:Dire.Etions for tiJe J]iending of e-very day. -------- CHAP. XVII. 1)ireEtiom: for eacl1 partimlar member of tl1e Family, IJol/1 to fpend ewry ordinarJ day of the JVeek. · 1 T fortlewhat tcRdcth ro make a holy life more eafie to us, when we know the ordinaty courfe and method of our duries, and every thing falleth into its proper place. As it helperh the Husbandman or Tradefman to know the ordinarycourfe of his work, that he need not go out of ~ it, unh:fs in extraordinary cafes. Therefore l !hall here give you fome ~rief DireCl:ions fot the holy fpending of every day. . . . • . , 9· 1 • Direct. r. p.,p.,.ti•n the hme of. your fleep an~ht (rf ~t be m your power ) t.h•t you waje VirtiJ; r. not your pretious morning huur1 f!uggijhly m your bed. Let the urne of your flccp be rationally fitted to your health and J~bour,-and not fi:nlually to your flothful pleafure. About fix hours is meet for healthful people, and feven hours for the lefs hcalthful, and eight for the more weik and· aged, ordim.rily. T ne morning hours arc to moll the preitoufdl of all the day, for all our duties; efpecially fervant! that ar,e fcamed of time, mull take it then for prayer if polfiblc, ldl they have none at all. , ~· 2. 'Direct• 2· Let God have y•ur firft a"'al(!ng tboughu: 'Lift up y.>ur heart! to him revmntly VirtCI. 2· and thankfully for the rt]! of the night pajl, and briefly caj! your {tluu upon him for t!Jt f,Uorr>ing day : and u[e your {cl'lltJ fo conjfantly to thH, that your confcicncfl may chcc/tynu, wbm CommiJn th~mghn jhaU ft11 intrude. And if you have a Bed-fellow to fpeak to, let your fir]! ffieech be agreeable to yourthoughts. It will be a great help ag1inll: the temptations that may eHC furprize you, and a holy engagement of your hearts to God, for all the day. ~· 3· Direct. 3· Rrfolve that pride and tht fajhioHJ of the timujhaU never tempt yo11 into fuel; • VireiJ. 3· garb of attir·e, a1 "'ill mak.! you long in drtf{tng )'OU in the morning : but fl)tar fitcb cloathing as ii j MJit put on. lt'sdear·bought bravery (or decency as they will needscallit) which mull coli every day an hours or a quarter of an hours time tXtraordinuy : I had rather go ;~.s the wilde lndians, than have thofc morning hours to anfwer for, as too many Ltdies and other gallants have. ~· 4· Direct. 4· If you are perfonr of q11alityyou may employ a child or fervant to rud a Chapter VlreiJ. 4 , in thr Bible while you are dreffin~ y•u, and eating yonr breakf•JI ( if you cat any ) : Elfe you may tmploy that time in [ome fruitf~et m(ditation, or confirence aith thofo 11bout you, at far ar yrmr necejf.Jry occafiont dt! givt leave : As to think,_ or {j>eak of the mercy of a nights refi, and of your renewed time; and how many fpent that night in hell, and how many in pri{on, and how many in a colder harder lodging, and how many in grievous pain and ficknefs, aweary of their beds and of £heir lives; and how many in difiracting terrours of their minds? and how many fouls that night were called from their bodies, to appear before the dreadful God ? And think how fall days and nights roul on? and how fpeedily your tall night and day will come: And obfcrve what is w.mting in rhe teadineCs of your Ctml, for fuch a time, and feek ir prcfcnrly without aelay. ' 9· 5• Direct. 5· If-more ntceffary dutiu eaU Y"" nol aw.::Jy, let {ecru pr'iiJCr by your [elf alone or DirtCJ. 5 • with ynur chamber-ftUowor both, J!,O befort the common prayer 1 o[ tiJt family: and delay it not ca~tjlcjly, but if it may be, Jet it be firft, bt{ort any othtr wnrk._of the dJy. Yet be nQt formd and fupc:rfti· tious to your. hours, as if God ha~ abfolutdy tyed you to fuch a time: nor think it not your duty to pray once m fecrct an~ once wtth your chamber-fellow and once with the family every morning, when more nc(df.uy dunes call you off. That hour is befi: for one, which is worJl for another : To m~~jf, private prayer is moO: feafonable as foon as they are up and cloitthed : To others fome other hour may bl! more free and fit. And thofe perfons that have not more nccelfary dudes, may do well to pray at all the opportunities before-mentioned. Bur reading and meditation mull be allowed their time alfo : And the labours of your ·callings moll be p•infully fqllowcd; An~ ferv_a?ts and poor peo~le that are not at ~)ibcrty, or thar have a ncccffity 1 of providing for the1r famJhes, may not IJ.wtully take fo much t1mc: for pra)'er, as fome others may : efpecially the aged and weak that cannot follow a call in~ may uke longer time. And MiniLlers that have many fouls to look afrer, an~ pu~lick work ro do, mu(\ take heed of negleding any of this, that they mJy he longer and ofcener m pnvatc prayer. Allwayes remember that when two duties are at once be– fore you, and one mull be omitted, that you prefer thar which all thingc; confidered, is thegrcatefi: And underfiand ~hat make~h a duty grearefi. .ufiu.lly .that is greatell which tendeth to the grearelt good: yet fornetune that JS grtateji at th.:It tzme, wh1ch cannot be dohe at anorher time when 0chers may. Pra-ying in it {elf cociidered is better than Plowing, or Mnketting or Conference : And yet thcfe may be greater than it in their proper {ta[on1 1 becaufc prayer may be done at ano– ther ume, when thefe cannot.
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