A Guide to Heaven from the Word, Part 5
Directions for the ſtrict obſervation of the Lords Day.
For Preparation.
1 ORder all your week buſineſs ſo wiſely before hand, that you may have no unneceſſary work on Gods day; that your hands may be as free as poſſible from worldly work, and your heads from worldly cares and thoughts. Exod. 20.8, 9, 10, 11.
2 Think ſeriously, What a weighty work am I going about! My week-affairs are but Toys and Trifles to this. What are Sheep, Oxen, or Shops, to Grace, Chriſt, or Heaven? Can I be too careful and ſerious in Gods Work, in Soul-ſalvation work? Surely no. How holy ſhould my thoughts be, how heavenly my diſcourſe, how earneſt mine endeavours all the day long? Iſa. 58.13, 14.
3 Therefore prepare with all your might, ſearch your hearts and lives, 1 Chron. 29.1, 2.1 Find out what your ſins are, to confeſs, mourn over, and pray againſt, Lam. 3.20.2 What the Mercies are you want for ſoul or body, for your Friends, Families, and Nation; account this a Market day for your ſouls, Rev. 3.17, 18.3. What bleſſings received, and what thanks to be returned. Pſal. 116.12.
4 Think with your ſelf, What good did I get by former, yea, by the laſt Sabbath? Was my heart then broken, or warm'd with love to God, and the like? What did I then learn, and how have I practiſed it in the Week? Have I fully digeſted by meditation, firmly believed, and faithfully obeyed the truths were laſt taught me? Iſa. 1.11. &c.
5 Beg earneſtly of God, that he would help you to ſanctifie a Sabbath, that this may be the beſt Sabbath you ever kept. That your heart may be more tender, humble, and heavenly; that the out-goings of your ſoul may be more free, ſtrong, and fixed, and the incomes of Heavenly grace and comfort more abundant: that God may reap more glory, and you receive more good then ever heretofore. That the holy keeping of this Sabbath, may be an earneſt to you of keeping a never never-ending Sabbath with God in glory.
To this end pray eſpecially for theſe four things.
1 That God may prepare a ſuitable word for your ſoul, that the Miniſters mouth may be opened, and his heart enlarged, and his meſſage full of goodneſs. That it may be the pure, plain, and powerful Word of God, Epheſ. 6.18, 19.
2 That God would fill his own Ordinances with his own preſence and bleſſing: that he would touch your heart, when man ſpeaks to the ear. Drop, yea, ſtream down h;eavenly grace through theſe Conduit Pipes, Iſa. 48.17. Luke 16.14.
3 That you may have the hearing Ear, the ſeeing Eye, and the underſtanding Heart; that you may be teachable, willing to learn, and apt to receive what God delivers, Jam. 1.21, 22. Pſal. 110.3.
4 That your ſouls enemies may be kept off, at leaſt reſiſted and kept down. That your hearts may not deceive you, the Devil divert you, nor the World diſtract or diſturb you.
Having thus in ſome meaſure prepared your hearts for the Solemn work of this great Day; obſerve and practice theſe following directions, as ever you hope to have the bleſſing of the Sabbath.
1 As ſoon as you awake fix your hearts and eyes heaven-ward; bleſs God that you ſee the light of one day more, eſpecially Gods day; wherein you may labour to have your ſins pardoned and purged, and your ſouls furniſht with grace, and ſo fitted for glory. Call the Sabbath your delight, Pſal. 118.23, 24, Pſal. 59.16.
2 Beg heartily of God, that he would ſtrengthen you by his grace, to do what he requires, as he would have it done; that he would pardon your unpreparation, bear with your infirmities, accept of your poor ſervices, and Crown all with his bleſſing, 2 Chron. 30.18, 19, 20.
3 That you be fitted for the holy and heavenly work of the day; affect your heart with ſome or all of theſe Ten following things:
1 With the Majeſty of that God whom you are to wait upon, Pſal. 95.2, 3, &c.
2 With the vileneſs of ſin, and of your ſelves becauſe of ſin.
3 With the ſweetneſs duplicate page duplicate page of Chriſt, and the greatneſs of his Love and MercieMercy.
4 With the excellency of that heavenly work you are going about, and the gain of godlineſs.
5 With the vanity of the world, and all things therein.
6 With the worth, and high value of your immortal ſouls.
7 With the rage, ſubtilty, and diligence of your ſouls enemies.
8 Eſpecially with the deceitfulneſs of your own hearts.
9 With the Terrour and Torment of Hell.
10 With the unſpeakable and everlaſting glory of Heaven.
4 Carefully, and conſcienciouſly perform Family Duties, Joſh. 24. 15.
1 See that your Servants and Children of age, waſte not away the Morning in ſleep or idleneſs.
2 Cauſe them to joyn together in Prayer, Reading, or any other Godly Exerciſe, Gen. 18.19.
3 If you have time, you may Catechiſe them, or diſcourſe to them of any of thoſe former Ten things, Deut. 6.6, 7.
1 Inform your ſelves and them, what a great and glorious Majeſty and Maſter you are to ſerve, Mal. 1.14.
2 What a bleſſed and heavenly work you go about; that it's heart work, Joh. 4.24. and therefore hard and difficult work, and yet that its pleaſant and excellent, Prov. 3.17. Chap. 8.34, 35. Oh the fatneſs of Gods houſe, and the beauties of holineſs!
3 What an abundant and unſpeakable reward attends the well-doing, even life everlaſting, Rom 6.22. and how fearful a thing it is to trifle and be careleſs in it, Lev. 10.3. Mal. 1.8, 13, 14. Heb. 12.28, 29. Acts 20.9.
4 Exhort and command them to be at all good exerciſes; yea, watch over, and look after them. Remember the fourth Commandment binds you to look to all within your care and power, Man-ſervant, Maid-ſervant, &c. If God had no more pity and mercy to the ſouls of children and ſervants, then many bloody Parents and Maſters, they muſt needs ſwim in the direful Gulph of their ſins, into utter deſtruction.
5 Repair to the publick places of Worſhip: If you have no Miniſter in your own Pariſh, go where is the moſt ſoul-ſeaching, heart-melting, and ſinner-rowſing Preaching, &c. Iſa. 2.3.
Take theſe Rules with you.
1 Throughly weigh theſe four things:
1 Conſider I am this day to wait on God, the King of Glory, and not on man; and therefore am I to come with all fear and care; what an infinite greatneſs am I to admire and reverence? What rich goodneſs am I to love and delight in? what depths of wiſdom to look into? what infallible truth to reſt upon and believe? what a wrath and fiery indignation to tremble at? God is glorious in holineſs, and of pure eyes, Iſa 6.1, 2, 3.
2 What a poor worthleſs worm and wretch am 1? How ſhould I come crawling, crouching, and trembling to the Throne of Grace? What am I but duſt and aſhes, but putrefaction, yea, a ſink of ſin? Iſa. 6.5. Job 42.5, 6.
3 I have not onelyonly an empty heart, void of all good, but an envious heart, full of all miſchief and perverſneſs, Rom. 8.7, 8.
4 Yet what preparation have I made? Have I not ſpent more time and care to dreſs my body for the eye of man, then to deck my ſoul for the eye of God? Job 11.13, 14, 15. Pſal. 10.17.
2 As you are going to Gods houſe,
1 If you are alone, fill your heart with heavenly Meditations, hunger and thirſt after the Word, 1 Pet. 2.2. Mat. 5.6. Think, if God ſhould meet my ſoul and bleſs it: Oh that he would!
2 If you are in company, talk of God and his Word, but without pride or affectation. Or hear others heavenly diſcourſe: but if they are ſuch as ſavour only of Earth, and ſcorn Godlineſs, either reprove or leave them, 2 Cor. 6.17.
3 As you enter Gods preſence, really expect his goodneſs to paſs before you. See Exod. 33.18. to the end, Chap. 34.67. Earneſtly look for the light of his Countenance, Pſal. 4.6. Say, Lord, thou haſt promiſed to be in the midſt of thy people, Pſal. 133.3. Matth. 18.20. Bow the Heavens and come down: Let thy greatneſs aw us, and thy goodneſs refreſh us. By Faith, behold God in the higheſt Heavens, ſurrounded with glorious Saints and Angels, and take heed to thy ſelf, Eccleſ. 5.1, 2. and yet through Chriſt, come with boldneſs, and cry Abba Father, Heb. 4.15, 16. Chapter 10.19, 20, 21, 22.
4 Make a Covenant with your eyes, that they gaze not about to ſee, who is in the Congregation, and what Clothes they wear and the like; Take heed of a wandering departing heart, Matth. 15.8, 9. Fix your Eyes on the Miniſter, your Ears on the Word, and your heart on God, Pſal. 123.1, 2.
5 Be reverend in the geſture of your bodies, bow your knees as well as your hearts before the Lord; if the place be not convenient for kneeling, ſtand upright, 1 Cor. 14.40.
6 Whatever Spiritual work you ſet about, do it with all your might and ſoul, Eccleſ. 9.10. Rom. 12.11. As,
1 In Prayer, while the Miniſter is confeſſing and bewailing ſin, let your hearts even melt, bleed and break, Joel 2.13. When he begs Mercy, let your ſouls breath and pant after it, Pſal. 42.1, 2. When he returns thanks and praiſe, let all that is within you bleſs Gods holy Name, Pſal. 103.1, 2.
2 If Singing, let your hearts make melody to the Lord; Take heed when your voice is high, your heart be not dead, flat and low, Col. 3.16. Epheſ. 5.19.
3 When the Word is read or preacht, mind, This is the Word of God, 1 Theſ. 2.13.
1 It is his Command, and dare I diſobey it? Oh that my ways were directed! Pſal. 119.4, 5.
2 Doth God threaten theſe Judgments, and denounce theſe curſes on ſinners? And muſt I not tremble?
3 Are theſe his calls and invitations? his rich promiſes and great love? and ſhall I refuſe all? Doth God knock at the door of my heart? Let the everlaſting doors thereof fly open, that the King of Glory may come in.
4 While the Miniſter is pronouncing the Bleſſing, poſt not away, (a fault too common every where) but hope, deſire, and believe it ſhall come down upon you, Pſal. 133.3. Prov. 8.33, 34, 35.
5 Take heed afterward that Satan may not ſteal away the good ſeed ſown; that the thorny cares of the world may not choak it, Mark 4.14. to 20. Let not the World get into your mouths, as ſoon as the Word is out of the Miniſters. Some have been ſin-ſick when they hear a row-ſing Sermon, when the Word flaſhes Heil-fire in their faces, a little ſtartled; but it's as men are Sea ſick, vomit up the Word, and come aſhore to the World, and all is well again.
6 As ſoon as you come home, beg of God to bleſs the Word you have heard, that it may not be as water ſpilt on the ground, but that your memories may retain it, your hearts love, and your wills obey it, 1 Cor. 3.6. That it may tear, rent and fetch blood from your luſts, that it may fire your hearts with love to, and zeal for God; and that love may fill your mouths with good words, and your hands with good works, Rom. 2.13.
7 When you ſit down to dinner, having begged Gods bleſſing on the food of Soul and Body, Matth. 14.19.
1 Eat no more then will fit and enable you comfortably and lively to ſerve God, Luke 21.34. Many fill their bellies ſo at this time, that they are fit only to lay their drowſie heads on the Devils pillow of ſloth.
2 Talk of Gods Word ſitting down and riſing up. Let your hearts be heavenly, and your diſcourſe ſavoury, ſeaſoned with Grace. A Table without ſome good diſcourſe, differs little from a manger, Iſa. 5.12.
8 After Dinner, either repeat the Word heard, or read in the Bible, or in ſome other good book; and call your own heart, and your family to an account for what you have heard, Deut. 6.7, 8, 9.
9 In the time appointed, go with your Family to the publick, as in the Morning. Think not half a day enough for God and your ſouls.
1 If you come to the Congregation before the Miniſter, ſpend not away the time in idle imaginations or worldly diſcourſe, or any vain ſtories; but either meditate on God or his Word, or talk heavenly and holily. It's ſad to ſee a Church-yard filled with idle perſons, to hear nothing but of this or that perſon and family. The great Queſtions are, how Corn was ſold the laſt Market day, and what Corn in ſuch a field? and the like. Poor barren empty ſouls! have you no better things to employ your heads and tongues about? Rather ask, What a good Word we heard this day? How are we now to provide for Heaven? The Devil is ſo buſie in the Church-yard ſowing his ſeed, that Gods ſeed takes little place and rooting in the Church. Can you do the Devils work now, and the next hour Gods? I am perſwaded, the ſeaſoning of perſons hearts with vanity and frothy diſcourſe before Sermon, hath been a very great hindrance to the efficacy of the Word, and the good of many poor ſouls.
2 Warm your hearts with love to God, and delight in the work; think not that falling down on your knees at your entrance, and tumbling over a few words, is a ſufficient preparation. It's an harder work then moſt imagine, to fit the ſoul for God.
3 When you are waiting on God, take heed of drowſineſs, deadneſs, or diſtraction. Remember, a careleſs heart, a drowſie body, dull affections and dead ſervices are not fit for a living God. Think, Do I pray now as for Heaven? hear as one hearing God ſpeaking from Heaven? Is my heart ſuch as God may love and delight in?
It's to be fear'd, many can tell, where the windows and ſeats are broken, what ſpots on the walls, and the like, better then what the Text, Doctrines, or Heads of the Sermon were.
4 Take heed how you ſpend the Evening. The heart is very apt to be vain after ſerious Duties. If God hath ſet home any ſin, ſhewn you any duty, run that over and over in your retired thoughts, Pſal. 1.2.
10 When you are about your neceſſary worldly work, as ſerving your cattel, and the like; Take heed of carrying a worldly heart into the field. Turn all things you ſee or hear heavenly. If your cattel ſtray, think, How apt am I to go out of Gods way! If you behold the Heavens, ſee therein Gods power and wiſdom, &c. Pſal. 19.1. Think or talk of the Word, Pſal. 19.7. to 11.
11 Look on all you have done, as far ſhort of what God deſerves and requires. What heavenly, fervent, zealous prayers doth ſuch a God deſerve, and ſuch rich mercy call for? God is worthy of a better tongue then mine to praiſe him, and a better heart to love him. Could I have done all commanded, and never ſo well, I were but an unprofitable ſervant, Luke 17.10. What am I then, when I come ſo infinitely far ſhort; when every duty is filled up with abundance of ſin and fearful failings!
12 Reſt on nothing you have done for acceptance or ſalvation, but on Chriſt alone. Diſown all confidence in your own righteouſneſs, and expect all the bleſſings and promiſes ſtreaming to you alone in the blood of Chriſt, Phil. 3.8, 9.
13 Before you lie down at night, look over the days work. Search back into every hour and duty of the day. Humble your ſelf, and be heartily ſorrowfull for any miſcarriages; bleſs God, and be unfeignedly thankful; if you have received any good; and ſtill look out for more. Take the ſhame of failings to your ſelf, and give God the glory of any enlargements, 1 Chron. 29, 10, 11, &c.
FINIS.