Hdi/J to W01jhip God i11 Chu~ch .;ijfemblies. 757 ' .Alas what then will thofc: mifcreants do, whofe fins are feulet bloody perfecution'i, undtr pn:t(nce Fz- k.7. '9· of pro:noting unity an~ obedience and thcCathol_i~k Church, while th~ Cloak _or Covtr ~f _it is bur !s/; 1;.' ?·. the thin tranfpucnt Sptder·web of humane Tradi_ttons, and numerousCcrt:n·wme_s, an_d ch1lddh cem- & : 6. ~3.7 pkmenting with GoJ ; And when th~y h~ve nothmg bu~ the prayers _of a long L1t~rg1e, to covu the Mat. q. 14 . effects, of their earthly, fcnfual and dJabohc1l Z(.:al and wtfdom (as St.Jamel calls a, 3· I ) 1 r6.) and l\l3r. 11. 4o. ro concod- the; Widdows houfcs which they ~evour, and to put a rcvecc~lCC u~on th~ offit:c: :md wor~, ~:~: ~: >,~: which thcy_l.bour a\1 th~ week to render reproachful, by a fc:nfual, luxuriOUs, tdle hfe, and by perli· & 11. q. dious makmg merchandrz.e of fouls. & 1J. 1S. As ever you care what becometh of your fouls, take heed ldl: fin grow bold under Prayers, and & 15. S· grow famili.u and cont~mptuousof Sermons and holy.fpeechcs;and left you kee:p acu!tome·of Rdi- ! :t.•.7· gious exercifes, and wt1ful fins. For oh how doth th1s h:trdc:n now, and W<,Jund hereafter. He is 1'1)1.8•. s, 9, the bcft hearer, that is the holiefi liver, and faithfullcll obeyer. 10 , 11, 12. Dirctl. 14· Benot abare IJeartr~f the Pray_ers of th.e Pallor, (whether it be .by a Liturgic, or Di.tl1· I-'f· without. ) l'or that is but hypocnlie, and a hn of om1ffion ; You come not thtther only ro hear prayers, bllt topray. And k,_nteling is not pra;•ing 1 but it is aprofeffiott th,Jt yuu pra;•. And will you bepraycrlefs even in the hourc of Prayer, an~ .when you profefs and fecm to pray? and fo add hypocrifie to impiety? I fear many that fcem Rehg10us and would havethofc kept from the SJcramenc that Pray not in their Families, do Very ordinarily tolerate rhcn.&lvc:s in this grofs omiffion, and mocking of God and are Pnyerlefs thcmfclvcs even when they feem to Pray. Dircd.t)· Stir up your hearts in a fpecialman~er to the .greatefi alacrity ~~d joy, in fpelking Direll. I)· and fioging the Praifcs of God. The Lords day IS a day of Joy and Thankfg>vmg and the Praifcs of God are the highdl and holyefi employment uponEmh. And if ever you fhou!d do any thing with all your might, and with a )oyful and triumphing frame of foul, it is this. Be gild that you may j6yn with the Sacrrd Alft.:rnblics, in heart and voice, in fo Heavenly a work. And do not as fame humetfiJme picvifh p.:rfons ( that know not the danger of that proud difeafe) fall to q~arreling wi[h DavidJ P\alms; as unfuitable ro fame: of the hearers, or to naufeate every failing in the Metre, fo as to turn fo holy a duty into ntgkct or fcorn (for, alas, fuch there arc near me where 1 dwell); norlet prejudice againfi melody, or Chtt•·ch-mujicl(. (iT you dw,\1 where it is uG:d) pof· · fefs you with a fplcnC>ick difgufi of that which fhould b' ynur mofi joyful work. And if you know how much the incorporat~ foul mull m:1ke ufeof the body in humony, and in the joyful praifes of Jebov.Jh, do not then quarrel with lawfUl hdpsJ becJufc; they arc: fenfible and corpon·al. Dirdl. 16. B.:: very confiderate and ferious in SJ.cramenral rencwin\1S of your Covenant with God. Dire{l, t6. 0 think wh.u great thingc; you come thith<.r to R.eccivt. And [hink what a holy work you have to See Mr. Raw– do: And th~rok what a Life i~ is that you mull promif~:. So .fo.lemn a Covcn:-mting with God, and ~~~!~~1~~0~~\ of fo great Importance, requueth a mofi holy, reverent and fenous frame of foul. But yet lee not Covtn:lntil'&· the unwarrantable differcncing tl.is Ordinance from Gods praifer and the reil, feduce you inro the common crrours of the times: I mean, J. Or· thofe du.[ h~nce arc brought to think [ha[ the- S1crarnent lhould never be recciVld without a prcpar.'ltoty d&y ufbumiliarion, above the preparation for an ordinary Lords do~ys work. z. And therc:fon. reccii1e it foJdom; whereas the: primirive Churches nevrr fpc:m a lmds daywgether without it. 3· T hofc: thar turn it into aperplexing ttrtifyi.rg thing, for fear of being unp;rp.ored, when it iliould bt: the1r greatdl: comfort, and whr::n thc.:y are nOt fo pt:rp!cxcd about th~ir unpr(plf.dnefs to any other duty. 4· Thofc that make fo great a difkrlllCCbawixt rhis and Church-praytrs, praif~s :md other Church-wo. 01ip, as that :bq• t.tk!.:" thi.-f Sacramem only for the proper wot.k and pri.vi.ledgc of <?hurch-rnet:nbers; A~:d therwpon ttlr~ i[ in~o an occation of our great comenoons and d1V1Gons, whtlc they flyhOm S.tcrJmental Commun:on wtth others, more than fiOm Communion in the other Church-worfhip. 0 what ha!h our {ubtle enemy done againfi the Love Peace and Unity of Chrifiians, efpccially in Er~glwnd, under pretenceof Slcramcncal purity ~ , D•rcct. 17. PcrfOim a\\ your \Vmfhip to G d, as in heart·Communion with all Chritts Churches Dircl/. 17• upon Ea1th; Ev~.n tho[e that arefat~lty, though not with tb,ir j Jults. Though you con be prcftnt but with one, yet confi:nt 1Jf prtflllt i11 [pirit with all, and ft:parare not in hcarr, horn any onr.:; any funher thm they ft parate tfom Chrifi. , , Direct. 18· A<eordingly let the loterefi of the Church of Chrifi, be vny much upon your helrt . IJ 8 and prayashard for it as for your felf. , Dzre.. • I • .Direct. 19· Y~.a, rn:nember. in all, what Relation you ha~c tQ th~ ~eavenly So~iety and Chore, and Dirctl. 1 • tlunk how.thc.yWOitlrp GodmHeaven, [hat you may finve to 1m1tate than m your degree. Of 9 which more anon. Direct. 20 · Let yet:r wl~ole courfe of life after, fa~our of .aC~urch-frame; Li•e as the fervznts of Dircll. 20• that God whomy'·UWorflHp; and as tvrr before h1m. LlVC m the Love of thofe ChrifiiJnS with whom you ha.v~ Communion: and do PO[ quarrel with them at home, nOr .dcfpifc nor perfecute them wich whom you joyn in [he Wodhipping of God. And do not necdltfly 'open the we~ k· ndUs of the Miuific:r to prejudice others againfi him and the \VoxChip. And be not Religious at ;he Church alone, for then you are not truly Religious at all,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=