Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
(3.) Dost thou pray in secret? So thou mightest have done, if God had struck all thy Family dead in the night besides thy self: Take heed thou dost not hereby cause God to strip thee of thy Relations, and thy comfort in them with whom thou wilt not pray, and send thee with a witness into a corner, to pray by thy self alone.
(4.) Dost thou pray alone? So thou mightest have done, if thou hadst lost thy tongue: Hast thou a tongue only to buy and sell, and talk of the world, or of religion only? and not to employ it in conjunct praying to, and praising of God, in thy Family? Read before.
(4.) Dost thou pray alone? So thou mightest have done, if thou hadst lost thy tongue: Hast thou a tongue only to buy and sell, and talk of the world, or of religion only? and not to imploy it in conjunct praying to, and praising of God, in thy Family? Read before.
(5.) Dost thou pray alone? I doubt thou dost; It may be thou speakest more in that word [alone] than thou thinkest of.1 Dost thou not pray alone without God? without meeting with God? Hadst thou there had thy heart inflamed with the love of God, and tasted of the sweetness in communion with God, would not this have filled thy heart with love to God, and Souls in thy house, and burning zeal that they might be partakers of the same Divine refreshments? couldst thou hold thy peace after such discoveries, while thy poor Family are without? or wouldst thou no time call them together, that they also might experience the same delights that thou hast found? As the woman of Samaria called her Neighbours,
. If thou hadst got some earthly Jewel, thou mightst be loth that others should share with thee in the value of it; because in earthly things participation causeth a diminution: if a sum of money be divided amongst many, the more one hath, the less will fall to the others share. Art thou
⟨p. 353⟩
indeed afraid of this? Fear it not: There is enough in God for thee, and thine too. Communication in spirituals causeth multiplication, even in him that doth communicate to others: If thou beest an Instrument to draw thine to the Love of God, and to joy and delight in him, this would fill thee with the greater joy. Methinks then, when thou hast been alone, and God hath graciously been with thee, thou shouldest go down into thy Family with burning love to God and them, and say, Come my Wife, Children, Servants, leave your work and business for a while; There is much sweetness in communion with God: There is indeed delight which comes into the Soul by holy fervent Prayer; I would not have you feed on husks, while there is not only bread, but dainties too, in seeking God: I do not love to see you always muddling in the world, and be strangers unto God. Come then, come away, for my Soul doth long that you should taste what I have found. Thus thou wouldest think surely with thy self, if thou speakest not out to them, if thou didst meet with God in secret. When it is not so with thee, but thou canst constantly neglect Prayer in thy Family, reflect upon thy self, whether in this sense thou didst not pray alone, that thou didst not find God with thee warming of thy heart. Tell me, couldst thou be content to eat thy food constantly alone, without thy Wife and Children?
(5.) Dost thou pray alone? I doubt thou dost; It may be thou speakest more in that word [alone] than thou thinkest of.1 Dost thou not pray alone without God? without meeting with God? Hadst thou there had thy heart enflamed with the love of God, and tasted of the sweetness in communion with God, would not this have filled thy heart with love to God, and Souls in thy house, and burning zeal that they might be partakers of the same Divine refreshments? could'st thou hold thy peace after such discoveries, while thy poor Family are without? or would'st thou no time call them together, that they also might experience the same delights that thou hast found? As the woman of Samaria call'd her Neighbours, Joh. 4.28, 29. If thou hadst got some earthly Jewel, thou might'st be loth that others should share with thee in the value of it; because in earthly things participation causeth a diminution: if a sum of money be divided amongst many, the more one hath, the less will fall to the others share. Art thou ⟨p. 353⟩indeed afraid of this? Fear it not: There is enough in God for thee, and thine too. Communication in spirituals causeth multiplication, even in him that doth communicate to others: If thou bee'st an Instrument to draw thine to the Love of God, and to joy and delight in him, this would fill thee with the greater joy. Methinks then, when thou hast been alone, and God hath graciously been with thee, thou shouldest go down into thy Family with burning love to God and them, and say, Come my Wife, Children, Servants, leave your work and business for a while; There is much sweetness in communion with God: There is indeed delight which comes into the Soul by holy fervent Prayer; I would not have you feed on husks, while there is not only bread, but dainties too, in seeking God: I do not love to see you always mudling in the world, and be strangers unto God. Come then, come away, for my Soul doth long that you should tast what I have found. Thus thou wouldest think surely with thy self, if thou speakest not out to them, if thou didst meet with God in secret. When it is not so with thee, but thou can'st constantly neglect Prayer in thy Family, reflect upon thy self, whether in this sense thou didst not pray alone, that thou didst not find God with thee warming of thy heart. Tell me, could'st thou be content to eat thy food constantly alone, without thy Wife and Children?
1Infaelix & Iniqua lex amoris rerum, nolle ut ament alii, nolle ut ament alios; non ità miserum & pressum eligas amorem: superest Deo amor dilatatus; superest bonitas, ut amot & ametur; cum abest à felle ut rivales optet, Zelotypia gaudet. Hoc interest inter Zelum humani amoris & divini: Zelus amantis Deum, optat ut alii ament; Zelus a mantis hominem, ne alius amet: ille socios quaerit, iste fugit, pro qualitate nimirum amatorum. Socios ille quaerit, quia superest bonitas amato, cui amorem suum aequalem non putat; coadjutores exoptat, ut suppleat votis alienis proprium defectum; iste non admittit collegas, exiguum bonum timet, ne desit sibi, distributum etiam aliis: perinde ac qui splendidum epulum paravit, cui ipse non est satis, convivas quaerit, invitat plures, gavisus consortio epulantium: At misellus & famelicus rusticus frustulum Hordeacei panis, quia sibi non sufficit, non distribuit aliis, non palam comest, ne alius, qui appetat petat. O laetissimum affectum! O securissimum amorem Dei! quem Zelus non excruciat, quem rivalis delectat, sine absynthio, sine aloe, sine fell, totus dulcis & consentaneus cordi. Nieremb. de art. vol. p. 336, 337.Infaelix & Iniqua lex amoris rerum, nolle ut ament alii, nolle ut ament alios; non ità miserum & pressum eligas amorem: superest Deo amor dilatatus; superest bonitas, ut amot & ametur; cum abest à felle ut rivales optet, Zelotypia gaudet. Hoc interest inter Zelum humani amoris & divini: Zelus amantis Deum, optat ut alii ament; Zelus a mantis hominem, ne alius amet: ille socios quaerit, iste fugit, pro qualitate nimirum amatorum. Socios ille quaerit, quia superest bonitas amato, cui amorem suum aequalem non putat; coadjutores exoptat, ut suppleat votis alienis proprium defectum; iste non admittit collegas, exiguum bonum timet, ne desit sibi, distributum etiam aliis: perinde ac qui splendidum epulum paravit, cui ipse non est satis, convivas quaerit, invitat plures, gavisus consortio epulantium: At misellus & famelicus rusticus frustulum Hordeacei panis, quia sibi non sufficit, non distribuit aliis, non palam comest, ne alius, qui appetat petat. O laetissimum affectum! O securissimum amorem Dei! quem Zelus non excruciat, quem rivalis delectat, sine absynthio, sine aloe, sine felle, totus dulcis & consentaneus cordi. Nieremb. de art. vol. p. 336, 337.
Answ. 1. Ashamed to pray! ashamed to do thy duty! The more shame for thee. Be ashamed to sin, and of this shame; for it is sinful, and is to be lamented, and prayed against, and striven against, and overcome: Wilt thou tell God at the Day of Judgment, that thou wast ashamed to pray in thy House and Family?
Obj. 4. But I am not ashamed of the duty, but of my own weakness; I have not gifts and parts to manage this duty. If I were gifted as other men be, I would perform it as other men do.
Answ. 1. Where do you live? in London? What! an old housekeeper in London, or where there hath been much means of Grace, and are you so ignorant, that you are not qualified to pray in your Family? This is your sin; and will one sin be pleadable to excuse you from another? One of the Ancients of the Parish, and plead ignorance! are you not ashamed?
Answ. 1. Where do you live? in London? What! an old housekeeper in London, or where there hath been much means of Grace, and are you so ignorant, that you are not qualified to pray in your Family? This is your sin; and will one sin be pleadable to excuse you from another? One of the Ancients of the Parish, and plead ignorance! are you not asham'd?
2. It is not parts and gifts and florid expressions that God looks at, but an humble, penitent, broken, and believing heart. Have you not this neither? If you have not, get it quickly, or you must to Hell: If you have, God will accept of such a Sacrifice; bring it then.
3. Study your sins and wants, and mercies; and get a sense of all these ⟨p. 354⟩upon your heart, and you will be able to express them in your Family, in such a manner as may be more for their profit, than the constant omission can be. If a man feel himself sick or hungry, do you think he could not find words to make his complaint, and ask for help? Study the Scripture and your own hearts, and these will be good prayer-Books to furnish you for the duty: Besides by praying you shall learn to pray.
4. Do not deceive your self, and say, it is for want of gifts; when it is more for want of a heart and love to the duty. To discover this, Suppose a Law were made by our Governors, that every Master of a Family that doth not pray in his house with his Family, shall be cast into the Lions Den: What would you do then? Would you rather venture your life and be torn in pieces by Lions, than set upon this duty, with that Knowledge, and those Gifts that now you have? Would you not find something to say to save your Lives? And is not the Law of God as binding as the Laws of men? and the Dungeon of Hell as dreadful as the Lions Den? Go then, set upon your duty.
4. Do not deceive your self, and say, it is for want of gifts; when it is more for want of a heart and love to the duty. To discover this, Suppose a Law were made by our Governours, that every Master of a Family that doth not pray in his house with his Family, shall be cast into the Lions Den: What would you do then? Would you rather venture your life and be torn in pieces by Lions, than set upon this duty, with that Knowledg, and those Gifts that now you have? Would you not find something to say to save your Lives? And is not the Law of God as binding as the Laws of men? and the Dungeon of Hell as dreadful as the Lions Den? Go then, set upon your duty.
Obj. 5. But there are some graceless and wicked persons in my Family, that I cannot say we desire this or that spiritual blessing, grace, Christ. &c. for I see no ground to judge they desire any such thing.
Answ. 1. Have they no grace? and must they not pray that they may have some? O cruelty! Is he exempted from duty, because he is not good? or wilt thou say, that such must only pray alone? and be excluded (while such) from conjunct prayers? Whither will this carry you? Even to the shutting of all graceless or at least visibly wicked persons from all prayers in public Congregations, as well as from Family duty; But this is so gross, that I suppose you will not own it. You have no reason then for the other.
Answ. 1. Have they no grace? and must they not pray that they may have some? O cruelty! Is he exempted from duty, because he is not good? or wilt thou say, that such must only pray alone? and be excluded (while such) from conjunct prayers? Whither will this carry you? Even to the shutting of all graceless or at least visibly wicked persons from all prayers in publick Congregations, as well as from Family duty; But this is so gross, that I suppose you will not own it. You have no reason then for the other.
2. How do you know, when you are confessing sin and acknowledging the evil of it, but God might affect and break their hearts, and they be changed on their knees, and so be saved from damnation? and will you deny them that means that God may bless for their conversion?
