Practical Truths Tending to Promote the Power of Godliness: Wherein Several Important DUTIES, are Urged, and the Evil of divers common SINS, is Evinced; Delivered in Sundry SERMONS.  
By INCREASE madder, Teacher of a Church at Boston in New-England.  Joh 13. 17. If ye know these things, Happy are ye, if ye do them. Phil. 3. 1. To writ the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous: but for you it is safe. 2 Pet. 1. 13. Yea, I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle, to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance. ver. 15 Moreover, I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. 
BOSTON In NEW-ENGLAND Printed by Samuel Green upon Assignment of Samuel Sewall. 1682.   

THE CONTENTS  

I. THat to Pray unto God, is, as the Duty of every Man, so the practise of every godly Man.  
II That Men ought to Pray unto the Lord for the Pardon of their Sins, & the Salvation of their Souls, in a Time wherein He may be found.  
III. That the true Fearers of God, will be constant in the Pactice of Family-Prayer.  
IV. That Sincere Christians, will Pray in Secret Day & Night without Ceasing.  
V. That baptized Persons are under Sacred and aweful Obligations.  
VI. That the Lord's Supper is an Ordinance which Believers are under an Indispensible Obligation to Observe.  
VII. That it is the Property of a Sincere Godly Man, Not to Sit with Vain Persons.  
VIII. That Sleeping at Sermons is a great, and a dangerous Evil.    

TO THE SECOND CHURCH and CONGREGATION at BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND.  
Most Dearly Beloved,  
COncerning the Reasons inducing to the Publication of these Sermons, besides the desires of many among yourselves( who have readily undertaken for the charge of this Impression) and of others also; in remote corners of this wilderness( whose judgement I value) that have importuned one to writ on some of these Subjects; together with the 〈…〉 success which God was pleased to give unto su 〈…〉 of them when first Preached; I must confess, that the consideration of the Subjects themselves here treated upon, was principal in moving me thereunto. It it not easy to err in overmuch inculcating that great duty of PRAYER, in the constant, and conscionable practise whereof, so much of Religion doth consist. And I must say, that if any amongst you shall omit what God requires of you in ●●at respect, either in your Families or in your closerts, both the words that have been spoken to you in the Congregation, full many a time, and this Publication also, will witness against you at the last day. And as for that Sacred Ordinance of the Lords Supper, there are some truly godly ones, that upon one pretence or other, wrong the Name of Christ, and their own Souls also, by living in the neglect of so great an Institution. And there are more that don't endeavour to prepare themselves for it. Yea, it is to be feared that amongst those that do come unto, there are many who eat and drink unworthily at the Lords Table. Partly for that they do not so clearly understand, the Nature, Meaning, and Proper Design of those Holy Mysteries, as ought to be. But chiefly for want of that Habitual, or( if not so) Actual preparation which is necessary when persons draw so near unto God, as in that solemn and sacred Ordinance, they do. So that insisting on such a Subject may not seem unprofitable, or unseasonable. I know that many worthy Ministers of Christ, have written thereon, as of late, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Burroughs, Mr. Vines; and amongst them of the former ●ge Mr. D●d. Mr. hildersham, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Dyke, have been famous, and done worthily in their Discourses about the Lords Supper, as well as in their other works which praise them in the Gates. And( notwithstanding the accuracy attending the Sermons of some in these dayes) I aclowledge myself to be an Admirer of the Solidity, and Spiritual wisdom appearing in the Books of those that lived in the Age before us. But there are not many of you, that have the Treatise● mentioned in your Hands or Houses. Or, if you have, it is not impossible but that the Lord may bless these Sermons also( such as they are) unto your Spiritual Edification. As for the other Subjects here discoursed on, they have been rarely( some of them not at all, so far as I have understood) handled by others in their Sermons; and yet I am mistaken, if there be not special cause to insist thereon in this place, and at this time.  
I shall not in this Epistle, leave any words of more peculiar Advice with you, having done that already, in another Dedication to yourselves, written ten years ago, when I did not think of living until this day. All that I have to add at present, is to encourage you in well-doing. And if I( who, you will all say, have not been wont to flatter you) take notice of some virtues, wherein the the Lord hath caused you to excel, and shine as lights unto others, I trust I shall therein, follow the holy Example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who doth not only reprove the failings, but take notice of the Graces in His Churches, before all the world. Let me then say, that there are several things wherein you have( through the Grace of Christ) been exemplary, and wherein the Lord hath owned you, unto mine, and other mens admiration. Let God in Christ Jesus alone have all the glory!  
One thing wherein you have set a good Example, is, in that four years ago, you set apart a day for no other cause but only that so you might, by Fasting and Prayer, cry unto the Lord, for converting Grace to be poured down upon the souls of our poor Children. You were  told for your encouragement( in the Sermon which was then Preached) that within the space of seven years before that near upon fourscore persons had presented themselves, and declared before the Church what 〈◇〉 had done for their Souls. Let me now add, that since your agreement to keep that day of Fasting and Prayer, there have appeared upwards of seventy more( the most of them of the Rising Generation) who have publicly expressed the Experiences which they have had of the work of God upon them, in convincing them of their ●isery by nature, and in helping them to come unto Jesus Christ, and to close with him according to the terms of the Gospel. And besides all th●se, there is a considerable number of young persons, belonging to this Congregation, with whom I have had occasion, personally to treat, and concerning whom I am persuaded God hath begun a good work in them, and will finish it until the day of Christ. This is a great answer of Prayer! And many among yourselves have been so much affencted with it, as to importune me that there might be a Day set apart publicly to praise the Lord for the great things that he hath done for us, and for our Children. Some peculiar considerations, have made me less willing to comply with your desires in that matter. Nevertheless, I thought it my duty, in all humility, thus publicly to take notice of the Grace of God towards us, that so His Name may have the glory of it, both whilst I am alive, and after I am dead: And that yourselves and others may be encouraged to pray; yea, to set dayes apart, to Fast and Pray, until the Spirit from on High be poured down upon the Souls of Children.  
Another thing, wherein the Lord hath enabled you to set a good Example, is, in that you were( though not the first, yet) among the first, that did above two years ago, solemnly renew their Covenant, to walk with God as the Gospel requireth. And as you did then visibly, and unanimously own the Lord, so hath he since the same day, visibly owned you, more then formerly, not only in giving you to s●● some special answers of Prayer; But in that God hath since that time, within the compass of less then two years, added to your number above threescore Sou 〈…〉 O that God would help us ever to keep Covenant wi●● him; that so he may not be provoked to do us hurt, a 〈…〉 he hath done us good.  
I must also mention one thing more, wherein you have been exemplary, and that is, your love, and respect to those who have been over you in the Lord. I many times think, there is not a Congregation in New-England more unhappy then yourselves, in respect of a weak and sinful, and unworthy Teacher: Nor a Minister in New-England more happy then myself, in re●spect of a loving, and obedient People.  
I cannot forget how you sasted and prayed my life, when I was sick thirteen years ago. And again, when I was brought near unto the Grave by bodily infirmities but two years past. If these Sermons( which were all Preached since that) or any other endeavours of mine, have been blessed for spiritual good to any of you, I hope you shall not repent of those Prayers, either now or at the last day.  
I may truly say that concerning you, which I know not whether any other Minister in the Land can say of his People( tis possible some of them may say as much, though I am sure all cannot) viz. That I ha●e not( to my remembrance) for these many years, made any proposal to you, but the generality of you have readily( except only in one thing harkened unto me. The reason of which, hath not been, that I have been sparing to put you upon things, which I believed would be pleasing in the sight of God; nor hath it been for any wisdom that I have more then any living, and therefore it must needs proceed from that gracious inclination, wherewith the Lord hath endowed you.  
Indeed, there is one thing, that I have often urged upon you, but could not obtain your consent, and concurrence with me. I have often times desired you to look after some settled and constant help for me, in the work of the Ministry, and have proposed several to y●● for that end; but you did not see cause to comply with my Motion therein: but instead of that, you have set your eyes and hearts upon one, whom I, tis true,( only from relative considerations) was very backward to consent unto his improvement, in the same Congregation with myself: Yet have I no reason to find fault with you in this matter; but rather to thank you for your love, since the person whom you have urgently, and unanimously desired is my Son, who hath laboured in the work of the Gospel among you these two years. I would pray you not to take it ill, that I have been so slow in concurring with your desires respecting such an one, considering that my averseness( which many of you seemed to be troubled at) proceeded not from want of love to yourselves, who have so many ways obliged me, that I cannot think my Son, or any thing that is mine, too good or too dear for you; and therefore upon the continued unanimity of your call, I have been passive therein. And I am really sensible of your affection manifested towards myself in the great love, and respect you have shewed to one so( no man in this world more) nearly related to me.  
When I was, the last year, upon the doleful breach made on the college, by the death of New-Englands SAMUEL, solicited to remove from you, in order to attending that which is indeed a great Service( but I cannot say, a greater then what God hath here advantaged me with, if I have an heart to improve my opportunities where I am) i● another place, the sense of the kindnesses, I have received from you, hath made such an impression upon my Spirit, as that I never had the least inclination to leave you, without your own free consent thereunto.  
If I knew how to requited your love, I would do it? I have no other way to manifest my longi●gs after you all, but by Prayers day and night for you, and by Writing as well as by public Ministrations, and personal instructions( so far as time and strength will permit) to endeavour that I may promote the spiritual, and eternal welfare of you and yours. It has been my constant wish, that I might live and do good after I am dead, I ●ust I shall by these Sermons( as well as others formerly published) be speaking to you after I am in my Grave; and to your Children also, yea, to the Children that are yet to be born.  
The Lord grant that both Speaker and Hearers, Writer and Readers, may rejoice together in the day of Christ, in that they have not laboured in vain! and whilst I am living with you, let not one Soul amongst you, that feareth God, forget or neglect one day or night, to pray for me in particular, Who am  
Your loving( though unworthy) Teacher: INCREASE madder. Boston in New-England, 19 day of 5. month, ( vulgo) July. 1682.   

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The Godly Man is a Praying Man:  Psal. 32. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time wherein thou mayest be found. 
THis Psalm is called Maschil of David. And it is the first Psalm which beareth that Inscription: possibly th●re was an Holy Song, used among the Hebrews of old that did begin with that word Maschil, and was therefore known by that name, whose Metre was observed in composing and singing this Psalm Likewise by that Title, the scope and main design of David therein seemeth to be intimated. For Maschil signifieth instruction or understanding. And that was Davids design in this( as in the other Psa●ms which bear the same Title) to instruct m●n, ●nd give th●m to understand some use●ul mysterious Truths, which were not obvious un●o, or considered by ev●ry one. There are two D●ctrines which the Prophet do●h here in●●ruct ●e●●●n. One is concerning the difference between Righteous and Wicked men, the happiness of the one, and the misery of the other. ver. 10. The other Doctrine is that which the Psalm begins w●th, viz. That they are blessed Men whose sins are forgiven, ver. 1, 2. And it is worth● our observation, that David having propo●nded this Doctrine, he doth explain, confirm, and app●y it. 1. This Doctrine is explained by showing ●ho they are that have their sins forgiven, viz. They that make a sincere confession of them. ver. 2. In whose spirit there is no guile. h. e. one that is sincere and plain hearted in con●essing his in●quity. If men hid and excuse sin t●ats from guile and hypocrisy in the heart so when they make a free and full confession of it before the Lord, and before men too, as God shall call thereunto, thatis a good evidence of sinceri●y, ●ven of one in whose spirit there is no r●igning guile. 2. This Doctrine is, confirmed by Instancing and producing Davids own experience. He declareth that whilst he 〈◇〉 his si●, he w●s in a case must miserable, but when he was brought unto a free and full confession, God so gave him, ver. 3, 4, 5. And elsewhere we red, that when he made an humble, penitent acknow●edgem●nt of his evils, ●he Prophet Natkan  told him, that God had put away his sin, 2 Sam. 12, 13. 3. He maketh application of the Doctrine thus explained and confirmed, by an useful inference herefrom, in the 6. verse. The Use which he makes of it, is plainly this, That Men should be much in Prayer to God, and that every godly man will be so. For this( saith David) h. e. because of this: since it is so, that they are blessed whose sins are forgiven, and since it is so, that I upon a sincere confession of my sin, have found pardoning mercy with the Lord, every godly man will from my experience be encouraged to pray unto him.  
In the Words before us, we have,  
1. The Duty which should be done, viz. Prayer unto God.  
2. The persons that will practise this Duty, every one that is Godly.  
3. The time every man is concerned, to 〈…〉 d unto this Duty: viz. In a time wherein the Lord may be found.  
There are especially two Doctrines which these words afford unto us,  Doct. 1. That to be much in Prayer unto God, is, as the duty of every Man, so the practise of every Godly Man. Doct. 2. That Men ought not only to Pray unto God for Pardon and Salvation, but they should be sure to do this, in the time wherein He may be found. 

Doct. 1. That to be much in Prayer unto God, is, as the Duty of every Man, so the practise of every Godly Man.  
In order to the further prosecuting and clearing this D●ct●ine, there are three things to be inquired into. 1. What Prayer is? 2. Who are co●cerned in the performance of this Duty? 3 The Reasons why every Godly M●n doth and will Pray?  
Q. 1. What is Prayer? Ans. Prayer is a making known ●he d●sires of our hearts before God, in the Name of Jesus Christ, concerning things agreeable unto his will.  
In this description of Prayer, there are four Particu●ars conta●ned, which express the nature of it; and may be spoken unto under so many distinct Propositions.  
Prop. 1. Prayer is a making known our hearts desire before the Lord, Rom. 10. 1. My hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. Prayer doth not consist so much in words & outward expressions( though those are also sometimes necessary) as in hearty desires, which the Lord alone is witness of, Isai. 26. 8, 9. In the way of thy Judgements O Lord have we waited for t●ee.[ the desire of our soul] is towards thy Name,[ with my Soul have I desired thee] in the night, yea, with my spirit will I seek thee early. The Lords people there, make solemn profession that they did continue p●aying to God, and were resolved that t●ey would do so still, ●o●h day and night continually, notwithstanding all the judgeme●ts they had bad experience of, they would not thereby be discouraged from praying and humble seek●ng to him. Hence Prayer is expressed by that of lifting up the heart, Lam. 3. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens. And tis called a pouring out of the heart. Psal 62. 8. Pour out your heart before him. And a lifting up of the soul unto God, Psal. 25. ●. and a pouring out of the soul before him, 1 Sam. 1. 15. all which expressions, show, that in true Prayer the heart and the affections thereof are deeply eng●ged. Words without the heart, may be estee●ed Prayer by men, but not by the Lord, Psal. 17. 1. Therefore also, it is denoted by that of sighings and groanings, which are the work and motions of the heart, known unto the Lord alone. Rom. 8. 26. Moreover, it is the will of God, ●h●t Men should manifest the desires of their hearts before him, Phil. 4. 6. Let your requests be made known unto God. The Lord expects that men should humbly declare before him what their desires are, by words and other signs that are expressive of the inward workings of the mind. Not but that God knoweth what Men would have before they express it; yea, what they will desire, long before any such motions arise in their hearts. He understands their thoughts afar off, th●t is to say, long before those thoughts come into their hearts, He knoweth that they will be the●e, Psal. 139. 2. Nevertheless the Lord will have Men to speak out their hearts to him, thereby to te●●ifie ●heir humility and sincerity in his sight. And in h●s, the duty of Prayer differs from that of hearing the word. They are both of them moral Duties required by the same Commandmen●, only in hearing the Word, God maketh known his mind and will to us, but in Prayer we make known our minds and humble desires before him.  
Prop. 2. God is the only Object of Prayer. This is intimated in the Text, since it is said, unto thee, h. e. unto thee O Lord, and unto thee alone shall the godly man pray. Daniel and the three Worthies would rather expose themselves to the w●●st miseries, that the malice and rage of their enemies could bring upon them, then be guilty of such Idolatry, as to pray unto any other God besides the Lord. He is the only Object of all religious Service, Psal. 76. 11. Bring presents to him that ought to be feared. When Men pray to God, then they fear h●m, and bring a present to him; and such presents are due to the Lord alone, Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only thou shalt serve. Prayer is a special part of that ●eligious service which Men ewe to God, therefore he only is to be prayed u●to. Prayer is a spiritual sacrifice, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Now Sac●ifice may not be offered unto any besi●es the on●y true God, Exod. 22. 20. Faith and Prayer are conjoined as having the same object Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him, in w●om th●y have not believed? Men may believe in him, whom they may call upon or pray unto. They may trust in the object of prayer, but God is the only object of Faith, Jer. 17. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man. Hence the Lord is styled the Prayer-hearing God, Psal. 65. 2. That's one of his glorious titles and incommunicable properties. He alone is able to hear the Prayers of all men. The hearer of Prayer, must needs be infinite and omnipresent. No finite being is able to hear millions praying to him at the same time, and these( some of them) ten thousand miles distant from one another. Nor can any one else answer Prayer. The chief things which we are to pray for, viz. Grace, the pardon of Sin, the eternal Salvation of our Souls, the Lord alone is able to bestow those blessings upon us. The Object of Prayer must needs be om●ipotent as well as omnipresent. Therefore 〈◇〉 wh●●e Name alone is Jehovah, is the only object or Prayer.  
Prop. 3. Prayer is to be presented before God, in the alone Name of Jesus Christ. Men having ●●nned, they must to have to do with God, but in and throu●h the Mediator. As Josep● said unto his Br●thren, Gen. 43. 5. You shall not see my face except your Brother be with you; so doth the Lord say un●o sinners you shall not see my face except you come in the N●me of Jesus Christ. Both prayers and praises, both petitions and thanksgivings for mercy, are to be offered unto God in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ. Heb. 13, 15. J●h. 14. 13. 14. Fo● it is through him, that we find any acceptance with the holy and glorious God. If our pers●ns are accepted or if our prayers and service are so, it is upon Christs acc●unt, Eph. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Now there are severals things implyed in praying, through the 〈…〉 e of Christ.  
1. That in Prayer we are to look immediately upon Chr●●●, and so unto God, Rev. 8. 4. The smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of Saints, ascended up before God out of the Angels hands. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Angel of the everlasting Covenant; we are to put our prayers into his hands, that so th●y may become as incense before the Lord. Of old, if a man had a Sacrifice to offer, he might not bring it to God immediately, but by the Priest Lev. 17. 3. 4, Thus must we come unto God by Jesus Christ, bringing our Spiritual Sacrifices unto him, that he may present them to the ●ather. Heb. 7. 25. Christ the Mediator, is the next object of divine Worship, God the altimate object thereof.  
2. When in Prayer, we act Faith upon the merit and mediation of the Lord Jesus, then do we pray in his Name. The Lords Servants of old, were to pray, looking towards the Temple or Tabernacle, 1 King. 8. 47, 48. Psal. 138. 2. J●●. 2. 4. because that was a type of Christ; so that by looking thereunto, they testified their hopes of acceptance through his merit and mediation. We must bear wh●lly upon Christs Interest, for access and success before the throne of Grace, Eph. 3. 12.  
3. In these dayes of the New-Testament, praying in Christs N●me ●impli●th a seeking for mercy on account of the satisfact●on which Christ hath already made unto divine Justice. Christ  told his Disciples they had as yet asked nothing in his Name. Joh. 16. 24. that is to say on the ●●count of his death and satisfaction thereby made unto divine Justice. For the Saints of God; always expected answers of Prayer on Christs account, and so prayed in his Name before he came into the world. The Prophet Daniel prayed that God would hear him for the Lords sake, Dan. 9. 17. But in the times of the Old Testament mercy was prayed and hoped for, because of that which Christ should do he●ea●ter, whenas in the times of the Gospel we pray for audience on the account of what Christ h●th already done. This is implied in praying i● his Name.  
And thus to do is essential unto prayer: yea, thus doth every one that is godly pray As for Pagans that pray unto God without a●y mediator; and Papists that pray unto him through other Mediators besides Christ; that make Saints and Angels their Mediators, thereby turning Christ out of his office, so far as is in in them to do; their prayers are as ●o prayers: yea when they offer Incense it is an abomi●a●ion to the Lord.  
Prop. 4. As for the matter of prayer, it is to and for things agreeable to the Will of God. 1 Joh. 5. 14. The holy Incense appointed under the Law,( which signified Prayer, Mal. 1. 11) was to be made exactly according to divine prescription, Exod, 30. 34, 35. so must prayer be, as to the m●tter of it. Whatever is promised in the covenant of grace, is fit matter for prayer: even temporal blessings, so far as the Lord hath promised to bestow them, but especially spiritual and eternal blessings,( they being the c 〈…〉 ings spoken of in the Covenant) are to 〈…〉ed for. And above all, we are to pray that God may have glory, and that the kingdom and Interest of the Lord Jesus Christ may be advanced. All this we see in that Rule or Platform of Prayer,( commonly called the Lords Prayer) which the Lord Christ hath given to his Disciples for their direction and imitation. To present unlawful desires before God, is a great transgression of the Rule of prayer. It is to offer a dead polluted thing upon the Lords Altar: yet we find that sometimes godly men have offended this way. So did the Sons of Zebedee, when imagining that Christ would have a pompous temporal dominion, they prayed for great enjoyments in the world. What warrant had they from any word of God, to come before the Lord with such a request as that was? so when persons under deep affliction do out of the impatiency of their Spirits, pray and wish for Death, thatis an unlawful desire: thus did godly Job, sometimes miss it in his prayers, Chap. 6, 7, 8. O( saith he) that I might have my request! and that God would grant me this thing that I long for, even that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off. So Jonah, He was afraid that some would look upon him as a false Prophet; and rather then undergo a little disgrace from men; in a sullen pang of discontent, he beseecheth God to take away his life from b●●, Chap. 4. 3. God delights not in such requests as these are. They are not as Incense before him.  
Thus have we done with the first thing propounded to be spoken unto, namely, what prayer is!  
We came to the second enquiry, viz. Who are concerned in the performance of this duty?  
Ans. To pray unto the Lord is every mans duty: though to pray aright, is only the godly mans practise, yet it is that which all men are bound unto, as appears:  
1. In that Prayer is a part of Natural, Moral Worship. There are two sorts of Worship due to God, viz. Natural and Instituted worship. As for Instituted worship, it depends wholly upon the will of God, and therefore only some men, and in some ages are obliged to at end thereto, according as God shall please to reveal of h●s will unto them. Natural worship is that which if a man doth understand any thing concerning the nature of the blessed and glorious God, he cannot but know that such worship is due unto him. Hence all men, and that in all ages are concerned therein. And of this sort is prayer: hence not only Men but holy Angels pray unto the Lord. Yea the Saints in glory pray, and will do so, for ever. They praise God, & thatis one sort of prayer, Rev. 5. 11, 13.  
2. Prayer is a duty required in the fi●st Commandment: although the public stated dispensation of the duty is e●joyned in the second Commandment, nevertheless, when in the first Commandment it is said, thou shalt have the Lord to be thy God, part of the meaning is, thou shalt worship him, ●nd pray to him. As all men are bound by virtue of that Commandm●nt to love the Lord and to fear him, so are they no less bound to pray unto him: that being one way whereby they express both their love unto, and their fear of his great Name.  
3. If we consider the several sorts of men that ●re in the World, we shall see that Prayer is every mans duty. All men are divided into these two sorts, godly and ungodly; regenerate and unregenerate. Both these ought to pray unto the Lord. As for godly men, the Text speaks expressly. And the Lord Jesus Christ taught his Disciples both that they ought, and how they ought to pray. And as for unregenerate men, they are not exempted from their obligation unto this duty, though they be unable to per●orm it aright. The unconverted are bound to pray that converting grace may be given to them. Christ tells the Woman of Samaria, 〈…〉 unconverted, that she should ask for living w 〈…〉 Joh. 4. 10. Those that have not as yet a 〈…〉 heart, are bid to pray that the Lord would bestow it on them, Ezek. 36. 37. such as never ye● found God, but are out of his favour, are commanded to seek his face and favour. Isai. 55. 6, 7: The whole Nation of the Jews,( wherein were few godly men comparatively) are commanded to pray in the most solemn manner, Zeph. 2. 1. ●●mon Magus when in the gull of bitterness, and under the bond of iniquity, was by the Apostle called upon to pray for the pardon of his sins, Act 8. 22. Are not ungodly men bound to repent? Where the Gospel is Preached, they are so. Act. 17. 30. And therefore to pray: For confession of Sin, and begging for mercy, is one thing in Repentance and in Prayer. And the Lord out of his infinite goodness, doth sometimes so far hear unregenerate men praying and crying unto him, as to deliver them from temporal judgements, thereby to encourage them to seek unto him for greater mercies: as we see in Rehob●am, in Ahab, and in the Ninivites. If prayer were not their duty, the Lord would not so far manifest respect to them, as to bestow a temporal Reward, or remove temporal judgements from them upon their praying to him. It is objected by some, that the prayers of the wicked, are an abomination, and how then is prayer their duty? ought they to do that which is a●●bomination? Ans. 〈◇〉 is indeed most true, that a corrupt three ca 〈…〉 king forth good fruit. All the actions of ungodly men are abominable in the Lords sight, as proceeding from them, who are his enemies, Hag. 2. 14. but will any man therefore say, that such men must be altogether idle, and attend no duty, neither of their general, nor of their particular callings. The ploughing of the wicked is sin. Must he now abuse the Scripture, and say that his plough shall stand 〈◇〉; his reading the Scriptures, or hearing the Word preached to him, is as much an abomination in the Lords sight, as his praying. F●●r without Faith it is impossible to please God. Must he then neither red nor hear the Word? God forbid that Men should so wrest the Scripture unto their own destruction. The reason wh● the prayers of an ungodly man are an abomination, is not because prayer is not his duty, but because he doth not so perform that his duty as he should do.  
We come now unto the third thing proposed to be inquired into, viz. the Reasons why every godly man doth and will pray.  
Reas. 1. Because godly men have the spirit of God, 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us. Every true Believer hath received the spirit: Rom. 8. ●. If any man haue not the spirit of Christ, he is 〈◇〉 of his. The Soul of a godly man is become the everlasting habitation of the spirit of God. Now the holy Spirit, when he dwells in the heart, doth incline unto prayer, he causeth the grace, the habit of prayer to be in the Soul. Hence is that expression in the Scripture of a spiri 〈…〉, Zech. 12. 10. when a man hath an hab 〈…〉 nation unto prayer, wrought in his heart 〈…〉 holy Spirit of God; then hath he the 〈…〉 prayer. And the holy Spirit doth ena 〈…〉 one is godly to pray. He helps them with matter, and helpeth them by stirring up affections, and fervency therein: Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered.  
Reas. 2. Every godly man is sensible of his wants and miseries. They that feel their wants will cry for relief: so do all that are godly. Therefore are they called the Humble, Psal. 10. 17. The humble man is sensible of his own emptiness and nothingness, and that he needs continual supplies of Grace from God by Jesus Christ. The more grace every man hath the more doth he feel his want of grace, and that s●ts him a praying for it. He that hath the grace of knowledge is sensible of his ●gnorance, and therefore prays for more wisdom, Jam. 1. 5. He that hath the grace of Faith is sensible of his unbelief, and therefore prayeth against it: Mar. 9. 24. The Apostles having saith, were sensible that they stood in need of more, and o● much Faith, and that made them pray, Lord, increase our Faith, Luk. 17. 5. he that hath the grace of Repentance, is sensible of the hardness of his own heart, and therefore prayeth against it, Isai, 63. 17.  
Reas 3. Every Godly man hath Faith. The Godly man, and the true Believer on Christ are the same. Now by his Faith, he doth see and apprehended these things which set him a praying. He seeth that in God which doth e●courage him to pray unto him. By Faith he seeth that the Lord is able to supply all the necessities o● his poor creatures, and to help them whatever their distresses may be, 2 Chron. 20. 12. Also by his Faith he seeth that God is willing as well as able to save those that seek unto him. That he is a God full of mercy, ready to forgive those that unfeignedly repent of their sins, a●d that's a marvelous encouragement unto Prayer, as is in the Context intimated. I confessed my sin( saith David) and then the Lord forgave mine iniquity; and therefore every godly man that shall hear of this, will be encouraged to pray unto so gracious a God. He that doth not believe and not pray. Rom. 10. 14. But he that doth believe will pray, Psal. 116 10. I believed, therefore have I spoken. He believed that God would save him, and that caused him to speak and pour out his heart in Prayer before the Lord.  
Reas. 4. Every godly man doth love the Lord, Jam. 2. 5. Hence he delig●ts in communion with him. A man will be free to glow-worm himself, and to open his heart unto a dear and faithful friend, whom he loveth and delights in. Thus the Saints of God love him dearly, and therefore they cannot live without prayer u●to him. I● they be kept from communion with God in that way, though but for a few hours, they think that time long until they can have an opportunity of holy converse with him again. David loved the Lord; therefore would he call upon him as long as 〈◇〉 had a day to live, Psal. 116. 1, 2.  
Use. 1. For Conviction and Awakening unto prayerless Sinners. O that there were not many such. But alas! that which was most injuriously charged upon Job, when Eliphaz said to him, thou restr●●nest prayer before God, may be truly and sadly charged upon many poor creatures. Are there not some, that are grown unto men and womens estates, that hardly ever prayed in their lives? how lamentable is their condition? Now that such may be convinced of their sin and misery, lay to heart a few Consi●erations.  
1. Thou that art prayerless, art amongst the Ungodly. For my Text saith, That every one that is godly will pray; they then that live without Prayer, are ungodly ones. There is not a spark of Grace in thy soul. Nay, thou art not so much as in the way, thou hast not taken the first step towards Conversion. For, when the Lord cometh to convert a Soul, one of the first things is. He sets him a Praying; as we see in Paul, whilst he was in the pangs of the new-birth, it was said concerning him, Behold he prayeth, Act. 9. 11. As for thee a sinful wretch, behold thou prayest not. The Lord looketh down from heaven upon thee, from day to day, behold he seeth thee sinning, but doth not see thee p●aying? then thou art far from any Conversi●n? Thou art amongst the number of the ungodly; and what a case then is ●hy soul in? and what wilt thou ●oi● the Judgem●nt that is to come? Psal. 1. 5. The ungodly shall not stand in the Judgement, nor sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous.  
2. Thou art guilty of atheism. Prayerless Creatures are no better then Atheists. At leastwise thou art a practical Atheist. Thou livest as if thou hadst no Soul to save; and as if there were no God to serve. If thou believest indeed that there is a God, then why dost thou not pray unto him? Psal. 10. 4. The wicked will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. All his thoughts, all his wishes are, O that there were no God. There is not a prayerless creature in the World, but he wisheth there were no God. And he saith plainly and practically; the Lord shall not be his God. By living in the neglect of Prayer, t●ou hast rejected the Lord, and said, He shall be no God over thee. And wilt ●h●u persist in this neglect? Then hear thy Doom and tremble at it, Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God. They that forget Prayer, forget God, and therefore being amongst the wicked, they must be turned down into Hell.  
3. There is not the least hope of thy Salvation, as long as thou continuest thus in a careless neglect of God, and of thy own Soul. It is very true that men may practise the duty of Prayer after a so●●, and for all that not be saved. The Pharisees would pray ●●ter a formal manner; yet Christ said to his Disciples: Except your righteousness shall 〈◇〉 that of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of 〈◇〉. Ma●. 5. 20. But it is no less true, that If men 〈◇〉 not pray, they shall not be saved. Can the workers of Iniquity be saved? will not the Lord Jesus say unto all such at the last day. Depart from 〈◇〉. Now the Scripture saith, The workers of iniquity call not upon the Lord, Psal. 14. 4.  
4. You will be most inexcusable before the Lord. For you cannot pled ignorance, you cannot say, Lord, I was never  told that it was my duty to pray. Will not the Minister of God that hath been speaking in his Name, stand forth and witness against you at the last day, that you have been called upon, and earnestly  told of your duty, full many a time? yea, and do you not go with convinced Consciences, that you ought to pray u●to the Lord? And yet will you not do it? what will you say for yourselves? or, how will you be able to stand in the day of the Lords pleading with you?  
Use 2. Of Exhortation unto all, but especially unto those that are godly, to be much in the practise of this duty of Prayer into God. In the prosecution of this Use, we shall 1. Lay down some Motives to persuade. 2. Mention some Rules to direct in the due performance of this duty.  
For Motives: Consid. 1. That every mans Religion is according unto what his Prayers 〈◇〉. Godliness implieth Religion. 1 Tim. 3. 16. ●reat is the Mystery of godliness, 〈◇〉 of Religion, Where there is no Prayer, there is no true Religion. They are Heathen People that do not call upon the true God, Psal 79. 6. Prayerless m●n are not worthy of the name of Christians, Act. ●. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 2. They that are only formal in Prayer, are no better then Formalists in Religion, as the Jews were, who wou●●●raw nigh unto God with their lips when their hearts were 〈◇〉 from him, Mat. 15. 8. 2 Tim. 3. 5. And the truly Religious are a generation of sincere seekers of the face of God, Psal. 24. 6. Hence the work of Conversion is in the Scripture expressed by that of ●●●ns being set a praying in good earnest, Zech. 12. 10. & 8. 21. 22. And they that are eminent in god●●ness will be much in Prayer, as we see in Jacob, David, Daniel, Paul, al of them men that had much grace, & they were abundant in Prayer unto God.  
Consider 2. How necessary a duty Prayer is. There is nothing more inculcated in the Scripture then this great duty. It is a greater Duty then many others, which yet may not be omitted. Heno● the Apostle speaks, as 1 Tim. 2. 1. I Exhort that[ first of all] Supplications, Prayers, ●t●. be made. q. d. above other things I commend this duty to you. The Apostle seemeth to give the pference to Prayer. Yea it is an indi●p●n●ible duty; such a duty as that though men should forbid us the practise of it, and that upon the severest penalties; it ought nevertheless to be attended. Therefore the Prophet Daniel choose rather to endanger his life, then to neglect his duty toward, God in this respect, Dan. 6. 10. And it is necessary as a means for th● obt●ining of go●d. Saving good and mercy is not to be expected but in a way of Pra●er, Rom. 10. 13. For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved. If men would have Salvation, they must pray for it. If they would have pardoning mercy they must pray for it. Therefore Peter said to Simon Magus, Pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of thine heart may be forgiven, Act. 8. 22. All promised mercies come to the Lords people upon their praying to him. God delights to b●stow his Blessings in that way. He hath engaged in hi● holy and gracious Covenant to give Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal Blessings; but that notwithstanding, Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israeli● do it for them, Ezek. 36. 37. ye●, Prayer is necessary in order to a sanctified enjoyment of temporal blessings, 1 Tim. 4. 4, 5. Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the Word and Prayer. Food, Raiment, Health, whatever temporal mercies we may ●hink of, are not sanctified unto any that enjoy them, except they be received with th●nks-giving and Prayer. We therefore red in the Gospel that our Lord Jesus Christ, when he was upon Earth, would not suffe● men to eat Meals mea● without prayi●g over it, or desiring a ●lessing from God upon it, Mat. 14. 19, 20.  
consider 3. That to pray unto God is our privilege as well as our duty. It is our honour and ou● happiness, that we may do so. For when we pray, we come into the Lords presence; and thatis an high favour to be admitted into the gracious presence of the Majesty of Heaven.  
We then approach into his Courts, Psal. 96. 8. In Prayer, there is a arawing nigh unto God: godly men come nigh unto God, i.e. pray unto him, before the blood cometh unto them, as the Psalmist here speaketh: And it is our happiness that we may do so, Psal. 73 28. It is good f●● me to draw near to God. It is not only in itself good, but itis good for me, saith David; much for my benefit that I may have access unto his glorious Majesty. In Prayer, we have communion with God. Yea, godly men have sometimes intimacy of communion with God, and with Jesus Christ, in that duty of Prayer. Now that's a great privilege; a singular honour and savour. The praying Believer may say with the Spouse, Cant▪ 14. The King hath brought me into his chambers. What a gracious favour is it, that th● King of Heaven should admit us into his presence Chamber, and there let us converse and be humbly familiar with him. Prayer is an Heavenly work, Lam. 3. 41. 〈◇〉 us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in 〈◇〉 Heavens. By that especially there is a blessed en 〈…〉 ourse maintained between Heaven and Earth, God and Men. Is it hot an happy thing to d●ive a Trade for Heaven? so do praying Saints do every day. Nay, it is part of the work of Heaven. The Saints and Angels there, are always praying, i.e. e. a●wayes praising God. The Host of Heaven doth worship him, Ne●. 9. 6. The multitude of the Heavenly Host are praising God, saying Glory to God in the highest, Luk. 2. 13, 14. Is it not our honour and happiness, that whilst on Earth, we may be employed in the same work with the Angels of Heaven, and Saints in glory? Moreover, hereby God is glorified, when his Servants and Suppliants come and present humble petitions before the Lord that sits upon a ●hro●e of Grace ready to receive them, they give unto him the glory that is due unto his Name, Psal. 29. 1, 2. Now we are not capable of greater happiness than this is, actively to honour God or to be made use of as instruments of glory unto his Name.  
Consider 4. That men( especially they that are godly) have great encouragement to be at this work● to be much in the practise of this great duty. There is great reason for them to hope that they shall not lose their labour. He hath not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain. Many things might be me●tioned here, the consideration whereof is a marvelous encouragement and inducement unto prayer: e. g. The gracious nature of the blessed God. When poor Creatures cry unto him, he will hear: for he is gracious. He is infinitely gracious, and thence ready to forgive those that hav● been the greatest rebels against him, if they confess their ●niquity, and humbly pray & seek unto him for mercy, Be●hadaas servants were encouraged in their supplication, because they had heard, that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings. We know that the God and King of Heaven is a merciful God, and shall we not then pray unto him? He is a sin pardoning God, and that consideration should move us unto Prayer. It is the very motive which the Psalmist in this Context maketh use of, to excite every one that is godly to pray. So in Psal. 86. 4, 5. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my Soul, for thou art ready to 〈◇〉 give, and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee, give ear O Lord unto my Prayer. As for the Apostate Angels, they do not pray unto God, because he never proclaimed his mercy to them, they have no hopes of a pardon if they should pray for it, never so earnestly; but it is otherwise with the Children of men. The Lord from Heaven declareth unto them, that though their sins have been nev●r so many, and never so great, if they do i● a way of Repentance seek unto him, he will ab●ndantly pardon them. Isai. 55. 6, 7.  
Again, that consideration of a Mediator for sinne●s;( that the Son of God is be●om● their Mediator) is a glorious encourag●ment u●to Prayer. To this purpose doth the apostle speak 1 Tim. 2. 1. with ver. 5. Let prayers be made for all men, for there is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. There is a Mediator( saith he) for all sorts of men, and therefore pray for all ●orts of men. And this consideration is elsewhere improved by the same Apostle as an encouragement unto pr●yer. In Heb. 4. 14. Seeing, that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God; it is added in ver. 16. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of grace. Since we have such an one as the Son of God to be our Mediator in Heaven, therefore let us with humble boldness ply the Throne of grace continually. Christ the Mediator hath satisfied divine justice for the ●●ns of Believers: And he doth intercede with God for them, that their Souls may be saved, and their Pray●rs heard. While the Priest executing his Office did burn Ince●se, being enured in●o the temple of the Lord, the people w●re praying without, Luk. 1. 9, 10. Thus while Believers are praying on Earth, Christ is interceding in Heaven for them. Moreov●r, as for godly men, they are the Favouri●es of Heaven, therefore they should be much in Prayer. The Lords ear is open to their cry, Psal 34. 15. even as the ears of a Prince are open to the requests of his special Favourites, The godly man hath the King of Heavens ear, he is willing to hear the Petitions of such as those are. He tak●s singul●r delight in hearing them p●ay to him. The p●ayer of the upright is his delight, ●rov. 15. 8. A broken hea●ted prayer is music in the Lords ears. Yea, it ●'en ravisheth h●● heart, when the penitent Believer doth pour out the prayer of Faith before him. What wo●derful expressions are in the Canticles to this purpose? Chap. 2, 14. Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice, and again Chap. 4. ver. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes. The voice of Prayer, if there be an eye of Faith looking up to God in Jesus Christ, how sweet, how ravishing is it to the Lords heart?  
There are also precious and glorious pr●mises belonging to such; which should encourage unto Prayer. The Lord hath prom●sed, that if they ask they shall receive. Yea, though they beg for the greatest savours they shall obtain them: if they open their mouths wide, he will fill them. What a sweet promise is that, Joh: 16 23, 24. Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you, ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full.  
Consid. 5. The Lords Servants, have ever found him to be a Prayer-hearing God. Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest P●ayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. All flesh Believers, in all ages have experi●nced the truth of this. Unto which of the Saints can you turn you, but they will every one say, this is truth, my Soul knoweth it right well. God hath been as ready to hear as they have been to pray for mercy. Thus Daniel found it, that whiles he was speaking and praying, and presenting his Supplication before the Lord his God; an Angel was sent from Heaven, who informed him, that from the beginning of his supplication, he was accepted. Chap 9. 20. 23. Yea, the Lord is more ready to give, then his Chilbren are to ask; and therefore doth many times, best●w those blessings upon them, which they intend to pray for, be●ore they have an opportunity actually to seek his face, Isai. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer, and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear. We rea● much concerning this in the Scripture; how God hath had respect to the Prayers of his People. And human as well as divine Story abou●ds with instances to this purpose, as I have elsewhere noted. And may not we ourselves set our Seals to this truth? where is the godly man, but may do so? May we not say after Jacob, Gen. 35. 3. God answered me in the day of my distress? a●d after David, 2 Sam. 22. 7. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God, and he did hear my voice out of his Temple, & my cry did enter into his Ears. And as for those public solemn Prayers which have been poured out before the Lord, have not our eyes seen, that it hath not been in vain. In times of Drought, we have sought the Lord; and he hath sometimes sent a plentiful Rain, on the very day when his People were earnestly praying before him for that mercy. In the late War with the Heathen amongst whom we live, what great things hath the Lord done for us, in answer to Prayer? That mortal Contagion wherewith so many Families were afflicted but two years ago! Prayer hath prevailed with the Lord to remove it, and to heal this Land. Let us then resolve with David;( surely every godly praying soul hath cause to say, as he did.) Psa. 116. 1, 2. I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications, because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I shall live.  
Wherefore, Consider 6. The great things that may be done by Prayer. This is the way for a man to be and to do, as Saul said of David, 1 Sam. 26. 25. Thou shalt both do great things; and shalt also still prevail. How came it to pass, that David did great things; and that he did still prevail? the reason of it was his being a ma● that was much in Prayer. He gave himself to prayer, Psal. 109. 4. This is certainly the best way for a man to prosper in his undertakings, ever follow them with constan● and ●ervent Prayer. It is reported concerning Dr Preston, that when some said, he was esteemed a great politician; because he usually car●ied on the designs he took in hand with go●d success: his Reply was, That is not the re●s●n of my matters succeeding well, but I work by an Engine, which the world thinks ●at of, i.e. e. by Prayer. W●en I undertake a busi●ess, I follow it with earnest Prayer to God, and he make●h it to become successful. And indeed Prayer is a marvelous Engine. Godly men m●y hereby bring about strange changes in the World. Yea, they may undermine( as David did by one Prayer) the deep and hellish counsels of Achitophels. Nay, they may even do and have what they will, that is not contrary to the will of God. One said of Luther, Iste vir potuit quodcunque volvit, That man could by his Prayers obtain from God any thing that he desired. It is a wonderful expression, which we find, Rev. 11. 6. where it's said concerning the two Prophets, They can smite the Earth with all Plagues as often as they will. And how do they smite the Earth, but by sending Prayer to Heaven? And what mercy can there be thought of, but the godly man, may by prayer obtain it? he may in that way procure mercies( spiritual as well as temporal) for his own soul▪ Yea, and m●rcy for his Family; grace and everlasting salvation for his Children. An holy man once, after i●ti●a●e communion with God in secret p●ayer, could say to a familiar friend of his; I have this ●ay obtained mercy of God for myself and for all mine. And as for those, that g●ve themselves un●o prayer, God useth to bless them much in their Children. They and their offspring with them are known to be the blessed of the Lord. Y●t more; godly men may by prayer obtain mercy for the Land wherein they live. A whole Town and Country fareth the better for the sake of a few praying ones, that are therein, who day and night are plying the Throne of Grace. The innocent by li●ting up pure hands of prayer delivers the iceland, as Eliphaz speaks. Job. 22. 30. Yea, sometimes, a whole country fareth the better for one wrestler with God, as all the land of Israel did, for the prayers of one Elijah, though he was a man subject to like passions as we are, Jam. 5. 17, 18. Yea, and a few godly men, may by their prayers procure and hasten judgement, upon those that are the subjects of Imprecation, that is to say, upon the implacable enem●es of God, and of his Servants. We may see for this that Scripture, Rev. 16. 1. I heard a great voice out of the Temple, saying, to the seven Angels, go your ways, and pour 〈…〉 of the ●rath of God upon the ear●●. Now the Temple was the place of prayer. It is praye● that pulls down con 〈…〉 ding vi●ls of 〈…〉 upon the Antich●istian generation. And 〈◇〉 that man who 〈…〉, that shall have many prayer● of God▪ Serv●nts ●ngaged against him, I tell you, ●ay the Lord 〈◇〉 you, that though God may seem to forbear him long, vengea●ce shall come upon him speedily. And the true reason of all this which hath been spoken, is, because the omnipotent God himself is overcome by prayer? And then what cannot godly praying ones do, if omni 〈…〉 cy himself be overcome by them? Thus do we red concerning Jacob, that by his strength he had power with God; yea, when he wept and made supplication to him, he had power over the Angel and prevailed, h. e. over the increated Angel of the everlasting Covenant, the Et●rnal Son of God, that Angel, who is the Lord of Hosts, the Lord i●●is 〈◇〉, Hos. 12. 3, 4, 5. In a word▪ prayer doth as it were hold the Lords hands, when he is ready to strike his people, who have by their sins provoked him. Therefore the Lord said to Moses Let and alone that I may consume them, Exod 32. 10. A marvallous expression! it is as if the Lord had said, I would fain be at this people, and strike them a blow that should kill them suddenly, because they have suddenly departed from me; but thou Moses by thy Prayers dost hold my hands, that I cannot tell how to smite them, until thou are silent; therefore let me alone. And Prayer doth as it were jog his Almighty Arm, and cause him to awake unto Judgement against the Adversaries of his people, when before prayers and cries went up to Heaven, the Lord seemed as if he were asleep or unconcerned with the sorrows and distresses of his Servants. Hence is that, Isai. 51. 9. Awake, awake, put on strength O arm of the Lord, awake as in the ancient dayes, in the generations of old. The cry of prayer, especially when many of his Servants, do at the same time, and with the same heart cry unto him; it awakens the Lord, so that he stirreth up himself, and his glorious Arm doth great things in answer unto those prayers and cries.  
Consider, 7. The present times. The day we live in, is such as calleth upon every one that is godly to pray. Never more need of prayer then at this time. I may say this day, as one of the Martyrs said, when he was going to die. Pray, pray; pray, never more need then now. Clouds and Thunders, Storms and Tempests, are ready to crack and break upon a sinful and miserable world; and will you not pray? shall we be worse then the old ungodly world? When they saw that the flood was indeed a coming did they not pray think you? Behold! we may see it at this day. The floods of great waters, are coming and hastening upon the world; yea, upon this generation; and shall we not pray? did not they cry An Ark an Ark! that we perish not in the ●ood▪ and wilt not thou then cry, a Christ, a Christ▪ to save my poo● soul, that I perish not in the deep and dark waters of infinite wrath. Other considerations have been mentioned to quicken and encourage the godly, bu● this should Awaken the ungodly unto prayer also▪  
Quest. What s●all 〈◇〉 done that so the Lord may accept of us, if we pray unto him?  
Ans. ●. If a man would have his ●r●ye●s ●ade a●dience and acceptance in Heaven, the 〈◇〉 must look ●o his state. God doth not respect ●●rst the prayer, and then the person, but f●●st the person and then the prayer. He that is ●●to his state a true Believer, and so in C●rist, his prayers are acceptable before the Lord. Why did Abels offering ●●nd acceptance with the L●●d▪ rather then Gains? it was bec●●e Abel had with, but Cai● had none; and without that, ●o is ●●possible to please God▪ Heb. 11. ●. ●f a man 〈◇〉 as to his spiritual sta●e a truly 〈◇〉 man, th●n God h●●reth his prayer as my 〈◇〉 doth intimate. If he be sincere, then he may be ●ure tha● God wi●● respect his prayer, Heb. 10. 〈◇〉. Let us 〈…〉 with a true heart, in full 〈…〉. If there be a true, i.e. e. a sincere heart in the ●●ght of God, a man may draw near to him in prayer, with the assurance of Faith for gracious acceptance▪ God heareth not sinners: but sincere worshippers, and such as do his will, them he heareth, Joh. ●. 31. If there be no sin which a man doth love or live in, then his Prayers are pleasing and precious before the Lord, otherwise they are not so: therefore David speaketh as i● Psal. 66. 20. If I regard iniquity in my heart, th● Lord will not hear me.  
2. He that would have his prayers acceptable▪ must look to his walking. He must be careful to walk closely with God; and take heed of offending him by giving way to sin, lest the Lord turn a deaf ear upon all his prayers. After that Saul had sinned, and departed from God, his inquiries after the Lord were not regarded, 1 〈◇〉 28. 6. When Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not. And not only a Saul; but one that i● as to his state a godly man, may by his loose and careless walking, provoke the Lord 〈◇〉 frown upon his prayers. Hence the Church complain●● that as a just fruit of their transgressing against the Lord, He ●ad covered himself with a clo●● that their prayer should not pass through. L●●● ●. 42, 44. God clouds his face from his ●wn Children, that they see no answer to their prayer▪ and many times some Sin or other which they have been guilty of, is the cause of it: Wherefore, if at any time through temptation, a godly ●●n shall fall in●o sin, so as to break his peace with God, let him be sure to renew his repentance and let not iniquity be found with him; so will the Lord[ edit] hear his prayer. If iniquity be in thine hand put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacle. If thou hast committed any sin thyself, or if there be any evil in thy Family, repent of it; and reform what is amiss, then will God hear thy prayer, Job 11 13, 14. If thou shalt repent of former backsti●lings and endeavour to walk in all well pleasing before the Lord for the time to come, Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, here I am, at hand ready to help thee, Isai. 58. 9.  
3. Let us look to the manner as well as to the matter of our prayers. He that would find acceptance with God, must look well to the frame of his heart in prayer. Let him on the one hand, have a care, that he doth not offer strange fire before the Lord, 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will that Men pray every where, lifting up holy hands without wrath. And yet let him not on the other hand give way to deadness and formality in prayer. To be ●ervent in Prayer is the way to prevail. If we put fire to the incense of Prayer, it will find acceptance in Heaven. Jam. 5 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man and 〈…〉 Elijah prayed earnestly, and God 〈◇〉. O then let us wrestle in Prayer. Then are we 〈◇〉 ●eed of Jacob, and shall not seek the Lords face in vain.  
4. If a man would have the Lord hear his Prayer, then let him persevere therein. Eph. 6. 18. Praying always watching thereunto, with all perseverance. Alas! if men have prayed once or twice, or a few ●●ess, and no answer cometh, they are apt to be discouraged, and to think that they shall never be heard: but say not so. It may be God delays to answer thy prayer at present, because he delights to hear thee praying, or that so he may try thy Faith and Patience. Remember the Woman of Canaan, the Lord seemed not to regard her prayers for a while; that he might see whither she would be put off with a denial; but when she continued praying still; a blessed answer came at last. Who knoweth, but that it may be so with thee? if God put it into thy heart to resolve that thou wilt never leave praying for such a mercy, until thou hast obtained, that's a sign that he intends to bestow that mercy on thee at last.  
5. Pray in time. As the Psalmist here speaketh, let every one pray unto the Lord, in a time wherein he may be found.  
Men cannot pray too soon; but they may pray when it is too late. And O that prayerless 〈◇〉 would think sadly of that. The sooner you come to God, the sooner and the better a●● you like to speed. If thou wouldst seek unto God 〈◇〉, and make thy supplication unto the Almighty, 〈◇〉 he would now awake for thee, Job 8. 5, 6 O then, Up every Soul and be doing. And that before floods of great water come: before the black waves of death are upon thee; yea, before the waters of great affliction overtake thee. And if thou dost sincerily, constantly, ●ervently seek unto God now in the time of thy prosperity, thou mayest be sure, and in his Name be it spo●o thee, God will remember thee in the day of Adversity.  
And this brings to the second Doctrine, which is,   

That men ought, not only to pray unto God for the pardon of their sins, and the salvation of their Souls, but they should be sure to do this in the time wherein the Lord may be found.  
In the doctrine I handling of this Truth, two things may be inquired into: 1. What is impli●●●n this expression of finding the Lord. 2. When is the time wherein he may be found.  
Q. 1. What is implied in this expression of finding the Lord?  
A. 1. The expression doth intimate, that God may as to his gracious presence be absent from men, even gone from them, so as that they cannot find him, or ob●ein a gracious mee●ing with him. Indeed as to his essential presence, he is always and every where to be found. We cannot look any where but God is there, Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I flee from thy presence; if I ascend up into Heaven behold thou art there, if I make my bed in Hell, behold thou art there; if I take the wings of the morning( if I we●e able to fly as swift as the Sun beams from East to west) and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea, even there shall thy hand led me, So that as to his power and essential presence, God is ●o where excluded, all places being comprehended under that enumeration of Heaven, Hell, Earth and Sea. Thus then he is near to every one. As Paul said to the Athenians, Act. 17. 27. That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him and find him though he be ●or f●r from any of us. But as ●o his gracious presence, he is far from some; indeed from all Christless sinners. They are afar off, until made nigh by the blood of Christ, Eph. 2. 3●. And therefore it is that they are in a perishing estate Psal. 73. 27. For lo, they that are far from thee shall perish. Yea, and sometimes the Lord doth withdraw his gracious presence from his own Children, so as that they seek him, but cannot find him, Cant. 5. 6. My Beloved had withdrawn himself; I sought him, but I could not find him, I called him, but he gave me no answer.  
2. Finding God, doth imply the obtaining his favour together with the special fruits and effects thereof. Pray unto him in a time wherein he may be found, that is to say, in a time wherein his favour may be obtained. In this sense, the Phrase is often used in the Scripture, Hos. 5. 8. They shall go with their flocks, and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him. Meaning that they should not by all their Sacrifices, obtain the Lords favour. The day will come when the enemies of Christ shall be glad of his favour, but they shall not find it: therefore he saith, Joh. 7. 34. Ye shall seek me and shall not find me. Also, the special effects and fruits of divine favour, are implyed in this Finding the Lord. e. g. Audience of prayer, is a sign of the Lords savour, 1 Job. 5. 15. when the Lord accepts of mens Prayers, then he is found of them. There is a time wherein God will hear men, if they pray unto him; That is a finding time: and there is time when the Lord becomes in●norable, that all prayers and cries will be in vain, Then finding time is past and gone. The pardon of sin is an effect of Gods favour. Wherefore they whose sins are forgiven, do find the Lord: And of that is the Psalmist speaking in this context. Yea, life and the enjoyment of all desirable good, proceeds from the favour of God, Psal. 30. 5. In his favour is life. And therefore in finding the Lord, the obtaining of life and happiness is implyed, Prov. 8. 35. Whoso findeth and, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.  
Quest. 2. When may the Lord be found?  
Ans. 1. Life time is finding time. There are some, that their finding time doth continue as long as they themselves are in this world. The Lord 〈◇〉 pleased all that time to be making offers of grace and salvation to them, Isai. 65. 2. I have spread out my hands all the day long, i.e. presen●ed gracious tenders of mercy and life, unto a ●eh●llious people. But when death hath overtaken a sinner, his finding time is gone. Men cannot pray as to their bodies, when once the grave o opened its mouth and swallowed them up, Eccles. 9. 10. There is no work in the grave whith●● thou goest. There is no work then as to any mans particular, nor yet as to his general calling, Psal. 6 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee, in the grave who shall gave thee thanks. It is the place of silence. And if poor damned creatures should cry to the Lord, as to their woeful souls after death, should they then cry unto him with tears of blood, except before death they obtain an interest in his favour through Jesus Christ; it will be in vain. The Lord will then have no more regard unto them, then Abraham had to Di●es, when he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, I am tormented in this flamme, and yet could not by all his doleful prayers and cries, obtain so much as one drop of water, to cool his torments, Luk. 16. 25.  
2. The time wherein the means of grace is vouchsafed and continued. This finding time which I am speaking of, is the same with the day for men to know the things of their peace. Now such a day do they enjoy that have the Gospel and the means of grace vouchsafed to them. If thou hadst known in this thy● day the things that belong unto thy peace, Luk. 19. 42. Whilst Christ and his Messengers were treating with them, about the great and everlasting concernments of their souls, that was their day. This finding time is the accepted time, and the day of Salvation; 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now when the Gospel is Preached, thatis a day for men to look after their Salvation, and a time wherein God will accept of them if they pray unto him, as they should do. It is a fit season for men to be at work whilst the ●ight shineth upon them. So should we be at work about our Salvation, whilst we have the light of the Gospel afforded unto us for that end. The Gospel is compared unto light, Eph. 5. 8. Walk as Children of the light. h. e. as becometh the Gospel. Hence Christ said to the J●ws, Joh. 12 35. Yet a little while is the Light with you, walk whilst you have the light, lest darkness come upon you; intimating not only that the Lord himself would depart from them, but that the Gospel, and means of grace should be removed from that people. The light of the Gospel sheweth men the way to find the Lord. Yea 〈◇〉 Lord is near then. He cometh in the Gospel and offers himself to them, saying, Behold 〈◇〉 behold 〈◇〉 if they will but turn their eyes and look after him. Wherefore the Apostle tells the Ephesians that Christ came,( i.e. in the chariot of the Gospel) and preached peace to them. Eph. 2. 17. This then, is the time to find the Lord in. To this purpose doth the Prophet Isaiah speak( Chap. 55. 6.) saying, Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: q. d. No● is the time when the Lord is near unto you: 〈◇〉 no● whilst God is sending his Messengers to reprove and exhort you; n●w the Lord is near to you, therefore now is a finding time, and should be a praying time. The Lord is then at th● very door: Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock. While the Sermon is Preaching Christ is standing at the door of thy hears, knocking there; so that there is a blessed 〈◇〉 tunity to find him, and to enjoy him for ever.  
3. Times of the Spirits striving. There are some seasons when the Holy Spirit doth 〈◇〉 upon the hearts of men, in a more peculiar manner. Convictions of sin and misery are the st●●vings of Gods Spirit, Job. 16. 8. He shall convince the World of sin. Sometimes a mans Conscience is convinced that he liveth in the practi●●● such ●n evil or in the omission of such a 〈◇〉 suppose Prayer in his Family, or in secret● for which neglects his own heart condemns him; Now these troubles and convictions are from the holy Spirit, especially ●f convictions rise so high, as to cause terrors and tremblings of heart; as it was with F●●lix, Act. 24. 25. who trembled as he heard Paul preaching concerning Righteousness, Temperance, and Judgement to come. He 〈◇〉 convicted in his own Conscience, that he had ●een guilty of much unrighteou●ness & in●mperance, and that therefore without Repentance, and Faith in Christ; in the judgement to come, a sentence of eternal death must be p●st upon him. Now was the Spirit of God, moving upon his heart. And therefore then was his ●●●ret have prayed, and to have ●ound mercy with God So when good purposes, and strong affections are raised in the hearts of men and women, the holy Spirit is striving with them; as it was with Agrippa, when he was almost persuaded to be a Christian, Act. 26. 28. There are who have at times, serious and affectionate thoughts of ●orsaking all for Christ, they could even find in their hearts to forsake their sins, and old companions in sin, and to close with Christ upon the Terms of the Gospel; Gods Spirit is mightily striving with such a Soul: And never did poor c●eature pray unto God with his whole heart, whilst the Holy Spirit continued striving, but the Lord was found of him. Finding time is the same with the day of grace; and as long as the Spirit continueth striving, the day of Grace is not done. Therefore if God by the secret motions of his Spirit, say unto the hearts of the children of men, Seek ye my face, it highly concerns every such Soul to answer again, Thy face Lord, will I seek. Psal. 27. 8.  
4. The time of prosperity. Even before the floods of great water come: The miserable Jews are ruined because they knew not the time of their visitation. Luk. 19 44. As long as the offers of Grace lasted; and whilst they enjoyed dayes of external peace, that was the time of their visitation, and the ●ay for them to have known the things of their pe●ce. Had they prayed then, as they should have done, they might have been happy for ever. Men will be most likely to be sincere i● their praying to God, if they do so in the time of their prosperity, and therefore most li●● to find him then. There are some, that when trouble is upon them, they will pour out a Prayer, yet the Lord accepts not of them, because they do it not with a sincere heart. Hos. 7. 14. They have not cried unto me with their hearts, they howled upon their beds, they assemble themselves for Corn and Wine, & they rebel against n●●. When Drought, and Caterpillars, and Famine was upon them, they would pray; and if the Judgement were removed, they would sin, and rebel as bad as ever; so that their 〈◇〉 were not right in the sight of God, and therefore he did not accept of them, but compares their Prayers to Howlings, thereby to signify how odious and abominable they were in the ears of the Holy God of Truth. Wherefore, the Lord calls upon men, that if they would find mercy, or prevent misery from coming upon themselves, they should pray unto him, before the day of adversity come upon them, Jer. 13. 16. Giver glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness, before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountains. As yet( saith the Prophet) you have a day of prosperity, pray before that Sun be set upon you. Give glory to God by confessing your sins, and humble seeking his face and favour, before your enemies come, and drive you away before them over the dark mountains of Israel, into a long-lasting Captivity. And this had been the way to have prevented their Captivity.  
5. The time wherein the Lord is threatening to bring heavy judgements upon men, is a finding, and should be a praying time. The time that is between the Sentence and the Execution. When the Lord writeth over men a Sentence of Death, and is awfully threatening to execute his sore judgements upon them, those threatenings are conditional: sc. If they do not pray as they should do: But if they do pray in earnest, before the day of Execution cometh, 'tis possible they may find mercy and salvation with the Lord, Jer. 36. 3, 7. It may be the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them. It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord, that I may forgive their sin: When God by his word, or by his works, is threatening judgement, there is for all that, A may be of mercy, in case he be humbly prayed unto. It may be a Finding, and therefore should be a Praying time: Zeph. 1. 1, 2, 3. Gather yourselves together before the d●●re● bring forth, before the day of the Lords anger come upon you; seek ye the Lord, it may be ye shall be hi● in the day of the Lords anger. The Lords declared end in his threatenings, is, that so men might be awakened to pray unto him, before it be too late. Therefore the great design of the prophets was to call upon the People to seek unto the Lord for mercy before his judgements came down from Heaven upon them, Ho●. 10. 12. It is time to seek the Lord. This was the great voice of the Prophets, Since God is threatening to bring such and such judgements, it is high time ●or you to seek the Lord; that threatened evils may be diverted, and the mercy of Heaven obtained.  
6. The time of Youth. first-fruits are acceptable unto God, Gen. 4. 4. There is a great and solemn Commandment of God, requiring young men to pray unto him, Eccles. 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth. And ● most gracious promise to encourage them, Prov. 8. 17. They that seek me early shall find me. They that pray whilst they are young, seek the Lord early, and may therefore hope that they shall find him. Hence David said unto his Son Solomon, 1 Chron 28. 9. Know thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and a willing mind: If thou( who art a young man) seek him, he will be found of thee. There are instances in the Scripture, of many, that have prayed unto God in the time of their youth; & he hath been found of them. And there is not so much as one Example to be produced in all the Book of God, concerning one that did in the dayes of his youth, set himself to seek the Lord, that did not find acceptance wi●h him. As for praying young men, I tell you truly, the God of Heaven doth wonderfully delight in them.  
7. The present time is finding time. Now is the accepted time, therefore all ●he holy Prophets did earnestly urge those unto whom they spake in the Name of the Lord, un●o present Repentance, and seeking ●he face of God, without any further d●ay, Jer. 25. 4 5. The Lord hath sent unto you all his Servants the Prophets, they said, Turn ye again,[ now] every one from his evil way. They did not say, if you will pray to●morrow, you may neglect God and your own Souls to day. No, but now turn unto him. Psa. 95. 7. To day if you will hear his voice; Then you may hope to find acceptance with him but if thou dost harden thy heart against the voice of God, one day longer, if thou dost neglect Prayer, but one day longer, it may be the Lord will never hear thy voice, nor harken to thy Prayer throughout the dayes of Eternity.  
Use 1. It is matter of bleeding Lamentation, that Praying time, and Finding time is so much neglected, and by so many. O that my head were a fountain of Tears, that I might weep day and night in secret places because of this thing. What shall I say! Alas! if we look over all the particulars mentioned, we may mourn before the Lord to think how miserable Creatures are neglecting and sinning away their day of grace for ever. Are there not many( Oh! how many) that their whole life time hath been misimproved? they live to no end as to soul-saving purposes. They live as if there were no other life but this; as if they had no souls to save, or should never enter upon Eternity. They spend 〈◇〉 their dayes in mirth and madness, and after that they go to the dead. Are there not some that have lived it may be twenty years, and yet never prayed in earnest for the pardon of their sins, and the salvation of their Souls, in all their lives? Alas for such poor creatures, their case is lamentable! And are there not many, who regard not the offers of Christ in the Gospel? How often would the Lord Jesus have saved them, but they would not be saved by him? how many Sermons have been lost upon them? thou hast heard it may be a thousand Sermons, and all in vain? this is a lamentable sign, that the Lord intends to cast thee off for ever; yea, that thou art nigh unto cursing, Jer. 6. 29, 30. Heb. 6. 7 8 And this will be the sting of Hell, when a forlorn creature shall think with himself for ever, I might have had Christ, and mercy, and pardon, and salvation: I heard Sermons about these things; a●d all was freely offered to me in the Gospel, but I regarded it not, until i● was too late. An● are there not some that have sinned away the blessed strivings of the Spirit of God from their Souls? It may be thou hast had sorrow●ul convictions & awakenings of Conscience when time was. Yea, so as to make known the anguish of thy So I unto this or that servant of God, begging for the help of Prayers: and are all these troubles of spirit come to nothing? If eve● poor creature had the black tokens of eternal death upon him, thou art such an one. Dost thou not know, that the Woman whose traveling pains leave her, and return not; will die must certai●ly? hast thou seemed to be in the pangs of the new birth; but have thy throws of Conscience left thee. O tremble lest the Lord say unto thee, as Ezek. 24. 13. Because I purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged any more. It had been better for thee never to have been born, then that thou shouldst live to provoke the Lord so to speak, and so to resolve against thee. And are there not many, who neglect God in the time of their prosperity? whilst they enjoy dayes of-peace, and health, and strength God calls upon them to repent & pray, & believe but they let their golden season slip away without improving it to seek the Lord until they find him. Like him whom the Lord compl●i●s of, Jer. 23. 21. I spake unto thee in thy prosperity, but thou saidst I will not hear. And are there not many who never mind the solemn warnings of God▪ They regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of h●s hands. The Lord giveth ●hem aweful warning by a fearful sight in Heaven, but they regard it not. The Lord giveth w●rning by Judgements in other lands, the report whereof we hear. When God did cut off the Narions, and make their Towns desolate, he said of Jerusalem, Surely thou wilt fear me, and receive instruction, Zeph. 3. 6, 7. We hear of a City that was in great part destroyed by a sudden Earth-quake, not many Mone●hs ago. We hear of a sweeping Plague in d●vers places in Europ●; which though afar off the Lord giveth us warning thereby. Yea, and so he doth by fa●se rumors amongst ourselves. When there was a false report ra●sed the other day, as if the Pl●gue were brought near unto us; how were people amazed? God hath an holy hand in such Rumors; and he would have men ma●e this use of it, to pray unto him that such judgements may be prevented: And the Lord hath given warning by many sud●en deaths of late, how many have ●here been with●n this twelvemonth that when God sent the Messenger of Death unto them, they had not so much as an hours time to pray in? O the hardness of the stupid and stony hearts of men, that do not pray for all this? And is not the time of youth a time wherein God is for gotten? Are there not young men that seldom pray to God? This is for a Lamentation. For it is possible that the Time of your youth will be your only finding time. There are many who die in youth, and if they were such as did not Pray, their Souls are gathered amongst the Unclean, even with the souls of those Sodomites, who are now suffering the vengeance of eternal fire, Job. 36. 14. As for those that live under the Gospel,( though we may not limit God, who calls home his Elect, some at one age, and some at another, yet) commonly it is so; that if they do not find God in youth, they never find him. Think sadly of it, in the fear of God; you that are thirty, it may be forty years old, and yet in a natural estate to this day. And do not many neglect the present opportunity of seeking the face of God in Jesus Christ? like Felix, who said to the Apostle, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee, Act. 24. 25. But alas! he never saw( for ought that doth appear) such another opportunity as that was. Foolish creatures neglect the present time, and by that means their Souls drop into Hell e're they are ware, and then they make a most doleful and eternal lamentation; O the seasons of Grace, and hopes of mercy which once we had, are lost and gone for ever. Men delay their duty, thinking with themselves hereafter we will pray. And because of this one thing, millions of immortal Souls are in Hell, where the bars of the Pit, & the gates of Death are everlastingly shut upon them.  
Use 2. As you love your Souls, or as you desire Salvation, let finding time, be praying time. Do but consider two things,  
1. As yet you have a Finding time. Be that known to every Soul before the Lord this day. Say not; I would pray, but I doubt my time to find the Lord is past and gone. As yet thou hast a day of grace. behold now is an accepted, now is a day of Salvation. Thy body is on this side the Grave, and thy soul on this side Hell; therefore tis possible thou mayest find the Lord. I have somewhere red of a child that was in danger of being devoured by a wild Beast; but he cried to some that were near to come in and rescue him, saying Help! help! I am yet alive, I am yet alive; so I say to thee, help for thy soul is not too late, for thou art yet alive; and therefore pray & cry to God for help, as one that doth believe that thou hast an eternal life, & an immortal soul lying at the stake God is once more offering Salvation to thee. To you that hear the Gospel this day, is the word of Salvation sent, Act. 13. 26.  
Consider 2. Thy finding time may soon he gone. It will not last always, Gen. 6. 3. God saith, My spirit shall not always strive. It may be after this Sermon is ended, he'l never strive with thy rebellious heart more; and then thy Finding time is gone▪ prayer will come too late then. A m●n that had been g●il●y of great back slidings from God, whe●● any word of comfort was applied un●to him, c●●ed out, All too late now. if ●t was said to him, you must make sure of an ●n●erest in Christ, and would answer, all too late, i● any did e●hort him to pray for the pardon of hi● sin●, he would make the same Reply, All too late. So it will be with the●, if thou neglect Prayer ●n●l Finding time be expired and gone. Remember that Scripture, Luk. 13. 24, 25. strive to enter in at the straight Gate, for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. How cometh that to pass? truly because they seek when it is too la●e. After the Master of the house hath shut the door they began to stand without & to knock, saying, Lord, Lord open to us. But the door of mercy is no● opened to them. Had you come and k●ocke sooner, you had f●und mercy, the straight Gate of life had been opened to you. But n●w knock●ng, calling, praying, crying will be in vain▪ O Consider of it, thou poor sinful creature: within a little time thy Soul will be out of thy body. And if thou hast not obtained an interest of Christ, and in the favour of God through Christ, before that hour come upon thee, the floods of great waters, will overwhelm thee: The waves of death will swallow thee up; thy Soul will be thrown into the dead Sea, amid the roaring floods of Fire and Brimstone which are there forever. Then will Finding time be gone, a●d prayer come too late.  
Now then pray unto God in a time wherein he ma● be ●ound, a●d do it with t●y whole heart, remembering that scripture for thy encouragement. Jer. 29. 12, 13. You shall go and pray unto me and I will harken unto you, ye shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.    

The True Fearers of God will Practise Family Prayer.  ACTS 10. 2. One that feared God with all his House— And Prayed alway. 
IN this Chapter, we have an account of the great acceptance which Cornelius his prayers found w●th God; together with the gracious effects following thereupon. In the two first verses Cornelius is described. 1. From the City where he dwelled viz. caesarea. 2. From his Calling, he was a soldier; and no common Soldier, but a Centurion. 3. From the Nation which he did belong unto; he was an Italian, a Commander belonging to the Italian Band. And indeed Cornelius is a roman Name. 4. He is described from his Religion, in this verse, he was a devont man, h. e. He was though a roman, and so a gentle by nature, yet no mere Heathen in respect of his Religion, but a Proselyte. Elsewhere Proselyte's are styled Devout Persons, Act. 17. 4. We red of Devout Greeks, that is such as wore Proselytes to the Jewish Religion. Hence also, Cornelius is described to be one that feared God, h. e. that did worship the only true God. Thus A●. 13. 26. Children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever amongst you feareth God; meaning such ●s though they were not( as the Jews are) descended from Abraham, nevertheless worshipped the God of Abraham as the jews did: These Fearers of God are in verse 43. called Religious Proselytes. There were two sorts of Proselytes amo●gst the jews of old.  
1. Some that were styled Proselytes of the Covenant, those were circumcised, and also admitted to all privileges in the Church of Israel; no difference being made either as to Civil or Church communion between them, and those that were natural Israelites.  
2. Those that were styled Proselytes of the Gate. These did own the God of Israel to be the only true God; and hoped for Salvation by the Messiah; and did endeavour to frame their lives according to the holy Rules of the Moral Law. Cornelius was a Proselyte of this, and not of the former sort. And hence Peter was unwilling to converse with him, until such time as God by a vision commanded him so to do. The truth of Cornelius his Religion is in this verse intimated by two things.  
1. In that he was careful, not only to pray unto God himself alone, but that his Family should do so too. He did worship God with all his House, h. e. with his whole Family. The ho●se is frequently in the Scripture put for the Family, Gen. 7. 1. & 30. 30. Exod. 12 3:  
2. In that he did thus alway. He did not only pray with his Family once or so, but always? That is to say, alway in the due and stated seasons for that duty: the meaning is not, as though Cornelius did spend his time in nothing else but Prayer and Religious Exercises, but that he was constant in his Attendance unto that duty, in the seasons apponted for that end.  
The Doctrine which the Words do therefore afford unto us, is,  
That the true Fearers of God will be constant in the practise of that duty of Family Prayer.  
In order to the clearing of this Truth, th●re are three things to be inquired into.  
1. How it doth appear that Family Prayer is a duty?  
2. What is implied in being constant therein, or in doing thus alway?  
3. The Reasons why they that truly fear God do thus practise.  
Q. 1. He doth it appear that Family Prayer is a Duty?  
Ans. 1. The Scripture doth enjoin this. God in his word, commands men to pray with all Prayer, Eph. 6. 18. Not only Prayer in closerts. and in solemn Assemblies, but in Families, is comprehended under that expression of All Prayer. Nor can a man be said to pray with all prayer, except he doth practise public, secret, and Family Prayer. And in the Scripture, Husbands and Wives are required to live lovingly together, that their prayers be not hindered, 1 Pet. 3 7. what prayers? surely Family Prayers. They that are contending and quarreling one with another, are very unfit to go to prayer together: Therefore Husband and Wife should live in love, that so they may not be indisposed to pray together in their Family. Again, the Scripture declareth, that Men should take care that their Families as well as themselves serve God. Fathers are to bring up their Children, in the ●urture and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6. 4. which they cannot do except they pray with them, and by example as well as precept, let them see that God ought to be worshipped and prayed unto. Thus Joshua was resolved to do, Chap. 24. ver. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Ioshua did exhort the Children of Israel, that they should all of them in their Houses serve God. which doth imply Prayer unto h●m; inasmuch as prayerless Families can not be said, to be God-serving, God-fearing Families.  
2. As there are Scripture Precepts requiring this duty, so there are Scripture Examples, which God hath caused to be recorded in his Word, for our instruction and imitation. We find that the Lord Christ, who hath left himself for an example in this as well as in other things, for us to follow; did pray with his Family, Luk. 9. 18. As he was alone praying, his Disciples( who were his Family) were with him. And when Christ did keep the Passover with his domestic Disciples alone, it is certain that he prayed with them, Mat. 26. 18. &c. David also, was wont to worship God with his Family. And was resolved to continue in that practise all his dayes. Hence he could say, as Psal. 101. 2. I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. And we red concerning him, that after he had been attending the worship of God in public, he returned to bless his house, 1 Chron. 16. 43. so that he did not think it enough to worship God in a public solemn Assembly amongst his People, but when he cometh home, he prayeth with his Family, that the blessing of God might be there.  
3. Of old there were not only public, but Private Family-Sacrifices. Jonathan relates concerning David, that he said to him, our Family hath a Sacrifice in the City, and my Brother commanded me to be there, 1 Sam. 20. 29. which undoubtedly were not without Family Prayers. And although Sacrifices in a legal, literal sense are ceased, in these dayes of the Gospel; Christ by that one offering of himself, having put an end thereto, yet spiritual Sacrifices must be offered up still, 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable unto God by Iesus Christ. When Christians offer up prayers and praises unto the Lord, these are spiritual Sacrifices, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ. And indeed every Believer is a spiritual Priest. Jesus Christ hath made us Priests unto God and his Father, Rev. 1. 6. And inasmuch as he is a Priest in his own Family, therefore he ought to offer up spiritual Sacrifices there. Every Master of a Family is a Prophet in his own Family, because he ought to instruct them in the things of God: and a King there, inasmuch as he ought to govern his Family according to the rules of the word of God, and a Priest also, for that he ought to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices therein.  
4. The very light of nature teacheth men that Family Prayer is a duty. Hence the Gentiles that had no Scripture to direct them, yet have made conscience of Family worship. They had their Penates, household gods, whom they did adore. Yea, Mahometans at this day, worship their God not only in public Assemblies, but in their Families. So that men who call themselves Christians, and yet aclowledge no God in their Families are in that thing worse then Infidels. Many Heathen People, nay Turks will at the day of Judgement rise up against such pretended Christians, and condemn them.  
Q. 2. What is implied in a mans praying[ alway] with his Family?  
Ans. This Praying alway implieth frequency in that duty. Family Prayer should be attended daily. In that sense the Phrase is sometimes used in the Scripture. As when it is said, that Mephibosheth did eat ( continually, or as the Hebrew word Tamid signifieth) alway at the Kings Table; the meaning is, that it was his daily custom so to do. Thus Cornelius with his house prayed alway; Family prayer was daily observed in that house. Families need daily supplies of mercy. And there are Family occasions to be attended every day, which Masters in Families are concerned ●o look up to God, that his blessing may be thereon: And there are daily mercies which they ought to bless God for. Yea, it is good to practise this duty more than once every day, h. e. in the morning and in the evening also. It is a good thing to praise the Lord, and show forth his loving kindness in the morning, and every evening, Psal. 92. 1, 2. The continual offering under the Law was that whereby prayer was typified: and that was to be both at morning and at the even, Exod. 29. 38. Num. 28. 3, 4. So should it be as to Family Prayer. And therefore is is very observable, that the Apostle speaking to Masters in Families, useth that expression, continue in prayer, Col. 4. 2. In which words he doth evidently allude unto the continual offering under the Law, which was to be attended daily, both at morning and at even; you( saith he) that are Masters of Families, forget not the continual offering of Prayer, which you ought to present before the Lord. It is as if he had said, pray constantly morning and evening in your Families. Therefore,  
2. This expression implieth perseverance. Men should not only begin to practise this duty, but they ought to hold on therein, all their dayes. Christ hath taught us, that men ought alway to pray and not to faint, Luk. 18. 1. And we are bid to pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5. 18. As there ought to be perseverance in attending unto the public Worship of God, on the times appointed for that end; as Hezekiah professeth that he had taken up a resolution to praise God all the dayes of his life in the house of the Lord, Isai. 38. 20. So should men praise the Lord, and pray to him, all the dayes of their lives in their own houses. There ought to be perseverance in all prayer, and therefore Christians are to continue all their dayes in the practise of private or family, as well as in public and in closet prayer: So may they be said to do as Cornelius did, even ●o pray alway, Eph. 6. 18.  
Q. 3. Whence is it that the true Fearers of God do thus?  
Reas. 1. Because they that truly fear God respect the honour of his Name. They cannot but desire that God might be honoured every where, and more especially in their own Families. Now prayer honours God. Hence is that expression, Mat 15 8. they honour me with their lips: when men pray unto God with their lips, they honour him therewith: and when they pray with their hearts, as well as their lips, they honour him with both. As when they neglect this so great a duty, they withhold that honour from God, which is due unto him from his creatures, Isai. 43. 23. thou hast not honoured me with thy Sacrifices. So doth the Lord say to Masters of Families, that pray not with their houses, thou hast not honoured me with thy prayers. But as for those that call upon his Name, their prayers and praises glorify him. When men own the Lord to be the God of their Families they put honour upon him. And so it is when Family worship is duly upheld.  
Reas. 2. They that truly fear God, are desirous that the interest of Religion should be upheld and promoted. One that is truly Religious himself can not but desire that others may be so too. Paul being himself a real Christian, earnestly wished that others were in that respect as he was. When Agrippa said to him, thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian, he replied, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these Bonds, Act, 26. 28, 29. so it is( and cannot but be) where there is true grace Especially they are desirous that those who are related to them; and are of t●e same Family with them, may be acquainted with the good ways of the Lord. Therefore they will make Conscience, not only to pray for them, but to pray with them; since thereby Religion and the Fear of God will be promoted. And to have Religion in Families is the way to have it elsewhere. Families are the Nurseries of all Societies. If Religion should not be upheld there, it would fall to the ground every where.  
Use 1. For Reprehension. And there are many that fall under just and sad Reproof from this Doctrine.  
1. It condemns those that live in the total neglect of this duty of Family prayer. And what is like to come on prayerless Families at last? Let Prayerless Fathers, and prayerless Masters hear the word of the Lord, & tremb●e at it. O that you would consider, how you expose not only yourselves but Families, to the vengeance of Heaven. How often have you been put in mind of that aweful Scripture. Jer. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not. What's that to us? some one will be ready to say; we are no Heathen, we are all Christians: but mark what follows; and noon the Families that call not upon the N●m●. Not only p●ofessed Heathen▪ but Families that live like Heathen w●●hout any prayer, the ●ury of ●he Almighty w●l ●ome po●ring dow● fr●● heaven upon them. Hence a●e temporal judgements upon families many times. The Lord kil●s C●●ldren w●●h death, because Parents do not how them an example of Religion to pray with them ●n ●he family as wel● as for them i● secret. Yea, the Souls of your poor Children are ruined by his sin of you●s. And O how sad will it be w●en God shall require the blood of the Souls of Children at the hands of their prayerless Fathers; and the blood of the souls of serv●nts at the hands of their prayerless Masters. Think with yourselves w●at answer you will make before Jesus Christ the Son of God at the last and great day. If thy Children shall be thine accusers before the Lord then; if any of them shall stand before the Lord Jesus in the day when he shall judge the World, and say, Lord▪ there is the man that was my Father, I never heard him pray in all my life, and that made and 〈◇〉 in ●he neglect of God also; or if thy Servants shall any of them say, Lord, there is the man that was my Master, I lived in his ●●use so many moneths, but I never heard him praying unto God all that time, w●at answer wilt thou then make for thyself? you shall not be able to pled ignorance. ●or I wih● then call Heaven a●d Earth to record against you, that you were often ol● of your ●uty in thi● particular. And yet I hear some say, t●●t ●h●re are many prayerless fami●ies in this great ●own. The thing i● lamentable, if it be so. W●at, ●or men that call themselves Christians, to ha●e no prayer in their families? for men that live under the light of the Gospel, to live without Prayer in their families! for men that live in New England, and that have lived in Boston; not so much as to pray in their families! Such have known to do good, and yet have not done it; therefore sin and guilt and wrath most fearful doth abide them. And this word reacheth Masters of Vessels, that never pray with their S●●ps Company, who are their Family, with whom they ought to worship God continually.  
2. This reproveth those that do not pray in their Families alway. There are some that pray in their families: but when is it? once in a week perhaps. It may be on the Sabbath day, they will pr●y in their families; and serve God therein no more all the dayes of the week after. Is this to pray alway when there are such wide and woeful gaps in prayer? It is thy duty to serve God all the dayes of thy life, Luk. 1 75 dost thou serve God all ●hy dayes, when thou dost serve him, and pray to him, but one day in seven? God will not be put off so. When once thou shalt see the day wherein thy family shall stand in no need of Gods blessing; neglect Prayer in thy family for that day; but till then willingly omit it not under any pretence whatsoever. And are there not some, that time was when they would worship God w●th their families; but they are fallen away, and have cast off the practise that is good? O foolish creatures, you did run well, but who hath driven you back? Remember the word that was spoken by the Lord Jesus, Luk. 9. 62. No man having put his hand to the Plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. Didst thou begin to pray with thy family? This was to set thy hand to the Lords plough: we to thee if thou drawest it back again.  
3. This reproveth those who do that in families which is quiter contrary unto praying and serving God therein. Are there not families in this place, wherein there is Drinking to excess, game, Wantonness, Uncleanness? Indeed, when such deeds of darkness are brought to light, they are put to shane amongst us; and it is a great mercy to the Land, that open profaneness and wickedness is punished, but the Lord seeth what is done in private Houses. He knoweth who they are, that assemble themselves by troops in the Harlots Houses, Jer. 5. 7. And are there not families in the which instead of Prayer, there is Cursing, Swearing, Sabbath breaking; & the like Transgressions that provoke the glorious eyes of the Holy Majesty o● Heaven? Let the Masters of such Families look to themselves. For the Sabbath breaking▪ & other profanenesses that are indulged in their Families, will be charged upon them, who ought to rule their Houses better, Exod. 20. 10.  
Use 2. Of Exhortation: To be constant in the practise of this necessary duty. They that are so, their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. If they be sincere therein, special mercy will follow: we see it in this example of Cornelius. He worshipped God with his House, and prayed alway; and what special notice did the Lord take of him? those prayers were not lost. And sometimes when outward Judgements come God sh●weth peculiar mercy to praying Families. I remember I have red of a Town in Switzerland, that was destroyed with an Earth-quake, excepting only one house, where it so fell out, that at the time when the Earth quake happened, the master of the house was at prayer with his Family. But especially spiritual blessings, are wont to follow upon the sincere attendance unto this duty. If there be a praying Father, it is to be hoped that there will be praying Children: and if there be a praying Master, it is to be hoped there will be praying Servants. And is not that a blessed thing, for a man to have the Children and Servants of his own family praying for him continually? Thus do we red concerning Abrahams Servant, Gen. 24. 12. He said, O Lord God of my Master Abraham, I pray thee sand me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my Master Abraham. How came Eliezer to be a praying Servant? doubtless, he observed that his Master was much in prayer; and such an Example mi●ht well be followed.  
● shall only answer two or three Objections in a fe● words, and conclude.  
O●j●ct. 1. Some one may say, I have not time to p●ay in my Family. My business and worldly occasions are such as I ca●not atten● Prayer.  
Ans. No man shall fare ●he wo●se as to his outward estate, because he d●th make conscience to set some time apart daily to serve God; no mans Family shall be the poorer, but rather the richer for that. O that you would remember and consider more on that Scripture, Mat. 6. 33. Se●k ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. And it is certainly better to want time for other things, then to take no time to pray in Yea, a man should rather deny himself a little of his natural rest and sleep, then to live an ungodly, prayerless life. Nor is it needful, or indeed convenient, that Family duties should be ordinarily long and tedious; and therefore the objection is a vain excuse The●e are ot●ers in the world, that have a much bus●ne●s up●● their ●a●d as thou hast▪ who never b●le 〈…〉 y in their clos●ts and 〈◇〉 their 〈…〉 Had not Dav●d as litt●e t●me to 〈…〉 e▪ a●● a● much busin●s● to atten● as an● man can ord●n●●il●●retend unto; yet and 〈◇〉 ●ou●d time to pray in. Let t●y Con●●●ence spe●k; c●●st thou n●t find t●me ●or o●h●r things that are of less concernment▪ Thou c●●●t find ●ime it m●y be to ●it in some T●vern and there to ci●c●urse, the Lord knowe●h about w●at. If that t●me which is spent in vain, unprofita●le ●i●co●r●e, were spent in Communion with God, i● would be happy for thee. Canst thou find time for vain discourse, and yet not find time for prayer? and canst thou then think that God will ever find a time to save thy poor soul? deceive not thyself, thou must be another man, or that time will never come.  
Object. 2. I am ashamed to pray in my Family?  
Ans. What ashamed to own God, and the Lord Jesus Christ! dost thou not know that thatis the way for a man to lose his Soul for ever? see else what the Lord Jesus hath spoken, Mark 8. 3 last verses. What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul, or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul: whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father, with the Holy Angels. If thou art ashamed of prayer, thou art ashamed to own the ways of Christ: and then what will become of thy precious and immortal Soul?  
Object 3. I would pray in my Family, but I cannot, I have not the gift of utterance and expression?  
Ans. 1. It is better for thee to make use of a form then not to pray at all. I confess, I look upon it as sinful to make use of those Forms of Prayer which are taken out of the Popes Mass-Book, because in so doing men put too much honour upon an Idol. It is also true that the imposition of Forms of Prayer is unwarrantable; yet all use of Forms is not prohibited in the Scripture, witness the Form of Blessing therein expressed. Learned and Judicious Mr. Cartwright doth from Lu. 24. 35. conjecture, that ordinarily Christ used the same words in his Blessing at Meal times, with his domestic Disciples. Now there is no man of ordinary understanding, but he may attain unto a Form of prayer; and he had better make use of that, then to live without any worship of God at all in his Family. But I am ●ar from persuading you to take up with Forms. Therefore,  
2. Practise, and that will make you able. As in other things practise maketh men ready and able so it is in respect of the gift of prayer. Some that when they began first to Pray, were able to make but po●r work of it, by frequent practise have attained unto an excellent gift in Prayer. And there are some who complain they cannot Pray, whenas it is because they do not practise. If they would set upon practise, God would be with them. And O that I could prevai● with those of you, that make this Objection against praying in your families; to go home and make trial. I am persuaded that if you would but try, and set upon the practise of Family Prayer in earnest, the Lord God would be with you.  
3. Labour for the true fear of God in your hearts. No Man that truly fears God, but he can pray in some measure, as you heard from Psal. 32. 6. Every one that is godly shall pray. Grace will make a man sensible of his Spiritual wants, and that will set him a praying. They that see themselves perishing will cry to God for Salvation. So is it with the Godly man. Ye●, where there is true grace, there will be family Prayer. The Lord saith He will pour upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of Grace. and then Families, Families, would pray and mourn apart, Zech. 12. 10.  
4. Be much in Secret Prayer: go into thy Closet; there b●g for grace; yea, pray for the spirit of Prayer. That the Lord would be pleased to give his Holy Spirit unto you, and thereby enable you to pray. And by praying in thy Closet, thou wilt be made able to pray with thy Family. So mayest thou become like to Cornelius, who feared God with all his house and prayed alway.   

The Sincere Servants of God will make Conscience of Secret Prayer.  2 TIM. 1. 3. Without c●asing I have remembrance of thee in my Prayers day and night. 
THe Apostle Paul in this verse doth intimate two things.  
1 His own sincerity in serving God. He freely confesseth himself to be the Lords Servant God whom I serve And there are two expressions, both which may denote his sincerity therein. One is that of his serving God from his fore-Fathers. He served the same God, and after the same manner that his fore-fathers had done. As for his immediate fore-fathers they were Jews and Pharisees; and time was when he had served God as they had taught him: but those words may have respect to more remote Fathers, viz. The holy patriarches, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, &c. Another expression denoting the Apostles sincerity, is, that of his serving God with a pure Conscience, which implieth that he was ever careful to act according to the light of his conscience; so indeed he was before his conversion unto Christ, Act. 23. 1. It implieth also, that his heart was purified by saith in the Lord Jesus. For only they have a pure conscience in the fight of God, who are purged from the guilt of sin in the blood of Christ. It implieth moreover, an holy conversation; a due respect both to first and second Table duties: Mens Consciences are wont to be according to their actions: evil act●ons will pollute the Conscience: yea, the expression impor●s inward as well as outward serving God, Rom. 1. 9.  
2. The Apostle in this verse, intimateth his love and affection un●o Timothy. Both in that he did give thanks to God for him. So the verse begins, I thank God, namely for Timothy, partly in that Timothy had such a great respect for Paul; and it is matter of th●nkfulness unto God, when he giveth a man a great interest in the hearts of others who fear the Lord, though in gifts his infe●io●●. He saith in the next verse, I am mindful o● thy tears. Probably in those words, he m●y have respect unto the tears which Timothy she●, at his pa●ting with the Apostle, when he 〈◇〉 from Ep●●s●s: and he did bless God for the grace which he saw in Timothy; that there was Faith unfeigned in him, which dwel● first in his Grandmother Lois, and in his Mother E●●ice verse 5. We should bless God for the grace we see in others, and especially in young men. Paul was now aged, and hastening out of the world; but he thanked God, when he saw that Timothy a young man did inherit the graces of his godly pre●ecessors. And he must needs rejoice the more, to see how Religion and the fear of God was propagated from generation to generation, even to the third generation.  
Again, he testified his affection towards Timothy, by being abundant in prayer for him. We find that this Apostle doth begin another Epistle after the same manner, signifying his affection to those he wrote unto, by declaring how he d●d give thanks and pray on their behalf, Rom. 1. 8, 9. The Prayers here referred unto, must of necessity be understood of his secret Prayers. For we cannot in reason suppose, that he did always remember Timothy in public, but in his secret addresses to the Throne of Grace; which shows that he was constant and conscionable in the practise of that sort of Prayer,  
From which consideration the Doctrine is,  
That the sincere Servants of God, will make conscience to practise that duty of secret Prayer, day and night without ceasing.  
There are three things that may here be inquired ●nto.  
1. H●w it doth appear that the sincere Servants of Go●, w●l m●ke c●nscience of practising that du●y of Secret Prayer?  
2. Wha● is ●mo●ied in t● is expression of praying day and night without cea●ng.  
3. Th● 〈◇〉 s why m●n especially sincere Christians ●●o●d practise this d●ty?  
Q. 1. How ●oth it appear that the sincere Servants of God will make conscience of practising that duty of Secret Prayer?  
Ans. 1. The many Instances recorded in the Scripture, concerning the faith●ul Servants of God, who have conscientiously practised t●is duty, are an evidence of the truth of this Doctrine.  
As to the great and ess●n●ial ●uties of Relion, all that ru●y fear God, practise alike: as the Apostle do●h here intim●te, wh●n he ●aith, I serve God from my fore-fathers. A true Servant of God, will follow the pious example of those that have g●ne before him walki●g in the same way of holiness, which they hav● done, Prov. 2● 20. Heb. 6 12.. Now concerning this duty of secret Prayer, w● find many Example●( both in the Old Testament, and in th● Ne●) of the Lords Servants, who have thus practised; and that as to all sorts of men, Superiors, In●eriors, fathers, Children Masters, Servants who have had the fear of God planted in their hearts, thus did Abr●ham, Gen. 18. 23. and Eliezer, Abrahams go●ly Servant, Gen. 24 12. And Isaac his gracious Son; It is noted of him, ver. 63. That he w●nt out to med●tate; or( as the Hebrew word Lasuac● may be red,) to pray. The word signifiet● both to pray and to meditate, and it is not amprobable ●ut that Isaac did at that time, nothing but what was his daily custom to do, even ●e●ire himself from all company, for secret prayer and meditation, And the like we red concerning Jacob, that he did wrestle with the Lo●d in secret Prayer, Gen. 32. 24. They are not the spiritual seed of Jacob that never do thus. I might mention Hezekiah, Daniel, Jeremiah, Peter, and many other holy Servants of God, of whom we red in the Scripture, that they did practise this duty. Yea, we have the greatest example that ever was, set before us for our imitation in this particular, that is Christs own example; of whom it is said, that He departed into a solitary place and there prayed, Mark 1. 35. That He went apart to pray, Mat. 14. 23. That be withdrew himself and prayed, Luk. 5. 16. And as the Lord Jesus Christ said, respecting another duty, I have given you an example th●t ye should do as I have done, Joh. 13. 15. so doth he say as to this duty of Secret Prayer▪ I have given you an example, and caused it to be entred upon everlasting Record, that so you that are my Disciples may in this follow me; and truly the sincere Disciples of Christ, will make conscience, so to walk as he walked● ● Joh. 2. 6. They will strive to writ alter the blessed Copy, which their Master Christ hath set before them.  
2. The truth is further evident, in that every sincere Servant of God doth make Conscience of obeying all his Commandments, Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy precepts. Now the Lord hath commanded men that they should worship him, not only in public, and in Families, but in secret also, Eph. 6. 18. Pray with all prayer: we have formerly shewed, that secret prayer is in that precept enjoined, as well as public and family Prayer. And when the Lord in his word ●aith to men, commune with your hearts, Psal. 4. 4. those two great duties, wherein much of Religion doth consist, viz. self examination, and secret Prayer are implied. Yea, this duty is most expressly commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ, who saith When thou prayest enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which seeth in secret, Matth. 6. 6▪ The sincere man doth not live in the commission of any known sin, nor in the wilful omission of any known duty. Surely then, not in the om●ssion of so great and known and plainly commanded duty as this of secret prayer, is:  
3. He that is sincere doth in special aim at approving himself in the sight of God. Hence is that expression of Godly sincerity, 2 Cor. 1. 12. because the sincere man doth especially desire ●o have Gods approba●ion. And therefore he abstains from secret sins, as Joseph did; yea, he dare not so much as in his thoughts give w●y unto that, which he knoweth sinful, because he remembers that the eye of God is upon him and doth therefore study to approve himself, no● only unto men, but u●to God. Hence also he practiseth secret duties, which the Lord ●lo●e is witness of. This we see in Nathaniel, that Israelite indeed in whom th●re was no reigni●g guile Joh. 1. 47 48. when tha● sincere Israelite was alone under the Fig-tr●e, ●o ●oub● praying there; the Son of God who hath eyes like a flamme of Fire saw him, and did highly approve of his sincerity, of w●ich the spirit that breathed in his secret prayers was a great discovery.  
4. They that are sincere do in a peculiar manner delight in those duties wherein the greatest intimacy with God is to be enjoyed.  
Thats one difference between an Hypocrite and a sincere child of God. An hypocrite w●ll rest in the extornal perfo●mance of du●y▪ though he hath no communion wi●h God therein, whenas one that is sincere doth aim at that in duty; and ●herefore t●e mor● intim●cy of communion with God, is to be enj●yed, the more care●ul is he not to neglect such a duty. Now this is true concerning Secret Prayer. Did Abraham, did Jacob, did Moses, did Daniel, and other servants of the Lord, whom we red of in the Scripture, ever meet with more o● God, then when they were in secret, pouring out their hearts before him? Intimate friends when they are alone, can speak more freely, and have a fuller communion then when others are by: so it is here. A Believer can not so freely express himself before the Lord as to many particulars when others are by, as he can when there is none present but God and he. In secret places, he can speak his whole heart; and pou● out his soul into the bosom of God, and of Jesus Christ  
Q. 2. What is implied in this expression, of praying day and night without ceasing?  
Ans. 1. It implieth constancy in the practise of this duty. Thus when it is said, Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess 5. 17. i. e. don't begin to practise the duty, and afterwards leave off; but hold out all your dayes therein. It is the same with that, Eph. 6. 18. Praying with all perseverance. So that Phrase of night and day, intends the same thing, Rev. 7▪ 15. They serve him day and night in his Temple, h. e. continually and without intermission. Thus Isai. 62. 6. The watchmen of Jerusalem shall not hold their peace day nor night, h. e. they shall hold on in their duty. Time you know is divided into day and night. If then a man shall continue to serve God, both by night and by day▪ then he doth serve him always.  
2. It implieth Frequency. Those words without ceasing, some red without intermission. Not but that the duty of Prayer may and must be intermitted, as to actual perf●rman●e, that so other duties as to our general ●r particu●●r calling may be attended, but the spirit of the ●u●y should not be intermitted, christians must be careful that they never lose that: There ou●ht to be an habitual inc●ination, and readiness ●o attend the duty of prayer, whenever called thereunto: Also, there should be a frequency therein, as to actual pe●formance And when it is said, that a man should pray in secret, day and night, that implieth, that be should do so very often. Psal. 1. 2. 1 Th●ss 3. 10. Indeed, secret Prayer should be every mans daily practise. Therefore when Christ bid his Disciples pray in secret, he bids them say, Give us this day, &c. Mat. 6. 6, 11. from whence we may infer that secret Prayer should be a Christians daily practise. It is not determined in the Scripture, how often every man must pray in secret: Only that he ought to do thus daily. We find that Daniels constant course was to pray by himself three times every day, Dan. 6. 10. And David saith, that he did praise God seven times a day, h. e. often times, Psal. 119. 164. And there is great reason that men should offer prayers and praises before God in secret, at least once every day, and once every night; so may they be said to pray without ceasing night and day.  
We come now to inquire into the reasons of this Doctrine.  
Reas. 1. From the consideration of the 〈◇〉 presence of God. He seeth and ●ears that is d●ne not only in public Assemblies, and in Families, but in close●s, Jer. 23. 24. Can any bide himself in secret places, that I shall not s●e him, saith the Lord, do not I fill Heaven and Earth? This reason is urged as an Argument for secret Prayer, even because our Heavenly Father seeth in secret, Mat 6. 6. If men do not practise this duty● it argueth great atheism, and that they do not really, and with their whole hearts, believe the o●●niprese●ce of God; so by the practise hereof, t●ey testify that they have the sen●e of th●s Truth upon their hearts; therefore should they pray in secret.  
Reas. 2. Because there are many requests fit and necessary to be mentioned before the Lord is secret, that may not be expressed before others, e. g. Requests concerning a mans particular wants, which may press him, and oppress him: and concerning his secret sins which he hath been guilty of before the Lord. If God by his providence hath kept a mans sins from the knowledge of the world he would sin grievously in divulging his own secret sins, and yet as ever he doth desire the pa●●●on of them, o● the salvation of his soul, and must confess and bewail them before God in i●s●e●ret places: in which respect, secret prayer is ●ecessary. Again, a child of God may be molested with the prevalency of some particular corrupti●n or temptation, which it is not meet to speak of before others, yet it concerns him to cry unto God day & night for power against it. There are also requests which may respect particular persons, whose cases and circumstances may be su●h as others should not know of; upon which account also prayer in secret is necessary. There are some that a man may have special reason to pray ●or them in his secret ad●resses to the Throne of grace; as Paul for Timothy. There are also some that we ought to pray against them, viz. special and implacable Enemies of the Lords Name & People. w●om i● may no be convenient to men●ion whilst others are in hearing; but we should put the Lord in mind of them, and those arrows which are shot out of closerts, will at last fall upon them, and smite them down into the pit.  
Reas. 3. Equity requireth this from the Lords Servants. He brings them into his chambers; Cant. 1. 4. The King has brought and into his Chambers. Therefore they ought to bring him into their chambers. There is a secret providence of God at work for them continually, Psa. 31. 20. Thou shalt hid them in the secret of thy presence, thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion. Shall the Lord hid his Servants in these chambers of safety which he hath prepared for them? & shall not they pray unto him and praise him in their secret Chambers? yea, and as for sincere Believers, the Lord hath provided chambers for them in his house, even in the palace Royal of Heaven, there to praise his Name for ever more. There ●re in ●he mean time they should praise him a●d pray un●o h●m day and night in their Chambers here. The Lord said unto the Prophet Zechariah, If thou wilt keep my charge, I will give thee places to walk amongst these that stand by. Zech. 3. 7 Intimating that the faithful Servants of God, shall o●e day wa●k in the G●lleries ●f Heaven, amongst the Holy Angels that are the●e It is but reason then, that they should bring the Lord into their closerts here upon earth.  
Use 1. Of Reprehension:  
1. To them that neglect Secret Prayer. Are there not many whose Consciences are smiting them whilst the Word of the Lord is speaking to them. How many Children, and young ones that never go alone to pray! You children did you this day go, & the last night go alone to pray? yea, and there are elder ones, that the chambers they lodge in, will witness against them at the last day, for li●ing in h● neglect of secret Prayer before the Lord, They are many times alone whole nights together, but as ●t i● s●ld of the wicked, God it not in all their thoughts. Well, be assured, if ever God intend mercy to thy foul, he will make thee get alone to pray, and to pour out thy Soul in his presence. For( as I have formerly shewed) in Conversion, thatis one of the first things, a poor sinner begins to be in earnest in his Secret Prayers and cries to Heaven. As it was said of Paul, w●ilest in the pangs of the n●w birth, Act. 9. 11. behold he prayeth, so if the Lord convert and save thy soul. behold! thou wilt pray in secret.  
2. This R●proof belongs to them also, who are not fre●uent and constant in the practise of this duty. Alas! I know there have been many that the Word of the Lord hath met wi●● them; they have been Sermon sick, and then they would pray in secret; but they have not ●one thus without ceasing. Their convictions have died and they became as prayerless as ever in their lives before Or it may be, some distressing affliction or other, hath brought them upon their k●ees before the Lord. Like those in Isai 26. 16. Lord, in trouble they visited thee, they poured out a prayer, when thy chastening was upon them. Ah! Lord God, hath it not been thus, with many a soul that hears me this day? but their distresses being removed, they continue not in secret prayer. ●Oh consider what the Scripture saith, Heb. 10 38. If any draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him. To begin a course of Prayer, and then to leave off again is to draw back. Will the Lord take pleasure in such? He hath said, he will not. And yet I wish there be not Professors of Religion▪ Church members, whose consciences do( or may) accuse them for inconstancy in the performance of this great duty of secret prayer. If thou art s●ch an one, thou hast on thee one of the sad marks of an Hypocrite: for it is ●ai● of the Hypocrite Will be always call upon God? Job 27. ●0 I wonder how such men, & women, c●n think that they ●elong to God, 〈◇〉 that they have a real interest in heaven, who can find in their hearts to live without secret communion with him: especially considering, that the Scripture tells them, that he that shall allow himself in the w●lful br●ach of the least Commandment, shall not be admitted, nor accounted of in the kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 1●. where then will they appear, who live in the neglect of so great a Commandment as this of secret prayer is?  
3. This Reproveth those that instead of praying in secret are sinning in secret. The Apostle saith, it is a shane to speak of those things which are done of some in secret. Eph. 5. 12. How do wretched sinners bless themselves, if they c●n s●● out of the sight of men: especially as to ●hat iniquity of which it is said, that the abhorr●● of the Lord shall fall into it. They commit Adul●●ry, and other sorts of unclean abominations i● secret places: or they live in secret self pollution which is commonly the young mans sin; ●n ●●il condemned in the Scripture under the name of uncleanness, and sometimes under the N●me of Effeminateness; and the word of the Lord ●aith, that whoever liveth in it● shall certainly be excluded o●t of the kingdom of Heaven. In●●●d of m●urning and bleeding in secret places that ever thou hast been guilty of this sin, dost thou ●ill li●e in it? then wo to thy soul. There are two things which I am sure thou dost not remember as thou shouldst do.  
1. Thou dost not remember that the all-seeing e●e of an infinite God looketh upon thee. If a child of seven years old saw thee, thou wouldst be afraid and ashamed to commit that sin; and wouldst thou do it, if thou didst behold God looking on thee?  
2. Neither dost thou remember the day of judgement For then every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil will be brought to light. eccles. 12. 14. If thou didst believe that all the world should one day hear of tha● secret sin of thine, wouldst thou commit i●? certainly if men considered 〈◇〉 is they would sin in secret less, and pray in 〈◇〉 more.  
Use 2. Of Exhortation, to follow the Apostles Example, by being much in the practise of this duty of secret Prayer.  
Do but consider, the good and benefit which will follow Whoever is ●●●re therein shall find that his secret prayers have not been lost labour. A man may thereby obtain mercy for his own soul: even grace and spiritual blessings. Solemons wisdom was given to him as on answer unto his secret prayers. Comfort and assurance of Gods favour may in this way be ob●ained: you that complain, you have not ass●r●nce of your salvation, consider of it. There have been those( I could tell you o● marvelous instances to this purpose) that when they have been upon their knees in secret, the holy Spirit hath b●oke in upon their Souls w●th everlasting consolation. Yea, a man by secret Prayer may obtain mercy for his Family. The lives of all Jacobs children were spared, in answer to their Fathers prayers in secret. Nay more, one righteous man by prayer in secret, may be a means to divert Judgement, and to obtain mercy for the whole Town, and Land where he dwells. How far did Abraham by his prayers in secret prevail for Sodom; and Moses for Israel? And what m●rcy did Eli●ah and Amos obtain for the whole Land by their secret prayers?  
And truly they are the persons who 〈◇〉 like to experience special mercy in the evil day. They that pray much in secret, and that mo●rn continually in secret places, because of the sins of the times, shall experience if not temporal( that which is better) spiritual 〈…〉 ti●●s in a day of 〈◇〉 c●l●mity, Ez●k. 9. 4. Jer. ●3. 17.  
For Direction ●ere.  
1. Be 〈…〉 secret Prayer.  
Men should in secret before the Lord, often bewail every sin they have been guilty of whilst in a state of unre●eneracy. As to the kind of sin, that is, though it may be the acts of sin have been so often ●terate●, as 'tis not possible to mention them all particularly) And if after conversion they fall ●nto evils, for which Conscience condemns them, they should particularly aclowledge those sins in their secret addresses u●to the throne of Grace, begging for the pardon of them. Particular plagues of heart should be mourned for in secret: so there are particular m●rcies to be praye● for; and particular fr●en●s( near Relations especially) which ought to be remembered in secret prayers day and night without ceasing. Personal and particular co●cern● are to be enlarged upon in closet prayer especially.  
2. Take heed of resting in the external performance of this duty. Do not think that you must needs be saved, merely because you pray in secret. You especially, who are the Children of godly Parents, and have ever practised this duty▪ because of the frequent Exhortations, and Examples which have been set before you. Oh rest not here, without experiencing a work of true Faith and Regeneration in your Souls. Remember, that though a man cannot be sincere, if he live in the neglect of so great a duty, yet he may continue in the practise of it, after a formal manner( as Paul before his conversion did, Phil. 3. 6. Luk. ●8. 4. and for all that, remain in a state of hypocrisy. Nor indeed is there any ●uty, but an Hypocrite may attend it without ceasing, as to the external part of the duty. Wherefore, beware of taking up with that.  
3. Labour after intimacy of Communion with God therein. Its true, we must remember our distance, considering that God is in Heaven, and we a●● on Earth. He is an infinite Majesty, and we are poor inconsiderable dust-heaps; and therefore may not forget that we are ●ust and ashes, when we take upon us to speak unto the Lord of heaven and earth. Neverthel●ss he all●weth us to be humbly familiar with his divine Majesty An ●oly man upon his deathbed could s●y, If ●●e walls of this chamber could speak, they would testify how often I have m●t with God here; and how familiar he hath been with my Soul. Oh labour after that, to know by blessed experience, what it is to have intimate communion with God in closerts, and to be familiar with the Lord Jesus there.  
4. Practise other duties in secret, which are an help to Prayer. e. g. Self-examination is a great help unto secret prayer. When a man upon examination and serious reflections upon himself, seeth what his defects have been and are; and withal p●rcei●eth what God hath done for his soul, he m●st needs thereby be quicke●ed in his calling upon the Name of the Lord. And red the Scriptures daily in secret: and having so done, meditate and ponder upon what you have red; and then fall upon your knees before the Lord, and pour out your very hearts in his presence: And know for ●our encouragement that your secret prayers shall one day be rewarded op●nly Mat. 6. 6. When you come ●o die, you will not repent of the time that hath been thus spent▪ nor at the last day when the Lord Jesus w●● openly before all the World speak of the secret Prayers( as well as secret Aims deeds) of his servants. O how glorious will i● be, wh●n Christ shall say( as sometimes to Nathaniel) I saw thee every day and night upon thy knees in thy Closet; I bestowed me●cy on others out of respect to thy prayers, and brought about great changes in the world, in answer thereunto? Blessed is that Servant whom the Lord shall find that doing.   

baptized Persons are under Sacred and aweful Obligation to the Lord.  GAL. 3. 27. For as many of you, as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. 
THe Apostle having declared that men are justified only by Faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law, he doth obviate and answer some objections, which certain self teachers who troubled the Churches in Galatia, after Pauls departure from amongst them; would be ready to make: one of which was, that then 〈◇〉 was an useless thing; and that if life could not be obtained thereby, it was given in vain to the children of Israel. He therefore sheweth, that the Law was of great use. 1. To convince of sin, ver. 19. 2. To led unto Christ ver. 24. The moral Law doth convince of sin; and so help men to a sight of their need of a Saviour: but especially, the Ceremonial Law, was a Schoolmaster to led unto Christ. All the Ceremonies did one way or other po●nt at Christ. Every S●c●ifice  told the Jews that they deserved Death; and that if ever they were saved from eternal death it must be by the Blood of Christ.  
Having cleared the Truth, and given a s●tisfactory Answer unto Objections proposed; he proceeds further to confirm his Assertion, that the Ceremoni●l Law is abrogated, and that Believers are not now bound to observe it. And this he proveth from the consideration of their Adoption, ver. 26. It is true, that Old Testament Believers, though under the Law, were nevertheless the Children of God. But they were like Children in minority, who are under School-masters; whenas now Believers are like Children come to Adult age, that need the help of a School master no longer, A Child in minority, though his Fathers Heir, is under Tutors and Governours.; but Children grown up to Ma● estate are not so. Thus the Church before the ●oming of Christ was in its minority, and there ●re might be under such a severe and grievous School-master as the Law was: But now the Church being come to greater perfection, is not so. Believers under the Gospel are to be esteemed as the Adopted Children of God; and that no● as Children u●der age, bu● fit for the enjoyment of high privileges. And that is evinced in this verse ●rom ●he consideration of that baptism into the Name of Christ▪ which his Servants a●e t●e Subject, of. The, that ●re incorporated into Christ, and made one with him; must needs be the Children of God. S●●re you( saith the Apostle) witness your baptism. Men may be said to put on Christ.  
1. When they have an interest in him, and in his glorious Righteousness; as a garment to adorn their Souls.  
2. When they imitate his graces, have received his Spirit, and follow his Example. Not that all baptized persons do thus really; but they are all under the deepest and most sacred and solemn obligation so to do. They professedly put on Christ. They are under engagement by their baptism to look after Salvation from Christ, and to obey him in all things, to follow him as the Captain of their Salvation.  
The Doctrine which may therefore be insisted on from these Words, is;  
That baptism doth bring those that are baptized under Sacred, and most aweful Obligations to the Lord.  
There are two things that may be inquired into for the clearing of this Doctrine:  
1. How it doth appear that baptized persons are under sacred and aweful Obligations to the Lord?  
2. What those Obligations are; or, what things baptism doth oblige the Subjects of it unto?  
Q. How doth it appear that baptized persons are under Obligations to the Lord?  
Ans. 1. The truth of this Doctrine is evident, in that baptism is a sign and seal of that Covenant which God hath through Jesus Christ, graciously established with the children of men.  
It hath seemed good to the wisdom of God, to appoint some visible signs, to be for tok●ns and intimations of the Covenant which is between himself and his people. When he made a ●ovenant with Abraham, he did institute that ordinance of Circumcision, to be for a sign of the Covenant? Gen. 17. 11. H●nce we rea● of the Covenant of Circumcision, Act 7. 8. because the Subjects of that Ordinance, did by their submission thereunto; declare and testify that they became the Lords Covenant servants. The New-Testament hath only two Seals or Sacraments annexed to it; the first of which is baptism. Hence the Apostle in 1 Pet. 3. 21. speaking of baptism, he speaketh also of the Answer of a good Conscience, which expression alludeth unto ●tipulation or Covenan●ing with God, implying that in baptism, men do come under a sacred Obligation to be the Lords. When it is propounded to a man, wilt thou promise to be the servant of God, and of Jesus Christ? if he answers again▪ I will be so and doth make this promise in sincerity, thatis the answer of a good conscience, and then his baptism doth( as a sign and seal of the Covenant) save him. The Covenant a one binds unto du●y: but when s●aled, that a●deth to the Obligation. The ●ond is made the stronger thereby.  
2. baptism is in holy privilege. That which only some have a right unto; viz Those that are amongst the number of the Lords visible people. baptism doth of right be●ong unto all and only such. To Christs Disciples, Joh 4. 1. To Believers, or such ●s do v●sibly belong unto Jesus Christ, as his sheep, o● as his lambs, Mark 16. 16. It is the mark and livery whereby Christs Servants are distinguished from those that worship other Gods. We know that amongst men, the Servants belonging to great personages, use to wear such a Livery, by which Cognizanc●, they are known to be the Servants of such a Master. And the Lord Christ hath commanded that baptism shall be the Livery, whereby his Servants shall be distinguished from others in the world. Now privileges are always attended with obligations unto duty. Inasmuch then, as Baptism is an holy privilege, it leaveth a deep Obligation upon th● souls of those who are made the Subjects of it that they approve themselves in all respects as becometh the Lords Servants to do.  
3. Glorious things are signified and sealed by baptism. e. g. Union with Christ As that expression in the Text, of being Baptized into Christ doth import, our incorporation into Christs mystical body, is signified by baptism. There is an external Union with Christ, which all th● Lords visible Covenant people concerned in. Hence we red of branches in him, which do not bear fruit, Joh. 15. 2●. Men and women who are Members of the visible, bu● not of the invisible Church and body of Christ, are such; and h●i● external union and relation unto the Lord Christ is by baptism sealed unto all who are by div●ne institution the subjects of that or●inance. There is also, a real saving union with him, which is sealed to the true believer in baptism. As surely as he hath been baptized, so certain i● it, that he is become one wi●h Christ. Also, communion with Christ in respect of his death and resurrection, is thereby signified and sealed, as the Apostle sheweth, Rom. 6. 3, 4. Know ye not that so many of us, as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death, therefore we are butted with him, by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead, by the glory of the Father, evenso we should walk in newness of life. When water is put upon the person Bapt●sed, thatis a sign of his communion with Christ in respect of His death and burial, and when he is brought from under the water again, thatis a sign of his Communion with Christ in respect of his Resurrection. And hence, baptism doth signify un●o Believers that Communion which they have with Christ in respect of all t●e saving benefits procured by his death, and by his resurrection, 1 Pet. 3. 21. baptism doth save us, ●y the resurrection of Jesus Christ; it is unto us a Sacrament, signifying that we are saved through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Justification by the righteousness of Christ is held forth thereby. And so indeed Circumcision did declare that Justification was to be obtained through Faith in the Rig●teousness of Christ. For which cause the Scripture saith that it was a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith, Rom. 4. 11. The remission of sins is signified by baptism, Mark 1. 4. Act. 2. 38. Therefore Ananias said unto Paul Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins Act. 22. 16. baptism doth intimate, that the guilt of sin is washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is likewise signified thereby. It is therefore said that the Lord did sanctify and cleanse his Church with the washing of water, Eph. 5. 26. When the body is subjected unto water in baptism, those pure waters of the Spirit of Grace, wherewith the so●ls of Gods Elect are sprinkled and washed from the filth of sin, are thereby sign●fied. Yea, and Glorification is thereby assured unto the true Believer in Christ, that he is admitted into the number of Gods adopted Children; and therefore is become an Heir of that kingdom which doth belong unto the children of God. All these mysteries are signified a●d sealed unto sincere Christians pos●●tively by their baptism; and unto all that are baptized conditionally, h. e in case they do repen●a●d believe. Now if such glorious things are signified and sealed by baptism, the Souls of men must needs be brought un●er, a deep and holy Obligation unto t●e Lord thereby.  
4. The dreadful Name of God, is put upon those that are baptized. Therefore they are said to be baptized, not only in, but ( ●is To onoma) into the Name of t●e Father, a●d of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 28 1●. because the Name of the only true God, who ●s Father Son, and Spirit; is put upon th●m. Which expression, doth imply, that baptized persons, are adopted into Gods Family; and that therefore they are bound to walk worthy of that great and holy Name which is put upon them. Men are also baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Act. 8 16. & 15 5. according to the Hebrew style, to be baptized into the Name of another, is to become wholly devoted unto his service; and to yield ones self in all things to his direction. Thus baptized persons, are devoted and dedicated unto the peculiar service of God, and of Jesus Christ, who is become their Lord; and therefore they are under engagement to acquit themselves accordingly ●he consecration of God being upon them, they must needs be un●er great Obligations unto Duty.  
We come therefore unto the second enquiry, viz. What things baptism doth oblige the Subjects of it unto?  
Ans. 1. baptism doth oblige unto Faith in God, and in Jesus Christ.  
The subject of it, are bound to believe in that only true God, into whose alone Name they have b●en baptized. It doth oblige not only unto an Historical Faith, or to believe that every word of God is true; but unto a Faith of adherence and dependence upon God for life and Salvation; and this as to every one of the persons in the Sacred Trinity, according to their distinct personal Relations. We are( as a judicious ●n● exc●llent Preacher well express●th) obliged by our baptism to depend upon God the Father, as the Fountain of all our good, and all-sufficient happiness, and to rest upon the Son of God, as our Redeemer, expecting life and salvation through his merit and ●ediation, and to believe in God the Holy Ghost, as our Sanctifier, Comforter and Guide in the way to Glory.  
2. All baptized Persons are obliged by their baptism, to make an open Profession of the Name of God in Christ, though exposed to never such hazards and outward miseries on account thereof. It oblige●h us, ●o: to be ashamed of our Religion, and holy profession; but to be willing that the whole world should see and know, that we are the servants of the only true God, and of his Son Jesus Christ. It is noted concerning the Lords Sealed ones, that they had the Fathers Nam● written in their Forehea●s. Rev. ●4. 1. Th●se are thereby in ended, who make a hold and open pr●fessi●n of the Name, and ●ure Worship of God, during the r●●gn of Ant●christ; notwithstanding their bein● exposed to dangers and sufferings on that account. It is no● enough for me● to believed at there is one God distinguished into three persons; or that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; but they must openly confess the Name of this God in Christ, owning themselves to be his Servants, whatever the event of such a profession, as to sufferings in the world may be. Now by baptism men do thus. Hence it is said, Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, h. e. he that doth both inwardly and sincerely believe on Christ, and that shall by his submitting to baptism, declare before all the World, that he is a Believer on Christ, is o●e unto whom the Gospel doth promise Salvation. And indeed, in those times of persecution, if a man did subject him●el● to that Institution of Christ, it was a great sign of his being a true Believer, inasmuch as be did thereby expose himself to all sorts of dangers and miseries from the world, for Christs sake. For then, if a man did consent to be baptized into the Name of Christ; immediately his Estate, Liberty, Life. and all was in danger to be taken from him.  
3. baptized persons, are bound to renounce, disown, and forsake those things which would keep them from serving God and the Lord Jesus Christ. e. g They are under solemn engagement to renounce all Idols; to ser●e them no longer; for thatis inconsistent w●●h being the Lords servant. T●e Ge●tiles before their Conversion, did service unto them which by nature are no Gods, Gal. 4 8. but when they had submitted unto baptism, they were un●er the strongest obligation tha● could be, never to serve Ia●ls any more not to worship any one, besides that Go● who is Fat●er, Son and Sp●rit. And they are bound to forsake the service of sin, and not to live under the dominion thereof, Rom. 6. 2, 3. Shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? so many of us as were baptized, &c. The Apostle doth not affirm, that it is impossible for men that are in respect of their baptism professedly dead unto sin, to live therein; but that it is very unsuitable for th●m so to do; and that they are under the greatest and most sacred obligations to the contrary. An● hence another Apostle speaketh, as 2 Pet. 1. 9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Which words may well allude unto baptism, importing that men by subjecting thereunto● profess and engage unto God, that they will forsake their sins & former evil ways, and walk no more therein, Also the baptized person doth renounce the World, so far as it stands in opposition to Christ. He is under engagement n●t to be( in spiritual●●espects and as to matters of Faith and Soul concernments) the servant of any man in the world, 1 Cor. 7 23. And therefore he may n●t call himself after the name of this 〈◇〉 Sect master, as Papists are wont to do, who call th●ms●lves, Scotists, or Th● masts, or 〈◇〉, o Francilcan●, &c. This is 〈◇〉 against the Scripture, and against that obl●gation which baptism brings men unde, by 〈◇〉 whereof baptise● persons, are, ●nly after the Name of Chr●t, to c●ll themselves Christants. H●d the C●rinthians, called themselves Paulites, or Petrites, or Apo●lonists, a●●er the Nam●s of those ●amous Mini●●ers of Christ, they had g●eatly si●ned against their baptism, 1 Cor. 1. 13. Yea, and the baptized person is bound to forsake all vain, worldly Comparions, so far as society with them, is an hindrance to communion with God. And to renoun● he things of the world also, so▪ when they stand in opposition to, or compe●ition with the things of Christ. If a man after he is baptized shall set his heart inordin●tely upon earthly van●ties, he breaketh his baptismal vow an● covenant with God, Mat. 6. 4.  
4. baptized ones, are under obligation to approve themselves, holy persons. They are bound to live a sanctified life. If they have been washed with the holy water of baptism, that signifie●h to them that now th●y must approve themselves, as those that have the consecration of God upon them ought to do, in all holy conversation and godliness, Eph. 5. 26. They are now bound to live, as becomes the Servants of such an Holy Lord, as God is, and as Christ is, for to do. There are two things in Sanctification; unto both which baptism doth in the most solemn manner oblige those that are the Subjects of it.  
1. To mortify sin. The baptized person hath vowed the death of sin, and that he will never be reconciled to that Enemy, but will maintain was with the Amalikites for ever. As Christ hath died for sin, so the person that is baptized into his Name, is under a most sacred Obligation, to endeavour to be continually dying to sin, Rom. 6. 3.  
2. Another thing in Sanctification, is Vivification, or the living a new life to the honour of God. Thus the baptized p●rson, is under the most solemn engagement unto new obedience, to walk in newness of life. As Christ rose out of his Grave, and liveth for ever to the glory of t●e Father, so baptized persons are under engagement, to rise more and more out of the grave of sin, and to live such a life as that God may have glory from them, Rom. 6. 4, 5. In baptism, there is an intimation, that the subjects of it, are professedly and visibly now creatures; and that therefore they are bound to li●e like new creatures, Tit. 3. 5. Hence in the primitive times, baptized persons ha● t●e n●me of Regenerate●●ons! given to them, because t●ey were under obligation not to li●e to themselves ●r to the world, but unto God and u●to Jesus Christ. They are bound ●o live ● new and an●ther k●nd of life, th●n that which un●eg●nerate sinners are acqua●nt●● with. He●ce is that exp●ession in the Scripture of baptizing unto R●p●ntance, Ma●. 3. 11 because the subj●cts of that ordinance are bound to repent, h. e. to ●●rsake the ways of sin, and to walk in the contrary w●yes of ho●iness.  
5. Baptise● persons are under obligation to observe all the holy Institutions of the Lord Jesus. As the subjects of ci●cumcision were bound to observe all Mos●ical Laws and C●remonies Gal. 5 3. So a●e baptized ones to a●t●nd un●o all the Institutions of Christ. When the Lord saith unto his Ministers, baptize persons, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you, Mat. 28. 19. 20. That plainly sheweth, that such are by virtue of their baptism, under a religious obligation, to observe whatever the Lord hath commanded. Yea, and that expression of being baptized into his Name, doth imply no less. Therefore whatever hath the Name of Christ upon it, is to be duly respected, and so have all his institutions. And if any of th●se be rejected or neglected, the Name and Authority of Christ, is so far disowned, which is a direct violation of that which baptism requireth.  
6. baptism doth oblige Christians unto unity amongst themselves. It is a Seal of that spi●i●ual union which be●ievers have, both with Christ, and also through Christ, one wi●h another, 1 Cor 12. 13. We are all baptized into one body. ●t doth declare the Subjects of it, to be servants b●longing to the same Master: and that therefore they ought to be at unity amongst themselves. Hence the Apostle use●h that Argument to persuade Christians to endeavour to ke●p the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, because there is one baptism, Eph. 4. 5. They are all baptized into one and the same N●me▪ dedicated and dev●ted to be the Servants of one and the same Lord Jesus. Therefore b●und to be and continue one amongst themselves; and ●o beware how they make a schism in the body, or amongst the member, of Christ.  
7. baptism doth oblige men unto constancy in the way of obedience. It is an everlasting bond, A mark of the Lord, w●ich leaveth an eternal obligation unto duty upon the Souls of men. The Covenant is perpetual, Jer. 50. 5. Let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant, which shall not be forgotten. The Covenant is everlasting Isai 24. 5. They have broken the everlasting Covenant, i.e. that Covenant which ought never to have been broken by them. Therefore baptism confirming the Covenant, c●rrieth with it the force of an everlasting obligation. The person that is baptized, is bound to s●rve God not for a while only, but for ever. He is bo●nd to ●old ●ast the profession of his Faith without wavering. He i● bound to practise( as well as to profess) the thing that good i●, all his dayes. He is bound to continue i● his observing of divine Institutions, he is under obligation to be constant in his love to Saints, and to ●he Truths, and Worship, and Ordinances of God, even to the end of his dayes.  
Use. 1. Here is matter of Conviction and Awakening unto those that rest in external baptism, without coming up to that which they are obliged unto.  
Alas! there are many that do thus: yea, as for the generality of baptized persons, this is sadly true concerning them. How few are there, that ever had serious thoughts with themselves, about this matter? If they and their Children may be baptized, they look no further, as if that were all that the Lord requireth of them. And hence i● is, that many who are unholy and profane, having no right to baptism in sight of God nor of men neither for themselves nor for their Children are very desirous to have that ordinance administered to them; it is partly for that they suppose the reproach of Egypt will then be rolled away from them: it being esteemed a dishonourable thing to be un-baptised, where the name of a Christian is in ●re● it with the world: but chiefly, because they are not ware of that dreadful Obligation which th●ir Souls are brought under by baptism; and the a●oni●hing curse of Heaven, that w●ll at last most certainly come upon them, if they viola●e their baptismal Vow and Engagement unto the Lord.  
I desire an● solemnly charge such persons as in the fear of God, to consider of two things.  
1. That ●x●ernal baptism al●ne will n●t save them. Will you say of your baptism a● the Israelites said of the Ark? It shall 〈◇〉, 1 Sam. 4. 3. O dec●ive not your own Souls ●he Apostle having said, baptism now saveth us, ha● no one might mist●ke his mean●ng he●●d●s, not the putting away the filth of the fl●sh, not( saith he) a mere external washing of the body, but there must be the answer of a good Conscience, you must make Conscience, to answer the Obligation, which bap●●sme hath brought you under, or it will be no sign of Salvation to your Souls, 1 Pet. 3 21. ●you shall be as far off from Salvation as if you had never been baptized, if you rest there 1 Cor. 7. 19. Circumcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandme●●s of God. So baptism is nothing▪ if there be not that care to keep the Commandm●nts of God, which baptism obligeth unto. Rom. 2. 25. For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law, but if thou be a breaker of the Law, thy Circumcision is made uncircumcision. So I say, thy baptism will profit thee, if thou dost remember the aw●ul obligation, which thy Soul is brought under thereby; but if thou shalt be unmin●ful of thy engagement to be the Lords, thy baptism is made ●o baptism, as to any spiritual and eternal benefit, to be from thence expected, Is it not said, concerning the Children of Israel, that they were all baptized in the Cloud, and yet with many of them God was not well pleased, 1 Cor. 10. 2, 5. Outward baptism alone, will make no man, woman, nor child, acceptable unto God.  
2. baptism will be so far from saving, as that i● will ●end to the aggravation of their eternal condemnation at the last day, that do not remember how they have thereby been engaged to be the Lords.  
They have profaned the Covenant, and taken the dreadful Name of God in vain; therefore he will not hold them guiltless. They will one day wish that they had never been baptized, Eccles. 5. 5. better it is that thou shouldst not vow, then that thou shouldst vow and not pay. So it were better for thee not to be baptized, then that thou shouldst be baptized, and yet not be mindful of that baptismal vow which thy Soul is under; for thou wilt receive the greater damnation. The water of baptism will be turned into blood: Think awfully on that Scripture, Jer. 9. 25. 26. behold the dayes come saith the Lord, that I will p●nish the ci●cumcised with the unci●cumcised: Egypt, and Judah, and Edom &c for all those Nations are uncircumcised, and all the ho●se of Israel are uncircumcised in heart. E●en so▪ God will punish not only Heathen, and Je●s▪ a●d Turks, an● In●ians; fo● all these a●e unbaptized, but also professed Christ●an, yea● prote●●ant people, so these are generally u●b●p●i●●d in heart; their heart is not washed from their filthiness. It shall be easier for So●om an● Gom●rrha at the day of Judgement, then f●r impen●tent baptized persons. Consider this you that are unbaptized in heart. You● baptism will ris● up●n Judgement against you at the last day. ●t is reporte● concerning a man, whose name was Elpidophorus that a●ter his baptism Ap●stasing from the truth & ways o● God; the Minister who had administered that Ordina●ce to him shewed him the vestment wherein he had be●n baptized saying this shall accuse the● at the last day: so I say to thee, the place where thou wast baptized, and the Minister of God, that baptized thee, will be a witness ●g●inst th●e at the last day, if thou dost not live and practise according to that sacred obligation which thy soul is under.  
Use 2. Let those that have been baptized into Christ; be exhorted in the Name of the Lord this day, to improve their baptism.  
Consider, they are blessed that do thus. They that answer the obligation which by being made subject unto such an Ordinance of Christ, they are brought under, shall have all the grace and good which is signified thereby, most certainly performed to them. All that is contained in that comprehensive word, Salvation, shall be vouchsafed to them, 1 Pet. 3. 21. As sure as they have been baptized, so surely shall they be saved with an everlasting Salvation. They that have the inward as well as outward baptism, have really put on Christ, who will be a blessed Garment, to ●ide their nakedness, and cover their shane, a glorious rob, to adorn their Souls with. The Wedding Garment, the righteousness of Justification and Sanctification is theirs.  
Q. How should baptism be improved? unto what ends should we make use of our Christian baptism?  
Ans. In general unto all those ends which the Lord hath appointed it for. We are to impro●e our baptism for our help and furtherance in those things, which that Ordinance doth put us in mind of. Concerning the obligations, which Christians are brought under thereby, we have already spoken. Let me here add.  
1. That baptism should be improved unto unfeigned Humiliation in the Lords sight. For it puts us in mind of our natural defilement by sin. That our Souls need to be washed, in the Blood. and by the Spirit of Christ. And when we see baptism administered unto any; we should humbly, and with an holy shane reflect upon ourselves, in that we have lived no more according to that baptismal Engagement to be the Lords, and his only, which we should most frequently remember and consider, that so we might thereby be re●trained from sin, and quickened un●o duty.  
2. baptism should be improved unto thankfulness and admi●●tion at the grace of God in Christ Jesus. How wonderful, is that Grace, that such a● we are, should be of the Lords Family? ●hat the mark appert●ining to his sheep should be set upon us; and that our Children with us, have been solemnly owned as visibly belonging to God and to J●sus Christ, having the mark of ●is lambs on them! That Christ should put in for our Children in the first place, and by commanding his mark to be set upon them, bring them under engagement to be the Lords, before ever the Devil hath had any oppo●tunity to tempt them unto sin. O we should admire th●s Grace of God.  
3. We should improve our baptism as an help against Temptation. If tempted unto any wickedness. we should remember that we are baptized into Christ, and therefore may not sin against him. I have red of a godly person, that when tempted unto that which was evil in the sight of God, would reply and rep●l t●e Temptation, by saying, Nay, Sa●●n, I may not, 〈…〉 thing, because I have been baptized ●nt ●he Name of Christ. If we be at any time temp●ed to despair of Gods mercy; we should t●en ●●●k of our baptism. Luthe● sa●●, th●t ●hen he was molested with temptations of that na●u●e, he used to consider with himself Ba●tiza●●s ●●n & credo in crucisi●um, I am b●p●ised, and I believe in him that was cruci●●ed, so would the temp●ati●n vanish. In drowning times when our souls are r●ady to sink under discouragemen●s, we should ●emember and improve our baptism consideri●g that thereby our rising from under the waters of affliction,( as well as the Resurr●ction of our bodies out of the grave) is signified and seal●d, 1 Pet. 3. 20, 21. Therefore:  
4. baptism should be improved as an encouragement unto Faith and Prayer. Believers should from the consideration thereof, take heart; and not only pray, but Believe sin to death; and that they shall be made more and more h●ly, and enabled to live to God, inasmuch as Communion with Christ, in respect of his death and resurrection, hath been sealed and confirmed to them in baptism. Go before the Lord in secret, and say, ● Lord, hath not Christ dyed that so his servants might die to sin: and is he not risen, that they might live unto God? Hath not communion with him in respect of the benefits procured by his death and resurr●ction been sealed by my baptism? O then, let me become more and more dead unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ.  
And baptism, should be improved as an encou●agemen● unto Par●nts to believe as well as Pra● for their Children, that God will ci●cumcise their hearts making them partakers of the washing of Regeneration, that as wate● hath been poured on their bodies in the Name of Christ so converting grace shall be po●red down from Heaven upon their Souls. A●d children who have been baptized into Christ, should from that consideration, be encouraged to pray for Grace. Children harken to this wo●d. O let not your baptism ly by you, as a useless thing: G● to th● Lord, and say, Lord, thou art a God in Covenant w●th my Father, and with my Mother, and with me also; hast not thou promised to give a new heart to the house of Israel; and to sp●inkle thy Holy Spirit on them? Am not I of the house of Israel? hath not this promise been sealed to m in my baptism? O then give me a new heart. And if you thus seek unto him ea●nestly and sincerely; the Lord will be found of you.   

The Lords Supper is an Ordinance which Believers are under an indispensible Obligation to Observe.  1 COR. 11. 25. This do ye. 
IN this Context, the Apostle taketh notice of some abuses a●d profanations, which the Corinthians were guilty of, with respect unto that sacred Ordinance of the Lords Supper. And in order to a Reformation thereof, he puts them in mind of, and endeavours to reduce them unto the Pr●mitive Institution.  
In this, w●th the two preceding verses, the Apostle declareth what Christ did and said; at the time when he first insti●uted, and administered the Lords Supper; as also the principal end for which that Ordinance was ordained, sc. to be a commemoration of the death of Christ, and so of the Redemption purchased thereby.  
In the words before us to insist on, we have,  
1. The duty commanded, This do, h. e. the bread being according to Christs Institution, blessed and broken, take and eat thereof; and the cup being also consecrated, take and drink thereof; This is that which is to be done: in other wo●d●● it i● as much as if it were said, se● that you rel●giously observe and celebrate the L●r●s Supper, according to divine Institut●on.  
2. We have the persons, immediately concerned in this command: Ye, h. e. you that a●e the Disciples of Christ, you that are Believers, and able to discern the Lords Body.  
Doct. That the Lords Supper is an Ordinance, which Believers are under an indispensible Obligation to observe.  
There are three things which may here be inquired into. 1. What the Lords Supper is? 2. Who are meet subjects to partake of that Ordinance. 3 The Reason why Believers should a● this.  
Q. 1. What is the Lords Supper?  
A●s. The Lords Supper is the last Sacrament of the New-Testament.  
There are three particulars contained in this Proposition, which ●y b● distinctly spoken unto and e●●ced.  

1. That the Lords Supper is a Sacrament.  
2. A Sacrament of the New Testament.  
3. The last Sacrament thereof.   
1. It is a Sacrament. When spiritual mysteries are represented by outward s●gns thatis a Sacra●e●t: so it is h●●e. In every Sacrament there is an outward and and an inward part: a ca●n●l and a spiritual part, ●omet●ing th●t is visible and sensi●l●, and s●met●i●g that is not appreh●●ded b● the outward s●nses, which only the soul seeth, and an eye of ●aith looketh upon; or the outward sign and the thing signified. If inward Grace be signified by outward sign●s, thatis a Sacrament. Thus in the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, there are outward Elements and Sacramental Acti●ns, all which have a spiritual significa●cy with them.  
1. Bread and Wine are the outward Elements which by the sacred appointment of the Lord Jesus Christ are to be made use of, in that holy institution of his; as is expressly declared in this Context. So in the Gospel we red how Christ blessed Bread, &c, Mat. 26. 26. And the Cup, ver. 27, 28. this cup, h. e. the wine in this cup. That it was Wine a●d nothing else which that sacred cup contained, is evident from verse 29. where it was called the fruit of the Vine. Now as for the Bread, which the Lord Christ, hath charged his Disciples to seed upon in this Ordinance, thereby his B●●y is ●●gnified, so did the Lord himself declare at the time when he commanded this service to be relig●ously attended. This is my Body, h. e. it is so Sacramentally. It is necessary that we should know and believe, that the words are figurative, and not to be taken in a proper sense; as if the Bread were Christs real Body, or as if Bread were real Flesh, which is impossible. Figures are frequently used in Sacr●mental phrases in the Scripture; the sign being called by the Name of the thing signified thereby. It is said of Circ●mcision, this is my Covenant, h. e. ● sign thereof, Gen. 17. 10 And the Lamb is calle● the Lords Passe●ver, Exod. 12. 10. And the Apostle speaking of that rock whose waters followed the Children of Israel, saith, that ●eck was Christ; meaning that Christ was thereby signified, 1 Cor. 10. 4. so is the Bread in the Sacrament called the Body of Christ, because that is signified thereby. As for the Wine, which the ●ord Christ hath charged his Disciples to drink of in remembrance of him, his ●lco● is signified thereby. And there is, it many respects, an apt res●mbla●ce between the s●gn and the thing signified; more especially as to the Wine ma●e in the l●a●d of Canaan, which is called the blood of the Grape▪ Deut. 32. 14. because of its read colour, resembling blood.  
And the Lord Jesus Christ, hath shewed his wonderful wisdom and g●odness, i● c●asi●g such common E●me●ts, which may easily 〈◇〉 obtained, so far as the necess●●y 〈◇〉 such a● Ordinance doth require. ●a● the Lord appointed a rare and sumptuo●s Feast to be ●requent●y obser●ed, unto the honour of his Name; ●n● as a memorial & means of Communion with ●●mself, many of hi● poor Members must ●eeds h●ve gone without it; bu● i● is not so now & there is a●●●ptness in these E●ements, to signify that which they are i●tenced for▪ Bread, wh●c● doth s●reng●hen and nourish the body, doth a●●ly set forth that sp●ritu●l nouris●ment which we have from Christ And Wine which d●th re●resh the Spirits of m●n, i● fitly made use of▪ to put in mind, of that refreshing which the Souls of Believers find in the b●ood of Christ.  
2. Those Sacram●ntal Actions, which the Lord hath commanded his Servants to observe, in partaking at his Table, have also a spiritual significancy w●th them. These are implied in the Text, being comprehended under th●s expression, Do this, h e. as you must make use of such Elements, so of such Sacramental Actions, as are of the Lords Institution. There is not any Action relati●g to this Ordinance; but hath a spiritual mystery in it. The Sacramental actions are. 1. Taking, 2. Blessing. 3. Breaking. 4. Giving, 5. Receiving. 6. Eating and Drinking.  
1. Taking, as here ver. 23. Christ took bread, and be took the cup. That Sacramental action, signifieth to us, that the Son of God hath taken our nature into personal union with himself, Heb 2. 14. It puts us in mind of that great mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh. Even the incarnation of the Son of God, and the personal Union of the human Nature with the Divine.  
2. Blessing, Mat. 26. 26. Jesus took bread and blessed it. He also blessed the Cup. Therefore the Apostle speaketh, as 1 Cor. 10. 16. The Cup of blessing which we bless. Thereby the consecration of the Elements, is intimated. They are to be solemnly set apart, from a common unto a sacred and Religious use. Thus hath Christ been consecrated and set a part unto the work and office of a Mediator, Heb. 7. 28. God hath set him apart thereunto, Psal. 4. 3. And Christ hath set himself ap●rt for that service. Therefore he speaketh, as in Joh. 17. 19. For their sakes I sanctify myself. As a Sacrifice was set apart from a common use; and consecrated to the Lords use; so did Christ sanctify himself, and became a sacrifice unto divine Justice, for his peoples sake.  
3. Breaking the bread, Mark 14. 22. Jesus took bread and blessed it, and broke it. Hence the Apostle speaketh, as 1 Cor. 10 16. the bread which we break is it not the Communion of the body of Christ. The An●ichristian church( and some others also) do greatly sin against the Institution of Ch●●st in ●mi●ting tha● rite of b●eaking the bread, in this Ordinance For it is so essential unto h● regular ad●i●istration ●f it, as that the whole ordinance is sometime ●n th● Scripture, denom●nate ●rom th●t action. ●ct 20. 7. & 2. 42. 〈◇〉 sig●ified that Christ hath been broken ●or t●e 〈◇〉 ●f his p●opl●● th● Lord therefore said. This is my body w●●c● was broken for you. He was ●oun●ed ●or our transgressions, and brui●ed ●or 〈◇〉 iquities ●t pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to g●ief, Isai 53 5 ●0. He was bruis●d to death upon the across: yea, and his very Soul was broken with the sen●e of t●e wrath of God, due for the sins of his people: therefore did he ●ay, my Soul is sorrowful unto the death. The breaking of the bread in the Sacrament puts us in mind of those sufferings which the Body ( i.e. e. the human Nature) of Christ was subject unto.  
4. Giving, That Sacramental action is mentioned by the Evangelists, though it be not expressed by the Apostle in this Context. Christ gave the blessed bread, and the blessed cup to his Disciples. Thereby is signified, the Lords giving himself to and for his Church. So it is expressed and explained, Luk. 22. 19. He gave to them saying, this is my body which is given for you. Also this giving declareth that God hath given Christ to and for his people. In and by this Ordinance, the Lord speaketh unto the Believer after this manner, Thou seest bread provided for thee, even so have I provided a Saviour for thy Soul. Behold! I have sent Christ to thee, saith the Lord. Take my Son for thy Saviour. I give him freely to thee. Take Christ for thy own and let thy Soul now take everlasting hold on him. Therefore,  
5. Receiving, is another Sacramental Action. Christ said Take, this is my body. And this taking is implied in the Text, when it is said, this do, part of the meaning is, receive the Bread, and receive the Cup, as Christ hath commanded. And thereby our receiving of Christ is signified: that we are to take him, for our Lord and Saviour; yea, and to be renewing our closure with him by Faith, that so our Souls may take yet stronger hold of him. At the moment when the hand taketh the bread, the heart should again receive Christ. And this Ordinance doth signify to the worthy receiver, that as surely as he doth take bread into his hand and mouth, so certainly doth h● take Christ into his Soul, to become one with him:  
6. Eating and Drinking are also Sacramental Actions to be attended at the Lords Table. Eating of that bread, signifieth our feeding upon a crucified Christ, by Faith, Joh. 6. 54. Whoso ●atech my flesh hath eternal life. Those words of Christ were spoken before the Lords Supper was Instituted, and therefore must not be restrained unto Sacramental eating. A man may feed upon Christ Sacramentally, and yet not have eternal life; but if when he feeds upon Christ Sacramentally, he doth at the same time feed upon him sp●ritually by Faith, he bath eternal life. And not only eating of the bread, but drinking of the cup is a Sacramental action.  
The Papists have slain and murdered thousands for maintaining this Truth, and bearing witness against their sacrilege in depriving the Lords People of the cup; but it is admirable to consider, that the Lord Christ, when he Instituted this Ordinance, did expressly say, Drink ye all of it, Mat. 26. 27. The Lord did not say, when he gave the bread, Eat ye all of it,( though he intended that all should eat) but drink ye all; because the Spirit of Christ did foresee; that some would arise in after times, denying the cup to all Partakers. Hereby is signified, that Believers do by Faith drink down the blood of Christ, whereby their Souls are cleansed from the guilt of sin, 1 Cor. 10. 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the Communion of th● blood of Christ? Is not our Communion wit● Christ in respect of the saving benefits purchas●● by his blood, signified and confirmed when we drink of that blessed cup? it is so. And that we all drink of the same holy Spirit. The Apostle hath respect unto ha● drinking at the Lords Table, which is of divine institution, when he saith, We have been all made to drink into one spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 13 Intimating that our Communion with Christ in respect of his holy Spirit, is signified, when we all partake of the same blessed cup. Thus we see, that the Lords Supper is a Sacrament.  
2. It is a Sacrament of the New-Testament. For,  
1. The Covenant which God hath graciously made with Believers on Christ, is hereby confirmed. The wisdom of God ●ath se●n meet to appoint signs and seals for the confirmation of the Covenant, that is between himself, and the children of men. Under the first Covenant, that of works, made with Adam in Paradise, there were Sacraments appointed for the confirmation of it. The three of Life, was a Sacrament unto Adam, signifying to him, he should have life, if he kept the Covenant; and the three of knowledge of good and evil, did seal death unto him in case he should break that Covenant. And the Covenant of Grace, hath under all its various manners of Administration had Seals and Sacraments annexed to it. Sacrifices of old were Sacramental signs for confirming the Covenant, Exod 24 8. Psal 50. 5. My saints that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice. So was Circumcision, Act. 7. 8. And after that the Passeover, in the room whereof the Lords Supper is Instituted. Therefore Christ did institute this Ordinance, at the time of the Passeover; yea, and at the last Passeover, which was celebrated by him; thereby signifying that this Ordinance of the Lords Supper, was to succeed and come in the room of that of the Passeover. By this then the Covenant between God and his People is in the most solemn manner confirmed, and assented unto. It is so on our part. When we come to this Ordinance we do as it were take an Oath of Fidelity unto God, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, which indeed is the meaning of the word Sacrament. It is originally a Military word. Among the Romans, Souldiers did take an Oath of Fidelity to their General: which Oath they called the Sacrament. With them, have you taken the Sacrament? was as much as to say, have you taken the Oath of Fidelity to your General? Such as had taken that Oath, were said to 〈◇〉 Militia sacrati: they were under solemn engagement to be loyal to their General, and to persist in his service to the death. Thus, when we come to the Lords Supper, we do thereby profess and promise, to endeavour in all things to approve ourselves the faithful Servants of God, and to follow the Lord Jesus the Captain of our Salvation, and to oppose his Enemies( Sin, Satan, and the World) unto the death. The Lord also, doth confirm the Covenant on his part. He saith from Heaven, to the worthy Receiver, I am & will be ●hy God forever, and thy guide unto the death. God saith, I am thy Father, Christ saith, ● am thy Redeemer, the Holy Spirit saith, I am thy Sanctifier, and will be thy everlasting Comforter. Thus the Covenant is mutually confirmed.  
Hence 2. The Believers Right unto, and interest in those Blessings▪ which only the new covenant makes mention of, is signified and sealed in this Ordinance. Christ with his saving benefits is a new covenant blessing. The first covenant said nothing of a Saviour: it is the covenant of Grace only, that revealeth him to the miserable children of men▪ And indeed christ is the substance of the new covenant. Hence is he called the Covenant, Isai. 4●. 6. not only in that, he is the great Patentee in that Royal Charter of the new covenant; the original Grant is to him; but also, because he is the su●n and substance thereof. Have Christ, and have All, Col. 3. 11. But now Christ is ex●●bited in this Ordinance of the Supper; and the Believers right unto and everlasting in●erest in the Lord Jesus, is sealed and confirmed to him, when he doth partake therein. The Lord saith to him, as truly As thou dost take the holy bread in thy hands and eat it, the blessed cup and drink o● it, so truly is Christ with all his merits, righteousness and salvation thine. Eat him and thou shalt live by him, Job. 8. 57. Remission of sins, is a new covenant blessing, Jer. 32. 31, 34. And it is exhibited and sealed to the worthy Receiver, in and by this Ordinance. Therefore when Christ did first Institute it, some of the words which he spake were these, This is my blood of the New-Testament, which is  shed for many for the Remission of sins, Mat. 26. 28. As ver●ly as a man doth receive the bread and the cup,( if he be a worthy Communicant) so verily doth the Lord say to him from Heaven, all thy sins are forgiven, though they have been many and great, they are all washed away in the blood of Christ. I have pardonned them all saith the Lord. When a Believer hath been at the Sacrament; he hath the pardon of all his Transgressions confirmed to him under the Seal of Heaven.  
3. The Covenant of Grace as under its last and best way of Administration, is confirmed by this Ordinance of the Lords Supper. It doth declare, that all the good promised in the covenant is already obtained for the Believer. Hence the Covenant, in the dayes of the Gospel is called the New-Testament, because it is now under its last and so newest way of administration. Having been ratified by the death and blood of Christ the Testator, no more alterations can be made in it. Hence is that expression of the blood of the everlasting Covenant, Heb. 13. 20. The Covenant of Grace, not only as to the substance of it( for so it was always) but as to its way and manner of administration, is become everlasting and unchangeable, because confirmed by the blood of Christ. So then, in doing this we commemorate the work of Redemption as accomplished and finished. The Sacraments of the Old Testament, signified that Redemption was to be obtained only b● Jesus Christ; the Passeover, and all the Sacrifices, declared no less, but that this Redemption was future. Whenas the Lords Supper holds forth the coming of Christ to accomplish the work of Redemption, as a thing past and done. It sheweth that Christ is come, and that he hath paid the price of our Redemption; that his blood is  shed, Mark 14 24. This is my Blood of the New-Testament which [ is]  shed for many. Christs blood was not actually  shed, at the time when those words were spoken, yet i● as much as the design of this ordinance is to signify that Christ hath a ●eady  shed his blood, it is spoken in the present Tense. By 〈◇〉 this, we profess that we do believe that Christ who is now indeed alive, and behold he liveth for ever more, was dead, 1 Cor. 11. 26. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lords death until he come, And the Lord Jesus Christ saith, to the worthy Receiver, I have died for thee, I have satisfied the Justice of God for thy sins, I have ransomed thy life and soul from everlasting destruction.  
3. The Lords Supper is not only a Sacrament of the New-Testament( as hath been c●inced) but the last Sacrament thereof▪ There are only two Sacraments of the New Testament, viz. baptism and the Lords Supper: We re●d in the Gospel, that when Christ was crucified, one of the Souldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water, Joh. 19. 34. so there is the Sacrament of Water and of Blood. Thus some interpret that difficult Scripture, 1 Joh. 5 8. There are three that bear witness on Earth, the Spirit, Water, i.e. baptism, and Blood, i.e. the Lords Supper, and these three agree in one. The Lord by his spirit in his word, also by the Sacraments of the New Testament, declareth and testifieth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, there are those three witnesses which agree in one as concurring in their Testimony concerning Christs person and coming. baptism is an Evangelical Sacrament as well as the Lords Supper, but that is the first, and this the last Sacrament of the Gospel. And thence none ought to partake thereof, but such as have been first Baptized. As in respect of the Sacraments of the Old-Testament, none but such as were circumcised might be admitted to the Passeover, Exod. 12. 48. thus we red concerning the three thousand converts, they were first baptized, and then received into fellowship, in breaking of bread, &c. Act. 2. 41, 42. Hence also the Lords Supper is a very solemn Ordinance, and ought to be much regarded by those that would approve themselves like Christians. It is the last Sacrament that ever was instituted, or that ever shall be, whilst the World endureth. It was Instituted at the last Supper that ever Christ did eat with his Disciples, just before his death; for the next day his blood was  shed upon the cross; so that the Lord Christ hath bequeathed his Ordinance, as a dying Legacy and Memorial unto his Church. Therefore it ought to be observed with great Religion.  
Having shewed what the Lords Supper is; and spoken many things, with as much suc●cinctness as we could, concerning the nature, and proper design of this holy Institution of the Lord Jesus; we proceed unto the second Enquiry, viz.  
Who are the true subjects of this Ordinance, or, who are fit to partake at the Lords Table?  
Ans. None but gracious holy persons are meet for such an holy communion, Psal. 24. 3, 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, and who shall stand in his holy place? he that hath clean hands and a pure heart, who hath not lift up his soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Men must be holy in heart and life, or they are not fit to stand in the Lords Temple, and to partake of the holy things which are there to be enjoyed. Except men have experienced a work of Regeneration in their souls, they are not meet subjects of this holy Ordinance. It is therefore mentioned as a great evil, and that which is against the express and solemn charge of the Lord; when ●nregenerate persons are entertained in the Lords sanct●ary, to participate in those holy enjoyments, Ezek. 44. 7. 9. Ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, when ye offer my bread and the blood. No stranger uncircumcised in heart, shall enter into my sanctuary. They whose natures were never changed by converting grace are the uncircumcised in heart; and therefore if they eat of Holy bread, or drink of Holy blood, they pr●fane it. Christ inviteth none to eat and drink at his table, but such as are his Friends, Cant. 5. ●. Eat O Friends, drink O Beloved. Now men and women whilst in a natural and unconverted estate, are not his Friends, but in a state of enmity against him. We red concerning the Prodigal, that he was made alive before he was brought to feed upon that which was prepared at his Fathers table, Luk 15. 24, 25 So should Christians have a principle of spiritual life in their souls, before they come to the Lords Table. Men do not in●ite dead, but living persons to come and sup with them And shall we think that the Lord Jesus will or can approve of dead Guests at his supper? they ought to have Grace whereby they may be able to feed upon Christ in the Sacrament. If the question were, Whom ought the Church to admit unto such a privilege? the Answer m●s● be those that are visibly godly; and whom in charity we are b●tr●●o think that they are able to ●is●●rn the L●r●s body, and to ●●ed ●p●● Christ for the ●o●●s●ment of their Souls: ●en cannot see the hearts or ma●e an ●n●al●ible judgement who are fit for such 〈◇〉 m●n ●n i● the sight of God; are therefore ●●●st●ct according to what is visible and apparent, procee●ing by the Rules of Rational c●arity: but when the Cu●stion is, who ought to co●e? the Answer is. None but s●ch as ●re ●●aly Godly. And if any shall venture upon the Lords Table whilst in their sins, or in a ●ate of hypocrisy at the peril of their souls shall it be. It is ro●●d in the parable concerning the Supper, that when the 〈…〉 to see the Guests, and s●w a man which ha● not on a Wedding Garment, he said to him,, Friend, how c●●●st th●● in hither, Mat. 22. 11, 12. q. d. thou art a ●old intrud●●, mo●● bold then v●lc●me, and shouldst not have ●ared to c●●e in hither, without the wedding garment, without Faith and ●oliness.  
To speak a little more ful●y and particularly here, in order to a profitable p●●●●ing at the Lords Table, it is requisite that they who come and sit ●o●n ●here should be qualifi●.  
1. With ●ath. The Ru●e which the Apostle giveth, is, Let a man e●●mine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that c●●, 1 Cor. 11. 28. therefore if he be destitute of that which is the matter of self examination, or the thing which he ●s to examine about he should not presume to eat of that bread, ●r to drink of that cup. Now the principal thing which a man should examine himself about is, wh●●ver he hath Faith or no. There must be an ●ungring after Christ. The soul mu●● stand affencted towards Christ, as an hungry man doth towards ●ood. hungerings after Christ, are the work of Faith, in the believi●g s●ul. Without this the Ordinance will be unprofitable. It is said, Joh 6 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth, the fl●sh profiteth nothing. So outward eating profiteth nothing. except there be a spiritual eating by Faith. Except when the body feeds upon the outward Elements, the ●oul doth at the same time ●eed upon Christ by Faith, participating at the Lords Supper will not be ●or the better, but or the worse.  
2. It is necessary that comers unto the Lords Table, should have the g●ace of Knowledge. They must i● some measure ●●ow and understand all the great ●aving Truths of the Gospel, the belief whereof is necessary in order to the obtaining eternal life. There is a knowledge which is only a common grace of the holy Spirit. They that know that there is a God, and that Christ is the Son of God, and that he must be submitted unto as Lord and Saviour, have experienced a common work of Gods Spirit enlightening of them. No m●n can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 12. 3. This knowledge is indeed necessary, in order to a worthy partaking at the Lords Table, but it is not sufficient. There is moreover, a saving knowledge, which is a special grace of the holy Spirit, peculiar to the Elect of God, h. e. when a man knoweth the truths of the Gospel, so as to f●el the transforming sanctifying power of them in his own Soul, Joh. 17. 3. This we fitly call the grace of knowledge; and the Scripture calls it Grace, 2 Pet. 3. 18. grow in Grace. And when doth a Christian do so? truly, when he grows( as in the next words the Apostle addeth) in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There is then the grace of sanctified knowledge. And that is requisite, in order to a profitable partaking at the Lords Table. If a man hath not knowledge to discern the Lords body, he will eat and drink damnation to himself, 1 Cor. 11. 29. He must be able to put a difference between Sacramental Bread, and common Bread; and must be instructed in the nature and end of such an Institution. Also, he must know and be sensible of this, that in partaking of the Lords Table, men have to do with a Christ, that was dead and crucified for the sins of his people, and must have his heart affencted accordingly. This is implied in discerning the Lords body. Except a man is able to discern Christ in the Sacraments, not only Doctrinally, but Spiritually, he is not duly qualified to partake thereof. Therefore,  
3. They that come to this Ordinance should bring holy affections along with them, e. g. they ought to come with godly sorrow for sin. The Children of Israel were to eat the Passeover, with bitter herbs, Exod. 12. 8. so they that partake of the Gospel Passeover, should have a deep sense of the bitterness of sin, see●ing upon the bitter herbs of sorrow for sin, which hath c●used the blood of Christ to be  shed, his body to be broken, and his Soul to be p●ured out. Also the grace, the sanctified affection of Love, is necessary in order to a profitable partaking at the Lords Table. There must be love to Christ, love to his Ordinances, love to his Saints: especially, those that are of the same particular Church, and sit down together at the same Table of the Lord, had need look well to themselves, in this respect. Hence, when Christ preached his Sacrament Sermon, he insisted much on the doctrine of Christian love, by many and mighty Arguments, pressing his Disciples to love one another. When the Jews kept the Passeover, they might not have any Leaven in their Houses: a dreadful curse fell upon the man, that should knowingly suffer Leaven to be in his house at such a time. So when Christians celebrate the Lords Supper, if the Leaven of sinful prejudices one against another, be not duly purged out of their hearts, they expose themselves unto the holy wrath of a jealous God, 1 Cor. 5 8. Let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. If Christians be not careful about this matter the Lord will not own and accept of them, when they c●me before him, Mat. 5 23, 24. Nay, their ●artaking at his Table, will be as no partaking at all. The Apostle therefore, writing to the Church at Corinth, saith, that inasmuch as there were divisions amongst them, when they came together, they did not eat the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11. 18, 20. m●aning that they did not eat the Lords Supper as they should do. The schisms and Heartburnings, which were amongst them, caused the Ordinance to become unprofitable and ineffectual for the good of their Souls. Yea, more; mens partaking hereof, will do them hurt and not good, if the grace of love be wanting, or not prevailing in them. Therefore in verse 17. Paul tells the Corinthians, that their coming together, viz. to eat the Lords Supper, was not for the better but for the worse. Not coming in love, they were the worse for coming.  
Thus have we shewed both what the Lords Supper is, and who are fit to partake thereof. Except men and women be qualified as hath been expressed, though they should presume to approach the Table of the Lord, they do not keep his Ordinance; but they shall ●ear sin for it, and die if they profane it. Lev. 2 2. 9  
We come now to inquire into the Reasons of this Doctrine: Why sh●●ld believers do this?  
Ans Reas. 1. Because this Ordinance being Christs Institution; the observation of it, tends to the h●●●ur o● his Name. It is his Institution, and is therefore called the Lords Supper. A Supper from the time when i● was ●nstituted, viz. in the ●ight, are the Lords Supper, from the Author and Institut●r of it, which was the Lord Christ. As the first day 〈…〉 is called the Lords Day, Rev. 1. 10. because it is the Day which the Lord Christ hath sanctified, and commanded that it 〈…〉 commomoration of his Resurrection. so is t●is Ordinance the Lords Supper because the Lord hath appointed the observation of it, as a solemn memorial of his Death. Nor indeed could any one besides the Lord himself be the Author of such an Ordinance. Men have no power to appoint Sacraments. It belongs to him to appoint the outward sign who can give the inward grace that is signify thereby, and that the Lord alone can do, Now being a Divine Institution, the observation of it doth,( as al● Divine Institutiors do) tend to the honour of the Name of him who hath said Do this. Hereby the Lords Name and memory is upheld amongst his People in the World; and therefore the next words are, in remembrance of me. Especially the remembrance of Christs Death; and so of the saving benefits procured thereby, is continued, by means of this sacred Ordinance, ver. 26. As oft as ye eat this Bread, and drink this Cup, ye do show the Lords death till he come. Therefore his people ought religiously to observe it.  
Reas. 2. Because in duly observing this holy Institution, Believers have Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ.  
The very Names, which the Scripture describeth it by, declare this. As that of the Lords Supper, mentioned in this Context, ver. 20., They that Sup together hold Communion one with another: yea, intimacy of Communion is denoted by that expression, Rev. 3. 20. And the Lords Table, 1 Cor. 10 21. The Master of the Feast holds Communion with his Guests, when they sit and eat together at the same Table. In this Sacred Ordinance, Believers have Communion with Christ in respect of his Spirit, 1 Cor. 12, 13 And in respect of his person and death and all his Redeeming benefits, 1 Cor. 10 16. The Resurrection of their bodies unto everlasting life, is sealed to Believers, by their partaking at this Ordinance, Joh. 6, 54. Whose eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. If thou art a true Believer, then as sure as thy Body doth feed upon this Bread, it shall be raised from Death unto eternal life. And our Communion or partaking with Christ in respect of his kingdom, is sealed in this Ordinance. Therefore did the Lord say, when he gave the Cup to his Disciples, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the Vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers kingdom, Mat. 26 29. Our Reigning with Christ is thereby signified and confirmed unto us: both our reigning with him on Earth, during the glorious transactions of the great Day of Judgement: the Sain●s sitting together with Christ upon Thrones of Glory, to judge the World, is here in a lively manner represented; and also their Reigning with him in Heaven to all Eternity. When Believers drink at his Table the Lord saith to them You shall one day drink of those Rivers of Pleasure, which are at my right hand for evermore. The Sacrament is as it were a Map and lively Representation of Heaven. For in Heaven there are none but Saints, separated from the World, holding Communion with Christ, wondering at his Glory, ravished with the sense of his love in that he died to redeem them; and is it not so at the Lords Supper: therefore Believers should do this.  
Reas. 3. Believers should do this, that so their Souls may grow in Grace.  
It is not enough for us to make sure of our being in Christ, but we must see that we grow in him. We must labour for more of Christ in our Souls, and for more conformity to him in our lives; to walk in this world, as he walked, and to grow up unto more intimacy of Communion with him from day to day, Eph. 4. 15. Col 2 6, 7. Now the Lords Supper is appointed for that end. Children by eating and the Lords blessing upon their m●at, grow until they come unto their perfect stature as to natural growth: And so is it with Gods Children in spiritual respects. The best food, and that which is most strengthening and nourishing to their Souls, is in this Ordinance presented before them. Even that which is meat indeed, and drink indeed, Joh. 6. 55. It is true that the Word of God is a means of growth in Grace. As new born Babes grow when they have good and wholesome Milk to nourish them, so do regenerate Souls grow, by frequent feeding upon the sincere Milk of the Word of God, 1 Pet. 2. 2. The same is in a most peculiar manner true, with respect unto this Ordinance of the Lords Supper. No man ever did partake of it as he should do, but he had the more Grace for it; more of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus given to him, more strength in his Soul, more power to resist and overcome temptation. They that have Grace; yea, they that have most Grace, need a great deal more still, therefore should Believers do this, that so they may have yet more Grace.  
Use 1. Hence great is their sin, who give themselves a dispensation to live in the neglect of this Ordinance.  
The Lord Christ, saith expressly do this, but there are many in the World, who call themselves Christians, and know what Christ hath given in char●e● his Disciples, concerning this t●ing; and yet they never did it in all their lives. Certainly, such do not approve themselves the friends of Christ, so much as they ought to do, Job. 15. 14. Ye are my Friends, if you do what ever I command you. Here is a great Commandment of Christ, but thou dost it not. How then dost thou approve thyself his Friend? God blessed the Rec●abites, when they kept the Commandment of Jonadab their Father, in their abstaining from Wine, Jer. 35. 6. But if thou wilt disobey the Commandment of the Lord Jesus, by refusing to make use of Bread and Wine for a Religious end, notwithstanding his most solemn charge, requiring thee to do this: how canst thou expect that God will bless thee. Little do men think how they provoke the Lord by a willing and continued neglect of so great and sacred an Institution. ●Is not this particularly to say, that there are Commandments of Christ, and one great duty of Christian Religion, which is not worth the observing? and if thou art one that hast been baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus, thou art bound to observe all things, whatsoever he hath commanded, Mat. 28. 19, 20. And therefore by neglecting to prepare thyself for, and so to come unto this Ordinance, thou livest in the continual breach of thy vow made to God in baptism; and will not the Lord find a time to make thee know thy breach of Covenant? Remember what you have heard▪ concerning that aweful Obligation, which baptism brings the Souls of men and women under. Doth i● not strike terror into thy Conscience, in that thou hast lived so many years unmindful of the Vows of God, which thy soul hath entred in●o? Men by sins of Omission, may provoke the Lord exceedingly. So it will appear at the last ●ay, when the Son of God will Judge and Sentence them to death, not only because they have committed evil, b●t because they have neglected to do good. Yea, Omissions, not only of Moral Duties, such as Prayer, hearing the Word, Meditation, &c but of Instituted Worship, are many times the reason wh● the Lord doth manifest his great displeasure against those who are in Covenant with him▪ Think on that Scripture, Exod. 5. 3. Let us Sacrifice to the Lord our God;( and Sacrificing was a duty not of Moral, but of Instituted Worship) lest he fall upon us with Pestilence or with the Sword. Hath not God fallen upon us of late years with a Pestilentious Disease, and with the Sword? And is not this one thing that hath provoked him so to do; in that there are such multitudes of m●n and women, who content themselves to live without any commemoration of the Sacrifice of the New-Testament, according to divine Institution? Believe it verily, for it is a Truth, that godly men and women may by omissions of this nature, provoke the Lord, to bring great afflictions upon themselves and Families. When Jacob neglected to build an Altar unto God, did not the Lord follow him, with distressing sorrows ●n his Family, Gen. 35. 1. When Moses neglected to circumcise his Child, the Lord met him and sought to kill him, Exod. 4. 24. And yet wilt thou notwithstanding all that hath been spoken to thee from the Word of God about this matter, content thyself to live from year to year, not only without baptism for thy children but without the Lords Supper for the good of thine own Soul? beware thou, lest some killing Judgement from the Lord, do ere long come upon thee or thine, for this sin. Or,( which would be sad indeed) how if God should be provoked to take away his Ordinances, not only from you, but from others also for your sake, because you have disregarded and despised such mercies? Know also, that by not observing the Lords Supper, you become guilty of breaking the second Commandment, by which men are required, not only to reject all human Inventions, in the Worship of God; but also to observe all Divine Institutions. And the Lord, is a jealous God, in visiting for the breaches of that Commandment. It is dangerous for any to be found guilty thereof, but most of all for a place or people so circumstanced as we are. It was in a more peculiar manner, with respect unto the second Commandment, that our Fathers came into this Wilderness. If therefore the Children that have been born and brought up in the Churches in New-England, shall live in the neglect of Divine Institutions, their sin is highly aggravated, and the jealousy of God will smoke against them. One thing more, let me add here; As for such as care not, whither they enjoy this Ordinance of the Lords Supper, or no; how unlike are they unto those blessed Martyrs of Jesus, who lived above an hundred years ago, and laid down their lives, that so they might bear witness to the truth of Christ, respecting this Institution● of his? And( as one well speaks) if God should be provoked to suffer Popery once more to prevail, that men must either observe this Ordinance, in such a way as the Pope Commands, and so be damned for their Idolatry; or else suffer death, for their opposing Antichrist, they will then have sad reflections in their own Consciences, concerning their neglect in this matter. But some one will be ready to say. I am not fit to partake of the Lords Supper, else I would come?  
Ans. 1. If thou art in thy sins, thou art not a fit Guest to sit down at the Lords Table. If thou art a profane person thou hast nothing to do, to meddle with the Seal of Gods holy Covenant Psal 50 16. or, if thou art in a natural unconverted Estate, this Ordinance belongs ●n ●t to thee; you have heard that holy things are for holy persons. If men with profane ha●ds or hearts shall ●at thereof, they en●anger their Souls. There is an aweful Scripture to this purpose, L●v. 7. 20. The soul that eats of the flesh of t●e sacrifice of Peace-offerings,( and so doth and do that partaketh at the Lords Table) having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off.  
2. If thou art not fit to have communion with Christ at his Table here, thou art not fit for Communion with him in Heaven. If indeed thou art in a state of Vnfitness for the Lords Supper, thy case is lamentable. What, to ●●e under the Gospel for so long a time, and yet to remain in a Christless estate? how canst thou sleep one night in thy present condition, if thou knowest that to be thy case? for if death should find thee out of Christ, it had been better for thee, that thou hadst never been born.  
3. A man may be a fit subject to partake at the Lords Supper, and yet himself not know that he is so. True Believers, are many times full of doubts and fears concerning their spiritual estates. A child of light, may walk in darkness and have no light, Isai. 50. 10. And in that case it concerns men both di●igen●ly to try themselves and also to put themselves upon the trial of others, whether they be not duly qualified to partake of the Lords Supper. It is not necessary that a man or woman should have Assurance before they come to this Ordinance, since partaking thereof is a blessed means for the obtaining of Assurance. How many Believers are there, that never had Assurance until they came to the Lords Table, and then God manifested himself to them, she●ding abroad his love into their hearts by the Holy Ghost, whilst they have been there?  
Use 2. If to observe this Ordinance be an indispensible duty, we are then to be Exhorted, that we do this, even as the Lord commands both with respect unto the matter, and the manner of the duty.  
Consider 1. The good and benefit which will follow, if we do this, after such a manner as ought to be.  
There is a signal excellency, in this Ordinance, as the time when it was Instituted by Christ, doth evince; it was in the night when he was betrayed; at the time when he had all the powers of darkness to encounter with. Therefore surely there is some peculiar excellency in this Ordinance, and great benefit will redound to the Souls of those that partake of it aright. Sometimes Believers do ●ensibly experience good thereby, at the very time of Receiving; even inward comfortings, and soul ravishing joys of the Holy Ghost. The Lord maketh them joyful in his house of Prayer, Isai 56. 7. that their Souls go away filled with great joy, as the Lords people went from the Passeover in Hezekiah● time, 2 Chron. 30. 26. or, that which is better then comfort follows upon a due partaking at the Lords Table. h. e. more Grace and Holiness. In this Ordinance of the Gospel( in a more especial manner) Believers, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image, from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3 18. even from one degree of glorious grace unto another. For the Holy Spirit to come as a Sanctifier, is more desirable then for him to come as a Comforter: but he many times cometh as both, to the souls of his Servants, when they sanctify his Name by approaching to his Table with due preparation of heart. Or, if the benefit of the Ordinance be not,( as sometimes it is not) perceived at the time of the Administration, yet afterwards, it will appear.  
Consider 2. The great evil, that is in eating and drinking unworthily at the Lords Table.  
There is evil of sin therein. Yea, two of the most fearful sins that can be thought of, do unworthy partakers become guilty of in the sight of God. One is, that sin of taking the Lords Name in vain: a sin which leaveth a deep slain, and guilt upon the Soul, therefore in the third Commandment, the Lord saith that he will not hold him guiltless that shall take his Name in vain, implying that such sinners are guilty creatures indeed before the Lord. The Lords Name is in a peculiar manner upon this Ordinance of his; and therefore they that profane it; are fearfully guilty in his sight. And another sin which they stand charged with, is, that of Murder, and the most guilty Murder that ever was, or can be, 1 Cor. 11. 27. Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. It is a dreadful thing for a man to have the guilt of blood lying upon his Soul, though it should be ●●e blood of th● meanest person in the world; but what then is it to be guilty of the blood of the Lord: 'To be guilty of Murdering and Shedding the blood of the S●n of God, and the Lord of glory. He that offers contempt to the Kings seal is justly charged with Treason; so is he that doth profane that which is the sign of the body and blood of Christ, justly charged with Murder, forasmuch as by such a practise, he doth justify those that have killed the Prince of life. And therefore great evil of punishment, will( without Repentance) most certainly follow, 1 Cor. 11. 29. He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself. There is a Temporal damnation, which the holy God doth inflict upon men for this sin, in respect of outward Judgements which be●ell them▪ ver. 30. for this cause, namely because of their unworthy unprepared coming to the Table of the Lord, many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. Probably( as some conceive) God sent the Plague amongst the Corinthians, for this very sin, in that though they did partake of the Lords Supper, they did it not with that seriousness and preparation which the Rule requireth. They did not manifest due respect to the body of the Lord, and therefore he punished them with Diseases and Death upon their own bodies. Church-desolating Plagues are the fruit of this iniquity. The Lord Jesus( who holds the stars in his right hand) doth sometimes suddenly remove the lights which he hath set up in his Candlesticks so as that there shall be no steward of God to dispense the Mysteries of the kingdom, because m●n by coming to his Ordinances with a careless and common frame of Spirit have provoked him so to deal with them. Yea, this sin hath been the procuring cause of many of those overturning judgements which have be fallen the Churches of God in the World. It was a weigthy and a solemn word, which the Godly, Learned Paraus spake to a Generation of loose Protestants in Heidelberg, I wonder not( saith he) at the War in Germany, when I consider the Sacrament profanations which you are guilty of.  
Consider 3. That true Believers may be guilty in this matter.  
They may eat and drink unworthily at the Lords Table. For there is not only an unworthiness in respect of state, which hypocrites and unregenerate persons are subject unto; but an unworthiness in respect of actual indisposition, and present unpreparedness, for such an holy and near approach before the Lord. A sincere Servant of God, that maketh Conscience to prepare his heart to seek the Lord; sometimes i● not cleansed, according to the purification which is required of those that enter into the Sanctuary, 2 Chron 30. 19. And on that account, they may be exposed ●n●o severe outward Judgements. So did the Corinthians find it. Such of ●hem as shall not be condemned to the second death, with the Reprobate World at the last day were judged and chastened of the Lord, in respect of great outward Afflictions; yea, death as to their bodies, because they did eat and drink at the Lords Table, with an unworthy and unsuitable frame of spirit, 1 Cor. 11. 32. For this cause also, true Believers are sometimes exercised with inward as well as outward troubles; with miserable darkness in their own Souls concerning their spiritual and eternal estates. Did they come with hearts duly prepared into the Lords Sanctuary, great joy would follow, 2 Chron. 30. 26.  
For Direction here:  
1. Let Christians watch against those things, which of given way unto, will render this Ordinance unprofitable to their Souls.  
e. g. Watch against worldly engagements and entanglements. These cause the Word to become unfruitful, Mat. 13. 22. And Sacraments to become unprofitable. When Christians let loo●e their hearts upon the World, the l●e of Religion is lo●●; and they become ●ormal slight and unprofitable in their attendance upon the most solemn duties. Watch also against scandalous sins. For these will make a man utterly u●fit for the present, to approach unto the holy Table of the Lord▪ Under the Law, if any one happened to touch a dead body, and so to become ceremonially unclean, he might n●t at that time, eat the Passeover; but was to forbear until the next month, Numb. 9. 6, 10. 11. So if a man hath fallen into a scandalous sin, whereby he is become morally unclean, he ought not to eat the Lords Supper, until such time as he hath renewed his Repentance, and made his peace with God. Moreover, Christians are to watch against lesser evils. Yea, against such things as unregenerate men seldom take notice of▪ It may be, there have been proud thoughts stirring in thy heart; or it may be thy Spirit hath been distempered with passion in the week past; and if thou hast not taken notice of it, to be humbled for it, the Lord may be provoked to withdraw his presence and blessing from his own Ordinances; and then thy Soul will not be bettered thereby.  
2. Every time that a Christian cometh to the Lords Supper, he ought to practise that great duty of Self-examination.  
For this that Scripture is plain, 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. And this a man ought to do, not only once, before his first coming to this Ordinance, but constantly as oft as he shall eat that Bread or drink that Cup. The Apostle speaketh to those that had been at the Lords Supper many a time, whom nevertheless he calls upon, to practise this duty of Self-examination, as they should have opportunity for Sacramental eating and drinking. A Christian, every time that he is to come to the Lords Supper, should examine himself concerning his own spiritual estate, whether he be in Christ or no. He should examine whether he hath true Faith, having received Christ in his person as the only desirable one, and in all his Offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King, and whether he hath true Repentance, and hath turned from all sin, unto God, with his whole heart. And whether he hath a sincere love to God, and to Jesus Christ, and to his Saints, and to his holy waves. He should examine himself concerning his growth in grace. Am I more humble m●●e holy, mo●e w●aned from the World, more ●eek and self ●en●ing, then I was w●en ● fir●● believed? yea, moreover, he should examine himself concerning his present actual fitness to sit down and partake at the Lords Table. What sinful failing he hath been guilty of, since he was last at a Sacrament, and whether his heart be now in a spiritual frame, fit for so near an approach unto the Holy God.  
3. Exercise Grace in the time of Receiving.  
A man that is asleep i● a living man, yet he is not fit to eat and drink until he be awake, so must true Believers stir up and awake their Graces, or they are not fit to eat and drink at the Lords Table. Sometimes the godly do( in a great measure) lose the benefit of this Ordinance, because they do not exercise grace at the time of Receiving, as they ought to do. Therefore be sure then to exercise Faith. As ●h●u dost receive the Bread, and receive the Cup, let thy Soul at the same moment, put forth a renewed act of Faith in closing with, and taking hold on the Lord Jesus Christ: By an act of Faith appropriate Christ to thyself; and his blood with the merit and efficacy of it to thy Soul in particular, believing that thy Sins shall be pardonned, and the Plagues of thy heart mortified thereby. Also, the Grace of Repentance should be exercised at the time of Receiving. Whenever we look upon a Crucified Saviour, our hearts within us, should mourn and bleed, because our sins have pierced him, Zech. 12. 10. And indeed, if it be not so, we discern not the Lords Body. The Corinthians came with a light frame of Spirit to the Lords Supper; therefore are they charged with not discerning the Lords Body. Had they been ware of a broken and a bleeding Christ before them; another manner of spirit would have been seen in them. If a Child be vain and mer●y when his Father lieth dead in the room before him we say, he discerneth not, what an object is before him. So if men do not bring a broken heart, to a broken Christ; it is a sign that they discern not the Lords Body. Tears of Evangelical Repentance, become Christians when partaking at the Lords Supper.  
4. Let us remember to be exceeding thankful unto God in Jesus Christ.  
The Lord appointed an hymn of praise to be sung when he did institute this Ordinance, instructing us that we should bless God for this Ordinance, and for the glorious things which are held forth thereby. For in the Lords Supper, we have the most lively representation, and demonstration of the love of Christ that can be. We may therein see and feel what Christ hath done for us, and how he hath loved us. As the Apostle speaketh 1 Joh. 1. 1. That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. So is it in the Sacrament, the Lord puts eternal life into our hands there, and lets us look upon Jesus Christ, who is in that Ordinance of the Gospel evidently set forth and crucified before our eyes; there we see him upon the cross, bleeding and dying for our sins, and to save our Souls. And the Lord God Almighty, deals with us, as with Children, inasmuch as he setteth us at his Table, and feeds us with Royal and Heavenly Dainties. S● all the Lord of Hosts, bring us into the holy Mountain of his Church, and there make a Feast for us, of fat things full of Marrow and of Wines on the lees well refined; and shall not our Souls be thankful to him, and bless his Name for ever? In this Ordinance, Believers have intimacy of communion with God, and with Jesus Christ. Truly, our fellowship therein, is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. One may wonder, that such as we are, may be familiar with the King of Glory. When Peter saw that Christ was God as well as Man, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying, Lord, depart from me, I am a sinful man, Luk. 5 8, So might the Lord say, to the best of us all, thou art a sinful man, therefore get thee away from me, but he saith,( as Joseph sometimes spake to his Brethren) come near to me I pray you. Come and be familiar with me, There are two Ordinances especially, wherein we may have familiar communion with the Lord Jesus: one is that of Secret Prayer, and the other is that of the Lords Supper. And shall we not then be exceeding thankful? Moreover, the communion which we have with Christ in his Supper, is a pledge of everlasting Communion with him in Heaven. Whereas he doth satisfy our souls with the sa●ness of his house here, thatis a si●n that he will make us drink of the River of his pleasure, in another and a b●tter world. The Lord Jesus will one day bring all his Servants into his banqueting house, where his Banner over them shall be love. And his causing them to sit down at his Table now, is an intimation from Heaven, that they shall be where he is, there to behold his Glory, where the●r Souls shall feast upon his love, and drink Rivers of joys at his right hand; the blessedness whereof no heart can conceive, nor tongue express. Shall we not then bless God for such an Ordinance? especially i● Christ hath manifested himself to our Souls therein; a little of Christ is worth a great deal of thanks.  
O then treasure up Experiences of the presence of Christ with you in the Sacrament; and say after David, Psal. 103. 1, 2, 3, 4. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all this is within me bless his holy Name, bless the Lord O my Soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and who healeth all thy Diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who Crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies.   

It is the Property of a Sincere Godly Man, Not to Sit with Vain Persons.  PSAL. 26. 4. I have not Sat with vain Persons. 
THe Prophet David, being sensible of those unjust Reproaches and Slanders, which Saul and his Servants had taken up against him, he App●als to God concerning his Innocency, desiring that the Lord would be his Judge, and his Examiner. And that is ●he scope and sum of the too first verses of this Psalm. Having asserted his integrity, he produceth sundry arguments as evidences thereof. 1. His having the Image of God upon him in respect of mercy and truth, argued his sincerity in the Lords ●ight Ver. 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy Truth. Out of respect to the honour of God, he had shewed kindness to those that were unworthy of it, following the Lords example therein; and he had approved himself true and faithful in all his ways. 2. He proveth his sincerity in that he had declined the society of sinners. 3. In that he was one who did make Conscience to prepare for, and that delighted in the Worship of God. He was where he would be, when attending upon the Lord in the ways of his Worship, especially as to public Worship, and those holy Ordinances which are of Divine Institution. Delight wherein is a great sign of true Grace, ver. 6. 7, 8.  
The words at present to be insisted on, fall under the second Reason, whereby the Psalmist endeavours to evince his integrity.  
And the Doctrine from them, is,  
That it is the Propery of a Sincere Godly man, not to sit with vain Persons.  
There are three things, which may here be inquired into.  
1. What is implied in sitting with vain Persons?  
2. Who are those vain Persons that godly men will not sit with?  
3. The Reasons of the Doctrine, or whence it is, that sincere godly men, will not sit with vain Persons.  
Q. 1. What is implied in sitting with vain Persons?  
Ans. We must know 1. Negatively, That the words do not intimate, as if all communion with ungodly men were unlawful. For, occasionally to show kindness and civil respect unto such ●s lawful, yea, and in some cases a duty. We are to show all gentleness towards all men, Tit. 3. 2. Acts of charity, are to be extended towards all sorts of men. Though we are especially to do good to the household of Faith, yet not ●o them only, but as we have opportunity, to others also. Which is implied in that Precept, Honour all men. And the Apostle Exhorts Christians to add Charity unto Brotherly kindness, The Object of charity is more general and extensive, then that of Brotherly kindness. We are to extend acts of charity not only to such as are Brethren, but to Enemies. Yea, and some Religious communion may be held with those that are vain Persons. Though we are to exclude them from partaking in Instituted, yet not from joining with us ●n Duties of Moral Worship. We may suffer them, to join with us in hearing the Word. We may pray with those that are vain and carnal. The Apostle Paul, prayed with all th●se that sailed in the Vessel with him, being in number two hundred, and three score and sixteen Souls, and yet but few of them that had any true Religion or fear of God in their hearts, Act. 27. 35. 37. so that all Communion with vain persons is not forbidden nor implied in declining to sit with them.  
2. To speak positively in Answer to the enquiry before us.  
1. Sitting with Vain Persons, implieth unnecessary Communion with them.  
Sometimes Communion with such is necessary. A man may be providentially compelled unto it. So was Joseph, when in the Land of Egypt; and David whilst amongst the philistines; yea, and in Sauls Court, where it may be, the●e was not one godly man, besides himself and Jonathan-Nehemiah when he lived amongst the Persians, Daniel and the three Worthies with him, when they lived in the Court of Babylon, were providentially put upon Communion with vain persons, as to civil Conversation, though they would not communicate with them in their false-worship, or vain Religion. Likewise, a mans particular calling may necessitate him sometimes to converse with vain persons. Therefore the Scripture doth allow more Communion and civil converse with Idolaters and profane persons, then with those that are under Church censure for scandalous evils; because if Christians should be forbidden all society or commerce with worldly and wicked men, they must go out of the world, 1 Cor. 5 9, 10, 11. And not only the concerns of a Christians particular Calling, may necessitate him to be in company with vain persons. But the necessity of such persons themselves may call for it. They may stand in need of relief and charity as to their bodies, or of instruction for their souls, in which cases, and for which ends, it is very lawful to be in their company. But when no necessity, neither of providence nor of precept doth call to be with them, the case is otherwise: we ought then to decline their company. Therefore,  
2. Setting with vain persons implieth Familiarity with them.  
When a man declineth familiar society with all ungodly men, then he may be said, not to sit with vain persons. Thus it was with David, he would not make such his Familiars, or companions. Therefore in another place, he saith, I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy Precepts, Psal. 119. 63. Not vain Persons, but the fearers of God, were the men that he would be familiar with. And when the Prophet Jeremy, saith, I sat not in the assembly of the ●nookers, chap. 15. ver. 17. his meaning is, that he had not familiarity with such as those were. If a Professor of Religion, shall make a vain person the man of his coun●il, or enter into a league of special friendship with such an one, he doth exceedingly sin against God. It is noted in the Scripture, as Jehoshaphats great failing, that he was too intimate with Ahab, for which the Prophet Jeku, did faithfully reprove him. And the Lord did sorely a●fl●ct him ●or it, by his providence so ordering, as that Jehoshaphats I●e was endangered, because he had ●●t with ●o vain and vile a person as Ahab, more then he should have don●, & besides that, the Lord to show his di●pleasure, let loose many Enemies upon him, whereby he and the whole kingdom was brought into distress. And when he became guilty of the same ●rror again, by joining himself with A●aziah the King of Israel, who did very wickedly, Eliezer prophesied against him, that blasting stroke of God would follow him, for that very sin; and so it came to pass, 2 Chron. 20. 36, 37. To be occasionally civil and courteous unto a wicked man may be both lawful and laudable, but to be Familiar with him, or to make a companion of him, is always sinful, and good is never wont to come of it.  
3. Sitting with vain persons implieth delight in their Company.  
The sincerest man in the world, may be forced into the company of vile and vicious persons, but he taketh little delight in being amongst them. He is out of his Element when in such Company, as not being amongst those with whom his delight is. They will discover such a Spirit, speak such words, do such actions as are very displeasing to a gracious Soul; therefore if he could help it, he would not be much amongst them. Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, for that Righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous Soul from day to day, with their unlawful deeds, 2 Pet. 27, 8 We ought not to love such with a Love o● complacency or Delight. Therefore when Jehosh●phat did s●em to delight in wicked Ahabs company, i● was said to him, by the Prophet, shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord, 2 Chron. 19 2 indeed a love of pi●● is to be manifested towards such persons. When here was a ci●il moral man, but one still in his natural unconverted estate, that came running to Christ, and kneeled down before him, with that Question, What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life, withal professing, that he had from ●is youth been very careful to observe the Commandments of God; it is said, that Jesus beholding him loved him, M●r. 10. 21. h. e. he pitied him, Bowels of love in the compassionate heart of Jesus, were moved towards him, to see a man that should perform such duties, and take such pains to obtain eternal life and yet lose his Soul for ever, because he was not built upon a right Foundation. But although, a love of pity is to be exercised towards such, yet not a love of delight in communion with them. They were other kind of persons, whom David took Delight to be among, Psal. 126. 3. The Saints that are in the Earth, in whom is all my delight. His delight was in the communion of Saints, and not in fellowship with sinners. And thatis a good sign of sincerity, when there is an unfeigned love to the Brethren, as on the other hand, it is a bad sign, when a man loveth to sit and discourse with vain persons, and never thinks the time long enough whilst he is in their company.  
4 When a man doth join counsel with vain persons, so as to approve of their ways, and partake with them in their evil deeds, then he may be said to sit with them.  
To sit with them, is to do as they do, to harken to their advice, and to follow their example. Thus the expression is elsewhere used in the Scripture, as in Psal. 1. ver. 1 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, the meaning is, that the man is blessed who doth not harken to them, nor follow their example. And David declareth his resolution not to join in counsel with sinners, or to do as they would have him, when he saith, I will not sit with the wicked, Psal. 26. 5. And hence this sitting with vain persons, is in the next words, expressed by that of going in with dissemblers. Now to enter in, with another, is to tread in his steps, and to follow his example. The children of Israel were charged not to enter in with the Nations amongst whom they lived, i.e. e. not to follow or imitate them. Josh. 23. 7. Elihu said o● Job, he goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men, because he did mistake some of Jobs words, thinking that he had said, that a man as good not serve God, as serve him; and so to speak would be to do as the workers of iniquity do, and this is called a going in company with them, job 34. 8. 9. David did not go in with aissemblers, inasmuch as he followed not their Example, nor sit with vain persons, since he harkened not unto their evil coun●●ls. There were some that advised him to kill Saul, and to take personal revenge, for the injuries which he had suffered, but he would not sit with them, when they had Consults of that nature.  
We come now unto the second Enquiry, viz. Who are these vain persons that godly men will not sit with?  
Ans. 1. Men may be called vain, in respect of their Opinions.  
The Idolaters are vain persons. An Idol is nothing in the world. It hath no other deity belonging to it besides what is in the vain imagination of the Idolater. Idols are called Vanities. The vanities of the Gentiles( i.e. their Idols) cannot give rain. When men Idolize any thing, they will never find that in it, which they hoped for. They will find their Idols vain, and themselves vain in their expectations of great matters from them, Jer. 3. 23. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of the mountains, h●e. from those Idols which the Jews were wont to serve upon hills, and upon many mountains. Now it is against the Rule to have familiarity or unnecessary correspondence with Idolaters. The Lord laid a most strict inhibition on his people concerning this thing charging them to beware of entering into confederacies with those Idolaters they lived amongst. And in the New-Testament it is said, what communion hath light with darkness? what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols? Come out from amongst them, and be ye separate saith the Lord, 2 Cor. 6 17. We may not have at all to do with such in their Idolatrous worship, and as little as may be as to civil communion. So concerning those that hold any Fundamental Error in Religion, heretics( truly so called) are vain persons. And we ought not to have communion with such, but if they persist in their Error, we should decline their Society, Tit. 3 10. A man that is an heretic, after the first and second Admonition reject. The Rule forbids Christians to vouchsafe so much as common, civil entertainment unto such persons, 2 John 10. If there come any unto you, and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house, neither bid him, God speed. Have as little to do with all such persons as may be.  
2. Persons may be vain in respect of their words  
There are some that are full of unprofitable words. All their discourses are frothy and unsavoury. You shall never hear a gracious word proceed out of their mouths, or any discourse that shall tend unto spiritual edification. This argueth a vain person. Much more is it true, that those evil communications which corrupt good manners, and which a moral and modest Heathen would be ashamed of, profane and filthy speeches, argue a vain and a vile person. And such as give ●ad counsel. Persons that will persuade others to sin against God, deserve the Name of vain persons. Therefore when Iobs wife, gave him such desperate counsel as that, job 1. 9. Curse God and die, probably supposing that if he should curse God, he would quickly die for it, and so be out of his misery, job calls her a foolish woman, a vain person for giving such wicked advice as that was. There is no good but much hurt that cometh by following sinful suggestions. Therefore evil counsellors, who make it their design to draw others into the ways of Error, either as to judgement or practise, are the vain persons whom my Text, doth in a more peculiar manner refer unto.  
3. Persons may be vain in respect of their practices.  
There are that follow vain courses. Sinful practices are such. For there is nothing to be got by sin, but only shane and misery, Rom. 6. 2● What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed? Sin is good for nothing neither for body, nor soul, nor name, nor estate, but ba●eful unto those that shall practise it, in all these respects. Vain persons may flatter themselves in their iniquity, foolishly imagining, that they shall enjoy pleasures, or worldly gain by taking sinful and in●irect courses to obtain their desires; but in the conclusion, they will meet with a miserable frustration; seeing they have embraced a shadow instead of substance, He that gains by practising iniquity, when he shall compare his losses with his gains, will certainly find he hath lost, that which is ten thousand times better then all that he hath gained. It may be he hath gained a little of the World, but he hath lost his precious Soul, which is more worth then all this World. It may be he hath gained the love and good will of a vain Companion, but he hath lost the favour of God, in whose favour there is life, and whose loving-kindness is better then the life itself. They then that follow unrighteous practices, Play the fool, as Saul was forced to confess he did, and they become vain, Psal. 62. 10. Become not vain in Robbery. Hence, all profane Sinners are no other then vain persons. Swearers, Sabbath-breakers, Drunkards, and such like. David was resolved to have as little to do with such persons as might be, Psal. 101. 4. I will not know a wicked person. And the word of God saith, have no fellowship with such, Eph. 5. 11. Do not come among them saith another Scripture, Prov. 23. 20. Be not amongst Wine-bibbers, amongst riotous eaters of flesh. Sit not with such vain persons.  
4. All unregenerate men are vain persons.  
For their hearts and thoughts are taken up mostly about vain things. All their cares and utmost endeavours, are about that which is vanity of vanities. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life; worldly profits, pleasures, preferments, are the things, which the natural man doth most of all desire and seek after: Hence they that are only civil moral men, but still in an irregenerate state; yea, more, they that are Formalists in Religion, but strangers to the power thereof, are amongst the vain persons which my Text speaketh of. And godly men should not make such their intimates, they should not sit with, and be one heart with those whom they cannot but judge to be poor, vain, carnal creatures still. The Apostle sheweth, that in the last dayes, there will be men that shall have a form of godliness without the power of it, from such( saith he) turn away, 2 Tim. 3. 5. And it is a sign, that men have little experience of the power of godliness themselves, when they choose those that are formal, sapless, unsavoury creatures to be their greatest intimates and Familiars.  
We come then unto the third Particular, viz.  
To inquire into the Reasons of this Doctrine, Whence is it that a sincere godly man, will not sit with vain persons?  
Ans. Reas. 1. Because godly men have their natures changed.  
They have another nature in them, then what once they had, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Ye are made partakers of the divine nature. Every man until his Soul is renewed by the power and grace of the Sanctifying Spirit of God, hath only a corrupt nature in him, but the godly man is become the subject of a divine and holy nature. Therefore he is said to have a new heart given to him, Ezek. 36. 26. And to have a new spirit put within him, ibid. And to be made a new Creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. To be new born 1 Pet. 2. 2. True conversion, implieth not only a marvelous change, as to a mans outward actions, causing him to walk in new ways, which once he was a stranger unto, but as to his nature, and inward disposition and inclinations. Therefore the work of Conversion is oft in the Scripture set forth by such things as intimate a change of nature, e. g. by that of making a wilderness to become a fruitful field, Isai. 32. 15. The nature of the soil is changed, when of barren it doth become fruitful; so is it with the truly converted men. And for the same reason it is said, that instead of the thorn ●hall come up the fi●-tree, and instead of the brier, shall come up the myrtle three, Isai. 55. 13. The brier and the myrtle trees are plants of very differing natures: but when a sinner is converted a brier is turned into a myrtle three. Yea, then the Lion shall eat straw live the Ox,( as the Scripture speaketh) and the Wolf is become like a Lamb. Isai. 11. 6, 7. Now the nature being changed, there must needs follow a change as to the company which such persons will delight to associate themselves with. Every creature chooseth to be with those that are of the same nature and kind. Doves will be with Doves, and not amongst Ravens; sheep will be with sheep, and not amongst swine. So will sincere godly men( who are in the Scripture in respect of the innocency of their nature compared to Doves, and to sheep) choose to be with such as are godly, and not with the wicked, who are resembled unto Ravens and Swine. Inasmuch as a sincere Convert, hath his nature changed, the inward desires and delights of his heart are not as once they were. He delights both in those things, and in those persons which once he had no delight in. As for an unregenerate man, his heart doth not cordially close with one that hath much of the Image of God upon him. The righteous is an abomination to the wicked. But when grace hath changed his nature, then the more godly any are, the more doth he love and delight in them. And having experienced a change of nature, his heart is taken off from those evils which are most natural unto men; and this sin of affecting vain company. is so.  
Reas. 2. Sincere Godly men have had experience of, and found blessed sweetness in another, and a better kind of fellowship.  
And thence, they cannot relish communion with vain persons. One that hath tasted the sweetness that is in holy fellowship, cannot but di●tast and dislike sinful fellowship And this is true concerning the sincere professor of Religion. He hath had experience of the communion of Saints, and hath found that to be edifying to his Soul Yea, he knoweth what it is, to have Communion with God and with Jesus Christ, through the Spirit, 1 Joh. 1. 3. Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And therefore he cannot but disrelish the worlds fellowship. The Servant of God prizeth communion with him. His heart finds wonderful contentment therein; he saith, It is good for me to be here. And when he has experienced soul ravishing communion with God and with Jesus Christ, he cannot but say to the workers of Iniquity( as David did Psal. 6. 8.) Depart from me, I desire your fellowship no more. He hath found such sweetness in holy communion with the blessed God, as that he cannot approve of any thing that would break or hinder communion with him. But fellowship with vain persons will do so. A godly man shall find by experience, that if his heart be brought into never so holy and spiritual a frame, a little occasional communion with vain persons, will put it out of frame again. Therefore he is not willing to sit with such as those are.  
Reas. 3. Godly men are loth to lose precious time.  
They are willing to do as the Apostle doth exhort, Eph. 5. 16. Redeem the time. They know that they have but a little time to be in this world; but a little time to serve and honour God, and make sure of their own salvation in. Therefore they are loth to sacrifice their precious hours to the lusts of men; or to lose any part of their time. Whenas that time which is spent in sitting with vain persons, is misspent and lost; and a miserable account is like to be given of it at the last day. The holy spirit of God has made his Servants sensible that it will be with them to eternity, according as they improve their moment here. If they spend their time well, so as to be always doing good, they shall at the day of Judgement become the Subjects of an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They that know this, it is not to be wondered at, if they are unwilling to lose precious time, in sitting with vain persons.  
Use 1. This may inform us of the great evil which is in that iniquity of sinful company keeping.  
Familiar society with vain persons, is certainly a great sin. The evil of it appears, from several considerations.  
1. In that it is not the spot of Gods Children.  
Though a godly man under temptation may be carried away with this iniquity for a time, yet grace will recover him out of it. They that shall continue to associate themselves with vain Companions, it may be said of them, as Deut. 32: 5. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of His children It is not wont to be so, with those that are indeed the regenerate Children of God. Ever observe it, that upon true conversion there is a wonderful change in men as to the company which they delight in. We see it in Paul who were his Companions with whom he did associate himself before his conversion? they were men of a malignant spirit: such as would scoff at the power of Godliness. But how was it after his Conversion? Then he essays to join himself to the Disciples, Act. 9. 26 The men he once hated and mocked at, are now become most dear unto him. He prizeth communion with those most, whom in the time of his ignorance and unregeneracy, he had most despised. And there is no one thing, that is a greater discovery of the hearts and spirits of men, then the company which they chiefly delight in. A profane man, loveth to be with those that are profane. One that is only a moral man, will be willing to have such as are only so, for his most intimate companions. But a truly godly man, delights most in godly company. They then( whoever they be) that make vain persons their Familiars and greatest intimates, have cause to suspect and give others reason to suspect their sincerity.  
2. Sinful company keeping is a Soul-ruining iniquity.  
Therefore the wise man saith, Beware of it, lest thou get a snare to thy soul, Prov 22. 25. O the bloody desolation of Souls, which hath been the effect of this woeful sin. Every man hath a Soul within him, which is more worth then the whole world. But thousands and millions there have been and are, that by keeping company with vain persons, have had their precious Souls lost, and destroyed, and damned for ever. The Scripture therefore saith, that a companion of fools shall be destroyed, Prov 13. 20. He that is a companion of vain persons, is in the broad way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go therein, It is a lamentable thing; yea, that which deserveth to be bewailed with the briniest tears of blood; that many hopeful young men, have by falling in with bad company lost their souls and salvation. Time was, when they carried it well, but they met with vain companions, and these have been the eternal ruin of their souls. For thereby they have learned ways of wickedness, which before they were not guilty of. They have learned to become Idle, Unclean, Swearers, Self-polluters, Adulterers; for the which sins, Wo unto their Souls. Mind what God in his word saith to thee, Prov. 22. 24. 25. Make no friendship with a furious man, thou shalt not go with him, lest thou learn his ways. Thus God saith to thee;( and at the peril of thy Soul shall it be, if thou wilt not obey him) go not with a Drunkard lest thou learn his ways; go not with an Unclean person, lest thou learn his ways, and thy soul within thee mourn at last. But wo and alas! for many a poor creature, that evil companions have been his Counsellors, unto both his temporal and his eternal ruin. It is noted concerning Abaziah, that they of the house of Ahab were his counsellors after his Fathers death, to his destruction, 2 Chron. 22. 4. He indeed had a wicked Father, but there is many a young man, born of godly Parents, that upon the death or absence of his Father, hath fallen into acquaintance and familiarity with vain persons, whose counsils he hath followed, to the everlasting destruction both of his body and soul. The Devil hath not a greater or more fearful and fatal Engine to destroy Souls by, then this of drawing them into bad company. As long as they continue amongst such, he is sure of them. Therefore men are called upon in the Scripture, as they desire salvation, to beware of familiar society with wicked ones, Act. 2. 40. Save yourselves from this untoward Generation. Do you desire the salvation of your Souls? then renounce communion with an evil Generation of men, who are Enemies to the holy ways of God. I conclude this particular with the words of Moses to the children of Israel Numb. 16. 26. He spake unto the Congregation, saying, depart I pray you from the Tents of these wicked men, lest you be consumed in all their sins. So let me say this day, If you have any love to, or desire of the salvation of your souls, I pray you, and warn you for your souls sake, that you would depart from the Tents of wicked men. Sit no longer with vain persons lest you be consumed in all their sins. The mouth of Destruction may swallow you up also, if Judgement find you in their company.  
For 3. It is such an evil as doth hinder the conversion of Souls.  
Alas how many! that their Souls have miscarried for ever, when others had hopes concerning them, as if they had been in the pangs of the new birth; and this evil hath been the cause of it. Some that have been under great awakenings of Conscience; God hath met with them in a Sermon, the Arrows of the Almighty have been within them; that they have thought with themselves they would forsake their sins, and become new Creatures; but they have gone into loose and vain company, and so lost all those convictions, yea and provoked God so, as that he hath said, his Spirit should strive no more with them. Th●● is that, which keeps poor Creatures from coming up to the terms of the Gospel; that they do not sincerely close with Jesus Christ, when called upon to make sure of a● interest in him. Alas! they know not how to part with their vain Companions. If they might have Christ and sit with vain persons too, they would be Christians: but that can never he. What saith the Scripture, Eph 5. 14. Arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Arise soul come away from thy dead Companions, if thou wouldst have Christ to give thee the light of Salvation But because distracted sinners will remain amongst the Graves, and lodge in the Monuments, and take pleasure in being amongst their dead and rotten Companions, they will not harken to the call of Christ. Christ saith to the sinner, let the dead bury their dead, follow thou me. But his heart is so strangely besetted with love to his vain Companions, as that the calls of Christ in the Gospel, are not regarded. We see Men and Women sometimes, under mighty impressions from the Word and Spirit of God; there are many such in this place at this day. Would you know whether it be like to prove a saving work or no? Then mark this one thing; Are such persons got clear of their old vain Companions? if so, they are like to do well; for wisdom saith, Forsake the foolish and live, Prov 9. 6. If the Lord Jesus help thee, quiter to forsake thy for ra●● Companions, in sin and vanity, whom thou didst once delight in, and to endeavour after acquaintance with those that fear God, it is a sign that thou shalt live; For then the greatest snare in the World is broken: there is not a greater snare in the way to Conversion, and so in the way to Salvation, then that of vain Company; therefore if the Lord help thee to break through that snare of the fowler, there is great hope, that thou shalt escape with the life of thy soul, and be delivered from those snares of death and hell, which Satan seeks to take thee alive in.  
4. Sinful Company-keeping will be bitterness in the latter end.  
It ma● be in his life. Many a foolish creature, hath been brought to great poverty, shane, and misery by this means. His Estate wasted, his Credit lost his ●ealth impaired, his Friends and Relations( as we●● as himself) brought into disgrace; and a● by his following the company of vain persons. To this purpose, doth the Scripture speak, Prov. 28. 7. He that is a companion of riotous men, shameth his Father: and in verse. 19. it is said, He that followeth after vain persons, shall have poverty enough. And the dismal experience of multitudes doth sadly confirm the Truth hereof. How few are there, amongst those that by Debaucheries have been brought from a flourishing state into a condition most wretched and rue●ul,( and many such instances these late sinful dayes have afforded) but if they be asked the reason, will tell you, i● was evil Company that did it? O●, however, this sin is like to prove bitter, upon a Death bed. Oh ● that young men would consider of it, and harken to the Word of the Lord this day. Shall I tell you what some young men in this place, have said upon death-beds; when they have felt their Souls going out of their bodies, and launching into the infinite Ocean of Eternity. There have been some, that when I have seen them dying, and in great anguish of spirit, I have inquired of them what sin it was that did then most of all trouble them▪ and the Answer hath been, with a bitter and a do●●ful cry, O that sin of Company keeping▪ Thats the evil that most of all troubleth me now I a● dying; thatis it that hath drawn me into many other sins, whereby my Soul hath been ruined. Young men, think of it, and let it make you tremble to fall into bad company. And know you for certain, that without Repentance, your Company-keeping, will be bitterness after death for ever. For they that have been Companions in sinning in this World are like to be Companions in suffering, in another World for ever. Was it not said to ●ezabel, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, Rev. 2. 22. They that have had their merry meetings, their riotings, their drinking bouts, their chambering and wantonness together, except they repent of their deeds, shall be cast together into a bed of great and everlasting Tribulation. Now they are for a short life and a merry, but they must wail like Dragons for it, when God shall break them together, in the place of Dragons, and cover their Souls with the shadow of eternal death.  
Use 2. Hence men, especially professors of Religion, should beware of sitting with vain persons.  
It is very sad, that there should be so much need for an Exhortation of this ●a●ure as indeed there is. Alas! that as to the company which men keep, there is little difference to be observed between some Professors and the profane. Time was when it was otherwise; Men might have been known by their company as well as by any thing else. But how is it at this day? Are there not some Church Members that if a man would speak with them, he must look for them in some Tavern, or in some public house, and there he shall find them amongst vain persons, misspending their precious time. Be astonished at this O ye Heavens.  
Consider 1. You expose yourselves unto great danger, by maintaining unnecessary companionship with vain persons.  
You may please yourselves with vain imaginations, that such persons shall receive good by being amongst them. But it is far more likely that you will receive hurt by them, th●n that they shall receive good by you. Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled? Can he have unnecessary communion with vain and vicious persons, and yet his Conscience not be polluted? Remember what Solomon saith, Prov. 6. 27, 28. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burnt? can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burnt? Thou takest fire into thy bosom, when thou makest a vain person thy Companion; and burning is like to follow upon it. When God ●n his word doth prohibit this or that Iniquity, therein is implied that men must absta●n from the Temptation leading thereunto, and therefore that they should beware of vain company, as they would not fall into sin, such company being a great & dangerous Temptation unto many sins. Be not so profane, as to pled Christs holy example in eating with Publicans and Sinners, as an encouragement to sit with vain persons● The Holy Son of God had no sin inherent in him, nor could he sin, or be overcome with any Temptation. When Satan came, he found nothing in him to fasten a temptation upon. But how much otherwise is it with thee? Tinder is not more subject to take fire, then thy corrupt heart is apt to be tainted, when the infectious sparks of temptation are flying about thee. There is danger also, in being amongst vain Companions left their sins should become thine. Men should make great Conscience of that Rule, 1 Tim. 5. 22. Neither be partaker of other mens sins, keep thyself pure. When thou fittest with vain persons, thou wilt hear them speak like themselves, vainly, and in●●ead of reproving it, it may be thou wilt but laugh at it. So wilt thou become a partaker of their sins: And if so, how canst thou expect not to partake in their punishments? Come away then from amongst them, that ye be not partakers of their sins, and that ye receive not of their plagues, Rev. 18. 4. Did not Ah●ziah lose his life, because he was found in company with wicked Joram: Nay, I will suppose thee to be a godly man, one in whom good things are found, but thy godliness will not secure or save thee from temporal judgements, if thou art more intimate and familiar with vain persons, then doth become thy Religion and holy profession. Remember what the Prophet said to Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 19. 2. shouldst thou love those that hate the Lord; therefore wrath from the Lord is upon thee. So I say, shouldst thou sit with vain persons? shouldst thou frequent their houses? shouldst thou choose to travail abroad with such companions? Therefore wrath from the Lord is upon thee.  
Consider 2. You would not be with such company hereafter.  
You would not choose to be amongst such in the other world. You would be loth to go where their souls shall go at the hour of death. David having ●aid, that he neither did nor would si● with the wicked, might well pray as in the ninth verse of this Psalm, Ga●●er not my soul with sinners. Since I loved not their company her●, when I die let not my soul be gathered to that Hell where they must go. It is reported concerning Dr. Pre●ton, that when he was dying, he had that expression. I am persuaded God will not now sand me to be amongst wicked men, for he knoweth, I did not delight in their company whilst in this World. Men at death are gathered to their people. They charge their place but not their company. A godly man, when he goeth out of this World is gathered to his People, his Soul goeth to be with the Souls of those that he most of all delighted to be with here. And when a wicked man death, he goeth to his People, his Soul is then gathered with sinners, he is carried away to be amongst the Spirits that are in Prison. If you would not be amongst them after death, do not choose to be amongst them now. And you would not be found amongst such company at the day of Judgement. When vain companions, shall all stand at the left hand of Jesus Christ the Son of God and Judge of the World, at the last and great day, you would be loth to be seen amongst them then. And will you ●it with them now? Know you not, that when you choose your Companions you choose for Eternity. The persons that now you are most familiar with, you are like to be with them throughout the dayes of Eternity.  
By way of Direction here:  
1. If you be at any time called to be in company with vain persons be sure to demean yourselves as becometh those that profess Godliness.  
Set an Example of gravity and holiness before them, that they may not have any occasion to say, These Professors of Religion, these Church● members, are like one of us. Have no fellowship with their sin and vanity, but reprove th●● rather, Eph. 5. 11. And then you will find, that they will care as little for your company, as you do for theirs, Prov. 29. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the Just, and be that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.  
2. Get acquaintance with Jesus Christ:  
Be familiar with him: yea, let your conversation be such, as that it may appear, that you have been with Jesus. And if you have been with him, you will not desire vain-fellowship. Christ saith, he that cometh to me shall never thirst, Joh. 6. 35. He will find that sweetness in Christ as shall take his heart off from other Objects, that he shall thirst after the world, and after worldly vain Companions no more.  
O therefore let us endeavour after more acquaintance with God, and with Jesus Christ● whom to know is life Eternal.   

Sleeping at Sermons is a Great and a Dangerous Evil.  ACTS 20. 9. And there sat in a Window a certain Young Man name Eutichus, being fallen into a deep sleep and as Paul was long Preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third Loft, and was taken up dead. 
IN this Context, the Evangelist, giveth an account of a solemn Church meeting, which was attended by those Christians, who in the Apostles dayes, lived at Troas. Concerning which divers things are noted.  
1. The day of the ●eek, when these Christians did assemble themselves together. It was upon the first Day of the Week, ver. 7. Inasmuch as Christ role from the Dead, upon the first Day, that is become the Christian Sabbath. One specialty whereby Christians are distinguished from Jews, is in that Jews observe the Seventh, but Christians the first Day as a Sabbath. It was foretold by the Prophets in the Old-Testament, that in the times of the Gospel, there should be a change as to the Day to be observed for solemn Worship. Thus Ezekiel foresaw that under the Gospel, the Lord would accept of the holy offerings presented unto him by his People, not upon the Seventh( as it was in the Jewish Church) but upon the eighth Day intimating a change, as to the day of Worship, from the seventh Day; unto that which follows next after it, Chap. 43. verse 27. And David Prophesied, that the day of Christs Resurrection,( viz. the first day of the Week) should become the Day wherein the Church would praise the Lord, or that it would become an holy day, wherein the Worship of God should be solemnized from time to time, Psal. 118. 24. And Paul declareth expressly, that inasmuch as Christ hath finished the work of Redemption, and is entred into his rest, there remaineth the Keeping of a Sabbath, or another day of holy Rest, distinct from that of the seventh Day, which was observed by the Jews, Heb. 4. 4, 9, 10. And we find in the Scripture, that Churches did by the Apostles direction, religiously observe the first Day of the week, 1 Cor. 16. 1. Justin Martyr, and other ancient Writers, show, that in the Primitive Times, Christians kept the first day of the Week as their Sabbath; and so hath it been in the Christian Church in all ages thereof. The work of Redemption is greater then that of Creation. Upon which account, if the seventh day was set apart to commemorate the work of Creation it is not to be wondered at, if the Lord Christ hath appointed the first day of the Week to be kep● holy unto himself in commemoration of the work of Redemption.  
2. The Evangelist declareth for that end it was that the Disciples at Troas, met together on the day mentioned. It was not for Civil but for Religious Ends and Purposes; nor indeed may Christians( excepting when pre●ent and in●●●itable necessity shall c●ll for a dispensation) meet together on that day of the week, to attend any other work, but such as are of an holy nature. One thing then which these Disciples came together for, was, to break Bread, h●e. to eat the Lords Supper. The breaking of the Consecrated Bread, is a Sacramental Action, whereby the sufferings of Christ are signified; and is therefore by a Synecdoche put for that whole Ordinance, which is appointed to show forth the Lords Death until he come. Moreover, these Disciples at Troas, met upon the Lords Day, that so they might hear the Word Preached, as well as partake at the ●able of the Lord. And because the Apostle Paul, was the next day to depart from them, and it may be never more to speak unto them, in the Name of the Lord; he continued long in his Sermon, even until midnight.  
3. Here is noted the particular place where these C●ristians met, ver. 8. There were many lights in the upper Chamber, where they were gathered together. Christians had not in those dayes, the liberty of public Meeting houses, because the higher Powers then were enemies to the Truth. Therefore the Disciples were glad to meet in private Houses, there to solemnize the Worship of God, according to his own holy Institution. And because of their Persecutors, they did assemble themselves together in the night time, when others were asleep, and would be less apt to observe them. And there were many lights in the room, that so if their Adversaries should happen to come upon them, they might have no occasion from the time of their being assembled together, to reproach them, as if they met to practise the deeds of darkness. Notwithstanding this circumspection, we find in the Apologies of some of the ancients, that the Enemies of the Church, did take occasion to traduce & slander them, as if they did convene for wicked ends and purposes: but when they did manage matters, with such Christian Pruden●e as these Disciples did, there was no occasion given; only maliciously taken.  
4. Here is recorded a Remarkable providence which happened on the day, and in the place mentioned, wherein a certain young man, name Eutychus, was concerned. To declare which, is the scope of this verse, wherein we have expressed.  
1. The evil which Eutychus, was guilty of, in brief, he slept at a Sermon. Yea, and he did not only sl●mber, but gave way unto Temptation, so far, as to fall into a deep sleep.  
2. Here is noted the evil which befell him. An aweful rebuk of divine providence, did at the very time when Eutychus was sleeping and so sinning under the dispensation of the Word, overtake him. Being asleep, he fell down from the lo●t where he sat, and was killed with the fall, he was taken up dead. His Breath, Life, and Soul was struck out of his body; only the Lord was pleased miraculously to restore him unto life again. He was suddenly surprised with sleep; and he was in danger of being surprised with a sudden sleep of death, for it. And this is Recorded in the Scripture, that so others; yea all Christians in after Generations, who should hear of it, might beware of doing as Eutychus did, that they might take heed of sleeping, when they should be harkening to that word, which is spoken o● them, in the Name of the Lord.  
The Doctrine, which may therefore at present be insisted on, is,  That Sleeping at Sermons is a Great and Dangerous Evil. 
In the prosecution of this Doctrine, I shall only attend two things.  
1. To Prove. 2. To Apply the Truth.  
Q. How doth i● appear, that sleeping at Sermons is a great Evil?  
Ans. 1. In that there is sin therein.  
Sin is the greatest of Evils. Nor ought any sin to be accounted a little evil. But when men sleep at Sermons, they sin against God: for such a practise is contrary unto Scripture Precept. If men will do as the Scripture requir●th, when the word of God is spoken, they must attend and incline their Ears unto what is said, Prov. 4. 20. Yea, they ought to give earnest heed thereunto, Heb. 2. 1. They then, who instead of hee●ing and harkening unto what is spoken, shall sleep away the Sermon; transgress against the Rules of Scripture. And we red of those in Scripture who have harkened to the Word of God with great attention, whose commendable example is Recorded for our Imitation. When Ez●a brought the Law before the Congregation of men and women, and stood upon a Pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; the ears of all the People were attentive to the Book of th● Law, Neh. 8. 3. And it is noted concerning some of Christs Audi●or●, that they were attentive to 〈◇〉 ●im, Luk. 19 43. They kept their 〈◇〉 ●●n! so their eyes open, whilst the Sermon w●● Pre●c●●ng. And ●h● truth is, that sleeping under Sermon● is a brea●● o● the third Commandment, which doth respect the man●er of Worship req●●ring the greatest Devotion and attention in the service of God. Sleepy Praying, and sleepy Hearing is a taking of hi● Holy Name in vain. His Word is called his Name. When the Gospel is evil spoken of, his Name is said to be ●la●phemed 1 〈◇〉 6 1. They that show no more respect unto his Word, then to sleep at it are g●i●ty of 〈◇〉 his Name. The Lord said to the Jewish Priests, ye despis● my Name, and when they aske● w●●rein have we aespised thy Name, it was replied; in that you say, the Table ●f the Lord is contemptible, M●l. 1. 6, 7. So may it be said to Sle●pers at Sermons, you have de●pised Gods Name; if you ask wherein? The Answer is, in th●● b● sleeping at Sermons, you practically say, that the Word of the Lord is contemptible.  
2. Sleeping at Sermons doth proceed from evil causes.  
Thats another thing that doth evince the evil of it. Things are according to the causes which they ari●e from ● Now Satan is the 〈◇〉 cause of this evil Interpreters observe, that ●a●an had a bloo●y are malicious 〈◇〉 ●n c●using Eutychus to fall into a pro●ound sleep, when the Apostle was in his Sermon, hoping thereby both to occasion ruin to the Sermonsl●eper, and to cause a great disturbance in the solemn Worship of God. Nor did that Enemy to the good of Souls altogether fall in attaining some part of his end. Only God according to his infinite power and wisdom, made this fall of Eutychus to be an occasion of glory to his own Name, both in respect of the Miracle which then was wrought, and in that this aweful stroke upon Eutychus, must needs make others afraid to do as he did, so that his sleeping ●ath been a means to prevent many an one from sleeping at Sermons, which was the thing that the Lord intended, when he permitted Satan so far to prevail as he did; But he De●●● had another end; h● knoweth that when he Word of God is faithfully dispensed, in case men attend unto what is spoken, good is like to come unto their Souls thereby; and thatis the thing that the Devil is afraid of; and therefore he useth all means he can possibly, to cause the good seed of the Word which is sown, to become unfruitful. And one unhappy way, whereby he doth accomplish it, is by causing them to sleep at Sermons. Hence in the Parable concerning the Sower, it is said, of the ●eed which fell by the way ●●●e, that the fowles of the Air came and devourea it up, Mark 4. 4. whats meant by these Fowls of the Air? you have it expounded in ver. 15. where it is said, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the Word that was sown. How doth Satan rob men of the benefit. which they might receive by the Word of God? he hath divers cunning and cursed Artifi●●, whereby he can accomplish his design. One and he hath none greater or more effectual) is to prejudice the minds of men against the Truth, or against the Dispensers of it. God complai●s of the false Prophets( who were the Devils Factors) that they did steal the Lords words every one from his Neighbour, Jer. 23. 30. because they laboured to prejudice their neighbours against the true and faithful Prophets of God, and so robbed their Souls of that precious treasure and benefit which the word would have afforded to them. It is never so, but Satan hath a deep hand therein. And another Artifice which he useth, to deprive men of that good, which they might receive by hearing the Word is, that he causeth them to sleep at Sermons. And from thence it cometh to pass, that men are most sleepy at Sermon time. Before the Sermon began, they were not drowsy, and after the Sermon is ended, they are not so; but just at that season, when they are called to attend unto the word of God, they are apt to drowse and sleep. This is as Satan would have it. He had rather have men wakeful at any time, then at Sermon time. And as for the internal cause, of mens sleeping at Sermons; it is from that Infirmity which they are subject unto, and miserable attended with. In some, it proceeds much from Natural Infirmity. Some are naturally of more wakeful, and others of more sleepy tempers and dispositions. And old age doth naturally incline men unto infirmity in this as well as in many other respects. But especially, this evil proceeds from that sinful and moral Infirmity, which men are woefully subject unto. Hence it was, that the Disciples slept when they should have been fervently praying to God, Mat. 26. 40. 41. Jesus cometh to the Disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith to Peter, what, could you not watch with me one hour. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. There was in the Disciples of Christ, spirit as well as flesh; so far as they were made spiritual, they were willing to have watched with Christ; and had newly manifested their willingness, by professing their readiness to die for his sake; but because of a carnal unregenerate part, which at that time prevailed, they, slept when Christ bid them watch. It was because of their Flesh, their infirmity both natural and moral, that they slept when they should have been watching and praying, and the same is true, if men sleep when they should be watching and hearing. Had not men sin and corruption in their hearts, it is certain, that they would not sleep at Sermons.  
3. There are evil effects which follow upon mens sleeping when they should be harkening to the Word of God.  
We shall show this in some Particulars, all which tend to evince the truth of the Doctrine.  
1. One evil effect which follows upon sleeping at Sermons is, That Mens hearing the Word, is thereby rendered unacceptable to the Lord,  
The great thing which should be aimed at in every duty, is that we may find acceptance with God, in what we do. And therefore to look well to the manner of performance. For that is necessary in order to the obtaining of divine acceptation, Luk. 8. 18. Take heed how you hear. It is not enough for men to pray, or to come together to hear the word preached, &c. but every one had need consider, after what manner do I pray, after what manner do I hear? If they take not heed how they hear, so as to approve themselves to God in respect of the manner as well as the matter of duty, they will not find acceptance with him, Mal. 1. 8. If you offer the blind for sacrifice is it not evil: offer it now to thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? Thus when a man doth offer a sleeping prayer before the Lord, or a sleeping attendance upon duty in respect of hearing the Word, Is it not evil? doth he not offer the blind? will the Lord accept of it, or be pleased with such services wherein there is no life of devotion? His hearing will be so far from pleasing God, as that it will become a provocation, if he doth willingly set himself to sleep at Sermon time. If an Earthly Prince, should sand his Ambassadors, to treat with any about matters of high concernment, and they should manifest no more regard unto what is said, then to fall asleep, whilst the Message is in delivering; would it not provoke? The Ministers of God are in Scripture styled his Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5. 20. We are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christs stead, be ye reconciled to God.  
These Ambassadors for Christ, are sent to treat with men about matters of the greatest concernment that possibly can be; yea, to propose unto them in the Name of that God whose they are, and whom they serve, terms of Peace and Reconciliation; and they do it in Sermons, in that way, they treat with men about the everlasting concernments of their precious and immortal Souls. Now to sleep at the very time when these Messages are delivered, is so far practically to contemn the Word, and must needs be displeasing unto him whose word it is, and in whose name delivered.  
2. Another evil which doth follow upon sleeping at Sermons, is, That it doth cause the Word Preached to become unprofitable, nay, hurtful to the souls of men:  
It is a sad thing, when Men shall receive the Grace,( i.e. the Word of God,) in vain, 2 Cor. 6. 1. yet so do they do, who indulge themselves in sleeping at Sermons. If it be so, as the Apostle speaketh in another case, then is our preaching vain. Suppose the Truths delivered be never so precious, if people are asleep, it is to them, as if no Word were spoken, excepting that they must give a dreadful account for that which they might have heard for their Souls good; but would not when called of God thereunto. A Minister of Christ had as good speak to the Seats, and Pillars, and Walls of the House, as to men that are( like him whom my Text speaketh of) in a profound sleep. Nay, there is danger that the Word will then( through their own default) become hurtful to their Souls. It was said to the Corinthians, 1 Epistle Chap. 11. ver. 17 You come together not for the better, but for the worse If Christians come together, to eat the Lords Supper, but mind not after what manner, their coming together is for the worse. And if they come together under pretence of hearing the Word preached, but set themselves to sleep, instead of reverend attention unto what is spoken, they come together for the worse. It were better not to come, then to come only to sleep. As the Apostle there speaketh, ver. 22. He●● ye not Houses to ●eat and drink in, or despise ye the Church of God, So I say, have you not Houses to sleep in, that you must come and openly despise an Ordinance of God?  
3. Another evil effect of sleeping at Sermons, is, that it maketh men have a guilty Conscience.  
Sin doth so, especially known sin, and in a most peculiar manner breaches of the third Commandment, the Lord having said, that he will not hold those guiltless that take his Name in vain; but all this is true of those that sleep at Sermons. Hence except their hearts are strangely obdurated in the ways of sin, they feel checks of Conscience for this evil. Men have that in their own breasts which tells them, that they should not do so, when they give way to temptation, and fall a sleep under that solemn dispensation of the Word of God, spoken to them in his Name. And when the Lord awakens Conscience, there are great troubles of spirit for this sin. It hath been so with some of the Elect of God at their first Conversion. God hath made it a sad and a terrible thought unto them, to consider, how many Sermons they have lost, and sinned, and slept away; how they have turned a deaf ear upon the Messages which the Lord hath sent from Heaven to them.  
4. Men are hereby exposed unto Judgement.  
Guilt binds the sinner over unto the righteous judgement of God. Temporal Judgements are many times inflicted for this sin, and that not only on the profane ungodly world, but on the Lords own servants. As this instance in my Text doth make to appear. Indeed we red of but one godly man in the Scripture,( viz. Eutychus the man whom my Text mentions) that did sleep at a Sermon, and what a memorable and aweful death had he like to have suffered, because of this his sin? and yet a great deal more might be said to excuse him, then most of those that use to sleep at Sermons● can pled for themselves. For Pauls Sermon, at that time was very long; and it was not in the day but in the night; yea, at midnight, when men are naturally more inclined to sleep; yet when Eutychus thus circumstanced, gave way to temptation, so as to fall asleep, when he should have been harkening to the word of God, he must be smitten with a sudden and a deadly blow; that as Jonathan said, 1 Sam. 14. 43. I did but taste a little Honey, and lo, I must die. So this man, did but take a little sleep, a short nap whilst the Sermon was Preaching and lo! he must die for it. And as for those that have been notorious sleepers at Sermons, indulging themselves in that iniquity, God oftentimes cu●s them off, by sudden and aweful stroke of his hand. Yea, and spiritual judgements are the bitter fruit of this sin. For this cause, the Lord in righteous judgement doth blast his word to the Souls of men, that they are never converted nor saved thereby, but they become like unto Ezekiels marshes and Miry places, they are given unto salt and shall not be healed, Ezek. 47. 11. They are smitten with that curse of spiritual and perpetual barrenness of soul. When men are so profane as to set themselves to sleep at Sermons, the Holy God is so provoked at them for the contempt of his Word, as to resolve and swear against them; that they shall never be converted, or receive any saving benefit thereby. And when this ●●cometh a general prevailing iniquity amongst a professing people, the Lord is sometimes provoked to take away his Word from them. He calls home his Ambassadors, and brings a Famine of his word. When mercies are slighted, God knoweth how to raise the price of them, and to make men know the worth of them, by the want thereof. When the Jews were grown weary of Sabbaths and of Sermons, which were Preached to them, both on the weekly Sabbath, and at their New Moons, that which followed, was, the Lord sent upon them a Famine, not a famine of bread,( but a more dreadful even a spiritual famine) of hearing the Word of the Lord, Amos 8. 5. 11. The Lord may well say, if you have no more respect unto my word, then to sit & sleep under it; you shall hear Sermons few enough, until you have learned to hear with better attention; and know that inasmuch as you have slept Sermons away, you have also sinned them away.  
4. Sleeping at Sermons is an evil sign.  
For, 1. It argueth great inconsiderateness and ●●mindfulness of those things which men ought to consider of.  
It is an evidence that men are not ware of those things which they ought to remember, whenever they come to hear the Word of God dispensed in his Name. Its a sign that they do not consider of the dreadful place and presence which they are in. We may say of a solemn Church-Assemby as Jacob speaketh concerning that place where the Lord appeared to him, Gen. 28. 17. He was afraid, and said, how dreadful is this place, this is none other but the House of God. There is a special presence of God in Church-Assemblies, which maketh such places to be holy, and therefore dreadful. Its true, that in these dayes, one house is as holy as another. But it is also true, that in whatever house God is worshipped, during the time of worship, there is a special presence of the Lord there, and therefore during the time of worship, the place is holy. Hence reverence in Behaviour is required of men whilst in such places. It was said to Moses, Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, h●c. show reverence as to thy outward behaviour,( for putting off he show was, and is at this day amongst the Eastern Nations, like putting off the hat with us) for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground; namely, because of a special presence of God which was in that place at that time, Exod. 3. 5. So there is in Church Assemblies: if men are so irreverend there as to fall asleep, and it may be to put themselves into sleeping postures, it is a sign that they consider not this. The presence of Holy Angels is aweful. Yet such a presence is there, in Church Assemblies. Hence the House of God is said to be the Gate of Heaven, Gen. 28. 17. In old time, Princes kept their Courts in the Gates of the City, and there they had their Ministers and Servants to attend them. Thus the Lord doth as it were sit upon his Throne, in Church-Assemblies, and there are Holy Angels attending him in those Gates of Heaven. The Apostle therefore Exhorts men and women to behave themselves with all due reverence and circumspection, in the solemn worship of God, because of the Angels, 1 Cor. 11. 10. Angels come down from Heaven, into our solemn Assemblies, and observe not only how Ministers Preach, but how People hear; who attends, and who doth not attend, who sleeps and who keeps awake. When People sleep at Sermons, it is a sign that they consider not of this as they ought to do. Yea, it is a sign that they consider not with whom they have to do in Sermons. It is said, that the Word of God is quick and powerful, and that all things are naked unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do, Heb. 4. 12, 13. so that in hearing the Word, men have to do with the All-seeing God. If they sleep under it, thatis a sign they remember not this. Did any of you near an Earthly Monarch speaking to you, the consideration of the greatness and authority of the Speaker would keep you awake. And would men sleep, if they know that the Majesty of Heaven is speaking to them?  
2. When Men sleep at Sermons, it is a sign that they have not that love to, and delight in the Word of God, which they ought to have.  
It is noted of the Primitive Christians that they received his word gladly, Act. 2. 41. There is not so much of that spirit as should be in those that sleep when they should hear. This argueth that men do not( with David) prise the word above all riches, and that it is not the delight and the rejoicing of their hearts. They can keep awake easily enough, when they hear that which they love and delight to hear. A vain and wicked creature, if he hears frothy and foolish Discourse, is not sleepy nor weary, because his carnal, unsanctifie● heart delights therein. Let the same person hear Sermons, or any serious and profitable matter discoursed of, and hes quickly asleep. This is a sure and a sad sign, that he taketh but little delight therein.  
Welcome now to Apply this Truth:  
And the first use may be by way of Instruction or Information.  
Instr. 1. We may here take notice that the nature of man is woefully corrupted and depraved, else they would not be so apt to sleep when the precious Truths of God are dispensed in his Name, Yea, and men are more apt to sleep then, than at another time. Some woeful Creatures, have been so wicked as to profess they have gone to hear Sermons on purpose. that so they might sleep, finding themselves at such times much disposed that way. This argueth as Satans malice, so the great corruption and depravation of the nature of men, whence it is that they are inclined unto evil, and indisposed to the thing that good is. Yea, some will sit and sleep under the best Preaching in the World. When Paul was alive, there was not a better Preacher upon the Earth then he. Austin had three wishes: one was, that( if the Lord had seen meet) he might see Christ in the flesh: his second wish was, that he might have seen Paul in the Pulpit; but notwithstanding Pauls being so excellent a Preacher, there were some that could sit and sleep under his Ministry. When Soul-melting Sermons are Preached about Christ the Saviour, about the pardon of sin, about the glory of Heaven, there are some that will sleep under them. When soul-awakening Sermons are Preached, enough to make rocks to rend and to bleed; when the word falls down from Heaven like Thu●der, the vo●ce of the Lord therein being very powerful and full of Majesty, able to b●eak the ●ed●rs of Leb●non, and to make the wilderness to shake; yet o●e will sit and sleep under it: such is the woeful corruption and desperate hardness of the hearts of the Children of men.  
Inst● 2. Hence see, that there is great danger in those things which men are apt to ●o●k upon as little sins, yea as no sins at all.  
As for sleeping at Sermons, some look upon it as no sin; others account it a p●ccadillo, a sin not worth taking notice of, or the troubling themselves about. But my Text sheweth that danger and death is in it. We have solemn Instances in the Scripture, concerning those that have lost their lives, because they have been guilty of such miscarriages, as carnal reason will say are b●t little sins. When there was a man that gathered a few sticks upon the Sabbath day, he was put to death or it; and yet men would be apt to think his sin was not( though indeed it was) very great. Men account i● a small matter to add something of their own to the worship of God: but when Nadab and Ahihu did so, there went out fire from the Lord, and consumed them to death. When uzzah a good man, did with a pious intention touch the Ark,( which he being ●o Priest should not have done) God smote him for his Error, that he dyed by the Ark of God. Behold! the severity of God, and let us tremble at it. Common sins, which almost every one is guilty of, are accounted small iniquities; but there is exceeding danger in following a multitude to do evil. Sins of Omission are esteemed small, but mens Souls may be thrown into the fire and burned for ever, not only for bearing evil fruit, but because they do not bring forth good fruit, Mat. 3. 10. At the last day the Son of God will pronounce a Sentence of eternal death upon thousands of Millions, because they have omitted these and those duties which he required and expected from them. Sinful words are looked upon as small evils by many. How common is it for persons to say, what shall we be made offenders for a word? abusing that Scripture which reproveth those that make others offenders for speaking good and faithful words. But doth not the Scripture say, by thy words thou shalt be condemned, Mat. 12. 37. Corrupt communications, obscene discourses, unclean lascivious speeches, discover the persons that delight in them to be amongst the number of those that shall( without Repentance) be condemned at the day of Judgement, yet there are some that make light of them. Thus concerning those words which some call Petty oaths; some are so profanely ignorant as to think, that they may Swear by their Faith and Troth, and that there is no great hurt or danger in it. But there is danger of no less then Damnation for th●se seemingly little sins, if men shall allow themselves therein, notwithstanding the Commandment of God to the contrary. See the word of the Lord to this purposo, Jam. 5. 12. But above all things Swear not,( i.e. vainly, or except duly called thereunto) neither by Heaven, neither by the Earth, neither by any other Oath, therefore not by your Faith or Troth, lest you fall into condemnation.  
Again, sinful thoughts are esteemed small evils; but I must te●● you, that vain thoughts, and much more vile unclean thoughts, if indulged and delighted in, may hinder the Salvation of a mans Soul. Witness that Scripture, Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved ● how long shall thy vain thoughts lod●● within thee? so that there is more then a little danger, in those evils, which men account little sins.  
Inst. 3. If sleeping at Sermons be such an evil as hath been evinced, there is then cause to fear, that 〈◇〉 Lord hath been contending with his People in 〈◇〉 Land, by aweful Judgements, partly on the ac 〈…〉 this iniquity.  
The late Syno●, who convened on purpose, to inquire into the causes of the Lords controversy with New-England, have mentioned this amongst many other provoking evils. And there is great reason to think, tha●, that holy God who will not hold the ●akers of his Name in vain guiltless, hath been not a little displeased for this sin. Inasmuch as it is a common evil. I doubt it may be said, that there are many such offenders in almost every Congregation throughout the Land. I must confess to my exceeding joy, that there are as few sleepers at Sermons, in this Congregation, as in any that I have observed in the country; yet there are some and too many. It is a sin, which Professors and Church-members( as well as others) are guilty of; and 'tis past doubt, that it hath been for their sins in a more peculiar manner, even for the provoking of his Sons, and of his Daughters; that God hath sent the Sword, Fire, and Death amongst us. This is a sin, which is not punished by men, but therefore the Lord himself will visit for it. And truly some of those aweful Judgements, which we have sadly experienced, seem to have a special respect unto this sin. Those fearful and amazing voices in the Heavens, even thunderings and lightnings, which have caused many amongst us to be horribly afraid; and some have( like Eutychus) been taken up dead, the Thunder of God having killed them in a moment; hath not the Lord sent them usually upon the very ●ay when Sermons are wont to be Preached, or upon the next day thereto; as if the Lord should say, if you will slight and sleep at my word, Ile make you to hear that which shall awake you with a witness. And doth not God threaten with a Famine of his word? How many bereave● Congregations are there? and some that have been a long time without the Ministerial dispensation of the Word and Sacraments. Well may it be so, if People when they enjoyed a faithful Ministry, shewed no more respect and reverence towards God speaking to them therein, then to sit and sleep under it.  
Instr. 4. If sleeping at Sermons be a great evil, then their iniquity is exceeding great in the sight of God, who do that in Sermon time, which is worse then sleeping.  
e. g. To Play at Sermon time, as wicked children who have no grace nor fear of God in their hearts, will sometimes do. If you do thus on the Sabbath day, you break the third and the fourth Commandment both at once; and then how guilty! how guilty! are you in the fight of the holy Lord God, who is in this dreadful place, but you are not ware of it. So for persons to sit Laughing in the presence of God, when his Word is spoken to them in his Name, their sin and profaneness is exceeding great before the Lord. What dost thou think will become of thy immortal soul? dost thou think that God will have mercy on thee. Repent of this thy wickedness, or I do most solemnly declare unto thee in his Name, God will not have mercy on thee: He that made thee, will show thee no ●avour. The Lord saith, he will look unto those that are of a con●●ire Spirit who tremble at his Word, Isai 66. 2. Thou then, that ar● so far from trembling at the Word of the Lord, as to Laugh when it is spoken to thee; the infinite Majesty, who hath Heaven for his Throne, and the Earth for his Foot stool, will not look upon thee; he abhors to see or to look upon such a profane wretch as thou art: But inasmuch as thou dost laugh at his Word now, repent speedily, or he time draweth on, when distress and anguish will take hold on thy Soul, and then God will laugh a● thy calamity, and mock when thy fear cometh. And therefore hear and fear now and do no more so wickedly. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, Luk. 6. 26. Wo to you that laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. So I say, wo to you that laugh at Sermons now, for you shall mourn, and never laugh more. When wilt thou say? even when thy soul shall be with Dives, crying out, world without end. I am tormented in this flamme. And O think how the Devils will taunt & mock at thee, and say, why don't you laugh now? Remember you heard such a Minister of God Preach, he brought you the glad●tidings of eternal Salvation, and the sad news of everlasting destruction, but you laughed when you heard him speaking after the most solemn and earnest manner; is it a laughing matter now think you? were they not the great Truths of God, th●● were spoken in his Name? Then will tears of Blood trickle down thy dry and damned cheeks for ever and ever, because thou mayest not be so happy as to hear one Sermon, or to have one offe● of Grace more, throughout the never-ending dayes of Eternity.  
Use 2. If sleeping at Sermons be so great an evil as hath been said, then let those that have been guilty, of this evil, be exhorted to be humbled for what's past, and to beware of it for time to come.  
Consider 1. Men must give an account another day for every Sermon.  
If it be true,( as it cannot but be true, because the mouth of him who is Truth itself hath spoken it) that of every idle word which m●n shall speak, they must give account thereof at the day of Judgement, Mat. 12. 36. Certainly they must give an account concerning every Sermon which they hear. Sleeping at a Sermon is a greater sin, then speaking an idle word. Therefore if men must be called to an account for idle words, much more for this. All those Talents, which the Lord doth entrust any with, they must be accountable for them another day: Now Gospel Sermons, are amongst the most precious Talents, which any in this World have conferred on them. But what a sad account will be given concerning those Sermons which have been slept away? As light as thou makest of it now, it may be Conscience will roar for it upon a Death bed. Not many years ago, there was a young man, that being wont to come to hear the Word in this Congregation, when he was upon his sick-bed, which proved his death-bed, he desired to speak with me, and when I came to him, he had this expression, O Sir, sometimes whilst Sermons have been Preaching: I have set myself to sleep on purpose, and do you think it is possible, that one that hath done so, should ever find mercy with God. And if this be a trouble on a death-bed, will not the thought of it, be a terror at the last and great day? verily there is many a Soul, that will find this to be a dismal thought at the day of Judgement, when he shall remember, so many Sermons I might have heard for my everlasting benefit, but I slighted and slept them away.  
Therefore,  
Consider 2. That if men allow themselves in this evil, their souls are in danger to perish.  
Its true, that a godly man may be subject unto this, as well as unto other infirmities; but he doth not allow himself therein. If he be inclined to sleep, when he should be hearing the Word, he mourns under it, as his burden. If indeed thou hast grace in thy soul, then in case thy head hath been heavy at Sermon time, thy heart will be heavy for it afterwards. But when persons indulge themselves in this iniquity, when they compose and settle themselves to sleep, their state is dangerous, and their souls like to perish Their spot is not the spot of Gods Children. How was the Lord provoked at them who despised Manna. And their sin is no less who offer contempt to the Manna of the Gospel; as Sermon sleepers, who indulge themselves in this their iniquity, do.  
Some it may be will say, but how shall we help it?  
Ans. 1. As helps against this evil, there are some things that men should remember to observe before they come to hear the Word. Beware of excessive toiling and moiling in the World, because that doth incline to sleepiness. And remember to be temperate in all things. When men overcharge themselves with meat and drink, and then come to hear the Word Preached, no wonder if they fall asleep, when they should be hearing for their Souls benefit. And if you find yourselves inclined to this evil, remember to pray much against it before you come to hear. I doubt common sleepers at Sermons, remember not this. Did they pray earnestly against this infirmity the Lord would give them power and victory over it. You must be watchful in order unto prayer, and you must pray that you may become watchful.  
2. At the time of Hearing, some things are to be done as helps against this Evil.  
Strive against it when first you begin to drowse, shake off a sleepy frame. Stir up yourselves to hear the Word, as well as to call upon the Name of God, Isai. 64. 7. If sitting be an occasion of sleeping, rather stand up, then si● and sleep and sin. And keep alive those thoughts in your hearts, which will be a means to prevent sleeping. e. g. The aweful thoughts of the special presence of God. When Jacob slept as in his Journey towards Padan Aran, Gen 28. 16. he awaked out of his sleep and said, surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not: it is as if he had said, had I been ware that God was in this place I would not have composed myself to sleep in his presence. Jacob had more grace, then to set himself to sleep in the special presence of God. Surely, if men did know that God is in Church-Assemblies, they would not set themselves to sleep there. Remember when you hear Sermons Preached, that God himself is speaking to you, in the way of his Ordinance, though by mortal men like unto yourselves. The Treasure is from Heaven, though the Vessel that brings it, be an earthen vessel. You should therefore receive the Word of God, which you hear, not as the word of men, but as the word of God, 1 Thess. 2. ●3. I remember I have re●● concerning that great Emperor 〈◇〉 that sometimes when he heard Sermon● Preached, he did ●●se up out of his Royal Seat, and would g●ve that reason for it, because( sa●● he) the man that speaketh cometh in the Name of God, and 〈◇〉 the messages of God. Nay, when Egl●n the Prince of Moab, heard Ebu●● say, I have a Message from God unto thee; he arose out of his Seat. Men would be more like to stand trembling then to sit sleeping, if they did believe and thi●k of this. Again, if thou dost find thyself inclined to sleep under the hearing of the Word, think how Satan is busy about thee, thou mayst be sure h● is near at hand, if thou growest sleepy 〈◇〉 Sermon, and wil● thou give way to his Temptations? Yea, think with thyself, if I should sleep now● I should sin. There was a man that could ●●y, he had not slept a wink ●t a Sermon, for more then twenty years together, and could give this Reason of it, 〈◇〉( sai● he) I● I beg●n to he sleepy, that thought 〈…〉 I should now sleep, I should sin against 〈…〉 I dare not do.  
Oh consider what hath been spoken. And learn to hear the Word of God, o utmost attention of 〈◇〉, and intention 〈◇〉 So your souls shall live.  
T●● Dom●●   

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As also a Relation of the Fearful Estate of Despairing FRANCIS SPIRA.