The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Part 12 – Title page 2
THE CHRISTIAN Sabbaths or Lords dayes Deuotion.
Thou who intendest to sanctifie the Christian Sabbath to thy Creator and Redeemer, must aduisedly consider, that the fourth Commandement which enioyneth this dutie with a speciall Memento, hath in it somewhat
1 Ceremoniall, not now in force, as
1 Keeping the precise seauenth day on which God rested.
2 The strict rest according to the rigour of the letter.
3 The legall manner of hallowing it by sacrifices and ceremoniall rites.
2 Morall, now and for euer in force as
1 The dedicating of a certaine day to the true and essentiall worship of God.
2 The keeping holy of a seauenth day: i.e. one at the least in seauen.
3 The hallowing that day of the seauen which God appointeth, that was
VnderUnder the Law, the seauenth from the Creation.
VnderUnder grace, now the first day of the weeke.
See the ensuing Admonition.
THE ADMONITION for the Sabbath.
THE ANALYSIS.
To stirre vp thy selfe to sanctifie the Christian Sabbath, meditate vponupon▪
1 GOD
1 The Father, his
Precepts for it.
Promises to it.
2 The Sonne his resurrection on this day.
3 The holy Ghost his comming downe on this day.
2 The Apostle's (guided by the Spirit)
Iniunction.
Practise.
For the hallowing the Christian Sabbath.
REmember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy; 1 Grounds in the Law.sixe dayes shalt thou labour, &c. Exodus 2…. 8.
Yee shall keepe the Sabbath therefore,Precepts. for it is holy vntounto you: EueryEvery one that despiseth it shall be surely put to death. Exodus 31. 14.
Ye shall keepe my Sabbath and reuerence my Sanctuarie, I am the Lord. Leuit. 26. 2.
Hallow my Sabbaths, and they shall bee as signes betweene me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God. Eze. 20. 20.
Blessed is the man that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting,Promises. and keepeth his hands from doing any euill. Isaiah 56. 2.
If thou turne away thy soote from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on the Holy-day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine owne wayes, nor finding thine owne pleasure, nor speaking thine owne words. Isa. 58. 13.
Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride vponupon the high places of the earth, and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, ver. 14.
When the first day of the weeke began Marie Magdalen, 2 Grounds in the Gospell.and the other Marie came to the sepulcher. Math.Christs resurrection on this day. 28. 1. Marke 16. 1. Iohn 20. 1.
And behold there was a great earth-quake, for the Angell of the Lord descended from heauen, and rolled backe the stone from the doore, and sate vponupon it: Math. 28. 2.
And the Angell answered and said to the woman, Feare yee not, for I know that ye seeke Iesus that was crucified, Math. 28. 6.
He is not here, for he is risen. ver. 7.
And when the day of Pentecost was come,The spirits comming downe on this day. they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2. 1.
And suddenly there came a sound from heauen as of a rushing mightie wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ver. 2.
And they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and began to speake with other tongues, as the Spirit gaue them vtterance. ver. 4.
EueryEvery first day of the weeke let euerie one lay aside as God hath prospered him,The Apostles iniunction. &c. 1. Corinth. 16. 2.
And the first day of the weeke the disciples being met togetherPractise. to breake bread, Paul preached vntounto them. Acts 20. 7.
And I was in the spirit on the Lords day, and heard behind me a great voice, as it had bene of a trumpet. Reu. 1. 10.
THE MORNING HYMNE for the Sabbath, or the Lords day:
Wherein the deuout soule expresseth her performance (at least in desire) of all holy duties requisite. on the Sabbath, which are
1 Priuate, as
a 1. Premeditation.
b 2. Early rising, or watchfulnesse.
c 3. The soules examination of her selfe.
d 4. Prayer at home consisting of
1. Confession of sinne
e Originall.
f Actuall.
g 2. Profession of faith.
3. Supplication for
h 1. The Church.
i 2. The King.
k 3. The Minister.
l 4. Our selues.
2 Publike, as
m 1. Going to the Church.
n 2. Ioyning in publike prayers and thankesgiuing with the congregation.
o 3. Hearing the word.
p 4. Contributing to the poore.
a I hauehave thought vponupon thy Name in the night season, and hauehave kept thy Law. Psal. 119. 55.
b Early in the morning do I cry vntounto thee, for in thy word is my trust. ver. 147.
c I called mine owne wayes to remembrance, and turned my foote to thy testimonies. ver. 59.
d I will make my supplication in thy presence with my whole heart; be mercifull vntounto me according to thy word. ver. 58.
e Behold I was borne in iniquitie, and in sin hath my mother conceiued me. Psal. 51. 3.
f Who can tell how oft hee offendeth? O cleanse thou mee from my secret faults. Psal. 19. 12.
g I said I will confesse my sin, and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne. Psal. 32. 6.
h O be fauourable and gracious vntounto Sion, build thou the walls of Ierusalem. Psal. 51. 19.
Thou shalt arise ô Lord, and hauehave merciemercy vponupon Sion, for it is time that thou hauehave merciemercy vppon her, yea the time is come. Psal. 102. 13.
For why, thy seruants thinke vponupon her stones, and it grieueth them to see her in the dust. ver. 14.
i GiueGive the King thy iudgements ô Lord, and thy righteousnesse to the Kings sonne. Psal. 72. 1.
Then shall hee iudge the people according vntounto right, and defend the poore. ver. 2.
Hee shall keepe the simple by the right, and punish the wrong doer. ver. 4.
k Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousnesse, and let thy Saints sing with ioyfulnesse. Psal. 132. 9.
l O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may leade mee, and bring mee to thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling. Psal. 43. 3.
m I was glad when they said vntounto me, Let vsus go into the house of the Lord.
Open me the gates of righteousnesse, that I may go in, and giuegive thanks to the Lord. Psal. 118. 19.
n O magnifie the Lord our God, and let vsus fall downe before his footestoole, for he is holy. Psal. 99. 5.
o The Lord gaue the word; great was the companie of the Preachers. Psal. 68. 11.
I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me, for hee shall speake peace vntounto his people, and to his Saints that they turne not againe. Psal. 85. 8.
For his saluation is nigh them that feare him, that glorie may dwell in our land. ver. 9.
p O my soule thou hast said vntounto the Lord, Thou art my God, my goods are nothing vntounto thee. Psal. 16. 2.
All my delight is vponupon the Saints, and such as excell in vertue. ver. 3.
An offering of a free heart will I giuegive thee, and praise thy name, because it is so comfortable. Psal. 58. 7.
A Prayer for the Sabbath Morning.
BLessed Creator, and Author, and finisher of the saluation of man-kind; who in memorie of thy glorious rest from both thy noble workes hast blessed and sanctified a day of holy rest vntounto thy selfe, sanctifie me for it, that laying aside my accustomed businesse, and sequestring my thoughts from all worldly cares, I may keepe it, and my selfe holy to thee, by dedicating it and deuoting my selfe wholly to thy peculiar worship, and immediate seruice. And to the end that this my religious seruice may bee more acceptable to thee, quicken me with thy Spirit, that I may performe it with all alacritie and chearefulnesse, and may make thy Sabbath my delight. Touch my heart and tongue with a coale from thine Altar, that from the sweet incense of my meditations, hymnes, prayers, and thanksgiuing thou mayest smell a sauour of rest. O holy Lord God of Sabbath sanctifie thy rest vntounto me, & let thy Spirit rest in me, that I may find rest to my soule from all tentations, troubles, and feares, and may rest from my owne workes, which are painefull and sinfull trauels, and may employ this day all the powers and faculties of my soule and bodie in doing and considering thy workes, in adoring thy Maiestie, and admiring thy wisdome, and acknowledgeing thy power, and embracing thy louelove, and magnifying thy goodnesse, and reioycing in thy mercies, & trembling at thy iudgements: In visiting thy holy Temple, and praising thee with thy Saints, and offering vp the calues of my lips: In diligently reading thy Scriptures, attentiuely hearing thy word, reuerently celebrating thy mysteries, charitably relieuing thy members, and zealously practising all holy duties both publike and priuate. O let me this whole day walke with thee as Enoch did, and talke with thee as Moses did, and seeke thy face as Dauid did: And grant that beholding thine image in thine holy word, as in a cleare and cristall mirrour I may bee changed into the same image euen from glorie to glorie. Let this Sabbath put mee in mind of thy rest from thy workes, and assure me thereby of an euerlasting Sabbath in heauen from my works. Into which rest that I may enter, stirre vp my good desires in me; raise my thoughts and affections to the things that are ab…ue. Renew mee according to the Image of thy Sonne, and frame my life to a heauenly conuersation. Enlighten my vnderstanding, sanctifie my will, moderate my desires, gouerne my affections, mortifie my fleshly members, and destroy the man of sinne in me, and deliuer me from this bodie of death. Worke in me a feare of thy power, and louelove of thy goodnes, and zeale of thy glorie, and thirst of thy grace, & an earnest desire, and constant resolution as (much as in me lyeth) to approue my selfe to thee in all things, and frame all my actions to the rule of thy word. Heare me I beseech thee for my selfe and for thy Church, and thy Church for me, and Christ for vsus all, &c. saying: Righteous Father keepe them from euill, sanctifie them with thy truth, thy word is truth.
The close out of Scripture.
The glorie which thou hast giuen me, giuegive them, that they may bee one, as thou and I are one. So bee it, heauenly Father for thy Sonn's sake, by the grace of thy holy Spirit: To whom be all honour, praise, glorie, and thanksgiuing from euerlasting to euerlasting.
Amen.
AN ADMONITION for the Sabbath Euening.
THE ANALYSIS.
The fittest subiect of contemplation on the Sabbath, is the meditation on the eternall Sabbath in heauen, of which the Sabbath on earth is a type. Consider it two wayes.
Priuately there is
No sinne.
No tempter or temptation.
No thraldome or seruitude.
No labour or toyle.
No sorrow or griefe.
No paine or torment.
No night or darkenesse.
No death.
No curse.
No feare.
Positiuely there are
Euerlasting habitations.
Indefiezable estates of inheritance.
Royall honours and dignities.
Inualuable wealth and riches.
Vnspeakable ioyes and pleasures in the
Sight and fruition of God.
Societie with Christ
Companie with all Saints & Angels.
Glorification of our bodies. Perfectiō of our soules in
Knowledge.
Righteousnesse
LoueLove & vnion with God.
THE TEXTS.
WE looke for a new heauen and a new earth,In heauen no sinne. according to his promises in which dwelleth righteousnes. 2. Pet. 3. 13.
The Dragon fought with his Angels. Reu. 12. 7.
But they preuitled not, No tempterneither was their place found any more in heauen. ver. 8.
And the Dragon that old Serpent called the Diuell, and Satan was cast out, &c. ver. 9.
Reioyce yee heauens, and yee that dwell in them.
The creature shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God. No thraldome.Rom. 8. 21.
There remaineth a rest for the people of God. No labour.Heb. 4 9.
Bessed are the dead that dye in the Lord, for they rest from their labours. Reu. 14. 13.
God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes.No sorrow. Reu. 7. 17.
They shall hunger no more, No paine.nor thirst any more, neither shall the Sun-light on them, nor any heate Reu. 7. 16.
And there shall bee no night there,No night. and they shall neede no candle, nor the light of the Sunne, for the Lord God giueth them light, &c. Reu. 22. 5.
There shall be no more death, No death.neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more paine, for the first things are passed. Reu. 21. 4.
And there shall be no more curse, No curse.but the Throne of God and of the Lambe shall be in it. Reu. 22. 3.
Your ioy shall no man take away from you. No feare.Ioh. 16. 22.
That they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations. Luk. 16. 9.
For we know that if our earthly house of this. Tabernacle bee destroyed, wee hauehave a building giuen of God, an house not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. 2. Cor. 5. 1.
An inheritance immortall,Indesiezable estate of inheritance and vndefiled, that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen for you. 1. Pet 1. 4.
They striue for a corruptible, but wee for an incorruptible crowne. 1. Cor. 9. 25.
When the chiefe Shepheard shall appeare, ye shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glorie. 1. Pet. 5. 4.
Take inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you.Royall honours and dignities. Mat. 25. 34.
It is your Fathers pleasure to giuegive you the kingdome. Luk. 12. 32
They shall raigne for euermore. Reu. 22. 5.
And the building of the wall was of Iasper, Inualuable wealth and riches.and the Citie was pure gold like to cleare glasse. Reu. 21. 18.
And the foundations of the walls were garnished with all manner of precious stones. ver. 19.
And the gates were twelue pearles. ver. 21.
The things which eye hath notInspeakable loyes and pl…asures. seene, neither eare hath heard, neither can enter into mans heart to conceiue are, which God hath prepared for them that louelove him. 1. Cor. 2. 9.
In thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore. Psal. 16. 12.
They shall bee satisfied with the fulnesse of thy house, and thou shalt giuegive them drink out of the riuer of thy pleasures. Psal. 36. 8.
For with thee is the well of life, &c. verse 9.
I know that my redeemer liueth, and I shall see God in my flesh, Ioh. 19. 25.
Now we see in a glasse, darkly, but then wee shall see face to face. 1 Cor. 13. 12.
And they shall see his face, In the light and fruitiō of God.and his name shall bee in their foreheads. Reu. 22. 4.
As for me, I will behold thy presence in righteousnesse, and when I awake vp after thy likenesse, I shall be satisfied with it. Ps. 17. 16.
Father I will that they which thou hast giuen may bee where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen me. Ioh. 17. 24.
These follow the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth. Reuelation 14. 4.
Wee are come to the Mount Sion, and to the City of the liuing God, and to the celestiall Ierusalem, and to the company of innumerable Angels. Heb. 12. 22.
And to the Congregation of the first-borne which are written in heauen &c. verse 23.
This corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortall shall put on immortality. 1 Cor. 15. 13.
The glory of the earthly is one, and the glory of the heauenly is another. verse 40.
There is one glory of the Sun, and another of the Moone, and another glory of the Starres, for one starre differeth from another starre in glory. verse 41.
So also is the resurrection of the dead, &c. verse 42.
He shall change our vile body, and make it fashioned like vntounto his glorious body. Philippians 3. 21.
They that be wise shall shine as the firmament, and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starres for euer. Daniel 12. 3.
Now I know but in part, but then I shall know as I am knowne. 1 Cor. 13. 12.
We are come to the congregation of the first-borne which are written in heauen, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the spirits of iust and perfect men. Heb. 12. 23.
When that which is perfect shall come, then that which is in part shall be abolished. 1 Cor. 13. 10.
LoueLove doth neuer fall away, though that prophecying be abolished, or that tongues cease, &c. ver. 8.
I pray that they all may be one, as thou O Father art in me and I in thee, euen that they may be also one in vsus, &c. Ioh. 17. 21.
An Hymne for the Sabbath Euening.
REturne to thy rest O my soule, for the Lord hath dealt graciously with thee. Psal. 116. 7.
In Gods Word will I reioyce; in the Lords Word will I comfort me. Psal. 56. 10.
The words of the Lord are pure words, like as siluer which from the earth is tryed, and purified seauen times in the fire.
Blessed are they that dwell in thine house, they will bee alway praysing thee.
They will goe from strength to strength, and to the God of Gods appeareth eueryevery one of them in Sion. Psal. 84. 47.
I will giuegive thankes to the Lord in the Congregation from the ground of the heart. Psal. 68 26.
VntoUnto thee ô God I will pay my vowes, vntounto thee will I giuegive thanks. Psal. 56. 12.
Shew the light of thy countenance vponupon thy seruant, and teach me thy Statutes. Psalme 119.
An Euening Prayer for the Sabbath.
HOly, holy, holy Lord God Almighty which was, which art, and which art to come, hallow my nature, that I may hallow thy Name. As thou impartest thy goodnes to me whereby I liue and moue in thee: so I beseech thee communicate to mee some measure of thy holinesse, that I may liue and moue to thee. Let thy Spirit of grace possesse my body and soule, that the desires of my minde, and thoughts of my heart, and words of my lipps, may be holinesse vntounto thee. Sanctifie me that I may glorifie thee. And first with ioy and thankfulnesse I acknowledge it a special testimony of thy louelove, that thou hast giuen me liberty and meanes to keepe a holy Sabbath vntounto thee, to meete in thy House, to offer vp my ioynt-prayers and thanks-giuing with thy holy congregation, to confesse my sinnes, to professe my faith, to lay open my wants, to cheere vp my selfe by singing the sweete songs of Sion, to heare thy sacred Word read and Preached; whereby my faith hath beene strengthened in the misteries of saluation, my hope established in the promises of thy Gospell, and my life set forward in a setled course of holinesse and righteousnesse, whereby the Kingdome of sinne and Satan is beate down and destroyed, and the Kingdome of Christ built vp in me, By this thy Word, the carelesse sinner is admonished, the ignorant instructed, the presumptuous terrified, and the penitent comforted, the power of sinne is abated, the force of temptations weakned, the motions of the spirit quickned, grace reuined, and my Election assured by these insallible Marks, and tokens thereof set before me in holy Scriptures. Blessed bee thy Name for it, this day thy Word hath dwelt with me richly in all wisedome. The dispenser of thy misteries hath scattered many Doctrines like so many pearles among thy people.Here thou mayest insert the principale Doctrine which thou hast heard from thy Pastors mouth. Lord grant that with Mary I keepe these, and all thy sayings in my heart, and make vse of them in my life, and receiue comfort from them at my death. And here I would proceed to intreate at thy hands the continuance and increase of thy spiritual and temporall blessings vponupon mee, but my sinnes lye at the doore of my conscience and affright mee. My heart smites mee for my failings in the performance of the duties of thy Sabbath. My deuout Meditations hauehave bin stefled in the wombe that bare them: my prayers hauehave not beene without distractions, my hearing without wearisomenesse, nor my almes-deeds without grudging. Pardon deare Father my want of preparation before I come to thine house, of intention and Zeale at thy seruice, and want of Meditation and Application of those things which I heard there since I came thence. Bury I beseech thee these slips and all other my sins, especially of this weeke and day, in the night of eternall obliuion. Ease me of the burden of them, that I may more securely repose my body and soule vponupon thy gracious protection, to take their naturall refreshing by sleepe, whereby I may bee enabled and strengthened to doe thee better seruice the next day in walking carefully, diligently, conscionably, and constantly in the waies of thy commandements, and the duties of my calling.
The close out of Scripture.
Now the very God of peace sanctify mee throughout, and I pray God that my whole spirit and soule, and body, may bee kept blamelesse vntounto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ, Amen.
THE PRACTICE of Extraordinarie DEVOTION:
In the Religious obseruation
of Christian
Feasts, as namely—our Lords
Birth.
Circumcision.
Epiphanie.
Resurrection.
Ascension.
Sending downe the—Holy Ghost.
Fasts, as namely,
Ashwednesday.
Good friday.
By Daniel Featly, Doctor in Diuinity.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. and R. B. for Nicholas Bourne, and are to be sold at his shop, at the South Entrance of the Royall Exchange. 1626.