pense with his secret prayer: for it is not to be used as a formality. But he that joineth with the speaker hath not the choice of his own matter, nor can so easily keep up a praying mind, without distractions, as he can do when he speaketh himself. Therefore, (avoiding superstitious conceits, and making laws to ourselves, as God's, which he hath not made,) secret prayer is so great a duty, that every man must use it as oft as other duties at that time are not to be preferred, but will give leave. And some can find time for it (with meditation) in their labour, and travel, when they are alone.

S. 4. Is long or short prayer to be preferred?

It varieth

P. The general rule, also, must direct you in this. the case, as times, and persons, and occasions vary. When no greater duty (at that time) putteth you off, you can scarce be too long, if you continue fit for it in mind and expression; but when other duties call you off, or you cannot be long without unmeet expressions and repetitions before others, or without your own or the family's dullness and unfitness, shorter, at that time, may be the best. But see that formal affectation be not the lengthener of your prayers, nor carnal weariness the shortener of them; at least, do not justify either of these.

S. 5. Is it better to pray by a set form, or book, or without, as I am able to express my desires?

P. God hath not made you a law against either, but left every man the way that is fittest for him.

S. How shall I know which is fittest for me?

P. 1. In secret, usually, it is best to use yourself oftest to pray freely, from the present sense of your condition, that you may be able to do it; and vary as occasion serveth. For the best man's mind is apt to grow dull in using the same words an hundred times over: as a music lesson, played too oft, doth become less pleasing; and it will not cure us, to say that it should not be so.

2. Therefore, also, you should learn to pray freely, from an habit, before others also, as soon as you can.

3. But till you can do it without disgraceful expressions, repetitions, and disorders, it is better in your family to use a book, or form.

4. If in public, or secret, any one find that a form, having more fit, large, and lively expressions than he can have himself without it, doth quicken and enlarge him, he may best use it; but if it more bind and straiten him, he may forbear it.

I will add these two advices here. 1. Settle not yourself in

such a calling and way as will not stand with family worship. 2. Take heed of growing in customariness and dead formality, which may too easily befall you, even under extemporate prayers. S. Have you any more counsel for me, for the good and order of my family?

P. At this time I will add no more but these. 1. Watch, against your worldly business, that it eat not out the life and seriousness of holy duties. Alas! in most families the world is all that they have any sense of: though yet your calling must be followed.

S. Truly, landlords are so hard, and people so very poor, that necessity is a constraint and great temptation to them.

P. I know it is. But if landlords be cruel, shall men be more cruel to themselves? If they keep you poor, will you therefore keep your soul ungodly and miserable? The less comfort you have here, and the harder this world useth you, the more careful should you be, in reason, to make sure of a better world. Poor men have souls to save, and a heaven to win, and a hell to escape, and a Christ to believe in, and a God to love and serve, as well as the rich. And I tell you that your temptations are less than theirs.

2. Do all you can to keep up, in yourself and family, the joy of believing, and a delight in God and all his service; therefore, let your daily duty have much in it of thanksgiving and praise.

3. You, that are a farmer, and sit by your servants in the long winter nights, get a good book, and "read to them while they are with you. I will not discourage your own exhortations; but few husbandmen can discourse so profitably, so closely, soundly, and searchingly, as many such books will do, if you choose aright. But more of this, in the next day's conference.

THE EIGHTH DAY'S CONFERENCE.

How to spend the Lord's Day in Christian Families, in the Church, and in secret Duties.

Speakers.-Paul, a Teacher; and Saul, a Learner.

PAUL. Welcome, neighbour. How go matters between you and your family; yea, and your God?

"Dent. xvii. 19; Acts viii. 28, 30.

SAUL. O, sir, you have set me a great deal of work, which my conscience telleth me is good and necessary, and better than any else that I can spend my time in. But my heart is bad and backward; and it is not so soon learned as heard, nor so soon done as learned; and yet I come to you for more. For I am resolved to take God and heaven for my all, and, therefore, to be true to the covenant I have made. I desire you, now, to instruct me about the right observation of the Lord's day; and, first, tell me our obligation to it.

P. I have published a treatise only on that subject, to which I must now refer you, as to the obligation and the disputing part; only giving you this brief intimation: 1. Christ gave his apostles commission to acquaint the world with his will, and to settle the orders of the gospel churches. 2. To this end he promised and gave them the infallible conduct of the Holy Ghost; who is now the Author of what they did in obedience to their commission. 3. As Christ rose from the dead on the * first day of the week, so he oft on that day appeared to his disciples, and, on that day, (Whitsunday) he sent down the Holy Ghost; so that the new world was begun on that day. And on that day the apostles constantly celebrated the holy assemblies, and appointed the churches to do the like, separating that day to the holy worship of God. 4. All the churches in the world from the apostles' times, till a few years ago, did unanimously keep the Lord's day as holy, or separated to holy worship; no one church, no one person, no, not a heretic, that I remember, who confessed Christ's resurrection, ever once excepting against it, or dissenting and this is as ordained by the apostles in their times.

S. You need say no more: he that will contradict such proof as this, hath an evil spirit of contradiction. But that which is questioned is, whether it be a Sabbath, and come in the place of the seventh day Sabbath?

P. Trouble not your brains about mere names: it is enough for you that it is a day separated by Christ and the Holy Ghost to holy worship, and called the Lord's day. If by a Sabbath be not meant a day of Jewish ceremonial rest (which is the Scripture sense of that word) then we confess that it is no Sabbath, but that all such Sabbaths are abolished, as types of better things.

* John xx. 1, 19, 26, and xvi. 13-15; Acts ii. 1, and x. 7 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2; Rev. i. 10; Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; 2 Thess. ii. 15.

S. I am the more easily satisfied by reason and experience for the holy keeping of the day: for, 1. I know that one day in seven is as due a proportion now as when Moses's law was made. 2. I am sure it is a great mercy and benefit to man, to be obliged every seventh day to rejoice in God, and lay by our care and labour, and learn the way to everlasting life. Alas! what would servants and poor men do without it! 3. It is a hedge, and great engagement to the holy employments of the soul, when every seventh day is separated to that use alone. 4. And I feel by experience the great benefit of it to myself. 5. And I see that religion most prospereth where the Lord's day is most conscionably kept, and falls where it is neglected. But I pray you set me down directions for the right spending of the day both general and particular.

P. I. The general instructions which you must take are these.

1. That the chiefest use of the day is for the public wor shipping of God, our Creator and Redeemer; and therefore the church worship is to be preferred before all that is more private.

2. That the chief work which it is to be spent in, is learning the doctrine of the gospel, and praising, and giving thanks to our Heavenly Father, our Redeemer, and Sanctifier: the rest cometh under this.

3. Therefore the manner of it, and the frame of our hearts, should be holy joy, and gratitude, and love, stirred up by the exercise of faith and hope: and it should be spent as a day of thanksgiving for the greatest mercy.

4. Therefore the positive part of duty is the main, viz. that heart and tongue be thus employed towards God. And the negative part (our abstaining from other thoughts and words, and labours and sports) is so far our duty, as they are any hinderance to this holy work; and not on a mere ceremonial ac

count.

S. Now set me down all my duty in its order.

P. Make due preparation for the day beforehand. Let your six days' labour be so dispatched, that it may not hinder you: cast off worldly thoughts, and remember the last Lord's day instructions; and repent of all the sins of the week past: and go in season to your rest.

2. Let your first thoughts be suitable to the day. Remem› Acts ii. 4, 5; 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.

ber with joy the resurrection of your Saviour, which begun the triumphant, glorious state, as you awake in the beginning of this holy day and let your heart be glad to think that a day of the Lord is come.

3. Rise full as early on that day as on your labouring days; and think not that swinish sloth is your holy rest.

4. Let your dressing time be short, and spent as aforesaid, in hearing a chapter read, or in good thoughts, or suitable speech in those about you.

5. If you can, go first to secret prayer; and let servants dispatch their necessary business about cattle, that it stand not after in their way.

6. Then call your servants to family worship, and if you can have time, without coming too late to the assembly, read the Scripture, sing a Psalm of praise, and call on God with joyful thanksgiving, for our redemption and the hopes of glory: or so much of this as you can do. But do all with seriousness and alacrity and tell your servants and children what it is that they go to do at the church.

7. Go to the beginning of public worship; and let none be absent that can be spared to go. Your duty there I must show you by itself, anon.

8. After your return, while dinner is preparing, is a seasonable time for secret prayer, or meditation on the great business of the day, and to consider of what you heard in public.

9. If company allow you opportunity, let your time at meat be seasoned with some cheerful mention of the mercies of our Redeemer, or what is suitable to the hearers and the day.

10. After dinner, if there be time, call your family together, and sing a Psalm of praise, and help them to remember what was taught them.

11. Then take them again (in time) to the assembly.

12. When you come home, call them all together, and after craving God's assistance, and acceptance through Christ, sing a Psalm of praise, and repeat the sermon, or cause it to be repeated, not tediously, but so much as the time may bear. Or if there were no sermon, or one unsuitable to your family, read near an hour to them in some suitable and lively book. (Of which anon.) And conclude with prayer and praise to God; and all with seriousness, alacrity, and joy.

13. Between that and supper, both you, and such children. and servants as can possibly be spared, betake yourselves to secret prayer and meditation.