1. YOU must know that Man is the master­piece of the Worlds' Maker. God calls (as it were) a Counsel in Heaven, saying, Let us make man, Gen. 1. 26, Us, all us, the whole Wisdom of the Trinity was exercis'd in the making of Man: The consultation and deli­beration therein plainly demonstrates, that there was then the bringing forth of a piece of work of greatest moment and importance; and therefore what is said of Behemoth, He is the chief of the ways of God, Job 40. 19. may more eminently be said of Man; he is the chiefest of the ways and of the works of God. The Sun, Moon, and Stars are but the work of Gods fingers, Psal. 8. 3. But man is the work of his hands, Psal. 139. 14, 15. Job 10. 3. 8. Hence David speaking of Man, first wonders, [Page 2] and then speaks, and when he hath done to speak, he hath not done to wonder, Psal. 8. 1. 9.

2. Every Creature of God is (indeed) a wonder, yea little Creatures (those Decimo­sexto's of the Creation) are great wonders, (as well as the great Behemoth, and other large Folio's thereof) for the infinite Wisdom and Power of the Creator is manifest in couch­ing up both life and motion in such a little compass, as in Insects, Flies, Ants, &c. But Man is the greatest wonder, as having the ex­cellency of all other Creatures in him: he is the abridgment of all wonders. You believe that God is a Spirit, and you see that the World is a Body: Man is an Epitome of both, 1. Of God, in respect of his Spirit. And 2. of the World in the composition of his Body; as if the great Jehovah (on purpose to set forth a plain mirrous of himself and his work) de­signed to bring into this one narrow compass of Man, both the infiniteness of his own na­ture, and the vastness of the whole world all together.

3. The soul of Man resembles the circum­ference of Heaven, as being everywhere over the little world: his brain the Sun that gives light to this little world, and the senses stand round about it as so many Stars: His heart represents the Earth in its Center: his liver is as the Sea from whence flows the blood in all its circulations: the like correspondency (you [Page 3] may easily imagine) in all other parts too long to particularize. Hence is it that Tertullian calls the World a great Man, and Man a little world. Man (the Microcosm) is Gods Text (as it were) and all other Creatures (in the Macrocosm, or great world) are as so many plain Commentaries upon that dark Text.

4. You may learn a little further herein, (if you would have yet more particulars hereof) from this gloss upon Mark 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every creature, is meant man only, as being the compendium of all Creatures. Stones have a being, but not life: Plants have a being and life, but not sense: Beasts have a being, life, and sense, but they want understanding. Now Man (as being a compendious Index of Gods great Book in Folio) doth participate of a being with stones, of life with plants, of sense with beasts, and of understanding with Angels; and therefore is he most aptly called every creature, as having all their perfections in him.

5. Now the chief end why the Lord God put forth so much skill upon Man, in making him such a curious piece, was, that Man should serve his Maker. God raised up the stately Fabrick of the great World for Man (he did not bring Man into an empty house, but fur­nished it with all Creatures before he made him), and his master-piece Man he made for himself, and for his service. This a Philosopher had the right notion of, stileing Man the end [Page 4] of all in a Semi-circle, as all things were made for Man, and Man for God, and that Man might serve his Maker the better: he made him in his own likeness, that he might not on­ly partake of the Excellencies of all things be­low, but of the Image of his Maker above al­so. Thus as one said to his friend that desired to see Athens, Viso solone, vidisti omnia, in seeing Solon, you see all; Athens was the A­bridgment of all Greece, and Solon was the ex­cellency of all Athens; so in seeing and know­ing Man your self, you see the quintessence of all things.

6. Solomon tells us, That God made all things for himself, Prov. 16. 4, for serving his Glory, and well he may; For, first, he hath none a­bove him, he is higher than the highest. And, secondly, he is not capable of being puffed up with vain-glory, as we should be in such a case. Now he that made all things for himself, must needs make Man for himself, seeing Man is the best of all things. Indeed 'tis the only end of Man's Creation, seeing no other Creature is capable of a Religious serving of God as Man is. All other Creatures do hold out the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of God; but Man on­ly can hold forth the Holiness of God, and he only (of all other Creatures) is commanded to be holy, as God is holy: he must be holy in quality, though he cannot be so holy in equa­lity.

7. Seeing then it is the law of the Creature, [Page 5] that we should be holy, and that we should serve God instantly night and day, Act. 26. 7. Bethink your self, how every Creature observes the Law of their Creation: The birds make their nests, and breed up their young: the beasts make a scuffle for their pasture and sod­der: the fishes float up and down the waters for their livelihood: the trees, herbs, and flowers, all answering their Makers Law in their kind: the fire ascending up to its Center with all its might, and the water descending hastily down into the deep: the air, to fill up all vacuity under Heaven: the Sun, Moon, and Stars fulfilling (each) their courses assigned them.

8. How then can you imagine, that the great Creator (who hath assigned to every thing in the world some particular end, and an instinct also that have a tendency to that end, and that continually) should make Man (the most noble Creature, for whom all other things were made) in vain, as having no peculiar end pro­portionably appointed him to the true noble­ness of his created quality? Undoubtedly, he is not made to play on the Earth, as Leviathan was made to play in the Sea, Psal. 104. 26, nor to serve divers lusts, Tit. 3. 3, as debauched persons do. The Heathen Seneca could say, Major sum, & ad majora natus sum, quam ut corporis mei sim mancipium; I am greater, and am born to greater things, then that I should be a mere slave and vassalage to the lusts of my flesh.

[Page 6] 9. Therefore you must conclude, that there is some high and eminent service allotted unto Man by his Maker, as the main object where­at he is to level all his aims and intentions wholly and continually, even all the days of his life: he must serve his Maker in holiness (which is his duty to the first Table of the Decalogue) and in righteousness (which is his duty to the second Table thereof) before him all the days of his life, Luk. 1. 74, 75. This is your Homage and Fealty you owe to your great Lord; the Lords Rent you must pay to the Landlord of all your Mercies, both as to your being, and as to your well-being in the world. There must be a Reciprocation betwixt Relatives, as the Son owes a duty to his Fa­ther, from whom he had his being, and from whom he hath all things for his well-being: How much more doth the Creature owe a duty to his Creator, who is his heavenly Fa­ther, and to whom we should not be undutiful, as the worst of parents would not have their Children undutiful to them?

10. It necessarily follows then, that you must avouch the Lord to be your God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken to his voice: If ever you do expect that the Lord should avouch you for one of his Chil­dren, and of his peculiar people, Deut. 26. 17, 18. Hebr. [Hee Marta eth Jehovah], sig­nifies, that you must promise on your part (as [Page 7] your Maker hath promised on his part), there is a mutual stipulation on both sides: you want not Gods part: And will a man rob God of his part? Mal. 3. 8. You do truly avouch the Lord for your God, when you with highest estimation, most vigorous affections, and ut­most endeavours, bestow your self upon him, and give up your name and heart to his blessed service in faith and obedience, Isa. 4. 4. 5. When God crys, Who is on my side? who? (as 2 King. 9. 32.) you must answer, I am the Lords, and subscribe with your heart (as well as with your hand) unto the Lord, then may you hope for protection of him, and provision from him for both worlds, which be his part in the Co­venant.

11. 'Tis a plain command, Prov. 3 6. In all your ways you must acknowledg God, that is, be evermore in the sense of his presence, and in the light of his countenance, and in serving your God (in your generation-work) ask counsel at his mouth, and aim at his glory in all your undertakings. This is the conclu­sion of the whole matter (both to answer the end of your Creation, and to attain a true happiness at your end), Fear God, and keep his Commandments, Eccles. 12. 13. This is the totum hominis, the whole duty of Man, the abridgment of all the Bible; Fear God in Christ, fear his goodness, Hos. 3. 5, as well as his power, and keep his Commandments in an Evangelical obedience (you cannot now keep them in the [Page 8] legal way). This is the one thing needful, Luk. 10. 41, and 'tis the bonum hominis, the good of Man (as well as the whole of Man) to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God, Mic. 6. 8. 'Tis not only the good, but also the chiefest good of Man attainable in this life; to wit, Conformity to God, and Communion with God in the Duties of the first and second Tables of the Law.

12. This whole and good duty of Man to God, hath commonly three Names. 1. Reli­gion. 2. Godliness. 3. Christianity. 1. 'Tis call'd Religion, [a Religando] from binding, as it is a sacred bond that binds Man in his Duty to God. There is (indeed) the cursed bond of iniquity, Act. 8. 23, which binds the heart of Man to Sin and Satan. But that may seem needless, seeing Man's heart doth so na­turally love the service of sin; and you do not find your heart so apt to slip from the service of Satan (so less need of this bond of iniquity), as you are apt to slip from the service of God. As therefore you cannot love the service of God, unless it be supernaturally given you; so a Religious principle must both bring you near to (who in the fallen nature are afar of, from God, Eph. 2. 13.) Psal 73. ult. But al­so must bind your shppery heart fast to God, that you may be Gods bundle, tyed up on Earth, to be carried up to Heaven. Religion is the girding up of the loins of your mind, Luk. 12. 35. 1 Pet. 1. 13: and he that is [Page 9] thus ungirt, is certainly (according to the Pro­verb) unblest also.

13. There is, 1. A Natural Religion where­by Man fashions his thoughts, words, and deeds according to the light and law of Nature; here­by also he hath a good or a bad opinion of him­self, according to the Conformity or Incon­formity to Natures light and law. And the more that the understanding of Man is enlight­ned, the stronger is the obligation (or bond) to all duties of this Natural Religion. But alas, such darkness hath befallen the Gentile Natural Religion, that they have made Gods of men; and when they have so done, brings down those Gods to play the men in murders, thests, and rapes, as their own Poets are not ashamed to tell us. 2. There is the Jewish-Re­ligion, which binds them to conform to all those Laws (Moral, Judicial, and Ceremonial) and to observe them according to the intention of the lawgiver, and to judg of themselves by their having or wanting Conformity to those Laws. 3. The Turkish-Religion (in a word) makes sensuality the best happiness, and there­fore to be abhorred by all that love Holi­ness.

14. (4.) The Popish-Religion (which is almost as bad as the Mahometanism, or the Turkish, as Opander in his Epitom 12. Centur. pag. 275. large quarto sheweth) by its Do­ctrine of Merit and Supererogation, &c sets up Man, and not God, yea makes God a debtor [Page 8] [...] [Page 9] [...] [Page 10] to Man; to say nothing how it is pompous and flesh pleasing, allowing of equivocations, of buying and selling of pardons; how it re­lies on the Infallibility of wicked Popes, it hoodwinks the Laity, it worships stocks and stones, it overthrows Christs Humanity by giving to it ubiquity; it destroys Christ's Sa­tisfaction by purgatory and perfection, it be­fools Temporal Princes, it denies assurance, it tolerates open stews, it damns all Infants that dye unbaptized, and much more of the same bran, therefore it is not obligatory, or bind­ing to you (as the word Religion signifies) be­ing a mere cento of Judaism and Heathenism, and a composition of lying Doctrines: 'Tis Divine Truth, and not Humane Error that binds the conscience.

15. (1) There is the Protestant-Religion, which truly abases Man, and exalts God. Those be the two Properties of the true Re­ligion, and such as do not so, are always to be suspected for false Religions. This last teaches us, that a man, being united by faith to Christ, believes in him both for Satisfaction and Salvation, though he come short of Gods Glory and his own Duty, hoping to be saved by the Righteousness of Christ, and not by any Righteousness of his own: It holds out recon­cilement to God, and communion with God as the end, and the Covenant of Grace as the means to that end. Thus doth it bind God and Man together after the great breach by [Page 11] the fall; yea, it binds Man to God, after his breaking from God, and teaches him rightly to worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the holy Scriptures.

16. There is but one true Religion that is binding to your soul: Diversity of Religion is against the Essence of God, which is but one; there is but one Truth, one true Religion that hath life and power in it, all other are but carcasses, yea spectrum's and phantasms. You must know, every difference in opinion makes not up a false and a differing Religion: Those that agree together in fundamentals, cannot be said to be of different Religions: there may be a ruffling the Fringe in circumstan­tials, where there is no rending the garment in substantials. Abraham and Lot may take several ways, yet be brethren still, yea, and be ready too to rescue each other from the com­mon Enemy.

17. Plato blessed God for three things 1. That he was made a man, and not a beast. 2. That he was a Gracian, and not a Barba­rian, 3. That he was a Philosopher, and not a Rustick. You may add to this God-blessing work, not only that you are born in a Re­gion of Religion (the land of Goshen, and valley of Vision), but that you are acquainted also with the power of it in your own heart: For, 1. Religion is the beauty and bulwark of your Nation; 'tis to it, what the Palladium was to Trey, which could never be destroyed, so long [Page 12] as they possessed it: 'Tis as Sampsons lock, which while he retains, he retains his strength also, and is unconquerable: therefore as the Gracians first stole away that Image of Pallas from Troy, and then destroy'd it: and as the Philistines cut Sampsons lock, and then con­quer'd him; So the Enemy of Truth would rob our Nation of Religion (which is its muni­ment, as well as its ornament, Zeph. 2. 5.) and then destroy it. Religion is our (turris a tuen­do) a Tower of defence, Isa. 5. 2, which is a Fort Royal against all Invaders. So long as the Tabernacle stood in Shiloh, the Kingdom flourished, and there were no Ichabods in it, but the Canaanites were subdued before them, Josh. 18. 1, &c. as if the stability of the Taber­nacle, had given stability to the Kingdom: The fall of the Tabernacle, was the fall of the King­dom, Psal. 78. 60, 61, 62; and that tribe pe­rished first, that lost the tabernacle first, ver. 67. Sion was double-top'd, on the one hill stood the Temple, and on the other the Pallace of the King, as if the latter had its lustre and safety from the former; that Nation that hath God nigh them (in Religion) is a great Nation, Deut. 4. 7; and desolate Nations may say, as Mary said in another case, Oh Religion, if thou had been here, our Nation had not dyed nor been destroyed. Though every shower (on our land) were a shower of gold, every stone in it a pearl, every beggar therein an honourable Senator, every fool as wife as Solomon, every [Page 13] weakling as strong as Sampson; yet wealth, honour, strength, and wisdom, yea all is gone, when this Ark (Religion) is gone: you may then sing a doleful lamentation (with Phine­ha's wife, 1 Sam. 4. 21.) the Glory is gone from England; Oh you would not live to see Religion dye, better you dead and gone (a hundred times) than Religion be dead and gone.

18. Religion, to wit, in the power of it, gives both a Relative and a real worth to your self in particular, as it gives beauty and safety to your Nation in General. 1. Real worth, it makes you of Gods treasure, Exod. 19. 5. of Gods jewels, Mal. 3. 17, whereof the world is not worthy, Heb. 11. 31. This makes you of the Blood Royal of Heaven, not only in Alliance, but in Union, though never so poor in the world. 2. Relative-worth; this makes you more excellent than your neigh­bour, (though never so great and honoura­ble, if irreligious), Prov. 12. 26. Hereby A­braham was a Prince among the Hittites, Gen 23. 6. When others are in Scripture call'd vile, you are precious; others chaff, you wheat; others reprobate silver, you refined gold; o­thers briars and thorns, you a noble vine, though your condition be never so mean in the world: A living dog (in this sense) is better than a dead lyon, Eccles. 9. 4. The Jews say, Those seventy souls that went down to Egypt with Jacob, were of more worth to God, than [Page 14] all the seventy Nations that were in the world besides: They are the excellent of the earth, Psal. 16. 3. better Gentlemen (as the word [...] signifies), Act. 17. 11. truly ho­nourable, Isa. 43. 2, 3. the very Chariots and horsemen of Israel. One religious man saves a land, Zech. 12. 5. Job 22. ult. Jer. 5. 1. And if God could have but found ten righteous and religious persons in five wicked Cities, he would not have destroyed them: 'Tis remark­able, Abraham lest begging, before God left baiting, he might possibly have brought God to a lower number, yea, if but one in Jerusalem, Jer. 5. 1. he would have saved it.

19. You must therefore put an high estimation on Religion: 'tis the field wherein the pearl of great price lyeth, and you are a wise merchant if you purchase that field, Matth. 13. 44, 45. Whatever it cost you, you cannot pay too dear for this gold, nay, for this that is better than gold, yea, than the finest gold, Job 28. 15. five several sorts of gold are there mentioned, in­timating, if there be one sort of gold finer than another (as indeed there is), yet the finest thereof is not comparable to this heavenly wisdom, yea, 'tis more precious than Rubies, Prov. 3. 13. & 8. 10, 11. Solomon (by his ad­vantage of sublime wealth and wisdom) had even ransacked the whole Creation, to find out the most exquisite excellency of all created beings, yet he proclaims the vanity and insuf­ficiency of them all, and prefers this above [Page 15] them all; and Paul (that great trader by sea and land, 2 Cor. 11. 23, 25, 26.) counts all but dung and dross, yea dogs-meat (as the word [...] quasi [...] signifies), Phil. 3. 8. in comparison of the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. 3. 8. If the mountains of the earth were all pearl, and the might rocks thereof were Rubies, yea, if the whole Globe of the Earth were one sparkling Diamond; yet all this could not be weighed against the worth of Godliness; one grain of grace is bet­ter than all the vast Entrado's of Spain, then the gold of Ophir, yea, than all the riches of both Indies: 'tis better to be rich in faith, than in gold, and a man with a gold-ring is not comparable to a man with a gracious heart, faith is more precious than gold, 1 Pet. 1. 7, & 3, 3, 4. Gold is indeed the King of mettals, and outshines them all on Earth, (as the Sun outshines all the Stars in Heaven), yet is it but the shadow of this spiritual thing, Zech. 4. 12. Exod. 25. 17. Cant. 5. 11. Revel. 21. 18. Now there must be more worth in the substance, than in the shadow; therefore do not think you make a bad bargain, though you part with all your treasure, to purchase this field of treasure.

20. In a word. (1) 'Tis your best inheri­tance, that hath most satisfaction, and most du­ration in it; and therefore must you say with Naboth, God forbid I should part with my inhe­ritance, 1 Kings 21. 3. 'Tis just so much the [Page 16] best of blessings, as much as God is the best of beings, hold it then as your life. (2) 'Tis your best friend, that will not only abide with you in this world, (for there are no bankrupts herein that ever truly received its power), but 'twill also accompany you into a better world, Rev. 14. 13. Your first friend (Riches) cannot do so, though desired, that can only give some­thing towards the journey, to wit, a winding­sheet, and a Cosfin; your second friend (Re­lations) can only bring you a little on the way, to wit, accompany you to the grave. But this third and best friend (Religion) will go along with you to your journeys-end, and stand before the Lord, as being recorded in Gods Book of Remembrance. (3) 'Tis your best teacher, teaching you, (1) to own the Lord, as your right owner and true proprietary; you had not your being from your self, but from the first of beings, and so your being must be for God, as it was from God: you are not your own, 1 Cor. 6. 20; but you are his, not only by Creation, but also by choice, pur­chase, and conquest. 2. To acknowledg him your just governour, 'tis meet the Artificer should govern his own workmanship, however he deal with you; and he is too kind to do you harm, and too just to do you wrong. 3. To avouch him your best benefactor, more than a friend, a master, a father, or a husband, yea, a God that gives you a being and well­being too; Oh, cry with David, The God of [Page 17] my mercy, Psal. 59. 10. Therefore Religion must be your business, all other things but your by-busines. Aristotle studied Philosophy as his [...] in the morning; Eloquence (as his [...] in the evening only. No concern like Salvation of the Soul.

21. The second Name is Godliness, this hath life and power in it. There may be many carcases and forms of Religion, but there is but one life, one power; ther is a forme of knowledg, Rom. 2. 20. and a forme of godliness, 2 Tim. 3. 5. yet both may want the power: you may live by a forme, but you cannot die by a forme. Tis the power of godliness that is godliness indeed. Godliness quasi Godlikeness, it makes you like God (as ungodliness makes you un­like God) holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16.

22. As Godliness is the recovery of the Image and likeness of God, which man lost by ungodliness (in eating the forbidden fruit:) So 'tis the whole frame of grace spreading (like blessed leven) over all the three measures of meal (not only the understanding, will and memory, but also the Body, Soul and Spirit) Matth. 13. 33. 1 Thes. 5. 23. through the gracious overshadowings of the holy Ghost. Godliness is (as it were) God manifest in the Flesh: 1 Tim. 3. 16. as God was manifest in the flesh of his Son ( [...]) bodily, Col. 2. 9. Joh. 1. 14. So God is manifest in the [Page 18] Flesh of his Saints ( [...]) Spiritually, as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are (all) said to take up their abode, and to live, to dwell, to tabernacle and to temple in them: Joh. 14. 23. & 17. 23. Gal. 2. 20. Eph. 3. 17. Revel. 21. 3. 1 Cor. 6. 19. Rom. 8. 11, &c.

23. Godliness is a compound of all the graces of the Spirit, as so many Ingredients to the making up of this blessed Composition: 'tis the life and exercise of every grace, of faith and love, of joy, peace and praise, of Self­denial and devotion, of patience and obedi­ence, of hope and perseverance. It containes in it your trusting in God, your worshipping of God, and your obedience to God; yea lastly, your very Victory and Triumph over all your Enemies, the flesh, the World and the Devil: Godliness therefore must be the main thing that you must look for and labour after, as 'tis the main thing that God looks after, Psal. 14. 2. God looked down from Heaven, what for? Not to see how fair, how strong, how Rich, how great, how Honourable Men were, but how good, how godly, how Righ­teous, how Religious they were.

24. Hence Solomon tells you, that wisdom is the principal thing, and with all your get­ting you must get it principally, Prov. 4. 7. and one greater than Solomon (even your bles­sed Saviour) bids you, Seek first the Kingdom [Page 19] of God, and all other things shall be added unto you, (as paper and pack-threed are cast into the bargain) Matth. 6. 33. Godliness is the Sublimest wisdom, 'tis wisdom that is from above, Jam. 3. 17. and the fear of God is the beginning of this wisdom, Psal. 111. last. Deut. 4. 6. Yea 'tis not only the beginning of it, but 'tis also the middle and the ending thereof too. Say the world what it will, Godliness is the greatest gain, 1 Tim. 6. 6. and brings a great deal of gain with it be­sides it self, though it self be great gain. God­liness is great gain of it self, though no more be gained but it self, having the promises of both lives annexed to it. 1 Tim. 4. 8. 'Tis a fat land, and fruitful of all sorts of blessings, at its gates are all manner of pleasant fruits laid up for those that do inhabit it, Cant. 7. last. 'Tis a tree of life on which do grow Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal blessings, and you may count all the Stars sooner than all the mercies that come flying upon the wings of Godliness.

25. Yea Godliness is not only great gain, but 'tis better than gain, for you cannot carry your gain, 1 Tim. 6. 7. out of the World, but you may your Godliness, and your works (of Piety) shall follow you into a better world, Revel. 14. 13. besides Godliness is such a blessed thing in it self, that it is a reward to it self: in, (as well as for) keeping Gods commandments [Page 20] there is great Reward, Psal. 19. 11. there­fore look upon it as not only your duty but also your priviledg, not only your work but your reward too. Wickedness is a punishment to it self in the many Cordoliums and heartquakes that do attend it; but Oh the peace and plea­santness that is found in the pathes of Divine wisdom, Prov. 3. 17. a sweet tranquillity of mind doth always attend upon a Godly life.

26. You may aske all those blessed spies which the Lord hath sent to spie out this Land of Godliness, as they did the Land of Canaan, Numb. 13. 17, 18, 19, 20, 27. they can tell you that the Land is a good Land, a fat (not a lean) Land, a land that floweth with Milk and Honey, and they can shew you some of those blessed clusters of Canaans grapes, saying this is the fruit of the land. The plagues of the Lord fall upon those that bring an evil report upon this good land, Numb. 13. 32. with 14. 37. The Apostle tells you that God­liness is profitable unto all things. The Baby­lonians (faith Plutarch) make 360 commo­dities of the Palm Tree, but there is a ( [...]) a thousand benefits to be got by godliness: Riches, Honours, Delights, Pleasures, life and length of days; Seed and posterity are all entailed upon godliness, Prov. 3. 15, 16. Oh who would not then turn Spiri­tual purchaser, and with all his gettings get [Page 21] Godliness (with any pains, and for any price) the least dram whereof is saving, and so bet­ter worth then the Riches of both Indies.

27. They bring up an evil Report upon this good land that slanderously say, Godliness doth beggar Men: whereas 'tis more truly said that ungodliness doth begger Men. That this contrary is the truth; the Vales of God­liness are above the wages of wickedness, the gleanings of the former is above the whole Vin­tage of the latter; do but look into the world and you may behold many fair Estates have been melted away by Whoredom, Idleness, Pride and Drunkenness. Such ungodly wretches are doubly undone by their own ungodliness, they are undone in this life, and undone in the life to come; while the little that a godly Man hath (by a special blessing of God upon his godliness) doth encrease to a thousand, Psal. 37. 16. Abraham, Job, David, and others were richer than any; and so might Men be now, If they could (or would) be as godly as they were. They sought godliness and Gods Kingdom first, and therefore other things sought them: and so they would do us, would we or could we but run the same me­thod. They did not read Gods truth back­ward, making Earth their Throne and Heaven their footstool, as the Heathens, Vertue after Money: Philosophy teaches to seek first (bona Animi) the good of the Soul; and Divinity, [Page 22] (Regnum Dei) the Kingdom of God; then the over-plus shall be added as the wise God Judges meet: the Proverb of blind Popery shall shame those slaunderers, Meat and Mat­tens never hinders thrift.

28. Another evil report upon godliness is, that it destroys all mirth, delight and pleasure: alas Swine think that sheep have no pasture, because they feed not upon draff as they do. So the wicked World accounts godliness a Melancholy fancy; Whereas the way of it is a way of pleasantness, Prov. 3. 17. And its paths are paved with peace: righteousness hath not only peace, but also Joy in the holy Ghost, Rom. 14. 17. God doth not grudge nor envie our delights and pleasures, only he would not have them sensual; he allows to have pleasure, but he would not have us live in pleasure, Jam. 5. 5. You may take delights, but delights may not take you: you may be merry, but you must not be mad, Mirth is not forbidden any further then is Inconsistent with your Eter­nal good; Godliness doth not abolish it, but rectify it: Religio est loeta, non dissoluta, 'tis a pleasant not a loose thing. God would not have our Isaac (or laughter, or Joy, or de­light) to be sacrificed; tis only the Ram that must be slain and offer'd up to God, those rank and rammish delights in worldly vanity and villany (quorum gaudia Crimen habent) wherein the Devil is our play fellow.

[Page 23] 29. The third evil Report Men bring up against godliness, is, that it shortens a Mans life by the practice of mortification, self-denyal, and abstinence from worldly comforts. Cujus contrarium Verum est. The quite contrary (you may be sure) is the very truth, for 'tis not Piety but Impiety that shortens the life of Man. Temperance is the grand preservative of health, and Intemperance is notoriously destructive to life, as the Book of nature teacheth you: moreover, the Book of Scripture further assures you, that length of days is promised to godliness. Deut. 6. 2. & 30, 19, 20. Psal. 34. 12, 13, 14. Prov. 2. 21, 22. & 3. 16, 22. 4. But the ungodly shall not live out half their days, Psal. 55. last. Nether can you think it probable that so good a Landlord as God is, should thrust those Tenants out of their dwellings, that payeth their Rent so duly and daily: No, God will powre out his In­dignation upon such Persons and Families as Call not upon his Name, Jerem. 10. 25. the non payment of this Lords Rent of prayer doth (as it were) uncover the Roof for Gods Curse to be rained down upon Mens Tables, Beds, Enterprizes, All.

30. A fourth slaunder put upon Godliness, is that it makes Parents negligent and careless in providing for their Children: Whereas in truth, such provision for Children as is not according to godliness, is (as Jacob said to his [Page 24] Mother) a laying up a Curse for them, and not a blessing, how many ungodly Parents leaves Jobs Legacy to their Children, in laying up Iniquity for them (as well as Inheritances) Job. 21. 19, when God punishes the Sins of Fathers upon the Children, as 2 Sam. 3. 29. Joab must have the honour of a General, with a Vengeance to him and his: And Gehazi must have seven hundred and fifty Pound to buy land withal, and with a Vengeance too to him and his, 2 Kin. 5, 23, 27. And surely they are mad Parents that will damn their own Souls, in providing only for their Childrens bodies: on the other hand Godly Parents lay up a stock of prayers for their Children, of wrastling with God, that no one Chip of the old blocks should become sewel to everlasting burnings; and they are the Travel of some Mothers Souls, as they had been (at their births) the Travel of their bodies: besides, the rule of God­liness teaches Parents to lay up for their Chil­dren, 2 Cor. 12. 14. Jacob could say, [and when shall I provide for my own House also] Gen. 30. 30, and they are worse than Infidels that do not, 1 Tim. 5. 8, yet dare not turn stones into Bread, at the Devils bidding, for them, but what God gives, leaves it them with a blessing.

31. A fifth slaunder put upon it, is, that it looseth friends: whereas indeed it gaineth Friends, making Enemies to become Friends, [Page 25] when your ways please the Lord. Prov. 16. 7, as Jacobs did, when Laban pursued him with one Troop, and Esau affronted him with ano­ther; yet God so wrought for his godly Ser­vant, that he had peace with both, and a kiss from both; you need not to fear Men, if you be in league with God.

In a word, Godliness is (6ly.) slaundered, as the way to be despised, whereas riches and honor are in its left hand, Pro. 3. 16, as length of days (in eternal happiness) is in her Right. Godliness may better say to us then Balak to Balaam, come and I will promote thee to great Honor this should be a Cogent Argument. It did no less to Joseph, David, &c. Such as honour God (in ways of Godliness) God will (un­doubtedly) honour them either here or here­after or both, 1 Sam. 2. 30.

32. The third name that is usually given to that service which Man doth owe to God, (as his Servant,) is Christianity, which hath not only a respect to God the Creator, but also to Christ the Redeemer; it being a sin­cere Imitation of the Holiness of Christ ac­cording to your power. This is that which must devote you and dedicate you to Christ, and make you Imitate the Holy life which your Lord did lead upon Earth: all that look for Salvation by Christ must purify themselves as he is pure, 1 Joh. 3. 3. you cannot be a Christian, unless you comport and conform to [Page 26] that Purity and Holiness that was in Christ: you must learn of the Holy Child Jesus, to be Holy in all manner of Conversation, and though you cannot take such long strides in ways of Holiness as he did, though you can­not do what you ought, yet you ought to do what you can, (as 1 Sam. 28. 2.) Say you to God (as David to the King) thou shalt surely know what thy Servant can do: your Holi­ness must be like to Christs in quality or kind, though it cannot be in (Equality) or Mea­sure.

33. This is that which gave the Honour­able Name of Christians first at Antioch, Act. 11. 26, which Name was given by Divine direction (as the word [...]) signifies, warned of God. So the same word is Rendred, Heb. 11. 7. for the Divine Oracle had pro­mised to give a new Name to the Saints, Isa. 62. 2. & 65. 15. here it was accomplished, to wit, at Antioch, so much Honour had this City, that from thence Christ spreads his Banner, that it might appear to the World, that he had a people that would own him, and that would glory to be called by his Sacred Name, who were call'd Nazarens before, Act. 24. 5, which were certain Hereticks that jumbled Christ and Moses together, Baptisme and Circumcision (as now some do the seventh day and the Lords day) to bring the greater disgrace upon the Christian Religion, Godwin [Page 27] Hebr. Antiqu. Pag. 39, 40. Hence 'tis thought that the Church at Antioch, (being Divinely directed) in detestation of this New-bred Heresy, (fastened upon them by the Name of Nazarens) forsook that Name, and called themselves Christians. Junius in paralel. Lib. 1, 8.

34. Then was the partition-wall thrown down, and the dividing Names of Jew and Gentile ended in this New and Honourable Name, which before was promised to Sion, as above. There was a Coalition of Jew and Gentile into one Church, and (by Conse­quence) an abrogation of the differing Names. Hence this common Name was given to both (believing in Christ) by God himself according to his promise; but Oh what a shameful thing it is, that this New and Honourable Name should be at this day a Name of Reproach, amongst the Papists in Rome and Italy, by whom it is usually abused to signify a fool or a dolt; as Dr. Eulke on Act. 11. in his Annotations upon the Rhem. Testam.) plainly proveth out of their own Authors: Thus those same, who have changed Gods glory into their own shame (as to things) in their Super­stition and Idolatry, have done no less (as to Names) in their ignorance and debauchery, by a righteous Judgment of God upon them, 2 Thes. 2. 11.

[Page 28] 35. But you must know that a Worthie Title is put upon you, an Honourable Name is given to you in your becoming and being a Christian, (which signifies the Anointed of the Lord) even the sacred Name of Christ (of whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named, Eph. 3. 15,) is called upon you: A name that will honour you, if you honour it, and that will highly exalt you, if you exalt it. Austin tells of one who had a Crown set upon his head, consisting indeed of many Crowns, (as he was an Emperour) yet he made not all this the Crown of his rejoycing; but prefer'd this as a greater Crown, that the name of Christ was called upon him; this he accounted his greater honor: and the Title to Psalm. 118. shews you, that David accounted it a greater honour to be the servant of the Lord, than to be the King of Israel. The highest Title or name upon the Earth is nothing to this, no though it should endure so long as the Earth en­dures, here's Eternity of Honour, and such an Honour, as reaches from Earth to Hea­ven.

36. The great difficulty you will find is to Answer this Name, to honour and exalt this Name, that it may honour and exalt you: 'tis an easy matter to be a Christian in name, but to be a Christian indeed there's the diffi­culty; to have our natures to Answer our [Page 29] name (as to have self to crucify self) is no easy work, if you be but almost a Christian, as Agrippa, you shall be but almost happy too. You will not find it easy to offer an holy vio­lence upon your self, even to the plucking out of your right Eye, and the cutting off of your right Hand. Yet this you must do, if you will Answer your name, and be a Christian (indeed) and enter in at the strait gate by an holy violence, your heart is Weak, Ezek. 16. 30, as well as your hand; and no less than the mighty hand of God can enable you for this mighty Work.

37. Therefore I must tell you, the Holy Scripture owns none to be Christians but such as be according to Christ, and as the Anointed of the Lord: there is a powerful influence in true Christianity, that must spread it self over three things. 1. Over your Conscience, Heb. 13. 18, and therefore there must be the answer of a good Conscience, 1 Pet. 3. 21. 2. Over your Communication, Prov. 10. 20. your Tongue must be as choice Silver having a good Sound, by a tincture of the Spirit of Christ upon it. And 3. over your Conversation, Eph. 4. 1. you must be of a Christ-like Con­versation walking worthy of that high calling, Phil. 4. 13.

1. AS all those three names aforesaid, (to Wit, Religion, Godliness and Christi­anity) do joyntly agree in this one great truth, that man must serve his Maker both in heart and life according to his revealed Will; not only in the harsher dispensation of Moses (whose first Miracle was the turning water into blood) but also, and that especially, in the sweeter dispensation of the Messias whose first Miracle was, the turning of water into Wine, that cheers the heart of Man) and therefore Christianity (the last of the three) doth con­tain in it the whole duty of Man to God; yea in the nearest and dearest Relation, to wit, in Christ: even so, the last of those three (to which Christianity communicates an effect­ual influence) to wit, conversation, may (in its Latitude) comprehend the concerns of Con­science and communication also, as appears by the Sequel.

2. The Apostle Peter tells you of (all man­ner [Page 31] of Conversation) 1 Pet. 1. 15, and of (all holy Conversation) 2 Pet. 3. 11. Those two Expressions are extensive, comprehending the whole duty of Man (Relating to God, to himself, and to others) in thought, word and deed; all conversation, and all manner of conversation. There is one conversation of your thoughts, another conversation of your words, and a third conversation of your deeds, and all respecting either your God, or your self or others in wharsoever capacity or Relation you stand either in Church or World.

3. Touching your conversation in the gene­ral (before I descend into particulars) you must know it must be a worthy conversation, worthy of that sacred name that is called upon you, the more unworthy that a Christians conversation is, the greater pollution is cast upon that Sacred name which is put upon him: the more Sacred his name is, the greater is his guilt, and the more accursed. Such an one is the basest of Men, and like a wither'd Vine good for no use, Ezek. 15. 4. Or like Unsa­vory Salt not so much as good for the dung­hil, Matth. 5. 13. but to be trodden under foot.

4. 'Tis a good conversation that commends a Christian, and that only: heart-service doth (indeed) please God best, but never with­out life-service too, which honours God most. Matth. 5. 16, where the heart is made Suit­able [Page 32] to Gods nature, there the life will be Subject to his Law. If Christ have his throne upon your Conscience, his Scepter will ap­pear upon your communication and upon your conversation also. Thus an holy conversation doth not only commend a Christian before God, Angels and Men; but it also commends the God of the Christians to the World; they glorify their Father, Matth. 5. 16. Esa. 61. 9. Peil. 2. 15.

5. Besides, your Christian conversation must not only commend you for a Christian, but it must prove you to be a Christian. It would not be Miracles, if you could work them; nor Revelations; If you could be dignified with them; nor signes and wonders, if such a power were given from above to you, that could (any or all, severally or joyntly) prove you a Christian: All those have been given to workers of Iniquity, and such as have cast out Devils; have been cast out to Devils (them­selves at last) as Judas who was a Devil (himself) Matth. 7. 22, 23. Joh. 6. 2, 70. So then 'tis the conversation, which is all in all, and justifies before Men, yea and glorifies God too.

6. Our Lord saith thus of himself, if I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. Joh. 10. 37, his works should testify of him, what he was, Luk. 7. 20, 21, 22. His works must be the standard by which they must mea­sure [Page 33] him, whether he were the Christ or no, and so a fit Foundation for their Faith: Christs Vicar, the Pope (who causelesly calls himself so) will not say thus as Christ said; but will have all his precepts dispatched not disputed, obeyed, not examined (though we be bid to try the Spirits, 1 Joh. 4. 1,) and although by his evil Example he drew thou­sands to Hell, yet none must say so much as what dost thou?

7. Whereas works must be the standing standard, whereby all Men (as well as Christ) yea the Pope himself, must be measured, whe­ther they be in Christ, and Christ in them. If you do not the works of Christ (to wit, such as he hath proposed for your Example; Imitable works) 'tis a vain belief, yea a mere conceit only to think your self a Christian, and you do but put an everlasting cheat, upon your own Immortal Soul: your works tell the World, what you are, for those the World sees and hears, and by them you either glorifie your Father in Heaven, or give clear evidence, that you have denied the Lord, that bought you, 2 Pet. 2. 1, and would Redeem you from a Vain Conversation. 1 Pet. 1. 18, & 2, 12.

8. Tis true, you may be a Christian in truth though something of Sin remain in your heart, yet then it must not be liked there, Rom. 7. 15. and although something of Sin remain in your [Page 34] life; yet then it must not Reign there, Rom. 6. 14. And for the main course of your life, you must be chast, modest, temperate, meek, gentle, kind, and pittiful. You must bridle your passions, mortifie your inordinate af­fections; and in a word, exercise all the graces of his Spirit in you and Godliness, 1 Tim. 4. 7.

9. Your practice must be answerable to your profession. You who carry Christs name (that Sacred worthy name) how exactly should you carry your self, and what manner of per­son ought you to be, 2. Pet. 3. 11, even a person to admiration (as the word [...] signifies) how accurate and how elevated above the Ordinary strain! You must have your feet where other Mens heads are, Prov. 15. 24, the way of life is (above) to the wise; you must be a choice person as you have a choice name, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, 2. Thes. 1. 12. This glory of Christ shall re­bound unto your glory, and Christ accounts himself glorified therein.

10. You must therefore be Holy in all man­ner of Conversation, 1 Pet. 1. 15. your very civility must favour of Sanctity, and your common commerce relish of Religion: Ho­liness to the Lord should be Writ upon your Bridle when you Ride, and upon your Cups when you Drink, Zech. 14. 20, 21, you [Page 35] should (as 'tis said of a Reverend Divine) Eat and Drink and Sleep Eternal life; Those very common Actions are as so many Steps, in your Christian walk and way, and therefore you should not despise them, but (with all seriousness) refer them to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10. 31, do all to God and his glory.

11. Such as name the name of Christ should depart from Iniquity, 2 Tom. 2. 19, and this, loose professours not doing, doth exceedingly promote Atheisme. There is nothing enlarges the Gulf of Atheisme more then that [ [...]] wide passage between the profession and the practice of pretenders to Christianity: how can the profession of that be looked upon by others to be Honourable, the practice whereof is not looked on by themselves to be so? If the Sum of Christianity be good, why do they not practice it, and if it be not good, why do they so much as profess it.

12. See then that your Conversation may be in Heaven, while your commoration is on Earth, Phil. 3. 20, 'tis so; Ish. Exemplarily, while you are Writing by Heavens Copy: and 2dly. Analogically, according to Heavens Rule; living by Heavens Laws: yea 3dly. Theologically, going about your Earthly matters with an Heavenly mind; which a carnal heart (that makes Earth his Throne and Heaven his footstool) can never do: a Fly cannot make that of a flower that a Bee [Page 36] doth. The Carnal man is like to the Duke de Alva; that said, he had so much business upon Earth, that he had no leisure to look up to Heaven: but you must have so much bu­siness in Heaven, as to have no time to look down (so as to love the vain and vexing things hereupon Earth.)

13. You must set Christ before you as the most perfect pattern, of an Holy and Heavenly Conversation, who (as Athanasius said of him) while he went about doing good upon Earth, carryed about him every-where an Heaven; you must resemble Christ, (If you be a Christian) and walk as he walked: you must live as one that comes down from Heaven to Earth, and expects to go up from Earth to Heaven: Christ did his Fathers will upon Earth (and it was meat drink to him to do so, Joh. 4. 34,) as the Angels doth it in Heaven: you must Imitate Christ, and though you can­not do so in his Miracles, yet you may and must in his Morals; you must walk in Christs steps, here or never expect to rest in Christs bosome hereafter.

14. You must be the true Picture of Christ, (as every true Christian ought to be.) Every dawber cannot draw the Kings Picture; some such make strangers think strangly of the Kings Person, because of his dawbed ill-favoured pourtraiture. And shall those dawbers be punished for Exposing a Mishapen Picture of [Page 37] the Kings person to open View, then what shall become of those titular, (yet loose and licentious) Christians; (whose lives should be a lively Representation of Christ) If by their Carnal, careless, and scandalous Con­versations, they do cause the Name of Christ to be blasphemed among Unbelievers, that do Judg of him by this counterseit mishapen Representation. Surely Christ will not own those workers of Iniquity: Though they have prophesied in his Name, and eat and drunk in his presence. Matth. 7. 23. Men use to hang out their well-drawn Pictures (of some special friend) in the most conspicuous place, that it may appear to all beholders, they rejoyce in it as a grace and ornament to them: So must you shew forth the praises of him that hath called you, 1 Pet. 2. 9. If the Image of Christ be stamped upon your heart, you must shew it in your life, in a good Conversation. Jam. 3. 13.

15. Thus you ought to aske your own heart, whose Image and Super-scription is this? Is it Christs, or is it Satans? God for­bid, that Satan should Imprint his limbs and lineaments upon your Soul, unrased out by Christ; you have born the Image of the Earth­ly Adam (in your natural Estate) If you belong to Christ and Salvation, you must bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam. Christ­ianity (being both the Imitation and the parti­cipation [Page 38] of the Divine nature) is the redu­cing of the Image of the first and fallen Adam, into the second; 'tis the bringing back of the Earthly Image, of fallen Man into the Heaven­ly Image of the holy God; wherein Man was first Created in Righteousness and true Holi­ness, 1 Cor. 15. 48, 49. Eph. 4. 24. This being done for you and in you, you have the Right Picture of Christ, your practice answering both your principles and profession.

16. The true Christian is like a pair of com­passes, that keeps within compass; the one foot, to wit, his principles, standing fast in the Centre, and the other foot, to wit, his practice, walking round the circumference, yet both feet do correspond sweetly toge­ther in paralel lines, each with other. Thus ought there to be a sweet Harmony, betwixt your principles and your practice, and your Conversation must not give the lie to your profession: you must make straight your paths, Heb. 12. 13. 1 Sam. 6. 12. The Kine held strait on their way to Bethshemesh. So must you to the house of the Sun of Righteousness, (as the Word Bethshemesh signifies) your Eyes must look Right on, and your Eyelids look straight before you, Prov. 4. 25. 'Tis the crooked Serpent, Esa. 27. 1, that brought Man to crooked wayes, Psal. 125. 5. Corrupt Nature runneth in a Crooked channel, but 'tis Christs work to make things crooked straight, Esa. 40. 4.

[Page 39] 17. Some creatures are commended for be­ing comly in their goings, Prov. 30, 29, sure I am, every true Christian should be so, he should lead a convincing life, and be of a comly and commendable conversation, such an one as becomes the Gospel, Phil. 1. 27, and as be­cometh Holiness, Tit. 2. 3. both young and old, Male and Female should be of a comly deportment; you must walk worthy of God, who hath called you to his Kingdom and glory, 1 Thes. 2. 12, his livery you must wear, his Image you must bear, and his Kingdom you are called unto, and therefore you must carry as Children of a King, Judg. 18. 18, and as Children of the Kingdom. Remember (saith Menedemus to Antigonus, when he was to go to a Feast, where a Famous Harlot was to be a guest) that you are a Kings Son, do nothing unworthy of such an Honourable Title. Scipio African (when solicited to filthiness by an Harlot) Answered, (Vellem si non essem Im­perator) It is below an Emperor: and Nehe­miah said better, shall such an one as I flee? Neh. 6. 12.

18. A Godly conversation is very graceful to the Gospel, and the Gospel gains much glory by you, if you walk in the beauty of Holiness; you are called not only to his King­dom, but also to his glory; 1 Thes. 2. 12. and therefore the Spirit of glory should rest upon you, 1 Pet. 4. 14. This is the smooth [Page 40] bark that evidences the good Tree (as well as the Root, bole, branches, leaves and fruit) to be a Tree of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord, Isa. 61. 3, to be of Gods (not of the Devils) planting and watering; a clear­skinn'd Tree (not full of Bur-knots) is the most hopeful for fruit. So is the Man that hath a shining conversation: as the shining of Moses face, so the shining of your life, doth evidence you have been with God in the Mount. They took notice of the Apostles that they had been with Jesus, Act. 4. 13. This makes even a Nebuchadnezzar confess, these are the servants of the most high God. Dan. 3. 26. Those Virgin-Souls that followed the lambe, had their Fathers name Writ in their foreheads, Revel. 14. 1, 4. though you shall be Judged, according to Men in the flesh, yet should you live according to God in the Spirit, 1 Pet. 4. 6. and not do folly in Israel, Gen. 34. 7.

19. The Levitical Law doth likewise tell you, what beasts are clean, and what unclean, all which are a shadow of things to come, Col. 2. 16, 17. Whereby Israel was taught to study purity, and to know that the very Creatures are (all) defilled, with Mans Sin. Those beasts were accounted clean, that both chewed the Cud, and divided the hoof. There­fore the Camel was numbred amongst the un­clean, though he chewed the Cud; because­he divided not the hoof, by all which you must [Page 41] understand (in Levit. 11. 3. &c.) That it is not enough for you to ruminate upon the word of God; in your most serious Meditations (which is your Spiritual chewing of the Cud) but you must part the hoof too, in putting a difference betwixt good and bad Actions. You must not only think on the Commandments of God, but so think on them, as to do them, Psal. 103. 18. Cleansing your self from all filthiness hoth of flesh and Spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1. you must not only profess the word, but you must practice it also; you must add to your Faith, Virtue, Temperance, &c. 2 Pet. 1. 5. and then are you accounted a clean Sacrifice to the Lord. To practice Sermons you hear is the best kind of Repeating Sermons; live Sermons as well as hear them.

20. As the Law concerning clean beasts, Levit. 11. 6, doth teach you that good Me­ditation should end in a good Conversation, (for a Copy is not only to be Read over,) (by him that learns to Writ) but it must be Written after also, and Lessons of Musick must be practiced by those that would learn it.) So the Law concerning clean Fishes teachs you the same; they must have Fins and Scales. First Fins to steer their motion, so must you have the Fins of knowledg, Faith, and Divine dispositions to direct you, and to set you for­ward in the things of God. And secondly [Page 42] Scales for smoothing their passage, for their Ornaments and safety: So your Scales of good works must be set so close and so neer one another, that no Air (of Temptation) may come between them; as Job. 41. 15, 16, 17. Levit. 11. 9. You must have the Scales of Piety, Patience, and the Fins (which are as Wings) of Divine affections, to carry you cheerfully end ways into Divine Actions, that you may be holy as God is, Ver. 44. (which is the end of this Law) and clean meat to Gods sight and palate.

1. HItherto of Conversation in General (which is the Practick part of Re­ligion, Godliness, and Christianity) now of a Religious, Godly, and Christian Conver­sation in particular (which is a large Field of discourse.) You have here a breviary thereof contracted into a narrow compass; wherein you may View the whole Duty of Man to God, and Man in Respect of the Conversation; the Agenda, or things to be done, besides the Credenda, or things to be believed. I told you before, there is the Conversation of your thoughts; as to that, I refer you to that Religious Duty of Meditation; which fol­loweth here, there is another Conversation of your Tongue, as to that, I refer you to that Religious Duty of Conference; which fol­loweth also in 'its place here. As to your Conversation in natural and civil Actions, (which is not my present Work) I refer you [Page 44] to my Crown and glory of a Christian from, Page the 78. to Page 121. Wherein you have directions to guide you therein.

2. Religious Duty in (the Walk of a Christian) is therefore a comprehensive Word, and contains in it the All of mans duty both to God and to Man: as the first Table in the Decalogue is before the second Table. First in Order, because first in nature and Excel­lency. I shall begin therefore with your duty to God in Religious Actions. And first with Meditation: which is a Scripture duty, Phil. 4. 8, that all the Sons and Daughters of Abra­ham, should live in the practice of: as Isaac did, Gen. 24. 63, the heir of Abraham; you must walk in Abrahams (and in this Son of Abrahams) steps, in this World, If you would lodge in Abrahams bosome (that Sy­nonymon of Heaven) in the World to come: alas, those licentious times have (almost) Antiquated, the power and practice of this Religious Duty, in which you should be con­versant all your days. This holy Patriarch was not of so loose a mind, as those in our loose times, that would spend the evening of the Sabbath in Sports and pastimes, for he spent the Evening in holy Meditation.

3. The Word [Shuach] in the Hebrew. Signifies to speak with a low voice, as in the heart, and the Word in the Septuagins, [ [...]] Signifies a satiating Soliloquy; [Page 45] as if Isaac had his fill of Divine talking, both with his God, and with his own heart. It was his holy Exercise and Recreation (thinking the latter part of the day as fit for Acts of Holiness as the former part was.) It was a pleasant and delightful pastime (as the Greek Version is) to the Patriarch, and he found more heart-Ravishing complacency in it, then can be found in all the delights of the Sons of Men; and no less it was to the Prophet, who professes he found more transcendent sweetness in Meditating on the Word, then in the honey or in the honey-comb. Psal. 19. 10. & 94, 19. & 139. 17. & 119. 103. he found marrow and Gold, yea better in it.

4. Oh then, do you account it your duty and your priviledg, to take a few turns daily upon this Mount Tabor of Divine Contem­plation, which is an Heaven upon Earth, a beginning of the beatifical vision, an Employ­ment (as it is in a manner without the body) plainly Angelical: 'tis an handsel of Happiness and a Foretast of Heavenly Joy. Oh, who would not but be an Anchorite, to be pent up in the Voluntary Prison-walls of this Reli­gious Action, and to say with Peter, 'tis good being here. No doubt but Moses was ravished in Spirit all the 40. days he conversed with God; yet longs he still for more, crying, I beseech thee shew me thy glory, Exod. 33. 18.

[Page 46] 5. Objection, but you will say, how can such a duty be so delightful, that is so difficult? to this I Answer, by Similies, difficulty and delight may be found in one and the same Action; there may be difficulty in the begin­ning, and delight in the progress and ending: the root may be Bitter, and the fruit Sweet. 1 Simile, 'Tis in this duty, as it is in the heat­ing of an Oven, the first kindling of the fire in it may be not only difficult, but painful, the fewel must be set on fire; and then it must be blown up (with labour) into a Flame: after that the Oven begins well to warm, the fewel will then catch and kindle of it self; no sooner is a stick thrown into the Oven, but presently 'tis all on a blaze: So where there is but a little sparke of grace, in the heart at first, it requires some paines to blow it up into a Flame, but when the heart is once heated with the true Flames of Love, then doth it enflame all the thoughts, and sets the affections on fire; insomuch that then this duty will not only be without difficulty, but with much delight.

6. 2 Simile, 'Tis with your heart, as it is with that wax, which hath been laid in cold places, it thereby becomes hard and unpliable to your hand, insomuch that it will break ra­ther then bend: but if laid a while in the Sun or by the fire, or if wrought a while in your warm hand, then doth it soften and [Page 47] become pliable, and so capable of any Im­pression. Thus will it be with you in this Divine duty, the greatest difficulty lyes in your entrance into it; for corrupt nature and carnal principles will put forth a repugnancy against it, and therefore flesh must be put to silence in this blessed duty, which is (mainly) the exercise of the Spirit in you; the expe­rience of all ages tells you (as well as your own.) 3 Simile, that the entrance into Learn­ing is attended with difficulties and discourage­ments; but when once the Nut-shell is crack'd, and the sweetness of the Kernel tasted, then do youth pass through all difficulties with de­light, till at last they become Famous Instru­ments in Church or State.

7. 4 Simile, This duty is (indeed) as the climbing upon some high Tree, Monument or Mountain, all hard Work; but then there is a blessed compensation for all your paines at the top of all these. First, at the top of this Tree of life, there be the choicest fruits to nourish up your Soul, to eternal life. Secondly, at the top of this Monument of mercy, you have the most lovely and Soul-refreshing and heart ravishing prospect, even transforming and transfiguring you into the glory of it. Thirdly at the top of this Mountain of God, and of Holiness you may behold not only the Kingdomes of this lower World and the Va­nity of them (quite contrary to the Devils [Page 48] land-skip showed to your Lord) but also the glories of a better World (as Moses from the Top of Pisgah) the upper land of Canaan, that transendently flows with Milk and Honey. Digging in Mines of the Earth; a pressing of grapes in the Wine press, &c. Are both hard works; yet finding fine Gold in the Mines of the Scriptures by this Spiritual digging, and a rich Wine flowing from this blessed Wine­press of Divine Meditation, will make a satisfactory Amends for all your paines at last.

8 Having removed this Objection out of your way (as Amasa's body was out of the Armies way, that their March might not be hindred, 2 Sam 20. 12, 13.) Let us now pro­ceed to shew as (Ist.) how pleasant this duty is; so (2ly.) how profitable both to your self and to others. 1. Io your self upon a two­fold account. 1. For preventing evil. Belzebub (that Prince of Flies) cannot Fly blow your heart so long as it is boiling a good matter, Psal. 45. 1. (Hobr.) in Divine Meditation. Flies will not touch honey while it is Teething hot. 2 For promoting good, hereby you may obtain more familiar Acquaintance, with your God, and a more distinct understanding of your self, both which are worth a Kingdom. 2ly. 'Tis profitable to others, for Meditation makes a Man a full Man; it makes him accom­plished to serve out his Generation, and to be [Page 49] a blessing to every Relation round about him: It fully furnisheth him for every good Work, 1 Tim. 4. 15. & 2 Tim. 3. 17.

9. As this duty is pleasant and profitable, So 'tis (3ly.) a necessary duty, as necessary as chewing the Cud is to beasts of that kind: and as a due retaining of food is to man as well as beast, 'tis a general Observation that such persons, as do cast up their meat by vomit, or cast it out by stoole, as soon as they have eaten it, be always ill-thriven persons; for though the stomack may catch hold of some small parcel of the food; and thereby main­tain a life (such as it is) for a time, yet is it no better then a life-less life, 'tis a life so filled with distempers, that it becomes a bur­den to it self; whereas when the food is re­tained, and a due fermentation is wrought in the Stomach, to a compleat concoction; then is nourishment Ministred, (as Col. 2. 19.) to all the parts, which makes a strong, healthy and well-liking constitution. As it is thus in the life natural: So 'tis in the Spiritual, Psal. 119. 11. Luk 9. 44. & Job. 8. 37. Gods word hid and sunk, in the heart that has a Room for it, makes a thriving fat Christ­ian.

10. Meditation (as it is a pleasant, profi­table, yea a most necessary, though much neglected duty) is two-fold, 1. Occasional. 2. Appointed. First occasional, wherein all [Page 50] occurrences of Temporal objects (occasionally met with) affords you some Spiritual Con­siderations: Note first, this requires a Spiri­tual heart, to make a Spiritual improvement of every Temporal object; that Divine pro­vidence presents to your Eyes, ears, and out­ward Senses: David made a profitable pro­spect of the Heavens, crying, Lord what is man! Psal. 8. and Christ at the Well of Shilo, (he who was Jacobs Shilo) speaks there of the water of life, Gen. 49. 10. Joh. 4. 10. &c. A good heart makes every external object a Divine blessing: the Husbandmans plowing, sowing and reaping, &c. The Trades-mans buying and selling, his weighing and measur­ing, &c. may afford you sundry Spiritual instructions: And note secondly, If you gain no more by them, then a bare beholding of them with the Eye, the very brutes gain as much as you. If you content your self with a bare natural use of the Creature without a Spiritual Improvement thereof, you get not the one half of that advantage by the Crea­ture, for which the Creator gave it you; the Beasts of the field, and the Birds of the Air, have so much themselves: you do not use the Creature, as Lord of the Creatures, so God made Adam. (Gen. 1. 26.) unless you find your Lord in the Creatures.

11. Every Creature preacheth to that Man, in whom the Spirit of God first inwardly [Page 51] preacheth: Note thirdly, you never need to want matter, if you want not an heart: you may be cast into such a Condition, as whereby you may be hindred from good Actions (as by sickness, Imprisonment &c.) But there is nothing in all the World, (save a naughty heart) can hinder you from good Medita­tions: go to the Ant, O sluggard, saith Solomon, do you see how busy she is in the Summer, to make provision for an hard Winter? how much more ought you to concern your self, in your Summer of health and strength, before the Winter of death, and Eternity come upon you: do you behold the Spider in your win­dow Spinning clammy threeds (out of her own bowels) and weaving cunning Webbs to catch and entangle the silly Flie, laying snares for her life? then consider (with a sigh) O how doth Satan all this (and much more) against my pretious Soul, and all out of himself too, (though you had not a desperately wicked heart, Jer. 17. 9. to assist him when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh it of his own. Joh. 8. 44. 'Tis the Devils cursed disposition, 'tis as impossible for Satan to do good, as it is for a Toad to spit Cordials.

12. Note fourthly, 'Tis richly worth your Observation also, that this Spiritual limbeck (Divine Meditation) doth not spoile the earth­ly Subjects, that it extracts Heavenly Instru­ctions out of, as material limbecks do plants, &c. [Page 52] (Put in them) leaving them Sapless and useless save only for burning. As the laborious Bee flies over a field of Flowers, sucks Honey out of each of them, yet leaves them all as fresh and as fragrant as before it found them: So you in extracting Coelestial Meditations, out of your Terrestrial Employments and Enjoyments, (which is the Sublimest Mellification) in stead of hurting or hindring them, you do verily, both advance them, and advantage, yea enrich your self. Note the fifth, In a word, you may not be like the foolish Child, when you look on the Book of the Creature, only to behold the gawdy Pictures and Babies therein, or to gaze upon the gilded leaves, and cover there of; but you must mind your lesson that every Creature doth especially learn you: the Stork, Crane, and Swallow, know their Seasons, Jer. 8. 7. the Ox knows his owner and the Ass his Masters Crib, Esa. 1. 3. and will not you learn from hence to know yours?

13. As to your further improvement of the Book of nature (with 'its 3. leaves of Heaven, Earth, and Sea) I refer you to my Crown and glory of a Christian. From Page 125. to 145. I now pass from occasional to Appointed Meditation, which is, the Souls setting of it's self apart, silently and seriously to work out some profitable Meditations, upon some chosen Subject (out of its own heart) throughly, at [Page 53] a fit time and in a fit place; thus Isaac went out into the field to Meditate (as above) Gen. 24. 63. That which concerns matter of knowledg, for finding out truth, doth chiefly belong to Students, Schollars, Ministers of the Gospel; but matters of affection for in­flaming our loves to God in Christ, and for abasing our selves to a self-abhorrency, this is of Universal concernment, the work of every Christian.

14. This blessed duty hath 'its beginning in the head, but 'its ending in the heart. (1.) 'Tis a pondering some Divine truth in your mind, until you be well acquainted with it, until you be seasoned with the Savour of it, until it settle and take rooting in your Spirit, until it beget in you good affections, and fire your Soul in love to that truth. (2.) 'Tis like the rubbing of a Man in a Swoon, it (as it were) chases in the Oile of grace with a warm hand or rather, with a warm heart. (3.) 'Tis like the selvedge that keeps all the loose threeds from ravelling out. (4.) 'Tis as the hammer that drives the nail of Divine truth to the very head. (5.) 'Tis as the Art of the Bee sucking Honey out of Flowers; then in your Soul a Spiritual Deborah, (which in Hebrew signifies a Bee) when it gathers the sweetness of many Spiritual Flowers, and then works it up in the Hive of the hidden Man of the heart. (Lastly) Meditation doth [Page 54] (after a sort) transform you into the Image of truth (as 2 Cor. 3. 18.) making truth one with you, and you one with it, and turning all you hear and Read into Juice and blood by a kindly digestion.

15 That you may manage this Meditation the better, and make work of your work; you must consider there be three main steps herein, to wit, 1. Ingress. 2 Progress. 3. E­gress: the first step is the hardest, (as is shewn above, Paragraph. 5. 6. 7.) therefore take those two grand Rules of Direction about your Ingress. (1. Your heart must be prepared. (2.) your subject must be profitable: as to the first you must pray your heart into a Meditating frame, a praying heart is the best Meditating heart; and a Meditating heart is the best praying heart, those two twin duties (like the City buildings shore up and succour each the other. It is said of Gersom, that he hath sometimes spent four houres in banishing bad thoughts, and in working up his heart into Tune for this Angelical duty. You may not begin this duty with a Raw and a cold (but always with a warm) heart: 'Tis a Rule in Physick; [Medicandum est cum coctis, non cum crudis,] Your thoughts will be Raw, till they be boiled in a warm heart, Psal. 45. 1. And raw Meditations have no heal­ing Vertue in them to a Sin-Sick-Soul.

[Page 55] 16. When you have (through Divine assi­stance) prepared (in some measure) your heart; then secondly, make choice of some profiting Subject, such as may edify your Soul: you must not come to the bush (which the Lord is in the midst of) with your shoes of Worldly-mindedness upon you. Exod. 3. 5. When you go up to Mount-Moriah with your offering you must (with Holy Abraham) leave the Servants and the Ass at the foot of the Hill, Gen. 22. 5. When you are (with Moses) to ascend this Mount of Meditation] the Law is peremptory, [the beast that touches the Mount shall surely die.] Exod. 19. 12, 13. you must be better then a beast, and more then a Man, yea you had need be an Angel for this Angelical work.

17 At your Ingress (or entrance) into this duty, you will find earthly thoughts to proffer themselves, and press upon you with Impor­tunity, but Heavenly thoughts must with Im­portunity be sued for and sought after. When you would think of Heaven and Heavenly things then will you thoughts of Earthly things lay Ambushments in your way, and Intercept you: those Birds, that have their Wings daubed with Bird-lime, cannot Flie, much less mount up towards Heaven: you may not be like Martha, who was cumbred about many things, but (with Mary) you must chuse the better part for the Subject of [Page 56] your Meditation: you may not be as the (Scarabeus or) Horse flie, that passes over a whole field of Flowers, and at last lights upon some filthy dung: you must rather be [a Deborah] a Divine Bee (as above) that flies over the dung with abhorrency, and fixes upon the most fragrant Flowers, or as the Noble Hawk in her flight, that passeth over Crows and Jack-daws (as unworthy of her pursuit) and falls upon Birds of better prey.

18. If yet worldly thoughts hinder your entrance upon your work, you must pray them away as Abraham did the fowles that trouble him in his Sacrifice, Gen. 15. 11. And though they be thoughts, that are need­ful enough (as how to care for your Family) at another time, yet must you then say to them as Hushai said of the Counsel of Achitophel, 'tis not good at this time, 2 Sam. 17. 7. Family-cares have their proper Season, but at this time they are unseasonable: Suppose yet further that several good thoughts do come together into your mind at once, know that this may hinder your entrance (through the wiles of Satan) also, as when a great many people crowd in at a door all at once, they all Stick fast and none can enter; In this case you must single out from the rest, your selected Subject that it may pass alone, without crow­ding, and reserve the rest to come singly on in their proper place and Season.

[Page 57] 19. Your selected Subject must be either something concerning God, or something concerning your self: First concerning God, either his works or his word. 1. Meditate on the works of God, not only on such as are common to the World (such as Creation and providence be) but also on such as are proper and peculiar to his Church and Children. We have thought on thy loving kindness, (saith the Church) Psal. 48. 9. (we have silently mused. Hebr.) it being better admired then expressed. So must you muse on Gods love to your Soul, (1.) on his electing love, O think with your Self, should not you give God a room in your heart at this time, who gave you a room in his heart before times, even from all Eternity, Eph. 3. 11. (2ly.) on his redeeming love, think then how God bestows Christ (the best of all things) even on you the worst of all things) for you know more evil to your self, then to all the World beside: think also, O this surpassing love of God in bestowing a Christ on you, and not on others, that (for ought you know) better deserved him, and (possibly) might have made a better Improve­ment of him. Joh. 14. 22.

20. And thirdly Meditate upon Sanctifying love, O wonderful condescension that ever the Spirit of Holiness, should vouchsafe to dwell in such a dirty dog-hole as your defiled Soul, and that an House of unclean Spirits, [Page 58] (it may be, a whole Legion of them, for as Luther saith, tot doemonia, quot crimina, So many Sins, so many Devils.) Should ever become the Temple of the Holy Ghost; And thus may you Meditate also upon Justifying love. Fourthly, which is such an Act of Divine grace, as is equally vouchsafed to the weakest (if true) as to the strongest Saint, to poor you (if a Christian in truth) as well as to great Paul or to the blessed Virgin: and eternity shall not add to the matter of it, though per­haps it may to the manner of it. Fifthly, upon Adopting-love, which makes Sons and Daughters of Children of the Devil, as well as of wrath, and gives a lease of the best Inheritance, not only for three lives, yea not only for a thousand years, but for eternity, even for ever and ever.

21. Lastly upon glorifying-love, whereof indeed you are not Capable, in this life. Peter got but a glimpse of it at Christs transfigur­ation, and he was plainly intoxicated with it, so that he wist not what he said, Matth. 17. 5. &c. O admire, that you (a worthless worm and wretch) should hereby become not only, [ [...]] like Angels, Matth. 22. 30. but even advanced above Angels, for glorifyed Saints are Sons of the Kingdom, when glorious Angels stand by, as servants. In a word, all these love-tokens are such transcendent privi­ledges, that they can never be enough thought [Page 59] on and admired; no, though you should think upon nothing else, and that so long as your life shall last, yea though you should live as long as the World shall last; and therefore God hath appointed an Eternity, in a better World, where you shall have no other Em­ployment, but to ponder them and to praise God for them; Singing Hallelujahs to him that sits upon the Throne for evermore.

22. As you must thus Meditate on Gods works, so secondly upon his word; whether precepts, or presidents, or promises, or Or­dinances thereof: all which have sweet Honey in them, to the Divine Bee: Your second Subject is concerning your self, as David did when he Eat in his Pallace. 2 Sam. 7. 14. Say­ing with an humble heart (Lord what am I?) Not, what am I not? As Nebuchadnozzar did, with an haughty Spirit, as he sat in his palace, Dan. 4. 29, 30. Humble David who had neither an haughty heart, nor a lofty Eye, Psal. 131. 1, 2. hath exceeding high thoughts of God, and exceeding low thoughts of him­self, he cannot name any thing bad enough to compare himself unto; in his (Lord what am I? he saith not, Lord, what a great Mon­arch am I? Or what a great Man am I? But he saith I am a worm and no Man, Psal. 22. 6. I am a dead-dog, or a Flea, 1 Sam. 24. 14. Lord what am I? O Imitate this Holy David, as you sit in your House! I am the least of [Page 60] Saints and greatest of Sinners. Eph. 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. But take heed of Nebuchadnez­zers self admiration, who Trumpets out his own glory when none asked him the Question; as if he had done all (whereas Babylon was built above a thousand years before he was born) and God that builds all Cities. Psal. 127. 1. had done nothing, God is not in all his thoughts, Psal. 10. 4. he exalts self and excludes God.

23. Your second step herein is progress, which is more easy then the first. As a Bird hath the greatest lift, when she rises up from off the Earth, but when once got upon the Wing, then she mounts up aloft, not only without much straining difficulty, but with much sporting complacency; then doth she sing out her Melodious note throughly, so long as she listeth and liketh, as (likewise) a Ship hath always the most difficulty to hale out of Harbour (where many times she stick­eth fast in the Mud) but if once got under Sail and a fresh gale of wind sitting right for her, O how she sports in the waters (as the Bird doth in the Air) and goes on gallantly towards her desired Haven; yea even in a stormy and tempestuous Sea, let her have but Sea-room enough, and then she feares not to be driven by the storm, either upon Rocks or Quick-Sands: as 'tis thus with Birds, Ships so with Bells, 'tis hard to get them up; [Page 61] when once raised then rung with ease and delight, just so it is with your Soul in this Divine work, all your difficulty is to get up from the low Earth upon the wing (with the Bird of the Air) and to get out of the mud­dy harbour (with the Ship of the Sea) under Sail, if once set a float and forward bound under a fresh gale of the Spirit of grace; O how merrily do you mount upwards (with the Bird) and how gallantly do you go end­ways towards the Cape of good hope (with the Ship) so that an entrance is administred unto you abundantly into the Heavenly Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1. 11. as it were, with Colours flying, Drums beating, Trumpets Sounding, yea with top and top Gallant entring into your Masters joy, Matth. 25. 21, 32.

24. For furthering your Progress, take these short directions. 1. Direct. when you have turn'd (what you should not think on) out of doors (as Sarah did Hagar) and taken in what is necessary, expedient and profitable for you to Meditate upon, then in Gods strength, Psal. 71. 16. you must view your Subject round about and observe all it's cir­cumstances as well as it's substance; thus the Psalmist counsels you (that you may think the better upon the loving-kindness of God in the midst of the Temple) to walk round about Sion; and tell the Towers of it, and mark well her bulwarks, yea consider her [Page 62] Palaces, &c. Psal. 48. 9, 12, 13. Until you fully and distinctly know all. 2. Direct. Then you must dwell upon it with your doubled and redoubled thoughts, and fix your Medi­tation, pondering it in your mind; until it have a kindly influence upon your affections, until it become a Rooted and Engrafted con­sideration: Mountains are barren, because the Rain of Heaven run's off from them; but valleys are fruitful, because it resteth there, the Wolf greedily swallows his meat (hair and all) so all goes from him into excrements, he presently voids all, so makes all void and never fatteneth. 3. Direct. Retain therefore your Subject and duty till you find something of God in it, dropping down upon your heart, till you find Elijahs God in Elijahs mantle working wonders for you. 2 King. 2. 14. Let neither go without advantage. 4. Direct. When you have found God (in your Subject and duty) retain him some while, as Abra­ham did the Lord Christ. Gen. 18. 3, 4, 5. saying, pass not away I pray thee from thy Servant, but rest with me for a while, &c. O then are you an happy Son or Daughter of Abraham, when you can thus engage the Lords stay with you in this Divine duty. 5. Direct. Forget not to retain your own slippery heart, 'twil linger as Lot in Sodom. If the Lord of Angels help you not. Gen. 19 16. be oft crying; O quicken this loitering heart, [Page 63] Psal. 119. 37. and O unite this treacherous heart. Psal. 86. 11.

25. Your third step is Egress; when you have (through grace) brought your Divine duty to some profitable Issue, then (1.) take down your Soul by degrees, and not all on the sudden: 'tis a dead Bird that falls down like a stone without hovering upon the wing, as the living ones do: as nature cannot endure any sudden alteration, so nor grace (Deus & Na­tura non faciunt saltum) God and Nature make no leaps. (2.) Direct. When down, review your whole perambulation; wherein you have been enlarged, be thankful and wherein you have been straitned, be humbled, (3.) Direct. Take heed of the cold Air of Tentation, when warm'd by this work. The sweating labourer (sometimes) sits down over hastily, catches cold, and dies of a Consump­tion; be walking gently in musing still, that this befal not you.

1. PRayer follows Meditation, as twins follow each other in their birth, they both lay in the same womb, the Hebrew word [Shuach] mentioned in Gen. 24. 63. which our Translation Reads to Meditate) the Septuagint, the Geneva Translation, and Tre­mellius (in his Marginal notes upon it) reads it (to pray) the word signifies both, which showes they are near a-kin lying in the same word as twins in the same womb; they consort well together, for Meditation is a blessed Improvement of Meditation: you may sup­pose, Isaac had his Oratory in the field, this private place for secret Prayer now upon this Important occasion (of Marriage quasi marr­age he uses deep Meditation to make servent Prayer, thus ought you to do now, as the Patriarch Isaac did then and as the Prophet Daniel did afterwards, first open the windows of your Soul, by Divine Meditation and then [Page 65] kneel down to praying work. Dan. 6. 10. There practice is your Pattern: when you have fill'd your water-Pot to the full (by Meditation) then draw out (by prayer) as Joh. 2. 7, 8.

2. As Faith is call'd the best of graces, so Prayer is call'd the best of duties, if other duties be pennies, this is a pound in many re­spects. First, as it gives God the glory of his three great Attributes. 1. It gives him the glory of his Omnisciency, that he knows all your wants, that he, whose Throne is in Heaven, yet hears all your Petitions presented to him upon Earth. 1 King. 8. 30. 2 Chron. 7. 14. yea when you pray only heart prayer (which man heareth not, knoweth not) as Moses, Exod. 14. 15. The Lord said, where­fore cryest thou unto me, when he spake not a word, so Hannah. 1 Sam. 1. 13. & Psal. 38. 9. all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee. 2ly. it gives him the glory of his Omnipotency, it pre­supposes that God is able to supply all your wants you spread before him, Eph. 3. 20. The very act of Prayer, saith to God as Job, (I know thou canst do every thing. Job. 42. 2. 3ly. It gives him the glory of his merciful goodness, or bountiful benevolency, that he is willing as well as able to supply your wants. Divine might and Divine mercy are the two Pillars that the House of Prayer [Page 66] stands upon, as the Temple of Solomon stood upon Jachin and Boaz. 1 King. 7. 21. which signifies stability and strength. 2 Chro. 3. 17. Exod. 22. 27.

3. The second respect that makes Prayer the best of duties, is, that a kind of Omni­potency is ascribed to it (as Luther said) when 'tis the Prayer of Faith, and so acted by that best of graces; you may stand and won­der what the Scripture attributes to Faith and Prayer, or Prayer of Faith. It can do more then all the Witches in the World can do, for it can set God at work, whereas they can but set the Devil at work; none knows what Prayer can do, but those that know what God can do; in this sense, Prayer is said to be Omnipotent as it sets Omnipotency at work: it hath had command over all the four Elements, as 1st. Over the Air in Elijah. Jam. 5. 17. to whom God gave this Key to open and shut up Heaven at his pleasure. 2ly. Over the fire which the same Elijah fetchs down at pleasure by his Prayer one time in a way of wrath, 2 Kin. 1. 16. and another time in way of mercy and merciful acceptance. 1 Kin. 18. 37, 38. 3ly. Over the water in Moses. Exod. 14. 15, 16. And 4ly. Over the Earth in the same Man of God, who by his powerful Prayer; first cleaves the Sea asunder to save Israel, and then the Earth asunder to destroy the complices of Korah, Numb. 16. 29, &c. Psal. 106. 17. [Page 67] As those two great consorts of Christ on Mount Tabour (Moses and Elias, Math. 17. 3.) had command over the four Elements: So Joshuah over the Sun it self. Josh. 10. 12. as by Moses Prayer, he had command over Amalek before. Exod. 17. 11, 12. Yet higher, Elishah by Prayer hath command over the Angels, fetching them out of Heaven, for his Protection and comfort. 2 Kin. 6. 17. but yet higher than that over god-man, the Angel of the Covenant, the Lord of Angels in Jacob. Gen. 32. 24, 25, 26. Who (as Sckindler Interprets. Hos. 12. 4. Bacah) wept and Supplicated Jacob, saying let me go for the day dawneth, Gen. 32. 25.

4. The Lord Christ (there) askes him his Name, as if he had said, thou art such a fellow as I never met withal, and therefore he confers the honour of Knight-hood (as it were) upon him in saying to him, kneel down Jacob, rise up Israel; having power with God and prevailing. Thus also the Lord Christ was overcome, by the power of the Canaanitish womans Prayer of Faith. Matth. 15. 26, 28. Insomuch that he gives her the Key of his Treasury, and bids her go in and take what mercy she pleased, he turns her loose (as it were) into his fullness and all sufficiency; and not only his own Omnipotency is at her beck, but also Devils and all must stoop to her, if she pleased; O woman great is thy Faith [Page 68] (in Prayer) be it unto thee even as thou wilt. You must know, How Jacob (as this Syro­phaenician woman) outwrestled Christ, for 'twas his wonderful condescension to put forth more of hiw own strength in Jacob against himself, then he did in himself against Jacob. This redeeming Angel (as Jacob calls him Gen. 48. 16.) held him up with one hand, as he strove against him with the other, and voluntarily yeilded himself as conquered by the Patriarch's Prayer; otherwise the same Divine power that disjointed Jacobs thigh, could as easily have unclasped his hands. O how can you but admire this glorious vouch­safement!

5. Lastly, God himself speaketh as if his hands had been tyed up by Prayer. Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone, &c. As if Moses had held him from his purpose, and had laid fet­ters and restraints upon Omnipotency, and (as Austin glosseth upon the place) brings the Almighty to bespeak his own freedom, yea indenting with Moses, and offering him a Composition for [his] silence and his own liberty, saying, (if so) I will make of thee a great people, as if Moses's Devotion had been stronger then Gods Indignation: which shews, that great is the power of Prayer, 'tis able after a sort (Fifthly another gloss) to trans­suse a dead Palsy into the hands of Omnipo­tency; this cannot be through the prevalency [Page 69] of Human power against Divine, but through the condescension of Divine grace to poor Mortals, bidding us, concerning the work of his hands to command him. Isa. 45. 11. Which is a wonderful expression, rather to be admired with an holy Reverence, then strained into a rude blasphemy: undoubtedly it would be no less then black blasphemy in us to say so, had not God himself said it for us, and Gen. 19. 22.

6. All this shews you both the excellency, and the efficacy of right Prayer; the Apostle James tells you, it avails much. Jam. 5. 16. Yet doth not tell you how much, you must find out that both by your own experience and by the Experiences of others. It certainly availeth [much,] though happily it availe not [always] God hath indeed said that the Chil­dren of Moab shall go into his Sanctuary to pray: but shall not prevail. Isa. 16. 12. But he hath avowed before all the world that the Children of Sion shall not do so. Isa. 45. 19. They shall not seek the Lord in vain: their Prayer shall be like Jonathans bow, it shall never return empty. God ever hears their Prayers, always ad Salutem (as Anstin saith) though not ever ad Voluntatem: he always hears their Prayers according to their well, when he doth not hear them according to their Will.

[Page 70] 7. First the manner of Prayer; Now that your Prayer may be [ [...]] a throughly-wrought, effectual and available Prayer, to work wonders in Heaven and Earth. Jam. 5. 16. yea after a sort Omnipo­tent as Luther said; take these following Di­rections for managing this duty aright, first before duty, as to the manner of it before, in, and after it. First of those that are Antecedent or before Prayer. Direct. 1. You must be New born, a New Creature; until the Child be come out of the womb, it cannot Cry, no more can you Cry Abba Father, so long as you are in the womb of a natural state, Rom. 8. 15. God first accepts the person, and then the Action or offering. Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. 4. your person must be accepted as Abel was, and then your Prayer will be acceptable, you must be Righteous (in Christ) 'tis the Prayer of the Righteous that prevaileth, Jam. 5. 16. as it is the Character of the un­righteous, that they call not upon God, Psal. 14. 4. Paul was never said to pray till Converted from his Pharisaical State. Act. 9. 11. So if at any time they do pray, their Prayer is an Abomination. Prov. 21. 27. and therefore 'tis not accounted Prayer. The long Prayers that Paul had while a Pharisee were not reckoned Prayer at all: you must first be a Temple of the Holy-Ghost, 1 Cor. 6. 19. and then you will be an House of Prayer: [Page 71] for so the Temple is called. Naturalists tell us of a Jewel, that, when put into a dead mans Mouth, loseth all its Vertue: So prayer (a pretious Jewel in it self) in the mouth of one that is dead in Sin, hath no force, nor efficacy: God will not hear Sinners, Joh. 9. 31. he will not take them by the hand, Job. 8. 20. Margin Hebr. and Geneva Biblt, 'tis but a Multiplying lies daily, Hos. 11. 12. a compassing God with lies to call God Father when we are not his Children, and while we are without Christ. You must pass through the merits of the Son, into the mercies of the Father.

8. The second Direction before duty is, prepare to meet your God in duty. Amos 4. 12. The Jews had their preparation for the Passeover. Joh. 19. 31. So should you have for prayer, setting some time apart as well to prepare for Prayer, as for prayer it self; 'tis coming to duty with a common Spirit, and with an Ordinary frame of heart, that makes us lose many a duty. 2 Chron. 12. 14. Ezra did better then Rehoboam herein, Ezr. 7. 10. the latter lost all, the former sav'd all hereby. Labour therefore your heart into a praying frame before prayer; this is done by getting. First, the Majesty of the great God (before whom you are going) wrought truly and throughly upon your heart. Consider seriously he is a great King. Mal. [Page 72] 1. 6, 14. and a God that will be Sanctified of all that draw nigh to him, Levit. 10. 3. this may help you to a God sanctisying, frame of Spirit: David prepared with all his might, why? the reason is rendred. The Temple was not to entertain man but God, therefore must it be more Magnificent and he more exact in all preparations for it. 1 Chro. 29. 1, 2. Christ tells you, he is gone to prepare a place (even a Temple, a Mansion of glory) for you, Joh. 14. 2, 3. and will not you prepare a place for him in that poor heart of yours? Consider also, Secondly, his purity, that the God (with whom you have to do in prayer) is a God of purer eyes then to behold Iniquity, Hab. 1. 13. he cannot look upon it, but he must loath it; he cannot behold it, but he must punish it; this calls for a reverential heart, Psal. 2. 11. Before him who is in Heaven and you on Earth, Eccles. 5. 2. cover your face, if Angels do so that are holy and blessed, Esa. 6. 2. Much more you that live in an House of clay, and drinks up iniquity like water, Job 4. 19. & 15. 16. Tremble to bring along with you any Sin unrepented of, unpardoned, lay aside all filthiness; Jam. 1. 21. as the Serpent her poison when she goes to drink, yet with this difference, she after drinking reassumes it again, you may not do so with the Poison of Sin, when you have been drinking of the Rivers of Gods favour, this [Page 73] is to return with the Dog to his Vomit. 2 Pet. 2. 22. you must know it again no more. Gen. 38. 26. nor have so much as a leering look towards it, Psal. 66. 18. much less allow of it or wallow in it.

9. Would you have leave with God in prayer, then leave Sin and that for ever; you may not say concerning your Sins as Abraham did concerning his Servants, and the Ass (which he left at the foot of the Hill, Gen. 22. 5.) saying, I will come again to you; but you must take an everlasting farewel, of your Sin when you come to your God, and with David keep your self (for ever) from your Iniquity. Psal. 18. 23. and as he wash'd his hands in Innocency, when he did compass Gods Altar. Psal. 26. 6. So must you wash your heart in that fountain that is opened, Zech. 13. 1. Thus Ruth did wash and anoint her self before she went up to Boaz. Ruth. 3. 3. and Esther purified and persumed her self for acceptance with Ahasuerus. Esth. 2. 9, 12. and the Captive Damosel was to pair her nails, &c. Before she became a fit bride for an Isra­elitish Bed, Deut. 21. 12, 13, 14. and the Rab­bies say, that a Man might not come into the Mountain of the House of God with his staff, nor with his Shoos, nor with his purse, nor with dust upon his Feet; hence Lavers were set at the door of the Tabarnacle, for washing off defilements at their entrance thither; [Page 74] Exod. 30. 18, 19. and Bernard used to say at his entrance to his publick Devotion, O word­ly thoughts, [ad templi Januam manete vos] stay ye here at the Church door, alluding to Abrahams words, Gen. 22. 5. and to Moses deed. Exod. 3. 5. as above in Meditation: Thus also Solomon saith, [keep your foot, when you enter into the House of God] Eccles. 5. 1. that is, look well to your affections (those feet and out goings of the Soul) that you offer not the Sacrifice of Fooles. Thus also under the Law the inwards and feet were to be washed. Levit. 1. 9. all which do teach you what due and true preparation, you must make for your approaches unto God; that you may lift up holy hands (and an holy heart) unto him in Prayer, 1 Tim. 2. 8. those in, Isa. 1. 15. That came to God with their hands full of blood, did (as it were) dare him to his face, and they do no less, that come with their hands or hearts full of any Sin.

10. Secondly, of those that are Concomi­tant or in Duty, after preparing for it, comes proceeding in it. When your heart is fixed, or prepared for God, like the Instruments of Musick, when the Treble is in Tune, 'tis easy to bring all the other strings into Tune also: you can make no progress in Prayer, unless this heart string be wound up to a due Note; and all your graces and affections dancing attendance to the duty: so then the First, [Page 75] Direct. or rule, is clean Prayer, be sure you stretch forth you hands in Prayer, with an heart prepared for Prayer, as Job. 11. 13. If thou preparest thine heart, and stretch forth thine hands. and Ver. 14. If Iniquity be in thy hands, put it far away, and let not Iniquity be in thy Tabernacle, and Ver. 15. then shalt thou lift up thy face without Spot, and shalt be stedfast, &c. which teaches you, that (1.) your heart must be prepared to meet your God, Amos. 4. 12. Humbly submitting to his Justice, and heartily imploring his mercy. (2.) that you must stretch forth your hands in prayer (as the Begger doth for Alms) in forma pauperis, to receive mercy, or as men Beg quarter for their lives with hands held up over their heads; or lastly, as one that is falne into a ditch or deep dungeon, and cannot get out, holdeth up his hands and cryeth out for help, you are faln into the dark dungeon of Sin, and Christ is your blessed Ebedmelech, that lets down a Rope of mercy (his pro­mises) to draw you out, as Jerem. 38. 12. with all tenderness, if you cry unto him, Psal. 130. 1.

11. And thirdly those hands you lift up in Prayer must be pure hands, 1 Tim. 2. 8. the Fountain of Divine goodness will not be laden at with fowle hands, Esa. 1. 15, 16. The Apostle James gives you good Counsel, (cleanse your hands) Jam. 4. 8. and the Prophet Jeremy, [Page 76] (cleanse your heart) Jerem. 4. 14. and so doth blessed Paul (cleanse your self from all fil­thiness both of flesh and of Spirit) 2 Cor. 7. 1. then shall you lift up your face without Spot. That is, you may come to God with comfort and confidence, not casting down your counte­nance, as guilty Cain did, Gen. 4. 6. but looking up boldly and cheerfully as Steven did, Act. 6. 15. (they saw his face, as if it had been the face of an Angel) and then shall you stand stedfast in duty as a Pillar in the Temple, Revel. 3. 12. your heart being established with grace, and your mind with peace to serve God without fear, Luke 1. 74. Psal. 112. 7. when the heart is thus fixed (as Davids was) Psal. 57. 7. & 108. 1. (twice over in both places) this makes duty more easy; the expert Souldier having his Arms rightly fixed, goes more cheerfully into the Battel; then Prayer will be your business, and you will make work of your work; yea God himself will not strictly stand upon the (exact) purification of the Sanctuary, but will certainly pass by all your other weaknesses, 2 Chron. 30. 18. when he sees you prepare your heart to seek God, Ver. 19. and when he beholds you (to your ability) sweep out the dirt, wash the floor, spread your best Carpets, uncover your best Stools, and bring forth your best Plate, and Ornaments; setting ope the Everlasting door of your Soul to entertain the King of glory, Psal. 24. 7, 9.

[Page 77] 12. The second Rule or Direction in duty is Cordial Prayer, be sure you engage your heart in it. Jerem. 30. 21. and in every part of it, that your Prayer may be Cordial, or a hearty prayer, your Tongue and heart must be (all a long) Relatives, and keep both time and Tune together; the principal Element of prayer is the heart, take prayer out thence, and 'tis but a dead thing, that prayer which comes out of the head only, and not out of the heart also, is not prayer in Gods account. Ephraim was a silly Dove without heart, Hos. 7. 11. The Jews (no doubt) had prayed much and oft during their seventy years Cap­tivity, yet Daniel denies that they had prayed at all, Dan. 9. 13. (yet made we not our prayer unto the Lord our God, &c.) Seeing, no Affection, nor heart was in their prayers, all was but lip-labour, they gave God not the Calves of their lips, as Hos. 14. 2. but only the lips of their Calves, which God esteemed no better then Jeroboams Calves; when the Tongue prays without the heart 'tis but an empty Ring, the tinkling of a Cymbal. 1 Cor. 14. 15. Expressions of the Tongue without Impressions on the heart, makes no Melody in Gods ear, non vox, sed votum, non Musica Chordula, sed Cor. When the inward Sa­crifice is not joyned with the outward, God faith (in contempt of it) they offer me flesh, Hos. 8. 13. Flesh stinks in our Nostrils while [Page 78] it is burning: when both were joined toge­ther, God calls it his Honey-Comb with his Honey, Cant. 5. 1. Eleazar the priest carried the Incense in his bosome (to shew that prayer should come from the heart) as he carried the Oil for the Lamps in his right hand, the anointing Oile in his left hand, and the meat offering upon his Shoulder, as Rabbi, Elias, and Chaskuny upon, Numb. 4. 16. telleth us. David found in his heart to pray his prayer to God. 2 Sam. 7. 27. he did not only say his prayer (with his lips) but he also pray'd his prayer (with his heart.) Prayer without the heart is like the Body without the Soul; O how loathsome to man is this latter, and as loathsome to God is the former, then draw you near with a true heart. Heb. 10. 22.

13. As your Prayer must be hearty or Cordial (for quod cor non facit, non fit, that which the heart doth not, is not done at all; if your heart be Right, God will give you his hand, and you may come into the Chariot of Prayer: as 2 King. 10. 15. which is as the Chariot of Amminadab, Cant. 6. 12. but if your heart be not right in the sight of God, as Act. 8. 21. You have neither part nor portion in this matter; and you do but take the Name of the Lord in vain, and God will not hold you guiltless, Exod. 20. 7.) So it must be constant which is the Third Direction, constant prayer: [Page 79] and this constancy is two fold. First, in duty, and secondly to duty. The first relates to this or that duty of Prayer in particular. The second relates to the duty of Prayer in the general; touching the first, your heart must be constant in prayer, O the backwardness of the heart of Man, to praying work ('twill take a dispensation for a discharge from duty, any small Interruption for a while, to stop the mouth of Conscience, is an excuse from pray­er) and O the lubricity and slipperiness of the heart of Man in praying work; as the heart naturally hangs off from it, so it usually, when it comes into it, slips out of it again; 'tis like Reuben as unstable as water, Gen. 49. 4. though it be not so liquid as water to be poured out (as water) before the Lord, 1 Sam. 7. 6. Psal. 62. 8. (which is the proper Notion of prayer, to wit, the pouring out of the heart unto God) there is too much of the stone in the heart, that is yet undissolved into tears and tenderness. Ezek. 36. 26. you will find by woful experience, that your heart will not be stedfast with God, but it will start aside like a deceitful bow, Psal. 78. 37, & 57. you can­not watch with Christ (in praying work) one hour, Matth. 26. 40. you cannot serve the Lord without distraction; Nor attend upon him in prayer, 1 Cor. 7. 35.

14. Therefore as your heart stands need of whipping to Prayer, it stands as much need [Page 80] of binding in prayer; never did the Sacrifice stand more need of binding with cords to the Horns of the Altar, Psal. 118. 27. then doth your loose and slippery heart, of binding with all Spiritual bonds to this Religious duty. Hence it is, that David begs of God: Lord unite my heart to fear thy Name, Psal. 86. 11. he found it as hard to fix, as the Chymist doth Quick-silver, which hath a principle of mo­tion in it, but not of Rest; and therefore you are commanded to watch unto prayer, 1 Pet. 4. 7. Satan will be Interrupting you, as the Pythonisse did Paul, Act. 16. 16, and as the Enemies did Nehemiah. Neh. 4. 17. he built and watched, and watched and built. So should you pray and watch, and watch and pray. Satan is always busiest at the best work, if you stand up (in prayer) before the Lord, he will be sure to stand up against you, Zech. 3. 1, 2. If you be at Gods right hand, Satan will be at your right hand; he will thrust him­self in among the Sons of God, Job. 1. 6. but suppose he tempt you not, your own heart (so far as 'tis unrenewed) will be a tempter to it self, and will wander from duty, the Man in the Ecclesiastical History, that was to have an horse given him, if he could say his Lords Prayer, without a wandring thought; cryed in the midst of the prayer (dabis & ephippium) you must give me the saddle too, so lost both horse and saddle, this divided heart, Hos. 10. 2. makes us lose many a duty.

[Page 81] 15. The second branch is constancy to pra­yer, you must give your self to prayer; as David did, Psal. 109. 4. Hebr. (Vaani Teph­illah) but I am prayer, as if he had been made up of nothing else, but been a meer compound of prayer; or as if he had done nothing else (in all the world) but poured out his heart to God in prayer. Chrysostome moves this Question, why David is called (a man after Gods own heart) more then Moses or Abra­ham, &c. And for his Answer to it he gives this Reason, because he was more Conversant with God in (both) praying and praising work; he (above all others) turns every providence into a prayer, and his whole Book of Psalms consists either of Hosannas (in praying to) or of Hallelujahs (in praising of) his God. He is the greatest favourite to an Earthly King, that is oftnest conversant with him. Thus David was Gods darling, his special minion and favourite, that was much in Gods bosom in his Divine Colloquies. So that he would be up, and at this praying work three times in a day; Morning, Noon, and Night, Psal. 55. 17. and, as if this had been too little for him he will be at it seven times a day, Psal. 119. 164. that is, very often, as often as God reard him up an Altar, so oft he had ready his Sacrifice, not as Formalists do (that make means their Mediators) in a cold careless and customary manner, walking the round of [Page 82] duty as the Horse in the Mill, but David roused himself, and cryed aloud not only (precem fundere) but also (Coelum tundere) to batter Heaven by his prayers, Psal. 3. 4. & 107. 6, 13. & 120. 1. & 130. 1, &c.

16. You are commanded in Scripture to pray always, evermore, every where, without ceasing, continually, Eph. 6. 18. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Rom. 12. 1. Col. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Phil. 4. 6. There is no duty so oft commanded as Prayer, it must be your constant Trade; and that Divine breath, which you must constantly draw: Paul speaks, 1 Thes. 3. 10. (night and day praying exceedingly) as if his practice had been nothing but prayer. It may have Intermission, but never any cessation in sound sense: not as the Euchites of old and Monks of late hath imagined, as if God would have men to cast off all care and callings, and do nothing else but pray. For the Thessalonians (whom the Apostle bids to pray without ceasing, 1 Thes. 5. 17.) are commanded also to work with their hands, 1 Thes. 4. 11. And the Apostle tells them, if any will not work, neither shall he eat, 2 Thes. 3. 10. Men cannot be as Angels in this World, that need no Food no nor yet as Lillies. (which Christ speaks of) that neither Card nor Spin, Sow nor Reap, toil nor take pains, yet are nour­ished and arrayed. Every good Man must have a particular calling to honour God in [Page 83] his Generation-work, Acts 13. 36. which may not be justled out by any duty of his general calling.

17. But the true sense is, (1st.) that you should observe stated times of prayer (morn­ing and evening) in this sense, the word (con­tinually) is used, 2 Sam. 9. 7. (thou shalt eat bread at my Table continually) you cannot imagin, that Mephibosheth did nothing else night and day, but eat at Davids Table (for so he had been an unparaleld Cormorant) but only that he should observe his set and appoin­ted meals. (2ly.) 'tis an Hyperbolical speech exhorting to frequency of prayer. Thus, 2 Tim. 1. 3. Paul remembred Timothy in prayer night and day; Thus he did remember the Romans, Rom. 1. 9. as before the Thessalo­nians. 1 Thes. 3. 10. you should be as fre­quent (in Supplication) with your Spiritual Father, as your Spiritual Enemies are frequent (in Temptation) with you: as the flesh world and Devil (some, or all) do assault you con­tinually; So you had need pray against their assaults continually, to fetch in strength and relief against them from God.

18. The third sense is, that your prayer should spread it self over all your concern­ments. As the Temple (that House of prayer) Sanctified the Gold and all other Materials and Utensils in it, Matth. 23. 17. So this holy duty of prayer doth Sanctify all things, 1 Tim. 4. 5. [Page 84] All Ordinances, all Providences, all Enjoy­ments, all Employments, prayer doth not only Gild them over, but also turns them into the finest Gold. So that to pray continually, is to carry this Temple (as Austin called it) about with you at all times in all places, upon all occasions and in all conditions, yea all your life, even to your very death: this Spiritual breath must conterminate with your Natural. For the last work of a dying Christian is to breath out this prayer, Lord Jesus receive my Spirit.

19. The fourth true sense of praying al­ways and continually, is the keeping of your heart in a praying frame continually: so that upon all occasions (that occur) you may be lifting up your heart, your thoughts and af­fections unto God (whom you have set always before you, Psal. 16. 8.) and darting out frequent Ejaculations to the Throne of grace. Thus your Harp (or heart) should be ever kept in Tune for prayer, as the Souldier hath his Armes ready by him, and right fixed upon any Assault of the Enemy: and as the fire in your guest Chamber, it is always prepared (though it do not ever burn or blaze out) upon your friends coming to be blown up into a Flame: thus you may pray, when you do not set your self a-part to pray, even in the works of your callings; and besides your set Meals for your Soul (in your Morning and [Page 85] Evening prayer, called the continual Sacrifice, Numb. 28. 3, 4. as well as for your body; you have many other refreshing morsels (to wit, occasional Apostrophes and Ejaculations) to nourish the inner, man and to make it increase with the increasings of God, through the sup­ply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, Phil. 1. 19. Eph. 4. 16. & Col. 2. 19.

20. Thus to pray continually (quoties ali­quid occurrit, as Dr. Willet senses, Rom. 12. 12. as oft as any thing falls out, that calls for Divine assistance) 'tis not only your duty but your priviledge; 'tis like the herb (All-heal) an universal remedy against all diseases, a choice yet a cheap Catholicon and Antidote both against the evil of sinning and off suffring: This is the best and most blest Expedient to avoid dangers, to overcome difficulties and to procure both safety and success, in all your honest designs. Thu, Nehemiah before he opens his mouth to the King, even in the Kings presence, first opens his heart to God, Neh. 2. 4. his sudden and secret Ejaculation he dar­ted up to God (for ordering his speech and speeding his Petition) is called, his praying to the God of Heaven: and this was his fre­quent practice upon several other providences, Neh. 5. 19. & 6. 14. & 13. 29. Thus Abra­hams servant darted out desires to God, that he might prosper in his Enterprize, Gen. 24. 12. 26. Thus Moses cryed to God, yet said [Page 86] nothing, Exod. 14. 15. Thus Hannah was not heard, yet prayed, and thus wherever God sets you up an Alter, you must be ready to offer Sacrifice, crying, either mentally or vocally, Lord prosper me in this work, Lord protect me in this Journey, Lord direct me in this duty, &c. Thus Christ often did for you.

21. The fourth Direction is, your prayer must be earnest and intent, or instant, you must not only pray but cry, Psal. 130. 1. out of the depth have I cryed unto thee. David crys there (and in many other places) unto God with his utmost strength, out of the depth of his heart. You must be servent in it, as well as constant to it; neither the frequency nor the fervency of prayer ought to be abated, prayer is cal'd wrestling, which requires your utmost strength as well as skill; it requires the very strength of your affections, you must be fervent in Spirit, while you are serving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11. and be instant as well as constant in it, Ver. 12. your heart must be seething-hot as the word there [ [...]] signi­fies; your heart must be boiling a good matter as Davids, Psal. 45. 1. in the Hebr. Reading, this will be the best cure of wandring thoughts, Flies sieze not on Honey while it boiles, nor Beelzebub (the Prince of flies) upon your heart while 'tis boiling any good matter in prayer. God loves not cold prayers (as some men love not cold dishes) yea even lukewarm, [Page 87] hearts are Nauseous to him. Revel. 3. 16. every offering, that is of a sweet Savour, is made by fire unto the Lord, Levit. 1. 9, 13, 17. 'Tis three times over, every Sacrifice must have fire in it aswel as Salt, Mark. 9. 49. the fire of Zealous Devotion as well as the Salt of truth and sincerity: yea the Sacrificer (as well as the Sacrifice) must have both those Ingredients (Salt and Fire) in him. You must have the grace of truth (Psal. 51. 6.) which (as Salt) must dry up those evil humours in you, that would breed the never dying Worm; and you must have the grace of Zeal, which (as fire) must burn up those corruptions in you, that (otherwise) would carry you to that unquenchable Fire, Mark. 9. 43, 44. 45, 46, 47, 48.

22. This blessed Spirit of burning (so cal'd, Isa. 4. 4. that makes a true and through com­bustion among your fleshly corruptions) must prevent you of everlasting burnings, Isa. 33. 14. as the Sun of the Firmament (with 'its hot Beams will eat out the Kitchin-Fire, that is upon the Hearth. So this Coelestial Fire (of Zeal and fervency for God in prayer, which is indeed a warm beam of the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4. 2.) will eat out the stinking fire of Sin that is in your heart. This fire of Heaven will devour that fire of Hell (Jam. 3. 6.) in you, a live-Coal must touch your heart as well as your lips, Esa. 6. 6. and you must be baptized, [Page 88] with the Holy Ghost and with fire, Matth. 4. 11. & Act. 2. 3, 4. Elijahs Sacrifice had not only much water (out of Kishon) but also fire from Heaven, to Render it an acceptable Sa­crifice. 1 King. 18. 33, to 30. So you must not only have the water of godly sorrow and Gospel repentance, but also the fire of Zeal and servent Devotion to make an acceptable prayer unto God. The fire of Aetna and the water of Nilus, are said to be the Hierogly­phicks, of those choice Ingredients of a rightly compounded prayer; God requires hot bread to be set before him daily. 1 Sam. 21. 6.

23. The breath that a pair of bellows breaths out, is cold breath, and so is it not properly breath but wind; accordingly cold prayers, that are carelesly breathed out, are not truly prayer, but wind and vanity: the breath of a living Man, is not cold as bellows breath, but warm; the lack of servency is the loss of prayer. God will be cold and careless in accepting and answering, if you dare be cold and careless in asking his face and favour. Paul tells you of your great need, both of the shield of Faith (that is defensive Armour) and of the darts of prayer (which is offensive Armour) Ephe. 6. 16, 18. Now this dart will not wound your Spiritual Enemies, unless it be well-pointed, steeled and sharpened with Zeal: when the Souldier strikes with his full strength, then doth he give his Enemy the Mortal [Page 89] wound. Solomon saith, what you do, you must do with all your might, Eccles. 9. 10. you must much more pray (the best of duties) with all your might. David danced before the Lord with all his might, 2 Sam. 6. 14. surely he (much more) prayed with all his might, he prayed and cryed with his whole heart. Psal. 119. 58, 145. Sampson also bowed himself with all his might at the pillars of Dagons Temple, Judg. 16, 30. and surely had he not prayed with all his might likewise, Ver. 28. he should never have been enrolled in that little Book of Martyrs, amongst those great Favourites of Heaven. Hebr. 11. 32.

24. You must therefore go forth (in pray­ing Work) as the Sun in its strength, Judg. 5. 31. and come as a Prince to God. Job. 31. 37. you should ask as a Son, Isa. 45. 11. as a Kings Son, Judg. 8. 18. Jacob (as a Prince) had power with God and prevailed, Hos. 12. 4. and so should all the seed of Jacob do, putting forth all the strength both of Soul and Body, (as he did) in wrastling work. Christ prayed so earnestly, that he prayed himself into an horrid Agony, so as to sweat clods of blood. Luke 22. 44. Daniel prayed himself sick, Dan. 8 27. and Nehemiah prayed himself pale, Neh. 2. 6. Hannah also was so transported in prayer, that old Eli thought she had been drunken, 1 Sam. 1. 13, 14. lastly Elijah put himself into such a posture of prayer as could [Page 90] not but strain all the strings of the heart, he puts his head between his knees (to pray) 1 King. 18. 42, 45. and by this renting of his heart, Joel. 2. 13. (so prayer is called) and earnest prayer, Jam. 5. 17, 18. he procures the Key of Heaven, to open and shut it at pleasure, he prayed in his prayer (as [...] imports) there was the prayer of his heart, in the prayer of his Tongue, or he prayed and the Spirit prayed too in his pray­ers, according to, Rom. 8. 26. while we make Intercession in our prayers, the Spirit makes Intercession in and for us: lastly he did not say his prayers, but he prayed his prayer. Thus must you set all your faculties and graces at work, which all should be exerted and exer­cised in prayer: do not poure out your Speech only but your Spirit, also into your Fathers bosom, Rom. 1. 9. then only is it an heart­transforming duty, Luke 9 29. and then also thundrings comes out of the Temple, Revel. 11. 19. then breaks he Mighty Arrows, Psal. 76. 3.

25. Thus must you be Instant in prayer, (as well as constant) [...]. It signifies extension, First, of the duty, Secondly, of the affections in the duty. Act. 26. 7. serving God Instantly, with a vehement extension of Soul, and you must continue instant, Rom. 12. 12. [ [...]] constant as well as instant, a Metaphor from hunting Dogs that give not [Page 91] over the game till they have got it, all along pursuing it with their utmost strength and skil. The word [ [...]] of the same Root, Eph. 6. 18, signifies invincible constancy or continuing in utmost strength, So Col. 4. 2. you must not only be constant in respect of the time of your prayer, but also be instant in respect of the strength of your affections; you must keep up your heart upon the Wing of elevated affections, desiring with David that your raised frame may be kept for ever upon your heart. 1 Chron. 29. 18, when Divine wings are given you, as Revel. 12. 14. and you have a Divine wind (the breathings of the Spirit) in your Divine wings, as Zech. 5. 9. then keep in the wind, and upon the wing, you may not flag and flatten in the duty; If the world whisper in your Ear, or if the tempter jog you on the elbow; Answer them both as Nehemiah did the Adversary, I am about a great work, and I cannot attend you, Neh. 6. 3. why should the work cease while I come down to you: a Bell may be long in Raising, but when once at the height, it Rings most Tuneably, but all the difficulty and skill is to keep it there, that it cease not before the time.

26. In a word, as prayer is your Embassa­dour to Heaven, so it must be accomplished as an Embassadour; (1.) It must be the Action of your Soul, bodily exercise profits little, 1 Tim. 4. 8. much Action and little affection [Page 92] availes not; Soul-prayer when 'tis alone, is accepted, but wo to Body-prayer when 'tis alone; Soul-prayer is necessary, and Body­prayer is comely, for you are to glorify God with both, 1 Cor. 6. 20. you must lift up your heart, Psal. 25. 1. as well as your hands to your God, (2.) Not only your Soul must be in it, but an intent Soul, your heart-strings screwed up to the highest note. Thus prayer is called a striving to an Agony, as the Greek word imports, Rom. 15. 30. and a wrestling; so Rachel wrestled with God in prayer (as well as her Husband Jacob, Gen. 32. 24.) Gen. 30. 8. with great wrestlings she obtain'd a Son and called him, Napthali. i. e. my wrestling, every mercy you win by wrastling in prayer, you may name it Napthali my wrastling. (3.) You must pray with your understanding (as well as with your affections,) 1 Cor 14. 15. otherwise 'tis but Barbarisme you bring to God, and Psal. 47. 8. you must understand your wants and your weaknesses, and have the sense of them upon your heart. This will make you cry and cry loud, and your Soul will follow hard after God and his mercies, Psal. 63. 1, 8. (4.) Be clothed with Humility, 1 Pet. 5. 5. walk humbly through the work of prayer, Micah. 6. 8. Come in forma pauperis. Thus did Abraham, Gen. 18. 27. the Centurion. Matth 8 8. and the woman of Canaan, Matth. 15. 27. Content with Crums, if she may not have bread, and [Page 93] content to be a Dog, so she may be but Christs Dog. (5.) In faith, Jam. 1. 7. you aske and miss, because you aske amiss, not beleiving that as Gods love mov'd him to make the promise, so his truth binds him to perform it. (6.) By the help of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 26. Mary would not serve alone, she would have Mar­tha's help, Luke 10. 40. So you must have the help of the Spirit, (being all infirmity in your self) you must go forth in his strength, Psal. 71. 16. get his hands on your hands and heart, as 2 King. 13. 16. to draw the bow of prayer, and leane on him, Cant. 8. 5. not on self, Prov. 3. 5.

27. The last Accomplishment of this Em­bassadour to God is, it must come in the name of Christ? As prayer without the help of the Spirit is but the cry of the Creature, the heart will fall down like the heavy hands of Moses, Exod. 17. 12. If this stone of help (your true Eben ezer) be not underneath, 1 Sam. 7. 12. So 'tis no better then presumption if presented in your own name, or in the name of any Saint or Angel. Christ is the only master of Re­quests. Joh. 16. 23, 24, 26. & Eph. 3. 12. The old Testament Saints cryed in prayer (for the Lords sake) Dan. 9. 17. and the New Testa­ment Saints cry also (for Christs sake, Joh. 15. 16.) Upon a two-fold account. (1.) As he is the only purchaser of access to God; we are afar off in the first Adam, but brought nigh by the [Page 94] second, Eph. 2. 13, 14. putting on us his own Robe for acceptance. (2.) He is the only Me­diator of the Church, the keeper of the great Seal in Heaven, 1 Tim. 2. 5. Joh. 6. 27, 37. & Joh. 17. 12. this is shadowed to you, as (1.) No man was to offer up his own Sacrifice, but he must put it into the hands of the Priest to offer it for him, Levit. 1. 15, 17. burn it and bring it, &c. (2.) Every loaf of shew-bread had a dish of Frankincense upon it to perfume it for acceptance, Levit. 24. 7. (3.) While the people were praying without, Zechary (the Priest) was offering Incense within, Luke 1. 10. (4.) The brazen Altar for Sacrifice was placed before the Golden Altar for Incense, to shew, there is no admission for prayer as Incense, till first Christ our Sacrifice give us our En­trance, Exod. 38. 30, & 39, 40. as Jacob got the blessing in the garments of the Elder bro­ther, Gen. 27. 15. to 29.

28. The second general is the matter of your prayer (as before the manner of it) to wit, according to Gods will, 1 Joh. 5. 14. now his will is known either by his precepts (what he hath commanded) or by his promises (what he hath (ovenanted) or by his Prophecies, (what he hath foretold) those must be the bounds of prayer, or more briefly, those three may be reduced into one, for Divine precepts and Prophecies are propounded to us in the nature of promises, and so the Divine promise is the [Page 95] ground of every right humane prayer: where­ever faith finds a promise, it turns that pro­mise into a Prayer, and then God turns his promise into a performance: Now the Divine promise (which is the Christians Charter,) (I will be to you a God, &c. Hebr. 8. 10. and all are yours, 1 Cor. 3. 22.) is wide enough in the general, and there is no Cause, why we should desire 'tis further Enlargement. Besides, there is no condition you can fall into, but there is a particular promise to that Condition, if the word of Christ dwell richly in you, Col. 3. 16. So as to find out all those Herbs of grace that grow in the Garden of the Holy Scrip­tures.

29. You are bid to be Sober in Prayer, 1 Pet. 4. 7. This is, to observe Gods limits, your Prayers must not [be [...]] childish and feverish or distempred Prayers, to aske neither [Illicita] unlawful things, nor [Inutilia] unprofitable or hurtful things: you may not aske Serpents instead of fish, nor stones instead of bread; the Disciples asked fire from Heaven upon the Samaritans, Luke 9. 55. and the two Sons of Zebedee asked the priviledg of sitting on the Right and left hand of Christ. Matth. 20. 21. they all went be­yond the bounds of a Divine promise, asking they knew not what, Ver. 22. as Prayer is, (1.) An Act of Adoration, so the hallowing of Gods name is first to be prayed see; and [Page 96] nothing else without Subordination to his honour. (2.) As 'tis an Act of Impetration, so your own good and the good of others. 1 Spiritual, and 2 Temporal; the good things of the throne first, and then of the foot-stool, Judg. 15 16. understanding what the will of the Lord is, Eph. 5. 17. and referring all to his wisdom, Act. 21. 14. Matth. 26. 29.

30. Lastly, the consequent duties after pray­er be four. 1 walk humbly. 2 wait patiently. 3 work diligently. 4 wear thankfully what you win by Prayer. First, of the first walk hum­bly, if you have been truly and throughly servent in your praying work, you will be very apt to catch cold after it, and therefore you must still keep walking after duty, and cool not over hastily, lest you catch a cold, and so a Consumption, as before in the Chapter of Meditation; you should take down your Soul by degrees, and not grow remiss all on the sudden, by letting your Spirit run freely into the World, immediatly after your warm conversing with your God. For there is the danger of deepest withdrawments to humble you, after you have had the priviledg of high­est Enlargements to help you, Cant. 5. 1, 2. after the spouse had been most largely feasting with her bridgeroom, the very next news we hear of her, is, that she was fallen into a Spiritual slumber; you may suppose it was through the want of this care, she over-sud­denly [Page 97] cooled, and so catched a Spiritual cold, and had she not had a blessed Physician (that was as willing as able to help and heal her, she might have fallen into a Spiritual Con­sumption; can you be thus wise for your body (in preventing such a danger the worser part of you which you have in common with beasts, how much more ought you to be thus wise for your Soul, that better part which you have in common with Angels: beasts have bodies as well as men, and Angels are Spirits as men have Spirits: O be not more careful of the beast then of the Angel in you.

31. And you must walk humbly (too after Prayer: Pride often follow Prayer, and the worst Pride after the best Prayer you cannot be ignorant of Satans devices working in your own heart, 2 Cor. 2. 11. 'tis the Devils Chy­mistry to bring evil out of good, as 'tis Gods Chymistry to bring good out of evil: Beelze­bub that Prince of Flies) will Flie-blow your best performances, and make you proud of your most Seraphical Prayers, as if God were then in your debt for them, whereas you have done no more then your duty (in so doing) and 'tis no matter of merit to pay your due debt and duty, Luke 17. 20. and when you have done all you can, you are but an unprofitable Servant, coming far short both of Gods glory and your own duty: Hence ought you to reflect upon your own imperfections in pray­er) [Page 98] after Prayer how your heart hath wandred in your work. Moses could not keep his hands steady in prayer ('tis only proper to God to have his hand stretched out still) nor you your heart; the best of Men cannot undergo any long intention, you may be weary (in) prayer, when you are not weary (of) Prayer. As this review of your frailty in Prayer may humble you, so it may help you against both resting in, and trusting to your Prayer: alas in so doing, you have been drawing nigh to Prayer, not drawing nigh to God, which is the true notion of Prayer, and you do verily rest in it and trust upon it, when your admiring thoughts do (after duty) run out more upon your prayer, then upon your God hearing prayer, Psal. 65. 3. you must forget your Prayer and remember your God, can you but Consider, the iniquity of your holy things, then Prayer will be your nothing and Christ your all, and in all, Col. 3. 11. If it stand for any thing, It must be only for an Evidence, not a Savi­our.

32. The second rule or direction is, wait patiently for an Answer to your Prayer. When David had Marshald (as the Hebr. Gnarach signifies) his Petitions and set them in good Order, in Battel-aray, then did he [Saphah] look up (Speculando Spectavit, as a Spy on the Watch-Tower) to see whether he carryed the day and prevailed, Psal. 5. 3. you [Page 99] must mind your Arrow you shoot up to Hea­ven, whether it fall short or over, as Jonathan did his, 1 Sam. 20. 21. what becomes of your Rich-Ship you adventure to the Cape of good hope, as the Merchant doth his: how it fares with your precious seed (so Prayer is called, Psal. 126. 6.) that you sow upon the Throne of grace (a far more fruitful Soil then that of Isaac which brought forth an 100. sold. Gen. 26. 12.) as the Husbandman doth with his. Noah minded what tidings his Dove brought him, and every Man minds what message his messenger brings him: you may not cast the Angling rod of Prayer, into the vast Ocean of Divine love, and never observe what it brings to your hand, if rightly hooked and bated: you may not be as Pilate who scof­fingly asked what is truth, but waited not for an Answer, Joh. 18. 38.

33. You must therefore look up after Pray­er, and observe what becomes of your Pray­er, what access it hath to God; what accep­tance it hath with God, and what returns it brings from God. If you believe that God hearkens what you speak to him, Mal. 3. 16. there is much Reason, that you should also hearken what God will speak to you, Psal. 85. 8. you must look out of yourself and up to God, that looks out of himself and down to you, Psal. 113. 6. and though this posture of looking up, be a wearisom posture, yet must [Page 100] you not be weary of it; wait patiently, Psal. 40. 1. as those that wait for the morning, Psal. 130. 6. in due season you shall Reap, if you faint not, Gal. 6. 9. for God waiteth on you that he may be gracious in the best season, Isa. 30. 18. your waiting on God is there called blessed work, and if the great God wait on such a worthless worm as you, (tantus tantillum. Job 25. 6.) how much more must you wait on him; and not offer up Be­thulian Prayers (as in the Apocryphal Judeth. Chap. 7. 30. limiting God to 5. days or give up all which ought not to be done, Psal 78. 41. to limit God is but to Tempt him: his delay­ing is not denying, 'tis but a commending his mercy (you beg) to you, Cito data Vilescunt. Mercies lightly Obtained; are but lightly esteemed, and it may be, God stays to bring a great many mercies together, and you will surely look up and not lose that mercy, which long waiting hands in to you.

34. The third Direction is, work diligently, in the use of the means that leads to the end; ora, labora, is the Christians Rule, and the very Heathens could say, admotá manu Invocanda est Minerva: you must do your part, if you expect God to do his. David will set a Watch over his lips, Psal. 39. 1, 2. though he beg of God to do it for him, Psal. 14 1. 3, the duty is yours but the ability is the Lords; the care of the means belong to you, but the care of the [Page 101] end to God; and 'tis not only careless osci­tancy, but a plain tempting of God to neglect any means that God gives you to accomplish the end, you may not expect to stumble upon mercy, you do not so for the body, (some­times overusing means) why should you for your Soul? You are bid to Aske, seek and knock, Matth. 7. 7. you must Aske with con­fidence, seek with diligence, and knock with perseverance. In the sweat of your brows you must eat your Spiritual bread as well as Corporal; as you lift up your hands in Pray­ing for the end, so you must lift up your hands in practising the means that have a tendency to the end, be sure you do not first pray against your Sins; and then go away and Sin against your Prayers, this is but a mocking of God, and he will not be so, Gal. 6. 7.

35. The fourth Direction is, wear thank­fully, all that you win by Prayer; what you win by Prayer, you must wear with thanks­giving, as you have made Prayer your refuge, so must you make praise your Recompence. Davids Psalms were not all Hosannah's, or Prayers to God, but he had his Hallelujahs also, his Psalms that were praises of God as before: Prayer is the seed of praise, and 'its pity that when the joy of harvest (which is paralel to the joy of Marriage and to the joy of Victory) doth come, that the God of all joy and comfort should not have his thank­offering. [Page 102] God took it unkindly from Heze­kiah that he Rendered not to the Lord accor­ding to his loving kindness to him, 2 Chron. 32. 28. and he took it kindly from David, that he made it his Spiritual Study and project, how to render to the Lord [what shall I Render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me,] Psal. 116. 12. the blessed Man was in an holy Extasy, and in a deep demur with himself, what he might do best for so good a God. He had nothing to give, so faith, what shall I Render, and he had nothing good enough to Render to him who is the chiefest good. Ten Lepers cryed for healing, Luke 17. 12, 17. But when all were healed, but one re­turned to praise Christ, and he is praised of Christ. God hath but the tenth of praises, and 'tis ten to one whether you practice his praise, 1 Pet. 2. 9.

1. THe third Religious duty wherein you must serve God, is the Hearing and Reading of his Word; that you have the word of God to Read and Hear, you must prize as a precious priviledg, and praise the Lord for it, with your heart, lips, and life: God hath deposited a Rich Treasure with you in lending you his Word and Gospel. You might have been begging drops of mercy in Hell at this time, when behold God offers you Oceans of grace on Earth in his Word and Gospel. O what would the damned give (even ten thou­sand Worlds if they had them) to enjoy such means of grace (yea but one day thereof) and such days of Salvation as are bestowed upon you; God hath not dealt so with many Nations, nor with many persons, as he hath dealt with you and the Land of your Nativity, Psal. 147. 19, 20. 'twas a Special favour and vouchsafement to Israel, that God committed to them the lively (and life-giving) Oracles, Rom. 3. 2. there is a (chiefly) set upon it; [Page 104] being a matter of great trust, to know your Masters Will is a choice Talent. There is (much) in that of Luke 12. 48. (as there was (chiefely in the other) the word [ [...]] Signifies to deposit or lay up, as a matter of great worth: The poor Pagan World lay under a long night of darkness (having only the twinkling Star light of the fallen nature) wherein they wander wofully, yet not so wide as to miss of Hell. Their Star-light indeed leaves them [ [...]] inexcusable, Rom. 1. 20. but cannot lead them to the Star of Jacob, the bright and Morning Star, nor to life and Salvation, Act. 4. 12.

2. God hath Magnified above all things his name by his Word, Psal. 138. 2. To the words (there) may be Read: or as our Reading is, thou hast Magnified thy word above all thy Name. If God Magnifie his word above all, how should you Magnifie it accordingly while you have the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. The word must be admired and highly esteemed before it have a through work upon your heart, Act. 13. 48. & 2 Thes. 3. 1, 2. You must esteem it (as Job did) not only above your dainties and superfluities, but even above your necessary food (without which you cannot Subsist,) Job. 23. 12. 'Tis better to want your daily bread (that perisheth with using then this bread of life, Joh. 6. 27. I had rather want meat, drink, sleep, sight, light, any thing, [Page 105] every thing, said Selneccer, then want the word of God; and Luthers Rapture was, I had rather live in Hell with it, then in Heaven without it. O then what a blessing do you enjoy in hearing the Word, 'tis [Epistola Creatoris ad Creaturam] Gods letter from Heaven to Man, the very Reading whereof hath a blessedness annexed to it, Revel. 1. 3. So it be but Read both with affection and ap­plication.

3. More particularly, there is a three fould duty to be observed in this Religious exercise, as in the former; 1 Something before. 2 Something in, and 3 Something after. In all these the heart of Man is apt to miscarry, as Christ intimates in two Cautions he gives you, Mark 4. 24. take heed [what] you hear, and Luke 8. 18. take heed [how] you hear. In the former he Cautions you about the matter of your hearing, and in the latter, about the manner of it. As to the first of those, you must be like the careful Husband­man who is very choice in his seed, very Cu­rious and Critical, he will not commit corrupt seed to his fruitful Soil; so neither must you lend your ear to the Devil or to any of his Chaplains: Sin came into the World, first by the door of the ear, your great grand-Mother Eve listned more to Satans lies then to Gods truth; and though the Devil be not ever (Mendax) a lyar, yet is he (Semper-fallax) [Page 106] always decitful, speaking truth only with a purpose to deceive. 2 Cor. 11. 3. a cozener.

4. The Devil did only Equivocate to our first Parents, yet is he called a down-right lyar, Joh. 8. 44, &c. He began his Kingdom by a lie, and he upholds it by lies to this pre­sent day. O how shameful then or rather shameless are those Popish Doctors that Preach up Equivocation, as a comfortable Doctrin to afflicted Catholicks; calling back (as it were) that pest from Hell, and from that old Equi­vocator: that subtle Serpent when he was but young, out-witted your first Parents, now that he is old, and ye young Children, Eph. 4. 14. take heed he doth not cozen you either by him­self, or by any of his Chaplains, with their finely spun Threds of Popery. Christ saith, my sheep hear them not, for they know not the voice of strangers Joh. 10. 5, 8. for they have their Senses exercised to discern good and evil, Hebr. 5. 14. yea they have a Spirit of discerning, 1 Cor. 12. 10. to discerne the mind of Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 16. Bread from Stones, and fish from Serpents, and what the Chaff is to the Wheat, Jer. 23-28. they hate euery false way, Psal. 119. 104. and 'tis Impossible for them to be fully and finally deceiued, Matth. 24. 24. you may know those Imposters by their light­ness, as well as by their lies, Jer. 23. 32. they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord, and yet they may much hurt them, Lam. 2. 14. [Page 107] loose and lewd courses as well as loud and lying discourses are the brand, God puts upon Satans Spelman: by their fruits you shall know them, Matth. 7. 15, 16. the evil communication of such (as are Trumpe and Triumphant in this day) do corrupt good manners, 1 Cor. 15. 33.

5. As hitherto of the matter, so now of the manner of hearing. Herein Observe those Directions, 1 Before hearing, 2 In it, and 3 after it. First before, you must prepare to meet your God in this duty also, as well as in the two former, to which I refer you: More­over, your heart must be prepared for this duty more especially. First Direct. by laying aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, Jam. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1, 2. when you come to the sincere Milk of the Word, your fallow ground must be plowed up that you sow not among Thorns. Jer. 4. 3, 4. If your stomach be soul and clogged with bad humours, you first purge it, before you feed and fill it, otherwise what-ever you Eat, will but nourish those cor­rupt and morbifick Humours: so will it be with your Soul when 'tis clogged with Sin. Christs Market is then fore-stalled, and your heart so fraught with false Lovers, and like the Inn at Bethlehem, so full of other Guests, that there will be no Room for Christ, Luke 2. 7. There is much unsuitableness betwixt a filthy Spirit and the pure word of God, and [Page 108] therefore must you put away all filthiness (both of flesh and Spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1.) never to have any more to do with your idols, Esa. 30. 22. pull up every weed and cast it away to prepare for the seed; the House must be swept clean for Entertaining the King of glory.

6. The second Direct. about preparation is, you must lay aside not only all filthy Sins, but also all worldly thoughts and cares of this life, which will choak the seed of the Word, Mat. 13. 22. Especially when those Thorns overtop the Corn, which naturally they will do: 'tis good ground (indeed) 'tis a good heart, wherein grace over-tops corruption and not corruption grace. Wherefore lay Gods charge upon Worldly cares, that they stay at Church­door (with Bernard) and at the foot of the hill of God (with Abraham) as above; but they must not go up, or in with you, if they presume to press in with you, drive them away, as Abraham did the Fowls that di­sturbed, if not defiled his Sacrifice, Gen. 15. 11. The Rabbies say, that in the Temple though there was much flesh for Sacrifice used in it, yet not so much as one Flie was seen stirring there. So not a wandring thought should ap­pear stirring in your worship, especially con­sidering you are the Temple of the Holy Ghost, so should not think your own thoughts, Isa. 58. 13. in Gods Temple have more of Sab­bath [Page 109] thoughts on week-day, then week-day thoughts, will less trouble you on Sabbath­day.

7. The third Direction for preparing your heart to this Religious duty is, beware of a prejudiced Spirit, either against the person Teaching or against the Doctrin Taught. 1. You may not have a prejudicate opinion against the Teacher, if once you distast his person, you can never relish his Doctrin: the best of Ministers are exposed to prejudice, even Christ himself (that Palmoni Hamadabber Dan. 8. 13. or Prince of Preachers) was per­sonally cavilled at, viz. Is not this the Car­penter? And can any good thing come out of Nazareth? &c. If this did befal that green Tree, what can the dry expect, Mark. 6. 3. Joh. 1. 46. Luk. 23. 31. Hence Paul admonished Timothy, so to behave himself in the Church of God that none might despise his youth, 1 Tim. 4. 12. this is a great Impediment to a prospering and profitting Gospel: the Hea­then could say (Inter senum deliria & Juvenum praejudicia cadit Respublica) 'twixt the dotage of old men and the prejudice of young men the Common-wealth falleth. O that we had not cause to say, that betwixt those two (cadit Religio) the common Salvation falleth: the plainest Preachers are exploded by such, as if they stood not in need to be put in Remem­brance of those things they know, 2 Pet. 1. 12. [Page 110] The end of Preaching is not only to inform the Judgment, but also to reform the affections, not only to teach Men what they know not, but also to stir them up to Practise what they know. 'Tis ordain'd for this as well as that.

8. Neither 2ly. must you have prejudice against the truth taught; as those of Itching ears, 2 Tim. 4. 3. not abiding sound Doctrin, as fore eyes not enduring the Sun-shine, the fault is not in the Sun, but in the eyes: so 'tis not in the Doctrin, but in them which savours no Doctrine, save that which suites with their Itching tempers, being not willing to frame the heart to the Word, but rather desirous to have the Word framed to the heart. Thus Carnal men despise Prophecying, 1 Thes. 4. 12, 20. and plain Preaching is foolishness to them. 1 Cor. 1. 21. though it be under the blessing of a Divine Institution in that phrase (It pleased God) which is not so Solemnly set upon bare Reading the Word: you may (indeed) and must try the Spirits, 1 Joh. 4. 1. and prove all things in Order to the holding fast of that which is good, 1 Thes. 5. 21. as those well bred Bereans did, Act. 17. 11. and if you find the grain good, never quarrel with the seeds-man: Elias's food was acceptable to him, though unclean Ravens were his Servitours, and Cur­rant Coin is not to be refused though from a Leprous hand, yet 'tis ever best from a Barna­bas, Act. 11. 24. of all others.

[Page 111] 9. The fourth Direct. herein is, beware of presumption as well as prejudice, that you come not to the word with an heart resolved (before hand) what to do, let God and his Ministers say what they please, Jer. 2. 25. so as to take your own way and to follow your own course, Jer. 44. 16, 17. as if you scorn'd to bend to truth; this is proud obstinacy or stubborn pride which you must abandon. Say not, you know enough already, for you know nothing yet as you ought to know, 1 Cor. 8. 2. you must become a fool for Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 18. and sit down at the very foot of God, Esa. 41. 2. to receive his Law. Deut. 3. 33. Thus Mary sate at Jesus feet and heard his Word, Luk. 10. 39. great Naaman will learn good from a little Maid. 2 King. 5. 2, 3, 4. &c. Bring along with you a bored ear, Psal. 40 6. and a bowing heart, as Samuel, speake Lord for thy Servant heareth, 1 Sam. 3. 10. as Saul said Lord what wilt thou have me to do, Act. 9. 6. In a Word pray to God, that all this may be done that he would bless the Word, both for the killing of Sin, and the quickening of grace, &c. Do you beg a blessing on the food of your body and not of your Soul, Prov. 2. 3, 5. cry after it, this is your life, Matth. 4. 4. Esa. 38. 16. Joh. 6. 63.

10. The second thing you are to mind is, concomitant, as the first things preparation, the second is performance, to wit, w [...] is re­quired [Page 112] of you in this Religious duty, and 'tis threefold. 1 Attention. 2 Intention, and 3 Retention. 1 Attention of the ear. 2 In­tention of the heart. and 3 Retention of the Memory. 1 of the first of these, to wit, At­tention of the ear. The ear is the sense of Faith, as the eye is the sense of love; Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10. 17. God makes the ear to be the Organ of our Salvation (in working Faith by hearing the word) as it was the Instrument of our destruction, when our first parents lent their ear in listening unto Satans lies: the Milk of the word is not to go in at the mouth, but at the ear, the ear is the Instrument to take in God by, and not the eye, Exod. 33. 19. Moses desires to see Gods glory, Ver. 18. no (saith God) I will proclaim it, and accordingly he doth so, Exod. 34. 6, 7. and thus likewise God doth testify to Elias in a still small voice, (not in visible things as fire and Earth-quake, but in a voice which is Au­dible) 1 Kin. 19. 11, 12. both those Instances teaches you, that teaching by a voice should be the principal means, to bring your soul to the saving knowledge of God, Moses thought that his seeing of God would much confirm him, (as Papists thinks of their seeing of Pictures and Crucifixes) but God Rectifies Moses errour and proclaims himself, the Lord; Rectify the Popish mistake also.

11. Hearing prevail not, neither will [Page 113] Seeing, no not your seeing a man from the dead, Luke 16. 27, 31. the Jews were so far from believing when they saw Lazarus raised from the dead, that they would have kill'd him, for no other fault, but because he who had been dead, was alive again, Joh. 12. 10. their seeing of such an one was so far from working Faith in them, that it Transported them into fury; and into such sublime malice and madness, as to make them take up Arms against Heaven it self, as seeking to kill a man, only because God had made him alive. They listened as little to him whom they saw, as to Christ whom they heard, but sought to kill [him] also, as well as Christ: Indeed who can believe the Testimony of a mere Creature, that will not believe the Testimony of the Creator himself. So that Hell is to be escaped by hearing, Luke 16. 29. Esay. 55. 3. Hear and live.

12. The deafness of mans ear to hear the word of God, causeth Christ to sigh, Mark. 7. 34. [ [...]] he sighed, as if himself felt and fainted under the burden of mans deafness. Until Christ say [Ephphatha] be opened, and boar the ear, Psal. 40. 6. God may speak once and twice, and man not perceive it. Job. 33. 14, 16. There be three vices in hearing which Christ must cure you of, before you can be attentive to the Word of God. (1.) There is a Carnosity on the Tympanum Auris; [Page 114] A fleshie excrescence upon the drum of the ear, this must be removed to recover natural hear­ing; so Carnal affections to the World will make you Spiritually deaf to the Word, until you be Circumcised in ear, as well as heart by Christ. Act. 7. 51. Jer. 6. 10. Thus Herods carnality (with Herodias) made him deaf to Divine Doctrine, Mark. 6. 17, 18. (2.) There is abundance of bad humours in the brain, that make a noise within, so that a voice can­not be heard without. Intus existens prohibet Alienum. The head must be purged of those Vapours before hearing can be quick, thus the heart must be purged of Pride, passion, or pre­judice, &c. Those bad humours that deafs man to God: the Jews ears were waxen fat herewith, that they could not hear Christs voice, Matth. 13. 15. (3.) The Organ is sometimes hurt by a fall: this is certainly done to the Inner-man, by the fall of the first man, our hearing is wounded till Christ cast out the deaf Spirit.

13. Your heart thus purged by Christ (for Ʋnguentum pretiosum Vasi faetido non commit­titur, pretious Ointment may not be put into an unclean Vessel) when Christ hath wakened, Esa. 50. 4. and opened your Ear, Psal. 40. 6. then attend the word with your ear, not as the Word of Man, but as the word of God, 1 Thes. 2. 13. with all due reverence and true affection looking beyond the instrument (which [Page 115] yet God useth) at the Authority and institu­tion; how the treasure is precious though in an earthen Vessel, 2 Cor. 4. 7. [ [...]] in Oyster-shells, a bright Pearl may be found therein (though contemptible in themselves) by a Divine appointment; that it should be so, (pleaseth God) as before. Therefore set your self Solemnly in Gods presence, as Cornelius and his friends did, Act. 10. 33. we are all here present before God, to hear all things com­manded thee of God: and as the Corinthian Convert saw God in the Ordinance, 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. when he found that it told him (as once to the Samaritan Woman, Joh. 4. 29.) all that ever he did, 'tis a curious Critick, Hebr. 4. 12. It finds and ferrets out secret Sins.

14. Hereupon must you, (1.) Give your best attention to it; your plus and your prius, First and most, as to a Divine Institution, whereof God (himself) is the Author. Christ (himself) the matter and Salvation (it self) of your precious and immortal Soul, 'its end; look well then to your foot, Eccles. 5. 1. as one that expects some blessed News from Hea­ven, and concerning matters of greatest Im­portance; Expecting that God will Magnisy his Word above all his name, Psal. 138. 2. and longing for a word in Season, which will be to you, as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver, Prov. 25. 11, 20. yea looking upon the [Page 116] word as a part of Christs purchase, and every Syllable thereof (as it were) written with his precious blood, and therefore desiring not only to hear it, but also to feel it and to taste of it; that your heart (as well as your hand) may handle of the Word of life, 1 Joh. 1. 1.

15. And (2.) you must attend it often, as often as you can redeem time from your other Employments, to embrace such a blessed and golden opportunity: the Reason is, you will never find your heart in the same frame (at the next opportunity) that the Word left it in at your last audience of it. This is the disadvan­tage of the Ministry above all other callings in the World: a Minister of Christ never finds his work as he leaves it, the Carpenter, the Goldsmith, the Potter, (and men of all callings) find their work next morning as they leave it over-night; but a Minister of the Gospel, doth not find the hearts of his hearers the following Sabbath, in the same frame as he left them in the foregoing: he sent them away with warm hearts, but they return to him again with cold hearts; So that he hath a new fire to Kindle, his Iron to heat again before it will be Malle­able to the hammer of the word, Jer. 23. 29. his wax (that is now grown hard by lying in the cold) to mollify again, before it will take the Impression of the Divine Seal, Rom. 6. 17. therefore doth he pray for this before he Preach: you will assuredly and by wosul ex­perience [Page 117] find your heart not as the materials in other callings, abiding in the same frame and tenure as they are left, but rather as the flesh of the Peacock, which (Naturalists say) though Rosted over night, will be Raw in the next morning; pray then with David, keep this frame for ever on me, 1 Chron. 29. 18. when you are warm'd with the word, and lay your Soul often under the droppings of the Sanctuary, for reforming your affection, as well as for Informing your Judgment, Isa. 28. 10.

16. Thirdly, you must attend the word without drowsiness: if you sleep at the word, the envious one will be sure to sow his tares while you do so; Matth. 13. 25. Remember Eutichus, Act. 20 9. you may get a worse fall then he did; you may fall from the high pin­acle of profession to the low Pit of prophane­ness, from the third Heaven, to the lowest Hell, where you shall have no Paul to take you up and recover you: did you ever see a Man sleep at his Markets, and so goe home empty, neglecting to buy the Provisions (for himself and his Family) that he came thither for? Your errand to Gods Market for your Soul is (or ought to be) to buy the truth, Prov. 23. 23. O go not home empty-handed, empty­hearted; did you ever see a man fall asleep in taking and telling of Money's, such an one cannot tell whether he take right Money, or [Page 118] wrong, and is easily Cheated. Yet alas, how many by so doing put an everlasting Cheat upon their own Souls, falling not only into a natural, but also into a Spiritual slumber while they are talking and telling of Divine truth, which is the only Currant Coin in the Court of Heaven.

17. Alas poor Soul, if you do so, I cannot say of you; as Christ once said of Lazarus, (Joh. 11. 12. If he sleep, he shall do well) but the contrary, if you sleep in an Ordinance, you both do, and will do, very ill; you can neither take nor tell [even] saving truth when it is told out to your hand and to your heart. As the Apostle faith, what! have you not Houses to eat and to drink in, 1 Cor. 11. 22. So I say, what! Have you not Houses to sleep in? But you will shame your self, and despise the Church of God. Shall I praise you in this? I praise you not, O little do you know what drops of the Divine unction (that flows from the two blessed Olive-Trees (Christ and his Spirit) Zech. 4. 2, 3, 12, 14) Runs by your Vessel, while you shut the mouth of it, by your falling asleep. Spare-diet on that day is a good Antidote against that evil, and sure I am, a truly thirsting Soul, that followeth hand after Christ, Psal. 63. 1, 2, 8. hath the right Spiritual Antidote (as spare-diet is the natural) against it. Such as wake much in Taverns and Ale-houses, will be sure to sleep much in the [Page 119] Ordinances, and they that dare do so, and can be pleased with themselves in so doing, may justly suspect their own state and standing God­ward. Such as sleep to God, God will sleep to them; and 'tis just (saith Mr. Robert Bolton) that such be plagued with some sudden ven­geance from Heaven, for neglecting so great Salvation, Hebr. 2. 3. to become Examples to others: 'Tis Gods great mercy, Gods plagues are suspended. God will (sooner or later) send out his Summons for sleepers.

18. Fourthly, you must attend the word without weariness, as well as without drow­siness, those two very often go together. If Nero were so angry with Vespasian for being weary of, and falling asleep at his Musick; O what will the great God be, if you both be weary of, and fall asleep at his sacred Or­dinance: you must shake your self from slug­gishness as Sampson did, Judg. 16. 20. and not cry out, O what a weariness is it! Mal. 1. 13. and when will the Sabbath be over, Amos 8. 5. as if in the stocks all the while you sit there; but consider how Christ standeth and knocketh at the door of your heart (and this he hath done many days and weeks and mongths and years) yet is not weary, Revel. 3. 20. although the posture of standing be a wearisom posture, and the action of knocking a wearisom action: yet his leggs ake not with standing, nor his hands wearied with knocking, Esa. 59. 1. shall [Page 120] the Master wait and wait (long) upon the servant without weariness, and dare the ser­vant be weary with waiting [a while] upon his Lord and Master? Such as have mainte­nance from the Kings palace, or are salted with the Kings Salt [in their Salaries,] as, Ezr. 4. 14. Must not be weary with waiting in his Service: 'tis the brand of the Child of Perdition, to have eaten of his Masters bread, and yet lift up his heel against him. Psal. 41. 9. Matth. 26. 23.

19. How many lift up their heels, to go away from Christ in the Ordinance, if they do not lift up their heels to war against him; know you not (saith the Apostle) that the Saints shall Judg the world? 1 Cor. 6. 2. but alas the very Ox and Ass doth Judg such per­sons by their knowing and waiting on their Masters Crib, better then they, Esa. 1. 4. Some cannot sit above an hour, as if all spoke after were unsanctified matter, and born out of due time. Surely 'tis easier to hear with the ear then to cry with the voice, there is strain­ing and stretching of both lungs and sides in this, but none in that; yet the Worshippers of the Idol [Diana] could cry out (with an extended voice) for the space of two hours, (great is Diana of the Ephesians) Act. 19. 34. yet some cannot hear with the ear above one hour. O Consider, your Lords Heaven and Hap­piness (for which you are hearing and which is [Page 121] prepared for all that hear aright) is more then of an hour long; and shall man make the Ephah of his makers Worship so small, Amos 8. 5. when his Maker hath made the Omer of his Wages so great. Our work is not the tenth part of our Wages, Exod. 16. 36. Shall the Cedar of Lebanon, woo and suit the Thistle in Lebanon for a Marriage, as 2 King. 14. 9. And can the poor Thistle be weary of such be­seechings?

20. Fifthly, you must attend the word without wandrings as well as without weari­ness: you must serve the Lord without dist­raction, 1 Cor. 7. 35. as before. David loved the word of God so much, that he hated all vain thoughts, that would have distracted him in it. Psal. 119. 113. he (as it were) shrinks out of himself into his God, when the wicked one touched his heart with wandring thoughts: alas the Plaque of Flies is upon the fal'n nature of Man, (as it was upon the land of Egypt) from Beelzebub the God of Flies, pray the Lord so to expel them, as not one may be remaining. Exod. 8. 31. & 10 19. Those flocks may not feed before the Mount of God. Exod. 3. 4, 3. and those Fowls may not rest on your heart, as 2 Sam 21. 10. that (as Haman) would ravish the Queen (the Soul) even in the Kings presence, Esth. 7. 8. hang them, Ver. 10. Gen. 15. 11.

[Page 122] 21. The second duty in the Act of hearing is, Intention, (as before Attention) there must be Intention of the heart, as well as At­tention of the ear first, Luke 19. 48. [ [...]] (pendebat ab ore ejus) the people (there) were so intent and earnest in hearing the word of Christ, that they did (as it were) hang their ears at Christs mouth, and tied them to his very Tongue. Thus you should hear as for your life, and as for your last; just as Pri­soners hear their Prince that Judgeth them at the Bar, when every word he speaks to them is either life, or death: Or as Benhadads ser­vants did hear the King of Israel (whom they expected to find a merciful King) 1 King. 20. 31, 32, 33. How did they watch every Word, and how did they catch at the word, [brother] you must hang on God in his Ministers) as the Babe doth upon the breast, and as the Bee doth upon the flower. (2.) Open your hearts, Acts 16. 14. God bids you open your mouth wide, and he will fill it, Psal. 81. 10. This [ [...]] your narrow Soul, and your narrow Faith will spoile you in this Ordinance; you should bring large Sacks and such as will open wide, when you come for the Corn of Heaven to the Lord of Heaven and Earth, as the Patriarks did when they went (in a Famine) for Corn to the Lord of the land of Egypt. Gen. 42. 2, 3, 6, 25. Your Joseph your Jesus (I dare assure you) will be kinder [Page 123] to you (if you so come unto him) then ever that Joseph was to his Brethren, whose rough words were (indeed) somewhat discouraging, but his smooth deeds were wonderfully en­couraging; he sent them laden home not only with Corn but with their Money too. Gen. 42. 7, 27. & 44. 1. Food as much as they could carry.

22. Thirdly, bring Enlarged hearts; The greater your Vessel is, and the wider mouth it hath, 'tis not only the sooner filled, but you carry so much the more water home from the Conduit also. Joh. 4. 7, 28. Christs Mini­sters (that beseech you in Christs stead. 2 Cor. 5. 20. are compared to Clouds, Jude. 12. Upon a three-fold account. 1. As they are driven to and fro. 2. As sustained (like Clouds full of water) by the mighty power of God. 3. As dropping down refreshing rain upon the droughty Earth; now as the dry ground gapes for Rain, so should you for the word. Hebr. 6. 7. Deut. 32. 2. Ezek. 21. 2 They waited for Job as for the Rain, Job 29. 23. Which in those hot Countrys was heartily longed for and highly prized: and they opened their mouth wide (to him) as for the latter Rain. That is, they listened as for life, and gaped as if they would have eaten his words. Such a Divine thirst Davids Soul abounded with, in his dry and thirsty land, Psal. 63. 1. & 42, 1. 2. & 119. 20, 81, And the Spouse, Cant. 2. 4. [Page 124] Crying stay me with flagons, 'tis not a drop, or a spoonful, or a little Cup full that will quench her thirst, but she must have whole Flagons. You should come to an Ordinance, just as Behemoth came to Jordan in his thirst, Job 40. 23. The Elephant is such a thirsty Creature, that he swalloweth abundance of water at one of his Mighty draughts; he fancies (when he comes to drink) he can drink up a River, and draw up great Jordan at one draught into his mouth; and so great is his thirst, that he is said to take the whole River with his Eye. Ver. 24. his belly is better fill'd (it seems) then his Eye. O that you could come with such an intent Soul to the Ordi­nance, as if you could swallow up the whole blessing of the Ordinance your Self, and drink it all up at one draught. Suppose you could thus Monopolize and appropriate the blessing, yet this would be no damnifying of others; there is no envy in Spiritual things, which may be divided (in Solidum) in the whole, each Soul may have a whole blessing, without wronging one another; 'tis otherwise in Temporals, the World admits not of Rivals, as being conscious of 'its own scantness, and not having enough for all.

23. Fourthly, Be Reverent as to God. The over-grown Heathen (though a King) Eglon shames and condemns many hearers in our day; no sooner doth he hear Ehud say, [Page 125] I have a Message from God unto thee O King, but presently he arose from off his seat to re­ceive it with Reverence though it proved a sad Message, Judg. 3. 20. Yet the worshippers of the true God do not now raise up themselves, nor raise up their hearts to receive a Message from God to them, though it be not a Message of death and destruction (as that to Eglon was) but a Message of Life and Salvation. Fisthly, be earnest, you must hear the word of God earnestly, as blessed Baruch is said to repair the Wall of Jerusalem earnestly, Neh. 3. 20. That is, with all his heart, Soul and strength, being vexed with himself that he had begun no sooner. The Hebrew word (Hich­erah, hence the Latin Ira for Anger) signifies there (he burst out into an heat) as being angry at himself, that he had done no more and at others also that they had done so lit­tle: Hereupon in an holy sume and fervency he finishes two parts (and that quickly) while others were busy but about one piece: a ready heart makes riddance of Gods work, and will kindle 'its own heat from other Mens coldness, and quicken it self from others sloth­fulness: what you do, you must (saith Solo­mon) do with all your might, Eccles. 9. 10. If every Civil work, much more this Spiritual (which is of greatest Importance) the strength of your affections must be here as well as in Prayer.

[Page 126] 24. In a word, Sixthly, to hear with In­tention, is to have your heart affected with that you hear, so as it may not only burn in your heart as theirs did, Luke 24. 32. but also melt kindly under it, as Josiahs tender heart did at the hearing of the Law. 2 Chron. 34. 27. yea and rejoyce greatly when you are made to understand it, as the people did, Neh. 8. 12. your heart leaping within you at it, as the Babe sprang in Elizabeths womb when (not the Lord himself, but, The Mother of our Lord spake to her, Luke 1. 41. not only hear, but feel Gods voice, 1 Joh. 1. 1. (1.) You must desire earnestly to hear Gods voice as well as hear Mans; God saith in this Ordinance to his Angels of the Churches, as he said at the Creation (as some sense it) to the Angels (that left not their first state and habitation, Jude Ver. 6.) let us make Man, Gen. 1. 26. So here, let us both join together to make Sinners Saints, Ministers of God are [ [...]] fellow-labourers with God. 1 Cor. 3. 9. and who would not but labour heartily with so sweet a companion; he joins his Spirit to their word, and makes them Preach all sorts of Sin­ners into another (even the Divine) Nature, you may not then be satisfied, till you feel God speak as well as hear man speak, till God speak to your heart, with a strong hand as he did to the Prophet, Isa. 8. 11. till he Single you out from others, and speak to you with efficacy. [Page 127] Many hear a Noise of Christ that do not hear (the) voice of Christ, Act. 9. 7. with 22. 9. Eightly mix Faith with the word, be sure you mingle the Word with Faith, those two meet­ing together makes a precious Confection, a blessed mixture, Heb. 4. 2.

25. The third particular is, retention of memory, the Word. 1. It must be laid up in the head; you hear must not be like breath upon steel, that is soon on, and as soon off again: nor as day flies (call'd Ephemerae) that are bred at noon and dead at night. Nor as the morning-dew that soon goeth away, Hos. 6. 4. The Sun arising soon licks it up from off the Earth: In the hearing of the Word a blessed dew falls from the drops of it, Deut. 32. 2. but it should not go away as the dew. If you cannot stay it, but it will go away; then pray, that however some Manna may still remain, as Exod. 16. 14, 15. the Manna did come down with the dew. Ver. 13. Christ (that bread of life, Job. 6. 32.) comes down in the Ministry of the word, Psal. 110. 3. the dew covered the Manna, hence is that promise of hidden Manna, Revel. 2 17. when the dew was gone the Manna remained for the people to gather, O get an Omer full of this Angels food, put it into the Golden Pot of a Sanctifyed memory, and lay it up before the Lord. Ver. 33. 34. Heb. 9. 4.

26. You must (with Mary, Luke 25. 51.) [Page 128] lay up all Christs sayings in your heart, though there be but a little distance betwixt the head and the heart yet 'tis a long time ere the Word get down from the former to the latter: yet this must be done, Luke 9. 44. let my sayings (saith Christ) not only Sink down into your ears and heads, but also into your hearts, the Word should be hid there, Psal. 119. 11. If you desire a preservative from Sin. You must treasure it up there, till it be kindly wrought upon your heart and become an Engrafted Word, Jam. 1. 21. till you have an Inclination to it, and a delight in it, when it Incorporates and becomes one with you and you with it. Thus the Word must Sink as well as Swim, 'tis not enough that it Swim in the head but it must also Sink down into the heart: God promiseth to give an heart to know him, Jer. 24. 7. in that New Covenant, 'tis not head to know him, though the head be the seat of notional knowledg, yet the heart is the seat of that which is practical and experimental. The seed of the word abideth, 1 Job. 3. 9. only in honest and good hearts, Luke 8. 15. there be three bad sorts of hearers to one good; how oft doth Satan (that Prince fowle of the Air) pick up that seed, which is sown on the high­way of the head, and not in the heart.

27. None ever (that was wise) went to the Well, for a Pitcher of Water to spill it by the way; Jewels are to be lock'd up carefully, [Page 129] and not cast at our heels, for fear of Theeves; no wonder if the grand Thief (Satan) steal away that word you are careless of your self, he is to blame for robbing you of your best Riches, but who is blame-worthy that leaves ope the door? The Samaritan Woman went to the Well for water to carry it home, Joh. 4. 7. and Ruth gleaned in Boazs field to carry home to her aged Mother at Home, Ruth 2. 19. Is the Lord kinder to you then Boaz was to Ruth, who let her glean among the sheaves, and bid his servants let fall handfulls on purpose that she might gather them. Ver. 15. 16. be sure you beat out what you gather of the Corn of Hea­ven, and carry it home with you, and Scatter it not by the way, our Memory must not be as the Sieve or broken Vessel, that lets all the liquor of life run out: if it be so naturally and in Worldly things as well as Heavenly; yet know for your Comfort, the oftner that the Vessel hath water in it (though all the water run out) yet it leaves the Vessel cleaner then it found it. A retentive faculty is neces­sary to an healthful body, until there be a due segregation, and no less is it necessary to an healthful Soul: yet must not your memory be as the Spunge to suck up puddle-water as well as purest Wine; but rather like the Fan that blows away the chaff, while the solid Wheat abideth; and like those in Mat. 13. 48. you must gather the good fish into this Vessel (of [Page 130] a Sanctified memory) and cast the bad away, as Moses, slay the Egyptian (when you meet him) but save the Israelite alive: wise Virgins distinguish 'twixt meat of Gods sending, and that of the Devils cooking.

28. The consequent duties after hearing, be, (1.) What concerns your self keep in ever­lasting remembrance. Prov. 4. 20, 21, 22. as you must not be like the hour-glass that runs out one way as it comes in the other way; or as the Hogshead that lets go the Wine but retains the dregs: So you must be like those Vessels that let go the bran, but retain the pure Wheat; 'tis your Spiritual health and life. Ver. 21. 22. (2.) Meditate upon what you thus remember. 1 Tim. 4. 15, which is as the bel­lows of the Soul that kindles holy affections, if you chew the Cud, you are a clean Sacri­fice. (3.) Repeat it, the whole Book of Deuteronomy is but a Repetition of Moses for­mer Sermons in his foregoing Books: as a man that comes into a Garden of Flowers and Spices, is not content with the present fragran­cy thereof, but carries home some of them in a Nose-gay for his future Refreshment; when you have been in the Garden of Spices, and felt the Savour of Christs ointments carry some home, and pound them for use; Repeating (yea and Conferring) is as the pounding of those Spices, this makes them smell sweeter indeed. (4.) Turn all into Prayer, that you [Page 131] may not only repeat it in your lips, but espe­cially in your life. Luke 11. 28. Ezek. 33. 32. Jam. 1. 23. The best Repetition of Sermons is in the life; Sermons should be felt and lived as well as heard; then is the root of the matter (or word Hebr.) indeed in you, Job. 19. 28. when it brings forth fruit. Col. 1. 6. and the stalk of wickedness. Ezek. 7. 11. Will be out, grown.

1. SEeing the Saints are called Singing Birds, Cant. 2. 10, 12. (the time of the Singing of Birds is come.) 'Tis a thousand pitties that any of those Singing Birds, should lose this Singing Ordinance, as if it were still Winter with them, and as if the Spring-time of grace were not come upon them; or as if it were the mowting Month with them, as it is with some Singing Birds (which having some dist emper in their Voices, Tongues, or Breasts) [Page 132] Sing not at all in that Month. The Saints of the most high God, should rather be as the Canary-Birds that warble out their pleasant Notes, all the Months of the Year; seeing the time of the Singing of Birds is come upon them. And they are made able to say (in the witnessings of the Holy Ghost. Rom. 9. 1.) that their Sins are pardoned, their persons are accepted off, and their names are writ in the Lambs Book of life. This is the true Sing­ing time and they should rejoice in this, Luke 10. 20. and rejoice evermore. 1 Thes. 5. 16. yea in every thing give thanks. Phil. 4 4, 6. always warbling out the high praises of the most high God which is ever comely for the upright. Psal. 33. 1.

8. The Method of my discourse upon this Subject shall (in Gods strength) be thus man­aged. 1. In showing you the grounds, reasons and Arguments (at least some of them) that may be alledged for it. 2. The Answers to those Objections that are usually urged against it, and of both briefly. First of the first of those. The first Argument to enforce this Religious duty is taken from the Divine pre­cept, all Divine Worship must have a Divine Warrant this is (principium eternoe Veritatis) a maxim of everlasting truth, and will pre­vail against all contrary assertions: And assu­redly there is no duty (next to Prayer) that is more pressed (both in the old and New [Page 133] Testament) by the most (holy) God, although it be so little practiced by (Sinful) Man. But waving the old Testament precepts (which are liable to more exceptions) the New Testa­ment precepts are most cogent, and they are principally three. (Eph. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. and Jam. 5. 13.) that in the mouth of three Witnesses this great truth might be estab­lished.

3. The second Argument, is taken from Divine presidents, (waving the Old-Testament in this also) as before in Divine precepts; and they are three likewise. as Mat. 26. 30. Act. 16. 25. & 1 Cor. 14. 15. The Example of Christ (himself) is the (Regula Regulans) rule ruling, and the example of the Apostles is the (regula Regulata) rule ruled. You cannot Write after a better Copy, then after Christ, and after his Apostles so far as they followed Christ. His Pattern is for your Practice, and he will not be a Saviour to you for happiness, unless he be also a Samplar to you for Holiness; you must either tread in his steps here in this world, or you shall never lodge in his bosome in the World to come; and you should follow them, who through faith and patience do now In­herit the promises. Heb. 6. 12. Follow the white-side (though not the dark-side) of this cloud of Witnesses. Heb. 12. 1.

4. The third ground is Antiquity, pure An­tiquity. This may give light, when all other [Page 134] lights are out; the laudable and comely customs of the primitive Church ought to be observed, 1 Cor. 11. 16. as Water the neerer that it is to the Spring, the purer doth it run in the stream, so is Antiquity in customs, the neerer to the Apostles times, before the man of Sin arose to fowle them with his fowle foot, Ezek. 34. 18. Rev. 13. 1. the purer they are and so are justly deserving a due esteem and diligent perusal in matters of fact, which (they) must needs know better then others after them. 'Tis true, the universal practice of Churches is no Rule; for the word of God is the only rule, and custom, without truth is but a mouldy Errour, and as a Cipher without a figure: yet when the customes of the Church are backed with both Divine precepts and Divine presidents, It should ever strike a Reverence upon the heart; Gods word is truth. Joh. 17. 17. and 'tis that which must institute all Ordinances; such customes, as hold not a consonancy to the word, are vain. Jer. 10. 3. and ought to be abolished: but in the duty of Singing custom and truth meets together, 'twas the practice of him that was truth it self; and (primum Cujus (que) Generis est mensura Reliquorum) the first of the kind is a Rule to all the rest. Christ was first in this Gospel-Ordinance, and the Primitive Churches followed him herein, as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and others testify, having their (Cantus antelucanos) Singing praises to God and Christ before day.

[Page 135] 5. The fourth Reason for reviving this Gospel Ordinance, is the universal Obligation that lyeth upon all to performe it. 'Tis a natural duty (as well as instituted and moral duty hence all lys under the Obligation of it. Even all Creatures that receive mercy from God, should return duty to God; let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord, Psal. 150. last. to wit, in their kind and after their manner; yea the whole Creation, all the works of God (whether Reptilia, Aquatilia terrestria ceu Coelestia, creeping things, Fish, Fowle, Beasts below, and Stars above) shall praise God. Psal. 145. 10. all joins in consort with the Saints in praising work. 'Tis indeed chiefly Mans work as he is Gods Master-piece, and endowed with both Speech and Reason above other Creatures. Yet 'tis not Mans duty only, though it be (his) chiefly; all Creatures do owe an Homage of praise to their Creator, and all men may know either by the light of nature, that this duty is natural or by the Law of God, that it is moral (besides what hath been said of 'its Institution in the Gospel) 'tis pitty that Man should rob God. Or as the Hebr. is, Mal. 3. 8. will Adam pil­lage Elohim? to wit, of his praise: and 'tis the greatest pitty that this should be done not only by Adam in general, but also by any of the best of the Sons and Daughters of Adam.

[Page 136] 6. The fifth Argument is the Excellency of the duty above bare Reading: Singing the word of God in meeter, is fuller of Vigour and Spirit then Reading it in prose, which of it self, and in 'its own nature is a far more saint and seeble strain, and hath not that sweet delectation in it to the Godly mind, as frequent experience doth easily demonstrate: how oft is a gracious Soul even elevated herein above it self? thus David had his unspeakable ravish­ments in this Ordinance, and therefore as being much vexed with his own natural dullness, he stirs up himself as Deborah had done before him. Judg. 5. 12. Awake Deborah, Awake, utter a Song. So he awakes his tongue (which he calls his glory) his harp and his heart too, for this duty wherein he found so much sweet­ness. Psal. 57. 7, 8. & 108. 1, 2. & 104. 33, 34. & 119. 103.

7 David did not only raise himself up from his indisposing drowsiness (going out with Samson to shake it off from him, Judg. 16. 20.) but he reckons Gods statutes (which he made his Songs in the House of his Pilgrimage) to be better to him then thousands of Gold and Silver. Psal. 119. 52, 54, and they were the rejoysing of his heart, as his best inheritance. Ver. 111. Thus should the word of Christ dwell in you Richly. Col. 3. 16. [ [...]] Indwell in you: It must be in you and in you again, well digested and turn'd into [Page 137] juice and blood, and this cannot be so well effected by a bare and cursory Reading the Word, as it may be by Singing it; wherein there is a distinct and fixed Meditation upon it, and upon every Syllable of it while 'tis leisure­ly founded out by the voice: the longer that you ponder it in your mind, the more likely may it have a strong influence on your affect­ions; this pausing and pondering doth chafe, supple and work the word into your Spirit, and so makes it both a refreshing and a ravish­ing Ordinance to you, having a more spriteful violence upon your heart then bare Reading; for hereby Gods word takes a deeper Impres­sion upon you, and those things that you did know before, come to be better known and more graciously understood, the Spirit of God Sealing them upon your Soul; then doth the word of Christ dwell in you Richly, and you give rich and liberal entertainment to it, and you will account all other but trivial trash to this true treasure.

8. The sixth Reason to enforce this Gospel­duty, is, as it is an Ordinance that is comfor­table to Man (oft sweetning his Spirit for God and Godliness) so it is an Ordinance very acceptable to God; not only Solomons Prayer to God, but also his praising of God had a most gracious acceptance with God. The fire that came down from Heaven upon his Sacri­fice, 2 Chron. 7. 1. (as a visible evidence of [Page 138] acceptation) was after both his praying and praising work, 1 King. 8. 55, 56. & 62. He blesses the Lord in a standing posture (as well as the People) when he had done praying to the Lord in a kneeling posture. Ver. 54. 56, 57. and this Ordinance of Singing praises to God is the more acceptable to him, as it hath a more copious and ample profession of Piety in it, (then in other Ordinances) when the word of Christ dwells in us Richly, to make us Sing indeed, Col. 3. 16. for 'tis an Ordi­nance that contains in it an universal personal performance and Action, every one must be an Actor in sounding out the praises of the God of Israel. Psal. 148. 11, 12, 13. both Princes and Peasants, both young Men and Maidens, both old Men and Children. None are two high to do God Homage in their per­sons (not by a proxy) but as they are bound to do it (as men) so they are doubly-bound to it (as great men) and none are two low to pay this tribute of personal praise to God. Hereupon the Psalmist Summons in all things to pay their Rent to God. Factouring (as it were) among all Animate and Inanimate things to bring forth their proper praises to God.

9. This duty hath such acceptance with God that he hath put a double honour upon it, 1. In this World, 2. In the world to come. 1. Here God hath honour'd it with gracious [Page 139] effects far above the reach of either Nature or Art in two things. (1.) In allaying the evil Spirit. 1 Sam. 16. 24. The sound of Davids Harp (which could not be available alone) was quickened with the spiritual Song (where­in the breathings of the Spirit were) these altogether made Saul well altogether. (2.) In Ministring to the good Spirit, 2 King. 3. 15. Elishah (finding himself indisposed) calls for a Minstril (supposed to be some Godly Levite, skilful in singing Davids Psalms upon his In­strument of Musick) this prepared him for Prophecying, which (without Divine influence) he could not have effected. 2. Hereafter God honours it with making it the only and whole work of the other World, where sighing is turned into singing; sighing Hosannas into sing­ing Hallelujahs. David awakes up his glory to sing on Earth, Psal. 57. 8. but singing in Heaven shall be glory it self, 'tis a grace here as 'tis glory hereafter, it will be work and wages both.

10. The seventh Argument for the singing-Ordinance, is, 'tis prositable to the Church (as well as comfortable to Man and acceptable to God) in as much as it hath a greater Com­munion unto mutual edification in it, then in other Ordinances. Eph. 5. 19. speaking to your selves herein, &c. And Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another hereby; this is done, not only as there is a personal performance of [Page 140] every ones part in this duty (above others) but also as there is a shoring up of one anothers Spirits and Affections in it; like City-build­ings that bear up one another; not like those in the Country that stand alone and bear up themselves upon their own single bottom: besides when this singing work is carryed on [ [...]] with joint consent, this heaves upward every Petition more forcibly, and takes Heaven (as it were) by storm and violence, especially when Melody is made in the heart, which is the best Tune to every Psalm. Can the roaring Boys of the World, stir up and provoke one another to Mad Merriments, among their Cups by their loose and lewd Catches: and may not the Saints provoke one another, (Heb. 10. 24.) unto a Spiritual jollity (in a sober sense) to be expressed in Psalms? When Spiritualized unto Spiritual Songs, this is good fellowship of the best sort.

11. 'Tis pitty then, that this honouring God with our glory (as David that sweet sin­ger of Israel calls it, Psal. 57. 7, 8.) should have so much dishonour and disgrace cast upon it, either as to manner, or as to matter, either by those that are good, or by those that are evil. The Papists and Popish persons do indeed deride us for singing Geneva Jiggs, (as they stile the singing Psalms.) And others cry the duty down as a Novelty; whereas the An­tients tell us, that Christians (in their times) [Page 141] were wont to sing Psalms in their very jour­neyings. And that Maids and Servants made it their practice in their dayly work; assuredly the Devil would do to the Church now, as Balak (with (the Devils spel-man) Balaam) would have done to the Church in the Wil­derness, who, when he could not cut off the whole Camp of Israel, would be content to have part thereof cursed. Num. 23. 13. & 27. Thus Satan, when he cannot Plunder the Church of all the Ordinances at once, he will play at smaller-games (rather then be Idle) and endeavour only to cut her off from this Ordi­nance and the blessing of it.

12. Now to Answer the Objections which is the second thing propounded; The first Objection is, that singing is comely for the upright only. Psal. 33. 1. So none else ought to Sing praises but they. Answer the first, the word (only) is not in the Text, and it may be duty in sinners, as well as comely in Saints; 'tis true, high Speech so praise is, being the proper work only of glorifyed Saints, and of glorious Angels) becomes not a fool. Prov. 17. 7. Or a Nabal. Hebr. that is a sapless or worthless fellow, in whom all true worth is withered; God likes not fair words that come out of a foul Mouth; why do such take Gods word in their Mouth, when they hate to be Reformed? Psal. 50. 16, 17. The lepers lips should be covered according to the Law. [Page 142] Levit. 13. 45. and [laudari ab illaudato] to be praised by a praisless person is no praise at all. Christ silenced those Devils that confessed him the Son of the most high God. Mark. 5. 7. Luk. 4. 41. O then rather cover your lips (with the leper) or resolve to reform and let not your life give your lips the lie, be not as the Blacks that are white in the Mouth only.

13. The second Answer to this first Ob­jection is, all persons (both Saints and Sinners) do lay under an Obligation to this duty (as it is both a natural and a moral or instituted duty, as before) 'tis a duty enjoined upon all, though all cannot perform this duty a like, and after a comely manner or with an Evange­lical Spirit. 'Tis true, the old heart cannot sing the new Song. Psal. 3 3 3. the new Song before the Throne, Rev. 14. 3. or the Song of the Lamb, Rev. 15. 3. For should a man Sing a good Song with his Voice, and play a bad one upon his Instrument, it would make but an un­grateful grating Noise: So it is with them whose lips and lives are not Relatives, and whose Actions contradict their sayings and singings: yet every thing that hath breath, should praise the Lord. Psal. 150. last. and such as cannot do, what they ought, they (resolving to reform) ought to do, what they can; Seeing the positive command for this duty is general and universal: Sing to the [Page 143] Lord, all the Earth. Psal. 96. 1. and make a joyful noise, all ye Lands. Psal. 100. 12. and Sing to the Lord, all ye Kingdoms of the World. Psal. 68. 32. The duty is grounded upon the Soveraignty of God, as he is a great God and a great King above all Gods. Psal. 95. 3. and as his works of Creation and Providence, ex­tendeth to all the Sons and Daughters of Men, Psal. 145. 6. to 10. Therefore the Psalmist In­fers (and we with him) O that (All) men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the Children of Men. Psal. 107. 8, 15, 21, 31. 'tis oft over again and again.

14. The second Objection is, we may not Sing with a mixt multitude, that do but take the name of the Lord in vain; hereby we do but partake of their Sin, and so make it our own. Answer the first, when Moses and the Children of Israel Sang that Famous Song, Exod. 15. 1. there was not only a mixt multi­tude among them at that time (as is expresly mentioned, Numb. 11. 4.) but also such of the Children of Israel, that soon forgat the works of God, and tempted Christ in the Wilderness even of those that Sang his praise, Psal. 106. 12, 13, 14. and 1 Cor. 10. 9. And the Song of Moses (recorded in Deut. 34.) was appointed to be Sung by the Children of Israel, not only in their upright state, but also in their state of Apostacy, that it might testify against them [Page 144] as a standing Witness. Deut. 31. 19, 21, 22, 29. even by such it was to be Sung as Moses knew would (after his death (corrupt themselves ut­terly and the New Testament also,) Act. 13. 44.) tells you, that almost the whole City of An­tioch (the greatest part whereof were poor Pagans) came together to hear the Word of God, and though the Apostle managed the work both in praying to God, and in praising of God, yet may it not be cal'd confusion, if the whole Assembly said [Amen] to all. This saying [Amen] by the people gave their assent to both Prayers, and Praises. 1 Cor. 14. 16. And was an universal acting personally in Gods worship, as well as personal singing is.

15. The second Answer is, though Sinners (which drive the trade of Sin) do Sin in the manner of singing (because they do it not after a Spiritual manner) yet they do not Sin in the matter of the duty, which is plainly Obliga­tory to all, though it be comely only in Saints: he doth bonum though he doth it not bene, and yet the Saints (themselves may Sin in the manner of it too as well as sinners, alas none of us know either how to pray, or how to Sing, but as the Spirit helps our Infirmities, Rom. 8. 26.) so as to sing after a gracious man­ner and to make Melody in our hearts to the Lord; and no sufficient Reason can be rendred, why Saints should discontinue their duties, be­cause sinners do own God, and their own duty [Page 145] (both by the light of Nature, and the Law of God) enjoined them. Paul both prayed and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. Act. 27. 35. even among poor Pagans, rude Mariners and Soldiers, that trusted to their own wisdom more then to Gods word. Ver. 11. and that would have kil'd Paul not withstand­ing all his kindness to them. Ver. 42. he doth not discontinuc his Devotion and duty upon the account of a mixt multitude; besides God delighteth that his will should be obeyed, and abhorreth that his Law should be disobeyed even by sinful men, as in Sauls case. 1 Sam. 15. 22, 23. and in Ahabs, 1 King. 21. 27, 28, 29. God knows how to allow yea and to re­ward that which is his own, when yet he takes no pleasure in the sinful manner of the perfor­mance of a Divine duty.

16. The third Answer is, there is a parity of Reason put upon both praying and singing, Jam. 5. 13. is any afflicted, let him pray, is any merry, let him Sing Psalms. The stress of both those duties lays not so much upon the quali­fication of man, as upon the commandment of God: and though sinners cannot sing with grace in their hearts, yet this excuses them no more from singing then from praying, both which are alike general duties to all mankind and not peculiar to Saints: the very light of nature pressed Jonahs Mariners to pray in distress. Jon. 1. 6. And the Moral precept that [Page 146] forbids Atheisme, commands Prayer which is an owning of God. He is Davids Atheisti­cal fool, that saith in his heart there is no God, and that calls not upon God. Psal. 14. 1. 4. Hence it is inferred, that though carnal, Igno­rant or prophane people cannot Sing as they ought, no more can they pray as they ought; yet as this excuses them not from praying work, neither can it from singing work; whatever is not done with Faith is Sin, Rom. 14. 23. and without Faith there can be no pleasing of God. Heb. 11. 6. as to pray (so to Sing) without Faith is Sin, yet not to pray at all is a greater Sin; for the former is formality, but the latter is Atheisme, which is the worse of the two.

17. The third Objection is. Singing is but Temple-worship, and should be assisted with Instruments of Musick, &c. Answer the first, Moses and Deborahs Song was long before the Temple. 2. The Song of the Lamb, Rev. 15. Is taken out of several Psalms. 3. Praying was Temple-worship and was attended with Incense there, as well as singing was with Musical In­struments there; and so the Argument lays as strong and as Cogent, for abolishing the duty of praying now, as well as of singing. 4. Sing­ing to Instruments (then used) were only ty­pical, and so but temporary belonging to the Ceremonial worship and so is ceased, 'twas accommodated to the Church during her Mi­nority, [Page 147] Gal. 4. 1, 2. but singing with heart and voice is Moral-worship and so to abide among the mature heirs: the Ceremonial and Pom­pous part of Temple-worship is done away, but the moral part (in simplicity and gravity) remaineth; and now no voice should be heard in the Church but such as is significant, and is edifying by signification (which the noise of Instruments cannot be) 1 Cor. 14. 10, 11, 26. and in that Prophecy of the Gentiles Con­version, Psal. 95. We are commanded to make a noise with Psalms but not with Instruments. Ver. 1. 2.

18. Briefly the fourth Objection is, but we are bidden to sing the word of Christ, Col. 3. 16. not the words of David now. Answer first David writ his Psalms in the Spirit of Christ, 2 Sam. 23. 2. the Lord (Christ) had spoken by the Mouth of his servant David. Act. 4. 23. 'Twas the Rock (Christ) that spake to and by David, and made him the sweet singer of Israel, 2 Sam. 23. 1, 3. All the holy Scriptures (by which you must be guided here and Judged hereafter) is wholly the words that Christ hath spoken, Joh. 12. 48. So that while you sing the Psalms of David, &c. You do verily sing the words of Christ. 2. Answer, the He­brew Titles of David Psalms, be [Misimorim, Tehillim, and Shurim] which doth expresly correspond with the express phrase of the Apostle, Eph. 5. 10. Col. 3. 19. Psalms, Hymns, [Page 148] and Spiritual Songs; wherein he plainly points out the use of Davids Psalms, as being also the word of Christ and richly suiting to all Conditions: and such Psalms which cannot be Sung as your Experience, yet may you Sing them for your Instruction. Divine truth is the same in Meter, that it is in Prose, and may as well be Sung as Read. 3. Answer, Such Hymns as are composed by any now (suppose they be free from the rash and raw Eructations of a private Spirit, which cannot edify as it ought, 1 Cor. 14. 26.) yet as comming from an Ordinary gift only (for God no where promised another gift) it must needs (infin­itely) fall short of those Scripture Psalms; eomposed by the holy Pen-men of the Word, to whom the Lord vouchsafed such an High Publick and Infallible Conduct, in Composing what was Consigned to the use of the Church for ever; these must excel private Hymns, as much as the holy Scripture exceeds all other Books whatsoever.

1. NOw to manage your self in this fist walk of Christianity, Consider you must first have a New heart, and then you can­not want a New tongue,. for where Christ comes he makes all New. Rev. 21. 5. & 2 Cor. 5. 17. a New Constitution, a New Communi­cation and a New Conversation: not only a New heart and a New life, but also a New speech; he turns [to his Redeemed] a pure Language. Zeph. 3. 9. Or a lip of Excellency, Prov. 17. 7. as choice Silver (that hath a good sound,) Prov. 10. 20. So as to feed many, by administring grace to all hearers, Eph. 2. 29. So that this New tongue shall scatter Pearles, Math. 7. 6. and cast abroad Rich Treasure, Math. 12. 35. yea even Apples of Gold in Pict­ures of Silver, Prov. 25. 11. yet none of this can be, till Christ cast in a cruse full of the Salt of grace into the Fountain as Elisha did, 2 King. 2. 20, 21, 22. and healed the waters: for as is the Fountain, so are the streams sweet [Page 150] or bitter, the streams cannot rise higher, nor run better then is the spring; qualia principia talia principiaetam, as is cause so are the effects good or evil; as is the Tree, so are the Fruits, and as is the Treasure, so are the Expences: an evil Man out of the evil Treasure of his heart, brings forth nothing but rotten and corrupt Communication, Matth. 12. 35. the Bell is known by the Clapper whether it con­sist of good mettal or bad: what kind of wa­ter is in the Well, the same will be in the Bucket. And what is in the Ware-house, the same will be in the Shop: So whatever is in the heart, the same will be in the Mouth for out of the aboundance of the heart the Mouth speaketh; the heart of the wicked is little worth, Prov. 10. 20. till Christ renew it, for and in you.

2. Consider your speech (also) must be sea­soned with Salt, Col. 4. 6. even your common Communication and Conference, must be sea­soned with grace, that you may leave the Savour of grace in all places and companies wherein you come, as those meats that are most apt to putrify are most poudered; So that unruly member the Tongue, Jam. 3. 6. Is apt to have rotten and putrifyed Discourse, [ [...]] Eph. 4. 29. unless it be well seasoned with the salt of mortification and of that Christian wisdom which is from above: upon this uncomely part, you must put on the [Page 151] greatest comliness, 1 Cor. 12. 23. that your Mouth be not as the unclean vessel (under the Law) that wanted a covering, Numb. 19. 15. you must have the covering of the Spirit, Esa. 30. 1. that will let no corrupt Communi­cation, no rotten discourse, no obscene bor­borology nor filthy speeches come from you, while God (by his Spirit) keeps the door of your lips. Psal. 141. 3. stinking breath pro­ceeds from ulcerated lungs, and such as have their Excrements come out of their Mouths, have that mortal and desperate disease (cal'd Miserere mei) upon them: 'tis very unlikely that ever the holy God entred into such an House, and such an heart that hath so unclean a door, that hath not God, (1) In their heads, Psal. 10. 4. nor (2) In their hearts, Psal. 14. 1. nor (3) In their words. Psal. 12. 4. no nor (4) In their works or ways, Tit. 1. 16. he is [ [...]] an Atheist, Eph. 2. 12. that is thus without God (any way, every way) in the World. They were not Sons, but two Bast­ards, that would dare to shoot their Arrows against the dead body of their Father (accor­ding to the determination of the Judg, Judg­ing which of the three was the right heir of his Fathers goods) but he that was angry with them both for so doing: and surely those can­not be the right heirs of Heaven, that dare frequently shoot their venemous Arrows of blasphemous Oaths at the heart of God.

[Page 152] 3. Consider that God hath a Book of Re­memberance, wherein to write down all that men say (as well as do,) Mal. 3. 16. in order hereunto he hearkens what Sinners say, Jer. 8. 6. as well as Saints. That he may make memorable mention of them (at least at the last day; when all shall be either justified or condemned by their words, Mat. 12. 36, 37. Idle as well as evil words, and waste as well as wicked words, must then be accounted for in that great Ampitheatre; Plato thought it meet that mens speeches at Meals and meetings should be written; should this Platonick pro­posal be put into practice, O what strange Records would they be and yet though men do not Register them, God doth, you have need therefore to take heed to your ways, that you offend not with your tongue, Psal. 39. 1. which was a lesson that old Pambus was 30. Years in diligently Learning it, yet prosessed he could not yet take out that one Lesson: God (in that infinite wisdom wherein he made all things) hath set a double hedge afore this, unruly member (the tongue) to wit, of teeth and lips, to keep it up and in; and he hath also placed it 'twixt the brain and the heart, that it might take counsel of both, neither will he suffer Children to speak, till they have wit and understanding to guide them in their speaking; and those that are deaf, are also dumb, because they cannot hear Instruction, [Page 153] nor learn wisdom that they might speak ad­visedly and to Edification.

4. Consider that especially God regards, rewards and Records what the Saints speak, one to another of him in the duty of holy conference, as well as what they spake one with another to him in holy Prayers, Mal. 3. 16. This duty should be often done 'tis well pleasing to God: for (1.) Elijah was taken up into Heaven out of this Ordinance, 2 King. 2. 11. (not either out of Prayer or Medita­tion) but (as they were going on and talking) he knew best, what was fittest to be done, and happy is that man whom his master when he commeth shall find so doing, Mat. 24. 46. and (2) The two Disciples going to Emmaus, and talking together of Christs death (as Elijah and Elisha of (his) Translation) Christ comes to them and made the third Man, and they had fire (as the other had a Chariot of fire) came to them and made their hearts burn with in them, Luke 24. 14, 17, 32. Christ was known to them and stayd with them, and he will be still in the midst of two or three that meets for holy Conference, Mat. 18. 20. Yea (3) Christ himself (who is a whole cloud of wit­nesses in himself) hath Sanctifyed this Ordi­nance, by his conferring with Moses and Elias about his [ [...]] departure (as of Israel out of Ehypt) Luke 9. 31. at this Sacred Sy­nod (wherein Moses and Christ, the Law and [Page 154] the Gospel did well agree) was Christs glo­rious Transfiguration: let this Ordinance be one of your Gospel-walks, and Divine fire, a Chariot of fire, yea Transfiguring grace and glory in Gods presence may come upon you: be a Companion of those that feare God, Psal. 119. 63. Nosciture Socio, &c. A man is known hereby, and by conference as the Bell (whether crack'd or found) by 'tis Ringing; Gods Jewels conser, Mal. 3. 16, 17.

1. THough the word [Sacrament] being a Latin word (as Ornament, Element) not a Greek or Hebr. word, (in which Language the Scriptures were written) be not found in the Scripture, yet may it not be quarelled with on that account, for neither the words [Trin­ity, Omniscient, and Omnipotent, &c.] are found in it, and 'tis enough the things (though not the Names) be found therein, for God [Page 155] doth not bind us up to the latter (though we should hold fast the for me of sound and whole­some words, 2 Tim. 1. 13.) but to the former which are variously expressed according to the various Idiome, or propriety of speech in every Nation and Language that Translates the Ori­ginal. Hebr. Oth. in the Old Testament, and [ [...]] Greek words in the New Test. signifies (all of them) Sacrament. Gen. 17. 11. Rom. 4. 11. So likewise [...] 1 Pet. 3. 21. And [...] Heb. 8. 5. & 9. 23. have the sense with the Latin word [Sacra­ment] but to find Latin words in the Hebr. or Greek Bible, none can Rationally expect. There is no thing more clear in Scripture then this, that God hath instituted visible Signs and Seals of the promises of his grace to man, that are as visible Sermons to him, for the more effectual exciting of our dull minds; Hence Augustin calls a Sacrament [quasi Visibile & Spectabile Verbum] God hath Added Sacra­ments to his word to be as a visible word, (1) Assuring us that he dallieth not with us in his promises, (2) Propounded Spiritual things, to us after a corporal manner (as Chrysostome faith) and (3) To make his promises more Authentick and of greater validity to us as the deed (drawn by the Notary) is forcible, when the Hand and Seal are fixed and annexed to it. Yea (lastly) to be Symbols of the true Religion (distinct from that of Infidels and Indians) [Page 156] thus Adam had his Sacraments even in his state of Innocency, for being made up an earth­ly body, he had earthly Elements to instruct him, as the Tree of Life was a Sacrament of Immortality and Incorruption, and the Tree of knowledg of his probation and Tryal of his Obedience, Gen. 2. 17. & 3. 22.

2. If the first man stood need (as the wise­dom of God then Judged) of visible Signs in his state of perfection, how much more do we stand need of them in our state of Imper­fection: we shall certainly need them till we come to Heaven; so long as we are not (as yet) come to our Rest and to our Inheritance, Deut. 12. 9. Heb. 4. 3, 8. our Sacramental Manna must not cease, till we eat of the Corn of the land of promise, Josh. 5. 11, 12. In Heaven (indeed) when that which is perfect is come, then that which is Imperfect shall be done away, 1 Cor. 13. 14. when we are become all Spiritual, then we shall have no need of Sa­craments; but Christ will be our all in all: no Temple shall be seen in the state of glory, for the Lord and the Lamb shall be the Tem­ple of it. Rev. 21. 22. but while we are here in the Church Militant (and not come to the Church Triumphant made perfect in Heaven, Heb. 12. 23.) we have need of all the helps that God hath provided, and Christ hath purcha­sed for us; we have need both of the word and of the Sacraments. 1. Of the word to [Page 157] convert us, and 2. Of the Sacraments to con­firm us, the word is the Spirits Instrument to beget and begin life, and therefore is it pro­pounded unto every Creature, Mark. 16. 15. but the Sacraments are the Spirits Instrument only to nourish life begun and begotten, and therefore administred to those only that (in the Judgment of Charity) are supposed to be New Creatures; to wit, such as be members of the Church, Heb. 13. 10. 1 Cor. 1. 2, 3. with Chap. 10. & 11.

3. The Sacraments (which present to the Eye, as the word propounds to the Ear) are a part of Divine worship, some duties where­of are natural, as Prayer, &c. But this is properly Instituted worship proceeding from the Nomothetical, or Legis lative Authority of God, Esa. 33. 22. who only hath power to appoint Sacraments. Those of the old Testa­ment had a Divine appointment and institution to wit, Circumcision, in Gen. 17. 9. and the passeover, in Exod. 12. 12. So likewise the two Sacraments of the New, to wit, Baptisme, in Math. 28. 19. and the Lords Supper, in Math. 26. 26. and the things signifyed in both those forts of Sacraments (old and New Testament) were one and the same, to wit, Christ and his benefets, although the Rites and outward ma­terials were differing: yet the Divine Image and Super-Scription, was equally stamp'd upon both to make them current Coin.

[Page 158] 4. The Romanists would (indeed) have more then two Sacraments, of the New Testament, foisting in other five as equal Corrivals, of the two, to make them seven; and the Sublime Speculation of Tyrabosco (Patriark of Venice) may not be omitted; This Seraphick Doctor undertakes to assure the world that there must be seven Sacraments, and neither more nor less; and his proof is this, because their were five Loaves and two Fishes, (where with Christ fed the people, Luke 9. 13.) and neither more nor less; [ [...]] O the depth of this Doctr. his Notion! 'tis a Mistery of Misteries, and (if it would not spoile his Number) might stand for another Sacrament. But here­in he hath done well, to make a distinction 'twixt the two and the five; for as the two Fishes were things of Gods making, and the five Loaves were things of the Bakers making: So the two Sacraments (to wit, Baptism and the Lords Supper) are true, proper, and genuine Sacraments (Gods Creatures, and of Gods making as the two Fishes; but the other five (to wit, Confirmation, Pennance, Extrem Unction, Orders and Marriage) have the knavery of the Baker in them; made up more of course bran then of fine Meal. They are of the Popes making and not of God: they are bread of deceit, and not sanctifyed food, as are the two Sacraments of the Gospel, [Page 159] Instituted by Christ, and not invented by Antichrist.

5. The main and principal constitutive parts of a true Sacrament be three, to wit, [Ver­bum, Signum & Signatum] the word, the Sign and the thing signifyed, (1.) There must be the word of Divine Institution under the Covenant of grace; which yet is not the form of a Sacrament, but the efficient cause (instrumentally taken) by which God (out of his tender compassion to us) maketh for us a Sacrament [accedit verbum ad Elementum & fit Sacramentum.] The word of Institution comes to the Element, and makes it a Sacra­ment faith Augustine. (2.) There must be the outward Sign ordained of God, and not to be altered or adulterated by Man; and when the instituting word is applyed hereunto, then doth it begin to signify truly to us some­thing that is Divine and Heavenly, and that not of 'its own nature, so much as through the Ordination and Appointment of God. Those are called Sacramental Elements, which do Sign and Seal the Covenant 'twixt God and Man. (3.) There must be the thing signifyed, to wit, the inward grace of Christ promised in the word to be annexed, to those Sacred Symbols and signisyed by them.

6. Thus the five pseudonomous or Mock-Sacraments of the Romanists are Justly ex­ploded by Protestants, seeing they. (1.) Have [Page 160] not any Divine institution to make them Gos­pel Sacraments. nor (2.) Have they any out­ward Sign ordained of God for them. nor (3.) Any promise of grace annexed to them for the benefit of those that use them as Sa­craments. But the two standing Gospel Sa­craments, hath all those ingredients and con­stituting qualifications; as (1.) Baptism hath, (1.) An outward Element ordained of God, to wit, [Water] and (2.) A Divine institu­tion by our Lord Christ, Math. 28. 19. and (3.) It hath also the promise of Remission of Sin annexed to it, Mark. 1. 10. & Act. 2. 38. and so (2.) The Lords Supper hath, (1.) 'Its Elements appointed by Christ, to wit, (Bread and Wine,) Math. 26: 26. and (2.) The word of institution (do this in Remembrance of me) Luke 22. 19. yea and (3.) A promise annexed (of partaking of the benefits of Christs body and blood, for our nourishment to life eternal) Joh. 6. 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56. Therefore those two only are the true Gospel Sacraments.

1. THose are the only Sacraments, which (we may safely say) did flow out of the sides of our dear Saviour, Joh. 19. 3, 4. When his Pericardium was pierced by the Soldiers spear, (which nature hath filled with water to cool the heat of the heart,) there came out blood and water; and this the same John alludes to in his Epistle. 1 Joh. 5. 6. when he saith that Christ came by water and blood; not by water only, but by blood also. Not only to teach us, that he justifies none by his merit, but whom he sanctifies by his Spirit; (the grace of justification, held out in the blood, is always accompanied with the grace of Sanctification, hold out in the water) but also to shew, which be the two only Gospel-Sacraments that he hath Ordained for, and bestowed (as pledges of his love) on his Church his spouse, that was taken out of his side also (as well as those Sacraments) just as Eve was taken out of the sides of Adam. Gen. 2. 21, 22, 23. The five Popish Sacraments came not [Page 162] out of the side of Christ (as Sacraments for his bride) but out of the side of Antichrist, being his mere Inventions, and none of Christs holy Institutions.

2. Those two Gospel-Sacraments Christ hath appointed the one for a Sacrament of Ini­tiation; and the other for a Sacrament of nutrition. The former once only to be ad­ministred to one and the same Subject, and the latter to be often according to the Institution: and that of Augustin may pass as a plausible Reason, [Semel Nascimur, soepe Pascimur,] We are but once born, but we are often fed: feeding is a daily work, [as often] as ye eat this bread and drink this blood, ye do show the Lords death till he come. 1 Cor. 11. 20. First of the first, to wit, Baptism, in the gen­eral 'tis a fleeing from wrath to come, Math. 3. 7. And a running to Christ (as to a Sanct­uary) for Salvation from that wrath: the ter­minus a quo or what is fled from, doth sup­pose that there is a (terminus ad quem) or a City of refuge to run to for safety, Pro. 18. 10. In case Malady be not without a Remedy. Hence the Pharisees are said to Reject the Counsel of God against themselves, and were [Ingrati gratioe Dei] as Ambrose speak­eth, ungrateful to the grace of God. Luke 7. 30.

3. Baptism doth also [now] save us saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 3. 21. as the Ark did Noah [Page 163] and his Family, from that deluge of Divine wrath that destroy'd the old World. First, 'tis said to save us, as 'tis called the Laver of Re­generation, and the Baptism of Repentance, and the washing of the New-birth; and a being Baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, (as well as with water) Tit. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 26. &c. This saveth, yet not as the efficient cause of Salvation, for that is Christ alone; nor yet as a necessary Instrument, for that is Faith alone: but only as a pledge of Salvation, and as a badg of the saved; you must look upon it as a special favour from God to you, that he hath given you this Gospel Ordinance: and Secondly 'tis said to save us (now) to shew the permanency of 'its use and efficacy, to that Soul which makes a believing use of it; 'tis effectual to Seal up Salvation whensoever a man repents and believes. Hence Baptism is done once for all.

4. Baptism was first administred at that very place, where the people of Israel passed over Jordan; to wit, at Beth-abara, Joh. 1. 28. or Beth. bara, Judg. 7. 24. Josh. 3. 8. It signi­fies Trajectum or place of passage for Israel, which was their entrance into Canaan, so Baptism is into the Church: Baptism was there first administred, where it had been of old foreshadowed, the Famous Acts both of Jo­shuah and Jesus (which are plain Synonyma's) took their happy beginning at one and the same [Page 164] place, and like as Israel, after they had passed over Jordan, were circumcised. Josh. 5. 3. be­fore they Received the Land of promise by lot of Inheritance, Josh. 14. 1. &c. So after you have been Baptized, and thereby enrolled among the Citizens of the New-Jerusalem, the remnants of Sin, and superfluity of naughtiness you must daily pare off by the practice of morti­fication. Jam. 1. 21. before you can come to In­herit the Kingdom of Heaven. You must have confession of Sin and confusion of Sin too: for (1.) 'Tis that man only that is wakened out of his dream, that can tell his dream; So 'tis only he that is wakened out of his Sins, that can clearly confess his Sins in token of his true Repentance, and (2.) This confession of Sin must have confusion of Sin joined with it, otherwise all your words of confession are but empty wind, and all your very tears of con­trition are but insignificant water; not only the filthiness of the flesh must be put away, but there must be the Answer of a good conscience too. 1 Pet. 3. 21.

5. The place of your Baptism is your Beer­sheba, (which signifies the Well of an Oath, for there you swear (as David did, Psal. 1 19. 106.) to keep all Gods Commandments. Now God will not own those that are a generation of Vipers (though Baptized) who bring not forth fruits meet for Repentance, that weigh just as much as Repentance doth in the ballance [Page 165] of the Sanctuary, that may paralel it and prove it, to be a right Repentance never to be repented of, 2 Cor. 7. 10. the whole course of your life must be such as becomes Repentance, and may evince, evidence and justifie it. Yea amounts to as much as Repentance comes to, otherwise your Baptism is no mark of your being Gods Child, but rather the brand of a fool; that first maketh a Vow, and then breaketh it, Eccles. 5. 3. If God hath dealt so severely with such as have been guilty of per­jury, and playing fast and loose with men (as with Zedekiah and Shimei) how will God re­venge the quarrel of his Covenant. Levit. 26. 25.

6. Such as add not holiness of life (which is the Answer of a good Conscience) unto their external profession, are no better then so many Renegado's, who (though they have given their names to Christ in Baptism and profession) do plainly renounce their Baptism, forsake their colours, and leaving Christ (the Captain of Salvation, Heb. 2. 10.) in the open field, they run away from him to the Enemy. As unre­generate Israel is (as black) as Aethiopia to God. Amos 9. 7. and their doom is already denounced by the Judg of the World; If any draw back (or with-draw) his Soul shall have no pleasure in them. Heb. 10. 38, 39. they do it to their own perdition with that Son of per­dition, who was circumcised as well as Peter. [Page 166] Whereas your Baptism should not only con­firm you in the Faith of the forgiveness of Sin, and in the Hope of Eternal life, but it also Consecrates you to the sincere service, of the Sacred Trinity all the daies of your life; and here with (as Luthers Virgin did) you should repel the Tempter saying, I am Consecrated to God by my Baptismal stipulation, so may not, cannot own thee, Satan or thy Temp­tations.

7. There be three sorts of Baptism, [flumi­nis, flaminis & Sanguinis] of water, of the Spirit, and of blood, which third is the Bap­tism of Martyrs that loved not their lives to the death, but gave their best blood to Christ who gave His blest blood to them, and so were Baptized (as it were) in their own blood. The first, to wit, the Baptism of water, is but the outward Baptism, which therefore can never be effectual to Salvation, without the second which is the Baptism of the Spirit, and is the inward Baptism; both those should go together, Joh. 3. 5. Except you be born of the water: and of the Spirit, you cannot enter into Gods Kingdom: Alas thousands of Souls are undone to all eternity by resting in the out­ward Baptism, and not minding at all the in­ward. Indeed Christ saith to us (as the Prophet to Naaman) in this Sacrament (wash and be clean) as in the other Sacrament he saith to us eat and live.) God saith, when will [Page 167] it be (that you wash and be clean) you may Answer again, Alas Lord it will never be un­less thou give what thou commands, and join the inward Baptism to my outward.

8. That the feed of believers (as well as believers themselves) are the Subject of Bap­tism, I shall give you only a brief Landskip of those Reasons which satisfie me in it, omitting the common and voluminous Arguments that are usually alledged for it.

As first, Favores sunt Ampliandi. 'Tis cer­tainly more dangerous to narrow and straiten the Favours of God to Mankind, then to overamplify them in cases (that we may sup­pose to be) dark and doubtful; 'tis most cer­tain that the Law was a grievous, and the Gos­pel is a gracious dispensation, 2 Cor. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Act. 15. 10. If the Moon light of the Law did lead into its Sacrament of initiation, both Parents and their Children, I cannot see Reason enough why the Sun light of the Gospel should exclude whom the Law received; seeing 'tis undoubtedly a more gra­cious (as well as a more glorious) dispensation, and that which hath a more liberal Provision of comfort in it, for all the Saints of God. Otherwise a believing Jew might justly object against the Gospel, especially having one Son before conversion Circumcised; and another Son after conversion unbaptized, saying, if my seed be excluded by the Gospel from the initi­ating [Page 168] Seal which was admitted to it (as well as my self) under the Law, then Moses was a better Mediator than the blessed Messias, in­asmuch as the Church-priviledges of the Law were larger, and more comprehensive then those of the Gospel.

9. The second Argument or Reason is, the blessing of Abraham comes on the Gentiles by the Gospel. Gal. 3. 8. 14. with Gen. 12. 3. The Gospel is the Promulgation of the same pro­mise to Abraham, to whom the Gospel is ex­presly said to be preached, even in the old Test. now the blessing of Abraham being to his seed as well as to himself, Gen. 17. 7. Believing Gentiles must have the same priviledg, other­wise the blessing of Abraham doth not come upon them, neither can they rationally be said to have the priviledg of sitting down with Abraham in the Kingdom of God, to wit, in the Church, as Christ said they should. Mat. 8. 11.

The third ground is, Salvation and the way to it, is common to both Jew and Gentile, Act. 15. 11. [ [...]] by the grace of Christ we shall be saved even as they; Hence 'tis cal'd the common Salvation. Jude Ver. 3. It follows then that the Jews were bound to understand, the Mistery of their Legal Or­dinances, and to exercise Faith in them as well as we Gentiles. Yet (though Children then could not understand the Mistery of their Cir­cumcision) [Page 169] were they not debarred from it on this account: so nor ours ought now from Baptism, of whom it may be said as Christ to Peter. Job. 13. 7. what I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter why thou hast been washed.

10. The fourth Reason is, Foederati sunt Signandi, if Children have an interest in the Covenant, (which is the greater) then much more in the Seal of the Covenant (which is the lesser) If the seed of believers be holy. 1 Cor. 7. 14. And the Kingdom pertains to them, Mark. 10. 14. Why not the Seal of the King­dom

The fifth Argument, can any man forbid Water that these should be Baptized; which receive the holy Ghost as well as we, Act. 10. 47. a zeal in forbidding to Seal adoption to such may be displeasing to Christ, Mar. 10. 14. that they may receive the Holy Ghost as well as we. First, there is no impediment on Christs part, for he bids them come. Secondly, nor on their part, for he faith, of such is the King­dom of God. nor Thirdly, on the part of Baptism, for it is a passive Ordinance as Cir­cumcision was. That some Children did re­ceive the holy Ghost, appears from Jer. 1. 5. Jeremy was Sanctifyed in the Womb, and Luke 1. 15. John Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his Mothers womb.

[Page 170] 11. The sixth Argument, Baptize all Na­tions, Mat. 28. 19. Includes Children, as go mark my Sheep, doth include that the Shep­hard must mark his Masters Lambs, as well as Sheep. As that in Gen. 12. 3. Gal. 3. 8. Includes young as well as old.

The seventh Argument, Children may have the seed of Faith, as well as of Reason, before they can act or exercise it, and as in the womb they can neither take, nor chew meat but are nourished by the Navel there, so Baptism may be a round goblet that wants not liquor. Cant. 7. 2. to nourish Children and new-born Babes, in the womb of the Church it may have in it Christs blood to justify, and his Spirit to Sancti­fy and cleanse them from Sin.

The eighth Argument, we may not damn all the seed of believers, and that in Mark. 16. 16. makes as much against their Salvation as against their Baptism; how can they be of the King­dom of God (as above) and be saved but by the grace of the Covenant, as the want of understanding did not hinder Children, from the first Adams Sin, so neither did it hinder them from the second Adams grace; and if they have both grace and glory, why may they not have that which Scals both.

Briefly the ninth Argument, David had Faith for his Child. 2 Sam. 12. 23, 24. that it dyed happily, for what comfort could it be to David, that he should go to the grave unto it, [Page 171] he did believe it did belong to the Election of grace, otherwise he could not have been so comforted at its death.

The tenth Argument, Christ loved his Church washing it with Water, Eph. 5. 26. Hence it must be said, that either Children are not of the Church (whereof they were ever Members in the old Testament, and never repealed in the New) or that they may be washed with Baptismal Water.

12. Consider also (with these Arguments) those material things. As first it was the Red Dragon (Pharaoh) that would have hindred Israels little ones, from the Sacrifice of the Church in the Wilderness, Exod. 10. 8, 9, 10. (2ly.) God speaks in great displeasure against those Men. (from their Children have ye taken away my glory for ever) Micah. 2. 9. (3ly.) God was angry with Moses for neg­lecting to Circumcise his Child, Exod. 4. 24, 25. (4ly.) Parents do Covenant for themselves and their Heirs, in Leases, and Deeds, and their Children have livery and seisin of Copy-holds, according to the Custom of the manor though they know it not. (5ly.) If unbelief broke off Children, as well as Parents, from the old stock. Rom. 11. 20. Then Faith may engraft in both again. (6ly.) As we find no express pre­cept for it, so nor any express prohibition a­gainst it, nor that any Baptized person kept their Children from it: the silence of the [Page 172] Scripture in it (which we are to admire and adore) makes it more probable: Christ gave no Rules, who to be Baptized, seeing the com­mon use among them had been to Baptize Men Women and Children, as 1 Cor. 10. 2. Hence the Jews do not Question the action of Bap­tizing, or the Subjects of it in John Baptist, but only his Authority. Joh. 1. 25. It be­ing so commonly known to them under the Law.

13. Such believing Parents whose opinion is, that God doth say to them as Jacob said to Joseph, Gen. 48. 9. bring your Children hither neer to me, that I may bless them in this Ordinance) bring them into my House and Family. Dedicating their Children So­lemnly to the Lord, as Elkanah did Samuel, 1 Sam. 1. 14. as being born to God (he hath a propriety in them) Ezek. 16. 20, 21. and looking upon their Children as Heirs of the same promise with themselves (when born to them) as Isaac and Jacob were Heirs with Abraham of the same promise, Heb. 11. 9. O how should you endeavour the Conversion of your Children, often dropping Divine dew upon them. Deut. 7. 6. That the Lord may bring upon you, that which he hath spoken of you in his Covenant, Gen. 18. 19. O how should you press upon them to take hold of the Covenant, Esa. 56. 4, 6. Even in their own persons; for the just must (live) by their own [Page 173] personal Faith here, and they must be (saved) also by it hereafter, Hab. 2. 4. O how should you pray for your Children (as duly and truly affected with the extent of the Covenant, both to you and to yours.) Saying, Lord, thou hast graciously given me a Child, Gen. 33. 5. I have given him Sin, but I cannot give him grace and Christ; O that my Ishmael may live before thee, Gen. 17. 18. and let my Reuben live and not die, Deut. 33. 6. he is born to me by generation, let him be born to thee by Regeneration; let him live no more in Sin, though Sin continue to live in him: let him be the work of thy hands, in the midst of my House, and then my face shall not Wax pale, but I shall Sanctify the Holy one of Israel. Esa. 29. 22, 23. Alas we sail our Children herein, and undoes them and our Selves too.

14. All you that are Baptized (whether while young or when old or both) you must all know, that therein you have avouched the Lord to be your God (to walk in his ways and to keep his Commandments) and the Lord hath avouched you in that day, to be his peculiar People. Deut. 26. 17, 19. The most excellent and honourable name of Christ is then put upon you; O walk worthy of that worthy name, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorifyed in you and you in him, 2 Thes. 1. 12. This is your engagement and that [Page 174] by the Solemnest vow, that ever was made or taken: the Covenant of your God is upon you, the bond of the Covenant should bind you fast (as the word (Religion) signifies a binding) unto God and Godliness. O break not those bands, nor cast away those cords from you, for then you are sure to be broken as a Potters Vessel that cannot be patch'd up again, Psal. 2. 3, 9. O be not amongst that black bed-roll. Rom. 1. 31. Covenant-breakers, he that breaks this Convenant with poor man, shall not be deli­vered. Ezek. 17. 15, 16. Much less he that breaks his Covenant with the great God, who will assuredly avenge the quarrel of his Cove­nant. Levit. 26. 25. O keep your selves in the love of God. Jude 20. and continue ye in Christs love, Joh. 15. 9. which constrains you to Obedience and Holiness, 2 Cor. 5. 14. You are Souldiers of Jesus Christ. 2 Tim. 2. 3. O do valiantly, and (as good Soldiers) fight the good fight of Faith, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. Against those Adversaries that War against your Souls, 1 Pet. 2. 11. The Romans of old (as Lipsius saith) had their (Sacramentum Militare) an Oath of service in War (as now we have Press-Money) to bind them Sufficiently to their Mi­litary Service. And (desertores Militie) such as run away from their General, &c. Were (ipso facto) to be hanged; Thus you have taken Gods Press-Money, and the (Sacramen­tum Evangelicum) the Gospel Oath is upon you, [Page 175] and you are enrolled in Christs Muster-Book; of how much sorer punishment shall you be thought worthy, (to wit, to be hanged up in Hell) Heb. 10. 29. If you forsake the Camp without leave of your General, yea revolt and run to the Enemy, as Apostates do; or if you stay still in the Camp, yet hold private Correspondency with the Adversary, and be­tray the trust committed to you; or if you do neither of these, yet out of Cowardise or contempt never strike blow, or perform duty. 'Tis worst of all to be in Gods Camp, and yet fight the Devils battels, and not Gods. This contracts more guilt then if you had never contracted with God to serve him at all.

15. Lastly seeing 'tis more then probable that this great Ordinance (which came even out of the very sides of our Lord Christ) turns to the least account and advantage among pro­fessors of the Gospel; the most part being not able to know the use and efficacy of it, when it is administred to them, and very few have any serious thoughts upon it (I fear) after the Administration of it. Therefore I beseech all persons to look back upon their Baptism, (whensoever they were Baptized) and not only to make some penitent Reflections upon all your Sins past against your Covenant with God therein, but also some believing Improve­ment of it, as a blessed Antidote against Sin for time to come. Thus Luthers brave Virgin [Page 176] (forementioned) answered the Tempter (who tempted her to Sin) O Satan I call to mind that I am a Christian and have been Baptized, and therein I Covenanted with my God, never to do such things as thou Tempts me unto, and therefore I cannot, I dare not, I will not hearken to thy Temptations, which are so con­trary to my promise and vow in Baptism; and hereupon the Tempter departed from her, having quenched his fiery darts with her Bap­tismal water. So (through grace) may you do by the same means, making such serious Reflections as David did, Psal. 86. 16. Lord (save the Son of thy hand-maid) he remem­bred that he was born in Gods House, that he came of Godly Parents, &c. And so hoped God would help him (at least) for their sakes as Ishmael was for Abrahams; he cries also, I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy Righteous Judgments, Psal. 119. 106. Binding himself thus (in the strength of God, whom he desired to be his surety herein, V. 122. that he might do as he had sworn, and thus though the Act of Baptism be transient (soon over and done) yet the effects of it are per­manent, and may be of blessed use to us all our days.

1. IN the general, First the Lords Supper is the Lords last Legacy, he left his Disci­ples (reserving his best Wine till the last) be­fore his shameful and painful death.

Secondly, 'Tis an inestimable evidence of his favour to all his Redeemed. David could not express his favour to Mephibosheth in a bet­ter way, then to make him Eat and Drink with him at his Table. 2 Sam 9. 5, 7. and 'twas an high favour to Chimham also; to be admitted to Davids Table, 2 Sam. 19. 33, 35, 38. yet an higher favour and honor hath all the Saints. Luke 22. 30. The King is at their Table, Cant. 1. 12. And they at his in both Kingdoms of grace and glory. Rev. 3. 20.

Thirdly, 'tis the feast of fat things promised. Isa. 25. 6. full of marrow, and of Wine on the lees well refined; this is a great (Royal and magnificent feast, Mat. 22. 4.) [...] (of [...], Saginare, to cram) his crammed fowls, his fatted Oxen are killed (or [ [...]] are Sacrificed) as if a blessing had been craved [Page 178] by Sacrifice upon the feast, on Gods part all things are ready, all the defect is on our part, the Father hath prepared the fatted Calf for his penitent Prodigals, Luke 15. 20, 23. Christ (himself) is the feast or fatted Calf to feed and feast upon: a feast above that of Belshazzars, Dan. 5. 1. To a thousand of his Lords. This is to all people (both to Jews and Gentiles) without respect of persons, Act. 10. 34, 35. and Raggs are as welcom here as Robes, yea above that of Ahasuerus. Est. 1. 3, 5. & 2. 18. and that of Solomon, 2 Chron. 7. 8. both which lasted only some few days, but this feast lasts till time shall be no more.

Fourthly, 'Tis a full feast, as it not only hath [Humidum & Siccum] both that which is moist and that which is dry, which is all that is required to a full Meal. It hath both the [...] Bread and Wine that com­prehends all: a double Element in this Sacra­ment, though but single in the other.

Fifthly, 'Tis such a feast as is both Dinner and Supper, yea the best of the kind, a wed­ding-Dinner, as Matthew calls it, Mat. 22. 4. and 'tis a wedding Supper, as Luke calls it, Luk. 14. 16. to shew that the Saints do Dine and Sup with Christ, they Eat and are satis­fyed continually with the fatness of his Table. Psal. 65. 4. 'Tis a thousand pities God should say I have prepared my Dinner or my Supper ('tis both (his) and of (his) preparing) and [Page 179] that when it is prepared of God, it should be sleighted of man. Some by keeping from it that should come, and others by coming to it that should not, for want of the wedding, garment, the word wooes and beseechs us; this Sacrament makes up the match, and mar­ries the Redeemed with the Redeemer: neglect it not, Num. 9. 13.

2. More particularly, three things are re­quired of you herein. 1. Preparation be­fore. 2. True participation in. And, (3.) Right improvement after. First of the first, to wit, due preparation. First, in the General, Man before the Fall had no need of prepara­tion, 'twas only his changing of employments, and a bare going out of secular work, into spi­ritual and religious: but fall'n man cannot do so, he must prepare his heart first, and then change his employment; fall'n man is as Joseph in his prison state, Gen. 41. 14. who puts off his prison-garments, and changed them for bet­ter, and then came in to Pharaoh; accordingly and much more, you must put on your best graces, when you are to come in unto the Lord in this solemn and sacred Ordinance, in which are the highest mysteries of the Christian Re­ligion. 1. As it is a standing evidence of transcendent affection, both of the Father in giving the Son to us, and of the Son in giving himself to us. 2. As it is a lively representa­tion of your blessed and bleeding Redeemers [Page 180] suffering upon the Cross, far beyond all Popish Crucifixes, it being of Christs own institution. 3. As it is the nearest Communion we have with God upon Earth, a sitting down at the Kings own table (which earthly Monarchs practice not) as his Favorites and familiar Friends. And, 4. as it is a [Prelibamen] or foretaste of that eternal banquet you shall hereafter eat off in your Fathers house, and therefore you may not rush into this Ordi­nance (above all others), but prepare for it, as you would do for death itself: Casuists say, Sacramentum & Articulus mortis aquiparantur, you should be as serious in your coming to the Lords table, as in your going (at the point of death into another world), in both you appear before the great God.

3. Your preparation for this solemn Ordi­nance is held out in that Scripture-expression, (the purification of the sanctuary), 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19. which consisted of three parts: 1. Washing with water. 2. Changing their Garments. and 3. Purging out all leaven out of their Houses to prepare for the passeover. If the Jews were thus zealous in the shadow and Ceremony, how much more ought Christ­ians to be in the truth and substance. First of the first, washing with water, every Jew had his water Pots beside him for his daily washing, Joh. 2. 6, for his Purification. God will be Sanctifyed of all those that draw nigh to him. [Page 181] Levit. 10. 2, 3. and therefore God requires this Purification of all the People, Exod. 19. 10. this outward washing was a time of inward cleansing. Isoe. 1. 16. which is principally re­quired. Heb. 10. 22. grace purifies the heart, Act. 15. 9. and they must be pure in heart that would see God. Mat. 5. 8. without ho­liness no man can see the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. much less come nigh him, for iniquity is a wall of Separation, Isa 59. 2. As in those Levitical purifications they were to wash off. 1. All defilements. 2. The deepest stains. 3. From off all the parts from head to foot. 4. And this often as in the Leper, yea, 5. Their very Garments spotted with the flesh, Jude 23. the resemblance is, (1.) That you be washed from the blood of your Nativity, Ezek. 16. 4. the Spirit of Sanctification must be applyed to every sowle faculty of the Soul, and Member of the body; Especially to the Conscience, Heb. 9. 14. (2.) The pains you must take in mortifying your Earthly members, Col. 3. 5. which are as the spots of a Leopard, Jer. 13. 23. which will not wash out without much rub­bing and scouring, and many nights frosting out of doors. You must be contented to endure much hardship, 2 Tim. 2. 3. and many tribulations, Act. 14. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 12. many bats and blows, so the stain of Sin may be fetched out which will not be done easily, but sticks as close as flesh to the bone. (3.) Your [Page 182] whole frame (being all out of frame) must be washed, and throughout Sanctifyed. 2 Thes. 5. 23. You must cry with Peter, wash (Lord) not my feet only, but also my hands and my head, Joh. 13. 9. (4.) And this you must do often: 'tis not the work of a day, week, moneth, or year, but 'tis the daily work of your whole life, renew your Repentance daily, that you run not your life out in Hypocrisy, and die like a fool at last, Zach. 13. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1.

4. The second part of the Jewish purifica­tion was change of Raiment, Gen. 35. 2. Though the Ceremonial Law was not then Written, yet it was practiced by the Patriarks all along before Moses, as Sacrificing, &c. Alas filthy clouts and rags of Sin are upon you, even the appearel of death, till Christ give you change of Raiment, Zech. 3. 3, 4. 'Till Christ cover you with embroidered work, Ezek. 16. 10. and make you comly with his Robe of Righteousness. V. 14. hereby you are acquitted from the curse of the Law, and also accepted into Gods favour. This is the Goodly raiment wherein Jacob got the blessing. Gen. 27. 15. the Garment of your Elder Brother Jesus Christ, you must put on the Lord Jesus, Rom. 13. 14. Unless you bring this Benjamin with you, there is no seeing the face of the Lord of the land, neither will there be any Corn for you, as Gen. 44. 23. you cannot expect to [Page 183] Eat the flesh, unless you be clothed with the Fleece of the Lamb of God; the skin of a cruicifyed Christ, must be your Coat to cover your nakedness, as God clothed the first Pa­rents with the skins of the Sacrifices, Gen. 3. 21. You must have the Livery of this blessed Lord and Honourable Master, which the followers of the Lamb are distinguished by from the World, both the imputed and imparted Righ­teousness, Rev. 19. 8. which you can (of your self) neither purchase nor put on: You may not come to the Lords feast or supper without this Wedding Garment, Christ will come in to see his Guests. If you appear there in the tatterd raggs of the wretched old-Adam, you will have nothing to say for your self, but be as the muzzled beast [So [...] signifies] mute before him, Mat. 22. 11, 13. If you have not this garment on your back at your com­ming in to the Supper. You may have fetters upon your feet at your going out from thence; from the Table you may pass to the tormentors as he did: If your conversation be unlike your high calling and Company.

5. The third part of the Jewish purifica­tion was the purging out of Leaven. Exod. 12. 18, 19. as the Jew was not to eat the passe­over, until he had purged all Leaven out of his House, so nor we the Lords Supper till we have put away every known Sin, 1 Cor. 5. 7. you can never expect the comfort of that Ordi­nance, [Page 184] while you hide any of that old Leaven in any corner of your heart. There is (indeed) the Leaven of a corrupt Faith, of corrupt manners, and of corrupt nature: This last (which is as the fretting-leprosy, Levit. 14. 44, 45.) you cannot chide out of doors as Sarah did Hagar, but 'twill be a ruful inmate within you (making you cry O wretched Man or Woman, that I am. Rom. 7. 24.) So long as the walls of your House of clay standeth, and until the Stones and Timber be thrown down, it cannot be purged out; but the Leaven of corrupt Doctrin (which soures the whole Lump, or truth of the Gospel) and that of a corrupt Communication, and Conversation (which soures both our selves and others with us) both these should you (both) find out and cast out, (Psal. 34. 13, 14.) If not with as much Ceremony, yet with as much seriousness as the Jews did their Leaven: The first Jewish Ceremony that carries resemblance, was, the Jew began to purge within, and to banish all Leaven found within his own House; It teachs you to mind within-doors-work, 'tis not e­nough to purge your mouth and your hands, but especially your inside, your heart and not so much other mens as your own, Jer. 4. 14. your own House and heart; the second was, not so much as the least morsel or crum of Leaven must be spared, which shows you, that you must account the least Sin, both hateful to [Page 185] God and hurtful to man, so it may not be in­dulged. The third Ceremony was, the Jew Searching the House with a Candle and finding but a mite or crum thereof, in any corner by sweeping (even) that little he carries out with great Solemnity: learn you hence, that a little poison is poison, sweep every cranny of your Soul, your Conscience, 2 Tim. 1. 3. your af­fections. 1 Tim. 1. 5. your senses. Psal. 1. 19. 37. your speeches. Psal. 39. 1. that your whole House may be possessed in holiness and honour. 1 Thes. 4. 4. a little Leaven mars all. 1 Cor. 5. 6.

6. The second general is the true participa­tion after a due preparation: yet this you may know for your comfort, that your God will not stand exactly or Rigorously upon every circumstance required in this purification of the Sanctuary, provided you prepare your heart with all your might, as David. 1 Chron. 29. Ver. 1, 2. this is plainly taught you for your Encouragement, in 2 Chron. 30. 18, 19. that where the heart is prepared to seek, and meet God according to our best endeavours, he will not insist upon the exact purification of the Sanctuary, (which consisted on those three parts aforesaid) but will pass by and pardon all our other weaknesses and imperfections at the Prayer of his Vine-dressers, Luke 13. 7, 8. 2 Tim. 1. 16. God will yield something to their Prayers, even when he might come forth [Page 186] in severity against a person or people; happy are they then that have Praying vine-dressors set over them, saying with Samuel, God for­bid I should Sin against the Lord so, as not to pray for you. 1 Sam. 12. 23. and the good Lord pardon every one that is not so exactly prepared: in such a case God accepts of the will for the deed. 2 Cor. 8. 12. and looks more at the willingness of the offerer, then at the worthiness of the offering; and you must put a difference betwixt, being unworthy and eat­ing unworthily: all believers are (in them­selves) unworthy of Christ and Salvation, yet being in Christ they are accounted worthy. Luke 21. 36. & Rev. 3. 4.

7. Thus you, (1.) Being in Christ (for you must be bred before you be fed, and be be­gotten, born and live before you be nourished, Mark. 5. 43. no stranger (to Christ) no uncir­cumcised (in heart) must eat thereof. Exod. 12. 43, 48. Rom. 2. 29.) and (2.) Having pre­pared a large upper Room (a raised and an enlarged heart, Mark. 14. 15. Luke 22. 12. then (3.) Open the gates and the everlasting doors of your Soul, that the King of glory may come in, Psal. 23. 7, 9. yet withal say, (4.) with the Centurion, Lord I am not wor­thy that thou should come under my roof, Mat. 8. 8. nor am I worthy that I should come to thy Table: and with Mephibosheth (who was loved for Jonathan sake as you for Jesus­sake) [Page 187] wilt thou look (Lord) on such a dead Dog as I am, so, as to let me eat bread at thy Table? 2 Sam. 9. 7, 8. O that you may trim your self as he did to welcom hom ehis Lord the King. 2 Sam. 19. 24, 25, 28. In this trembling frame must you draw near to the Lords Table, not approaching with a common Spirit, but well knowing that no other Or­dinance is urged with that strength and Seve­rity as this is, 1 Cor. 11. 29, 30. and no duty doth strike such a terrour upon the Consciences of Men as this doth, insomuch that even evil persons do think they must be good at that time, and have then good words, good works and good Prayers, &c.

8. There be three things especially required of you in your participation of this Ordi­nance. First self-examination, there ought to be a search as well as a Sacrament. 1 Cor. 11. 28. (1.) Examine your state as Lapidists do their Stones, that you put not an everlasting cheat upon your own Soul; thinking your self one of Gods Jewels when indeed you are but a Bastard Diamond. (2.) Examine your wants, as coming to your Soul market, what Sin you have to Subdue, and what grace to streng­then; none goes to market, but they do en­quire what their Family-wants be. (3.) Ex­amin your sins, search for them as the woman did for the lost groat; she sought and swept, swept and sought (with a Candle in her hand) [Page 188] till she found it, Luke 15. 8. you must take Davids Lantorn and Candle. Psal. 119. 105. and search till you find all your Sins, saying to your own Soul (as Samuel to Jesse, are these all the Sons that thou hast. 1 Sam. 16. 12.) are these all thy Sins, if any one do not yet ap­pear, sit not down till that be fetched, espe­cially if it be a Mordecai Sin, that will not bow to Christ, or a Dalilah Sin, that hinders your Soul most from a Resignation to Christ, (4.) Examin your graces as knowledg, Faith Repentance, Love, Zeal, Obedience, all those should be ready to wait on their Lord, their founder and their finisher, bring forth your bravery to entertain Christ.

9. The second thing required in the Ordi­nance, is self-excitation, you must stir up your self, as Deborah did; calling up her own Soul saying, awake awake, Deborah, awake awake, Judg. 5. 12. open there all the Springs of your Soul for Christ, as Christ opened all the veines of his heart for you. (1.) Open all your desires and affections for him; come to this Ordi­nance, as Behemoth to Jordan, with a mighty and an all exhausting thirst upon you. Job 40. 23. bring strong affections and a lusty appetite to this Supper, where 'tis a vertue Sublime to to be an holy glutton, and to drink hearty draughts of the blood of Christ, that you may go away from the Supper as Christ did from his Baptism; filled with the Holy Ghost, [Page 189] Mat. 3. 16. you must consider what is before you as Prov. 23. 1. but in that duty 'tis not your work to restrain, but to provoke appe­tite, and the rather, because Christ so exceed­ingly thirsted after your Salvation, Luke 12. 50. though he knew it would prove so costly to him; Christ saith, with desire I have de­sired to Eat this Supper with you, Luke. 22. 15. that had no need (for himself) of either you or it, how much more should you say, with desire I have desired to Eat this Supper with Christ, who is at all the charges, pain, and pains himself and all for your Eternal pro­fit.

10. Secondly, excite and quicken up all your faculties, as the affections (those hand maids of the Soul) give attendance to meet Christ (the mistical David) just as the Virgins of Israel met literal David in their Singings and dancing. 1 Sam. 18. 6, 7, 8. every one Singing their part appointed them accordingly [hope] is sent out to wait for this King of glory, and if he come not [desire is sent out to fetch him, [Love, Delight, and Joy] receives and enter­tains him, all these Virgins go out to meet this blessed bridegroom, Mat. 25. 1. having first swept the House clear, and cast all the filth away into the brook Kidron. 2 Chron. 30. 14. Math. 13. 14. Jam. 1. 21. and brought forth their best bravery, (Arras hangings, Persian Carpets, rich stools, all their Plate and Jewels) [Page 190] to wit, all the graces of the Spirit (far sur­passing Aarons rich garments that were for glory and beauty) all to prepare a large upper-Room for entertaining the King of glory: even so all the faculties of the Soul must be stirred up, to Improve their Interest in such a blessed guest, as (1.) your understanding must look round about him, and behold him alto­gether lovely from this Sycamore-Tree, as Zacheus. Luke 19. 3, 4. Cant. 5. 16. (2.) Your will must offer up both Sword and Keyes, &c. As the Major doth to his Prince at his enter­tainment. (3.) Your memory must be ready to Register every act of love to your Soul, remembring his loves more then Wine, Cant. 1. 4. In a word Christ must be led into every Room of your heart: and Lastly all your graces must be excited, and made ready to re­ceive [each] their Alms from Christs fulness, as saving knowledg, justifying Faith, sincere Repentance, servent love, &c. All come to touch him for healing vertue, well knowing that Christ comes with a Royal heart into the Soul to give abundantly and like himself, no mean gift can come from so noble an hand and heart, and that all this may be done you must use the third thing required, to wit, strong Invocation; coming as a Prince to him Job. 21. 37. and begging his grace (in all) with your whole heart. Psal. 119. 58.

[Page 191] 11. The third general is your Improvement after all. When Faith and all your other graces (together with your affections and the faculties, of your Soul) have plaid their part in the Mount, and brought you even to a Transfiguration, as was done both to Moses and to the Messias, Exod. 34. 29. & Luke 9. 29. then. (1.) You must tremble to lose that luster and glory that God hath put upon you by your conversing with him: If he hath made you one of his Jewels by communicating his presence to you, Mal. 3. 17. then shine as a Jewel in all your Relations, that all which see you may acknowledg you to be a seed, the Lord hath been blessing, Isa. 61. 9. (2.) Be thankful to your Lord for this inestimable benefit, Psal. 116. 12. be of a rendring disposition, and that in your life as well as with your lip. If Davids condescension to such a dead Dog (as Mephibosheth accounted himself) was so admired by him. 2 Sam. 9. 7, 8. how much more by you that in rigour of Justice might be fed with Wormwood, and have the waters of gall to drink, Jer. 9. 15. yet the Lord gives you the flesh of his own Son to be meat indeed to you, and his blood to be your drink indeed. Joh. 6. 55. that might say I will not feed you at all, Zech. 11. 9. (3.) Let it be an everlast­ing obligement on you, to keep far from every evil matter, Exod. 23. 7. The Oath of God (no less is a Sacrament) is upon you, lay Gods [Page 192] charge upon all your corruptions, Cant. 2. 7. you are Vas Signatum, shall you Sin, Neh. 6. 12. your all is for the Prince, Ezek. 44. 3. do singular things for Christ, that doth sin­gular things for you, Mat. 5. 47.

1. COnsiderations, and 2. Directions, be­fore, in and after it. 1. Consideration, Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day, Exod. 20. 8. you must first Consider the Num­ber of it. Before the fall (when Mans nature was pure) that the Lord God gave Man but one Commandment, to wit, that of not eating the forbidden Fruit: but after the fall (when Mans nature was defiled) God gave him ten Commandments, and those mostly prohibitive to stop his proneness and strong Inclinations unto evil: The first of the tenth doth teach you the Object of Worship; The second, the matter of Worship the third, [Page 193] the manner of worship (both of outward and inward worship in all these) as the fourth teaches you the time of worship, inwardly and outwardly also. The time of worshipping God, is not left to mans own liberty, for then the loose heart of man would keep no time at all, though time of worship (as well as, that God is to be worshipped) is [Juris na­turalis] written on the Tables of mans heart, yet one of seven is [Juris positivi] and written on the Tables of stone; both which are the Writings and the workmanship of God, as Exod. 32. 16. The fourth Commandment closes up the first Table. (1) As the most powerful means to keep all the three former, and (2) As it draws into one the whole worship of God: and [lastly] as it makes Gods worship known to the World, which otherwise would not be so well known, as it is by keeping a day for it.

2. Consider secondly the Scituation of it, as the fourth Commandment is placed by God [himself] in the close of the first Table, so likewise before the front of the second Table; it stands in the midst of both, to show you, that the Observation of both Tables in the Decalogue, depends much upon the Sanctification of the Sabbath, which hath influence on both Tables; for as the immediate honour and wor­ship of God (which is brought forth and swaddled in the three first Commandments) [Page 194] is suckled and nursed up in the bosom of the Sabbath; so the keeping of the Sabbath is the best expedient, and the most blessed help for the keeping of all the six following Com­mandments; thus it appears, that the Sabbath is [caput & Compendium Religionis, & omnem Dei cultum in se Continet] 'tis the head and Epitome of all Religion, containing in it the whole worship of God, and the whole duty of man, respecting both his holliness to God and his righteousness to men.

3. The third Consideration is, the Influence of it; that Religion and the power of God­liness is, just as the Sabbath is, as the Obser­vation of the Sabbath finds reception, accord­ingly doth true Christianity decay or flourish in Persons, Families, Towns, Cities, King­doms and Countrys. It decreases or increases just as the Sabbath is esteemed, or disesteemed. This might be demonstrated (without diffi­culty) both by Scripture and Reason, or Ar­gument, as well as by Experience: moreover 'tis richly worth your Observation, that when the Children of Israel broke the fourth Com­mandment only in the matter of gathering Manna, the Lord taxeth them for the break­ing of all the Commandments, Exod. 16. 28. because he that makes no Conscience of break­ing the Sabbath, will not stick (when it may serve his turn) at the breaking of any other Commandment, he stands alike affected unto [Page 195] all; the whole Law is but one Copulative. Ezek. 18. 10, 11, 12, 13. 'Tis like a Chain that is dissolved by the loosening of one link; that an offence in one, makes guilty of all, Jam. 2. 10. All Sins flow from the same corruption as Temptation draws it out; he that breaks one (es­pecially this fourth) habitually breaketh all, not so Actually.

4. The fourth Consideration is, the stamps on it, that as the Sabbath is the Mother of Religion. So God hath put four Immortal stamps upon this precept that concerns it, above all the other nine precepts: as (1) It hath such a Preface before it, as none of the other hath, to wit, [Remember.] (2) Whereas the other nine are delivered either negatively (as most of them are) or positively only. The fourth is delivered both ways. (3) Whereas the other Commandments are delivered to a mans person only [Thou and Thou.] This is not to our persons only, but to our Families and Relations also. [Thou and Thine, Thou and all Thine.] (4) It hath more grounds and Reasons alledged in it (to enforce the Obser­vation of it) then any other precept, as 1. 'Its own Equity. 2. Gods bounty. 3. His own Example. and 4. The days benediction. Those four Immortal stamps and Characters of Au­thority, you must neither forget nor neglect, much less the Sabbath, but remember to sancti­fy it; the Gentiles as well as the Jews are ob­liged [Page 196] to observe it, seeing the ground of it is general (to Gentiles as well as to Jews) and the Equity of it perpetual, for the Com­memoration of Gods Creation of the World, and of Christs Redemption of it, have (both) an Universal and an everlasting Equity in Them.

5. Consider fifthly, the sense of its preface [Remember] imports three things: 1. The Antiquity of the command, (as 'tis said in another Case, 1 Chron. 4. 22.) These are an­cient things, almost as ancient as the World it self, Gen. 2. 2, 3. and the ceasing of Manna on the seventh day. Exod. 16. 24, 30. plainly shews, that [ab ipsius Mundi primordio inva­luisset Sabbati Observantia] the Sabbath was kept from the beginning of the Creation be­fore the promulgation of the Law at Sinai, Exod. 20. which was added, because antient things are apt to wear out of the mind of Man; and the Devil had endeavoured to blot out the Remembrance of the Sabbath, and of the Creation in the long-lives of the Patriarks, that so he might Usher in that foolish conceit of the Worlds Eternity, so cryed up by some Heathen Sages, though decryed and exploded by the wisest of them. 2. It implies the weightiness of the Command; 'tis not left either to your pleasure, or to your leisure, or liking, (as a frivolous or indifferent thing) that may admit either of a dispensation or a [Page 197] discharge; but among all your other necessary duties, you must Remember this duty of weight and of great importance: and 3. It Imports mans proneness to forget it; ever since his memory was wounded by the fall, there­fore is he oft call'd on to remember: Alas you will forget it (thinking yourown thoughts, &c.) before you be aware.

6. Consider the morality of it: the fourth Command doth indeed consist of some things Temporary and Ceremonial (and so by conse­quence changeable) peculiar to the Jews: as (1) Not stirring out of their places, Exod. 16. 29. (2) Not kindling of Fires, Exod. 35. 3. (3) Nor carrying burdens, Jer. 17 21. Neh. 13. 15, 16, 17. So likewise their Sabbath was (4) A sign 'twixt God and them, Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. and (5) In remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt. Deut. 5. 15. Yea (lastly) there Seventh day was to be Obser­ved with several Rites. Num. 9. 10. all which are Typical, and so Temporary and Changeable; besides all these appendices, there is another part of it which is moral and perpetual; as (1) That there should be a day of Sabbatizing or Resting [as the Word [Sabat] signifies,] (2) That this day should be kept holy to the Lord; and (3) That a Seventh day should be observed as an holy rest, not this or that par­ticular Seventh day, but one of the Seven: For, 1. The precise time of the Seventh-day, [Page 198] from the Creation, is lost by the Suns standing still in Joshuahs days, and by 'its retrograde Motion ten degrees in Hezekiahs days, Josh. 10. 13. Esa. 38. 8. Hence some think that our Lords-day is the very same numerically with the Seventh-day, if so, then we keep Gods­day commanded here.

7. Again secondly, as the Suns standing still and running backward made an alteration, in the course of the universe, and so did lose [as to us] that precise computation of the Seventh day. So likewise, should that precise part of 24. hours (from the Creation) of the Seventh-day belong to the morality of the fourth Commandment, then such as Travel by Sea, either East or West to such and such degrees, are obliged to Impossibilities; for by the distance of Climates, they may gain or lose, half a day or a whole day, (as Sir Francis Drake did, who putting a girdle about the World in his Sea-Voyage, though a critical measurer of time, yet through the Variation of Climats, lost one day. (Fullers Holy State. Chap. 22. Book. 2. Pag. 128. In his life.) So that 'tis Impossible for them precisely and punctually to observe that part of time. (3ly.) Neither is it said in the fourth Command: [Remember to keep holy the Seventh day,] but 'tis said, twice over, [keep holy the Sab­bath-day] which doth not only respect the Jewish-Sabbath under the Law, but may also [Page 199] have reference to the Christian Sabbath under the Gospel. The Hebrew Text may as well be read thus, Remember the resting-day to keep it holy, [a seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.] So that he who Remem­bers to keep a Religious rest weekly, is not breaker, but a true observer of the fourth Commandment.

8. Fourthly and lastly, 'tis worth your ob­servation that the Seventh-day after the Crea­tion is not butted and bounded with the Even­ing and the Morning, as all the other six days are, Gen. 2. 2, 3. because (as may be supposed) the time would come under the Gospel, where­in the Sabbath should have a new beginning and a new ending, when all things were to be made new by Christ, Revel. 21. 5. and if all things, then (by consequence) the Sabbath is made new by the Lord of the Sabbath, Mat. 12. 8. Mark. 2. 28. And hence is that new Sabbath cal'd the Lords-day, Revel. 1. 10. which very Phrase Imports the Lords Institu­tion of it, as paralel Phrases do (the Lords Supper, the Lords-Prayer, the Lords-Table) intimate that he Instituted all these. It being the manner in the Apostles-days to call all things [the Lords] rather then [Christs.] [ [...]] the Article [ [...]] (set be­fore it) makes it found in sense [that Lords­day] 'tis predicated of him denominatively as it is, of, or belonging properly to the [Page 200] Lord, 'tis expressed by an Adjective possessive, as shewing the day to be a part of Christs possession, not only as all other days are his by Creation, but this is his (more Emphatically cal'd so) by way of Consecration and Insti­tution.

9. This leads to the seventh Consideration, the Actions of it, that 'tis more then probable, Christ (himself) in his own Person was the Author and Institutor of the First-day. Sab­bath, supposing those few things, which ought to be supposed: as (1) That Christs life was the light of Men, Joh. 1. 4. as he is the Object of your hope, so he must be the pattern of your holiness; he will not be your Saviour for happiness, unless he be your Samplar for holi­ness too, 1 Joh. 3. 3. (as above) therefore he bids you learn of him, Math. 11. 29. [Imitari quem colimus est summa Christianitatis.] Con­formity to Christ (whom we Worship) is the very Sum of Christianity, 'tis an Imitation of his Morals, though his Miracles and Medi­atory Actions are unimitable. Christ came primarily as the price of our Redemption, but secondarily as the pattern of our Sanctification, and so gave us an Example that we should fol­low his steps. 1 Pet. 2. 21. and he instructs us by his doing as well as by his teaching, Act. 1. 1. [to do and to teach.]

10. The premisses being granted, that Christs [doing] instructs us as well as his [Page 201] teaching, you will find this one of Christs [doings] to keep the first day holy (himself) after his Resurrection; as he rose again (after he had rested all the Jewish Sabbatb in the grave) upon the first day morning; So he came the very next first day into the midst of his disciples (then Assembled,) Joh. 20. 19. and the very next first day (immediately after that) he came to them again also. Ver. 26. The like he did ('tis very probable) every first day during the 40. days he continued upon Earth between his Resurrection and As­cension, because the Sabbath-day (being also the first day of the week) the Apostles still kept their holy Assemblies, Act. 2. 1. and then was the holy Ghost given to them. The (2) thing to be supposed (briefly) is, that Christ taught his Disciples the observation of the first day-Sabbath, not only by his appearing once and again to them on this day in a Solemn manner, and thereby approving of their meetings on that day, but also by his speaking to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, (all the 40. days of his abode on Earth with them, no. constantly but by intervals on each first day,) Act. 1. 3. and surely this great con­cern of the time of worship must needs belong to the Kingdom of God. The (3) thing to be supposed is that Christ is as faithful as Moses, who ordained all things generally necessary and profittable for the Church, Heb. 3. 2. and [Page 202] no less can be the observation of the Sabbath, so needful as above.

11. The eighth Consideration is, the Argu­ments for it. The many Arguments for the First-day-Sabbath, which for brevities fake I shall here but name. as (1) Christs own pat­tern, as above. So (2) the Apostles practice, whom undoubtedly Christ instructed, (during the 40. days) in the change of legal Sacrifices, Sacraments, and Ministry into Evangelical (as all grant) and why not of the Jewish-Sabbath into the Christian, since there is the same Rea­son; otherwise the Apostles would not have kept their Solemn meetings on the first day, as they did, Act. 2. 1. & 2. 7. (the Apostle being at Troas several days might have kept any of the seven-days, yet pitches on the first day for Prayer, Preaching, and Celebrating the Lords Supper,) 1 Cor. 16. 2. As Christ is the Rule Ruling, so the Apostles are the Rule Ruled, and we should follow them as they followed Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 1. The (3) Argument is the precept of the Apostles (as well as their practice.) They did not only observe it them­selves, but they also prescribed it to others, Phil. 4. 9. 1 Cor. 16. 2. [Every first day, &c.] Which implys, (1) That their Solemn meet­ings were on the first day. (2) That this day was well known among Christians for their meeting day, this Epistle being writ to the Corinthians about 23. Years after Christs death, [Page 203] (3) This day was injoined for such holy exer­cises, as Collections usually followed in pri­mitive times, Act. 2. 42. (4) The word (every) shews 'twas no occasional prescription, but a perpetual Ordinance, and (5) Ordained to be observed in all the Churches, 1 Cor. 4. 17. 1 Cor. 11. 23. Besides [ [...]] the Lords-day is added in the old Greek-Copy, as Beza wit­nesseth, on 1 Cor. 16. 1. [ [...]]

12. The fourth Argument is, from the pro­portion or equality of honour due to Christ with the Father, Joh. 5. 23. The Son must be honoured equally with him, and 'tis no Rob­bery, Phil. 2. 7. As the Father hath been ho­noured with the Seventh-day Observation (his resting day) from the Creation to the Redemption of the World. So the Son must be honoured from thence to the consummation of the World with the first-days observation, which was his resting day. Heb. 4. 10. and that from a greater work, as Jer. 23. 7, 8. other­wise there would be no equality: The (5) Argument is, the prophecies of the old Test. that the Sabbath of the new Test. should be on the first-day of the week; as the Institution of Circumcision on the eighth-day, the Psalms [on Shemineth] or eights, and Psal. 110. 3. with 118. 24. Math. 21. 42. Act. 4. 11. speaks all of this day as the latter Scripture expounds the former, &c. The (6) Argument is, the prerogative of this day above other [Page 204] days, as on this day, (1) The light was Crea­ted and the Angels of Light also, (2) Israel went through the Red Sea. Ancients say (3) God fed them with Manna, (4) Also on this day the star appeared to the wise men, and (5) That Christ fed 500. with 5 Loaves, and (6) Was Baptized on it, however rose upon it, And (7) is Gods Judgments upon profaners of it, and the (8) The constant and continued custom of the Church to keep it, in all ages since Christ.

13. The second thing (after the pregnant considerations) is the practical and profitable Directions, how the Christian Sabbath may be Sanctified so, as to bring a Spiritual blessing into the Soul. The first Direction: prepare to meet your God, O Christian, Amos 4. 12. there is no work (either Natural or Artificial) but it requires preparation, how much more this Religious work! the Husbandman pre­pares for his Husbandry, and the Musician for his Musick, and shall not you [that are part of Gods Husbandry, 1 Cor. 3. 9.] have your Soil prepared for the Celestial seed. O pray to the only preparer of hearts. Prov. 16. 1. to the skilful Musician, that he may tune your harp (your heart) to Sions Songs, and Sabbath­services, that you may make melody there­with and therein to the Lord, Eph. 5. 19. The second Direction is, set some time apart (at least) the evening before the Sabbath to [Page 205] trim your Lamps for meeting your Bride­groom, Math. 25. 7. The Traveller makes all ready over night for his Journey intended next morning; and that Oven which is heated the night before, will be the sooner fitted for ba­king in the following day: the Jews had their preparation for the Sabbath the evening before it, Mark. 15. 42. Joh. 19. 31. their prepara­tion to the Sabbath began at three a Clock in the afternoon, having [Sabbatulum ante Sab­bathum] afore Sabbath, before the Sabbath. Those of Tiberias began the Sabbath sooner then others, as those of Trephore continued longer, laying down this as their Rule (as Buxtorf relates) Tutius est tollere de profano & addere ad Sacrum, quam tollere de Sacro & addere ad profanum; 'Tis safer to pinch a part of the week-day, than the least part of the Sab­bath-day.

Our own Chronicles tell us, that the Saxons (in those dark times) were so devout, as not to allow their secular affaires to entrench upon their Sabbath-days Devotion, and therefore began their preparation at three in the after­noon on the last day of the week; insomuch that our forefathers at the Ringing of the Bell to Prayer at that hour, the Husband-man would give over his labour in the Field, and the Trades-man his work in the Shop, and set themselves to prepare for the Sabbath: Clarks, Engl. Martyr. Pag. 30. Tells of Edgars Law [Page 206] to this purpose. And Tacitus saith [Nox diem ducere videtur] the night seems to lead the day, as the evening, in Gen. 1. is (all along) set before the Morning, and therefore the evening before must belong to it. O how the Devotion of those dark days condemns the Indevotion of our (more knowing) times, wherein Men are so far degenerated from their Auncestors Zeal, that they dare entrench upon the holy time, either in worldly works or in foolish games, as if the waters of the Sanctu­ary (that full-Sea of knowledg promised, Esa. 11. 9.) had extinguished the fire of the Sanctuary, to wit, that former Zeal and fer­vent devotion in Solemnizing Gods Sacred Sab­bath in the entire extent of it. ☜ I the longer insist upon this second Direction, because usu­ally, as men measure to God in preparation, God remeasureth to men in performance of his blessing: I have found my best Prognosticks about what communion with God I should enjoy on the Sabbath-day, from the Divine influences I have had upon my heart the even­ing before.

15. The third Direction is, Remember, not only to prepare for it, but also to long after it, as a day of desires to your Soul, the preface (Remember) spreads it self over all the duties of the Sabbath, before, in and after also: Drusius tells of an holy Jew that would usually go out early in the Morning of the Sabbath, [Page 207] and having put on his best Apparrel would, cry out (Veni sponsamea) come my blessed Bride, thou art welcom; as being exceeding glad of 'its comming. If you, (with the Mariner) have lanched out your heart (the Ship) out of the Haven of Worldly mud over night, you will long for the Morning, (as Psal. 130. 6.) to hoise up Sail for your Voyage to the Cape of good Hope, and you cannot then but rise early as Israel did in their Siege of Jericho upon the Sabbath day. Josh. 6. 15. have not you the strong holds of Sin (as they had the walls of Jericho) to batter down. O long for this Queen of days (as the Antients cal'd it) for your Souls market-day, having cast up all your Spiritual wants overnight. Say with David, my Soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, O when shall I come and appear before him, &c. Psal. 8. 42. & 63. 1. & 42. 1, 2.

16. The fourth Direction is, Improve every part and parcel of the Lords Sabbath for your Souls edification and advantage (either pub­lickly, or privately) in holy and Religious exercises; the Hebrew word (Shamer) to (keep) the Sabbath, signifies such a careful and diligent keeping, as is that of Gold or pre­cious things, which a man would not lose any part or parcel of: how careful is the Gold-Smith of keeping the very filings of his Gold, and the Apothecary (in his beating of Pearl to [Page 208] Powder) is extraordinary watchful, that the least dust of it fly not out of his Mortar; and why? Because a little of such things is very pretious and of great value: Thus the smallest part of this Holy-day is of great price, take heed of loseing the least moment of the pre­tious Sabbath (one Inch whereof the Damned in Hell would give worlds for, if they had them) but improve the whole day for Gods glory and your Souls good. O then, that practice (of too many persons in too many places) in making Gods Sacred Sabbath the very voider and dunghil for all refuse-businesses (putting them off to that day) must needs be a great provocation to the most high and holy God, 'tis a Scripture wonder, [will a man rob God? [or, Hebr. will Adam plunder Elohim?] Mal. 3. 8. Seeing the whole day is consecrated both by God, and also (as Ananias goods) to God, it is dangerous to keep back any part of it for your own use, Act. 5. 1, 2, 5, 10. and not keep it wholly and (in every part of it) holy to the Lord.

17. The fifth Direction is, make this day a day of your delights, as before a day of de­sires; delight in the day, and in every duty of the day; account the Sabbath not only your duty, but also your priviledg, not only your work, but your wages too, Isa. 58. 13. Call the Sabbath your delight, and if it be not so, you may not call it so; surely it was not so to [Page 209] those Worldly wretches that cryed, when will the Sabbath be over, &c. Amos 8. 5. as if they had been in the stocks, all the while they were keeping a Sabbath; The Greek word for delight is [ [...]] Septuag. Psal. 37. 4. &c. Which comes from the word [ [...]] that signifies Paradise, or place of pleasure; to intimate, the Lord and his Sabbaths may not be as stocks to you, but as a Paradise, and a place of pleasure; you should take as much delight therein, as in walking the Round in the choicest Spring-garden. O how should you bless God for the Sabbath, as Neh. 9. 14. and rejoice in it as in the day the Lord hath made (for Spiritual delight,) Psal. 118. 24. counting it so, and making it so; not only a delight, but also holy and honourable and because holy therefore honourable. O may you but be in the Spirit on this Lords day, (as Rev. 1. 10.) and tast how good the Lord is, (Psal. 34. 8.) in the dainties of holy duties, and in his heart refreshing and Soul-ravishing Ordinances; you will find most incomparable pleasure therein, and far-far exceeding all the dirty delights of sensualists and Sabbath breakers, Prov. 14. 10. Job 27. 10.

18. The sixth Direction, be not weary of it before it be over. The whole Sabbath should be spent without weariness, in works of Piety, mercy and necessity, and in none else; here's variety to prevent nauseating in works of Piety [Page 210] you may pass from one Ordinance to another, (as the Bee flys from one flower to another) and not be weary; and from works of Piety you may go to works of Charity, and from thence to works of necessity for your own na­tural nourishment: O then, here is no need of crying out [what a weariness is it] as Mal. 1. 13. or [when will it be over] as Amos 8. 5. as if in little ease all the while; Carnal hearts know not (indeed) how to wear out the Sabbath ('tis such a weariness to them) and therefore they wish it over, full loth would they begg Davids office out of his hand (of being a door­keeper in the house of God, who must be first in and last out,) Psal. 84. 10. and what would they do to spend an everlasting Sabbath in Heaven, that are so troubled and tyred with a short one on Earth, not without a world of wilful distractions, but the Spiritual heart that is rapt up and ravished in Spirit, Rev. 1. 10. and is in the fear of the Lord (and in the com­forts of the holy Ghost) all the day long, Prov. 23. 17. can wish with Joshuah that the Sun stood still on that day for more killing of Sin, and quickning of grace.

19. The seventh Direction is, be sure you make it a right day of restraint to you, as it is called, Deut. 16. 8. (Jomegnatsereth) diem In­terdicti; a day of prohibition from all Improper work; the same word is used, Numb. 16. 48. and the Plague was stayed, or restrained by [Page 211] either. (1) Intreaty, as 2 Sam. 24. 21. or (2) By Authority and Commands or (3) By strength and force; all these ways you should Remember to [keep] the Sabbath, if you keep not your heart with all keepings, Prov. 4. 23. You can never (keep) the Sabbath holy. The Plague of your heart (mentioned, 1 King. 8. 38.) will not be stayed or restrained, unless you, (1) Offer upon Christ (your Altar, Heb. 13. 10.) Your Intreaties to God with David 2 Sam. 24. 21. and (2) Unless you lay Gods charge and command upon your extravagant heart to keep within compass, Cant. 2. 7. Yea and (3) You must use holy force and Violence (going but in Gods stregth, Psal. 71. 16.) to restrain your loose, slippery and treacherous heart, both from wicked, and from worldly work on that day, for in the former work you keep the day to Satan, and in the latter to your self, but not to your Saviour in either; besides every wicked work is cursed Sin any day, but 'tis doubly so on the Lords-day, the season being a great aggravation of the Sin, like that in, Est. 7. 8. 'tis a ravishing the Queen of days before the very face of the King of Kings: and every Worldly work done on Gods-day can never expect Gods blessing, but will be a Canker, and may say with Jacob, I shall bring a curse and not a blessing, Gen. 27. 12. he that did but gather a few sticks (a small business some may say) was paid home with [Page 212] stones because he did presumptuously on that day, Numb. 15. 30, 32, 35, 36. If you must do no manner of work, (save only the three works of Piety, Charity, and Necessity,) no manner of Worldly work, much less wicked work. O do not eat forbidden fruit, when you may eat of all the Trees in the garden, on your six days, do not your own works, (but cease from them, Heb. 4. 10.) nor speak your own words on this high and holy day. Isa. 58. 13. Exod. 31. 14.

20. The eighth Direction is, never satisfie your Soul with spending one Sabbath, without enjoying something therein of the Lord God of Sabbath; never content your self with Elijahs Mantle, without the Lord God of that Mantle, 2 King. 2. 14. O let it not be enough to you (as it was not enough to Absolom to live in Jerusalem. 2 Sam. 14. 32.) without see­ing the Kings face; cry with David (in every duty of the day) O when will God come unto me, Psal. 101. 2. To miss of a good friend is sad, to meet him is joyful, Psal. 73. 25. If you miss of this your best friend, this will justly fadden you (as it did even Saul himself, 1 Sam. 28. 15. If you meet him and miss him not, If your friend (the King of Saints, Rev. 15. 3.) Sit at your Table, then your Spiknard will send forth the smell thereof, Cant. 1. 12. Such a sign of sweet friendship and fellowship must needs fill your heart with joy unspeakable, and full of [Page 213] glory (as it reminds and represents your Com­munion in Heaven) and make the Sabbath a delight (indeed) to you; then shall you de­light your self in the Lord and he will (not only) cause you to ride upon the high places of the Earth, but also, upon the heights of the Heavens, where you shall keep an ever­lasting Sabbath (in which all Sabbaths meet) and whereof there is no evening. Is. 58. 13, 14. Psal. 37. 4.

21. The ninth and last Direction is, be careful to close up the Sabbath with a gracious frame of heart when (with Zacheus) you have got a view of your sweet Jesus from top to toe, upon the Sycomore Tree of some Gospel­advantage (though low of stature in your self) this is your after duty, be sure you take Christ home with you, and joyfully receive him there, as he did, Luke 19. 3, 4, 5, 9. he is (you'l find) the most blessed guest that brings Salvation, with him as well as a Supper, Rev. 3. 20. Re­flect then upon the whole carriage of your heart all the day; and falling down upon your knees. (1) Beg pardon for your drowsiness or distraction, for your want of fervency of Spirit in serving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11. And a Sab­bath frame of Soul. (2) Return praise for the Angels moving the waters in order to any healing, either the weakness of your grace or the strength of your Corruption: lose not the warmth of the day in the cool of the even­ing, [Page 214] for want of watchfulness; and let Sabbath day thoughts abide with you all the week­days, then week-day thoughts will less trouble you on the Sabbath day.

1. HItherto of the walk of a Christian in personal Holiness; a short discourse of his Relative Holiness in the close of all, Consider the first, 'tis true, a man is, what he is in private and in personal Actions habi­tually, either good or evil; and 'tis as true, that a man who is good privately and person­ally, cannot but be good Relatively also, he will labour to be good in all Relations: be will desire and endeavour to be holy as a Father, as a Husband and as a Master; this holds true in all other Relations, Superiour, Inferiour or Equal, as a Wife, as a Child, and as a Servant Yea as a Magistrate, and as a Minister, &c. All persons are Really, what they are Rela­tively; [Page 215] unsound hearts (like the Piller of smoak in the Wilderness) will have a dark side, as well as a bright, because they be not, what they seem to be, they be not to God, what they seem to be to men, you may not be like the Candle in a dark Lantern, that gives but light one way; but rather as the Candle set upon the Candlestick that disperses its light every way, into every corner of the House, you must not be diligent in one Relation, and negligent in another, but be holy in all Relations wherein God has set you.

2. The second Consideration is, Religion (in Truth) disperses it self into every Relation, and makes the New-Creature, [ [...]] a publick-Creature, for the good of others, a blessing, (Gen. 12. 2.) to Family Relations, and so by consequence to both Church and State, whereof a Family is the Epitome, being (as the Philosopher saith) the first Society in Nature: as before the flood, [both] were bound up in private Families, as in a little volume: so now, the way to have both good, is to have Families good, whereof Churches and Kingdoms do consist to make them as great Folios; Religious Families are blessed nurseries out of which are transplanted a good Son into one place, a good Daughter into ano­ther, and these bring a blessing along with them to those several places, as Jacob did to Laban, Gen. 30. 27, 30. and Joseph to Potiphar, [Page 216] Gen. 39. 23. those two blessed branches of the Patriarks Families, (though transplanted into a Forraign Soil) carries a blessing to Forraign Countreys.

3. The third Consideration is, seeing 'tis the Lord that sets the Solitary in Families, Psal. 68. 6. and appoints the bounds of your habitation, Act. 17. 26. the placing of per­sons in this or that place and habitation is from the appointment of the Lord thereof; as your being, so your dwelling is from the Lord, and this is not for wordly conveniency only, but for the worship of God, Deut. 6. 6, 7. & 11. 18. 19. which is your homage and quit-Rent, you must pay to the Lord of all, Act. 10. 36. Prov. 3. 6. Deut. 26. 17. Gen. 18. 19. Hereupon every new house was to be dedicated to God, Deu. 20. 5. with Prayers and Praises, as David did his, Psal. 30. title, and as all should be Sanctified, 1 Tim. 4. 5. the walls of your house are ever before the Lord, Isa. 49. 16. and therefore Holiness to the Lord should ever be writ upon them, Zech. 14. 20. that your house may be as the house of David, Zech. 12. 8. Psal. 101. 2. and as Melanctons Prince, a Church Court and Academy.

4. The fourth Consideration is, in two branches. 1. Keep out Sin, that grand trouble house, Job 5. 24. & 11. 14. & 22. 23. do you visit your habitation, 'tis a great mercy, deny'd to many; put Iniquity far from your [Page 217] Tabernacle (by Repentance and Reformation) and while God fills your house with good things, do not you fill it with evil Sins. O let not this be your kindness to your friend, 2 Sam. 16. 17. O do not thus requite the Lord, Deut. 32. 6. your house should be all built of Irish-Oak (as it were) which cannot endure any venemous Spider to come near it; 2. You must keep in the Ark, as well as keep out Sin, thus did David, Psal. 101. 2, 3. he would set no wicked thing before him, yet he did the holy Ark, before which he danced with all his might 2 Sam. 6 14, 16, 17.

5. That you may be rightly guided in this last walk of a Christian, to walk in your house with a perfect heart, as David did, Psal. 101. 2. and both keep out Sin, and keep in the Ark, to wit, Religion, as Obed-edom did and was blessed for so doing, 2 Sam. 6. 11. take these following directions (the second thing propounded) which relates, First, to the Governours of a Family, and Secondly, to the governed in it. First to Governours, the (1) Direction is, wheresoever God hath set out the bounds of your habitation, Act. 17. 26. though God say to you, as Gen. 49. 13. (Ze­bulun shall dwell by the Sea-shore) an unruly Neighbour, and that yields no good Air, and it may be not an house to your liking in all things, yet say, this is the place appointed me of God, and having God for your Portion [Page 232] there cry with David, your lines are fallen to you in a pleasant place, and that you have a goodly heritage, Psal. 16. 9, 6. Gods company (to give all good things to you, Math. 7. 11. and to take all evil things from you) makes a Cottage, yea a Cave to become a Stately Court, and a Princely Palace, for where the King is there is the Court: though you have not all to your mind, yet this will make you say, you have all (as Jacob, Gen. 33. 11. & as Paul, Phil. 4. 18.) in having him, that hath all: yea though you have nothing (in com­parison) yet possessing all things in him. 2 Cor. 6. 10. when you have got the Divine Art of contentment, Phil. 4. 12. O Remember how the great Architect of the World had not a house to put his head in (though he was the Carpenter, Mark. 6. 3. and the builder of all, Heb. 11. 10.) Math. 8. 20. Phil. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 8. 9. and how those great Favourites of Heaven wandred about in Sheep-skins, &c. Heb. 11. 37. 38. Having no certain dwelling place. 1 Cor. 4. 11. Suppose you have none (or but a mean one) on Earth; yet have you one (and that a Magnificent one) in Heaven, 2 Cor. 5. 1.

6. The second Direction is, having an habi­tation appointed you of God, be sure you make the Lord your Counceller about a yoke­fellow (whether you be Male or Female) if you have a call thereunto; Marriage [quasi] [Page 223] Marre-age or Merry-age, 'tis the making or marring of you for your whole life; of all your civil affairs, there is none of the like Im­portance as this, having an Influence upon all your days you live in the World: 'tis like a stratagem in War, that cannot be recal'd when you will: according to your choice of a good or evil Spirit (you bring into your bed and bosom) you make your house a lasting Heaven or Hell; You are mine, and I am yours, [brevis quidem est Cantiuncula, longum vero Epiphonema] is a short Song, but it hath a long undersong, therefore (an Errour herein being Irrecoverable) you have need of Argus his hundred Eyes, as well as Briareus his hundred hands, and of Gods Counsel (above all) that you lay not the foundation of a lasting sorrow thereby; and that your Conjugium prove not a Conjurgium a continual crossing (instead of comforting) one another, when two are in one yoke and each draws contrary ways to the other. Hereupon (some say) that Adam in his deep sleep was praying for a meet help, Gen. 2. 21. and the Scripture saith expresly, that Isaac went out to confer with God (in Prayer and Meditation) about this weighty matter, Gen. 24. 63. a good Wife is from the Lord, Prov. 19. 14. And so is a good Hus­band.

7. The third Direction is, let not that Doctrine of Devils (that forbids to Marry, [Page 220] 1 Tim. 4. 1, 3.) hinder you, as if it were better to live upon the Common, or as if the unmar­ried estate were more honourable (without regard to the proper and peculiar gift, 1 Cor. 7. 7, 9.) for Marriage is honourable unto all, &c. Heb. 13. 4. and God himself (not Cecrops, Lycurgus, or Numa) was the first Author and Institutor of it and that in Paradise, yea and before the fall, Gen. 2. 22. hence 'tis cal'd the Covenant of God, Prov. 2. 17. and though Paul the unmarried (qua talis, as 'tis said) went up to God (which was a great honour) yet Moses that was married had God to come down to him, which was greater honour; despise not this Divine medicine, which if right­ly applyed, is your Arrival at the fair Haven, marriage, quasi merry-age, the sweetest passage of your life, a rest and center of your affecti­ons, Ruth 3. 1. that it may be well with you, this is desireable (as well as honourable) in both Sexes, for the man misses his rib and would recover it, and the woman (the rib) would be in her place under the Arm a­gain.

8. The fourth Direction is, be careful to enter in by Gods way, into Gods Covenant, not as some that enter into Gods Ordinance, (to wit, Marriage) by the Devils portal; (to wit, fornication) so lays the Foundation of a curse, and not of a blessing: the Apostle faith, let them marry only in the Lord, [Page 221] 1 Cor. 7. 39. you must not marry in Pluto (the God of Riches) nor in Venus (the Goddess of pleasure) as the Heathens feigned, but in the fear of the Lord; the Rabbins observe, that in the names of [Ish and Ishah] the He­brew names of Man and Woman, is included (Jah) the name of God, and that if you take out Jod and He, whereof the name (Jah) consists, there remaineth nothing but (Esch, Esch,) which signifies fire, fire; the moral of it is good signifying, that if you marry in any manner but in the Lord, whose name is Jah, Psal. 68. 4. there will be nothing but fire, fire, nothing but brawling and doleful dissention, a fire that burneth to the fire of Hell; but if you marry in the Lord, you marry also with the Lord, and he cannot be absent from his own Marriage; it was Christs presence at a marriage that turn'd water into Wine, Joh. 2. 2, 9. Jesus must be Invited to your Marriage (as the principal guest) but by no means invite the Devil (quasi do-evil) who is (Abaddon and Appollyon. Rev. 9. 11.) the destroyer of all good; Except the Lord be with you to build your house (even in your foundation work, which is always serious and weighty work) all your indeavours will be but (Arena sine Calce) sand without lime that cannot hang together, but like untempered Morter, will fall asunder, and you build in vain, Psal. 127. [Page 218] 1. 2. Except and except, &c. 'Tis vain and 'tis vain, &c. Should found in your Ears.

9. The fifth Direction is, if God have made you the husband of a Wife (especially of such a one as hath the seven qualifications of a good one, to wit, grace, race, face, arts, parts, portion, proportion,) then (1) Be thankful to your God for so great a blessing, Psal. 116. 12. this was one of the first real and and royal gifts that God bestowed on Adam, and that upon deliberation of Divine wisdom, Gen. 2. 18. the Trinity in the unity had con­sulted before about mans first being, (let us make man, &c. Gen. 1. 26.) Now the Unity in the Trinity consults about mans well-being, and determins 'tis not good for man to be alone (I will make him an help-meet for him) a piece so exactly cut out for him, as answers him rightly in every Joint; no such glorious Crea­ture could Adam find among all the Creatures that passed before him, hence the woman is the glory of a Man, 1 Cor. 11. 7. O bless God for such a glorious Creature, and rejoice at the recovery of your lost Rib, Cant. 3. 11. Re­joice in the Lord the giver of that mercy, 1 Cor. 1. 31. for marriages are made in Heaven, before they be Solemnized on Earth; 'tis the work of God the Creator to provide an help­meet for Man his Creature, Gen. 2. 18. Prov. 18. 22. Prov. 19. 14. And (2) Live with your Wife (that God hath graciously given you) [Page 219] as a Man of knowledg, 1 Pet. 3. 7. where should knowledg and wisdom be, but in the head, if you have found (by seeking God in Prayer as Isaac did) a Wife, that is, a good Wife (as name is used, Eccles. 7. 1. for a good name and Wool, Esa. 1. 18. for white Wool) you have found a good thing, a fit and faithful yoke fellow is a singular blessing, and you have obtained favour of the Lord, Prov. 18. 22. as this calls for abundance of praise to your God, so for abundance of prudence to your Consort, which is the weaker Vessel, and so ought to be handled as a Venice glass with all tenderness even as Christ and his Church, Eph. 5. 29.

10. The sixth Direction is, if God make you the head and Governour of an house and Family, then learn in the first place to rule your little house well, to wit, your self, he that hath no rule over his own Spirit, is very unfit to take the rule over others, Prov. 14. 29. & 16. 32. and Eccles. 7. 9. Anger may rush into a wise-mans bosom, but it shall not rest there, he dare not let the Sun go down upon so evil a guest and Counseller; sury dwells and domineers in no house or heart (not only till the Sun go down a whole day) but while it go round (a whole year,) Eph. 4. 26. but where a fool is the Master of the Family, a troubler of his own house that brings all to nothing, Prov. 11. 29. his livelihood (by a secret curse) [Page 224] Vanishes into Smoak, and if not his life (by fretting) yet his liberty goes away, for he shall be servant to the wise in heart; none Triumphed in Rome but such as had five Victo­ries; nor you in Heaven without Victory over your five senses.

11. The seventh Direction is, be careful to lead an Exemplary and a convincing Life, that you may be a pattern of Piety to your whole Family; patterns are so prevalent (both to good and evil) that Pelagius did think (though amiss) Sin came into and is continued in the World by imitation and not by propagation; be sure you shew Piety at home (as well as abroad,) 1 Tim. 5. 4. and be not like the stage-Players, that act the part of both great and good men upon the stage, but follow them into the Tiring-House (where they dis-robe themselves) and then it will appear they are but very Rogues and vile-Varlots; every man is, what he is at home and in private. If God­liness be writ in a fair Character, and in large and lovely Letters, in the leaves of your life, 'twill invite your Children and Servants to Read, like, and love it, who otherwise (possi­bly) would never have heeded it; the Master of a Family is the Ordinary Looking-glass, whereby the whole Family do dress themselves, [Regis ad exemplum totus Componitur Orbis,] as is the politick-head, so are the People, the body; and as is the domestick-head, so [Page 225] (usually) is the houshold good or evil: as it is with a fish, if the head be sweet, all's sweet; if it stink, all's putrifying: The Office of an head is great, in guiding and going before the whole body; in Josephs dream, Gen. 37. 9. [behold the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars, &c.] the Father of the Family should be as the Sun, full of Heavenly light in himself, and com­municating of his light to enlighten the Moon (his wise) and the Stars of several Magnitudes) (his Children) yea and the Air and the Earth too, to wit, all his Servants.

12. The eighth Direction is, if you be the Wise or Mother of the Family, you must be of a wise Conversation, which wonderfully wins (as well as wooes) all you are related to, towards Conversion as well as Conviction. 1 Pet. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. you must be as the Moon [in Josephs dream] shining out (in your Orb) in your husbands absence, and yet vailing to him, (as the Moon to the Sun) when he is pre­sent, and in his power being Subject to him in all his lawful commands or restraints. O that you may be fair as the Moon, Cant. 6. 10. Shining bright in all Vertues and Graces, while you are ordering your Family-affaires, as Sarah and Abigail, &c. And though you may have sometimes, a dark side towards the Earth, yet (as the Moon in her very Ecclipse) you may have a bright side towards Heaven which may never be Ecclipsed; you should be [Page 226] to your Husband what Davids harp was to Saul in his fury and Phrensy; 1 Sam. 16. 23. when your Husband is at any time (as who is not at some time) transported into passion; see that you cast Milk and not Oile upon the flames of his Anger, that you may quench that fire and not more enflame it by adding another fire (your own anger,) to it, 'twas once a blessed Expedient in a godly Couple (though both Cholerick) to live lovingly to­gether for forty years, without ever any fal­lings out betwixt them, by yeilding evermore to each others passions, and never being angry both together.

13. The ninth Direction is, to both the Sun and the Moon [the Husband and the Wife] jointly, that you live together as heirs of the grace of life, that your Prayers be not hindred, 1 Pet. 3. 7. Alas you are Men and Women (Subject to many passions and infir­mities, Act. 14. 15. Jam. 5. 17.) and not Angels, freed from all frailties of the Flesh; and therefore you have need to be enriched with all grace, whereby you may perform the duties, enjoy the comforts, undergo the cares, and resist the Temptations that do attend your persons and conditions, as becommeth the Gospel you profess, Phil. 1. 27. and your praying much with and for each other (with­out hindrance, 1 Pet. 3. 7.) will (with Gods blessing) wonderfully encrease and Spiritualize [Page 227] your mutual affections one to another, either jarring will make you leave praying, or pray­ing will make you leave jarring; Isaac and Rebeccah were the most loving Couple we Read of, Gen. 24. 67. For they were a praying Couple, Gen. 25. 21, 22. he prayed for his Wife constantly, as the Hebrew signifies, and she prayed down her passions prudently, he got the mercy (desired), and she the Oracle, Abraham obeys God in things grievous to him, Gen. 21. 11 & 22. 2, 3. and Sarah hin­dered him not by saying why do you so, for she was a straight Rib and Satan cannot use it to break the head. As the Husband must be a Son of Abraham, so the Wife must be a Daughter of Sarah, 1 Pet. 3. 6. O happy house with such Couples, and where there is but one will, the Wives swallowed up in the Husbands, and the Husband in the Lords will.

14. The tenth Direction to both is, neg­lect not to let up the Worship of God in your Family, this is not only to entertain the Ark of God, but even God himself: the Ark was the sign of Gods presence, no sooner is David settled on his Throne, but he will settle Re­ligion, and therefore sends for the Ark, 2 Sam. 6. 1, 2, 3. 'Tis come to Obed edoms. Ver. 10. And brought a blessing with it thither. V. 11. David then crys, O when wilt [thou] come unto me, Psal. 101. 2. he would have the bles­sing Ark come to his house as well as to Obed­edoms, [Page 228] and not only the Ark of God, but also God himself, Arise [thou] and the Ark of thy strength,) Psal. 132. 8. where Religion is set up, that house is [a Beth-el] an house of God and there is the gate of Heaven, Gen 28. 16. 17. not only for your Prayers ascending up to God, but also for his blessings descending down upon you, for he is Rich unto all persons and Families that call upon him, Rom. 10. 12. Job. 8. 6. whether you be small or great, God is not an Austere Master but a liberal pay Master, but that house wherein the Worship of God is not, nor any calling upon his Name 'tis not a Bethel, but a Beth-Aven, Hos. 10. 5. an house of Sin, and God will poure out his curse upon it and not his blessing, Jer. 10. 25. Neglect of Family-duty doth (as it were) uncover the roof for Gods curse to be rained down upon a Mans Tables, Beds, all things he hath or doth, Prov. 3. 33. yea Brimstone is is scattered upon his habitation, Job. 28. 15. which the wrath of God may soon give fire to. Psal. 11. 6. and hale in Hell at 'its Heels.

15. Secondly a short word of Direction to the Governed, as they stand related to the Governours, (1.) In General; to all such, whether Children or Servants, &c. The first Rule is, account it your mercy and priviledg and not your burden, that you live in Reli­gious Families where Prayer, Reading, Cate­chizing, [Page 229] yea order and discipline are observed, Gen. 16. 8. & 18. 19. Children of many Prayers and Servants of many Prayers and Spiritual helps may not say, what a weariness is this, Mal. 1. 13. 'twas cursed Jeroboam that said, 'tis too much to do so, 1 King. 12. 28. Yea 'twas the mad and raging Heathens that cryed, let us break these bands asunder and cast away those cords from us, Psal. 2. 3. Those are Children of [Belial] that like not to be yoked (as the word signifies) no not with Christs easy yoak, and those are the Redeemed of the Lord that look on Family duties (not as Cords and Bands, but as garters and girdles to confine them where they ought to be, Rom. 7. 22. Christ left this pattern for all Families by the ordering of his own, as (1) To wor­ship God, Joh. 4. 22. (2) To keep the Sabbath Luke 4. 16. (3) To pray with the Family, Luke 9. 18. (alone there is meant apart from the Multitude, for his Disciples (which were his Family) were with him, (4) To pray privately or secretly by himself, Luke 5. 16. (5) And that morning and evening, Mark 1. 35. & Math. 14. 23. And (6) This was his practice and custome, Luke 22. 39. yea (7) Sometimes all night long, Luke 6. 12. And (lastly) with Submission and Devotion as a Servant of God, Math. 26. 39. Governours and governed [learn of him Math. 11. 29.] he is your best Master, all this Practice of Piety, [Page 230] 'tis no matter how dull the Scholler be (if but desirous to learn) so Christ himself be but your Teacher.

16. Secondly in particular. First to Child­ren, the second Rule is, Obey your Parents, Eph 6. 1. as Isaao did Abraham in submitting to be Sacrificed (though he was then grown up and might have resisted) and as Christ be­came obedient even to the death of the Cross. Good Children help to lengthen their Parents days, as Joseph did Jacobs; God therefore in the first Commandment promises (by way of requital) to lengthen theirs; Remember you are [stars] in Josephs dream (who was [himself] a whole constellation of graces,) O be a bright and morning Star in Christ who is so called, Revel. 22. 16. be a morning-seeker in the morning of your life, Prov. 8. 17. and grow in wisdom as well as in stature, and in favour with God and man as the Child (Jesus) did. Luke 2. 52. but be not a blazing meteor, not a falling, but a fixed Star, not (Sancti Juvenes & Satanici Senes) not degenerate plants, Jer. 2. 21. Degenerating, not only from your Godly Parents (though a Child of many Prayers cannot easily miscarry, as Am­brose told Monica concerning Austin (her Son) while a Manichee.) But from your seem­ing godly self in your younger years; a fal­ling Star, falls not to the Earth only, but (as the Star (wormwood,) Rev. 8. 11. bitter [Page 231] to Parents and self) into the bottomless Pit also, and is it not pitty that any one chip of the good old blocks should become fewel for everlasting burnings.

17. The third Rule is, be a Serving Son, Mal. 3. 17. 'tis an old and yet a true saying, that God, Parents and School Masters can never be requited both for your being and for your well being; Parents have power to re­quire the service of their Children, and as it is the Parents priviledg to command service, so 'tis Childrens duty to do service; even churlish Laban had serving Sons, Gen. 30. 35. and so had the old seducing Prophet, 1 King. 13. 13. yea and the Prince or Priest of Midian had serving Daughters, Exod. 2. 16. This is the honour that God commands Children to pay to their Parents, Exod. 20. 12. Children can never do enough for their Parents, that have done so much (and also suffred so much) for them; 'tis very remarkable, that good Jona­than (who was otherwise a truly serving Son) was taken by Lot, 1 Sam. 14. 42. the whole disposing whereof is of the Lord, Prov. 16. 33. and this may well be supposed to be some Rea­son, that God hereby did shew how tender he is in allowing the least shew of disobedience to Superiours, and to make Children fear and avoid (even) the Rash and causeless curses of Parents, which (by a secret Judgment of God) [Page 232] are sometimes inflicted, a wise (serving) Son, makes a glad Father, &c. Prov. 10. 1. every Son should be an (Abner) which signifies his Fathers light, and every Daughter an (Abigail) which signifies her Fathers joy. O then whe­ther you be Son or Daughter, do not bring down the gray hairs of your Parents with sorrow to the grave, Gen. 42. 38. & 44. 31.

18. The fourth Rule is, you must nourish your Parents in their old Age, that nourished you in your youth, and as you expect that your Children should nourish you when you are old; good Joseph is a blessed pattern, Gen. 45. 9, 10, 11. Saying to his old Father, come down to me, and be near to me, and there will I nourish thee, and he did so, Gen. 47. 12. and Obed was a restorer of life to old Naomai whose life had been long a lifeless life as it had been joyless) and a nourisher of her old Age, Ruth. 4. 15. See Davids love herein, 1 Sam. 22. 3. And Christs also (the mystical David,) Joh. 19. 27. This the Apostle com­mends, as a thing not only good before men, but also acceptable unto God, 1 Tim. 5. 4. and Christ reproves the neglect of it, Math. 15 4. and Paul calls such [ [...]] without natural affection, Rom. 1. 30. 2 Tim. 3. 3. The stork hath a singular affection to the Aged sire, as Pliny Relateth. Lib. 10. Cap. 23. The con­trary [Page 233] carriage brings Gods curse, Exad. 21. 17. Deut. 27. 16. Prov. 30. 17. The infernal Ravens shall pick out the Eye of him that mocketh his Parents, as cursed Cham did blessed Noah; yea God oft repays them again in the same Coin, as one ungracious Son (I Read of) that kicked his Father down the Stares, and dragged him by the hair of the head to turn him out of doors, and for this end opening the door, the old Father then spake saying; Now Son it is enough, do no more, for thus far I went with my Father, however God will take them to task as he did Abimelech, and render to them the wickedness done to their Parents, Judg. 9. 5. 56. And he was a Son of more wit then grace, who, when his Father complained that never Father had such an undutiful Child, as he had; replyed, yes my Grandfather, meaning his Father (when a Child) whom he spake to.

19. The fifth Rule is, if you be a Son or Daughter that fears, your Parents have left you Job's Legacy, laying up iniquity for you as well as Inheritance. Job 21. 19. as 2 Sam. 3. 29. & 2 King. 5. 27. and Exod. 20. 5. Yet know none shall be damned eternally for their Parents Sin, Ezek. 18. 17. Gal. 5. 6. unless they make it their own, either by commission or approbation; yet may they be punished Temporally; yea though they prove good [Page 234] Children, as 1 King. 14. 12, 13. and that you may escape this, you must bewail your Parents Sins. Ez. 9. 6, 7. & Dan. 9. 4, 6, 8. & Deut. 21. 13. and as to the goods you derive from them, you should do with them as you do with fruit out of the hands of some dirty Huckster, you must wash them over again and then you may use them; to the pure, all things are pure. Tit. 1. 15. besides grace cuts of the entail (though the oldest and strongest) of wickedness, as a good Child may come from a bad Father (as Ahaz had an Hezekiah, 2 King. 18. 1. and Amon a Josiah, 2 King. 21. 21, 26.) So a good Child may have a sanctified use of the goods of bad Parents, as those two good Sons had of the Treasures of bad Fathers.

20. The sixth and last Rule is, Secondly to Servants, please your Masters in all things, not answering again (either by chatting or thwarting,) Tit. 2. 9. The old saying is, be it better be it worse, please him that bears the Purse; not with Eye-service, Eph. 6. 5, 6. 'Tis not enough for you to fear man (your Master) who hath power over the flesh only, but you must fear God, Col. 4. 22. who hath power to cast Body and Soul into Hell, Math. 10. 28. not one servant went into the Ark with Noah, nor out of Sodom with Lot, which shows that few Servants be good, O [Page 235] be you of the Number of the few, that takes some time for your Soul; If Servants under the Law did so (that were Slavish bond-men and bond-women) much more you under the Gospel; Abraham had a faithful and a pray­ing Servant, Gen. 24. 10, 16, 27, 45. and Jacob was no less to Laban, and Joseph to Potiphar, and the Centurion was happy in his Servants, Math. 8. 6. O see, you make your Master happy, &c. by your faithfulness, diligence and Conscience of duty.