2.6.2012 PHILIP HENRY II

be sure you look to your secret duty;keep that up whatever you do.
the soul cannot prosper in the neglect of it.
he observed that apostacy generally begins at the closet door.
secret prayer is first neglected and carelessly performed,
then frequently omitted
and after a while wholly cast off;
and then farewell god and Christ and all religion.
..besides the deadness and coldness,
the distractions and wanderings..
there is also a kind of weariness which many times seizes their spirits,.
sometimes the impression..'enough for this time' comes
and needs to be ignored.
if the devil cannot keep us from God,
he will work a loathness to tarry with him..

the Spirit deals not with us as stocks and stones,
but as rational creatures. hosea 11.4
He expects and requires, that we should put forth ourselves
to the utmost
towards the working our hearts into a fervent frame
and when we are weak and wanting
He comes with help.
thus much seems to be implied in that expression,
the Spirit helpeth our infirmities..
it is an allusion to a man who has a great burden,
suppose a heavy log of wood to carry,
and he cannot manage it unless some one will come and
lay a shoulder under one end.
but if that help be offered, he is not altogether excused.
he must lay his shoulder under the other end.
if we find our hears dead and dull ans indisposed to prayer,
we are ready, presently to cast the blame upon the Spirit,
all our life is from Him.
that is true;
but he conveys life in the use of the means.
and, commonly, the fault that
we do not receive more life and quickening from His
is in ourselves.
we are wanting in stirring up our affections,
in laboring with our hearts, by meditation, which is a special means.
the Spirit meeteth him that rejoiceth, and worketh righeousness.
sometimes, however, a cause of deadness
may be overmuch confidence in ourselves;
when we set about duties in our own strength,
and have no eye to the Spirit,
but rely altogether upon self.  philippians 3.3
this is as bad as the other.
the true mean between both is this;
so to labour with our hearts
as if we were to expect no assistance from the Spirit,
and yet so to rely upon His aid,
as if with our own hearts we had laboured nothing.

..he advised, that secret duty be performed secretly,
which was the admonition he gave sometimes to those
who caused their voice to be heard on high in that duty.

there are 2 doors,..to be shut when we go to prayer;
the door of our closet, that we may be secret;
the door of our hears, that we may be serious.

besides this, he and his wife constantly prayed together
morning and evening
and never, if they were together,
at home or abroad,
was it intermitted;
and from his own experience of the benefit of this practice,
he would take all opportunities to recommend it
to those in that relation..
he would say, that this is duty of husbands and wives
praying together..
this sanctifies the relation
and fetcheth in a blessing upon it,
makes the comforts of it the more sweet
and the cares and crosses of it the more easy,
and is an excellent means
of preserving and increasing love in the relation...

..he recommended..that the wife should be
sometimes called upon to pray with the husband,
that she might learn to perform duty in the family
in the husband's absence,
or in case he be removed by death...
it is comfortable if the moon rises when the sun sets.

..he made conscience ..a business of family worship,
in all the parts of it
and in it he was uniform, steady, and constant,
from the time that he was first called to the charge of a family,
to his dying day;
and according to his own practice,
he took all occasions to press it upon others.
his doctrine..from joshua 24.15, was that family worship is family duty.
he would say, sometimes,
if the worship of God be not in the house...
the Lord, have mercy upon us..

..as to the time of it, his rule was, commonly,
the earlier the better, both morning and evening;
in the morning, before worldly business crowded in,
early will i seek Thee.
..nor is it fit that the worship of God should
stand by and wait while the world's turn was served.
and early in the evening,
before the children and servants began to be sleepy;
and therefore, if it might be,
he would have prayer at night before supper,
that the body might be the more fit to serve the soul
in that service of God.
and indeed he did industriously contrive
all the circumstances of his family worship,
so as to make it most solemn,
and most likely answer the end
he always made it the business of every day,
and not, as too many, a bye-business.
this being his fixed principle,
all other affairs must be sure to give way to this.

(it was the observation of an excellent man,
that when he did hasten over holy duties,
out of an over eager desire to follow his worldly business,
he did many times meet with a cross in his business;
but when he did take his ordinary time,
God did make his other business to succeed the better
or else his mind was brought to submit to the will of God.

and he would tell those who objected against family worship,
that they could not get time for it;
that if they would but put on christian resolution at first,
they would not find the difficulty so great as they imagined;
but after a while, their other affairs would fall in
easily and naturally with this,
especially here there is that wisdom which is profitable to direct.
nay, they would find it to be a great preserver of
order and decency in a family
and it would be like a hem to all their other business,
to keep it from ravelling.
he was ever careful to have all his family present
at family worship;
though sometimes, living in the country,
he had a great household;
yet he would have not only his children
and sojourners, if he had any,
and domestick servants, but his workmen and day labourers,
and all that were employed by him, if they were within call,
to be present,
to join with him in this service;
and , as it was an act of his charity many times to set them to work for him,
so to that he added this act of piety, to set them to work for God.
and usually , when he paid his workmen their wages,
he gave them some good counsel about their souls.
yet, if any that should come to family worship,
were at a distance, and must be stayed for long,
he would rather want them,
than put the duty much out of time;
and would sometimes say, at night,
better one away, than all sleepy.

the performances of his family worship were the same
morning and evening.
he observed that, under the law,
the morning and evening lamb
had the same meat offering and drink offering. ex. 29.38-41
 he always began with a short, but very solemn prayer,
imploring the divine presence and grace, assistance and acceptance;
particularly begging a blessing upon the word to be read,
in reference to which he often put up this petition,
-that the same Spirit that indited the scripture,
would enable us to understand the scripture,
and to make up something to ourselves out of it that may do us good.
and esteeming the word of god as his necessary food,
he would sometimes pray in a morning,
that our souls might have a good meal out of it...

he next sung a psalm and commonly he sung david's psalms
in order, throughout...
(..and did so without the common line between every line of text)
..thinking it more likely to be performed in the spirit
and with the understanding;;
the sense being not so broken, nor the affections interrupted,
as (with)..the line betwixt.

he next read a portion of scripture, taking the bible in order;
he would sometimes blame those who only pray in their families,
and do not read the scripture.
in prayer we speak to God; by the word, He speaks to us;
and is there any reason, saith he , that we would speak all?
..
he advised the reading of scripture in order;
for, though one star in the firmament of the scripture
differ from another star in glory,
yet wherever God hath a mouth to speak,
we should have an ear to hear:
and the diligent searcher may find much excellent matter

(foot:beloved, if you doe but take any piece of this word,
and stay upon it, as the bee doth upon the flower,
and will not off till you have got somewhat out of it;
if you be still digging in this mine,
this would make you rich in knowledge;
and, if you be rich in knowledge,
it will (can?) make you rich in grace likewise.

in those parts of scripture, which we are sometimes tempted
to think might have been spared.
how affectionately would he sometimes bless God
for every book, and chapter and verse and line in the bible!

every word of God he would say, is good,
but especially God, the word.
how sweet is it to a lost, undone sinner,
to be acquainted with a saviour!

what he read in his family, he always expounded;
and exhorted all...to do so,
as an excellent means of increasing their acquaintance with the scripture.
his expositions were not so much critical as plain, and practical and useful;
and such as tended to edification ,
and to answer the end for which the scriptures were written,
which is to make us wise to salvation.
and herein he had a peculiar excellence,
performing that daily exercise with so much judgment,
and at the same time with such facility and clearness,
as if every exposition had been premeditated;
and very instructive they were, as well as affecting to the auditors.
his observations were many times very pretty and surprising,
and such as one shall not ordinarily meet with.
commonly, in his expositions, he reduced the matter
of the chapter or psalm read, to some heads;
not by a logical analysis, which often minceth it too small,
and confounds the sense with the terms;
but by such a distribution as the matter did most easily and unforcedly fall into.
he often mentioned and said that ...
when sometimes he had hit upon some useful observation that was new to him,
he would say afterwards to those about him, -
how often have i read this chapter
and never before now took notice of such a thing in it!
he put his children, while they were with him,
to write these expositions; and when they were gone from him,
the strangers that sojourned with him did the same.
what collections his children had, though but broken and very imperfect hints,
yet, when afterwards they were disposed of in the world,
were of good used to them and their families.
some expositions of this nature, that is plain and practical
and helping to raise the affections and guide the conversation by the word..

..the method of his family worship.
the chapter or psalm being read and expounded,
he required from his children some account of what they could remember of it
and sometimes would discourse with them plainly and familiarly about it,
that he might lead them into an acquaintance with it;
and if it might be, impress something of it upon their hearts.

he then prayed and always kneeling, which he looked upon as .. fittest..
he usually fetched his matter and expressions in prayer,
from the chapter that was read and the psalm that was sung,
which was ..affecting, and helped to stir up and excite praying graces..

..he recommended the use of free prayer
(as opposed to forms such as the Lord's prayer)..

it may be objected (as to the practice of free prayer)
i am not learned, as others are;
neither have i such parts as others have;
therefore, it is best for me to pray out of a book.
this is grounded  upon a mistake;
it is not learning and parts, but grace that doth it;
-it is the Spirit of grace and supplication, not of learning and supplication.
i deny not, but where grace and natural abilities
are together in the same person,
there, ordinarily, a man is the more powerful in prayer;
i mean, in affecting others who join;
and yet, another, who want these abilities
and is truly godly, may pray as acceptably..as he.

but it is said,
i distrust myself, i dare not go to God with a prayer of my own inditing;
it is, therefore, best for me to borrow one
that may have some method and elegance in it.
this also is ..a mistake.
God regards not elegancy in prayer
He cares not how little there is of the head in the duty,
so there be a great deal of the heart.
we must be well acquainted with that
boldness of access which we have to God,
upon all occasions, by Jesus Christ,
else we shall never do any thing this way. hebrews 4.14-6
we must approach God in prayer as children to a father.
ignorance of this causes formality and ceremony.
is not a tender hearted father far more delighted
with the lispings and stammerings of his little child,
when it first begins to speak,
than with the neatest, finest speech that he can hear from another?
and what is the reason?
why, it is his CHILD.

go to the the scrivener (scribe, notary) and get a petition drawn,
to present it to his father!
no; he comes with boldness,
'Father, i want clothes; will you please to give me them?
whereas, another must observe ceremonies, and circumstances,
or else have no hopes of success.

in family prayer he was usually most full in giving thanks for
family mercies, confessing family sins, and begging family blessings.
very particular he would sometimes be in prayer for his family;
if any were absent, they were sure to have an express petition put up for them.
he used to observe, concerning job 1.5,
that he offered burnt offerings for his children,
according to the number of them all, an offering for each child;
and so would he sometimes in praying for his children,
put up a petition for each child.
he always observed, at the annual return
of the birth day of each of his children, to bless God
for His mercy to him and his wife in that child;
the giving of it, the continuance of it, the comfort they had in it, etc.
with some special request to God for that child.
every servant and sojourner, at their coming into his family,
and their going out,
besides the daily remembrances of them,
had a particular petition put up for them,
according as their circumstances were.
the strangers, that were at any time within his gates,
he was wont particularly to recommend to God in prayer.
with much affection and christian concern for them
and their concernments.
he was daily mindful of those that desired his prayers for them
and would say sometimes,-
it is a great comfort that God knows who we mean in prayer, though we do not name them.
particularly providences concerning the country,
as to health or sickness, good or bad weather, or the like,
he commonly took notice of in prayer, as there was occasion;
and would often beg of God to fit us for the next providence, whatever it might be.
nor did he ever forget to pray for the peace of jerusalem.

he maintained, that supplication must be made for all saints;
for those you do not know, as well as for those you do;eph. 6.18
for those that differ from you, as well as for those with whom you agree;
for those who are in prosperity, as well as in adversity.
for all saints, because all are alike related to Jesus Christ;
because all are alike related to you, as fellow members;
and it will be an evidence you love them, as brethren,
when you love them all and pray for them all.
when you have nearest communion with God,
then remember me, said bernard to a friend;
then speak, say i, for the church.

..immediately after the prayer was ended, his children together,
with bended knee, asked blessing of him and their mother;
that is, desired of them to pray to God to bless them;
which blessing was given with great solemnity and affection;
and if any of them were absent, they were remembered,
the Lord bless you and your brother; or, -you and your sister that is absent.

this was his daily worship, which he never altered, unless,
as is after mentioned, nor ever omitted any part of,
though he went from home never so early or returned never so late
or had never so much business for his servants to do.
he would say that sometimes he saw cause to shorten them;
but he would never omit any of them;
for, if an excuse be once admitted for an omission,
it will be often returning.
he was not willing, unless the necessity were urgent,
that any should go from his house in a morning
before morning worship;
but up[on such as occasion, would mind his friends,
that-prayer and provender never hinder a journey

he managed his daily family worship,
so as to make it a pleasure and never a task
to his children and servants;
for he was seldom long, and never tedious in the service;
the variety of the duties made it the more pleasant;
so that none who joined with him had ever any reason to say,
behold, what a weariness is it!
such an excellent faculty he had of rendering religion
the most sweet and amiable employment in the world;
and so careful was he, like jacob,
to drive as the children could go,
not putting new wine into old bottles...

on thursday evenings, instead of reading, he catechized..
in the assembly's (westminster) catechism, with the proofs..

..on saturday evenings, his children and servants
gave him an account what they could remember
of the chapters that had been expounded all the week before, in order,
each a several part, helping one another's memories
for the recollecting of it.
this he called -gathering up the fragments which remained,
that nothing might be lost.
he would say to them sometimes, as Christ to his disciples,
-have ye understood all these things?
if not, he took that occasion to explain them more fully.
this exercise, which he constantly kept up all along,
was both delightful and profitable,
and being managed by him with so much prudence and sweetness,
helped to instill into those about him
betimes (early, in good time)
the knowledge and the love of the holy scriptures...

but on the Lord's day
(his grown daughter writes, i have long since been taught
the sabbath is a sign;
the institution a sign of God's love to us;
the sanctification, a sign of our love to Him.)
which he called and counted the queen of days,
the pearl of the week, and observed it accordingly...
in this, therefore, he was very exact,
and abounded in the work of the Lord in his family on that day...
his common salutation of his family or friends,
on the Lord's day in the morning,
was that of the primitive christians
the Lord is risen; he is risen indeed
making it his chief business on that day
to celebrate the memory of Christ's resurrection..
every Lord's day is a true christian's easter day.
he took care to have his family ready early on that day,
and was larger in exposition and prayer
on sabbath mornings that on other days.
he would often remember, that, under the law,
the daily sacrifice was doubled on sabbath days..
he had always a particular subject
for his expositions on sabbath mornings;
the harmony of the evangelists several times over,
the scripture prayers, the old testament prophesies of Christ...
he constantly sung a psalm after dinner
and another after supper..
and in the evening of the day his children and servants
were catechized and examined in the sense and meaning
of the answers in the catechism;
that they might not say it, as he used to tell them,
like a parrot-by rote.
then the day's sermons were repeated,
commonly by one of his children,
when they were grown up  and while they were with him;
and the family gave an account what they could remember
of the word of the day,
which he endeavoured to fasten upon them,
as a nail in a sure place.
in his prayers..he was often more than ordinarily enlarged;
as one that found not only God's service perfect freedom,
but his work its own wages
and a great reward, not only after keeping,
but..in keeping God's commandments...
in that prayer he was usually very particular,
in praying for his family and all that belonged to it.
it was a prayer he often put up,
that we might have grace to carry it as a minister,
and a minister's wife
and a minister's children
and a minster's servants,
should carry it, that the ministry might in nothing be blamed.
he would sometimes be a particular intercessor
for the towns and parishes adjacent...

he had many years ago a man servant,
that was once overtaken in drink abroad;
for which, the next morning, at family worship,
he solemnly reproved him, admonished him, and prayed for him,
with a spirit of meekness,
and soon after parted with him.
but there were many that were his servants, who,
by the blessing of God upon his endeavours,
got those good impressions upon their souls
which they retained ever after;
and blessed God, with all their hearts,
that ever they came under his roof.
few went from his service till they were married,
and went to families of their own;
and some, after they had been married,
and had buried their yoke fellows,
returned to his service again, saying,
master, it is good to be here.

he brought up his children in the fear of God,
with a great deal of care and tenderness,
and did, by his practice, as well as upon all occasions in discourses,
condemn the indiscretion of those parents
who are partial in their affections to their children,
making a difference between them,
which he observed did often prove
of ill consequence in families;
and lay a foundation of envy, contempt, and discord,
which turns to their shame and ruin.
his carriage towards his children was with great mildness and gentleness,
as one who desired rather to be loved than feared by them...
he allowed his children a great degree of freedom with him,
which gave him the opportunity of reasoning them,
not frightening them,
into that which is good.
he did much toward the instruction of his children in the way of familiar discourse,
according to that excellent directory for religious education,
deuteronomy 6.7
thou shall whet (sharpen; make keen or eager, stimulate) these things
(so the word is,
which, he said, denoted frequent repetition of the same things)
these things upon thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house etc.
which made them love home and delight in his company ,
and greatly endeared religion to them.

5 lessons he observed were good to learn in the days of their youth:

1. to remember their creator..to love Him and fear Him.

2.to come to Jesus Christ...He will in no wise cast you out.

3. to bear the yoke in youth.
(those that have not been inured (accustom to hardship; toughen)
to the yoke of obedience will never endure the yoke of suffering)
the yoke is that which young ones cannot endure.
but it is good for them to bear it.
the yoke of the cross.
if god lay affliction on you when young,
do not murmur but bear that cross.
it is good to be trained up in the school of affliction.
TAKE My yoke'
His commandments are not grievous.

4. to flee youthful lusts. II timothy 2.22

5. to cleanse their way.
how? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.
and if you do thus you are taught of God...

..he not only taught his children betimes to pray,
but when they were young he put them upon it,
to pray together,
and appointed them on saturdays in the afternoon
to spend some time together,
-none but they, and such of their age as might occasionally be with them,
-in reading good books,
especially those for children,
and in singing and praying;
and would sometimes tell them for their encouragement,
that the God with whom we have to do,
understands broken language.
and, if we do as well as we can in the sincerity of our hearts,
we shall not only be accepted, but taught to do better.
to him that hath, shall be given.

he sometimes set his children,
in their own reading of the scriptures,
to gather out such passages as they took most notice of,
and thought most considerable, and write them down.
he also directed them to insert in a paper book,
which each of them had for the purpose,
remarkable sayings and stories,
which they met with in reading such
other good books as he put into their hands.