The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…

Now in this duty many of Gods children fail, that even themselves and their whole family take liberty to sleep out a great part of the morning, and think it enough to rise and go to church, not regarding any time of preparation, and hence it is that the exercises be so uncomfortable and unprofitable ⟨p. 83⟩to them. And then secondly the master must be careful to have his family come with him in good & due season to the house of God, with the whole congregation; not as many do, that are so negligent, as much is past before they come. The wife comes at the second lesson, & he drops in at the end of prayer, and the servants follow when half is done. They would not do thus to harvest work, but he would make them get all things ready, that they go together to get in his corn, and not come dropping, one now, and another anon; why should not one therefore be as careful for the food of his soul, and to eat of the bread of life, in the house of god, to come joyfully himself and his wife, and bring their family with them, that they may be at the beginning, and tarry out till the ending; that they may have the whole fruit, and not as some do be gone before the sermon end, or at least, run away before the prayer be made for a blessing, and the blessing pronounced by the minister; which shows they never felt the goodness of the blessing, they are so loth to tarry the ministers prayer, because they want the spirit of prayer themselves, and cannot tell the benefit of a faithful prayer, for if the sweetness of gods blessing had distilled upon their souls, or they had never felt the comforts that follows, a prayer made in the holy ghost, they would be more desirous of these things then they be, and not hast so from them, as if it were a curse, not a blessing, and some things tending to their hurt, not a supplication to God for their good.

Now in this dutie many of Gods children faile, that euen themselues and their whole family take libertie to sleep out a great part of the morning, and thinke it inough to rise and goe to church, not regarding any time of preparation, and hence it is that the exercises be so vncomfortable and vnprofitable ⟨p. 83⟩to them. And then secondlie the maister must bee careful to haue his family come with him in good & due season to the house of God, with the whole congregation; not as many doe, that are so negligent, as much is past before they come. The wife comes at the second lesson, & he drops in at the end of praier, and the seruants follow when halfe is done. They would not doe thus to haruest worke, but he would make them get all things readie, that they goe together to get in his corne, and not come dropping, one now, and another anone; why should not one therfore be as carefull for the foode of his soule, and to eate of the bread of life, in the house of god, to come joyfullie himselfe and his wife, and bring their familie with them, that they may be at the beginning, and tarrie out till the ending; that they may haue the whole fruit, and not as some doe bee gone before the sermon end, or at least, runne away before the praier be made for a blessing, and the blessing pronounced by the minister; which shewes they neuer felt the goodnesse of the blessing, they are so loth to tarrie the ministers prayer, because they want the spirit of prayer themselues, and cannot tell the benefit of a faithfull prayer, for if the sweetnesse of gods blessing had distild vpon their soules, or they had neuer felt the comfors that follows, a prayer made in the holy ghost, they would be more desirous of these things then they be, and not hast so from them, as if it were a curse, not a blessing, and some things tending to their hurt, not a supplication to God for their good.