Advice to an Only Child, Chapter 23 – Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIII. How to ſpend the Lord's Day.
IN general, Be a curious ſpender of your time on the Lord's Day. This will be a holy curioſity. Let this day be your delight, ſpend it wholly in walking in the Spouſes Garden amongſt Duties and Ordinances, with a ſweet and holy pleaſure, where there is ſo great variety, that you may go (like a diligent Bee) from one Flower to another, from one Duty to another, and never take ſurfeit. It's the whole day that God commans to be ſanctified, and therefore the whole muſt be ſpent in holy exerciſes. Therefore do not think it ſufficient for the ſanctification thereof, that you have been at the Publick Worſhip in the Aſſembly, unleſs the whole day were ſpent there, as was antiently done by the Primitive Chriſtians in their Publick Aſſemblies, almoſt from morning to night. On other days of the week Duties call for time, but time calls for Duties on the Lord's Day. If I were to paſs my Judgment on the Religion of any perſon, I would take my meaſures from the manner of their obſervation or the Lord's Day.
2. Before you go to the Publick Worſhip, ſpend what time you can in private (beſide Duty in the Family) that ſo you may be better prepared for the Publick: for private Devotion before will be a great means to prevent worldly thoughts and diſtractions, when you are in the Aſſembly. Worldly thoughts and cares do play the part of little Children, if they cannot keep the Mother from going abroad, they will cry to go along with her; and theſe, if they cannot keep you from Church, they will ſtrive to go thither with you; but ſolemn preparation before, lays a reſtraint on them, gives them a diſcharge, to prevent and hinder their accompanying of you.
3. Be a conſtant, diligent, and reverent Attendant on the Publick Ordinances, and make the beſt improvement of them for your Soul. This is a frequenting the Royal Exchange of Chriſtians, and would exceedingly tend to the Souls advantage. Chriſt's preſence is moſt to be found in the Publick Ordinances: he walks in the midſt of the golden Candleſticks: here the whole Aſſembly with united and concentricated Forces do beſiege the Throne of Grace; and ſo their prayers have more power with God. Muſick in Conſort is the moſt pleaſant. That is the ſweeteſt Poſie that is made of moſt Flowers. The prayers of many ſmell ſweeteſt with God. Beſides, Affections are more wrought on in publick than in private (which ſome great Naturaliſts have obſerved as one of Natures great Myſteries) and where Affections are moſt raiſed, there God uſually confers the greater bleſſing. Indeed ſometimes it falls out that Chriſtians are more dull under the publick means, which may be in Judgment, when they either put too much confidence in ſuch places, or are fallen to a loathing or ſlighting of that ſpiritual food, either becauſe they have it ſo oft, or by reaſon of ſome circumſtances in Worſhip, which they like not.
4. When you come home from the Publick, be careful to ſpend your time in Religious Exerciſes. Meditate on what you have heard, and having, like a diligent Bee, gathered abroad in the Publick Aſſembly, the ſweet of heavenly Flowers, work your Honey-comb within your own Hive. Digeſt well by private Meditation that ſpiritual meat, which was ſet before you in the Diſhes of the Publick Ordinances. Meditate alſo on the Attributes of God, the Works of God, and eſpecially the Mercies of God, that you may be ſtirred up to holy rejoycings, praiſes, and thankſgivings, which are the moſt proper work of the day, which is a day of thankſgiving, and commemoration of the Mercies of God, eſpecially of the Reſurrection of Chriſt, and the great work of Redemption.
5. Be careful that your Servants do not prophane or miſ-ſpend this day, as being tender of their Souls, as well as your own. Solomon's virtuous Woman gave a portion of holy Inſtructions, as well as of Food, to her Servants and Maidens; Prov 31.15, 26.
CHAP. XXIV. Of Holy Duties in general.
1. BEfore you go to any Duty addreſs your ſelf to Jeſus Chriſt for a ſupply of grace, for the performance thereof. If you be to go to a new act of praying, or hearing, or receiving the Sacraments, you muſt eye Jeſus Chriſt again, put forth a new act of Faith towards him, and labour for new Influences, and a freſh ſupply of Spirit from him.
2. Do not only number your Duties, but weigh your Duties, how many; how many look only how oft they go to Duties, but never ſeriouſly how, or in what manner they perform them? and ſo cheat themſelves everlaſtingly, concluding themſelves to be in a ſtate of Grace, becauſe of their conſtancy in Duties, but miſcarry everlaſtingly for want of a right manner of performing them, as out of a right ſpring and principle, and to a right end, and with ſincerity and fervency of affection. Though the Tree bear many large and fair fruits, yet it is not much valued, unleſs they have a good relliſh. If the fruits that your Soul brings forth have not a good taſt, through the ſincerity and right ends thereof, or taſt not of the Love of God, they will not be acceptable unto God. Let all your works be done in Love; 1 Cor. 16.14.
3. Do not only perform holy duties, but love holy duties, ſo they will be more acceptable to the God of Love. An ungodly Man or Woman may often go to prayer, but they love it not; they may hear the Word, but they receive not the Truth in the love of it: But a good heart loves duties. So long as you cannot find any relliſh in Ordinances or private Duties, but are in an indifferency whether you perform them or no, or have your frequent intermiſſions of theſe meals, ſo that ſometimes you take them, and ſometimes you let them alone, it is a ſign you are not ſound within; or if you do conſtantly take them, if it be without an appetite, and perform holy duties, only to ſtop the mouth of Conſcience, its an argument your Soul is not in health. Till you find ſweetneſs in Ordinances, the caſe is not well with you, as it ſhould be, the Soul is out of frame. If once you love duties, they will be a delight and refreſhment to you. All the ways of Chriſt are Beds of Spices and Roſes, and can you walk on ſuch, and not be requited for it with ſweet and fragrant ſmells? Thoſe that carry bundles of Spices from Arabia, have their Spirits refreſht with the ſweet Odours that breathe from them. A good Chriſtian is refreſht in duty; the Soul can ſing at her work. Love turns all pains into pleaſures. Though the Mother take a great deal of pains in tending the Child, yet ſhe finds a ſweet delight in it, becauſe of her love to it. A good Chriſtian can ſay with David, O how I love thy Law! Pſal. 119.97. And, I delight to do thy Will, O my God! Pſal. 40.8.