A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

Direction V.

¹5. When you are to set actually on the duty, prepare your Family by some short advice to carry themselves as becomes those that are going to speak to the great eternal God: at least sometimes, and the oftener the better. Do not rashly rush out of your worldly callings into the presence of the glorious God, say to them to this, or the like purpose, The God we are going to pray unto, is a holy, just, omniscient God, that looks into all our hearts, that sees and knows the frame of our spirits, that will not be mocked, and cannot be deceived: All we are sinful Creatures, that have broke his righteous Laws, and thereby have deserved hell and everlasting torments; yet this gracious God holds forth his golden Sceptre, and gives us leave to approach his presence, to beg for pardon, and for Christ, and grace, and heaven; Our wants are great and many too, and yet our mercies are great and many too, come then, O come, let us with a holy fear of God put up our joint Petitions, that God would supply our wants, especially of our souls, and make joint confessions of our sins to God with humble, broken, penitent hearts, and jointly bless him for the mercies we are all partakers of; but let us do all, as those that would please God, while we pray unto him, and not by our carelessness and sloth provoke him while we kneel before him. Thus Job prepared his household, ²when he with them did sacrifice to God, Job 1.5. Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered Burnt-offerings according to the number of them all — thus did Job continually. Could Job sanctify his Children? could Job give them grace? Parents might give their Children portions, but can they give them holiness too? they might put money into their purses, but can they put goodness into their hearts? yea, they may advise and exhort them to get grace, but can they work it too?