> when in my calling upon him, I really believe that he is, and that he is &s;uch as he hath revealed him&s;elf to be and as I now expre&s;&s;e or con|ceive him, and therefore with reve|rence humbly &s;ubmit my &s;elf before his maje&s;ty. It is a piece of holy skill worthy taking notice of, which is ob&s;ervable in the prayers of holy men in Scripture. They u&s;ually &s;o frame their invocations or callings upon God, as may &s;uit with their main bu&s;ine&s;s at the throne of grace, and &s;trenghthen their faith for tho&s;e particular mercies which they aske.
<PB N="68" REF="47"> Thus in that &s;orenamed prayer of <HI>Hezechias</HI>'s again&s;t the <HI>A&s;&s;yrian</HI> Armies. <HI>O Lord of ho&s;ts</HI> [for he prayed again&s;t a mighty ho&s;t, and for deliverance from it.] <HI>God of I&s;|rael</HI> [he therefore &s;o cals God to put him in mind of his covenant with <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> that he might &s;tretch forth his hand for the deliverance of his own people] <HI>who dwelle&s;t be|tween the Cherubims</HI> [that is, who ha&s;t here recorded thy name and promi&s;ed to meet and ble&s;&s;e <HI>and from thy mercy Seat</HI> to an&s;wer thy people. He therefore makes men|tion of Gods promi&s;ed pre&s;ence, or <HI>dwelling</HI> between the Cherubims, that he might prevail with God to &s;ave that City, where his Temple and this his mercy Seat was placed.] Every expre&s;sion in this his invoca|tion hath &s;omewhat in it proper to his &s;uit, and of force to &s;trengthen his faith and dependance upon God, that he might the more &s;urely pre|vail. In &s;hort then the graces to be exerci&s;ed <HI>in adoration</HI> or <HI>calling</HI>
<PB N="69" REF="47"> <HI>upon God</HI> cheifly are, <HI>Faith, Fear</HI> or <HI>Reverence</HI> of God, and <HI>Humility.</HI></P>
<P>I then confe&s;&s;e my &s;elf to God as I ought when with hearty &s;orrow and repentance (which if earne&s;t will be accompanied with a kind of indignation again&s;t my &s;elf) I lay open impartially my &s;ins before him, not &s;paring the &s;weete&s;t or clo&s;e&s;t: and with an humble &s;en&s;e of my own vilene&s;&s;e, impotency and emptine&s;&s;e acknowledg my wants or his ju&s;t judgments upon me for any of my &s;ins. So that the chief grace to be exerci&s;ed peculiarly in confe&s;&s;ion is repentance or Godly &s;orrow, an humble and tender &s;en&s;e of what we confe&s;&s;e, accompanied with &s;hame of our &s;elves.</P>
<P>Further, then I aske as I ought, when, as &s;en&s;ible of mine own un|worthine&s;&s;e, out of an humble tru&s;t in God, through the merits of his Son, (which tru&s;t his gracious promi|&s;es and declarations of good will through him, by me ever had re&s;pect to, do encourage me to take up)
<PB N="70" REF="48"> I heartily de&s;ire what I aske at his hands: or at lea&s;t am heartily &s;or|ry, if I cannot &s;ay I heartily de&s;ire all I aske. Now becau&s;e while I am asking, it &s;o cometh to pa&s;&s;e, that I often intermix &s;omewhat of vow, as in asking the pardon of &s;ome pa&s;t &s;ins, many times I engage to dili|gent and watchfull oppo&s;ition for the future again&s;t them, therefore is it nece&s;&s;ary that, if I would ask aright, I ask with re&s;olution and purpo&s;e of endeavouring a new life. And further for that I cannot expect forgivene&s;&s;e from God, except I forgive from my heart my brethren, therefore I mu&s;t ask in charity. So then the Graces cheifly to be exer|ci&s;ed in Petition are, Fir&s;t, <HI>Faith</HI> or an humble tru&s;t and hope in God through <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> that I &s;hall &s;peed (which is, mo&s;t truly <HI>Praying in his name)</HI> Secondly <HI>Love</HI> towards God and holine&s;&s;e. Thirdly, a &s;ted|fa&s;t <HI>purpo&s;e of obedience,</HI> which is the mo&s;t con&s;iderable part of repen|tance. Fourthly, <HI>Charity</HI> towards my Brethren.</P>
<PB N="71" REF="48">
<P>La&s;tly, I then prai&s;e or give God thanks for his mercies as I ought, when I have an inward acknow|ledgement and &s;en&s;e that it is him alone, and through his meer &s;avour, that I enjoy the&s;e mercies, and when, not onely I my &s;elf do admire, but de&s;ire that heaven and earth may admire him for his good|ne&s;s: when al&s;o I do all this with a re&s;olution of improving the mercy given, that is of walking as it be|cometh one, who hath been vouch|&s;afed of &s;uch a ble&s;&s;ing. So that the graces to be exerci&s;ed in thank&s;gi|ving chiefly are, 1. <HI>Humility,</HI> or a &s;en&s;e of our own unworthine&s;s, and of Gods free mercy and grace, the onely fountain of all received or ho|ped for benefits. 2. <HI>Love,</HI> or an admini&s;tration of his goodne&s;s ac|companied with a de&s;ire that he may receive all po&s;sible glory for it. 3. <HI>Re&s;olution</HI> and <HI>&s;tudy</HI> of greater and more &s;uitable <HI>obedience</HI> and duty to him:</P>
<P>The&s;e are tho&s;e graces, in the
<PB N="72" REF="49"> exerci&s;e of which, the due inward manner of prayer, or a praying tem|per, con&s;i&s;ts: a compo&s;ition &s;o ami|able, as that it will ever where it is, &s;end up an odour of a &s;weet &s;avour unto Heaven, and delight, &s;hall I &s;ay, or overcome, the Almighty Maje&s;ty.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="8" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. VIII. <HI>Of the be&s;t outward manner of Prayer, in &s;it po&s;tures and &s;it words. Of praying by gift, and the inconveni|ences alledgeable again&s;t it. Of praying by a form, and the inconveniencies alledg|able again&s;t it. An accom|modation and reconcile|ment of both.</HI></HEAD>
<P>IN the outward manner of prayer the chief points con&s;iderable are,
<PB N="73" REF="49"> the u&s;e of &s;it po&s;tures, and meet words.</P>
<P>Now though the po&s;ture of the body &s;eem to be a &s;mall matter, yet methinks my prayers wants their due &s;olemnity, if not performed in a po&s;ture of wor&s;hip. True it is, many a devout prayer a man may make riding upon his hor&s;e back, walking in the fields, and the like: and right Chri&s;tian is it thus to &s;an|ctifie my nece&s;&s;ary journies, or the time which otherwi&s;e would be wholy lo&s;t in travel, or &s;toln away by &s;uch recreatory obambulation. But the&s;e are occa&s;ional, and not my &s;et and &s;olemn devotions. Here my body being otherwi&s;e nece&s;&s;arily imployed, the mo&s;t which I can give to God is my &s;oul: or if to my thoughts my words be added, it is as much as well can be. But in my fixt cour&s;e of devotion, it is not to be &s;uppo&s;ed that I wor&s;hip God <HI>(aliud agens)</HI> imployed with any thing but his wor&s;hip: and there|fore herein let my body, as well as
<PB N="74" REF="50"> my &s;oul, be taken up in meet acts of wor&s;hip. Now that I account to be the be&s;t po&s;ture of wor&s;hip, which be&s;t expre&s;&s;eth an inward reverence of that Maje&s;ty, to whom I addre&s;s my &s;elf, who having <HI>fearfully made</HI> my body, and to this day <HI>wonder|fully</HI> upheld and pre&s;erved it, and (which is infinitely more) redeemed even my very body to immortality by the body and bloud of his Son, hath obliged it, as well as my &s;oul, to all po&s;sible homage. And it is to be ob&s;erved, that St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;eems to &s;peak (chiefly if not only) of pri|vate and his daily devotion, when he &s;aith, <HI>I bow my knees to the God and Father of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> What was his therefore, let it be my practice, as often as I thus pray, to bow my knees: and (if to no other end, but that I may be &s;ure to mind, that they be <HI>without wrath)</HI> let me add the <HI>lifting up of hands.</HI> Other po&s;tures may be &s;ometimes nece&s;|&s;ary in our &s;olemn humiliations, or more earne&s;t deprecations of any
<PB N="75" REF="50"> imminent evil; &s;uch as is <HI>Pro&s;tra|tion,</HI> or ca&s;ting my &s;elf on the earth before God: to which pious di&s;|cretion will ea&s;ily in their &s;ea&s;on direct.</P>
<P>As to matter of words or the forms of prayer, this age hath &s;een more controver&s;ie, and that in <HI>Eng|land</HI> alone, than all ages from the beginning of the world have known all the world over. Touching which matter I &s;ay onely, that the nature of prayer being, as before&s;aid, a <HI>&s;eeking unto God by way of adoration, confe&s;&s;ion, petition, and prai&s;e,</HI> if we do this with hone&s;t hearts and &s;uit|able affections, whether the words in which we utter our &s;elves, be our own or anothers; whether they he forethought or &s;udden, (provided they fitly and reverently expre&s;s the inward &s;en&s;e of our hearts) it mattereth not, nor is it at all e&s;&s;ential unto <HI>Prayer.</HI> For the full e&s;&s;ence of prayer is com|plete, &s;uch an addre&s;s being made inwardly by my &s;oul, and outward|ly
<PB N="76" REF="51"> thus expre&s;&s;ed by my tongue and body: and be the words who&s;e they will, my praying them (that is, of|fering them up to God) with an heart &s;uitable to them, hath made them as much mine, as if I had in|vented, contrived, dictated or pend them at the fir&s;t. I think therefore, if men would be &s;ober and peace|ably minded, this need not make ei|ther a &s;tirre in the World, or move any &s;cruple to a Chri&s;tians con&s;ci|ence.</P>
<P>I profe&s;s my &s;elf no whit guilty of undervaluing the free effu&s;ions of the &s;oul before God (in private e&s;pecially) in &s;uch expre&s;sions as the affected and moved mind &s;ugge&s;ts, or as the &s;pirit gives utterance. But in my daily private devotions to u&s;e perpetually &s;uch a loo&s;e and ar|britary way, I think hath the&s;e in|conveniencies Fir&s;t, that (by rea&s;on &s;ometimes of the coldne&s;s, dulne&s;s, and heedle&s;ne&s;s of my heart; other times by rea&s;on of di&s;tractions, in|cumbrances, and the like almo&s;t un|avoidable
<PB N="77" REF="51"> mi&s;chiefs) my devotions will be too often &s;lightily &s;lubberd over, perfunctorily and di&s;orderly performed: Whereas, had I a ma|ture and well compo&s;ed prayer be|fore me, which I u&s;e wholy to offer up to God, all would be much more &s;ub&s;tantial: and though haply my heart may have been in the&s;e my prayers too too dead (as it was likely perhaps to have been, had I prayed otherwi&s;e, for &s;uch or &s;uch a &s;ea&s;on) yet &s;hall I not prove guilty of &s;uch idlene&s;s, negligence, and &s;lightine&s;s, as otherwi&s;e I &s;hould have been. And &s;uch infirmities, which are incident to us by rea&s;on of our pre&s;ent frailty and &s;tate, God is likely the more ea&s;ily to pitty and pa&s;s by, when he &s;ees that, though we are more indi&s;po&s;ed than ordi|nary, yet are we no whit le&s;s dili|gent. Secondly, Another inconve|nience thereby may oftentimes be, The omi&s;sion of many things ne|ce&s;&s;ary to be confe&s;&s;ed, asked, or returned thanks for; not &s;o much
<PB N="78" REF="52"> through negligence, dulne&s;s, &amp;c. (as before) as incogitancy and una|voidable forgetfulne&s;s. Our ordi|nary wants and &s;piritual concerns we may come not to mind, either at all, or as we ought, through much being intent on &s;ome other pre&s;sing (outward) evils. Com|mon experience will ea&s;ily &s;atisfie a Chri&s;tian herein, who is but ver&s;t in the practice of what we &s;peak of. Have I not many times kneeled down before God with an intention to ask &s;uch things which by rea&s;on of my earne&s;t asking &s;omewhat el&s;e, I have forgotten to ask before I aro&s;e? and hath not the rea&s;on been the meer following extempo|rary &s;ugge&s;tions? Let it it be con&s;i|dered.</P>
<P>Again, on the other &s;ide, to u&s;e alwaies a certain and con&s;tant form of words, &s;eems to have the&s;e incon|veniencies. Fir&s;t, that we having almo&s;t daily new &s;ins to confe&s;s, new wants to beg a &s;upply of; the&s;e by &s;uch cour&s;e &s;hall be omitted, or only
<PB N="79" REF="52" MS="y"> lightly and generally toucht, at lea&s;t not &s;o particularly and affectionate|ly pre&s;&s;ed and in&s;i&s;ted upon as they ought. 2. Be&s;ides, &s;ometimes haply I would &s;pend more time in prayer than at another time: Now if my prayers be alwaies the &s;ame, I cannot, expect (as Papi&s;ts are reported to do their <HI>Credoes and Ave Maries)</HI> I &s;hould run over and over the &s;ame again. 3. Further, frequent u&s;e may breed dulne&s;s, as &s;ome may think.</P>
<P>The&s;e being the inconveniencies of both ca&s;es, and each ca&s;e be&s;ides having advocates (or per&s;ons that love and plead for them) even a|mong&s;t the common people, it will be be&s;t to move for an <HI>Accommo|dation:</HI> And that may be on this wi&s;e.</P>
<P>The inconveniencies of the for|mer ca&s;e may be avoided, by the having a certain good plain and full form of prayer, which we well un|der&s;tand, and by u&s;ually tying our &s;elves hereto: not &s;o as, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. to think
<PB N="80" REF="53"> our work is done by the prayer being &s;aid; for that were to neg|lect the mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary part in the manner of prayer, contrary to for|mer rule: nor &s;o, 2. as not to alter, for this or that time, any expre&s;sion as God may move our hearts in prayer, or in&s;ert any new thing as we have need: but only &s;o, 1. as to en&s;ure my &s;elf that my devotions and prayers be &s;ound and compleat, that I offer not to God the <HI>halt and the lame:</HI> &s;o, 2. as to keep my mind fixt and con&s;tant to its bu&s;i|ne&s;s, intent upon all its &s;piritual concerns.</P>
<P>And again, the inconveniencies of the later ca&s;e will be avoided hereby, that we have not &s;uppo&s;ed the form upon occa&s;ion altogether unalterable, as above &s;aid, but rathen to have its fit and proper places, wherein we may in&s;ert or put in the confe&s;sion of new &s;ins, with their proper aggravations, as al&s;o fit places for the adding of any new matter of <HI>Petition</HI> or <HI>Thanksgiving,</HI>
<PB N="81" REF="53"> as there &s;hall be occa&s;ion. And to the la&s;t inconvenience of this &s;econd ca&s;e, it may be &s;aid, that U&s;e cannot beget dulne&s;s, if the prayer thus &s;uppo&s;ed to be framed, be u&s;ed, ac|cording to former precepts, with <HI>Reading</HI> and <HI>Meditation</HI> before it, which exerci&s;es will have in a good mea&s;ure quickned the heart for prayer. And as for &s;uch more &s;o|lemn &s;ea&s;ons, when we would &s;pend more time with God in prayer, we need not &s;o to tie our &s;elves to the&s;e our ordinary devotions; tho&s;e, which at &s;uch &s;ea&s;ons we intend, being already &s;uppo&s;ed more than ordinary. We may be larger in the confe&s;sion of &s;in, more particular in its aggravation, more earne&s;t for &s;uch and &s;uch mercies as we want, &amp;c. according as we &s;hall &s;ee occa|&s;ion: and either u&s;e the ground|work and &s;ub&s;tance of tho&s;e our u&s;ual prayers, with &s;uch amplifica|tions as we &s;hall judge meete&s;t, or for that time, in &s;tead of them, u&s;e &s;uch other prayers as we &s;hall find
<PB N="82" REF="54"> be&s;t to &s;uit with our temper and occa&s;ions; for the preparation of which prayers directions will here|after be given.</P>
<P>In the mean time for better un|der&s;tanding and comprehending the precepts given, as al&s;o for the &s;upply of &s;uch who may haply be &s;carce able to frame to them&s;elves &s;uch a form, it may not be ami&s;s to &s;ubjoyn one for morning, and another for evening, framed according to the former rules.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="9" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. IX. <HI>A Form of Prayer made ac|cording to the former ac|commodation, which may be u&s;ed in our morning Pri|vacy.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe Chri&s;tian then having read and meditated as before dire|cted,
<PB N="83" REF="54"> let him reverently kneel down, lifting up his hands and eyes, but mo&s;t &s;urely his heart to Heaven, &s;ay,</P>
<P>O Almighty and mo&s;t Ble&s;|&s;ed God, Lord of heaven and earth, who make&s;t the outgoings both of morning and evening, and by who&s;e good hand upon me thy crea|ture, I am awaked out of my la&s;t nights &s;leep, and being ri&s;en, here pre&s;ent my &s;elf before thee: I humbly bow to thee my knees, and there|with my heart and &s;oul, and de&s;ire with all that is within me to adore thy ble&s;&s;ed Ma|je&s;ty.</P>
<P>But mo&s;t unworthy, and of my &s;elf mo&s;t un&s;ufficient, am I to perform unto thee any
<PB N="84" REF="55" MS="y"> wor&s;hip or &s;ervice. What is du&s;t and a&s;hes, (and &s;uch am I if I were innocent) to take upon it to &s;peak unto the Lord! But I, O God, am a guilty wretch, one whom i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> becommeth to &s;tand a farre, and &s;hame covering my face to cry <HI>&V;nclean, &V;nclean.</HI> My &s;oul is naturally overrun with lu&s;ts as with an univer&s;al Le|profie: there is no free part of me. My childhood and youth have not onely been vanity, but &s;in: I have done nothing el&s;e therein but ful|filled the de&s;ires of my fle&s;h and mind. My corruptions have onely grown with me: and my &s;ins &s;ince, become &s;o much the more &s;inful, by how much the more knowledge I have had of thy will, and
<PB N="85" REF="55"> &s;trength and engagements to have performed it.</P>
<P>To this very day, as indeed I ever have done, I daily break thy holy Laws in thought, word and actions, by choo&s;ing what thou ha&s;t forbidden, and neglecting what thou ha&s;t commanded. * * <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Here confe&s;s a|ny particular or fre&s;h &s;in commit|ted, or duty negle|cted, which in thy examination of thy &s;elf thou ha&s;t found.</NOTE> In all my ways I mo&s;t mi&s;erably tran&s;gre&s;s. My very a &s;leep it &s;elf, O Lord, is not innocent. Nor is it thus onely in the common and more ordinary actions of my life. Tho&s;e few good deeds, which I do, have many, not onely <NOTE N="&dagger;" PLACE="marg">Remember in the u&s;e of the&s;e or any &s;uch words to reflect in thy thoughts upon any particulars which thy con&s;cience tels thee, they may fit|ly repre&s;ent to God touching thee.</NOTE> infirmities, but &s;ins in them: and I have need to repent
<PB N="86" REF="56"> of my very righteou&s;ne&s;s [of my &dagger; * * *.] I therefore &s;o de&s;ire to do: and am here come before thee, as thou ha&s;t commanded me, to confe&s;s my &s;in unto thee, with hopes, ac|cording to thy promi&s;e, that I &s;hall find mercy. I have, O God, confe&s;&s;ed to thee, as I am able.</P>
<P>Now Mercy, Mercy, let me find with thee, through Chri&s;t Je&s;us my Saviour. Remember that atonement, which he made by the bloud of his Cro&s;s: In tho&s;e &s;treames throughly wa&s;h away my filth: By tho&s;e Wounds let me be healed; and by his Death let me atttain a ble&s;&s;ed. immortality, [* <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Particularly let me obtain the pardon of *</NOTE>] And &s;end down thine holy Spirit abundant|ly
<PB N="87" REF="56"> into mine heart, which may renew me throughout accor|ding to thine Image, healing all the naughty inclinations of my &s;oul, and begetting in me an hearty love unto holine&s;s, and a con&s;tant fear of thee my God, that I may have re&s;pect unto all thy Commandments, and walk before thee all my dayes with a perfect heart. Quicken me al&s;o by the &s;ame thy good Spirit, to give all di|ligence in every duty <HI>[and e&s;pecially in</HI> * *] that I may grow in grace, and in thy fa|vour, and daily come nearer unto &s;alvation and thee. And fora&s;much as I my &s;elf am un|&s;table as water, pre&s;erve me by thy power through Faith, that I fall not from my integri|ty, nor depart wickedly from
<PB N="88" REF="57"> thee my God. E&s;pecially keep thy &s;ervant from his iniquity, <HI>[or his iniquites of</HI> * * *] and make me mo&s;t watchful a|gain&s;t all tho&s;e <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Here thou mai&s;t have many pri|vate and proper re&s;lexions: and &s;o generally where|&s;oever the &s;ame mark is &s;et.</NOTE> oc|ca&s;ions and wiles of &s;in, by which I have been formerly in&s;na|red. My outward condition, during all the dayes of my pil|grimage here on earth, do thou order to thy glory and my own good: and, if it may be thy holy Will, grant that it may be &s;o far qui|et and pro&s;perous, as that I may &s;erve thee chearfully and without di&s;traction.</P>
<P>Be gracious al&s;o, O Lord, unto thine Holy Church, and to this Church e&s;pecially. Watch over us daily for good:
<PB N="89" REF="57"> and be plea&s;ed to ble&s;s and pre&s;erve the <HI>Kings</HI> Maje&s;ty, his Queen, and all the Royall Family. Grant that all Magi|&s;trates may be faithful both to thee, and to their Prince and Country in their tru&s;t: and that all Mini&s;ters, of what de|gree &s;oever, may be &s;ober, watchful, &s;ervent and &s;ucce&s;s|ful in thy work. Let the whole Nation, and e&s;pecially this neighbourhood grow in the true knowledge and fear of thee. Vi&s;it with thy grace and ble&s;&s;ing all my &dagger; Relati|ons, my &dagger; Friends and &dagger; Bene|factors. Forgive and recon|cile both to thy &s;elf and me all mine &dagger; enemies. Comfort, re|lieve and in thine own good time deliver all thy &s;ervants &dagger; who are in any di&s;tre&s;s in|ward
<PB N="90" REF="58"> or outward, and &s;anctifie both to them and me all thy dealings, cau&s;ing all things in the end to work together for good, according to thine infi|nite Power and Wi&s;dome, whereby thou over-rule&s;t all events.</P>
<P>For which thy gracious ad|mini&s;tration of the whole cour&s;e of nature, and the mul|titude of ble&s;&s;ings appertain|ing both to this life and that which is to come, which thy providence ince&s;&s;antly heapes upon all mankind, and parti|cularly upon me thy mo&s;t un|de&s;erving &s;ervant, for ever ble&s;&s;ed be thy holy Name. E|&s;pecially may Heaven and Earth ever prai&s;e thee, for the redemption of the world by thy Son; and the knowledge
<PB N="91" REF="58"> of thee, through him, revealed in thy Word; and the mighty workings of thy Spirit there|by. And be thou plea&s;ed to accept of that prai&s;e which thy &s;ervant hereby returnes thee (as great as he can) for them all; and particularly, for this la&s;t nights refre&s;hings, toge|ther with the comfortable re|&s;toring him to the enjoyment of day. Grant me thy &s;pecial Grace, that I may &s;pend my time to thy Glory, and may be all the day long in thy fear. Keep me that I fall into no &s;in, nor run into any danger. And accept thou this my morning &s;ervice, and to ga|ther me who here devote my &s;elf to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">, through my Sa|viour Chri&s;t Je&s;us, in who&s;e Name I further pray, as by
<PB N="92" REF="59"> him taught, when I pray, to &s;ay,</P>
<P><HI>Our Father, &amp;c.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="10" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. X. <HI>A form of prayer, made as the other, which may be u&s;ed in our Evening Privacy.</HI></HEAD>
<P>IN like manner the Chri&s;tian ha|ving entred his <HI>Clo&s;et</HI> with &s;ome &s;uch ejaculatory or &s;hort prayer, as before directed to, and having <HI>read</HI> and <HI>meditated</HI> as in the morning, may, I pre&s;ume, very profitably, u&s;e, with &s;uch alteration, as his condition &s;hall require, and his di&s;cretion di|rect, the en&s;uing Prayer.</P>
<P>O Mo&s;t Holy and Graci|ous Father, the &s;earcher
<PB N="93" REF="59"> of all hearts, who &s;ee&s;t my down-lying as well as up-ri|&s;ing, darkne&s;s and light being both alike to thee, who art near unto all my wayes, and e&s;pie&s;t my thoughts while they are yet afar off. I have here &s;et my &s;elf before thee to pay my evening homage, and de&s;ire to pre&s;ent both my &s;oul and body (as is mo&s;t due) a living Sacrifice to thee my God, who ha&s;t made and re|deemed both.</P>
<P>But mo&s;t unfit, O Lord, are they to be to thee pre&s;ented, every part of both being na|turally corrupt and abomina|ble, and nothing in me free from the loath&s;ome defilement of &s;in. My &s;oul is de&s;perate|ly wicked, and all its powers perver&s;e and bent upon evil:
<PB N="94" REF="60"> My mind alienated from thee through the ignorance that is within me: My affections un|ruly and ma&s;terle&s;s: My will full of enmity to thy Law, and en&s;laved to the &s;ervice of di|vers lu&s;ts and plea&s;ures. And as to my body, in iniquity, O Lord, was I &s;hapen, and in &s;in did my Mother conceive me: And ever &s;ince, have all my members been &s;ervants unto iniquity and in&s;truments of wickedne&s;s. With my whole man have I obeyed the law of &s;in, and fulfilled the de&s;ires of my fle&s;h and corrupt mind. I &s;carce can think of that &s;in, in which I have not had my hands one part of my time or other. In &s;in, O God, have I &s;pent not onely my vainer age and the days of my ignorance,
<PB N="95" REF="60"> but my ripe&s;t years, and tho&s;e of fulle&s;t di&s;cretion, which I have yet attain'd to: Since the light of thy Go&s;pel hath &s;hone into my opened eys, &s;ince thou ha&s;t touched my heart with a &s;en&s;e of that evil, which there is in &s;in, &s;o wicked and perver&s;e a &s;ervant have I been, that knowing my Lords will I have both neglected to do accord|ingly, and pre&s;umptuou&s;ly done contrary unto it. To the very pre&s;ent time, O Lord, how &dagger; frequently, and how &dagger; &s;adly do I back&s;lide? What &dagger; liberty do I allow my &s;elf? How &dagger; heedle&s;ly do I con|ver&s;e? I walk at a meer per|adventure with thee my God. Notwith&s;tanding all my vows and promi&s;es of watchfulne&s;s unto obedience, this very day
<PB N="96" REF="61"> how little hath thy fear been in my heart! and from hence comes it to pa&s;s that I have &s;o mi&s;erably departed from thee [by * * <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Here confe&s;s any of the mi&s;|carriages of the day, which thou ha&s;t been &s;uppo&s;ed to have taken no|tice of in thy me|ditation.</NOTE>.] With what &s;tripes therefore do I de|&s;erve to be beaten! And, how righteous a quarrel again&s;t me hath not onely thy Ju&s;tice, but thy very Grace and Mercy!</P>
<P>Notwith&s;tanding, O Ble&s;&s;ed Father, give thy poor creature leave to be&s;eech, and let him prevail with thee, not to take that advantage again&s;t him which ju&s;tly thou maye&s;t: Rather, now thou ha&s;t borne &s;o long, break my heart by this thy goodne&s;s, and make thy forbearance and long-&s;uffer|ing
<PB N="97" REF="61"> to lead me to repentance. Vouch&s;afe unto me thy &s;ancti|fying Spirit: Let it fill me with an holy &s;hame of my former wayes: And let the &s;en&s;e of my own unworthine&s;s towards thee beget in me an holy in|dignation again&s;t my &s;elf, a pa&s;&s;ionate and con&s;tant zeal by future diligence, as far as is po&s;&s;ible, to redeem and repair &s;ome of my lo&s;t and mo&s;t &s;ad|ly mi&s;-&s;pent time. Let my heart be never void of a &s;ted|fa&s;t purpo&s;e of &s;erving thee in the impartial performance of every known duty, [e&s;pecial|ly of * * *] and careful a|voidance of every &s;in. [<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Here put in any thing for which thou finde&s;t occa&s;ion.</NOTE>] And ha|ving thus given to will, do thou of the &s;ame thy good plea|&s;ure
<PB N="98" REF="62" MS="y"> give al&s;o to do, following the preventions of thy Grace by the continual a&s;&s;i&s;tances thereof, &s;o that I may proceed from one virtue unto another, perfecting holine&s;s in thy fear, and keeping a con&s;cience void of offence towards thee and all men.</P>
<P>And this my cordial pur|po&s;e, and per&s;everance in en|deavours of plea&s;ing thee, do thou through the bloud of my Saviour graciou&s;ly accept, lay|ing not to my charge any of my former &s;ins, nor vi&s;iting upon me, either the neglects, or tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions of my duty. At lea&s;t however thou &s;halt here deal with thy &s;ervant, in the la&s;t day acquit him of all guilt, and, through the merits of thy Son, let him obtain re|mi&s;&s;ion
<PB N="99" REF="62"> of his &s;in, and an inhe|ritance in thine everla&s;ting Kingdom. In the mean while, as to the nece&s;&s;aries of this pre&s;ent life, give thy &s;ervant what thou plea&s;e&s;t, and what thou &s;ee&s;t be&s;t for him, even food convenient. Thou need|e&s;t not, O God, my &s;ervice, but accept my ambition of being &s;erviceable unto thee, and ble&s;s me both with &s;trength and opportunities for it, and, if it may be thy holy will, with &s;ucce&s;s therein.</P>
<P>Father, I pray unto thee al|&s;o for all men (fora&s;much as thou art a God who woulde&s;t have all to be &s;aved, and to come unto the knowledge of thy truth) e&s;pecially for all and every member and mem|bers of thy Univer&s;al Church,
<PB N="100" REF="63"> and for the particular Church of this the Land of my nativi|ty: For the Kings Maje&s;ty, the Queen and the whole Royal Family, for all that are in au|thority, for the &s;everal Stew|ards of thy My&s;teries the Mi|ni&s;ters of thy Go&s;pel [for him in particular to who&s;e over|&s;ight thou ha&s;t committed me] that thou wilt give unto them all, according to thy mo&s;t gra|cious plea&s;ure, the ble&s;&s;ings both of this life and that which is to come, e&s;pecially &s;uch mea&s;ures of thy Spirit, that every &s;houlder may be fitted for its burden, and all a|mong&s;t us may faithfully &s;erve thee, according to their &s;eve|ral degrees; &s;o that this whole Land may be ble&s;&s;ed with a|bundance of pro&s;perity and
<PB N="101" REF="63"> peace, &s;o long as the Sun and Moon endureth. Forget not peculiarly to &s;hew mercy un|to the relations, friends, hel|pers and well-wi&s;hers of thy &s;ervant: Reward, I be&s;eech thee, all their love; and for|give, good Lord, divert, and put an end unto all others ma|lice or enmity. Let thine eyes be ever open upon, and the bowels of thy compa&s;&s;ion be moved towards, all thy want|ing and &s;uffering &s;ervants: Support them under, and gra|ciou&s;ly deliver them out of all their di&s;tre&s;&s;es, and let the end be peace, and righteou&s;ne&s;s, and ble&s;&s;edne&s;s for ever.</P>
<P>Thy &s;ervant will &s;peak yet once more, and prai&s;e thee for thine infinite love and com|pa&s;&s;ion to that mi&s;erable na|ture,
<PB N="102" REF="64"> of which he is a partaker, in revealing to us, when we had lo&s;t or corrupted it, the knowledge of thy &s;elf, both by the light of Nature, and mo&s;t clearly by thy holy Word; in &s;ending thy Son for our redemption, in appointing the Mini&s;try and Ordinances of thy Go&s;pel, and pouring out thy holy Spirit, to turn us from darkne&s;s unto light, and from the power of Satan unto the Kingdom of thy Son. O God, I particularly ble&s;s thee, for the knowledge which I have of thee in my Saviour Chri&s;t Je&s;us; for my &s;hare in him; for any mea&s;ure of thy Grace on me vouch&s;afed; for the comfortable hope which through thy Sons bloud I have of pardon and eternal life; for
<PB N="103" REF="64"> this dayes life and protection, for the with holding [or re|moving] tho&s;e &s;everal judg|ments which my &s;ins de&s;erve, [* * <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Here prai&s;e God for any par|ticular delive|rance &s;aying, [e&s;pecially for * *.]</NOTE>] for the loading me with a multitude of mo&s;t unde&s;erved ble&s;&s;ings [e&s;pecially for * * *.] Encrea&s;e upon me thy Grace evermore; and make me thankful by proving a faithful Steward of all thy mercies. Let that Eye of thine which never &s;lumbreth nor &s;leepeth, which hath been open upon me this day, watch over me this night: Let no|thing di&s;turb or make me a|fraid. Let none of the &s;ins of the day lye down with me, nor ever appear again&s;t me. Vouch&s;afe my body due re|fre&s;hment,
<PB N="104" REF="65"> and let my &s;oul have her &s;ongs in the night. Keep both from all works of darkne&s;s: and let me be ever with thee, O Father, both here and hereafter, through thy Son my Saviour Chri&s;t Je&s;us, in who&s;e name and words I further pray,</P>
<P><HI>Our Father, &amp;c.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="11" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. X I. <HI>Some further Directions touching the u&s;e of the&s;e Prayers.</HI></HEAD>
<P>IN the&s;e or the like words may a devout Chri&s;tian, I pre&s;ume, not unfitly pour out his heart before God, morning and evening. But it is to be remembred to what end
<PB N="105" REF="65"> the&s;e &s;ormes were prepared, and the u&s;e of them directed to, to wit, to be a provi&s;ion again&s;t raw, heedle&s;s, imperfect broken, confu&s;ed, and di&s;|orderly Prayers, of which dulne&s;s, di&s;temper, or d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;traction may make even the devoute&s;t Chri&s;tian to be guilty, if he alwayes tru&s;t to his ex|temporary faculty and readine&s;s.</P>
<P>Wherefore it is not the intention of the pre&s;ent direction, to tye even every one that &s;hall u&s;e the&s;e or the like formes ever to them, but onely commonly, or as his Chri&s;tian pru|dence and &s;obriety &s;hall judge it be&s;t &s;uiting with his devotion and pre|&s;ent temper. So then, if at any time a Chri&s;tian &s;hall find his mind more ready and pre&s;ent than ordi|nary, &s;o that he can &s;ay in Holy <HI>David</HI>'s words, <HI>My heart is fixed,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 10<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> [or, prepared] <HI>O Lord, my heart is fixed,</HI> and he feel a certain over|flowing of affection ready to come over his &s;oul, he is to e&s;teem this a time, when God doth as it were be&s;peak &s;omewhat more than ordi|nary;
<PB N="106" REF="66"> to that purpo&s;e offering, and giving him to feel already, more|than ordinary a&s;&s;i&s;tance, and by &s;uch &s;pecial moving of the waters &s;e|cretly &s;ignifie, that he hath &s;ome healing benefit or refre&s;hment then to communicate unto the &s;oul. Wherefore let him yield him&s;elf to the leading of the Spirit, and by no means let &s;lip that holy &s;ea&s;on of a more free and large effu&s;ion or pouring out of his &s;oul before God: Alwayes in the mean while remem|bring that he duly prepare him&s;elf, by &s;omefore going meditation, ac|cording to what hath been already in part &s;poken, and will hereafter be more fully con&s;idered.</P>
<P>And this practice, I pre&s;ume, as it &s;o far binds a man up, that his devo|tion &s;hall not be loo&s;e and &s;lighty, &s;o it allows him (1.) &s;uch liberty as may duly exerci&s;e and improve any &s;piritual gifts which he con|ceives him&s;elf to have, and (2.) &s;uch variety as that there is no fear, that cu&s;tome or treading alwayes the
<PB N="107" REF="66"> &s;ame tract, (I mean repeating the &s;ame words) &s;hould make him guil|ty of formality and deadne&s;s.</P>
<P>If there be any Objection now lying again&s;t this propo&s;ed cour&s;e in our devotion, it is, as far as I can &s;ee, onely this, that it will take up too much time. But we have already &s;uppo&s;ed our practi&s;t to be &s;uch, who lives &s;omewhat above a &s;ervile life, and therefore may &s;pare &s;ome part of his time, which &s;urely he cannot &s;pend to a better purpo&s;e, or upon more beneficial employment. And it will undoubtedly be &s;ound true by him, who &s;hall &s;et him&s;elf upon this practice, or put his devotions in|to this mold, that when he is once but got into the way, and &s;ettled in it, the performance of all will co&s;t him le&s;s time by much in a day, than hath the reading of the&s;e directions. An hour in a day (or very little more) being divided into equal parts, and half taken in the morning, half at night, may very well &s;uffice: and they are either very full of im|ployment,
<PB N="108" REF="67"> or exceeding bad hus|bands of their time, who, being at their own command, cannot afford &s;o much time for &s;o nece&s;&s;ary a work. (Not to &s;peak that &s;ome part of this work may be reckoned a kind of &s;tudying, and that as be|coming, as u&s;eful to all &s;uch as we &s;peak to.) Con&s;ider man, which is of greater concernment, thy &s;ouls, or thy bodies welfare? Which is longer, three&s;core years and ten, or <HI>Eternity?</HI> Can&s;t thou therefore onely find time to provide for the more unworthy?</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="part">
<PB N="109" REF="67">
<HEAD>PART III. Of my more &s;olemn Retirement into my Clo&s;et upon <HI>Holy|daies</HI> and <HI>Sun|daies.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. 1. <HI>That our devotions &s;hould be greater on</HI> Holydaies, <HI>than on ordinary daies. The end of</HI> Fe&s;tivals, <HI>and their Vin|dication from Abu&s;es and Cavils.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THat upon Holydaies or Fe&s;ti|vals, they ought to be more
<PB N="108" REF="68">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="109" REF="68">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="110" REF="69"> taken up in devotion, than on other daies, there is no men I pre&s;ume will deny, except they be &s;o factious as to &s;light the in&s;titution, or &s;o &s;en|&s;ual as not to under&s;tand the end and de&s;ign of them.</P>
<P>It is as uncharitable as unrea&s;ona|ble a part, to conclude, that becau&s;e they bear the name ordinarily of certain Saints and Martyrs, that therefore the daies were &s;uper&s;titi|ou&s;ly con&s;ecrated to the meer ho|nour of tho&s;e Saints. The de&s;ign of the Church in this in&s;titution &s;eems to me only thus much.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that Almighty God might have particular glory for all the par|ticular parts and degrees of the work of our redemption (the Incarnation, Circumci&s;ion, Pa&s;&s;ion, Re&s;urrection, &amp;c. of our Saviour) as likewi&s;e for all tho&s;e his &s;ervants by who&s;e do|ctrine and examples, whether in life or death, his holy Go&s;pel hath been planted and confirmed. Then 2. that there might be due comme|moration of &s;uch particular per&s;ons,
<PB N="111" REF="69" MS="y"> and of the graces in which they did excell; as well to the end, that their examples (at lea&s;t) might be an im|mortal incitement to vertue, and they being dead might yet thus &s;peak; as that vertue might have its de&s;erved honour, which, for the enforcement of like worthy practices upon others, comes not at all too late though it be given to the a&s;hes of the vertuous.</P>
<P>And that the&s;e two, to wit, Gi|uing particular honour to God, and the Propagation of vertue, were the main aims of the Church, &s;eems to be undeniable, if we do con&s;ider either the particular Collects on tho&s;e daies, or that clau&s;e in the Primmer <HI>for the E&s;tate of Chri&s;ts Church Militant,</HI> towards the end <HI>[We ble&s;s thy name for all thy &s;er|vants departed this life in thy faith and fear, be&s;eeching thee to giue us, grace to follow their good examples,</HI> &amp;c.] which prayer, we know, is one part of the Service of the Church upon every Fe&s;tival, and both this
<PB N="112" REF="70"> and the formentioned Collects ex|pre&s;ly pro&s;e&s;s as much as we af|firm.</P>
<P>Now the&s;e, as they cannot be rejected by any &s;ober men (and &s;o the end being right, and the power ju&s;t, and the thing it &s;elf as ju&s;t (which two la&s;t, becau&s;e I &s;ee no rea&s;on for the que&s;tioning them, I let pa&s;s without any other proof, than the evidence which they carry with them) it cannot be &s;een how the in&s;titution &s;hould be ami&s;s, wherefore the factious have an an|&s;wer:) &s;o they are directly fru&s;trated by tho&s;e, who look upon Fe&s;tivals as meerly a time of liberty, and &s;o many daies devoted to plea&s;ure or idlene&s;s. I will not &s;ay, but that both the Church and State, in &s;etling their in&s;titutions by Law, might have &s;ome aime at allowing &s;er|vants, and tho&s;e who live a &s;ervile life, &s;ome re&s;t and time for lawful recreations, which &s;ometimes the covetou&s;ne&s;s of &s;ome Ma&s;ters, &s;ome|times &s;ome per&s;ons own covetou&s;|ne&s;s
<PB N="113" REF="70"> would not allow them: (And this is ju&s;tifiable even by the practi&s;e of God him&s;elf in the fourth Com|mandement, <HI>that thy &s;ervant may re&s;t,</HI> &amp;c.) but that it was never either the Churches or States inten|tion, that they &s;hould wholy be &s;pent to this purpo&s;e I do affirm; and for proof hereof, <HI>at home,</HI> alledge our Laws, which enjoyn all on &s;uch daies to re&s;ort to places of publick wor&s;hip for the &s;ervice of God, and <HI>abroad,</HI> that <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mperial Con&s;titution, <HI>We will not that Holydaies, which are con&s;ecrate to the &s;upreme Ma|je&s;ty, be imployed or &s;pent upon plea|&s;ures.</HI> And it would be a right pious work, and as much for the vindication of Fe&s;tivals as any other, if Magi&s;trates would according as I am &s;ure they may, puni&s;h tho&s;e, who u&s;e to &s;pend whole Holydaies in their plea&s;ures (dauncing, hunting, runnings, footballs, &amp;c.) by the legal mulct for ab&s;ence from Divine Service.</P>
<P>But may no recreation then be
<PB N="114" REF="71"> taken upon Holydaies? I do not &s;ay, nor intend that: nor doth, I pre&s;ume, the Law, neither new, or old. But the re&s;t and (if by the re&s;t we will under&s;tand any thing but a dull idlene&s;s) the refre&s;hment of labou|ring per&s;ons, being one thing which, by the way, was de&s;igned in their in&s;titution, plain it is that lawful recreations as they are exerci&s;es of refre&s;hment, may on them be u&s;ed. But as to &s;uch recreations, which &s;hall &s;upplant or thru&s;t out the &s;er|vice of God, which is the main end to which the Fe&s;tivals were ordai|ned, I &s;ee not how they can with|out &s;in be frequented, practi|&s;ed, or tolerated: I am &s;ure our Eccle&s;ia&s;tical Laws tolerate them not.</P>
<P>Further, I pre&s;ume the genuine &s;en&s;e of the fourth Commandement enforceth as much as I pre&s;s: For that enjoyning a Jew to &s;anctifie the &s;eventh day, that is the time which by their Law was &s;et apart to the wor&s;hip of God, will al&s;o (at lea&s;t)
<PB N="115" REF="71"> in equity and rea&s;on enjoyn a Chri|&s;tian to &s;anctifie &s;uch times, as their Laws have con&s;ecrated to the Di|vine wor&s;hip: which Laws touching the particular &s;etting apart of times to the wor&s;hip of God, though they are not all extant in Scripture, nor immediately delivered by the mouth of God; yet, being made by them, whom he, to whom <HI>all power both in Heaven and Earth was given,</HI> hath commi&s;&s;ionated and made his dele|gates (to wit, his Apo&s;tles, and their &s;ucce&s;&s;ours, the governours of the Church) cannot be looked upon as altogether humane, but have a cer|tain &s;tamp of Divinity; according as ordinarily we interpret the com|mands of the Kings officers, in &s;uch things wherein they are commi&s;&s;io|nated, to be the Kings commands. Now, that Holydaies were ordained by the lawful governours of the Church, is too evident to be denied. And I &s;hould not fear to &s;ay, that &s;ome of our pre&s;ent Fea&s;ts were at the lea&s;t ob&s;erved by &s;ome of the
<PB N="116" REF="72"> Apo&s;tles, our Saviours immediate Sub&s;titutes. How therefore can we neglect to &s;anctifie &s;uch times, which are thus confecrated to God, that is, not imploy them to tho&s;e &s;eparate u&s;es, to which they were appointed (which is the meaning of &s;anctifying, in this regard, in Scripture) without the unhallowing <HI>holy</HI> or <HI>devoted</HI> things, or withour the evident breach of this Commandement.</P>
<P>I will add no more to this pur|po&s;e, bnt that every one being bound to proportion his time for his devotion, according to the oppor|tunities and lei&s;ure which he hath, and it being unlawful by the very municipal law or law of the Land (for &s;uch is the Eccle&s;ia&s;tical law in this ca&s;e) totally to follow the work of my calliug on Fe&s;tivals or Holy|daies, I cannot but have more lei|&s;ure on them for the &s;ervice of God; and therefore con&s;equently a grea|ter portion of it is to be &s;pent in my devotions. Which being concluded, as mo&s;t lawfully and rightfully it
<PB N="117" REF="72"> may, in general, what hath been &s;aid holds as well concerning private as publick devotions. I ought there|fore to think my &s;elf bound on every Holyday to &s;omewhat more of de|votion in private, than what every day calls for.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. II. <HI>What there &s;hould be of Nero in our Private devotions upon Holy daies.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe que&s;tion now will be, what that is of new, which Fe&s;tivals may &s;eem properly to require of a Chri&s;tian in his Clo&s;et devotions.</P>
<P>To which it mu&s;t be &s;aid, that as to the general &s;ub&s;tance of my de|votions, it can &s;carce be other at any time, than what hath been al|ready delivered, to wit, <HI>Reading, Meditation and Prayer.</HI> But yet each of the&s;e may be imployed a
<PB N="118" REF="73"> while upon &s;ome new &s;pecialty, or particular matter which that daies occa&s;ion and &s;olemnity directs unto<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to wit, upon the life or vertues of that particular Saint or Martyr, who&s;e memory the day celebrates: or if the day be &s;uch, which was in|tended onely to prai&s;e God for &s;ome particular tran&s;action relating to our redemption (as the <HI>Nativity</HI> of our Lord, his <HI>Circumci&s;ion,</HI> &amp;c.) to bend my devotions hitherward. To this purpo&s;e it may be proper, be&s;ides what I read in Holy Scrip|ture that day by my con&s;tant cour&s;e, (which &s;hould not at any time, ex|cept upon evident nece&s;&s;ity, or very con&s;iderable bu&s;ine&s;s be broken) to read tho&s;e particular portions of Scripture, which are by the Church appointed for that day; I mean the <HI>Epi&s;tle</HI> and <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> for the day. And the&s;e being read over with &s;uch care, as is before pre&s;cribed, to &s;pend &s;ome time according to former rules in Meditation upon them: and then, either to my own prayers to
<PB N="119" REF="73"> take in the Collect of the day, or to add &s;ome other petitions and prai&s;es, as my Chri&s;tian di&s;cretion &s;hall judge &s;ea&s;onable. To this im|ployment if I allot an hour (or if need &s;o require, half an hour) be|&s;ides what I ordinarily, on other daies, &s;pend on my devotions, the work may in &s;ome good mea&s;ure be done. And it cannot be thought but &s;o much time may well be &s;pa|red by rea&s;on of that lei&s;ure and re&s;t which the Law on that day en|joyns me.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. III. <HI>An Exemplification or Pra|ctice of the former rules in Chri&s;tmas day, with a fit Prayer to be added to my ordinary prayers upon that day.</HI></HEAD>
<P>NOw becau&s;e all the directions given will be better under|&s;tood
<PB N="120" REF="74"> and rendered more ea&s;ily pra|cticable to the plaine&s;t, if a little exemplified, a pattern or two &s;hall be &s;et down of what there &s;hould be of new in our devotions on Fe&s;ti|vals: and tho&s;e &s;o framed, as that they may &s;erve not only for in&s;tan|ces in this la&s;t ca&s;e, but for examples of practice to tho&s;e formerly given <NOTE PLACE="marg">Part. II. Chap. 4. &amp; 5.</NOTE> rules, touching <HI>Reading</HI> and <HI>Medi|tating.</HI></P>
<P>And fir&s;t for &s;uch Fea&s;ts which celebrate the memory of &s;ome par|ticular in, or &s;tep to, our redemp|tion.</P>
<P>Among&s;t the&s;e the copy &s;hall be in <HI>Chri&s;tmas day.</HI> [The Epi&s;tle <HI>Hebr. 1.</HI> v. 1. to v. 13.] Which having carefully read over, I cannot but ob&s;erve (according to my fir&s;t rule in Meditation) that the Holy <NOTE PLACE="marg">Part. II. Chap. 5.</NOTE> Gho&s;ts de&s;ign is to expre&s;s the glory of our Saviour, and e&s;pecially his emihency above any, and all the Angels (which yet are the mo&s;t glo|rious part of the Creation.) And this glory of his is expre&s;&s;ed to be &s;o e|minent,
<PB N="121" REF="74"> not onely in re&s;pect of his Divine nature, as he is the expre&s;s Image of his Fathers per&s;on, but al&s;o as he is God man, as having been born in our nature, <HI>and purged our &s;ins, he &s;ate down on the right hand of the Maje&s;ty on high.</HI> So that the very humane nature of our Saviour, how ever contemptible it might &s;eem once to be, is now advanced infinitely above the <HI>Angels, all the Angels being to wor&s;hip the incarnate Son of God, and his Throne being e&s;ta|bli&s;hed for ever.</HI></P>
<P>Now there being in all this no con&s;iderable matter of difficulty which offers its &s;elf, I have no need here to apply my &s;econd rules (tou|ching &s;earching into difficulties) and therefore I proceed to the third, to con&s;ider what I am the better for having read this. The &s;ub&s;tance of it I have already gathered in the practice of my fir&s;t rule: that re|viewing, to gain light to the parti|cular parts, I find by the &s;econd ver&s;e my &s;elf in&s;tructed and confir|med
<PB N="122" REF="75"> in that point of my <HI>faith,</HI> the <HI>Eternity of the &s;econd per&s;on,</HI> or the Sons being from everla&s;ting: For it is &s;aid <HI>that God by his Son made the Worlds,</HI> that is (as I may probably conclude) all things that are. His Son then was before the <HI>Worlds,</HI> that is from Eternity.</P>
<P>Again that admirable expre&s;&s;ion <HI>[the brightne&s;s of the fathers glory, and expre&s;s image of his per&s;on and the upholder of all things by his power]</HI> what a glorious repre&s;entation is it of the Sons <HI>Deity,</HI> and <HI>being</HI> di&s;tinct, but not &s;eparate, from his eternal father; according as the brightne&s;s of glory may be conceived as di|&s;tinct from that glory of which it is the brightne&s;s, but never can be a|part from that glory.</P>
<P>Again that following expre&s;&s;ion <HI>[after he had by him&s;elf purged our &s;ins, Sat down at the right hand of the Maje&s;ty on high]</HI> with what an heavenly empha&s;is doth it &s;et out.</P>
<P N="1">1. The fullne&s;s of the atonement
<PB N="123" REF="75"> made by Chri&s;t as to every faithfull per&s;on: by him&s;elf he purged our &s;ins: and how can they not be pure before the father who&s;e &s;ins his only Son by him&s;elf hath purged?</P>
<P N="2">2. The tran&s;cendency of our Sa|viours glorifycation <HI>[He &s;at down at the right hand of the Maje&s;ty on high]</HI> What a ble&s;&s;ed (<GAP DESC="foreign"> or) <HI>height</HI> is here to expre&s;s it! and how doth the very expre&s;&s;ion affect the con&s;idering mind! <HI>he &s;at down at the right,</HI> &amp;c. me thinks I could &s;ay it an hundred times over with new admiration and di&s;&s;olution of &s;oul. It &s;ecretly in&s;inuates al&s;o, what &s;hall be our future glory, when we &s;hal be like unto him, and <HI>&s;it down with him at the right hand of the &s;ame Maje&s;ty.</HI> More of the &s;ame nature might be noted, but this is &s;ufficient to exem|plifie the Rules.</P>
<P>I proceed now to con&s;ider the Go&s;pel which al&s;o I am &s;uppo&s;ed to have read. [Go&s;pel, <HI>John 1.</HI> v. 1, to 15.] The &s;cope and &s;ub&s;tance of this Go&s;pel &s;eems to be this, that
<PB N="124" REF="76"> our Lord Je&s;us being God ever with the Father, in time took upon him our nature to redeem us, and that <HI>John the Bapti&s;t</HI> was a witne&s;s hereof.</P>
<P>But here are &s;everal expre&s;&s;ions, which &s;eem to contain &s;ome matter of faith touching our Saviour, and yet I do not perfectly under&s;tand them. Wherefore if I have any help (as before directed to, by the &s;econd Rule touching Meditation upon Scripture) I con&s;ult that tou|ching this whole portion of Scrip|ture. Which having con&s;ulted I may be &s;uppo&s;ed in &s;ome tolerable mea&s;ure to under&s;tand what is held forth therein nece&s;&s;ary to be belie|ved. If I have no &s;uch book or help, then I mu&s;t make as good &s;hift as I can: and con&s;idering the &s;cope and drift of the place before mentioned, and every particular expre&s;&s;ion at which I &s;tick, I interpret that which I doubt of, with a regard to, and by the height I can take from, what I under&s;tand. Thus having
<PB N="125" REF="76"> the general &s;cope of this Scripture in my mind, I review it, or con&s;ider it again in the order as it lies. No|thing do I meet with which I do not in a good mea&s;ure under&s;tand till I come to v. 4, &amp; 5. (For having ob|&s;erved at the fir&s;t reading, that (v. 14.) the Apo&s;tle &s;aith the <HI>Word was made fle&s;h,</HI> by the <HI>Word</HI> in the 1. ver&s;e I can under&s;tand nothing but the eternal Son of God) In <HI>him was life, and the life was the light of men.</HI> What life? or how is the life the light of men? I con&s;i|der that the holy Gho&s;t is here &s;pea|king of the Delty of the Son, and in the third ver&s;e a&s;cribes the making of all things to him. Then it fol|lows <HI>In him was life.</HI> It is very likely that the meaning hereof is thus much. <HI>He is the fountain of life,</HI> he made as well the things which live, as tho&s;e which do not. He com|municated life to all living <HI>And the life was the light of men.</HI> It is very likely that life here is to be under|&s;tood of that natural life, which all
<PB N="126" REF="77"> men what&s;oever live: for he &s;peaks of Chri&s;t as the Creator of all li|ving. Now, whereas it is &s;aid, that this <HI>life is the light of men,</HI> or that that life, which men do partake of from God, is light, haply the mea|ning hereof may be, that the life, which the Creatour gave to man, was a more light &s;ome, that is a more intelligent, life than what the re&s;t of living creatures here below par|take of; to wit, a Rational life. Now it follows, <HI>The light &s;hined in darkne&s;s, and the darkne&s;s compre|hended it not</HI> It is very likely that by <HI>light</HI> I mu&s;t under&s;tand in this ver&s;e what I did thereby in the for|mer, to wit, Rea&s;on: and &s;o con&s;i|dering all more attently, at length I gue&s;s, that &s;ome &s;uch thing as this is the import of that ver&s;e.</P>
<P>The natural light of mans rea&s;on &s;hone in his corrupt and &s;en&s;ual na|ture, but that Nature followed not the dictates of it: Men rejected what their rea&s;on would have guided them to choo&s;e. And this, being
<PB N="127" REF="77"> that I was led thereto by con&s;ide|ring the drift of the words, and find now that the words will, to my be&s;t judgment, very well bear, I conceive may probably be the meaning of this place. But here it may be very nece&s;&s;ary to admoni&s;h (e&s;pecially ordinary people) that they proceed not too far upon their own judg|ments in interpreting darker places of Scripture, of which this haply may &s;eem one. We have only in what we have &s;aid &s;hewn the be&s;t way, which can be taken for the fin|ding out the &s;en&s;e of Scripture. But if &s;o be, that u&s;ing this method I particularly could not have found out &s;o much touching the &s;en&s;e of this Scripture, as hath been above decla|red, yet had not either my reading or my meditation been fruitle&s;s. I could very well and very profitably have re&s;ted in this, that I ob&s;erved the&s;e ver&s;es to te&s;tifie to me, that Chri&s;t is God, and by him all things were made: and that from him came life, and all the light, which in life
<PB N="128" REF="78"> men have. And thus much, by ob&s;ervation, a plain per&s;on might have found from hence. But u&s;ually plain per&s;ons will do be&s;t, not to tru&s;t the &s;trength of their own rea|&s;on, which commonly is none of the be&s;t judge of con&s;equences and de|pendances, but rather get to them|&s;elves &s;uch helps as above directed to, and follow their whol&s;ome gui|dance</P>
<P>Well: having found, out as I con|ceive thus much of the meaning of this Scripture, if there be any thing el&s;e I doubt of in that part of it which remains I proceed to con&s;ider it, carrying &s;till in my mind the &s;cope of the whole, and thus much as I have learnt of the &s;en&s;e of the former part. The &s;ub&s;tance of the remaining part &s;eems to me thus much, That when it plea&s;ed the <HI>Word to be made fle&s;h</HI> (that is, the Son of God to take upon him our nature, and in that nature to dwel) <HI>John the Bapti&s;t</HI> was &s;ent for a wit|ne&s;s to te&s;tifie, that this was the <HI>true</HI>
<PB N="129" REF="78"> <HI>true light,</HI> to the end that <HI>men</HI> might believe: And to as many of man|kind as did believe upon, and re|ceive this light, this light (him&s;elf being the eternal and natural Son of God, gave the priviledge, right or power to become through him the Sons of God being now born unto a new <HI>(viz</HI> a godly) life by their re|ceiving him Now here it may be (as I look through the particular ver&s;es) are one or two things more of mo|ment which! doubt of, and touching which I will con&s;ult the be&s;t helps I have, or, otherwi&s;e con&s;ider with as much attention and mode&s;ty as I can.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, in what &s;en&s;e &s;hould Chri&s;t be termed the <HI>true light?</HI></P>
<P>This con&s;idering of, I remember that before, there was mention of a, certain <HI>light</HI> which all men did par|take from the <HI>Word</HI> as created by him (to wit, their Rea&s;on) and this light, though it &s;hone in them, yet (as the fir&s;t man did not follow its &s;hine &s;o) the re&s;t did reject his gui|dance,
<PB N="130" REF="79"> and the <HI>darkne&s;s received,</HI> or <HI>comprehended it not.</HI> But now it is &s;aid, <HI>that the Word;</HI> that is, <HI>Chri&s;t made fle&s;h,</HI> is <HI>the true light:</HI> both which con&s;idering together, the im|port of all &s;eems to be this, That whereas the natural light of rea&s;on, being not comprehended (but rather overcome) by the darkne&s;s of mans corrupt nature, was in&s;ufficient, of it &s;elf, to lead man unto his &s;alvation or true happine&s;s, and, being &s;o|phi&s;ticated by the &s;ame corruption, had led him to &s;eek happine&s;s in many fal&s;e and by paths. Je&s;us Chri&s;t came into the world to bring to light the true way to happine&s;s, and &s;o was the <HI>true light.</HI></P>
<P>From whence al&s;o I begin to &s;ee &s;omewhat into the &s;econd pa&s;&s;age which I doubted of, to wit, what &s;hould be the meaning of that <HI>[as many as received him].</HI> For, con&s;ide|ring how the Evangeli&s;t in the ver|&s;es immediately foregoing &s;peaks of Chri&s;t, to wit, as the <HI>true light,</HI> I ea&s;ily &s;ee, that to receive him is to
<PB N="131" REF="79"> embrace him as the light, and &s;o to apply my &s;elf to tho&s;e holy waies, which he hath di&s;covered, alone to lead unto happine&s;s. Which al&s;o the following words further intimate <HI>[them that believe in his name]</HI> that is them, who by their imbracing the di&s;covery, which he hath made, and doing accordingly, do manife&s;t that they are per&s;waded he is the true light: which thing they do not as they are born by <HI>the will of man,</HI> of fle&s;h and bloud (for the <HI>darkne&s;s comprehendeth not the light)</HI> but as be|gotten, or created over again by God hereto.</P>
<P>So then, now I conceive I under|&s;tand the <HI>Go&s;pel for this day,</HI> and all the mo&s;t concerning particulars in it. The &s;ub&s;tance of it therefore I recollect after this my &s;earch, to the end it may &s;ink the deeper into me, and I be the better ver&s;t hereafter in this Scripture. And that is this. That Chri&s;t, being eternally God, was al&s;o with God (with whom he ever was) the Creator of all things:
<PB N="132" REF="80"> and particularly of man: that man in his creation received a certain light <HI>(viz</HI> his rea&s;on) which he op|po&s;ed and overcome, rather than followed: that therefore it plea&s;ed Chri&s;t to be made man, and coming into the world, to di&s;cover the true way to happine&s;s unto degenerate man, and as many of mankind, who embraced this di&s;covery, and mani|fe&s;ted their belief of Chri&s;ts being the <HI>true light,</HI> by their receiving him as &s;uch, he re&s;tored into the ble&s;&s;ed &s;tate of being the Sons of God (as <HI>Adam</HI> was before his fall). And <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 3. 38.</NOTE> of all this <HI>John the Bapti&s;t</HI> was &s;ent before to be a witne&s;s, that by his te|&s;timony men might be prepared to believe in this <HI>true light.</HI></P>
<P>Thus much then I am improved in point of knowledge. But is there nothing which may be further u&s;e|ful to me as to practicals? No pro|mi&s;e of mercy? No threat of pu|ni&s;hment to any? Nothing to quicken me to my duty? There is &s;urely.</P>
<PB N="133" REF="80">
<P>Fir&s;t, that is a remarkable expre&s;|&s;ion, <HI>As many as received him, to th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m he gave power to become the &s;ons of God.</HI> I cannot expect ever to be by my incarnate Lord, made a Son of God, and Heir with him in the Kingdome of his Father, except I receive him as the <HI>true</HI> light, except I look for happine&s;s by the method by him delivered, a holy Chri&s;tian practice, according to his Go&s;pel. I &s;ee therefore hence the nece&s;&s;ity of heing conformable to all the Com|mands of the Go&s;pel. He is &s;alva|tion to none to whom he is not light: If therefore I am not faithful, meek, charitable, holy, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> as the Go&s;pel directs, &s;alvation it &s;elf will not &s;ave me</P>
<P>Further, both the Epi&s;tle and Go&s;pel put me in mind of, what the day celebrates, the incarnation of our Saviour (at lea&s;t his vi&s;ible In|carnation, for to the eye he was not incarnate till born.) <HI>The Word was made fle&s;h,</HI> and &s;o him|&s;elf &s;pake unto us, <HI>and by him&s;elf be</HI>
<PB N="134" REF="81"> <HI>purged our &s;ins. The Word,</HI> who was that? <HI>The Son of God, the brightne&s;s of his Fathers glory, the expre&s;s Image of his Per&s;on, he who was ever with God, and ever God, heir of all things, by whom aell things were made, he was made &s;le&s;h. O ths depth of the love of God and Chri&s;t!</HI> Who&s;e &s;oul can well hold to contemplate it!</P>
<P>Be&s;ides this admiration, and di&s;&s;o|lution of &s;oul, the thoughts hereof cannot but be thus further u&s;eful to me.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, &s;eeing, from what an infi|nite glory, to what a mean nature and condition, the Son of God (him&s;elf the infinite God) &s;tooped for the help and &s;aving of men, I cannot but &s;ee my &s;elf in duty bound to the like humility, meek|ne&s;s and conde&s;cen&s;ion; not to &s;tand upon mine own petty intere&s;ts, and con&s;ult nothing but &s;elf, when I have opportunity to do good to any in|fcriour, that wants my &s;uccour. Had Chri&s;t done &s;o, he had never been
<PB N="135" REF="81"> made fle&s;h for me. Now <HI>let the &s;ame mind be in me which was al&s;o in Chri&s;t Je&s;us.</HI></P>
<P>And again, &s;eeing to what an height of excellency the nature of mankind is now advanced, it &s;hould prevail with me to put a due price upon it, and never willingly to di&s;|honour, by any unworthy action, what God him&s;elf hath &s;o honoured. Did God &s;toop to vindicate my na|ture from the contempt and tyranny of the devil, and &s;hall I, notwith|&s;tanding all the conde&s;cen&s;ions of his grace, &s;till wilfully en&s;lave and de|&s;troy my &s;elf.</P>
<P>Further, God having united the nature, of which I am a partner, to him, I &s;hould be ambitious of all meanes of uniting my &s;elf to him, that is, of doing all that may be on my part to further this union.</P>
<P>And e&s;pecially, the thoughts hereof &s;hould quicken me this day to a zealous participating his body and bloud. Can I con&s;ider God made fle&s;h for me, God deba&s;ing
<PB N="136" REF="82"> him&s;elf to be one with me, and is it po&s;&s;ible that I can neglect, what is &s;o much for my honour and intere&s;t, as the means of &s;ealing my particular union with him? How can I e&s;teem my &s;elf doly to have celebrated the memory of his being made fle&s;h, if having means of partaking of that fle&s;h, which he took, I neglect it? And how much ingratitude mu&s;t &s;uch neglect have in it?</P>
<P>La&s;tly, &s;eeing that one great end of our Saviours being incarnate was. to be the true light to man in the pur &s;uit of his happine&s;s, let me ac|count it a noble degree of a&s;&s;imila|tion or being like my Saviour, if I can in any mea&s;ure be a light to any herein. And if God have by office made me &s;uch, let me prize and ho|nour my imployment: and manife&s;t my value of it by my diligence in it. The more light I give, the nearer do I in my office come unto my Sa|viour.</P>
<P>Thus much then of incitement have I hence. to my duty. My other
<PB N="137" REF="82"> rules are not here &s;o applicable: Wherefore in the conclu&s;ion of my Maditations I con&s;ider what of new all that <HI>I</HI> have meditated, doth &s;ug|ge&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">See Part. 11 ch. 5.</NOTE> unto this dayes prayers: And that <HI>I</HI> &s;hall find to be matter of As to the fir&s;t,</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>Prai&s;e.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Petition.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<P N="1">1. The infinite goodne&s;s of God, that he would at all think of re&s;to|ring that nature, which was now an enemy to him, having wilfully fallen from him, cannot if duly con&s;idered, but melt my heart into thankful prai&s;e of him.</P>
<P N="2">2. That (yet) greater com|mendation of his goodne&s;s, his infi|nite conde&s;cen&s;ion, his redeeming our nature in a way &s;o glorious to it, as was the a&s;&s;umption of it unto his own nature, methinks &s;hould overcome my &s;oul, and wrap it in|to an exta&s;ie of prai&s;e and admirati|on. In all likelihood, infinite Wi&s;|dome might have thought of a cour&s;e, which would have been le&s;s honourable to man, and would nor
<PB N="138" REF="83"> &s;o much (if <HI>I</HI> may &s;o &s;peak) have humbled the Deity. But he would not bring us to glory ingloriou&s;ly. The meer con&s;ideration therefore of the honour; which our Lords Incar|nation puts upon our ill de&s;erving nature, will not &s;uffer me to be &s;ilent this day in his prai&s;es.</P>
<P>And as to matter of petition, &s;urely it cannot but be right &s;ea&s;o|nable to be&s;eech, 1. That all this may not be in vain unto me: And 2. That to that end, <HI>I</HI> may tran|&s;cribe the&s;e Copies of goodne&s;s, hu|mility, and purity, which &s;hone in our Saviours incarnation, and walk in the light, as well of his example, as doctrine. And all this <HI>I</HI> may do in &s;ome &s;uch words as the&s;e.</P>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<HEAD>A Prayer to be added to my other daily Prayers on Chri&s;tmas-day.</HEAD>
<P>O God the Father of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t; who,
<PB N="139" REF="83"> out of thy meer goodne&s;s and pitty, having promi&s;ed thy Son to redeem faln mankind, did&s;t in the fulne&s;s of time faithful|ly performe with thine hand what thou had&s;t &s;poken with thy mouth, and &s;end him into the world made, and about this time born, of a woman: I one of that redeemed, though vile, nature, humbly adore this thy Grace and faith|fulne&s;s. Eternity, Lord, is too little to ble&s;s thee for it: But Eternal prai&s;e is the greate&s;t that I can wi&s;h thee: and mai&s;t thou to eternity receive due glory for this thine infinite Goodne&s;s and Mercy!</P>
<P>O Thou the onely begot|ten Son, <HI>by whom</HI> thine eternal Father made the Worlds, who wa&s;t ever with God, and ever
<PB N="140" REF="84"> God, the brightne&s;s of his Glory, and expre&s;s Image of his Per&s;on, yet wa&s;t plea&s;ed in time to be made fle&s;h, and pitch thy Tabernacle in our nature: I part of the purcha&s;e of thy bloud, poor du&s;t and a&s;hes, but &s;uch as thine infinite Glory was plea&s;ed for my &s;ake once to wear, and now to glo|rifie, and &s;et above Angels, mo&s;t humbly ble&s;s thee, as well for this thy conde&s;een&s;ion as for the honour done to man. <HI>Thou tooke&s;t not upon thee the nature of Angels, but the &s;eed of</HI> Abraham <HI>thou did'&s;t take.</HI> Even &s;o, O Saviour, for &s;o it hath &s;eemed good to thee. Thou thoughte&s;t not the An|gelical nature low enough for thine Infinity to &s;toop to. Mo&s;t dear Je&s;us! thou ha&s;t over|come
<PB N="141" REF="84"> me. I would prai&s;e thee, but I cannot further.&mdash;Accept my &s;ilent ravi&s;hment, admiration, and faith. <HI>I believe. Lord, help my unbelief.</HI></P>
<P>O holy Spirit, the power of the mo&s;t High; who, after an unconceiveable &s;ort, over|&s;hadowing the Virgin Mother, did'&s;t frame in her &s;acred Womb that Holy Thing which <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">That is, was the Son of God. For in Scripture many times being called and being, word and thing are one and the &s;ame.</NOTE> was called the Son of God; For this thy mo&s;t wonderful and fearful (but to man mo&s;t happy) opera|tion, I unworthy man ble&s;s thee: be&s;eech|ing thee to in&s;pire my heart, that I may from this ble&s;&s;ed Copy tran&s;cribe the&s;e Virtues of Goodne&s;s, Humility, Love,
<PB N="142" REF="85"> Purity, and what &s;oever mine holy Saviour, either by his Life or Doctrine hath caught me: that &s;o, I walking in his light, he may be to me life ever la&s;t|ing, to the prai&s;e of thee, O Father, Son, and holy Spirit, one undivided God, Eternally. <HI>Amen</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. IV. <HI>An Exemplification of the former Rules in St.</HI> Ste|phen'<HI>s day's With a Pray|er which may (be u&s;ed on a|ny Saints day.</HI></HEAD>
<P>FOr the Epi&s;tle, <HI>Acts 7. 2. 55.</HI> to the end. Which, having read, <HI>I</HI> find to be a narrative or re|lation of St. <HI>Ste<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ben</HI>'s martyrdom, And the chief &s;ub&s;tantials, that my
<PB N="143" REF="85"> thoughts fix upon, are, That Encou|raging vi&s;ion vouch&s;afed to him, in his entrance upon his &s;uffering, and the manner of his taking his &s;uffer|ing.</P>
<P>St. <HI>Stephen,</HI> the fir&s;t of tho&s;e who were to pa&s;s to Heaven in the fiery Chariot of a violent death, for the witne&s;s of Je&s;us, was now as good as &s;entenced: for the defence, which he had made, had onely further in|cen&s;ed his per&s;ecutors. But he, who &s;hould take fir&s;t &s;o bold a &s;tep, had need of &s;ome more than ordinary encouragement: It plea&s;ed there|fore him, who&s;e Witne&s;s he was, to command away the Clouds, and through the opened Heavens to &s;hew him&s;elf &s;tanding at the right hand of God, ready to receive him thither. And &s;eeing the pa&s;&s;age now &s;o clear, and the end &s;o glorious, it was not likely that good <HI>Stephen</HI> &s;hould &s;tumble at a &s;tone or two. <HI>This method doth the gracious provi|dence of God ob&s;erve, that where he gives a bitterer cup, there he &s;ecretly</HI>
<PB N="144" REF="86"> <HI>provides greater encouragements,</HI> and thereby rai&s;eth the &s;trength of his &s;uffering &s;ervants.</P>
<P>An&s;werable to his encourage|ment do <HI>I</HI> find St. <HI>Stephens</HI> carriage. For being ca&s;t out of the City, and &s;toned, all is &s;o far from daunting him, that it &s;carce &s;eems to have di|&s;turbed him; for he readily prayes to his Saviour both in his own and his murtherers behalf. Particularly, the&s;e Virtues <HI>I</HI> cannot but ob|&s;erve livelily &s;hining in him &s;uffer|ing.</P>
<P>1. Con&s;tancy, Re&s;olution and Chri&s;tian Magnanimity in tho&s;e &s;ufferings, which a truly Chri&s;tian cau&s;e engaged him in. 2. Notwith|&s;tanding all his extraordinary a&s;|&s;urances of glory (Chri&s;t witne&s;|&s;ing it to him from Heaven in that ble&s;&s;ed Vi&s;ion) per&s;everance in earne&s;t prayer to the la&s;t, When the &s;tones now &s;truck him, he called upon God and &s;aid, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> 3. Qui|etne&s;s, patience and &s;erenity: The inju&s;tice of his &s;ufferings exa&s;perates
<PB N="145" REF="86" MS="y"> not his Spirit, nor puts him into any pa&s;&s;ion or indi&s;po&s;ition for his duty 4. Meekne&s;s, Charity, Forgivene&s;s, even towards them, who in that they were enemies to him, were enemies al&s;o to Chri&s;t. He <HI>kneeled down</HI> [An expre&s;sion of the &s;olemnity of his Prayers] <HI>and cried with a loud voice</HI> [an expre&s;&s;ion of the earne&s;t|ne&s;s and fervour of them.] A pat|tern mo&s;t worthy imitation in &s;uffer|ing.</P>
<P>A double benefit then the &s;ub|&s;tance of this portion of Scripture (recollected according to direction) <NOTE PLACE="marg">Part. 11. Chap. 5.</NOTE> yields to me. The fir&s;t, an Anti|dote or Remedy again&s;t dejection under, and &s;lavi&s;h fear of &s;uffering. If God at any time call me to the bearing a greater weight of afflicti|ons than ordinary, let not me ba&s;ely or &s;infully decline them, but rather remember what St. <HI>Stephen</HI> (and indeed all the Children of God have) found by experience, that &s;trength &s;hall be given in propor|tionably, and that &s;uitable to my mi|&s;ery
<PB N="146" REF="87"> &s;hall comfort and refre&s;hment come in to &s;u&s;tain my &s;pirit, if I nobly engage. Secondly, St. <HI>Ste|phen</HI>'s example is to me a copy how I ought to &s;uffer. Hence &s;hould I tran&s;cribe, Con&s;tancy, Dutifulne&s;s, Patience, Charity, and what ever other Virtues I can ob&s;erve him to have exerci&s;ed in his &s;ufferings.</P>
<P>Now as to particular expre&s;&s;ions here, that which concludes the rela|tion cannot well pa&s;s without notice. <HI>And when he had &s;aid this, he fell a|&s;leep:</HI> In &s;weetne&s;s and love he breathed out his &s;oul; and he do|ing &s;o, pitty it was, but that to &s;o &s;weet a &s;oul, death it &s;elf &s;hould be &s;weetned, and &s;o it was: <HI>He fell a &s;leep.</HI> It teacheth me how I am to look on death. To all men death is but a &s;leep: good or bad, they mu&s;t awake from it. But a good mans death &s;hould be looked upon onely as a falling a&s;leep, or as ano|ther Scripture &s;aith, <HI>Re&s;ting from his labours:</HI> Death is much the ea&s;i|e&s;t to good men</P>
<PB N="147" REF="87">
<P>Of the&s;e notes or remarks which I have thus in my Meditations on this Reading made, tho&s;e which I have mind chiefly to fa&s;ten upon my &s;elf (though I would not forget a|ny) are the&s;e, which follow, of which therefore I regi&s;ter in my Memorial &s;ome hints, perhaps &s;o as follows.</P>
<P><Q>St. <HI>Stephen's day, 1 6 6 4. Acts 7.</HI></Q></P>
<P><Q><HI>Ver&s;. 54, 55.</HI> God ever pro|proportions his Servants comforts to their &s;ufferings.</Q></P>
<P><Q><HI>Ver&s;e 60. He &s;ell a&s;leep.</HI> How &s;weetly do good men dye! Al&s;o, a fit Petition to u&s;e when I pray for enemies; <HI>Lord lay not this &s;in to their charge.</HI></Q></P>
<P><Q>I noted all along in St. <HI>Stephen</HI> the&s;e Chri&s;tian Graces. 1. Con|&s;tancy and Courage. 2. Per&s;e|verance in Prayer, notwith&s;tand|ing the immediate revelation of his in&s;tant Glory. 3. Patience. 4. Charity and Forgivene&s;s.</Q></P>
<P><HI>This Pattern will &s;erve for dire|ction</HI>
<PB N="148" REF="88"> <HI>in what we ordinarily intend; and it is brief, becau&s;e it is &s;uppo&s;ed a pattern to be followed in what we in daily cour&s;e ob&s;erve or &s;et down. But if on Holy dayes any have a mind to be larger in their &s;etting down their Meditations, this hinders not.</HI></P>
<P>The Go&s;pel, <HI>Matt. 23. v. 34.</HI> to the end.</P>
<P>Ob&s;erving the &s;cope of this Scripture, I find it to be a Prophecy of the di&s;mal calamity which &s;hould befal the <HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ws,</HI> by rea&s;on of their wilful rejecting the Go&s;pel; and cutting off them who were &s;ent to preach it; according as their &s;tub|born forefathers had cut off the Prophets. A judgment &s;hould be|fall them, which &s;hould be in &s;ome mea&s;ure a proportionable revenge of all the righteous bloud which had been <HI>&s;hed, from Abel to Zacha|ry:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 35.</NOTE> and this by rea&s;on that they did per&s;i&s;t in &s;hedding &s;uch righteous bloud, as they indeed did in the ca&s;e of our Saviour, and his per&s;e|cuted
<PB N="149" REF="88"> followers. Their City there|fore &s;hould become a de&s;olation, and the very wor&s;hip of God being laid wa&s;t, they &s;hould expect the Me&s;siah <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver. 38.</NOTE> &s;o long, that they &s;hould even ble&s;s him that could tell them any thing of him.</P>
<P>This is the general &s;ub&s;tance of this Scripture. Difficulty in it I find none to &s;top me: I proceed therefore to inquire what of advan|tage I can make by the reading of it, according to my propo&s;ed cour&s;e. And, 1. I find my &s;elf, by the ob|&s;erving the two fir&s;t ver&s;es of it, much &s;atisfied touching one ca&s;e, in which I have many times thought God to deal very hardly, to wit, touching his vi&s;iting the &s;ins of the fathers upon the children. <HI>Ver&s;e 3 5.</HI> It is &s;aid, that upon that generation &s;hould fall <HI>all the righteous bloud &s;pilt from Abel to Zachary,</HI> which, at the fir&s;t look, &s;eems very &s;evere. But the rea&s;on is rendred, <HI>ver. 34.</HI> becau&s;e, of <HI>the Prophets, wi&s;e men and &s;cribes, which Chri&s;t &s;ent among&s;t</HI>
<PB N="150" REF="89" MS="y"> <HI>them, &s;ome they would kill and eruci|fie, &s;ome &s;courge in their Synagogues, others per&s;ecute from City to City,</HI> according as their forefathers ever had &s;erved the Prophets: Which gives me ground to conclude, <HI>That children &s;eldome or never inherit their fathers puni&s;hments, or the wrath due to their fathers &s;ins, but where they fir&s;t prove inheritors of tho&s;e &s;ins:</HI> And in this ca&s;e, becau&s;e they have &s;een their fathers &s;ins, and the pu|ni&s;hments, which have befallen them for them, and yet not mended by their examples, it is but ju&s;tice, that their fathers &s;ins &s;hould be vi&s;ited upon them, that they &s;hould have the &s;ame or like puni&s;hments as their fathers had, and greater.</P>
<P>Then, 2. I cannot but note how &s;lowly and unwillingly God comes to judgment. Thus much tho&s;e words, <HI>O Jeru&s;alem, Jeru&s;alem,</HI> &s;ugge&s;t to me. Our Saviour, I &s;ee, cannot foretell this de&s;ertion and re|jection of the <HI>Jews</HI> without a lamen|table taken up, <HI>O Jeru&s;alem, Jeru|&s;alem.</HI>
<PB N="151" REF="89"> So unwilling is he to puni&s;h that he even weeps at the very thoughts of it. [This is a very af|fecting con&s;ideration, and of &s;pe|cial force to quicken me to repen|tance, and is therefore to be noted to that purpo&s;e.]</P>
<P>La&s;tly, Examining further accor|ding to the rules propo&s;ed, whether there be no in&s;tance of Gods judg|ments again&s;t &s;inners, no threat to deterre me from any &s;in, or the like, I find there is, and cannot but &s;tay my thoughts a while upon this hea|vy denunciation of woe again&s;t tho&s;e, who were outwardly Gods own people, for their rejecting the offers of grace, and upon fooli&s;h prejudices not acknowledging, or not being willing to &s;ee the light, which yet they could not but &s;ee. <HI>And if God &s;pared not the natural branches, how much le&s;s will he &s;pare me, who am onely grafted in out of the wild olive, if I be guilty of the &s;ame &s;in?</HI> It concernes me therefore in this ca&s;e to look into my &s;elf: the
<PB N="152" REF="90"> very reading of this Scripture ought to be to me a warning And let me &s;ee: Am I not guilty of the like re&s;i&s;ting light and rejecting grace? What do I el&s;e when I &s;in pre&s;umptuou&s;ly, and onely not <HI>wil|fully?</HI> Do not I then &s;hut mine eyes again&s;t the light, and offer vio|lence to the convictions, which come from tho&s;e Scriptures, who&s;e Au|thors, the <HI>Jews,</HI> were rejected, for offering violence unto? They re|jected their living te&s;timony, I not onely that (for that I have in the Scripture) but the very voice of their bloud, by which they &s;ealed the truth of their te&s;timony. Oh &s;inful and ungracious wretch!</P>
<P>Now if any &s;uch as this be my ca&s;e, let my meditations here re&s;t a while. Let me con&s;ider whether in this Scripture, which hath thus con|vinced me of &s;in, there be not &s;ome|what which may reclaim me. And truly there is 1. (That which hath already been mentioned) Gods unwillingne&s;s to puni&s;h, his
<PB N="153" REF="90"> patience and forbearance. And hath not this been great towards me? How often have the warm offers of love and pardon invited me, as they did them! May not I &s;ay, God would have many a time <HI>gathered me under his wings?</HI> And do not the&s;e very warnings, that if <HI>I</HI> am not reclaimed, <HI>I</HI> mu&s;t be for&s;aken, &s;peak Gods pre&s;ent unwillingne&s;s (if any thing will work) to for|&s;ake me? Is not this as much as an <HI>O Jeru&s;alem, Jeru&s;alem?</HI> Again, 2. <HI>I</HI> here &s;ee, that though God bore long with his people, he would not bear alwayes, being that they did per&s;i&s;t in re&s;i&s;tance of his Grace. And truly <HI>I</HI> know not how &s;oon God may call home from me his op|po&s;ed Spirit, and, &s;uffering his Grace no longer to be abu&s;ed, leave me as he did the <HI>Jews,</HI> in my own &s;tubbornne&s;s and wilfulne&s;s to pe|ri&s;h</P>
<P>After this &s;ort may <HI>I</HI> employ a while my thoughts: and if time will &s;uffer, thus ough<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>I</HI> &s;o long to medi|tate,
<PB N="154" REF="91"> till my moved heart have taken up full re&s;olutions of following the guidance of Gods Spirit, and yield|ing to his Grace. And the&s;e warn|ings or convictions from the Word, together with my re&s;olutions upon them, &s;hould <HI>I</HI> (if able, regi&s;ter in that other of my Books, which <HI>I</HI> call my <HI>Accomptal,</HI> or if not) take &s;uch &s;olemn notice of, that <HI>I</HI> forget not. But if any nece&s;&s;ary matter force me to depart my privacy, before my meditations arive at &s;uch a ripene&s;s, yet let me not fail to take notice of the warning which <HI>I</HI> received and &s;et it down in my Accomptal, that &s;o upon my * fa&s;ting day, when <HI>I</HI> re|view the actions of that week, <HI>I</HI> may be &s;ure not to forget it, but to hum|ble my &s;elf for my former mi&s;car|riages, and con&s;ider for the future, how <HI>I</HI> may turn my feet into new wayes.</P>
<P>But to return to the devotions of this pre&s;ent day: So much onely remains now to compleat my pre|&s;ent meditations as to con&s;ide<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">,
<PB N="155" REF="91"> what of new from all will be &s;ea&s;o|nable to be added to my accu&s;tom|ed Prayers. And here will be,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, Matter of confe&s;sion touch|ing my re&s;i&s;ting Grace and not walking according to the light which <HI>I</HI> have had</P>
<P>Secondly, Matter of prai&s;e.</P>
<P N="1">1. For the&s;e warnings, which are &s;o many calls to repentance, and invitations to happine&s;s.</P>
<P N="2">2. For the te&s;timony which the Go&s;pel received, and doth to this day receive, by the doctrine and death of St. <HI>Stephen,</HI> and for the con&s;tancy, faithfulne&s;s, patience, charity and meekne&s;s which &s;hone forth in him.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Matter of Pe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ition.</P>
<P>1. For grace, that I may from henceforth yield unto all motions of Gods holy Spirit. 2. That when ever God &s;hal call me to &s;uffer (as he doth frequently by the cro&s;&s;es, oppo|&s;itions, fru&s;trations, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> which I meet with in the cour&s;e of my life) I may manife&s;t the like meekne&s;s, patience,
<PB N="156" REF="92"> charity, holy re&s;olution and mind|fulne&s;s of God by prayer and all o|ther &s;ea&s;onable duties. All which, having con&s;idered how I may in &s;ome &s;ober and orderly way ex|pre&s;s or repre&s;ent before God, let me either in&s;ert in my wonted pray|ers, or in &s;ome &s;hort prayer to be added to them compris<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> as well as I can. A pattern whereof very par|ticular it will not be &s;o expedient to &s;et down here, but rather &s;o to frame a Prayer with &s;ome re&s;pect to the foregoing heads, as that it may in general be accommodated to, or u&s;ed upon the Fea&s;ts of any Saints or Martyrs.</P>
<DIV3 TYPE="prayer">
<PB N="157" REF="92">
<HEAD>A &s;hort Prayer which may be added to our ordinary prayers upon the fea&s;t of any Saint or Martyr by our Church appointed to be kept.</HEAD>
<P>O Lord, the God of truth and holine&s;s, who at &s;undry times, and in &s;undry waies ha&s;t revealed thy &s;elf unto the world, by thy holy Prophets of old, and in the&s;e la&s;t daies by thy Son, of whom thou ha&s;t &s;ince in all ages rai&s;ed up thy Saints and Servants to be witne&s;&s;es. I humbly ble&s;s thee, as for all the revelations of thy will &amp; confirmations of thy truth, &s;o e&s;pecially for the te&s;timo|ny given thereunto by the
<PB N="158" REF="93"> life [(<NOTE N="a" PLACE="marg">The word do|ctrine is chiefly to be u&s;ed upon the fea&s;ts of the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tles.</NOTE>) doctrine] [and (<NOTE N="b" PLACE="marg">If the fea&s;t be not the memo|rial of a Mar|tyr, the word <HI>death</HI> is to be left out.</NOTE>) death] of thy &s;ervant St. <HI>S.</HI> whom thou made&s;t unto the world not onely a witne&s;s of thy truth, but a pattern of holine&s;s: and I be&s;eech thee to par|don both all my op|po&s;ing, and all my holding in unrighte|ou&s;ne&s;s tho&s;e truths, which either he or any other of thy &s;er|vants have preached, or left on record. I acknowledge and bewaile may guiltine&s;s here|in: Keep me, ble&s;&s;ed Father for the future (at lea&s;t) from all &s;uch pre&s;umptuous &s;ins; and grant that the &s;ame Spi|rit re&s;ting upon me, which dwelt upon them, may beget
<PB N="159" REF="93"> in me the like humility, cha|rity, [* <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Here in&s;ert the mention of any Chri&s;tian virtue, in which thou ha&s;t ob&s;erved the Saint who&s;e memory thou celebrate&s;t to excell.</NOTE>] diligence, re&s;olu|tion, and per&s;everance in all holine&s;s. Let me as they both in life and death glorifie thee, according to my mea&s;ure; &s;o that a|mong&s;t tho&s;e heaven|ly Ho&s;ts and ble&s;&s;ed Society of thy Ser|vants, I may have &s;ome (though it &s;hould be the low|e&s;t) place, eternally to prai&s;e and enjoy thee <HI>O Fathers, Son, and Holy Gho&s;t, one mo&s;t glori|ous God,</HI> Amen.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="160" REF="94">
<HEAD>Chap. V. <HI>Of what remains to compleat my private Fe&s;tival-devo|tions, to wit, Alme&s;-giving,</HI></HEAD>
<P>SOme time, be&s;ides what my or|dinary cour&s;e requires, being thus &s;pent in Reading, Meditation, and Prayer, &s;uitable to the particu|lar regard of the day, it onely re|maines to compleat my devotions, that according as God hath ble&s;&s;ed me I &s;et apart &s;omewhat for the poor: for it is not certainly my &s;elf or my rich neighbours onely, which I am to fea&s;t upon Holydaies: and however it may be I cannot give in my clo&s;et, yet I may in my clo&s;et, and at the end of my devo|tions mo&s;t conveniently, cheerfully, and religiou&s;ly (and it may be mo&s;t liberally) con&s;ecrate, what I can &s;pare, to &s;uch pious u&s;e, by &s;epara|ting
<PB N="161" REF="94"> it from the re&s;t, which I re&s;erve for ordinary u&s;es. And &s;omewhat every Holyday would I ca&s;t to have thus to con&s;ecrate to God, though it were the le&s;s: By the ob&s;erving this cour&s;e I &s;hall commonly, if not alwaies, have wherewithall to re|lieve the wants of &s;uch, whom I meet with and find to be truly in|digent; which, if I do not u&s;e my &s;elf to &s;ome &s;uch method, I may haply many times want a &s;tock for. Whether to di&s;tribute it in money, or in that which is bought with my money, may be more &s;uitable to the wants of tho&s;e whom I relieve, a little Chri&s;tian di&s;cretion will ea|&s;ily direct. And the more to en|force this practice, let me con&s;ider how naked, mi&s;erable and &s;tingy &s;olemn thank&s;giving is, without &s;omewhat of Almes giving. Then &s;urely I rejoyce in a way mo&s;t be|coming the mercies I and mankind have received, when as many as I have wherewithall coveniently to help, have cau&s;e to rejoyce for my
<PB N="162" REF="95"> rejoyeing: and on the contrary, if being able (by doing but what is my duty, at lea&s;t what I well may) to revive poor and di&s;con&s;olate per|&s;ons, I &s;uffer them through my clo&s;e-handedne&s;s) to groan under their di&s;tre&s;&s;es upon daies of pub|lick joy, what a blemi&s;h is it to tho&s;e daies joy, and what want of Chri|&s;tian goodne&s;s and charity doth it be&s;peak in me? I &s;hould rather be greedy and ambitious to make all the world rejoyce with me.</P>
<P>Now, for the making at lea&s;t thus much of Almesgiving an act of my private devotion, no one willj pre|&s;ume, to be dis&s;atisfied, who either con&s;iders the premi&s;es and the na|ture of the thing, or what our Sa|viour &s;aith touching this matter. <HI>Let not thy right hand know what</HI> in this <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 6 3.</NOTE> ca&s;e <HI>thy left hand doth.</HI> Let there|fore, I &s;ay, my charity crown my devotions: and as I put out that (what&s;oever it is) which I have to devote unto God, for the relief of his wanting &s;ervants, it will not be
<PB N="163" REF="95"> ami&s;s to u&s;e &s;ome &s;hort ejaculation directed unto his all&s;eeing Maje&s;ty, by which I may expre&s;s my chearful offering it unto him, that is my &s;etting it apart for the poor, whom he hath commanded me to &s;uccour, and promi&s;ed me a <HI>ble&s;&s;ing</HI> if I con|&s;ider. <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;a. 41. 1</NOTE> Now that may be done in &s;ome &s;uch words as the&s;e.</P>
<P>O Lord, who&s;e is the earth and the fulne&s;s thereof, I offer unto thee (what, by thy gift and ble&s;&s;ing, I have) this &s;mall te&s;timony of my thank|fulne&s;s and duty, to be be|&s;towed upon tho&s;e wanting ones whom thy providence &s;hall give me opportunity to relieve. Be thou plea&s;ed through the bloud of my Sa|viour to accept it, and pardon all my vain expences.</P>
<P>The u&s;ing &s;ome &s;uch cour&s;e as
<PB N="164" REF="96"> this propo&s;ed will make me more liberal in the&s;e my acts of charity: for how can I offer niggardly to this my bountiful God, when I am con|&s;cious to my &s;elf, I have &s;omewhat con&s;iderable, if I will well husband all; which I may devote to him, &amp; yet not abridge my &s;elf or mine either of nece&s;&s;aries or conveniencies: and hereto I &s;hall be the more quickned if I remember I offer to God, who both gave me, and &s;ees all I have. Now whether I may upon &s;uch a day meet with opportunity to my mind; or &s;uch a per&s;on to be&s;tow it on, as the di&s;cretion of my charity could wi&s;h, or whether I cannot; yet let me account it really given to God, and therefore &s;eparate it from the re&s;t of the &s;tore, &s;o that ever after I may look upon it as devote, and not to be touched, except to di&s;tri|bute it to the poor. But if any fatal nece&s;&s;ity &s;hould con&s;train the meddling with any part of ought thus &s;eparated, let me religiou&s;ly ob&s;erve to return it again to the
<PB N="165" REF="96"> poor mans pur&s;e or &s;tock, with an expiatory u&s;ury; that is with &s;ome|what more, which may make re|compence for my fir&s;t dimini&s;hing it. And thus we will leave the pri|vate devotions of Fe&s;tivals, and con|&s;ider, in the next place, what will be meet to be performed on the Lords day.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. V I. <HI>That the Lords day ought to be kept holy, and what that means.</HI></HEAD>
<P>TOuching the ob&s;ervation of the Lords day, though I judge them indi&s;creet friends unto it, who re|ferre the in&s;titution of it mainly to the fourth Commandement, yet I put the keeping of it holy &s;o far out of all que&s;tion, that I cannot but ac|count him very unchri&s;tian, who either is &s;lightly herein him&s;elf, or
<PB N="166" REF="97"> goes about to po&s;&s;e&s;s others that they may be &s;o without &s;in.</P>
<P>The 1. naturall ju&s;tice of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">The true gro 3nds of &s;ancti+fying the Lords nay &s;um. med up. 1 Cor. 16 1, 2.</NOTE> thing, that there &s;hould be &s;ome time &s;et apart among&s;t the Chri&s;ti|an community for the publick and &s;olemn wor&s;hip of God, 2. The an|tiquity and authority of that Apo|&s;tolick canon (recorded partly in expre&s;s terms in Scripture, and if it were not &s;ufficiently manife&s;t by their practice) which hath &s;et apart this time, 3. Our Saviours honou|ring this day with his re&s;urrection thereupon (which gave occa&s;ion to its being &s;et apart) 4. The cu&s;tom of all Chri&s;tian Churches through all ages, and from the very Apo&s;tles daies. 5. Nay the practice of our Lord him&s;elf on this day meeting his a&s;&s;embled Di&s;ciples, are all of them arguments beyond contradicti|on, and <HI>warrant</HI> (&s;ufficiently) divine, that it is to be e&s;teemed con&s;ecrate or &s;et apart to the wor&s;hip of God. And then the force which the fourth Commandement in equity bears,
<PB N="167" REF="97"> that what time is &s;et apart or con|&s;ecrated to God &s;hould be &s;anctifi|ed, that is &s;pent to tho&s;e &s;eparate purpo&s;es and intents, for which it was &s;et apart (which I &s;ay is the mea|ning of &s;anctifying or keeping holy any time) &s;ufficiently and beyond all eva&s;ion enjoyns its being kept holy, it being &s;uppo&s;ed once to be &s;et apart, as it is before proved to have been. And certainly (if as is undeniable, it be the duty of every Chri&s;tian, as much as may be, to keep all his life as a perpetual Sab|bati&s;m <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hebr. 4. 10.</NOTE> or holy re&s;t unto God) it mu&s;t needs be an argument of a very profane, worldly, and unchri&s;tian &s;pirit, not to afford God this day free from &s;en&s;ual plea&s;ures, and worldly cares or labours. Where|fore, I &s;ay, the keeping holy of the Lords day, I put out of all que&s;tion, and would have no man flatter him|&s;elf, that he is a devout Chri&s;tian, who u&s;eth either by idlene&s;s or plea&s;ures, or unnece&s;&s;ary worldly bu&s;ine&s;s to profane what ( the
<PB N="168" REF="98"> Church, and being that the Church hath done it, by good warrant and power tran&s;mitted to her by Chri&s;t) God him&s;elf hath allowed. Profa|nation I call it: for if the &s;pending it to holy purpo&s;es be to &s;anctifie it, then the &s;pending it contrarily upon ordinary or unworthy practices, is to profane it. And if we may not <HI>give that which is holy unto dogs,</HI> it is then &s;urely mo&s;t intolerable to take that time, which by divine Law ought to be holy unto God, and give it to his enemies, the devil, this world, and our own lu&s;ts, which we do when we &s;pend the Lords day either in idlene&s;s, plea&s;ures, or need|le&s;s worldly matters.</P>
<P>Works of charity or mercy are acts of holine&s;s: and works of ne|ce&s;&s;ity, &s;o far forth as they are works of nece&s;&s;ity, are acts of mercy, and con&s;equently the doing of either of the&s;e (that is, works of <HI>Charity</HI> or <HI>Nece&s;&s;ity)</HI> when due occa&s;ion calls me thereto, is rather &s;anctifying than unhallowing the Lords day)
<PB N="169" REF="98"> (e&s;pecially if I do them out of duty towards God, and in his fear) and for this I have his warrant, who tels <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 9. 13.</NOTE> me that he better accepts <HI>Mercy than Sacrifice.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="7" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. VII. <HI>Of Preparation for the Lords day. A preparatory Prayer thereto.</HI></HEAD>
<P>SEeing then that the Lords day is to be kept holy, that is, to be &s;pent in the wor&s;hip and &s;ervice of God, for which it is &s;et apart, it con|cerns me to con&s;ider how I may &s;pend it in a way mo&s;t complying with this its de&s;ign or intendment. And I &s;hall ea&s;ily, upon the very con&s;ideration of the nature of Gods wor&s;hip, be convinced, that it is in a manner impo&s;&s;ible for me duely to &s;anctifie it, if I come unto it hot and wreaking from my worldly bu&s;i|ne&s;s.
<PB N="170" REF="99"> For being I am to wor&s;hip God in &s;pirit and in truth, with all my mind, &s;oul and &s;trength, and in a word with my whole man, evident it is that I am unable &s;o to do, while my heart yet remains unemptied of the world: and being unfit to wor&s;hip God, I am not, while &s;o, in a due &s;tate to &s;anctifie this day. Wherefore the right &s;anctification of the Lords day is to begin with Preparation.</P>
<P>And it is a right whol&s;ome in&s;ti|tution, that upon the Evening before it, there &s;hould be Prayers in every Pari&s;h Church, which is grown now too much into di&s;u&s;e by rea&s;on onely (that I can imagine) of the degeneracy of the age. If there be &s;uch cu&s;tome kept up in my Pari&s;h, I would not, but upon nece&s;&s;ity, be ab&s;ent from tho&s;e preparatory prayers: At which, though I &s;hould be &s;uppo&s;ed to have been pre&s;ent, yet would I not content my &s;elf therewith: but, whether I have been imployed publickly in pre|parations
<PB N="171" REF="99"> or not, in my cour&s;e of devotion, on Saturday night, take &s;o much more time than I do ordinarily, as might &s;erve for &s;ome preparatory Meditations and Pray|ers.</P>
<P>The lea&s;t which I can do to this purpo&s;e in my Meditations, is, Fir&s;t, To examine whether there be not &s;ome &s;in or &s;ad mi&s;carriage of the week pa&s;t, which lies unrepented of, and &s;o may bla&s;t my next daies performances. And if any there be, &s;econdly, to con&s;ider of it more par|ticularly, its aggravations, its na|ture, whether it be not &s;uch an one, part of the <HI>Repentance,</HI> for which mu&s;t be <HI>Reconciliation, Re&s;titution,</HI> or &s;omewhat like: and accordingly to apply my &s;elf to what <HI>I</HI> in my con|&s;cience, and in the fear of God do judge due repentance. Thirdly, to endeavour the emptying my head of worldly (at lea&s;t di&s;tracting) cares; to bid them be gone now, till a day for them return: And la&s;tly, &s;o to contrive (as neer as <HI>I</HI> can) all my
<PB N="172" REF="100"> affairs for the next day, that both <HI>I</HI> and my family may have as little a|vocations, or matters to call away our minds from holy duties as may be. This by way of Meditation.</P>
<P>My Prayers mu&s;t be &s;uitable to my condition. If any &s;uch &s;in, as before mentioned, be found, that mu&s;t be confe&s;&s;ed, bewailed, and pardon craved, together with grace for the future again&s;t it: which may be done by putting in the mention of that &s;in in the pro|per <HI>&s;pace</HI> left for &s;uch purpo&s;e. But be&s;ides this, it will be nece&s;&s;ary to add, &s;ome particular petitions for due preparation or di&s;po&s;ition of heart for the duties of the next day. Fir&s;t, for a quiet, &s;etled, and com|po&s;ed mind &s;o that <HI>I</HI> may attend, with all my &s;oul, my holy concerns or bu&s;ine&s;s. Secondly, for enlive|ned affections, that <HI>I</HI> may not be dull and heartle&s;s, but of a tender and melting &s;pirit. Thirdly, for a pliable ductile yielding and ea&s;ie mind, that <HI>I</HI> may mix the word with
<PB N="173" REF="100"> faith, and render the obedience of faith. La&s;tly, becau&s;e both my own and the Congregations be|nefit and edification much de|pends upon the Mini&s;ters due and affectionate di&s;charge of his office, it is therefore fit <HI>I</HI> forget not him, but commend him to the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of the Spirit. To which purpo&s;e the following prayer may be either in&s;erted in &s;ome fit place towards the end of my prayers or added to them.</P>
<P>O Lord from whom the preparations of the heart are: The day now approach|eth which, being holy unto thee, I am to &s;pend in thy more &s;olemn wor&s;hip. Many &s;ins there are by me not due|ly repented of, which may ju&s;tly bring upon me a cur&s;e in&s;tead of a ble&s;&s;ing. [E&s;pe|cially
<PB N="174" REF="101"> my [<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>Here in&s;ert the mention of &s;uch particular &s;innes which thou ha&s;t found thy &s;elf guilty of,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE>] may make my very prayers an abomi|nation to thee]. But accept thou I be&s;eech thee of this my confe&s;&s;ion of them, and (at lea&s;t de&s;ired) &s;orrow for them. Turn my heart from them for the future: and through the bloud of my Saviour &s;o remove the guilt of them, that they may not hinder good things from me. Let the effu&s;ions of thy grace both upon me and all the Congre|gations of thy people be plentifull. Let my heart be fixed, and none either vain or worldly thoughts lodge within me this night. Quicken me by thy Holy Spirit, that I may draw neer unto thee
<PB N="175" REF="101"> with a true heart, and be fer|vent in Spirit in thy &s;ervice; and with a good and hone&s;t heart receiving thy word, may under&s;tand and keep it, and bring forth fruit with pa|tience and unto perfection. Remember thou thy &s;ervants who are to di&s;pen&s;e thy My|&s;teries unto thy people: and e&s;pecially him upon who&s;e teaching I am to wait. Pardon their &s;ins and frailties; Open their mouths, guide their minds and tongues, that they may deliver thy truths in the demon&s;tration of thy Spirit: and let thy work &s;o pro&s;per in their hands, that both them|&s;elves and others may be built up in our mo&s;t holy faith, to the perfecting thy Church, and the eternal glory of thy
<PB N="176" REF="102"> name thereby, through our Lord and Saviour Chri&s;t Je|&s;us. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="8" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. VIII. <HI>Of the true manner of &s;an|ctifying the Lords day.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 1. <HI>Generally before I go to Church.</HI></HEAD>
<P>NOw as to my Clo&s;et duties upon this day, lea&s;t the &s;ole con&s;ideration of them &s;hould breed any neglect, forgetfulne&s;s, or di&s;tur|bance of the duties to be performed in the family, and in the publick a&s;&s;embly, it will be mo&s;t expedient to con&s;ider the whole duties of that day, both publick, private and &s;e|cret, and &s;et down each in their na|tural order.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t then, as upon no day we
<PB N="177" REF="102"> &s;uppo&s;e our Chri&s;tian to be &s;loth|full, &s;o lea&s;t of all upon the Lords day, but to be up in a convenient &s;ea&s;on, both him&s;elf, and, if any are under his charge, to &s;ee that they are &s;o to. A convenient &s;ea&s;on I call that, which, every mans health and occa&s;ions being con&s;idered, will agree therewith, and leave time &s;uf|ficient for the di&s;charge of the du|ties of the day. And &s;uppo&s;ing the publick &s;ervice to begin generally about nine of the clock, between &s;ix and &s;even will be a good hour: and all things being well ordered may con&s;i&s;t very well with mo&s;t mens health and occa&s;ions, And of this time, which pa&s;&s;eth between my ri&s;ing and going to Church, if an hour and the odd parts be divided between the devotions of the family and the clo&s;et, &s;o that half an hour be &s;pent in the one, and the other half with the odd time in my clo&s;et, it may do very well; and the com|mon occa&s;ions of mo&s;t hou&s;es being con&s;idered, &s;o much time may be
<PB N="178" REF="103" MS="y"> allowed: If &s;o much cannot be af|forded to this work, yet let &s;ome; and what day &s;oever I &s;pend with double prayers (I mean prayer in my clo&s;et, and prayer in my family) yet this day let me omit neither. It is a bad <HI>omen</HI> to begin the &s;anctifica|tion of the Lords day by the breach of my ordinary cour&s;e of devotion, and an argument it is likely to be but negligently &s;anctified by me. Be&s;ides, many in my family may perhaps make no other preparation for the wor&s;hip of God, than what they make by joyning in the family|devotions: it will be therefore the more nece&s;&s;ary to make &s;ure of thus much.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 2. <HI>Of &s;ecret devotion in the Clo&s;et be|fore going to Church.</HI></HEAD>
<P>NOw my private devotions will be for the main the &s;ame this day as others. Only in my Medi|tations it is to be remembred that <HI>I</HI>
<PB N="179" REF="103"> examine my &s;elf touching my prepa|rations for the &s;olemn wor&s;hip of God that day: and if any thing in my preparatory devotion be want|ing (any &s;in unconfe&s;&s;ed, unrepented of, &amp;c.) in the&s;e my morning devo|tions, let that be done. And how compleat &s;oever I may conceive my preparations to have been, yet let me not in my prayers in private that morning forget to &s;end up &s;ome pe|titions for preparing and a&s;&s;i&s;ting grace, to the end I may more &s;piri|tually go through the duties of the day: for the doing of which, I can|not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 7.</NOTE> now want directions, after a preparatory prayer already con&s;i|dered upon. And the&s;e my clo&s;et, devotions it will be nece&s;&s;ary be fir&s;t performed, for that they will very well fit me to perform my de|votions in my family with more fer|vency.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="section">
<PB N="180" REF="104">
<HEAD>Sect. 3. <HI>Of Private devotion in the family before going to Church. A di|gre&s;&s;ion touching what our devo|tion in the family is alwaies to con&s;i&s;t of.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe&s;e therefore being done, and it being now &s;omewhat a|bove half an hour till the time we u&s;ually go to Church, I am to call all my family (except in extra|ordinary ca&s;es of &s;ickne&s;s, &amp;c.) to|gether to prayer, at which time all of them, who that day can go to Church, which &s;hould be, as many as may be, &s;hould appeare dre&s;&s;ed as they are to go, that &s;o, after the family devotions performed within a very &s;hort &s;pace we might all to|gether re&s;ort to the publick place of Gods wor&s;hip.</P>
<P>Now if que&s;tion be made what the devotions of the family are to con&s;i&s;t of, the an&s;wer is, they can|not well con&s;i&s;t of more or le&s;s
<PB N="181" REF="104"> than the&s;e two parts, <HI>Reading</HI> and <HI>Prayer.</HI></P>
<P>By <HI>Reading</HI> here I under&s;tand chiefly the reading of the Word of God: and that it is the duty of the head of the family, either him&s;elf to read, or cau&s;e by &s;ome other to be read, the holy Scriptures in the hear|ing of the family; none can que&s;ti|on, who con&s;iders tho&s;e frequent Commands to the ancient people of God, to <HI>teach their children the Law of God, and his judgments,</HI> and deal|ings <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 4. 9. &amp;c.</NOTE> with them.</P>
<P>Now how they can be taught tho&s;e things by their parents, from whom they never hear of them, cannot be under&s;tood: nor will any rea&s;onable per&s;on think thefe com|mands fulfilled by the meer teaching their children the <HI>Belief, Lords prayer,</HI> and <HI>ten. Commandements</HI> (though this mu&s;t be mo&s;t &s;ure to be done) for we find of old they were to acquaint their children of Gods wonderful works in delivering them <HI>out of the Land of Egypt:</HI>
<PB N="182" REF="105"> And in like manner we Chri&s;tians to teach our children Gods Miracles of grace, in freeing us by his Son out of the bondage of &s;in; which, how it can be better done, than as God hath thought fit to teach it to the world, to wit, by the Holy Scriptures, none will ea&s;ily find out.</P>
<P>Now for the method to be ob&s;er|ved in reading the Scriptures in our family, that which was above com|mended for u&s;e in the Clo&s;et may haply be mo&s;t proper. And if <HI>I</HI> &s;o order it, that <HI>I</HI> read the &s;ame portion of Scripture in my family, and in my clo&s;et, it may be much for my edification: the double reading it will &s;et it deeper, both in my me|mory and in my under&s;tanding. But then, lea&s;t <HI>I</HI> read fa&s;ter and more in my family than in my clo&s;et, and for other rea&s;ons, it will be nece&s;&s;a|ry that either my Clo&s;et devotions go before my Family devotions, or that at lea&s;t <HI>I</HI> &s;o contrive my read|ings, that what <HI>I</HI> la&s;t read in my Clo|&s;et,
<PB N="183" REF="105"> I the next time read in my Fa|mily.</P>
<P>In&s;tead of Meditation, which was one part of my Clo&s;et devotion, if in my family <HI>I</HI> u&s;e to examine my people, what they have learnt or ob|&s;erved out of what hath been read; and where none takes notice of what is mainly ob&s;ervable, there &s;ugge&s;t it to them, it may not be ami&s;s, provided it be done &s;oberly (without a long deal of prate and medling with curious matters) and without vain-glory.</P>
<P>The Prayers which <HI>I</HI> u&s;e in my family, except upon &s;ome very emi|nent occa&s;ions, may be&s;t be the Prayers of the Church. The&s;e are ea&s;ie and be&s;t under&s;tandable: and the u&s;e of them in our families, will &s;it the plaine&s;t people in our family to u&s;e them with more devotion and under&s;tanding in the publick. Not|with&s;tanding <HI>I</HI> confe&s;s my judgment in this ca&s;e to be, that the <HI>Injunction</HI> of them doth not in &s;trictne&s;s reach to private families, but there is a li|berty
<PB N="184" REF="106"> le<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t; yet if we u&s;e that li|berty only thus, &s;o as freely and of our own accord to prefer the Pray|ers of the Church, <HI>I</HI> really judge, (generally) it will be the be&s;t. Some particular ca&s;es there may be, as when any great judgment lies up|on a family, or the like, which may be admitted as exceptions to the ge|neral rule, and in which ca&s;es it may be expedient to u&s;e either other or more Prayers than tho&s;e extant in our Church Liturgy.</P>
<P>The general cour&s;e then of my family devotions will be this. Fir&s;t, he who prayes begins with the la&s;t clau&s;e of that Exhortation thus: <HI>[I pray and be&s;eech you, as many as, &amp;c.]</HI> Then follows the Confe&s;&s;ion: <HI>[Almighty and mo&s;t Merciful.]</HI> The Ab&s;olution is to be left out, ex|cept he be a Mini&s;ter who read. Then comes the Lords Prayer and Ver&s;icles. Which being done, all ri&s;ing, give attention to one reading a P&s;alm and a Chapter, or &s;o much of them as the chief of the family
<PB N="185" REF="106"> &s;hall appoint. This being ended, if the Ma&s;ter of the family, or any by him deputed, will at that time examine, or briefly (as before&s;aid) in&s;truct any touching what hath been read, here &s;uch examination will mo&s;t &s;ea&s;onably come in: After which, he who reads the prayers &s;aying <HI>[Let us pray]</HI> all kneel down, and he begins with the Ver&s;i|cles, <HI>O Lord &s;hew thy mercy, &amp;c.</HI> and &s;o proceeds with the Prayers in their order, as they &s;tand, morning and evening.</P>
<P>Upon the Lords day in the morn|ing, after the prayer for the Bi&s;hops, Clergy and people, that is ju&s;t be|fore the Ble&s;&s;ing, it may be conveni|ent to add, for preparing grace unto all, the prayer in the beginning of the Communion &s;ervice <HI>[Almigh|ty God, to whom, &amp;c.]</HI> (or if there be any &s;itter in the Liturgy found) and that at the end of the Commu|nion &s;ervice <HI>[Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with,</HI> &amp;c.]</P>
<P>And in the evening upon the
<PB N="186" REF="107"> Lords day, after the &s;ame prayer for the Bi&s;hops, &amp;c. to add that prayer for fruitfulne&s;s by the means of grace, which is in the end of the Communion &s;ervice <HI>[Grant, we be&s;eech thee, Almighty God, that,</HI> &amp;c. Thus much then as to the order of devotion in the family, both or|dinarily and upon the Lords day.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 4. <HI>Of re&s;orting to the Church.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe&s;e devotions both in my Fa|mily and Clo&s;et being thus per|formed, it will &s;oon be time to ap|pear before God in the Church. And <HI>I</HI> am to account no celebrating of the Lords day like to that in pub|lick, with a full Congregation of Chri&s;tian people. Hither therefore <HI>I</HI> early, with as many of my family as po&s;sibly (at lea&s;t conveniently) <HI>I</HI> can, re&s;ort, both my &s;elf taking with me, if <HI>I</HI> can read, my Bible, and Common-prayer book, and &s;eeing that the re&s;t of my family, who can
<PB N="187" REF="107"> read, do the &s;ame. And (e&s;pecially, if the way be long) <HI>I</HI> watch very narrowly over my &s;elf and tho&s;e of mine with me, that our di&s;cour&s;e be not vain and idle, much le&s;s purely worldly, &s;o as to unfit our hearts: and as to my private &s;elf the &s;ame care am <HI>I</HI> to have of my thoughts. Sea&s;onable it will be to think of the happine&s;s which <HI>I</HI> enjoy, in that <HI>I</HI> come into the Courts of God, and feed upon the fat things of his Hou&s;e, and to prai&s;e God in my heart that <HI>I</HI> have &s;uch freedome of acce&s;s unto him: In which ca&s;e ma|ny happy and proper Ejaculations may <HI>I</HI> furni&s;h my &s;elf with out of Holy <HI>David</HI>'s P&s;almes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 5. <HI>Of due behaviour in the Church.</HI></HEAD>
<P>BEing come to the place, which is holy to Gods wor&s;hip, <HI>I</HI> enter it with all reverence, bare, if my &s;ex &s;o require, remembring, that though God be pre&s;ent every where, yet is
<PB N="188" REF="108"> he more &s;pecially in the places where his people are wor&s;hipping him: and any po&s;tures of reverence, that <HI>I</HI> u&s;e there, are acts of wor&s;hip unto his un&s;een but pre&s;ent Maje&s;ty, and therefore cannot but be mi&s;ta|ken very much, if judged by any &s;uper&s;titious. Having therefore or|derly taken my place, <HI>I</HI> &s;hould (not out of cu&s;tom but devotion) how to God my knees, and beg his graci|ous pre&s;ence and ble&s;sing towards me, and the congregation of his peo|ple that &s;hall there meet that day, which <HI>I</HI> may do in this or the like form.</P>
<P>O Lord, who though thou dwelle&s;t not in Temples made with hands, yet ha&s;t pro|mi&s;ed to meet and ble&s;s thy people wherever thou ha&s;t recorded thy Name; be plea|&s;ed to be graciou&s;ly pre&s;ent to thy &s;ervant here wor&s;hip|ping
<PB N="189" REF="108"> before thee, and to the Congregation of thy people, which &s;hall here a&s;&s;emble them&s;elves this day for thy wor&s;hip. Pardon every one, who hath not prepared him|&s;elf according to the prepa|ration of the Sanctuary. Quicken us all for thy Names &s;ake; teach us to do thy Will, and build us up in our mo&s;t holy faith, through Je&s;us Chri&s;t our Lord. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>I know there are &s;ome who ob|ject again&s;t this practice, but I could never yet &s;ee any rea&s;on in their preten&s;ions.</P>
<P>This therefore being done, if the Congregation be not yet fully met, it is not for me to employ my &s;elf in vain di&s;cour&s;e with any of my neighbours: but either to meditate
<PB N="190" REF="109"> on &s;omewhat which may be &s;ea&s;o|nable, or, if I can, to read.</P>
<P>And it may not be improper, till I am well ver&s;t in it, and know my duty therein well, to read the Church Liturgy, Rubrick (that is the directions which are mingled with the prayers, for their u&s;e) and all: taking one day &s;ome part of it, and another day another, till I have gone through it wholly. By this means, di&s;creetly u&s;ed, I &s;hall be able mere readily to join with the pub|lick in the u&s;e thereof. But if the Congregation be fully met, and &s;er|vice beginning or begun, I am to yield all po&s;&s;ible attention, remem|bring God requires my whole man, all mine heart, &s;oul and mind, yea, and my very body too: Where. fore &s;o am <HI>I</HI> to place and order even that <HI>(I</HI> mean my very body) as the wor&s;hip of God, and the Chur|ches in&s;tructions for the wor&s;hip of that God, require; <HI>kneeling, &s;tand|ing and an&s;wering</HI> &s;till where&s;oever <HI>I</HI> ought. Nor am <HI>I</HI> to cen&s;ure any
<PB N="191" REF="109"> thing if <HI>I</HI> do not yet under&s;tand its u&s;e: for by &s;o much as <HI>I</HI> do under|&s;tand. <HI>I</HI> cannot but in a good mea|&s;ure &s;ee the Wi&s;dom and pious in|tentions of the Church: By tho&s;e an&s;wers, which <HI>I</HI> with the re&s;t of the people are to make, <HI>I</HI> find my &s;elf much quickened, and my wandring heart many times call'd home; the u&s;e therefore of the&s;e, as <HI>I</HI> &s;hould not omit, &s;o &s;hould the benefit, which <HI>I</HI> have found by them, be an argu|ment to me, to conform my &s;elf to every other practice injoined; not doubting, but that all of them will in the end have as good an effect as this upon me.</P>
<P>During the celebration of Gods wor&s;hip, if my mind at any time be run away from my work, I am, as &s;oon as ever <HI>I</HI> perceive it, &s;ecretly to check my &s;elf, to call it home, and in my heart &s;ay, <HI>Lord pardon and help thy &s;ervant,</HI> or &s;ome &s;uch thing, and, in a word, to imploy it as fully as <HI>I</HI> can about my bu&s;ine&s;s, remem|bring not onely how di&s;plea&s;ing it is
<PB N="192" REF="110"> to God, but how unprofitable to my &s;elf to draw near unto him with my body onely, and honour him with my lips, when my &s;oul is afar off.</P>
<P>What&s;oever <HI>I</HI> hear of the Word, read or preached, <HI>I</HI> mu&s;t remember all along to apply unto my &s;elf: not carping at, or cen&s;uring the Preach|er, but taking all in the be&s;t &s;en&s;e, <HI>(Po&s;&s;ibly, it may be long of my &s;ins he did no better, or &s;o ill)</HI> nor looking &s;o much how it concerns others, as my own particular &s;tate and man|ners. And if there be any thing which more nearly toucheth and concerneth me, that let me be &s;ure by &s;ome means or other to keep or &s;et home upon my memory: per|haps there may be &s;ome place of Scripture cited to confirm, explain, or illu&s;trate it; let me note that place, and the being able to find it, may, in ca&s;e <HI>I</HI> am forgetful, bring the matter to my remembrance.</P>
<P>The exerci&s;es of divine wor&s;hip being all ended, <HI>I</HI> am with the &s;ame
<PB N="193" REF="110"> reverence to depart the Church with which <HI>I</HI> entred it (not rudely, ha&s;tily and di&s;orderly, as the com|mon manner of the multitude is) courteou&s;ly &s;aluting any of my neighbours, which <HI>I</HI> have occa&s;ion to &s;alute, and that with inward love and good will: remembring that the ancient Chri&s;tians had &s;uch an u&s;age at their A&s;&s;emblies, as <HI>the Ki&s;s of Charity;</HI> it is but Chri&s;tian therefore for me to u&s;e a charitable and chearful Salutation of any of my Chri&s;tian neighbours.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 6. <HI>Of due behaviour between the Moru|ing and Evening Service.</HI></HEAD>
<P>My return with my family home &s;hould be with the &s;ame gravity and care, with which was my pa&s;&s;age to the Church: my talk rather of what <HI>I</HI> heard or learnt, than of any worldly matter, except nece&s;&s;ary occa&s;ions enforce the contrary. And being come home, one of my fir&s;t
<PB N="194" REF="111"> bu&s;ine&s;&s;es &s;hould be to &s;tep a&s;ide in|to my Clo&s;et, if po&s;sibly <HI>I</HI> can, and there, according as I have found my my &s;elf affected, to apply my &s;elf un|to God. If I have been awakened to any duty, rai&s;ed to any hopes of Gods favour, &s;trengthened in any of my holy re&s;olutions, informed of any thing touching which I was ig|norant, or the like, there briefly to ble&s;s God for it: if I have been dull and improfitable, there to be|wail it; both which may be done after this or &s;ome &s;uch &s;ort.</P>
<P>I Ble&s;s thee, O Lord my God, for the comforts of thy Hou&s;e; for thy awakenings of me to my duty; for any &s;oftenings of my heart, and &s;en&s;e of thy love, or hopes of injoying thee hereafter. Not unto me, O Lord, not unto me, who am a vain, hard-hearted, &s;inful wretch of my &s;elf, but to
<PB N="195" REF="111"> thy holy Name be the prai&s;e. Now encrea&s;e, I be&s;eech thee, this thy goodne&s;s to me; and confirm me in thy Grace ever|more: Let me grow in the knowledge, fear and love of thee; and any impre&s;&s;ions thereof, which I have this day received, &s;uffer me not to loo&s;e; but enable me to bring forth fruit unto per|fection, to the glory of thy Name, through Je&s;us Chri&s;t, my ble&s;&s;ed Lord and Media|tour. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>If this prayer may not &s;uit with my condition, it may be pre&s;umed, that as I have knowledge enough to &s;ee it doth not, &s;o I have abilities enough, in &s;ome tolerable way, to repre&s;ent and bewail before God my barrenne&s;s, heedle&s;ne&s;s, worldli|ne&s;s, carnality, and whatever other
<PB N="196" REF="112"> great di&s;tempers I find in my &s;oul: which accordingly I ought briefly to do. And this being done, let me recollect my &s;elf, and view over in my mind tho&s;e &s;everals, which I have that day learned or been affected with: for this will further imprint them upon my memory. Le&s;s than a quarter of an hour may &s;uffice hereto: and though haply &s;ome|times I may &s;ee occa&s;ion to allow more, yet &s;o much &s;ure I may afford at all times.</P>
<P>Having thus fa&s;tened upon my &s;pirit my &s;piritual gains, I now de|part to my company for the nece&s;&s;a|ry refre&s;hment of my body, which this day was not appointed to a|bridge me of. Let me therefore be chearful, and eating my meat in &s;in|glene&s;s of heart rejoyce before my God: but let not my joy by any means be wanton, idle, vain, or in|temperate.</P>
<P>Of the re&s;t of the time which pa&s;&s;eth between the publick duties of the day, the imployment ought
<PB N="197" REF="112"> to be &s;acred, at lea&s;t whole&s;ome, and &s;uch which may not indi&s;po&s;e me for the remaining part of the daies work: and hereof much care is to be had,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, As to my di&s;cour&s;e: touch|ing which, if it be the Apo&s;tles Pre|cept, at all times to be ob&s;erved, that <HI>our &s;peech be alway with grace, &s;ea|&s;oned</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 4. 6.</NOTE> <HI>with &s;alt,</HI> certainly more &s;pe|cially ought it to be &s;uch on this day. And though it cannot be accounted ab&s;olutely &s;inful to conver&s;e about &s;ecular matters of concernment, if occa&s;ion &s;o require, yet. 1. To be wholly taken up with the&s;e can|not but argue a greater care of this world than &s;en&s;e of Chri&s;tianity, if &s;o be there be any truth in that &s;peech of him who is infallible: <HI>Out of the abundance of the heart the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 74. 34.</NOTE> <HI>mouth &s;peaketh</HI> And, 2. To be needle&s;ly meddling with &s;uch affairs, or idly bu&s;ying our &s;elves about other mens actions and concernes (which are the ordinary &s;ubject of mens di&s;cour&s;es after dinner on the
<PB N="198" REF="113"> Lords day) is at the be&s;t but a mix|ture of worldline&s;s and vanity: and it is made the character of naughty men, that <HI>their tongues walk through</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al 73.</NOTE> <HI>the earth.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, As to my actions care too is to be taken: It is not que&s;ti|onle&s;s unlawful upon due occa&s;ion, that is, on account of mine own or others nece&s;&s;ity, or con&s;iderable conveniency, to put mine hands to an ordinary action, as is evident <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 13. 9 5.</NOTE> from our Saviours both doctrine and practice: But (as above&s;aid of di&s;cour&s;e, &s;o now of bu&s;ine&s;s) to be needle&s;ly imployed in worldly matters and ordinary work, cannot but be &s;ome kind of profanation of the day, as being contrary to its &s;anctification, that is, the &s;pending it to other u&s;es and ends, than tho&s;e for which it was &s;et apart. And albeit in this ca&s;e no certain perpetual rule is to be &s;et (the con|ditions of men being various) but each mans Chri&s;tian di&s;cretion and piety ought to mete out to him&s;elf
<PB N="199" REF="113"> what he in his own con&s;cience, and in the fear of God, con&s;idering his occa&s;ions, judgeth fit (in which we are not one to judge another) notwith&s;tanding I cannot think that man takes &s;uch care of him&s;elf as he ought, or is duly cautious of indi&s;po|&s;ing his heart for his duty, who can con&s;tantly &s;uffer all this time, be|tween Morning and Evening &s;er|vice, to pa&s;s over with him without any thing of devotion, either in his privacy or family, or ju&s;t as the &s;ame time pa&s;&s;eth over every day. This I &s;ay, cannot be to &s;anctifie the day, becau&s;e not to &s;eparate it from common, and to u&s;e it to di&s;tinct ends.</P>
<P>Soon therefore after dinner end|ed among&s;t all the family, it is meet that I call the younger &s;ort and &s;et them to the learning their Care|chi&s;me: and as to the Elder, if I &s;u&s;pect any of them to be apt to tri|fle away their time, let them be kept in my pre&s;ence; and if all of them be able, let them read, by cour&s;e,
<PB N="200" REF="114"> &s;omewhat out of the Scripture, or &s;ome plain and hone&s;t book; if all be not, then &s;uch as can.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 7. <HI>Of re&s;orting to Evening &s;ervice.</HI></HEAD>
<P>WHen it is now almo&s;t time to re&s;ort to Evening &s;ervice, let all be called together, to the end that all may orderly repair with me to the publick A&s;&s;embly. And it may not be ami&s;s (but right edifying) if &s;ome one per&s;on read a P&s;alm &s;uitable to the pre&s;ent undertaking of going to wor&s;hip God (&s;uch as is the lxxxiv. or the cxix. one or two parts of it being taken at a time, as occa&s;ion or time &s;hall &s;erve) to which reading all ought reverently to attend. And this being done, let the &s;ame rules and directions, which were given touching going to Church in the Morning, be ob&s;er|ved in the Evening, and all as before <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;ort to the publick wor&s;hip Which if they do, I and my family
<PB N="201" REF="114"> are now a &s;econd time attentively and reverently placed before God in his Hou&s;e of Prayer; where my carriage ought to be the &s;ame, as is before directed to. And &s;urely un|le&s;s I and my hou&s;e appear thus the &s;econd time before God, I cannot account my &s;elf duly to &s;anctifie the Lords day, I have done it onely by halfes. The Church was never in a &s;ettled condition, but it had the Evening as well as Morning &s;acri|fice <HI>Ve&s;pers</HI> as well as <HI>Martins.</HI></P>
<P>If therefore any thing &s;hould &s;o &s;all out, that I or mine are hindred from the &s;econd part of the publick duties of the day, it ought to be my grief and &s;orrow, <HI>P&s;al. 42. 4.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 8. <HI>Of the duties after return from E|vening &s;ervice.</HI></HEAD>
<P>MY departure from the Church and my retirement as &s;oon as I come home for about a quarter of an hour, or as I &s;ee occa&s;ion, &s;hould
<PB N="202" REF="115"> be after the &s;ame &s;ort, as in the for|mer part of the day. Which being done, it will be expedient to come among&s;t my people and &s;ee that all things are wi&s;ely ordered; that &s;o, &s;ometime before night, the Devoti|ons of the family may be perform|ed. In the mean time, both <HI>I</HI> my &s;elf, and as many of the family as can be &s;pared from nece&s;&s;ary &s;ervices, are free to our private devotions. Onely if there are any triflers, let them and the younger &s;ort be dealt with as after dinner, that is, kept, where the people mo&s;t commonly &s;it, reading and attending to the Word of God; at lea&s;t for &s;ome certain &s;pace. Let them not &s;pend their time as they do ordinarily: for the Lords day &s;hould look with another face than common dayes all the day long.</P>
<P>This care being taken of my &s;elf and family, <HI>I</HI> &s;ee not but my Chri&s;ti|an liberty permits me any hone&s;t re|fre&s;hment, &s;uch as may be walking forth in my garden, in the fields or
<PB N="203" REF="115"> open air. Onely let me ob&s;erve the&s;e cautions 1. That my walk be &s;ome &s;uch as <HI>I&s;aac</HI>'s Evening walk was, that my Meditations be <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 24. 63.</NOTE> good. Unque&s;tionably I &s;hall not find the fields an unfit place for good thoughts: There are many in the world, whom the very breathing the free air, the beholding the glorious light of Heaven, the pa&s;&s;ing clouds, the verdant earth and &s;miling face of all things, tran&s;ports into a rap|ture of devotion, affects very much with the admiration of the Creator of all things, makes too long for the time, when either they &s;hall a&s;cend above them all, or &s;ee them pa&s;s a|way, and dwell ever with their God, beholding his face without any &s;uch interpo&s;itions. And with much advantage may a man &s;pend an hour thus, mixing often prayers or eja|culations with the&s;e his thoughts. 2. Another caution <HI>I</HI> &s;hould ob|&s;erve is, That <HI>I</HI> return &s;o early, as that neither my Devotions in my Clo&s;et, nor in my family, may be
<PB N="204" REF="116"> omitted. And truly mo&s;t conveni|ent will it be, that my own private devotions (which, being that <HI>I</HI> look on my &s;elf bound to on other dayes, I cannot this day omit) be performed before that &s;upper, which <HI>I</HI> take: for then &s;hall <HI>I</HI> be fre&s;he&s;t; then will what <HI>I</HI> have learnt that day be better in my memory, than after the diver&s;ions which my &s;upper and company may cau&s;e. Be&s;ides that, the performance of them will have fixed and prepared my &s;pirit again&s;t any &s;uch diver&s;ions, and for the performance of devotion in the fa|mily.</P>
<P>Now as to what <HI>I</HI> am this evening to perform in my Clo&s;et, it is the &s;ame, for the mo&s;t part, as at other times. My cour&s;e of reading mu&s;t be the &s;ame: onely if &s;o be that I &s;ee fit the portion which I read lar|ger. My Meditations, be&s;ides what is every dayes task, upon what I read, may take in a view of my car|riage that day; an enquiry what I have learnt; a con&s;idering it &s;o as
<PB N="205" REF="116"> to affect my &s;elf with it; and a &s;et|ting down a re&s;olution to endeavour in all my waies a practice of it. My prayers may take in &s;ome new Con|fe&s;&s;ions, [of my unprofitablene&s;s, hardheartedne&s;s, un&s;etledne&s;s] pe|titions [for pardon, <HI>memory to re|tain, and grace to perform</HI> what I have learned.] Thank&s;givings [for any quicknings of heart, re&s;olution of holine&s;s, any in&s;truction or im|provement of my Chri&s;tian know|ledge, &amp;c] all &s;uitable to what in my Meditations I have found mine o&s;late to be: for the in&s;erting or putting in of which, I &s;hall ea&s;ily find in my u&s;ual prayers fit places.</P>
<P>My Clo&s;et devotions being thus performed, time it will now be for me and my family to take what Evening meale we u&s;e: which be|ing done in &s;ome convenient time before we go to bed (which ought not for many rea&s;ons to be too late) if I am a pious Chri&s;tian I cannot but look upon my &s;elf bound to &s;hut up the day in my family with
<PB N="206" REF="117"> &s;ome &s;uch devotions as I begun it with. Touching which &s;ome dire|ctions have been already given, as to Reading and Prayer: and it is onely to be added that I am to make &s;ome enquiry &s;everally into tho&s;e, who are under my charge, touching their improvements that day; to help out and in&s;truct the ignorant; to rebuke, and that &s;harply, the negligent and heedle&s;s; to encou|rage the careful as my Chri&s;tian di&s;cretion &s;hall &s;ee meet: the pro|pere&s;t place for which, will be either before the prayers begin, or ju&s;t after the reading of the Scriptures, &s;o that the family may be di&s;mi&s;&s;ed and the day ended with prayers.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="4" TYPE="part">
<PB N="207" REF="117">
<HEAD>PART IV. Of my mo&s;t &s;olemn Retirement into my Clo&s;et for the Hu|miliation of my &s;elf.</HEAD>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. I. <HI>An Account of what is to be treated particularly in this part.</HI></HEAD>
<P>MY mo&s;t &s;olemn retirement into my Clo&s;et, and that for which the place is mo&s;t principally de&s;igned, is upon &s;uch daies or times, which I &s;et apart to humble
<PB N="208" REF="118"> my &s;elf for my &s;in: before God by Fa&s;ting and Prayer and Mourning, and all acts of Contrition.</P>
<P>And truly if the ordinary Fa&s;ting daies of the Church were duly by all ob&s;erved, all, that our pre&s;ent de&s;ign would &s;eem to call for, were, to deliver the manner of their pri|vate ob&s;ervation, that is, the parti|cular duties to be on them perfor|med. But fora&s;much as mo&s;t men keep them ordinarily no otherwi&s;e, than by a little change of diet, ta|king perhaps fi&s;h, &amp;c. for fle&s;h, and feeding, neither more &s;paringly, nor much le&s;s deliciou&s;ly, than they do on other daies, and &s;o make them indeed no fa&s;ting daies, we mu&s;t con|&s;ider both of the <HI>Setting</HI> apart of daies for private fa&s;ting, and of their <HI>Ob&s;ervation</HI> when &s;et apart. But fir&s;t of all it will be nece&s;&s;ary to &s;pend a few thoughts upon the na|ture and ends of <HI>Fa&s;ting.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="209" REF="118">
<HEAD>Chap. II. <HI>Of the Nature and Ends of Fa&s;ting.</HI></HEAD>
<P>BY Fa&s;ting here is meant the Religious ab&s;taining from our lawfull food. Lawful food at pre|&s;ent we will account that, which, according to the common practice of &s;ober and di&s;creet per&s;ons of our rank and quality, is neither too <HI>much</HI> nor too <HI>dainty</HI> for us. For we may account a man intemperate in his feeding, as well by being too delicate and fine, and eating con|&s;tantly on things which are fit chief|ly for per&s;ons above his degree, as by eating overmuch. Now not all ab&s;taining from this my lawful food is that <HI>Fa&s;ting,</HI> which is here inten|ded: for I may ab&s;tain for my healths &s;ake, or through bu&s;ine&s;s, or (by &s;ome accidents) upon nece&s;&s;ity,
<PB N="210" REF="119"> and all (it may very well be, with|out &s;in, and yet not fa&s;t as fa&s;ting &s;ignifies a duty, or an act accepta|ble to God: but it mu&s;t be a Reli|gious ab&s;taining, which I can duely call Fa&s;ting, as at pre&s;ent that name is u&s;ed: Now it will be be&s;t di&s;cer|ned to be Religious, by the ends which I de&s;ign to my &s;elf therein, and by my imployment of my &s;elf upon &s;uch my Fa&s;ting daies.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, as to the ends and de&s;igns <NOTE PLACE="marg">See Dr. <HI>Hammon,</HI> Pract. Catech. Lib. 3. Sect. 4.</NOTE> of him who ab&s;taines or fa&s;ts reli|giou&s;ly. The chiefe of them are</P>
<P N="1">1: Devotion, or the performance of religious exerci&s;es: when I fa&s;t, that I may have more lei&s;ure and be fre&s;her for <HI>Reading, Meditation, and Prayer.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Mortification: when I fa&s;t to tame my fle&s;h, to keep under and beat down my body, that it may be in due obedience to the commands of God and rea&s;on.</P>
<P N="3">3. Liberality: when I fa&s;t to deal my bread unto the hungry, and either deprive my &s;elf or feed more
<PB N="211" REF="119"> &s;lenderly, that I may have the more wherewith to relieve others.</P>
<P N="4">4. Sympathi&s;ing with the &s;uffer|ings of others: when I fa&s;t out of a fellow feeling of the afflictions of Gods people, commi&s;erating their condition, and, through an abun|dance of charity, de&s;iring as it were to partake with them in their &s;uffer|ings.</P>
<P N="5">5. Exerci&s;ing my &s;elf to the obe|dience of Chri&s;ts commands: when I fa&s;t out of &s;elf denial, and when I both would and could eat, by fa&s;ting, as by one particular act of obedience to that generall command of deny|ing my &s;elf, <HI>exerci&s;e my &s;elf unto god|line&s;s.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Diverting or removing Gods wrath, and expre&s;&s;ing my &s;orrow and humiliation for &s;in: when Gods wrath either re&s;ting upon my coun|try or friends, or &s;elf, or hanging over any of our heads, I fa&s;t and de|precate it, and beg pardon of all tho&s;e evils, which have brought us into &s;uch mi&s;ery and danger.</P>
<P N="7"><PB N="212" REF="120">7. An holy revenge or puni&s;h|ment of my &s;elf: when having re|pented of &s;ome &s;in, for which I am <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 11.</NOTE> holily angry with my &s;elf, I choo&s;e thus to puni&s;h and cha&s;ti&s;e my &s;elf for my former (it may be) luxury, wantonne&s;s, or the like.</P>
<P>When I &s;ay out of any of the&s;e intentions or with the&s;e de&s;igns I ab&s;tain from my lawful meat, I then fa&s;t in the &s;en&s;e that fa&s;ting <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is now taken: for this is (thus far) Religi|ou&s;ly to ab&s;tain; and no doubt, but &s;uch ab&s;taining is acceptable unto God, if all be as right as my inten|tions, that is, if &s;uitable performan|ces or devotions be added, touching which, rules will anon be con&s;ide|red, when the nature of fa&s;ting is a little further looked into, and it is evident that it is a duty, and no &s;uch needle&s;s matter as men u&s;ually &s;eem to take it for, if we may judge of what they think by what they do.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="213" REF="120">
<HEAD>Chap. III. <HI>That Fa&s;ting is a Chri&s;tian Duty.</HI></HEAD>
<P>NOw that none either &s;u&s;picion touching its nece&s;&s;ity, or ex|cu&s;e for its neglect may be left, it will be expedient to con&s;ider what Evidence may be brought that Fa&s;ting is a Chri&s;tian duty. And</P>
<P N="1">1. Indeed there needeth little more to be urged for the proving it a duty, be&s;ides the recollection and &s;umming up tho&s;e excellent ends to which it &s;erves and conduceth. No doubt but to humble my &s;elf for my &s;ins, to pray earne&s;tly for pardon, and for the turning away of Gods wrath are duties; No doubt but to keep under my body and make it &s;ubject, to relieve the poor, to &s;ym|pathize with the <HI>afflictions of Jo&s;eph,</HI> are duties: now to all the&s;e is fa&s;t|ing
<PB N="214" REF="121"> a meanes, and of &s;ome of them (be&s;ides) an expre&s;&s;ion. No doubt but to deny my &s;elf, and to take up|on my &s;elf an holy revenge for my former extravagancies, are duties: Now of the&s;e is Fa&s;ting a part. It may therefore hence &s;ufficiently be concluded a duty.</P>
<P N="2">2. A further evidence of the &s;ame I take it to be, that Fa&s;ting is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 62, 6, 15. compa|red.</NOTE> by our Saviour, in that Sermon of his upon the Mount, which delivers to us the &s;um of the Chri&s;tian law, or rule of Evangelical duties, ranked with Prayer and Almes giving; (which are undoubted duties) and re&s;cued from the Phari&s;aical abu&s;es of it, the true manner of it being in&s;inuated: In&s;omuch that it may be ju&s;tly demanded, how comes it to &s;tand in the Chri&s;tian law? to what end needed its practice to be vindicated from corruption, and a&s;&s;erted, as it is by Chri&s;t, to its purity, if it were not a Chri&s;tian duty? Be&s;ides</P>
<P N="3">3. We find God in its &s;ea&s;on cal|ling
<PB N="215" REF="121"> for it, of old by his prophet <HI>Joel, Sanctifie a Fa&s;t, call an A&s;&s;embly;</HI> which place though it intend a pub|lick Fa&s;t, yet it is evident our Savi|our <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joel 2. 15</NOTE> in St. <HI>Matthew</HI> &s;poke of tho&s;e private Fa&s;ts, which every one is by him &s;uppo&s;ed to con&s;ecrate unto God. Who knows not that the <HI>Af|flicting of the &s;oul</HI> (touching which we meet with &s;o many commands, and &s;uch frequent mention in the old Te&s;tament) doth mainly intend fa&s;ting? And as to the new Te&s;ta|ment, further yet: though our Sa|viour once tell us, the &s;ea&s;on for his Di&s;ciples fa&s;ting was not then come, <HI>while the Bridegroom was with them,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 9. 15</NOTE> yet at the &s;ame time he tells us, its &s;ea&s;on would not be long too, <HI>and then they &s;hould fa&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Again, the con&s;tant &s;en&s;e of the world, and of all the Saints of God in all ages (among&s;t whom by how much &s;oever any have been more zealous, by &s;o much the more hath he been in the exerci&s;e of fa&s;t|ing) is an argument (no whit con|temptible
<PB N="216" REF="122"> of its being a duty. Not onely the Saints under the Law fa&s;t|ed, and the phari&s;ee too twice a week, but the devout Chri&s;tians have ever been to us en&s;amples hereof. And,</P>
<P N="5">5. (Which &s;ets it off with more advantage) we find not onely the commendation of them for this practice, but the recompence of it with many &s;ignal ble&s;&s;ings recorded in Scripture: which recompence God doth not u&s;e to give to will|wor&s;hip. Thus we find <HI>Anna</HI> com|mended for her continuing in the Temple day and night, <HI>&s;erving God with Fa&s;tings and Prayers.</HI> And it <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 2. 36.</NOTE> is ob&s;ervable, that <HI>fa&s;ting</HI> is there reckoned as one part of her <HI>&s;erving God.</HI> That ble&s;&s;ed vi&s;ion, which led <HI>Cornelius</HI> to the knowledge of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 10.</NOTE> Chri&s;t was vouch&s;afed to him upon a day when he had fa&s;ted till about the ninth hour (which is with us three a clock) and then too we find him not at meat, but prayer.</P>
<P>All which cannot but enforce that
<PB N="217" REF="122"> though it be not alwaies and indi&s;|pen&s;ibly a duty, as is Faith, Repen|tance, Charity, and &s;uch others; yet is it as far a duty as any thing can be that is not required ab&s;olutely and for it &s;elf: and that therefore when&s;oever there is occa&s;ion for it (and no Chri&s;tian can be long with|out due occa&s;ions requiring it) it is to be performed; and being &s;o, if it &s;hould be performed in manner of a free will offering, or oftner than in &s;trictne&s;s the Chri&s;tian might &s;eem to have need of it, yet if it be done as it &s;hould be, it is likely to be acceptable to God.</P>
<P>But this makes it &s;ea&s;onable to enquire how often a Chri&s;tian is to fa&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="218" REF="123">
<HEAD>Chap. IV. <HI>How often a Chri&s;tian is to fa&s;t.</HI></HEAD>
<P>IN an&s;wer whereunto it mu&s;t be &s;aid, that no certain or con&s;tant rule, as to all per&s;ons, can or may be given herein: nor will the times of fa&s;ting be the &s;ame to all, &s;ome men having more need, others le&s;s (if not need yet) opportunity. We are a&s;&s;ured by the ends to which it &s;erves, that many mens particular conditions (which haply leave them none other means to mortifie the fle&s;h but this) make it a duty very nece&s;&s;ary for them to be much in. On the other &s;ide, tho&s;e who ever feed &s;paringly and temperately, and have an evener con&s;titution, le&s;s inclined to carnality and inordinate affections, than have other men, &s;eem to have lea&s;t need of this taming di&s;cipline. And tho&s;e who&s;e labours
<PB N="219" REF="123"> are daily and hard, and who&s;e life is &s;ervile, many times neither have &s;o much need, nor &s;o much opportu|nity of fa&s;ting, as have tho&s;e who&s;e life is ea&s;ier. Yet fora&s;much as it is (according to what hath been above in&s;inuated) a piece of <HI>Afflicting a mans &s;oul,</HI> and &s;o a nece&s;&s;ary piece of contrition and repentance (which hath commonly &s;omewhat of <HI>indig|nation</HI> again&s;t a mans &s;elf in it) there is none who can think him&s;elf wholy di&s;pen&s;ed with for it, or to have no need at all of it. But I &s;ay every mans con&s;cience and Chri&s;tian di&s;|cretion mu&s;t in the fear of God &s;et to him&s;elf the rule, how often he is to fa&s;t: for that every one be&s;t knows his own needs, and it would be very &s;inful in &s;ome not to u&s;e more &s;trict and oftner fa&s;tings than others; and &s;ome on the contrary mu&s;t be very injurious to them|&s;elves, &s;hould they u&s;e &s;o much fa&s;ting, as others (if they duely con|&s;ider their lei&s;ure and condition) cannot but think them&s;elves in duty
<PB N="220" REF="124"> bound to. This is the &s;um of what in general may be po&s;itively deter|mined as to all. Yet it is worthy our con&s;ideration, and may be a guide to particular per&s;ons to re|member.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that it is a practice of very great antiquity to <HI>fa&s;t twice a week,</HI> and was in u&s;e as is evident before our Saviours daies, and by him not cen&s;ured in the Phari&s;ee upon any other account, than becau&s;e he was proud and conceited of it, u&s;ing to reflect upon it in oftentation of his own holine&s;s, and &s;corn of others. And it is a very worthy note of St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tomes,</HI> that we &s;hould onely <HI>avoid the Phari&s;ees pride, but not neglect his performances,</HI> as on the other &s;ide, <HI>for&s;ake the Publicans &s;ins, but retain his humility.</HI> I here is al&s;o a con&s;titution, which although perhaps it pretend to more autho|rity and antiquity than it ought, yet mu&s;t be acknowledged to be ancient and not unrea&s;onable, that we &s;hould fa&s;t <HI>Wedne&s;daies and Fri|daies,</HI>
<PB N="221" REF="124"> becau&s;e <HI>on the one the Lord was betrayed, and on the other cruci|fied:</HI> and it is beyond controver&s;ie <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Con&s;titute a Clem. Roman. collect. Lib 5. Cap.</HI> 14.</NOTE> that the primitive Chri&s;tians u&s;ed to have their &s;olemn a&s;&s;emblies up|on tho&s;e daies, not much le&s;s con|&s;tant than upon the Lords daies.</P>
<P>Secondly; that if this cour&s;e be not alwaies to be u&s;ed (which yet I know not what &s;hould hinder, ex|cept a man want lei&s;ure) yet at certain &s;ea&s;ons, as in <HI>Lent and Em|ber weeks,</HI> the commands and cu&s;tom of the Church will engage me to as much as this amounts to, if not to more. And he to whom the com|mands of our pre&s;ent, and continued practice of the Catholick Church in devotionals &s;ignifie nothing, is &s;urely a man of a &s;trange humourous &s;anctity.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, It is out of que&s;tion that there is no Chri&s;tian can walk &s;trict|ly and keep a good con&s;cience to|wards God and man, who hath not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dr. <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m|mons</HI> Pract. Ca|tech. Lio 2. Sect 3.</NOTE> <HI>his &s;olemn &s;et daies for the perfor|ming that great and weighty duty of</HI>
<PB N="222" REF="125"> <HI>humiliation, in calling him&s;elf to an account for all his waies, and confe&s;|&s;ing his &s;ins more particularly before God: and tho&s;e daies &s;hould not be too &s;low in their returns</HI> [that is, too &s;el|dom] <HI>lea&s;t his &s;oul &s;hould be too deep in arrears</HI> [that is, lea&s;t there &s;hould be &s;uch a long &s;core of his &s;ins unrepen|ted of, that he think it an infinite and endle&s;s work to repent of them] <HI>and &s;o be loath to come to account at all. It is very rea&s;onable therefore for every man and woman of any to|lerable lei&s;ure to &s;et apart one day in a week for this purpo&s;e, or if the whole day, or any other part of it may not be &s;pared from the bu&s;ine&s;s of his calling, yet the dinner time that day may be borrowed from eating and thus more u&s;efully imployed without di&s;turbance to the affairs or injury to the health of any ordinary per&s;on.</HI> I do not &s;ay that this day ought al|waies to be one and the &s;ame: it may be one week one day, and the next another, according as my oc|ca&s;ions will be&s;t bear: nay even
<PB N="223" REF="125"> after I have appointed it, upon un|expected events, it may undoubted|ly be altered without &s;in, but wholy neglected it cannot be without a &s;inful omi&s;&s;ion, except upon &s;ome urgent, or more than ordinary bu|&s;ine&s;s.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. V. <HI>Of the Preparatory acts for Private Fa&s;ting daies.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe wor&s;hip of God is ever be&s;t celebrated, when &s;ome kind of preparation is made for it: It will be meet therefore that &s;omewhat I do by way of preparation for my private fa&s;ts.</P>
<P>And one piece of Preparation as well for the&s;e daies as for the Lords day it &s;elf (though indeed &s;omewhat remote, or afarre off) it will be, to be diligent other daies in my cal|ling, and well to husband both my
<PB N="224" REF="126"> time and e&s;tate. For if he, who hath not by his &s;ix daies labour made &s;uch provi&s;ion for him&s;elf and his, as that he may be without care of providing upon the &s;eventh day, will &s;carce re&s;t that &s;eventh day unto God without di&s;traction (as &s;eems to be &s;ugge&s;ted to us by tho&s;e words <HI>[Six daies &s;halt thou labour]</HI> being put into the fourth Comman|dement, much le&s;s will he be able to allow him&s;elf con&s;tantly more time in a week than a &s;eventh day comes to, to wit &s;ome part of every day, and a con&s;iderable part be&s;ides of one of the &s;ix daies (which is to be his fa&s;t) to the &s;ervice of God. I would therefore have every man not to incumber him&s;elf in this world more than he needs mu&s;t. We &s;hould learn to know when we have enough, and allow our &s;elves &s;ome part of our time to enjoy as well as all to get. But this is prepa|ration very far off.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t act of more immediate preparation for the&s;e my fa&s;ting
<PB N="225" REF="126"> daies will be, prudently to contrive, upon fore&s;ight and con&s;ideration of my weeks bu&s;ine&s;s, what day or daies they are, in which I can be&s;t &s;pare time for this work: and tho&s;e daies or that day will be the fitte&s;t to be pitched upon, in which I may the mo&s;t freely conver&s;e with God without the di&s;turbance, which much bu&s;ine&s;s nece&s;&s;arily brings. Be&s;ides the time &s;pent in my ordinacy cour&s;e of devotions, which are not upon my fa&s;ts to be omitted, under pretence of making amends for them, or running them up into my penitentiary performances, I cannot upon tho&s;e daies when I allow lea&s;t, allow le&s;s than two hours and up|wards to the peculiar work of my fa&s;ts. So much time therefore, at the lea&s;t, I &s;ay, I mu&s;t re&s;olve &s;uch a day to devote.</P>
<P>Which being re&s;olved upon; it will be &s;it (as a &s;econd act of my more immediate preparation) in the devotions of the evening before, to &s;pend a petition or two in my pray|ers
<PB N="226" REF="127"> to God, that he would <HI>by his gra|cious Spirit prepare me for the work which I intend the next day, &s;oftning my heart and giving me to under&s;tand my errours, that I may duely <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ment them and truly amend them;</HI> which petitions I may ea&s;ily &s;ee a fit place to in&s;ert in my prayers. And the day being come, unto my morning devotions it will be expedient to add &s;ome &s;uch &s;hort prayer, as this which follows.</P>
<P>O Lord who &s;ees the pur|po&s;es of all hearts, and ha&s;t been privy to the inten|tions of thy &s;ervant touching calling him&s;elf this day to an account of his waies, and humbling him&s;elf before thee for all his tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions; Be thou in mercy pre&s;ent to me by the preventings and a&s;&s;i|&s;tance of thy grace, that I may with a true heart and
<PB N="227" REF="127"> contrite &s;pirit perform what I intend. Grant that no worldly cares or bu&s;ine&s;s may &s;o take off my mind from thee, but that I may be able forthwith to return, and without di&s;traction to employ my whole &s;oul in my de&s;ig|ned devotions; to the glory of thy Name, my own amend|ment and comfort here, and everla&s;ting ble&s;&s;edne&s;s here|after in and through thy Son Je&s;us Chri&s;t my Lord, <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>And la&s;tly, my morning devo|tions being thus fini&s;hed untill the time come that I have re&s;olved to retire I mu&s;t endeavour to conver&s;e and behave my &s;elf in my ordinary affairs &s;o warily as that nothing may di&s;compo&s;e, di&s;order, or di&s;turb me; no worldly de&s;ign too much po&s;&s;e&s;s my thoughts, according as above I have prayed.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="228" REF="128">
<HEAD>Chap. VI. <HI>The order of Humiliation or Renitentiary Devotions.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 N="1" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 1. <HI>The entrance unto the work.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THat time being now come, which I appointed to &s;pend with God in my Clo&s;et, I mu&s;t re|ligiou&s;ly ob&s;erve mine appoint|ment: For albeit the re&s;olve was onely private, and never proceeded without my own brea&s;t or clo&s;et, yet hath God taken notice of it, and it &s;tands on record in his omni&s;cience; and by breaking the&s;e my private and (as happily I may judge) le&s;s material re&s;olutions, I &s;hall &s;oon learn to break my word and vows too, in other matters; both with God and man.</P>
<PB N="229" REF="128">
<P>Coming therefore at my time ap|pointed into my Clo&s;et, I reverent|ly kneel down before God, and ha|ving the &s;en&s;e of his pre&s;ence, and all-&s;eeing eye upon mine heart, humbly begin in &s;ome &s;uch &s;hort prayer, as is this which follows.</P>
<P>I Am come, O Lord, into thy pre&s;ence, upon work, which no one hath more need to do than my &s;elf, to con&s;ider my wayes, and repent of my &s;ins, and turn to thee. But I have an hard heart, not apt to re|lent; and dry eyes, &s;uch, at lea&s;t, which &s;eldom &s;hed tears for my &s;ins. O that thou would'&s;t bow the Heavens, and come down, and melt my &s;oul, that it might kindly flow forth before thee in godly &s;or|row, which might work re|pentance not to be repented
<PB N="230" REF="129"> of. Open mine eyes and help me to &s;ee into mine heart: B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing my &s;ins to my remem|brance, and &s;et them in order before me, that an holy &s;hame and confu&s;ion may cover my face for them, and thou be|holding my contrition mai&s;t accept it, and both pardon me, and a&s;&s;i&s;t me hereafter by thy grace, that I may live more godlily righteou&s;ly and &s;ober|ly in this pre&s;ent world, and attain unto ble&s;&s;edne&s;s with thy &s;elf in the world to come, through the merits of Chri&s;t Je&s;us my Lord and Saviour. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="2" TYPE="section">
<PB N="231" REF="129">
<HEAD>Sect. 2. <HI>Of Reading, &s;o as to fit my &s;elf for &s;elf-examination.</HI></HEAD>
<P>SOme &s;uch &s;upplication being with a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l my heart made unto God, I may haply find it not to be alwayes the be&s;t cour&s;e forthwi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h to fall upon the examina<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ion of my &s;elf: For, for this I &s;hall be the fitter when awakened and made more at|tentive to my &s;elf by &s;ome other exerci&s;e. It may be proper there|fore to &s;pend and hour in the reading &s;ome hone&s;t practical Book, which treateth &s;everally of tho&s;e duties which we owe both to God, others and our &s;elves: to wit, upon that particular Book, which knowing to be very good, I have cho&s;en and &s;ingled out to my &s;elf to read and practice, &s;uch as are the never e|nough commended Doctor <HI>Ham|mond's Practical Catechi&s;me,</HI> or (if that &s;eem to any too difficult) that
<PB N="232" REF="130"> excellent Book, <HI>The whole Duty <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">f Man.</HI> And in reading hereof I mu&s;t endeavour to read,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, with under&s;tanding: &s;o that it is not &s;o much the repeating to my &s;elf the words, as con&s;idering and dige&s;ting the &s;ub&s;tance of them, which I mu&s;t account reading of them. I mu&s;t therefore read and &s;tudy the Book as Schollars do their Books: and if there be any mate|rial thing, which I do not under&s;tand, mark it, &s;o that I may inform my &s;elf, by advi&s;ing with &s;ome more able per&s;on than my &s;elf.</P>
<P>Secondly, I mu&s;t read all with ap|plication to my &s;elf, remembring that all this concerns me, and endeavour|ing to &s;ee how it concerns me; whether I perform the duty I read of as I &s;hould, or how I neglect it, &amp;c.</P>
<P>By this means, taking upon every of my fa&s;ting dayes a part, my Book will in convenient &s;ea&s;on be read over: which when it is it mu&s;t not be thrown a&s;ide, but read through
<PB N="233" REF="130"> again and again, with the &s;ame dili|gence, till I am perfect in it. Nor ought the third or fourth reading of a good, profitable and practical Treati&s;e, to be tedious or unplea&s;ant to me: for that Chri&s;tian duties are not new, but have been, and al|wayes will be the &s;ame; and multi|tude of books do but confound plain heads. All wi&s;e men know, that to make a mans &s;elf ma&s;ter of one good book is better than to have &s;lightly read an hundred, which were not either throughly under&s;tood or di|ge&s;ted. To keep therefore thus to one good Book, which may in&s;truct me of the &s;um of my Chri&s;tian du|ty, till I have fully made it mine own, is my mo&s;t edi&s;ying cour&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="3" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 3: <HI>Of Self-examination, and the view of our life.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THis my Exerci&s;e of reading be|ing over, it will be &s;ea&s;onable now to fall to the examination of
<PB N="234" REF="131"> my &s;elf touching my &s;ins. And here I &s;hall find a very good help of the former work of reading, e&s;pecially after &s;ome con&s;iderable u&s;e of it, when I am once come to know my &s;everal duties: for certain it is, <HI>No man can &s;ee what he hath done ami&s;s, what he hath left undone</HI> (which two heads, of <HI>Omi&s;&s;ion</HI> and <HI>Commi&s;&s;ion,</HI> contain under them all actual &s;ins) till he &s;eeth what he &s;hould have done. Now this duty of Self-exa|mination, a man may be &s;uppo&s;ed either to be a &s;tranger in, and little to have practi&s;ed, or el&s;e to have been much in it, and to be throughly ver&s;t in his heart and life.</P>
<P>He who is a &s;tranger to it, hath unque&s;tionably more work to do than the other. That he may therefore do his bu&s;ine&s;s throughly, he mu&s;t begin with tho&s;e very fir&s;t years which he can remember, and trace &s;in from his in&s;ancy, through his youth, to his riper and pre&s;ent years. He mu&s;t &s;ee what Devil fir&s;t entred him, I mean, what &s;ins
<PB N="235" REF="131"> fir&s;t &s;eized him, how they have grown up and continued with him: but this will be too long a work for an hour or two Such a per&s;on therefore had need to &s;et apart whole dayes for this purpo&s;e, till he hath a little recovered him&s;elf, and &s;et his accounts &s;traiter with God. Yet mu&s;t he not, while he is enqui|ring after unknown or forgotten &s;ins, neglect to repent of his fre&s;her and known tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions. If there|fore &s;o it is, that for the pre&s;ent he cannot recollect him&s;elf, and make a diligent &s;earch into the whole cour&s;e of his life, yet mu&s;t he confe&s;s and bewail what he knows of him&s;elf, and together acknowledge how much he is in arrears, which he hath forgotten, or at pre&s;ent doth not &s;ee, and for all humbly beg mercy. But this not &s;o, as wholly to put off &s;ur|ther enquiry: but having this Fa&s;t examined him&s;elf touching &s;o many years or moneths (according as his life finds his thoughts work) upon his next Fa&s;t proceed farther, and &s;o
<PB N="236" REF="132"> on the next &s;till farther, till he come home to his pre&s;ent age. Now in this &s;ifting of my life, if I can, it will be very u&s;eful to me, and much fur|ther a di&s;tinct Repentance, to u&s;e my Pen, and through each year &s;et down my &s;ins: By this means I &s;hall be a|ble much better to con&s;ider them, and &s;o, both know more of my &s;elf, and of the deceitful wayes, which &s;in hath to gain upon me.</P>
<P>And becau&s;e as I owe to God Confe&s;&s;ion and repentance of my &s;ins, &s;o I owe al&s;o acknowledgment and thanks for his Mercies, therefore in this enquiry, it will be nece&s;&s;ary to ob&s;erve Gods remarkable Mer|cies and deliverances to me, record|ing the&s;e al&s;o year by year, as my &s;ins.</P>
<P>Thus will the &s;ight of his Mercies aggravate my &s;ins, and encrea&s;e my repentance; and the &s;ight of my &s;ins, parallel with his mercies, commend his goodne&s;s and inhance my thank|fulne&s;s; both which are &s;ingular benefits.</P>
<PB N="237" REF="132">
<P>And becau&s;e even afflictions have their u&s;e. and are to be accounted for; if therefore I find any con&s;i|derable adver&s;ity or cro&s;s, with which God hath exerci&s;ed me, this al&s;o is to be regi&s;tred as the former. If it did me good, <HI>I</HI> owe to God thanks for it: if not, <HI>I</HI> owe repen|tance for being incorrigible.</P>
<P>Being thus come to my pre&s;ent time, it will become me not to run in arrears again, but every <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a&s;t day &s;till to make my accounts even; and to that purpo&s;e to take care, as afore|&s;aid, that the&s;e my Fa&s;ts be not too &s;eldome.</P>
<P>Suppo&s;ing therefore, that <HI>I</HI> am a per&s;on who have &s;o far practi&s;ed &s;elf examination, as that <HI>I</HI> have for|merly taken account of all my life. That, which <HI>I</HI> &s;hall have chiefly to enquire into, upon each return of the&s;e my fa&s;ting dayes, will be,</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, What new &s;ins or commi&s;&s;i|ons <HI>I</HI> have been guilty of &s;ince my la&s;t day of accounting.</P>
<P>Secondly, What neglects, e&s;pe|cially,
<PB N="238" REF="133"> if <HI>I</HI> have formerly made any vows or new engagements to God, how <HI>I</HI> have ob&s;erved or &s;lighted them.</P>
<P>Thirdly, In what po&s;ture or tem|per my heart hath continued, and at pre&s;ent is; whether &s;oft, tender, penitent and in awe of God; or whether dull, carele&s;s, in&s;en&s;ible, or otherwi&s;e out of order and prone to its old lu&s;ts.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, How the providences of God have carried towards me &s;i|thence; what mercies received, what afflictions &s;ent upon me, and what hath been my carriage an&s;we|rably. And whatever I find more remarkable, let it be regi&s;tred in mine Accomptal (&s;o I call that pa|per book in which I u&s;e to keep ac|count of my life and &s;piritual &s;tate) whereof, as is above&s;aid, I &s;hall find &s;ingular advantage in my &s;ucceeding time.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="4" TYPE="section">
<PB N="239" REF="133">
<HEAD>Sect. 4. <HI>Of the endeavour of godly &s;orrow. How to work our &s;elves to it.</HI></HEAD>
<P>SIn is not &s;uch a thing, the know|ledge of which is de&s;irable for it &s;elf, but onely in order to &s;omewhat el&s;e, which it is apt to beget, to wit, <HI>Godly &s;orrow and Repentance.</HI> My &s;ins therefore being thus known, I am to &s;et my &s;elf about the &s;orrow|ing for them and repenting of them.</P>
<P>And to godly &s;orrow, the readie&s;t cour&s;e will be, more fully to fix my thoughts upon the &s;ins, of which in my examination of my &s;elf I have found my &s;elf guilty, to look upon them, &s;o as that <HI>mine eye may affect my heart,</HI> my attent con&s;ideration of them may move and grieve me, as it ought. To this purpo&s;e <HI>I</HI> am to con&s;ider particularly.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, the foulne&s;s of my particu|lar &s;ins in them&s;elves and in their
<PB N="240" REF="134"> own nature how vile they make me, how unable <HI>I</HI> &s;hould be to look men in the face, if they knew all the&s;e un|worthy acts by me, which <HI>I</HI> do of my &s;elf, and God far better than my &s;elf: how vile therefore mu&s;t they needs render me in his holy Eye.</P>
<P>Secondly, The &s;everal Aggrava|tions which they admit; the chief of which, and tho&s;e which are apte&s;t to affect me, <HI>I</HI> may take to be tho&s;e which follow.</P>
<P N="1">1. Again&s;t how great light and how clear knowledge of Gods will <HI>I</HI> have &s;inned. <HI>I</HI> knew &s;uch and &s;uch actions to be &s;inful, when yet <HI>I</HI> ven|tured upon them.</P>
<P N="2">2. Again&s;t how many checks of con&s;cience <HI>I</HI> committed them. Did not my own heart at that very in|&s;tant &s;mite me, telling me of the wrath of God and eternal flames belonging to tho&s;e who do &s;uch things.</P>
<P N="3">3. Again&s;t how many engage|ments and obligations to the contra|ry have <HI>I</HI> &s;inned. 1. My own vows
<PB N="241" REF="134"> and covenant both in bapti&s;me and &s;ince. 2. Gods mercies and for|bearance, which &s;hould have invited and lead me to repentance. 3. Gods judgments and heavy hand many times upon me, which &s;hould have taught me righteou&s;ne&s;s. 4. Had <HI>I</HI> no hinderances in the way, which <HI>I</HI> broke through? It may be Gods holy providence ca&s;t &s;omewhat in, which did a while retard my com|mi&s;&s;ion of the &s;in, and, if <HI>I</HI> had not been le&s;perately bent upon it, might have diverted me and da&s;ht the temptation.</P>
<P N="4">4. Was not <HI>I</HI> the tempter and Devil to my &s;elf in them? Did not <HI>I</HI> &s;et my &s;elf on work, without Sa|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ans, incitation of me thereto?</P>
<P N="5">5. Whether or no have not ma|ny of them been publickly di&s;ho|nourable to God, and &s;candalous to my Chri&s;tian profe&s;&s;ion? Hath not mine example, if not mine entice|ments, drawn in others to the &s;ame &s;in, or driven others out of conceit with Religion? Wretched man that
<PB N="242" REF="135"> <HI>I</HI> am! that <HI>I</HI> &s;hould &s;o hold [per|haps teach] the faith as to make infidels.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, Something of grievou&s;|ne&s;s the circum&s;tances of time and Place, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> may add thereto, which ought not to be overlooked.</P>
<P>Through &s;uch heads as the&s;e &s;hould <HI>I</HI> trace my &s;ins, e&s;pecially tho&s;e of them, which are mo&s;t gro&s;s: and in my Meditations dwell &s;o upon the&s;e con&s;iderations, as may, if po&s;|&s;ible, move my &s;orrow, at lea&s;t breed an utter <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aver&s;ion of the &s;in, and a loathing of my &s;elf for it: And if it be &s;o, that <HI>I</HI> cannot &s;hed tears and really mourn over my &s;ins, yet if <HI>I</HI> can find in my &s;elf, a through di&s;|plea&s;ure with my &s;elf for &s;in, and an hatred of it, together with an earn|e&s;t de&s;ire to be freed from the habit and power of the &s;in, as well as from the guilt of it, this <HI>I</HI> may conclude to be a &s;orrow of mind, and ought therefore to cheri&s;h in my &s;oul</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="5" TYPE="section">
<PB N="243" REF="135">
<HEAD>Sect. 5. <HI>Of Repentance, which is the effect of godly &s;orrow, its true nature and way of practice.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>Godly &s;orrow workith repentance, which need not to be repented of.</HI> Now that repen|tance may &s;eem to con&s;i&s;t of two things, Of a <HI>full purpo&s;e</HI> of heart to for&s;ake &s;in, and of <HI>hearty endeavours</HI> again&s;t it.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, <HI>I</HI> &s;ay, <HI>I</HI> may not think <HI>I</HI> have repented of my &s;in, till <HI>I</HI> have taken up a full purpo&s;e and re&s;olu|tion of mind again&s;t it for the fu|ture. As long as there is in me any intention of returning to it again, <HI>I</HI> am an impenitent wretch. Now &s;uch purpo&s;e and re&s;olution the forego|ing con&s;ideration of my &s;in is apt to beget: and therefore by laying &s;uch thoughts truly home unto mine heart, by employing my mind much on them, <HI>I</HI> ought to endeavour to work my &s;elf up to &s;uch re&s;olution,
<PB N="244" REF="136"> and never to &s;it down contented, or think my &s;elf penitent till <HI>I</HI> am &s;o wrought upon. <HI>I</HI> &s;hall not much need to be minded, that during &s;uch endeavours I ought to intermix with my meditations, frequent peti|tions to Almighty God, who&s;e Grace onely it is, which is &s;ufficient for me for the turning my heart from &s;in.</P>
<P>Now purpo&s;es and re&s;olutions are rotten, except endeavours to fulfil them follow. This therefore is the &s;econd part of repentance, that, as <HI>I</HI> have re&s;olved, &s;o I endeavour a|gain&s;t &s;in.</P>
<P>And this endeavour again&s;t &s;in &s;eems to have two parts, the one of which may be&s;t be acted in my Clo|&s;et, the other mu&s;t be acted any where and every where.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t part of the endeavour again&s;t &s;in is, to do what we can to mortifie the habit, that is, the incli|nation, readine&s;s and cu&s;tomary pronene&s;s, which we have to the &s;in, which is to be for&s;aken. And that mu&s;t be done.</P>
<P N="1"><PB N="245" REF="136">1. By con&s;idering with my &s;elf what means (or remedies) I can find out again&s;t that &s;in. Certain it is, the more I can re&s;train or keep back my &s;elf from the actual com|mi&s;&s;ion or doing of any &s;in, the more will the power of that &s;in de|cay in me, the le&s;s inclined &s;hall I be thereto. Wherefore if I cannot at the fir&s;t root out the habit, or over|come that mi&s;erable inclinedne&s;s, which I find thereto, yet let me en|deavour to find out &s;uch means, which may keep me from the acting the &s;in, and, I &s;ay, that cu&s;tomary pronene&s;s unto the &s;in will by the grace of God decay.</P>
<P>Now in general it will be a true and proper remedy again&s;t any &s;in to con&s;ider the occa&s;ions or induce|ments, which chieflly lead me there|unto, and to provide as well as I can again&s;t them.</P>
<P>Whether or no is it a &s;in which is deeply rooted in my nature and con&s;titution? or whether or no is it &s;uch an one, which by my way of li|ving,
<PB N="246" REF="137"> conver&s;e and cu&s;tome, I have &s;ettled in my &s;elf? If it be of the latter &s;ort, the breaking my &s;elf of that cu&s;tome, the altering, as far as is po&s;&s;ible, &s;uch conver&s;e as hath brought me into it, is a very good remedy again&s;t it. But if it be a &s;in innate, and after a &s;ort planted in my very make and complexion, it is more difficult to &s;ubdue: But the way will be, 1. To take &s;uch cour&s;e with my &s;elf, as that for the future I may keep my &s;elf from the acting of it as much as may be: And 2. To make it a con&s;tant petition in my daily prayers to God, that he by that Spirit, by which he is able to &s;ubdue all things unto him&s;elf, would mortifie in me the affection and lu&s;t, which I have after that &s;in. And by per&s;evering in &s;uch cour&s;e, no doubt but at length, through the divine Grace, I &s;hall overcome it. The&s;e means therefore having con&s;ulted of, attending to my particular &s;in, the next &s;tep which I am to take in the mortifying of it, is:</P>
<P N="2"><PB N="247" REF="137">2. To re&s;olve there before God, diligently to u&s;e tho&s;e means, which I have particularly con&s;ulted of, and &s;o forthwith to order and contrive all my affairs (as far as in me lies) that I may without any partiality u&s;e them all, according to the be&s;t of my skill, and in the mo&s;t effectual manner that I know.</P>
<P>The &s;econd part of the endeavour again&s;t &s;in (which will not be &s;o much the work of my Clo&s;et, as of my life) is diligence in the u&s;ing of the&s;e means (which I have thus con|&s;idered of, found out and re&s;olved upon) whereever I am, and when &s;o|ever I have opportunity.</P>
<P>Now that <HI>I</HI> may &s;o do, it will ve|ry much help, if I write down the&s;e re&s;olutions before God in my priva|cy, which <HI>I</HI> am to do in mine Ac|comptal; where al&s;o <HI>I</HI> am to record every dayes fa&s;ting, and the i&s;&s;ue thereof, what <HI>I</HI> found new in mine e&s;tate, what <HI>I</HI> re&s;olved on, what means <HI>I</HI> con&s;idered of again&s;t &s;uch and &s;uch &s;ins! We find, they not
<PB N="248" REF="138"> onely made a <HI>Covenant,</HI> but put it in <HI>writing, and &s;ealed it before the Lord,</HI> in their &s;olemn Fa&s;t, <HI>Nehem.</HI> 9. 38. This will be one way to &s;ecure me again&s;t being &s;lighty in my Peniten|tials: and it may be&s;ides much both confirm and quicken me in my exe|cution of the&s;e my re&s;olves, to read them over written by my mine own hand before God.</P>
<P>And being thus regi&s;tred, it will be good for me to be often (when I come into my Clo&s;et about my de|votions and examine my &s;elf) look|ing on and reading them over, lea&s;t forgetfulne&s;s &s;hould betray me into the breach of them.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="6" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 6. <HI>An exemplification of the former Rules in two &s;ins.</HI></HEAD>
<P>NOw to the end that this mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary practice may be as plain as po&s;sible, it may haply con|duce to &s;et down &s;ome particular
<PB N="249" REF="138"> examples, in which tho&s;e general rules may appear practi&s;ed. And for a&s;much as it was before &s;aid, that all &s;ins, of which we &s;hal find our &s;elves frequently guilty, are either &s;uch which are rooted in our parti|cular complexion (and &s;o may e&s;pe|cially be called, our iniquities) or &s;uch which by &s;ome outward occa|&s;ion (as conver&s;e or manner of li|ving) we fall into, one in&s;tance &s;hall be of &s;uch a &s;in, which is commonly too too much rooted in mens na|tures or particular <HI>Cra&s;es,</HI> to wit, <HI>&V;ncleanne&s;s,</HI> the other in &s;uch an one, which though haply a man may be naturally inclined to, yet com|monly may be more truly referred to the head of contracted than of in-born evils, and that is, <HI>Trifling away our time,</HI> or idlene&s;s.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t then, &s;uppo&s;e that upon exa|mination of my &s;elf, one &s;in, where of <HI>I</HI> find my &s;elf guilty, is uncleanne&s;s; and this <HI>I</HI> find diver&s;ly to have run through a great part of my life. Touching this, certain it is, that <HI>I</HI> re|pent
<PB N="250" REF="139"> not of it as <HI>I</HI> &s;hould, if <HI>I</HI> &s;et not my &s;elf to root it out. Where|fore, according unto the rules laid down, <HI>I</HI> thus proceed.</P>
<P>Being come now &s;o far in my de|votions upon my fa&s;t day as to Me|ditation, and having in my Meditati|ons chiefly imployed my thoughts upon my &s;elf, whereby <HI>I</HI> have found my &s;elf guilty of this &s;in, I &s;et upon the repenting of it. To that pur|po&s;e I endeavour to &s;orrow for it. I therefore con&s;ider, fir&s;t, how grie|vous a &s;in that is in it &s;elf. And in this ca&s;e it may be, that good practi|cal book which I have cho&s;en to my &s;elf to read and &s;tudy, may much help me, and di&s;cover to me the grievou&s;ne&s;s of it in its own nature. This being done, I con&s;ider how grievous my commi&s;sion of it is: what particular aggravations all my actions of this kind admit. Here <HI>I</HI> open this my book, and examine it by tho&s;e aggravating particulars mentioned: All which cordially employing my thoughts upon, I
<PB N="251" REF="139"> endeavour to affect my &s;oul there|with, and to work in my &s;elf a loathing of &s;uch cour&s;es: This &s;or|row will work repentance, to wit, Fir&s;t a re&s;olution again&s;t what <HI>I</HI> loath, and then an endeavour again&s;t it, as well by con&s;ulting remedies and means again&s;t it, as by putting my &s;elf into a way of u&s;ing &s;uch means. And the re&s;ult of my Humiliation thus far <HI>I,</HI> as breifly as <HI>I</HI> can, regi&s;ter in mine Accomptal, in &s;ome &s;uch &s;ort as this.</P>
<P>A. D.&mdash;Januar.&mdash;<HI>Fa&s;ted. I found my &s;elf guilty of &V;ncleanne&s;s. This I con&s;idered to be in it &s;elf a ve|ry grievous &s;in.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>It defiles my very body; makes me loath&s;ome.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>It deba&s;eth and dulls my &s;oul.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>It is that which nature it &s;elf is a&s;hamed of.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>God mo&s;t perfectly hates it, and therefore when he expre&s;&s;eth the vile&s;t &s;ins, calls them Whoredom.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>It is one of tho&s;e &s;ins which</HI>
<PB N="252" REF="140"> <HI>God &s;eldom &s;uffers to e&s;cape unpuni&s;h|ed here.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>I &s;hall never be able to like my &s;elf, or have any inward content in my &s;elf while I practice it.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. <HI>Per&s;everance in it will undoubt|edly de&s;troy my body and health as well as &s;oul.</HI></P>
<P><HI>[Each of the&s;e and more than the&s;e, as God &s;hall be plea&s;ed to a&s;&s;i&s;t me in my Meditations I am &s;uppo&s;ed to have attently con&s;idered.]</HI></P>
<P><HI>My particular commi&s;&s;ions in this ca&s;e have the following aggra|vations. They have been done [&s;o long]</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Knowingly. 2. [as I find it with my &s;elf] 3. Again&s;t my vow of bapti&s;me expre&s;ly. &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Whereupon, mo&s;t humbly begging pardon of God, I re&s;olved with all my might to endeavour again&s;t it. To that purpo&s;e I con&s;idered of the&s;e means again&s;t it.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Spare diet: frequent fa&s;ting: avoiding high meats.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>Spare &s;leeping: not lying</HI>
<PB N="253" REF="140"> <HI>down till &s;leep compel me, ri&s;ing ear|ly or at lea&s;t as &s;oon as &s;leep leaves me.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Hard u&s;age of my body: lying hard, u&s;ing pro&s;trations, or tiring po|&s;tures in my prayers, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>Praying often, and much con|ver&s;ing with God in holy duties, which will make me a&s;hamed of &s;uch car|nal delights and &s;ordid injoyments.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>Avoiding light company, light di&s;cour&s;e, ge&s;tures, looks, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. <HI>Con&s;idering death, and that in its pomp and terriblene&s;s: looking much on Sceletons, dead mens &s;culs, bones, or contemplating con&s;umptive and ga&s;tly vi&s;ages.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. <HI>Not venturing my &s;elf on any opportunities or temptations to it.</HI></P>
<P>The&s;e I then re&s;olved to practi&s;e, and will therefore frequently r<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> over. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>But it may be this is not my &s;in (however, it will teach me how to deal in humbling my &s;elf for that which is). Suppo&s;e then I find my
<PB N="254" REF="141"> &s;elf guilty of trifling away my time. There is no repenting hereof with|out amendment: But what cour&s;e may I take to be truly penitent for it?</P>
<P>The an&s;wer is: I mu&s;t proceed as before. Meditating, Re&s;olving, Con|&s;ulting, and by all means confirm|ing my &s;elf again&s;t it. And the re&s;ult of what I am to regi&s;ter in my ac|comptal, may be thus.</P>
<P><HI>[Such a day Fa&s;ted] I found my &s;elf guilty of trifling away my time. I con&s;idored the grievou&s;ne&s;s hereof.</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>This is truly idlene&s;s, what name &s;oever el&s;e I give it. For idlene&s;s is not the doing nothing, but the not doing what I &s;hould when I &s;hould. Now idlene&s;s is undoubtedly a grievous &s;in, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> having not only its own guilt in it, but the guilt of many more &s;ins, which it occa&s;ioneth.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. <HI>This is the fru&s;trating the end of my being, as far as in me lies, a living to no purpo&s;e: and that how unworthy it is of a rea&s;onable creature.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB N="255" REF="141">3. <HI>I mu&s;t needs be unprepared for Heaven, and my great accounts, while guilty hereof. Every hour &s;tands on record in Gods omni&s;cience: and I can|not it may be give account of three hours in a day.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>How evidently do I ruine my &s;elf, not onely as to the future, but as to this pre&s;ent world hereby. What might I do, and be, were I careful of my time!</HI></P>
<P><HI>Further for me to do this, how grie|vous is it?</HI></P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>I know it to be &s;inful. 2. When I have remembred my duties to be undone, I have yet neglected them, again&s;t the pre&s;ent warnings of my con&s;cience. 3. How many waies have I been engaged again&s;t this. So much, &s;o worthy work to do, and &s;o much of my time already &s;pent,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>[Ea&s;ie it is hereby to &s;ee how I may proceed according to my particular &s;tate.]</HI></P>
<P>The&s;e Meditations being fini&s;hed, and, as briefly as I can, entred, it remains that I enter my re&s;olution
<PB N="256" REF="142"> of endeavour again&s;t this &s;in as be|fore: and then &s;tudy meet remedies thereto. Now this &s;in not being alwaies natural to them in whom it is found, but adventitious, it con|cerns me to con&s;ider, as before ad|moni&s;hed, how I came to be guilty hereof, and to &s;uit my remedies to tho&s;e occa&s;ions.</P>
<P N="1">1. It may be I <HI>am bu&s;ied about many things,</HI> and &s;o either neglect all, (or what chiefly concerns me) my proper duties. Perhaps I cannot endure that which &s;hould be my bu&s;ine&s;s, but am fickle, de&s;ultory, and rambling in mine employment, and though I am not much guilty of doing nothing, yet do I not do what I &s;hould: and this is undoub|tedly a piece of idlene&s;s, (as above|&s;aid) for a man to neglect the bu&s;i|ne&s;s of the &s;ea&s;on and of his calling, and to be mo&s;t taken up in things which lea&s;t concern him. Now here the remedy will be, to con&s;ider what it is that is my proper bu&s;ine&s;s: to put my work into a certain mold
<PB N="257" REF="142"> and order: and then to &s;et my &s;elf a task daily, and engage my &s;elf (as well as I can) to &s;o much of it, before I divert to any Eccentrical occupa|tion, I mean to the bu&s;ying my &s;elf in things, which do not properly concern me.</P>
<P N="2">2. It may be I u&s;e to &s;it and talk away my time with friends and com|pany: much goes in idle vi&s;its: I have a nature, which is too &s;ociable, and when I meet with company to my mind, I know not how to deny my &s;elfe of their &s;ociety and di&s;|cour&s;e: and if I do not meet with &s;uch, I am apt to leave my bu&s;ine&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> and go &s;eek &s;uch. Here the remedy will be (partly the &s;ame with the former) prudently to proportion my time to my bu&s;ine&s;s: So much of my bu&s;ine&s;s have I re&s;olved to do: that re&s;olution mu&s;t not be broken: &s;o much time will that work take me up: &s;o much, my devotions: wherefore I have but &s;o much left for &s;ociety: more there|fore I mu&s;t not take. If therefore
<PB N="258" REF="143"> I am lite into any acceptable com|pany, it will become me often to con&s;ider, how goes the time? &s;o much of my impo&s;ed task yet lies undone, &amp;c.</P>
<P N="3">3. It may be much of my time is &s;pent in dulne&s;s, &s;itting &s;till, &amp;c. It may be my con&s;titution is &s;uch that if I eat heartily, I am a great while unfit for my work, and &s;o feeding freely laies upon me a kind of nece&s;|&s;ity of being idle. Here the remedy will be to re&s;olve upon a &s;parer diet, to bridle mine appetite and eat le&s;s when I do eat; or if I can|not that, to eat <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eldomer, and to be at lea&s;t but once a day unfit for my work: which time of unfitne&s;s, if I will well husband my time, I may be&s;t allow for &s;ociety; it will be fit enough for that.</P>
<P N="4">4 It may be vexations, anger, or giving way to pa&s;&s;ion many times indi&s;po&s;eth me for bu&s;ine&s;s. Here the remedy will be to watch again&s;t &s;uch di&s;turbances, to endeavour meekne&s;s, patience, and the morti|fication
<PB N="259" REF="143"> of unruly affections.</P>
<P N="5">5. It may be &s;ollicitude about this world, thoughtfulne&s;s, cares take up many of mine hours: and then, mine head being full, I cannot call home my mind and fall to work: and when by my care I cannot find any expedient for what I &s;ought, this breeds di&s;content, envy of o|ther mens ea&s;e, happine&s;s, freedom, &amp;c. And &s;eriou&s;ly it is a great deal of time, which narrow fortunes thus &s;teal away from &s;ome men. Here the remedy will be, &s;tudy of content, frugality, wi&s;e husbanding mine e|&s;tate, proportioning mine expences to my revenues. And &s;o what ever I find to be the occa&s;ion of my lo&s;s or expence of time, let me &s;tudy a &s;uitable remedy thereto, and regi&s;ter as well the occa&s;ion as its corre&s;pon|ding remedy. Let me then pro|ceed to re&s;olve upon the u&s;e of &s;uch remedies, and to order my parti|cular affairs in &s;uch &s;ort that I may u&s;e them with the be&s;t advantage: and &s;uch re&s;olutions let me alwaies
<PB N="260" REF="144"> enter upon my <HI>Accomptal,</HI> for the fa&s;tning them both upon mine heart and memory.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="7" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 7. <HI>A further con&s;ideration of Repen|tance with reference to &s;ome particular &s;ins.</HI></HEAD>
<P>REpentance may &s;eem to have been con&s;idered hitherto with a Relation to habitual &s;ins, that is, &s;uch &s;ins which either by nature or cu&s;tom are rooted in the heart, and have begot in the &s;oul a readine&s;s, and inclinedne&s;s unto them. But &s;urely, if I throughly under&s;tand the Practice of it, as it hath been hither|to de&s;cribed, I cannot be at a lo&s;s in what &s;ort it ought to be exerci&s;ed, when I find my &s;elf guilty of one particular fall or &s;in, the habit, or cu&s;tomary readine&s;s to which, I have not yet contracted: for the &s;ub&s;tance of my work is &s;till the &s;ame, <HI>viz.</HI></P>
<PB N="261" REF="144">
<P>Having in mine examination of my &s;elf found my &s;elf guilty, I am by attent con&s;ideration of that &s;in, whereof I am guilty, both in it &s;elf, and as it is mine, to endeavour to affect my heart therewith, &s;o that I may truly &s;orrow for it: and though it may be I may truly conclude, that it hath not yet got fully a roo|ting within me, yet for as much as the fir&s;t or &s;econd commi&s;&s;ion thereof hath in probability made me more inclined and ea&s;ie thereto, than I was, when my mind, having been never much bent this way, was thitherwards more inflexible, there|fore ought I to &s;tudy and con&s;ult how for the future to &s;ecure and confirm my &s;oul again&s;t any relap&s;es or &s;econd back&s;lidings: and after &s;uch con&s;ultation to re&s;olve and en|gage my &s;elf with all po&s;&s;ible &s;trength again&s;t it.</P>
<P>One thing more, in ca&s;e of &s;ins committed, or wrong done unto my neighbour, is yet requi&s;ite to the making my repentance &s;incere and
<PB N="262" REF="145"> through; and that is, that I forth|with upon &s;ight of the &s;in, if po&s;&s;ible, make re&s;titution: otherwi&s;e that I make it as &s;oon as I am able; and in ca&s;e I am not likely to be able to make it, that I endeavour by ac|knowledgement of mine offence to &s;eek for reconciliation unto him, whom I have &s;o wronged. The ne|ce&s;&s;ity hereof may be concluded from what hath been above &s;aid, that repentance cannot be true, ex|cept there be an amendment. Now mo&s;t evident it is, that while I &s;uffer the wrong done yet to remain or continue, I am &s;till injurious; and &s;o con&s;equently there is no amend|ment, and therefore no repentance. And the words of our Saviour mo&s;t expre&s;ly enforce it. <HI>If thou bring</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 23, 24.</NOTE> <HI>thy gift to the Altur, and there re|member that thy brother hath ought again&s;t thee, Leave there thy gift and fir&s;t go and be reconciled to thy bro|ther, then come and offer thy gi&s;t.</HI> God will accept of no &s;acrifice or duty what&s;oever, at my hands in
<PB N="263" REF="145"> &s;uch a ca&s;e, till I have reconciled my &s;elf, if po&s;&s;ible. If any think this not to amount to re&s;titution, let him read <HI>Levit.</HI> 6. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and <HI>Numb.</HI> 5. 6, 7, 8, where he &s;hall find, be&s;ides the &s;in offering to be brought to God in ca&s;e of wrong do<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ie to others, it was enjoyned that the principal &s;hould be re&s;tored, with an addition of one fift part thereto. Now if &s;o it be, that I can|not find tho&s;e to whom I have been injurious, that I may make re&s;titu|tion, let me give and devote &s;o much to the poor as would do it: this is <HI>to re&s;tore unto God,</HI> when I cannot to my brother: let me ne|ver lay up any thing wrongfully gotten, or that wherewith recom|pence &s;hould be made for wrong done, it will eat as doth a Canker. Be&s;ides I cannot, if by wrong I in|crea&s;e my &s;tore, ever have a quiet con&s;cience, or rea&s;onably expect the pardon of that my &s;in.</P>
<P>Now the con&s;ideration how this re&s;titution or reconcilement may be
<PB N="264" REF="146"> made, and the Re&s;olution to make it, may be be&s;t done in my Clo&s;et: and &s;uch con&s;ultation and re&s;olution de&s;erves a place to be regi&s;tred among&s;t my other penitential de|votions, upon the &s;ame rea&s;ons as they do.</P>
<P>The&s;e rules in my repentance if I have ob&s;erved, though I cannot look upon any action of mine as compleat, yet I may have hope I have not herein been &s;lighty, but that God through Chri&s;t Je&s;us will accept it.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="8" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 8.<HI>Of that faith which is requi&s;ite in order to pardon of &s;in.</HI></HEAD>
<P>BE&s;ides Repentance, it is com|monly &s;aid that God requireth Faith of us in order to pardon of our &s;ins: and it is mo&s;t certain, if we under&s;tand faith as we ought. But it is as certain, that people are or|dinarily very much mi&s;taken in the
<PB N="265" REF="146"> nature of Faith; as it is not unu&s;ual for us to be in &s;uch things, the names whereof are takne in &s;uch different <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dr. <HI>Ham.</HI> Pract. Catech. Lib. 1. Sect. 3.</NOTE> &s;en&s;es as the name of Faith is in Scripture.</P>
<P>Now faith we all of us know &s;ig+nifies Belief: and therein doth the nature of it lye. Him that we be|lieve in is God: that which we believe is his Word. So then, Faith is a full belief or credence of the whole Word of God; and e&s;pecially of the Go&s;pel; a receiving it and every part of it in a way &s;uitable to the matter of it; agreeing to what|ever is therein affirmed, as being true; believing all the promi&s;es, that God will never fail on his part, unle&s;s we do on ours; &s;etting our &s;elves to fulfil all the commands, as believing all that is commanded to be our duty and of indi&s;pen&s;ible ne|ce&s;&s;ity to &s;alvation; trembling at all the threatnings, as being per&s;waded God will be as good as his word, and puni&s;h all impenitent &s;inners. Faith, I &s;ay, is the hearty and &s;incere
<PB N="266" REF="147"> embracing and being per&s;waded of the whole word and the&s;e its parts after this &s;ort: and we mu&s;t not &s;ingle out the promi&s;es and believe them alone; for all commands and threats are no le&s;s the word of God than are the promi&s;es, and therefore mu&s;t be as much believed, nor &s;hall any one ever be ju&s;tified who doth not thus believe.</P>
<P>If it be asked, whether it be not faith in the free promi&s;es of the Go&s;pel, or a tru&s;ting to God through Chri&s;t, that he will pardon my &s;in, which doth chiefly ju&s;tifie me, I &s;ay, No: and that the embra|cing the doctrine of the Go&s;pel, the receiving every command and threat &s;o deeply into my heart, as that the belief of the one turns forthwith into obedience, and of the other into obedience, and of the other into an holy fear, (which are the other parts of faith) cannot be con|ceived to be either in their own nature inferiour unto that tru&s;t, or le&s;s either valued or required by God. I do not &s;ay that God accepts
<PB N="267" REF="147"> of any of them, or all of them, for their worth: (He accepts of them, and of the per&s;on, in whom they are purely through Chri&s;t; through his merits doth he impute this faith to &s;uch per&s;on for righteou&s;ne&s;s, that is reckon and accept of this his cordial and impartial receiving his whole Go&s;pel after this &s;ort, as well as if he had performed perfect and un&s;inning obedience, as he was fir&s;t bound:) but this I &s;ay (and that upon the evidence already hin|ted) that ju&s;tification, or the par|doning of &s;in, is no more appropria|ted to that one act of faith, which we call tru&s;t, than to tho&s;e other; and that I cannot (if compari&s;on in this ca&s;e be made) but account tho&s;e other acts (that impartial &s;ubmitting and devoting the &s;ould to obedience an&s;werably to every command, that true re&s;ting in the fear of God) as the more principal, worthy, and I am &s;ure, le&s;s to be &s;u&s;pected acts of faith: At the lea&s;t I cannot conceive, what we call a ju&s;tifying faith to
<PB N="268" REF="148"> proceed any otherwi&s;e than as fol|lows.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, I do believe the promi&s;e of pardon of &s;in to be true, and God to be faithful, and that without all doubt God will not fail on his part, except I fail on mine. God will not fail to give the promi&s;ed ble&s;&s;ing, if I fail not to perform the condition, upon which he hath promi&s;ed it.</P>
<P>Secondly, I therefore forthwith &s;et my &s;elf about the condition, or duty required, as I expect the ble&s;|&s;ing or promi&s;ed mercy from God: I &s;orrow for my &s;ins; I endeavour amendment of life. I cleave unto God with full purpo&s;e of impartial obedience.</P>
<P>Thirdly, having done &s;o, I do not believe that all this is worth any thing in it &s;elf, but that it is through the meer grace of God in Chri&s;t Je&s;us, that I mu&s;t be accepted, par|doned, and &s;aved. Wherefore I tru&s;t to God according to his pro|mi&s;e (the condition of which I have <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ndeavoured to fulfil) that he will
<PB N="269" REF="148"> through Chri&s;t pardon all my &s;ins, and reckon this my faith to me for righteou&s;ne&s;s, to tru&s;t for the pardo|ning of my &s;ins upon any o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">her terms is unbelief and pre&s;umption: for it is a believing God will pardon my &s;ins upon their terms, than he hath &s;aid he would ever pardon &s;in, and that is a believing God will be fal&s;e.</P>
<P>But now let the ca&s;e be put, that &s;ome grievous &s;inner, much hum|bled under the &s;en&s;e of his noto|rious wickedne&s;s, doth, as before|&s;aid, believe the promi&s;e to be true as it is, &s;et him&s;elf about the fulfil|ling its condition (&s;orrowing repen|ting, &amp;c.) believe all that he doth to be in its &s;elf worth nothing, but yet Chri&s;ts merits to be of infinite worth, through which notwith|&s;tanding he dare not tru&s;t for the pardon of his &s;ins, as remembring them to be &s;o great, and doubting le&s;t he hath not yet performed the condition, which the promi&s;e of the pardon of &s;in through Chri&s;ts me|rits
<PB N="270" REF="149"> requires, and in this temper dies; Put, I &s;ay, this ca&s;e, &s;hall we think this man hath not a true and ju&s;tifying faith? He hath &s;urely; and it may be a truer faith, than hath many an one who yet hath more of the tru&s;t. But yet it is evident he hath not this tru&s;t: for he dur&s;t not, through &s;en&s;e of his own un|worthine&s;s animate him&s;elf there|to. Seeing therefore, that it is very po&s;&s;ible a man may in &s;uch ca&s;e be ju&s;tified without that act of faith, I conclude that ju&s;tification is not appropriate unto it, that is, that a tru&s;ting in God that he through Chri&s;t will pardon my &s;in, is not that act of faith which chiefly ju&s;ti|fies me, and that they are very much mi&s;taken, who take this (by it &s;elf) to be the true nature of ju&s;tifying faith, that they believe God will pardon their &s;in for Chri&s;ts &s;ake. &s;o then, I now &s;ee the cour&s;e which I am to take, in my humiliation, to &s;ue out the pardon of my &s;in. I am to believe, that God will not fail on
<PB N="271" REF="149"> his part, if I do fail on mine: I am therefore to repent of my &s;ins, as before I have been taught, and per&s;i&s;t in amendment of life, all the while tru&s;ting in the grace of God through Chri&s;t, according to the promi&s;e of the Go&s;pel, that I doing thus, my &s;ins &s;hall not be laid to my charge, as being taken away by the cro&s;s of Chri&s;t, in who&s;e merits I have, through this my faith and the mercy of God to me, a &s;hare.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="9" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 9. <HI>Of Prayer upon &s;uch Fa&s;ting dayes.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THat which will much heighten my affection in this my repen|tance, and further complete all its parts yet remains, to wit, prayer; which, as it mu&s;t on this occa&s;ion and day be more large and particu|lar than ordinary, &s;o I cannot now want matter for it, after &s;uch con&s;i|deration of my condition, and of the way how I am to &s;eek for par|don
<PB N="272" REF="150"> of &s;in as is &s;uppo&s;ed (if the for|mer rules have been ob&s;erved) to have foregone. particularly&punc; I am to frame my prayers, or at lea&s;t to al|ter them, as neer as I can, to my con|dition,</P>
<P N="1">1. Confe&s;&s;ing my &s;everal &s;ins, and that not without tho&s;e aggravating circum&s;tances, in which I formerly con&s;idered them.</P>
<P N="2">2. Repre&s;enting before God my &s;orrow, my re&s;olution of heart again&s;t them.</P>
<P N="3">3. Begging his grace, to a&s;&s;i&s;t me in the fulfilling my godly purpo&s;es, and pardon for all my &s;ins, whether known and confe&s;&s;ed, or as yet un|known to me.</P>
<P>To the&s;e heads my Chri&s;tian di&s;|cretion may add more according to my particular condition. To wit, if any judgment re&s;t on me or mine, or is feared by rea&s;on of the&s;e my &s;ins, I may implore deliverance from it: If any mercy is expected, or by me aimed at, which I fear my &s;ins may mo&s;t ju&s;tly hinder or bla&s;t, I
<PB N="273" REF="150"> may importune God for the grant|ing it; or otherwi&s;e apply my &s;elf as occa&s;ion &s;erves.</P>
<P>Now as to the form or outward manner of my prayer; if I am able to pray otherwi&s;e, I &s;hall not haply on the&s;e occa&s;ions &s;ee it alwaies fit or convenient to u&s;e &s;et, or compo|&s;ed forms: for that there may be many particular affecting circum|&s;tances of my &s;ins, which no form will expre&s;s &s;o plainly, as I have need to expre&s;s them for the moving my &s;orrow. If therefore I find my heart ready and &s;o compo&s;ed, that I dare venture upon what we call a <HI>conceived</HI> prayer, which being of mine own invention, by the a&s;&s;i&s;t|ance of the Spirit, may more per|fectly &s;uit with my condition in all, than one framed by another to my hand, having either noted in a pa|per before me the &s;ub&s;tance or mat|ter of my <HI>Confe&s;&s;ions, Petitions, and Thanksgiving,</HI> (which paper for memories &s;ake, I lay before me when I kneel down to prayer) o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="274" REF="151"> el&s;e &s;o con&s;idered of, as that it will be ready, I may &s;pend a few thoughts touching the particular ex|pre&s;&s;ions, by which I intend to re|pre&s;ent this my mind to God. To this purpo&s;e the&s;e two practices may be helpfull.</P>
<P N="1">1. To read any part of the wo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d of God, which (being I dayly read &s;ome of it) I may know to be &s;uitable to my pre&s;ent ca&s;e. If I find mine heart hard let me read &s;ome affect|ing working place. (Such I may be pre&s;umed to have noted as I have read in my cour&s;e.) If I find it tender, let me read &s;uch place or places, as may nouri&s;h this tenderne&s;s, or rai&s;e me to to an holy joy, and de|light in God and the&s;e duties which I perform to him. And in like man|ner, in other ca&s;es.</P>
<P N="2">2. To recall and con&s;ider &s;uch fit expre&s;&s;ions of the particular mate|rials, which I am to &s;et forth before God, as I may be pre&s;umed to have ob&s;erved and trea&s;ured up in my me|mory
<PB N="275" REF="151"> or book, in my ordinary cour&s;e of reading.</P>
<P>After &s;uch premeditation, with an holy fear, I am to endeavour to pour out my inward conceptions be|fore God, as fitly and as fervently as I can. But I mu&s;t not think that fervency lies in loud &s;peaking, but in the inward affection of the &s;oul: notwith&s;tanding if my clo&s;et be &s;o &s;ituate. that I may judge I cannot be heard without, I may many times find, that it will conduce, if not to the affecting me more, yet to the keeping my mind more clo&s;e to my bu&s;ine&s;s, for me to &s;peak in a voice exceeding a private whi&s;per.</P>
<P>But let me be never &s;o able a per|&s;on and my heart never &s;o fixt, to u&s;e a form &s;o far, as where occa&s;ion &s;hall &s;erve to leave it a while, to wit where I would confe&s;s or ask more particularly, may keep my prayers from being loo&s;e, imperfect, broken and di&s;orderly, and con&s;equently make my devotions riper. Now &s;uch an one is this which followes.</P>
<PB N="276" REF="152">
<P>O Thou Great, Holy, and Fearful God, unto whom all things are naked and open; and before whom, as being of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, nothing that is un|righteous &s;hall &s;tand. I even blu&s;h and dread to appear before thee: For in me there is nothing but iniquity that thou can&s;t behold. Iniquity indeed is too &s;oft a word: I am nothing but filth. I have &s;inned again&s;t Heaven and before thee; and am &s;o far unworthy of being called thy &s;on, that I am not fit to be called thy &s;ervant: but de&s;erve rather as a rebell, as a faithle&s;s and treacherous wretch again&s;t thy Maje&s;ty, to be de&s;troyed of the De|&s;troyer,
<PB N="277" REF="152"> to have all thy wrath and plagues to meet in me, and to be made unto the world an example of thy &s;everity and revenging ju&s;tice, that by me men might learn no more to pre&s;ume and back&s;lide.</P>
<P>But there is mercy with thee, O Lord, that thou maye&s;t be feared and &s;ought unto: Nor ha&s;t thou, as thou ha&s;t prote&s;ted, any plea&s;ure in the death of &s;inners; but art &s;o de&s;irous, that they might re|turn and be healed, that thou ha&s;t not &s;pared thy very onely begotten Son, but ha&s;t given him to &s;eek, and, by death it &s;elf, to &s;ave the lo&s;t &s;ons of men; promi&s;ing, that of all tho&s;e, who through him come home unto thee, thou wilt by no means ca&s;t off any. I come,
<PB N="278" REF="153"> O Lord, at lea&s;t I have here &s;et my &s;elf in the way to come, and bewail my departures. And let not my Lord be an|gry, and I will con&s;e&s;s.</P>
<P>I have, O God, a mo&s;t cor|rupt nature and heart, full of impurities and abominable things, as a cage of unclean birds. She was innocent in compari&s;on of me, out of whom came but &s;even devils: I may mo&s;t truly &s;tile my &s;elf <HI>Legion:</HI> &s;uch &s;warmes of lu&s;ts do po&s;&s;e&s;s me! The <NOTE PLACE="marg">Where&s;oever in this prayer the mark &dagger; is found, the Reader mu&s;t not forgot to con|&s;ider particular|ly touching tho&s;e expre&s;&s;ions whe|ther they fit his condition.</NOTE> lu&s;ts of the fle&s;h (&dagger; In|temperance, Idlene&s;s, Uncleanne&s;s) the lu&s;ts of the eyes (&dagger; Co|vetou&s;ne&s;s, Envy) the Pride of life (&dagger; con|ceitedne&s;s of my &s;elf, Ambition and proud
<PB N="279" REF="153"> Wrath) are things familiar to me, rooted and grounded in my heart: And that truly, Lord, not &s;o much by nature, as by continued cu&s;tome and wicked practice. I have my &s;elf made my &s;oul more de|praved, than I ever received it from corrupt nature. That I am dull and heartle&s;s in the performance of all holy du|ties; that I am vigorous and active in the &s;erving my lu&s;ts and plea&s;ures, and the fulfil|ling the de&s;ires of my fle&s;h and mind; that I am vain, heedle&s;s, and commonly void of thy fear in all my wayes, I owe very much unto my own vitious conver&s;ation; unto my giving my &s;elf up to walk in my own wayes; unto my choo&s;ing vanity, and addict|ing
<PB N="280" REF="154"> my &s;elf thereto; unto my either total neglect or &s;lighty di&s;charge of thy wor&s;hip. Im|po&s;&s;ible in a manner it is, that any one who lives as I have done, &s;hould have a better heart, than I have.</P>
<P>And at this rate, O Lord, have I ever lived. My child|hood, the innocente&s;t part of my life, was a &s;tate of nece&s;&s;a|ry ignorance of thee: yet even herein how &s;oon did the accur&s;ed fruits of inborn lu&s;ts begin to &s;hew them&s;elves! My youth, what was it, but a vain and bruti&s;h, a mad and &s;en&s;ual age! As to that &s;mall notice, which therein I had of thy will and nature, how little cre|dit did I give unto it, and how ineffectual was it upon me, either to the quickening me
<PB N="281" REF="154"> to my duty, or re&s;training me from any wickedne&s;s! But as to my riper years, O Lord, I know not what to &s;ay: I &s;hould in truth &s;it down a&s;toni&s;hed before thee, but that I want a due &s;en&s;e of my &s;infulne&s;&s;e. Mine iniquities are gone over my head: That they are grea|ter than I can bear, is little; they are greater than I can comprehend or number. Nay if I &s;hould let pa&s;s my &s;ins of ignorance, of infirmity, of heedle&s;ne&s;s and inadvertency, (by which notwith&s;tanding I &s;eriou&s;ly acknowledge my &s;elf times without number, to have di&s;honoured and provoked thee:) If I &s;hould in&s;i&s;t only upon my knowing, pre&s;um|ptious and wilful &s;ins, even the&s;e, O Lord, it were impo&s;&s;i|ble
<PB N="282" REF="155"> for me to reckon up. For be&s;ides that va&s;t number of them, which I cannot call to mind (all which notwith|&s;tanding are upon record be|fore thee) what a black and tedious Catalogue of them have I here open [or, which I can &s;pread] before thee! How many wilful neglects, yea even contempts, of my duty! How many re&s;olute perpetrations of horrid crimes; &s;uch which I now am a&s;hamed even to think of, yet did not then blu&s;h to commit; &s;ins, the heinou&s;ne&s;s whereof being con&s;idered, if I could do nothing el&s;e but mourn over them all my dayes, though I &s;hould weep as my Saviour &s;weat, in bloud, under un|known agonies, I could not
<PB N="283" REF="155"> but account my &s;elf impeni|tent. Nay, had I onely that one &s;in of [**] &s;o often by me repeated to bewail, what &s;or|row could &s;uffice for its due lamentation! <NOTE PLACE="marg">Here are to be mentioned thy chiefe&s;t and mo&s;t frequent &s;in or &s;ins.</NOTE></P>
<P>But if I add here|unto my [**] my [**] <HI>&amp;c.</HI> what rea&s;on have I, were my fa&s;ts, confe&s;&s;ions, prayers and teares a thou&s;and fold to what they are or can be, to &s;it down and lament my notori|ous impenitence!</P>
<P>And be&s;ides this weight of guilt, which the heinous na|ture of my &s;ins them&s;elves load me with, what a &s;ad additio|nal pre&s;&s;ure do their di&s;mal aggravations bring? What circum&s;tance almo&s;t can there be that makes &s;in grievous
<PB N="284" REF="156"> which I may not find in mo&s;t of mine? It is but an ordina|ry aggravation of my &s;ins, that they have been committed a|gain&s;t knowledge, that I have held thy truth in unrighteou&s;|ne&s;&s;e, and being convinced of my duty, have both neglected it, and done contrary unto it.</P>
<P>&dagger; The very in&s;tant dictates of con&s;cience, prote&s;ting a|gain&s;t the &s;ins which I have been about to commit; the &s;mitings of mine own heart, not onely after and before, but amid&s;t the very commi&s;&s;i|on of them, have not re&s;train|ed my head-&s;trong will.</P>
<P>&dagger; Nay, O Lord, hath not the voice of thy Spirit joyned with the voice of my Con&s;ci|ence, and the united per&s;wa|&s;ions of both &s;triven with me,
<PB N="285" REF="156"> but all in vain? &dagger; Have I not known that if I would re&s;i&s;t, through thy grace I &s;hould o|vercome? And might I not through the &s;ame grace, have re&s;i&s;ted if I would? &dagger; Have not I at the very &s;ame time thought of thy wrath and e|ternal flames belonging to tho&s;e who do &s;uch things? and yet this in vain too. And be&s;ides the vow of my Bap|ti&s;me, which I have owned and acknowledged my &s;elf to &s;tand bound by. Ah! Lord, have I not made many a parti|cular vow again&s;t tho&s;e very &s;ins, which after, as a Dog to his vomit, I have returned to; And &dagger; tho&s;e vows brought to thy Table, and &s;ealed in the Bloud of thy Son? Have not I ta&s;ted thy mercies encourag|ing
<PB N="286" REF="157"> mine obedience, and on the contrary, &s;ometimes wrung out almo&s;t the dr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gs of thy wrath in puni&s;hment of my back&s;lidings.</P>
<P>Further, ha&s;t not thou ma|ny a time hindred me in my pro&s;ecution of the&s;e &s;ins, and, by &s;ome interpo&s;ing provi|dence, dulled the temptation, which I lay under towards them; &dagger; When yet I have pro|ved &s;o far a Divel to my &s;elf, as to retrieve the temptation, and over-bearing the voice of my con&s;cience, the re&s;i&s;tance of thy Spirit, breaking through all engagements to obedience, which either thou or my &s;elf have laid upon me, yea and the very hindran|ces and lets, which have been put in my way again&s;t tho&s;e
<PB N="287" REF="157"> &s;ins, I have returned to the at|tempts and practices of them! Ah Lord! what can &s;uch a &s;inner be fit for, but de&s;tructi|on? And yet after this &s;ort, how long have I lived, &s;inning! And how have I hardened my heart again&s;t all tho&s;e means, which thou ha&s;t u&s;ed for my betterment! Be&s;ides, How many of the&s;e my &s;ins have been committed openly and in the &s;ight of the Sun, to the di&s;honour of thee, and to the &s;candal of others, who be|holding my practices have bla&s;phemed, at lea&s;t been pro|voked to bla&s;pheme and &s;peak evil of Chri&s;tianity!</P>
<P>All this, O Lord, is but my old wickedne&s;s: I have later [and &dagger; therefore if po&s;&s;ible, &s;ome of them more grievous]
<PB N="288" REF="158"> &s;ins to confe&s;s unto thee. It is but [&s;uch or &s;uch a time or day] that I [**] <NOTE PLACE="marg">Here mention later falls.</NOTE> Ah! how can I lift up my face, or look towards thee my &s;o oft of|fended God! And yet, not|with&s;tanding all this, I have not yet done, O Lord. For be&s;ides the&s;e &s;ins of mine own, what a multitude of the &s;ins of other men do I &s;tand ac|ce&s;&s;ary unto and guilty of! How many, for ought I know have I undone by my exam|ple! What a multitude is there, for who&s;e profanene&s;s and unbelief (being occa&s;i|oned by the &s;candal again&s;t Religion, which my loo&s;ene&s;s hath po&s;&s;e&s;t them with) I am to an&s;wer for! &dagger; Some there are, whom I have more di|rectly
<PB N="289" REF="158"> and nearly corrupted. And how many more may they have corrupted, who haply had not been in that ca&s;e corrupt them&s;elves, had not I propagated &s;uch &s;ins to them! Ah! wretched man that I am, who have not been &s;o far innocent as to be wick|ed alone, and de&s;troy no more than my &s;elf.</P>
<P>And now, O Lord, after I have confe&s;&s;ed thus much, notwith&s;tanding all which I have confe&s;&s;ed, and much more which I am not able to expre&s;s, nor &s;o much as my &s;elf to know, what an hard un|broken and &s;tupid heart have I! The truth is, the multitude and grievou&s;ne&s;s of my &s;ins is &s;uch, as is enough to make me impenitent and de&s;perate up|on
<PB N="290" REF="159"> the meer &s;ight of them. &dagger; I may well doubt whether it be po&s;&s;ible, that &s;uch a back|&s;liding wretch as my &s;elf &s;hould ever be renewed again unto repentance, or thereby re&s;tored. But fora&s;much as I under&s;tand, that to turn thus de&s;perate, and to neglect re|pentance and amendment of life, would be wor&s;e than all the wickedne&s;s, which I have hitherto wrought, I am here pro&s;trate before thee to be|wail my &s;elf, and with &s;orrow and grief of heart for my for|mer wayes do I here ca&s;t my &s;elf upon thee. If thou wilt have mercy, thou can&s;t &s;till &s;ave me: If thou wilt not, Lord, I peri&s;h. But doe&s;t thou u&s;e to &s;uffer tho&s;e to peri&s;h who thus, with &s;uch repen|tance
<PB N="291" REF="159"> as they can, &s;ubmit and humble them&s;elves at thy foot&s;tool, crying unto thee for help? Far be it from thee, thou Father of Mercies! Notwith&s;tanding, ina&s;much as I, being much wor&s;e than or|dinary &s;inners, do more ju&s;tly de&s;erve to find no place for repentance, and have there|fore more rea&s;on to fear how thou mai&s;t deal with me, deal with me as thou wilt, &dagger; through thy grace I will &s;in no more; no more knowing|ly and pre&s;umptuou&s;ly as I have done. And to that end I have here in thy pre&s;ence this day con&s;idered my wayes: &dagger; I have endeavoured to find out tho&s;e wiles and methods, by which the Devil and mine own lu&s;ts have en&s;nared me in
<PB N="292" REF="160"> &s;uch grievous &s;ins. &dagger; I have re&s;olved upon impartial dili|gence as well in my endea|vours again&s;t the&s;e particular evils as again&s;t all other, and in performing unto thee hear|ty and intire obedience. The&s;e Re&s;olutions I here humbly pre&s;ent before thee, &s;acredly engaging my &s;elf to do my utmo&s;t to keep them, and be|&s;eeching thee by thy grace to engage my heart more firmly to them. And, Lord, let not any dulne&s;s or want of that affection, with which I ought to have confe&s;&s;ed my &s;ins, to have bewailed my guilt, and to have pa&s;&s;ed the&s;e re&s;oluti|ons, hinder, that this my &s;eri|ous humiliation of my &s;elf &s;hould not be accepted be|fore thee. Such contrition, as
<PB N="293" REF="160"> thou ha&s;t enabled me to, I have endeavoured, &s;orrowing that I am not more deeply humbled: Such, which is wanting, do thou be&s;tow; For it is no le&s;s thy property to be&s;tow than to accept the contrite heart: The broken &s;pirit is, O Lord, from thee. When thou of old command|ed&s;t water out of the flinty Rock, it forthwith yielded obedient &s;treams: nor can my heart (dry and hard as it is) but di&s;&s;olve into holy tears, if thou wilt bid it melt: Give forth then the word, O God; Speak, thy &s;ervant is here rea|dy to hear. Turn thou me and I &s;hall be turned. Send out thy good Spirit: let it inligh|ten the eyes of my mind, in the knowledge both of my &s;elf
<PB N="294" REF="161"> and thee: let it &s;avingly per|&s;wade me of the truth of all that thou ha&s;t &s;poken, and e&s;pecially, of the defiling, cur|&s;ed, and damning nature of &s;in, of the &s;ufficiency and effi|cacy of the merits of Chri&s;t Je&s;us unto all tho&s;e, who by a right faith apply them&s;elves to thee through him. (I do O Lord, believe, help my un|belief. ) And grant that this &s;ight and per&s;wa&s;ion both of my &s;in and Saviour may af|fect mine heart, &s;o that I may &s;orrow after a godly &s;ort: and that &s;orrow may bring forth in me tho&s;e whole&s;ome fruits (which after all my endea|vours of repentance I cannot but lament to be much want|ing in me, to wit) <HI>carefulne&s;s again&s;t &s;in, vehement de&s;ire and</HI>
<PB N="295" REF="161"> <HI>zeal of holine&s;s, indignation and an holy revenge again&s;t my &s;elf;</HI> by all which I may for the future clear my &s;elf, and ever approve mine heart ho|ne&s;t, upright and &s;incere be|fore thee. Suffer not this my righteou&s;ne&s;s to be onely, as a morning cloud or early dew, &s;oon pa&s;&s;ing away, but let thy grace alwayes dwelling in me keep open in my &s;oul an ever flowing fountain of &s;uch pe|nitence, that I may go on thus mourning to mourn over my &s;ins, and perfecting holine&s;s in thy fear; accounting all little enough, if &s;o be I may but in the end obtain mercy. And this my penitent return (at lea&s;t hearty endeavour of &s;uch return) accompanied with per&s;evering &s;tudy of im|partial
<PB N="296" REF="162"> obedience to thee, do thou, however mo&s;t unworthy in it &s;elf, through the perfect merits of thy Son accept, wa&s;hing away all my &s;ins (both the iniquities of my youth and tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions of my riper years, as well known as unknown) e&s;peci|ally <NOTE PLACE="marg">Here mention thy chiefe&s;t &s;in or &s;ins.</NOTE> my [**] in his bloud; and reckon|ing, according to thy gracious Covenant, this my faith (which by &s;uch works as the&s;e &s;hall di&s;cover it &s;elf to be alive and true) unto me for righteou&s;ne&s;s. And, if thine infinite Wi&s;dome &s;hall &s;ee it to be good for me, do thou grant me this further happine&s;s, that I, thus living in thy fear, may be ever filled with peace and joy, through a
<PB N="297" REF="162"> comfortable a&s;&s;urance of thy favour, and hopes of eternal glory.</P>
<P>As to all my outward af|faires, by thy good provi|dence be thou plea&s;ed &s;o to overrule all events, that what|&s;oever befals me may work together to me for good. My &s;ins indeed, O Lord, de|&s;erve quite contrary; even the &s;evere&s;t inflictions of thy wrath and fiery di&s;plea&s;ure. And I do mo&s;t &s;eriou&s;ly ac|knowledge, that in all the judgments, which thou ha&s;t at any time laid upon me, thou ha&s;t u&s;ed much mercy. All the paines, which my body hath felt; all the lo&s;&s;es, which have impaired my e|&s;tate; all the &s;landers, which have bla&s;ted my name [par|ticularly
<PB N="298" REF="163">
**] I embrace as infinitely le&s;s than my de&s;erts. That &dagger; I am in any &s;traits, [**] that I <NOTE PLACE="marg">Here mention a|ny particular af|flictions.</NOTE> &s;uffer otherwi&s;e [in my body, relations, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> **] were all a thou|&s;and &s;old to what it is, I &s;hould confe&s;s it to be mo&s;t ju&s;t. Were I to enjoy no more good than I do de&s;erve, I &s;hould have ju&s;t nothing. Righteous therefore art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee. Yet if thou wilt be intreated by thy repenting &s;ervant, to &dagger; with|draw [<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The&s;e and &s;uch like expre&s;&s;ions are to be u&s;ed ac|cording to per&s;ons particular condi|tions.</NOTE> or with|hold] thy hand, to remove the puni&s;h|ment I feel [or not to inflict the puni&s;h|ments which I fear]
<PB N="299" REF="163"> but through the bloud of Chri&s;t to deliver me from thy pre&s;ent wrath, as well as from the wrath to come, thy &s;ervant &s;hall ever ble&s;s and prai&s;e thee, and be able to &s;erve thee with more chearful diligence. However, Lord, thy Will be done: Bring me &s;urely to thy &s;elf, let it be by what means thou wilt: Plea&s;e thy &s;elf, thy &s;ervant will endeavour to be content: Deny me what things thou wilt, onely deny me not <HI>Grace, Pardon, and thy Self.</HI></P>
<P>And not onely upon me, O Lord, but upon all men do thou have mercy, according to the gracious plea&s;ure of thine own mo&s;t holy Will. E&s;pecially upon the univer&s;al Church; Enlarge thou its
<PB N="300" REF="164"> bounds; provide for its &s;afe|ty and purity, delivering any part of it which is in danger, and reforming what&s;oever of it is corrupted. Do thou with all &s;uitable mercies ble&s;s this particular Church: Forgive the publick &s;innes. [**] Heal the pub|lick <NOTE PLACE="marg">Here mention &s;uch &s;ins or cala|mities.</NOTE> Calamities [**]. Pre&s;erve and every way be gracious unto the Kings Maje&s;ty, his Queen, and all the Royal Family. Let all thy Prie&s;ts be cloathed with Righteou&s;ne&s;s, and let thy work pro&s;per in their hands: and e&s;pecially with|in this Pari&s;h, of which I am a part, let the knowledge and fear of thee increa&s;e. Vi&s;it all my Kinred, Relations, and Acquaintances [**] with
<PB N="301" REF="164"> &s;uch ble&s;&s;ings as they need. Reward a thou&s;and fold all who have &s;hewn any kindne&s;s to thy &s;ervant; [e|&s;pecially **]. For|give <NOTE PLACE="marg">In all the&s;e va|cancies thus mar|ked [**] make &s;uch particular mention as thy condition &s;hall re|quire, or pru|dence &s;ugge&s;t.</NOTE> and have mercy upon all mine ene|mies, and let not one of them ever fare the wor&s;e for any wrong done to me. Deliver in thine own good time thy righteous ones out of all their afflictions, and in the mean time &s;upport them, &s;an|ctifying all unto them. [**] Shew thy &s;elf every way all|&s;ufficient unto all thine.</P>
<P>Finally, O Lord, I ble&s;s and prai&s;e thy glorious grace, for all tho&s;e ble&s;&s;ings which I en|joy, and tho&s;e particular deli|verances, whether ancient or
<PB N="302" REF="165"> later, which thou ha&s;t vouch|&s;afed me. [**] Above all, for thy redeeming, not onely me but the whole humane na|ture, by the precious bloud of thy well-beloved Son; for that knowledge which I have of thee in him my Saviour Chri&s;t Je&s;us; for any &s;ight and &s;en&s;e of my &s;in, which through thy grace I have; for any hopes of finding mer|cy in that great day. [**] I, O Lord, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Here ble&s;s God for any inward ioy, enlargements,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE> am far le&s;s than the lea&s;t of the&s;e mer|cies. It is thy good|ne&s;s, thy goodne&s;s alone, which is the fountain whence they came: and maye&s;t thou from me, and from Heaven and Earth, ever receive the glory of that thy goodne&s;s.
<PB N="303" REF="165"> May I ever &s;erve thee in new|ne&s;s of life and an&s;werable walking.</P>
<P>And do thou forgive not onely my former ingratitude, but my pre&s;ent want of thankfulne&s;s, together with all the &s;ins of the&s;e my holy things, wa&s;hing me, and my very teares, prayers, and pe|nitence in the bloud of my Saviour Chri&s;t Je&s;us, in who&s;e words thy &s;ervant will &s;peak yet once more,</P>
<P><HI>Our Father, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>It is not to be &s;uppo&s;ed that this Prayer without any alteration will &s;uit with the condition of every Reader: God forbid all &s;hould have &s;inned at that rate, to come up to which this prayer was fra|med. The prudent Chri&s;tian
<PB N="304" REF="166"> therefore is to add, leave out, alter, what he &s;ees good; or, if able him|&s;elf to do better, to lay a&s;ide all. Nothing is here obtruded on any, onely directions and help intended to &s;ome who need them.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 N="10" TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Sect. 10. <HI>Of offerings to God for the u&s;e of the poor; departure out of the Clo&s;et, and behaviour afterwards.</HI></HEAD>
<P>MY prayers being thus fini&s;hed, I &s;hould not ha&s;tily run out, but pau&s;e a while, and remember that there is one work remaining, which is not to be neglected, if I have wherewithall to do it, being it is required by God in an accepta|ble Fa&s;t: and that is, to add &s;ome|thing every fa&s;t, though it be the le&s;s, to what I have formerly laid a&s;ide for the poor; or if there be no &s;uch &s;tock already made by me, much more than to de&s;ign and de|vote
<PB N="305" REF="166"> &s;omewhat to that purpo&s;e. <HI>This is the fa&s;t I have cho&s;en, to deal thy bread unto the hungry, &amp;c.</HI> It being thus given, I may deal it when <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 58. 7.</NOTE> I &s;hall &s;ee occa&s;ion. Now as to the particular manner of this practice, directions have been above given, which e&s;pecially upon the&s;e dayes it will be expedient to ob&s;erve.</P>
<P>And this being done, let me with chearfulne&s;s depart my Clo&s;et; let not my behaviour be without inno|cent alacrity: and let it be my &s;pe|cial care &s;o to order all my carriage on the&s;e my fa&s;ts, that they may not, if po&s;&s;ible, be taken notice of by any but my &s;elf and God; as being mindful of that command of my Saviours, <HI>Anoint thine head, and wa&s;h thy face, that thou appear not unto men to fa&s;t,</HI> that is, behave thy &s;elf with &s;uch outward chear|fulne&s;s (of which anointing the head and wa&s;hing the face are Arguments) that no man or|dinarily, beholding thee, would take the day he &s;ees thee &s;o, to
<PB N="306" REF="167"> be one of thy fa&s;t or mourning dayes.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="7" TYPE="chapter">
<HEAD>Chap. VII. <HI>Of great and more extraor|dinary Fa&s;ts, and the work of them.</HI></HEAD>
<P>BE&s;ides the&s;e my Fa&s;ts which come in cour&s;e, at lea&s;t once a week, &s;everal occa&s;ions may befal me, which may require an extraor|dinary fa&s;t. Such is any great evil hanging over mine head, or my friends, or the Nations; any con&s;i|derable change of my way of li|ving, or the like: but e&s;pecially, when <HI>I</HI> am to receive the Holy Communion.</P>
<P>My work upon &s;uch occa&s;ions will be the &s;ame as is formerly di|rected to: only my Chri&s;tian di&s;cre|tion
<PB N="307" REF="167"> will order it with a particular re&s;pect to that my great occa&s;ion which calls me to fa&s;t: which occa|&s;ion <HI>I</HI> am e&s;pecially to meditate up|on (and that not without a regard had to my &s;ins, if there be any evil which <HI>I</HI> deprecate, to con&s;ider how my &s;ins have been the cau&s;es of it, if any good which <HI>I</HI> be&s;eech for, how again my &s;ins may bla&s;t that) and accordingly to commend it to God in my prayers: in which ca&s;e al&s;o the form of prayer delivered in the foregoing Chapter will not be u&s;e|le&s;s.</P>
<P>Particularly as to that which will mo&s;t frequently come in practice my humiliations preparatory for the Lords Supper. In the&s;e, be&s;ides that examination of my &s;elf, which in ordinary cour&s;e <HI>I</HI> make, <HI>I</HI> am to look over mine Accomptal, to &s;ee every week &s;ince my la&s;t commu|nicating, what my carriage hath been, how <HI>I</HI> have amended, e&s;peci|ally in tho&s;e particulars, in which <HI>I</HI> had formerly taken notice of my
<PB N="308" REF="168"> mi&s;carriages, and vowed reformati|on. All my revolts and back&s;lidings are to be attentively viewed, in them&s;elves and in their aggravati|ons, and repentance, as before taught, to be with all diligence and &s;ervour, that <HI>I</HI> can, exerci&s;ed.</P>
<P>Yea, and be&s;ides the&s;e times of &s;pecial exigence, ought <HI>I</HI> to be often &s;urveying and looking over mine Accomptal. In mine ordinary daily devotions, or in my devotions upon my fa&s;t-dayes <HI>I</HI> &s;hall find both need and opportunity for it. And if Schol|lars find it nece&s;&s;ary to peru&s;e their own Collections or Common-place books, if Shopkeepers review often their books, to the end they may, by &s;eeing what they have formerly done, know how to order their fu|ture proceedings in their bu&s;ine&s;s, &s;o as not to go backward, or be diligent to no purpo&s;e, how much more care ought <HI>I</HI> to take in the concernments of my &s;oul, and for that Jewel which if <HI>I</HI> loo&s;e, although <HI>I</HI> &s;hould gain the whole world, <HI>I</HI> am irreparably un|done.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="8" TYPE="chapter">
<PB N="309" REF="168">
<HEAD>Chap. VIII. <HI>The Conclu&s;ion.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe Author of this &s;mall piece, Chri&s;tian Reader, is very &s;ure, that be thou who thou wilt, thou can&s;t not but approve for the main that pra|ctice which is here commend|ed to thee: although there &s;hould be &s;ome particulars (as to the ob&s;ervation of Holy|dayes or the like) which may not &s;uit with the humour of every mans devotion. Con|fident he is, he &s;aith, that the daily practice of <HI>Reading, Meditation, Self-Examinati|on, Prayer,</HI> the orderly and due practice of <HI>Humiliation,</HI>
<PB N="310" REF="169"> <HI>Mortification,</HI> and the re&s;t of tho&s;e Sub&s;tantials, which are here directed to, cannot be gain&s;aid. It might have been better taught, but he hath done it as well and as plainly as he could. Being therefore that thou can&s;t not but &s;ay, he is a good man who thus lives, and wi&s;h that thou ever had&s;t lived &s;o, he chargeth it again upon thy con&s;cience thus to live: el&s;e art thou &s;elf-con|demned, and guilty of known negligence and omi&s;&s;ion. Thou doe&s;t not endeavour what notwith&s;tanding thy con&s;cience cannot but ap|prove. He is confident further, that if thou did&s;t but feel that peace, quiet, joy and happi|ne&s;s, which &s;uch practice leaves behind it, if thou ha&s;t
<PB N="311" REF="169"> any &s;en&s;e what it is to have a clear Con&s;cience, and there|fore free and chearful acce&s;s to God, and an humble fear|le&s;sne&s;s of the face of men, which without &s;ome &s;uch pra|ctice as this thou can&s;t never have, thou neede&s;t no other argument to quicken thee to this practice. Find a greater happine&s;s on earth, than for a man to be at peace with and like him&s;elf, and get that peace by any other cour&s;e, than &s;uch exerci&s;e of godli|ne&s;s, &s;uch circum&s;pection over all thy wayes, as hath been here taught, and thou &s;halt have leave to neglect all: but if thou can&s;t not, then think thy &s;elf bound to the&s;e practices. For directions in the making u&s;e of the Book,
<PB N="312" REF="170"> thou ha&s;t them in the <HI>Admo|nition to the Reader,</HI> in the be|ginning of the Book, whither return and read the whole over again: It will be no whit wor&s;e the &s;econd time read: And &s;o God ble&s;s it and thee.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="170">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
