for these are the proper parts of willingnesse and choice 3. The understanding must yeeld obedience in general though not in the particular instance that is we must be firmly perswaded of the excellency of the obedience though we be not bound in all cases to think the particular Law to be most prudent But in this our rule is plain enough Our understanding ought to be inquisitive whether the civil constitution agree with our duty to God but we are bound to inquire no further And therefore beyond this although he who having no obligation to it as Counsellours have inquires not at all into the wisdome or reasonablenesse of the Law be not alwayes the wisest Man yet he is ever the best Subject For when he hath given up his understanding to his Prince and Prelate provided that his duty to God be secured by a precedent search hath also with the best and with all the instruments in the World secured his obedience to Man Sect. 2. Of Provision or that part of Iustice which is due from Superiours to Inferiours AS God hath imprinted his authority in several parts upon several estates of Men as Princes Parents Spiritual Guides so he hath also delegated and committed parts of his care and providence unto them that they may be instrumental in the conveying such blessings which God knowes we need and which hee intends should be the effects of Government For since GOD governes all the World as a King provides for us as a Father and is the great Guide and Conductor of our spirits as the Head of the Church and the great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls they who have portions of these dignities have also their share of the administration the sum of all which is usually signified in these two words Governing and Feeding and is particularly recited in the following rules Duties of Kings and all the Supreme power as Lawgivers 1. Princes of the people and all that have Legislative power must provide useful and good Lawes for the defence of propriety for the encouragement of labour for the safeguard of their persons for determining controversies for reward of noble actions and excellent arts and rare inventions for promoting trade and enriching their people 2. In the making Lawes Princes must have regard to the publick dispositions to the affections and disaffections of the people and must not introduce a Law with publick scandal and displeasure but consider the publick benefit and the present capacity of affairs and general inclinations of mens mindes For he that enforces a Law upon a people against their first and publick apprehensions tempts them to disobedience and makes Lawes to become snares and hooks to catch the people and to enrich the treasury with the spoil and tears and curses of the Communalty and to multiply their mutiny and their sin 3. Princes must provide that the Lawes be duely executed for a good Law without execution is like an unperformed promise and therefore they must be severe exactors of accounts from their Delegates and Ministers of Justice 4. The severity of Lawes must be temper'd with dispensations pardons and remissions according as the case shall alter and new necessities be introduced or some singular accident shall happen in which the Law would be unreasonable or intolerable as to that particular And thus the people with their importunity prevailed against Saul in the case of Ionathan and obtained his pardon for breaking the Law which his Father made because his necessity forced him to taste honey and his breaking the Law in that case did promote that service whose promotion was intended by the Law 5. Princes must be Fathers of the people and provide such instances of gentlenesse ease wealth and advantages as may make mutuall confidence betweene them and must fix their security under GOD in the love of the people which therefore they must with all arts of sweetnesse remission popularity noblenesse and sincerity endeavour to secure to themselves 6. Princes must not multiply publick Oathes without great eminent and violent necessity lest the security of the King become a snare to the people and they become false when they see themselves suspected or impatient when they are violently held fast but the greater and more useful caution is upon things then upon persons and if security of Kings can be obtain'd otherwise it is better that Oathes should be the last refuge and when nothing else can be sufficient 7. Let not the people be tempted with arguments to disobey by the imposition of great and unnecessary taxes for that lost to the son of Solomon the dominion of the ten Tribes of Israel 8. Princes must in a special manner bee Guardians of Pupils and Widows not suffering their persons to be oppressed or their states imbecill'd or in any sense be exposed to the rapine of covetous persons but be provided for by just lawes and provident Judges and good Guardians ever having an ear ready open to their just complaints and a heart full of pity and one hand to support them and the other to avenge them 9. Princes must provide that the Laws may be so administred that they be truly and really an ease to the people not an instrument of vexation and therefore must be careful that the shortest and most equal wayes of trials be appointed fees moderated and intricacies and windings as much cut off as may bee lest injured persons be forced to perish under the oppression or under the Law in the injury or in the suit Laws are like Princes the best and most beloved who are most easie of accesse 10. Places of judicature ought at no hand to be sold by pious Princes who remember themselves to be Fathers of the people For they that buy the Office will sell the act and they that at any rate will be judges will not at an easie rate do justice and their bribery is lesse punishable when bribery opened the door by which they entred 11. Ancient priviledges favours customes and Acts of grace indulged by former Kings to their people must not without high reason and great necessities be revoked by their successours nor forseitures be exacted violently nor penal Laws urged rigorously nor in light cases nor Lawes be multiplied without great need nor vitious persons which are publickly and deservedly hated be kept in defiance of popular desires nor any thing that may unnecessarily make the yoke heavie and the affection light that may increase murmures and lessen charity alwayes remembring that the interest of the Prince and the People is so infolded in a mutual imbrace that they cannot be untwisted without pulling a limb off or dissolving the bands and conjunction of the whole body 12. All Princes must esteem themselves as much bound by their word by their grants by their promises as the meanest of their Subjects are by the restraint and penalty of Laws and although they are superiour to the people yet they are not superiour
is declared In the fourth Commandement hee proclaims himself the Maker of Heaven and Earth for in memory of Gods rest from the work of six dayes the seventh was hallowed into a Sabbath and the keeping it was a confessing GOD to bee the great Maker of Heaven and Earth and consequently to this it also was a confession of his goodnesse his Omnipotence and his Wisdom all which were written with a Sun beam in the great book of the Creature So long as the Law of the Sabbath was bound upon Gods people so long GOD would have that to be the folemn manner of confessing these attributes but when the Priesthood being changed there was a change also of the Law the great duty remain'd unalterable in changed circumstances We are eternally bound to confesse God Almighty to be the Maker of Heaven and Earth but the manner of confessing it is chang'd from a rest or a doing nothing to a speaking something from a day to a symbol from a ceremony to a substance from a Jewish rite to a Christian duty we professe it in our Creed we confesse it in our lives we describe it by every line of our life by every action of duty by faith and trust and obedience and we do also upon great reason comply with the Jewish manner of confessing the Creation so far as it is instrumental to a real duty We keepe one day in seven and so confesse the manner and circumstance of the Creation and we rest also that we may tend holy duties so imitating Gods rest better then the Jew in Synesius who lay upon his face from evening to evening and could not by stripes or wounds be raised up to steer the ship in a great storm Gods rest was not a natural cessation hee who could not labour could not be said to rest but Gods rest is to be understood to be a beholding and a rejoycing in his work finished and therefore we truly represent Gods rest when we confesse and rejoyce in Gods works and Gods glory This the Christian Church does upon every day but especially upon the Lords day which she hath set apart for this and all other Ofâ—ices of Religion being determined to this day by the Resurrection of her dearest Lord it being the first day of joy the Church ever had And now upon the Lords day we are not tyed to the rest of the Sabbath but to all the work of the Sabbath and we are to abstain from bodily labour not because it is a direct duty to us as it was to the Jews but because it is necessary in order to our duty that we attend to the Offices of Religion The observation of the Lords day differs nothing from the observation of the Sabbath in â—he matter of Religion but in the manner They differ in the ceremony and external rite Rest with them was the principal with us it is the accessory They differ in the office or forms of worship For they were then to worship God as a Creator and a gentle Father we are to adde to that Our Redeemer and all his other excellencies and mercies and though we have more natural and proper reason to keep the Lords day then the Sabbath yet the Jews had a Divine Commandement for their day which we have not for ours but we have many Commandements to do all that honour to GOD which was intended in the fourth Commandement and the Apostles appointed the first day of the week for doing it in solemne Assemblies and the manner of worshipping God and doing him solemn honour and service upon this day we may best observe in the following measures Rules for keeping the Lords day and other Christian Festivals 1. When you go about to distinguish Festival dayes from common do it not by lessening the devotions of ordinary dayes that the common devotion may seem bigger upon Festivals but on every day keep your ordinary devotions intire and enlarge upon the Holy day 2. Upon the Lords day wee must abstaine from all servile and laborious workes except such which are matters of necessity of common life or of great charity for these are permitted by that authority which hath separated the day for holy uses The Sabbath of the Jewes though consisting principally in rest and established by God did yeeld to these The labour of Love and the labours of Religion were not against the reason and the spirit of the Commandement for which the Letter was decreed and to which it ought to minister And therefore much more is it so on the Lords day where the Letter is wholly turned into Spirit and there is no Commandement of God but of spiritual and holy actions The Priests might kill their beasts and dresse them for sacrifice and Christ though born under the law might heal a sick man and the sick man might carry hâ—s bed to witnesse his recovery and confesse the mercy and leap and dance to God for joy and an Ox might be led to water and an Asse be haled ouâ— of a ditch and a man may take physick and he may eat meat and therefore there were of necessity some to prepare and minister it and the performing these labours did not consist in minutes and just determined stages but they had even then a reasonable latitude so onely as to exclude unnecessary labour or such as did not minister to charity or religion And therefore this is to be enlarged in the Gospel whose Sabbath or rest is but a circumstance and accessory to the principal and spiritual duties Upon the Christian Sabbath necessity is to be served first then charity and then religion for this is to give place to charity in great instances and the second to the first in all and in all cases God is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth 3. The Lords day being the remembrance of a great blessing must be a day of joy festivity spiritual rejoycing and thanksgiving and therefore it is a proper work of the day to let your devotions spend themselves in singing or reading Psalms in recounting the great works of God in remembring his mercies in worshipping his excellencies in celebrating his attributes in admiring his person in sending portions of pleasant meat to them for whom nothing is provided in all the arts and instruments of advancing Gods glory the reputation of religion in which it were a great decency that a memorial of the resurrection should be inserted that the particular religion of the day be not swallowed up in the general And of this we may the more easily serve our selves by rising seasonably in the morning to private devotion and by retiring at the leisures and spaces of the day not imployed in publick offices 4. Fail not to be present at the publick hours and places of prayer entring early and cheerfully attending reverently and devoutly abiding patiently during the whole office piously assisting at the prayers and gladly also hearing the Sermon and at no hand omitting to
THE RULE AND EXERCISES OF HOLY LIVING By Ier. Taylor D D Non magna loquimur sed vivimus LONDON printed for R Royston in Iâ—ye lane 1650. THE RVLE AND EXERCISES OF HOLY LIVING In which are described The MEANS and INSTRUMENTS of obtaining every Vertue and the Remedies against every Vice and Considerations serving to the resisting all temptations Together with Prayers containing the whole duty of A Christian and the parts of Devotion fitted to all Occasions and furnish'd for all Necessities LONDON Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-Lane MDCL To the right Honourable and truly Noble RICHARD Lord VAUGHAN Earl of Carbery Baron of Emlin and Molingar Knight of the honourable Order of the Bath My Lord I Have lived to see Religion painted upon Banners and thrust out of Churches and the Temple turned into a Tabernacle and that Tabernacle made ambulatory and covered with skins of Beasts and torn Curtains and God to be worshipped not as he is the Father of our Lord Iesus an afflicted Prince the King of sufferings nor as the God of peace which two appellatives God newly took upon him in the New Testament and glories in for ever but he is owned now rather as the Lord of Hosts which title he was pleased to lay aside when the Kingdom of the Gospel was preached by the Prince of peace But when Religion puts on Armor and God is not acknowledged by his New Testament titles Religion may have in it the power of the Sword but not the power of Godliness and we may complain of this to God and amongst them that are afflicted but we have no remedy but what we must expect from the fellowship of Christs sufferings and the returns of the God of peace In the mean time and now that Religion pretends to stranger actions upon new principles and men are apt to prefer a prosperous errour before an afflicted truth and some will think they are religious enough if their worshipings have in them the prevailing ingredient and the Ministers of Religion are so scattered that they cannot unite to stop the inundation and from Chaires or Pulpits from their Synods or Tribunals chastise the iniquity of the errour and the ambition of evil Guides and the infidelity of the willingly seduced multitude and that those few good people who have no other plot in their religion but to serve God and save their soules do want such assistances of ghostly counsel as may serve their emergent needs and assist their endeavours in the acquist of vertues and relieve their dangers when they are tempted to sinne and death I thought I had reasons enough inviting me to draw into one body those advices which the severall necessities of many men must use at some time or other and many of them daily that by a collection of holy precepts they might lesse feel the want of personall and attending Guides and that the rules for conduct of soules might be committed to a Book which they might alwayes have since they could not alwayes have a Prophet at their needs nor be suffered to go up to the house of the Lord to inquire of the appointed Oracles I know my Lord that there are some interested persons who adde scorn to the afflictions of the Church of ENGLAND and because she is afflicted by Men call her forsaken of the Lord and because her solemn assemblies are scattered think that the Religion is lost and the Church divorc'd from God supposing CHRIST who was a Man of sorrows to be angry with his Spouse when she is like him for that 's the true state of the Errour and that he who promised his Spirit to assist his servants in their troubles will because they are in trouble take away the Comforter from them who cannot be a comforter but while he cures our sadnesses and relieves our sorrowes and turnes our persecutions into joyes and Crowns Scepters But concerning the present state of the Church of England I consider that because we now want the blessings of external communion in many degrees and the circumstances of a prosperous and unafflicted people we are to take estimate of our selves with single judgements and every Man is to give sentence concerning the state of his own soul by the precepts and rules of our Lawgiver not by the after decrees and usages of the Church that is by the essential parts of Religion rather then by the uncertain significations of any exteriour adherencies for though it be uncertain when a Man is the Member of a Church whether he be a Member of Christ or no because in the Churches Net there are fishes good and bad yet we may be sure that if we be Members of Christ we are of a Church to all purposes of spiritual religion and salvation and in order to this give me leave to speak this great truth That Man does certainly belong to God who 1 Believes and is baptized into all the Articles of the Christian faith and studies to improve his knowledge in the matters of God so as may best make him to live a holy life 2 He that in obedience to Christ worships God diligently frequently and constantly with natural Religion that is of prayer praises and thanksgiving 3 He that takes all opportunities to remember Christs death by a frequent Sacrament as it can be had or else by inward acts of understanding will and memory which is the spiritual communion supplies the want of the external rite 4 He that lives chastly 5 And is merciful 6 And despises the World using it as a Man but never suffering it to rifâ—e a duty 7 And is just in his dealing and diligent in his calling 8 He that is humble in his spirit 9 And obedient to Government 10 And content in his fortune and imployment 11 He that does his duty because he loves God 12 And especially if after all this he be afflicted patient or prepared to suffer affliction for the cause of God The Man that hath these twelve signes of grace predestination does as certainly belong to God is his Son as surely as he is his creature And if my brethren in persecution and in the bands of the Lord Iesus can truly shew these markes they shall not need be troubled that others can shew a prosperous outside great revenues publick assemblies uninterrupted successions of Bishops prevailing Armies or any arme of flesh or lesse certain circumstance These are the markes of the Lord Jesus and the characters of a Christian This is a good Religion and these things Gods grace hath put into our powers and Gods Lawes have made to be our duty and the nature of Men and the needs of Common-wealths have made to be necessary the other accidents pomps of a Church are things without our power and are not in our choice they are good to be used when they may be had and they help to illustrate or advantage it but if any of them constitute a Church in
way of exercise Page 317 13 Remedies against anger by way of consid Page 322 3.7 Remedies against Covetousnesse Page 325 Sect. 9. Of Repentance Page 332 11 Acts and parts of Repentance Page 335 4 Motives to Repentance Page 344 Sect. 10. Of Preparation to and the manner how to receive the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper Page 347 14 Rules for Preparation and worthy Communicating Page 349 The effects and benefits of worthy Communicating Page 357 Prayers for all sorts of Men and all necessities relating to the several parts of the vertue of religion Page 360 The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living c. CHAP. I. Consideration of the general instruments and means serving to a holy Life by way of Introduction IT is necessary that every Man should consider that since God hath given him an excellent nature wisdom and choice an understanding soul and an immortal spirit having made him Lord over the Beasts and but a little lower then the Angels he hath also appointed for him a work and a service great enough to imploy those abilities and hath also designed him to a state of life after this to which he can onely arrive by that service and obedience And therefore as every man is wholly Gods own portion by the title of creation so all our labours and care all our powers and faculties must be wholly imployed in the service of God even all the dayes of our life that this life being ended we may live with him for ever Neither is it sufficient that we think of the service of God as a work of the least necessity or of small imployment but that it be done by us as God intended it that it be done with great earnestnesse and passion with much zeal and desire that we refuse no labour that we bestow upon it much time that we use the best guides and arrive at the end of glory by all the wayes of grace of prudence and religion And indeed if we consider how much of our lives is taken up by the needs of nature how many years are wholly spent before we come to any use of reason how many years more before that reason is useful to us to any great purposes how imperfect our discourse is made by our evil education false principles ill company bad examples and want of experience how many parts of our wisest and best years are spent in eating and sleeping in necessary businesses and unnecessary vanities in worldly civilities and lesse useful circumstances in the learning arts and sciences languages or trades that little portion of hours that is left for the practises of piety and religious walking with God is so short and trifling that were not the goodnesse of God infinitely great it might seem unreasonable or impossible for us to expect of him eternal joyes in heaven even after the well spending those few minutes which are left for God and Gods service after we have served our selves and our own occasions And yet it is considerable that the fruit which comes from the many dayes of recreation and vanity is very little and although we scatter much yet we gather but little profit but from the few hours we spend in prayer and the exercises of a pious life the return is great and profitable and what we sowe in the minutes and spare portions of a few years grows up to crowns and scepters in a happy and a glorious eternity 1. Therefore Although it cannot be enjoyn'd that the greatest part of our time be spent in the direct actions of devotion and religion yet it will become not onely a duty but also a great providence to lay aside for the services of God and the businesses of the Spirit as much as we can because God rewards our minutes with long and eternal happinesse and the greater portion of our time we give to God the more we treasure up for our selves and No man is a better Merchant than he that layes out his time upon God and his money upon the Poor 2. Onely it becomes us to remember and to adore Gods goodnesse for it that God hath not onely permitted us to serve the necessities of our nature but hath made them to become parts of our duty that if we by directing these actions to the glory of God intend them as instruments to continue our persons in his service he by adopting them into religion may turn our nature into grace and accept our natural actions as actions of religion God is pleased to esteem it for a part of his service if we eat or drink so it be done temperately and as may best preserve our health that our health may enable our services towards him And there is no one minute of our lives after we are come to the use of reason but we are or may be doing the work of God even then when we most of all serve our selves 3. To which if we adde that in these and all other actions of our lives we alwayes stand before God acting and speaking and thinking in his presence and that it matters not that our conscience is seal'd with secresie since it lies open to God it will concern us to behave our selves carefully as in the presence of our Judge These three considerations rightly manag'd and applyed to the several parts and instances of our lives will be like Elisha stretched upon the childe apt to put life and quicknesse into every part of it and to make us live the life of grace and do the work of God I shall therefore by way of introduction reduce these three to practise and shew how every Christian may improve all and each of these to the advantage of piety in the whole course of his life that if he please to bear but one of them upon his spirit he may feel the benefit like an universal instrument helpful in all spiritual and temporal actions SECT I. The first general instrument of holy living Care of our time HE that is choice of his time will also be choice of his company and choice of his actions lest the first ingage him in vanity and losse and the latter by being criminal be a throwing his time and himself away and a going back in the accounts of eternity God hath given to man a short time here upon earth and yet upon this short time eternity depends but so that for every hour of our life after we are persons capable of laws know good from evil we must give account to the great Judge of Men and Angels And this is it which our blessed Saviour told us that we must account for every idle word not meaning that every word which is not designd to edification or is lesse prudent shall be reckoned for a sin but that the time which we spend in our idle talking and unprofitable discoursings that time which might and ought to have been imployed to spiritual and useful purposes that is to be accounted for For we must remember
immortal felicity and beauty is not made by white or red by black eyes a round face by a strait body and a smooth skin but by a proportion to the fancy No rules can make amability our mindes apprehensions make that and â—o is our felicity and we may be reconcil'd to poverty and a low fortune if we suffer contentednesse and the grace of God to make the proportions For no man is poor that does not think himself so But if in a full fortune with impatience he desires more he proclaims his wants and his beggerly condition But because this grace of contentednesse was the sum of all the old moral Philosophy and a great duty in Christianity and of most universal use in the whole course of our lives and the onely instrument to ease the burdens of the World and the enmities of sad chances it will not be amisse to presse it by the proper arguments by which God hath bound it upon our spirits it being fastned by Reason and Religion by duty and interest by necessity and conveniency by example and by the proposition of excellent rewards no lesse then peace and felicity 1. Contentednesse in all estates is a duty of Religion it is the great reasonablenesse of complying with the Divine Providence which governes all the World and hath so ordered us in the administration of his great Family He were a strange fool that should be angry because Dogs and Sheep need no shoes yet himself is full of care to get some God hath supplyed those needs to them by natural provisions and to thee by an artificial for he hath given thee reason to learn a trade or some means to make or buy them so that it onely differs in the manner of our provision and which had you rather want shoes or reason And my Patron that hath given me a Farm is freer to me then if he gives a loafe ready bak'd But however all these gifts come from him and therefore it is fit he should dispense them as he please and if we murmure here we may at the next melancholy be troubled that God did not make us to be Angels or Stars For if that which we are or have do not content us we may be troubled for every thing in the World which is besides our being or our possessions God is the Master of the Scenes we must not choose which part we shall act it concerns us onely to be careful that we do it well alwayes saying If this please God let it be as it is and we who pray that Gods will may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven must remember that the Angels do whatsoever is commanded them and go where ever they are sent and refuse no circumstances and if their imployment be crossed by a higher decree they sit down in peace and rejoyce in the event and when the Angel of Iudea could not prevail in behalf of the people committed to his charge because the Angel of Persia opposed it he onely told the story at the command of God and was as content and worshipped with as great an extasie in his proportion as the prevailing Spirit Do thou so likewise keep the station where God hath placed you and you shall never long for things without but sit at home feasting upon the Divine Providence and thy own reason by which we are taught that it is necessary and reasonable to submit to God For is not all the World Gods family Are not we his creatures Are we not as clay in the hand of the Potter Do we not live upon his meat and move by his strength and do our work by his light Are we any thing but what we are from him And shall there be a mutiny among the flocks and herdâ— because their Lord or their Shepherd chooses their pastures and suffers them not to wander into Deserts and unknowne wayes If we choose we do it so foolishly that we cannot like it long and most commonly not at all but God who can do what he please is wise to choose safely for us affectionate to comply with our needs and powerful to execute all his wise decrees Here therefore is the wisdome of the contented man to let God choose for him for when we have given up our wills to him and stand in that station of the battel where our great General hath placed us our spirits must needs rest while our conditions have for their security the power the wisdom and the charity of God 2. Contentednesse in all accidents brings great peace of spirit and is the great and onely instrument of temporal felicity It removes the sting from the accident and makes a man not to depend upon chance and the uncertain dispositions of men for his well being but onely on GOD and his own Spirit Wee our selves make our fortunes good or bad and when God le ts loose a Tyrant upon us or a sicknesse or scorne or a lessened fortune if we fear to dye or know not to be patient or are proud or covetous then the calamity sits heavy on us But if we know how to manage a noble principle and fear not Death so much as a dishonest action and think impatience a worse evil then a Feaver and Pride to be the biggest disgrace and poverty to be infinitely desirable before the torments of covetousnesse then we who now think vice to be so easie and make it so familiar and think the cure so impossible shall quickly be of another minde and reckon these accidents amongst things elegible But no man can be happy that hath great hopes and great fears of things without and events depending upon other men or upon the chances of Fortune The rewards of Vertue are certain and our provisions for our natural support are certain or if we want meat till we dye then we dye of that disease and there are many worse then to dye with an atrophy or Consumption or unapt and courser nourishment But he that suffers a transporting passion concerning things within the power of others is free from sorrow and amazement no longer then his enemy shall give him leave and it is ten to one but he shall be smitten then and there where it shall most trouble him for so the Adder â—eaches us where to strike by her curious and fearfull defending of her head The old Stoicks when you told them of a sad story would still answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is that to me Yes for the Tyrant hath sentenced you also to prison Well! what is that He will put a chain upon my leg but he cannot binde my soul. No but he will kill you Then I 'le dye If presently let me go that I may presently be freer then himself but if not till anon or to morrow I will dine first or sleep or do what reason and nature calls for as at other times This in Gentile Philosophy is the same with the discourse
am bound to restitution that is to restore her to a right understanding of things and to a full liberty by taking from her the deceit or the violence 9. An Adulterous person is tyed to restitu of the injury so far as it is reparable and can be made to the wronged person that is to make provision for the children begotten in unlawful embraces that they may do no injury to the legitimate by receiving a common portion and if the injured person do account of it he must satisfie him with money for the wrong done to his bed He is not tyed to offer this because it is no proper exchange but he is bound to pay it if it be reasonably demanded for every man hath justice done him when himself is satisfyed though by a word or an action or a peny 10. He that hath kild a man is bound to restitution by allowing such a maintenance to the children and neer relatives of the deceased as they have lost by his death considering and allowing for all circumstances of the mans age and health and probability of living And thus Hercules is said to have made expiation for the death of Iphitus whom he slew by paying a mulct to his children 11. He that hath really lessened the same of his neighbour by fraud or violence is bound to restore it by its proper instruments such as are confession of his fault giving testimony of his innocence or worth doing him honour or if that will do it and both parties agree by money which answers all things 12. He that hath wounded his neighbour is tyed to the expences of the Surgeon other incidences and to repair whatever loss he sustains by his disability to work or trade the same is in the case of false imprisonment in which cases onely the real eâ—fect and remaining detriment are to be mended and repaired for the action it self is to be punished or repented of and enters not into the question of restitution But in these and all other cases the injured person is to be restor'd to that perfect and good condition from which he was removed by my fraud or violence so far as is possible Thus a ravisher must repair the temporal detriment of injury done to the maid and give her a dowry or marry her if she desire it For this restores her into that capacity of being a good wife which by the injury was lost as far as it can be done 13. He that robbeth his Neighbour of his goods or detains any thing violently or fraudulently is bound not onely to restore the principall but all its fruits and emoluments which would have accrued to the right owner during the time of their being detained * By proportion to these rules we may judge of the obligation that lyes upon all sorts of injurious persons that sacrilegious the detainers of tithes cheaters of mens inheritances unjust Judges false witnesses and accusers those that do fraudulently or violently bring men to sin that force men to drink that laugh at and disgrace vertue that perswade servants to run away or commend such purposes violent persecutors of religion in any instance and all of the same nature 14. He that hath wronged so many or in that manner as in the way of daily trade that he knows not in what measure he hath done it or who they are must redeem his fault by alms and largesses to the poor according to the value of his wrongful dealing as neer as he can proportion it Better it is to go begging to Heaven then to go to Hell laden with the spoils of rapine and injustice 15. The order of paying the debts of contract or restitution are in some instances set down by the civil laws of a kingdom in which cases their rule is to be observed In destitution or want of such rules we are 1. to observe the necessity of the Creditor 2. Then the time of the delay and 3. The special obligations of friendship or kindenesse and according to these in their several degrees make our restitution if we be not able to do all that we should but if we be the best rule is to do it as soon as we can taking our accounts in this as in our humane actions according to prudence and civil or natural conveniences or possibilities onely securing these two things 1. That the duty be not wholly omitted and 2. That it be not deferred at all out of covetousnesse or any other principle that is vitious Remember that the same day in which Zacheus made restitution to all whom he had injured the same day Christ himself pronounced that salvation was come to his house *** 16. But besides the obligation arising from contract or default there is one of another sort which comes from kindenesse and the acts of charity and friendship He that does me a favour hath bound me to make him a return of thankfulnesse The obligation comes not by covenant not by his own expresse intention but by the nature of the thing and is a duty springing up within the spirit of the obliged person to whom it is more natural to love his friend and to do good for good then to return evil for evil because a man may forgive an injury but he must never forget a good turne For every thing that is excellent and every thing that is profitable whatsoever is good in it self or good to me cannot but be beloved and what we love we naturally cherish and do good to He therefore that refuses to do good to them whom he is bound to love or to love that which did him good is unnatural and monstrous in his affections and thinks all the world borne to minister to him with a greedinesse worse then that of the sea which although it receives all rivers into it self yet it furnishes the clouds and springs with a return of all thy need Our duty to benefactors is to esteem and love their persons to make them proportionable returns of service or duty or profit according as we can or as they need or as opportunity presents it self and according to the greatnesses of their kindnesses and to pray to God to make them recompence for all the good they they have done to us which last office is also requisite to be done for our Creditors who in charity have relieved our wants Prayers to be said in relation to the several Obligations and Ofces of Iustice. A Prayer for the Grace of Obedience to be said by all persons under Coâ—mand O Eternal God Great Ruler of Men and Angels who hast constituted all things in â— wonderful order making all the creatures subject to man and one man to another and all to thee the last link of this admirable chain being fastned to the foot of thy throne teach me to obey all those whom thou hast set over me reverencing their persons submitting indifferently to all their lawful commands cheerfully undergoing those burdens which
may praise him for so we blesse God and God blesses us And yet fail not to finde or make opportunities to worship God at some other times of the day at least by ejaculations and short addresses more or lesse longer or shorter solemnly or without solemnity privately or publickly as you can or are permitted alwayes remembring that as every sin is a degree of danger and unsafety so every pious prayer and well imployed opportunity is a degree of return to hope and pardon Cautions for making vowes 16. A vow to God is an act of prayer and a great degree and instance of opportunity an increase of duty by some new uncommanded instance or some more eminent degree of duty or frequency of action or earnestnesse of spirit in the same And because it hath pleased God in all Ages of the World to admit of entercourse with his servants in the matter of vows it is not ill advice that we make vows to God in such cases in which we have great need or great danger But let it be done according to these rules and by these cautions 1. That the matter of the vow be lawful 2. That it be useful in order to Religion or charity 3. That it be grave not trifling and impertinent but great in our proportion of duty towards the blessing 4. That it be in an uncommanded instance that is that it be of something or in some manner or in some degree to which formerly wee were not obliged or which wee might have omitted without sinne 5. That it bee done with prudence that is that it be safe in all the circumstances of person lest we beg a blessing and fall into a snare 6. That every vow of a new action bee also accompanied with a new degree and enforcement of our essential and unalterable duty such as was Iacobs vow that besides the payment of a tithe God should be his God that so hee might strengthen his duty to him first in essentials and precepts and then in additionals and accidentals For it is but an ill Tree that spends more in leaves and suckers and gummes then in fruit and that thankfulnesse and Religion is best that first secures duty and then enlarges in counsels Therefore let every great prayer and great need and great danger draw us to GOD neerer by the approach of a pious purpose to live more strictly and let every mercy of GOD answering that prayer produce a real performance of it 7. Let not young beginners in Religion enlarge their hearts and streighten their liberty by vowes of long continuance nor indeed any one else without a great experience of himself and of all accidental dangers Vowes of single actions are safest and proportionable to those single blessings ever begg'd in such cases of sudden and transient importunities 8. Let no action which is matter of question and dispute in Religion ever become the matter of a vow He vowes foolishly that promises to God to live and dye in such an opinion in an article not necessary not certain or that upon confidence of his present guide bindes himself for ever to the profession of what he may afterwards more reasonably contradict or may finde not to be useful or not profitable but of some danger or of no necessity If we observe the former rules we shall pray piously and effectually but because even this duty hath in it some especial temptations it is necessary that we be armed by special remedies against them The dangers are 1. Wandring thoughts 2. Tediousnesse of spirit Against the first these advices are profitable Remedies against wandring thoughts in Prayer If we feel our spirits apt to wander in our prayers and to retire into the World or to things unprofitable or vain and impertinent 1. Use prayer to bee assisted in prayer pray for the spirit of supplication for a sober fixed and recollected spirit and when to this you adde a moral industry to be steady in your thoughts whatsoever wandrings after this do return irremediably are a misery of Nature and an imperfection but no sinne while it is not cherished and indulged too 2. In private it is not amisse to attempt the cure by reducing your prayers into Collects and short forms of prayer making voluntary interruptions and beginning again that the want of spirit and breath may be supplied by the short stages and periods 3. When you have observed any considerable wandring of your thoughts binde your self to repeat that prayer again with actual attention or else revolve the full sense of it in your spirit and repeat it in all the effect and desires of it and possibly the tempter may be driven away with his own art and may cease to interpose his trifles when hee perceives they doe but vex the person into carefulnesse and piety and yet hee loses nothing of his devotion but doubles the earnestnesse of his care 4. If this bee not seasonable or opportune or apt to any Mans circumstances yet be sure with actual attention to say a hearty Amen to the whole prayer with one united desire earnestly begging the graces mentioned in the prayer for that desire does the great work of the prayer and secures the blessing if the wandring thoughts were against our will and disclaimed by contending against them 5. Avoid multiplicity of businesses of the World and in those that are unavoidable labour for an evennesse and tranquillity of spirit that you may be untroubled and smooth in all tempests of fortune for so we shall better tend Religion when we are not torn in pieces with the cares of the World and seiz'd upon with low affections passions and interest 6. It helps much to attention and actual advertisement in our prayers if we say our prayers silently without the voice onely by the â—pirit For in mental prayer if our thoughts wander we onely stand still when our minde returns we go on again there is none of the prayer lost as it is if our mouths speak and our hearts wander 7. To incite you to the use of these or any other counsels you shall meet with remember that it is a great undecency to desire of God to hear those prayers a great part whereof we do not hear our selves If they be not worthy of our attention they are far more unworthy of Gods Signes of tediousnesse of spirit in our prayers and all actions of religion The second temptation in our prayer is a tediousnesse of spirit or a wearinesse of the imployment like that of the Jews who complained that they were weary of the new moons and their souls loathed the frequent return of their Sabbaths so do very many Christians who first pray without fervour and earnestnesse of spirit and secondly meditate but seldom and that without fruit or sence or affection or thirdly who seldom examine their consciences and when they do it they do it but sleepily slightly without compunction or hearty purpose or fruits of amendment 4. They
enlarge themselves in the thoughts and fruition of temporal things running for comfort to them onely in any sadnesse and misfortune 5. They love not to frequent the Sacraments nor any the instruments of religion as sermons confessions prayers in publick fastings but love ease and a loose undisciplin'd life 6. They obey not their superiours but follow their own judgement when their judgement follows their affections and their affections follow sense and worldly pleasures 7. They neglect or dissemble or defer or do not attend to the motions and inclinations to vertue which the spirit of God puts into their soul. 8. They repent them of their vows and holy purposes not because they discover any indiscretion in them or intolerable inconvenience but because they have within them labour and as the case now stands to them displeasure 9. They content themselves with the first degrees and necessary parts of vertue and when they are arrived thither they sit down as if they were come to the mountain of the Lord and care not to proceed on toward perfection 10. They enquire into all cases in which it may be lawful to omit a duty and though they will not do lesse then they are bound to yet they will do no more then needs must for they do out of fear and self love not out of the love of God or the spirit of holinesse and zeal The event of which will be this He that will do no more then needs must will soon be brought to omit something of his duty and will be apt to believe lesse to be necessary then is Remedies against tediousnesse of spirit The Remedies against this temptation are these 1. Order your private devotions so that they become not arguments and causes of tediousnesse by their indiscreet length but reduce your words into a narrower compasse still keeping all the matter and what is cut off in the length of your prayers supply in the earnestnesâ—e of your spirit for so nothing is lost while the words are changed into matter and length of time into fervency of devotion The forms are made not the lesse perfect and the spirit is more and the scruple is removed 2. It is not imprudent if we provide variety of forms of Prayer to the same purposes that the change by consulting with the appetites of fancy may better entertain the Spirit and possibly we may be pleased to reâ—ite a hymn when a collect seems flat to us and unpleasant and we are willing to sing rather then to say or to sing this rather then that we are certain that variety is delightful and whether that be natural to us or an imperfection yet if it be complyed with it may remove some part of the temptation 3. Break your office and devotion into fragments and make frequent returnings by ejaculations and abrupt entercourses with God for so no length can oppresse your tenderness and sicklinesse of spirit and by often praying in such manner and in all circumstances we shall habituate our souls to prayer by making it the businesse of many lesser portions of our time and by thrusting in between all our other imployments it will make every thing relish of religion and by degrees turn all into its nature 4. Learn to abstract your thoughts and desires from pleasures and things of the world For nothing is a direct cure to this evill but cutting off all other loves and adherences Order your affairs so that religion may be propounded to you as a reward and prayer as your defence and holy actions as your security and charity and good works as your treasure Consider that all things else are satisfactions but to the brutish part of a man and that these are the refreshments and relishes of that noble part of us by which we are better then beasts and whatsoever other instrument exercise or consideration is of use to take our loves from the world the same is apt to place them upon God 5. Do not seek for deliciousnesse and sensible consolations in the actions of religion but onely regard the duty and the conscience of it For although in the beginning of religion most frequently and at some other times irregularly God complyes with our infirmity and encourages our duty with little overflowings of spiritual joy and sensible pleasure and delicacies in prayer so as we seem to feel some little beam of Heaven and great refreshments from the spirit of consolation yet this is not alwayes safe for us to have neither safe for us to expect and look for and when we do it is apt to make us cool in our enquiries and waitings upon Christ when we want them It is a running after him not for the miracles but for the loaves not for the wonderful things of God and the desires of pleasing him but for the pleasures of pleasing our selves And as we must not judge our devotion to be barren or unfruitful when we want the overflowings of joy running over so neither must we cease for want of them If our spirits can serve God choosingly and greedily out of pure conscience of our duty it is better in it self and more safe to us 6. Let him use to soften his spirit with frequent meditation upon sad and dolorous objects as of death the terrours of the day of judgement fearful judgements upon sinners strange horrid accidents fear of Gods wrath the pains of Hell the unspeakable amazements of the damned the intolerable load of a sad Eternity For whatsoever creates fear or makes the spirit to dwell in a religious sadnesse is apt to entender the spirit and make it devout and plyant to any part of duty For a great fear when it is ill managed is the parent of superstition but a discreet and well guided fear produces religion 7. Pray often and you shall pray oftner and when you are accustomed to a frequent devotion it will so insensibly unite to your nature and affections that it will become trouble to omit your usual or appointed prayers and what you obtain at first by doing violence to your inclinations at last will not be left without as great unwillingnesse as that by which at first it entred This rule relyes not onely upon reason derived from the nature of habits which turn into a second nature and make their actions easy frequent an delightful but it relyes upon a reason depending upon the nature and constitution of grace whose productions are of the same nature with the parent and increases it self naturally growing from granes to huge trees from minutes to vast proportions and from moments to Eternity But be sure not to omit your usual prayers without great reason though without sin it may be done because after you have omitted something in a little while you will be passed the scruple of that and begin to be tempted to leave out more keep your self up to your usual forms you may enlarge when you will but do not contract or lessen them without a
labour extreamly and watch carefully and suffer affronts and disgrace that he may get money more then he uses in his temperate and just needs with how much ease might this man be happy And with how great uneasinesse and trouble does he make himself miserable For he takes pains to get content and when he might have it he lets it go He might better be content with a vertuous and quiet poverty then w th an artificial troublesom vitious The same diet a less labor would at first make him happy and for ever after rewardable 6. The sum of all is that which the Apostle sayes Covetousnesse is Idolatry that is it is an admiring money for itself not for its use it relyes upon money and loves it more then it loves God and religion and it is the root of all evil it teaches men to be cruel and crafty industrious in evil full of care and malice it devours young heirs and grindes the face of the poor and undoes those who specially belong to Gods protection helpless craftlesse and innocent people it inquires into our parents age and longs for the death of our friends it makes friendship and art of rapine and changes a partner into a Vultur and a companion into a thief and after all this it is for no good to it self for it dare not spend those heaps of treasure which it snatched and men hate Serpents and Basilisks worse then Lyons and Beâ—rs for these kill because they need the prey but they sting to death and eat not * And if they pretend all this care and heap for their Heirs like the Mice of Africa hiding the golden oare in their bowels and refusing to give back the indigested gold till their guts be out they may remember that what was unnecessary for themselves is as unnecessary for their sons and why cannot they be without it as well as their Fathers who did not use it and it often happens that to the sons it becomes an instrument to serve some lust or other that as the gold was uselesse to their Fathers so may the sons be to the publick fools or prodigals loads to their Countrey and the curse and punishent of their Fathers avarice and yet all that wealth is short of one blessing but it is a load coming with a curse and descending from the family of a long derived sin However the Father transmits it to the son and it may be the son to one more till a Tyrant or an Oppressour or a War or a change of government or the Usurer or folly or an expensive vice makes holes in the bottom of the bag and the wealth runs out like water and flies away like a Bird from the hand of a childe 7. Adde to these the consideration of the advantages of poverty that it is a state freer from temptation secure in dangers but of one trouble safe under the Divine Providence cared for in Heaven by a daily ministration and for whose support God makes every day a new decree a state of which Christ was pleased to make open profession and many wise Men daily make vows that a rich Man is but like a pool to whom the poor run and first trouble it and then draw it dry that he enjoyes no more of it then according to the few and limited needs of a Man he cannot eat like a Wolf or an Elephant that variety of dainty fare ministers but to sin and sicknesses that the poor Man feasts oftner then the rich because every little enlargement is a feast to the poor but he that feasts every day feasts no day there being nothing left to which he may beyond his Ordinary extend his appetite that the rich Man sleeps not so soundly as the poor labourer that his fears are more and his needs are greater for who is poorer he that needs 5 l. or he that needs 5000 the poor Man hath enough to fill his belly and the rich hath not enough to fill his eye that the poor Mans wants are easie to be relieved by a common charity but the needs of rich Men cannot be supplyed but by Princes and they are left to the temptation of grâ—at vices to make reparation of their needs and the ambitious labours of Men to get great estates is but like the selling of a Fountain to buy a Fever a parting with content to buy necessity a purchase of an unhandsome condition at the price of infelicity that Princes and they that enjoy most of the world have most of it but in title and supreme rights and reserved priviledges pepper-corns homages trifling services acknowledgements the real use descending to others to more substantial purposes These considerations may be useful to the curing of covetousnesse that the grace of mercifulnesse enlarging the heart of a Man his hand may not be contracted but reached out to the poor in almes Sect. 9. Of Repentance REpentance of all things in the World makes the greatest change it changes things in Heaven and Earth for it changes the whole Man from sin to grace from vitious habits to holy customes from unchaste bodies to Angelical soules from Swine to Philosophers from drunkennesse to sober counsels and GOD himself with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of change is pleased by descending to our weak understandings to say that he changes also upon Mans repentance that he alters his decrees revokes his sentence cancels the Bils of accusation throws the Records of shame and sorrow from the Court of Heaven and lifts up the sinner from the grave to life from his prison to a throne from Hell and the guilt of eternal torture to Heaven and to a title to never ceasing felicities If we be bound on earth we shall be bound in heaven if we be absolved here we shall be loosed there if we repent God will repent and not send the evil upon us which we had deserved But repentance is a conjugation and society of many duties and it containes in it all the parts of a holy life from the time of return to the day of our death inclusively and it hath in it somethings specially relating to the sins of our former dayes which are now to be abolished by special arts and have obliged us to special labours and brought in many new necessities and put us into a very great deal of danger and because it is a duty consisting of so many parts so much imployment it also requires much time and leaves a Man in the same degree of hope of pardon as is his restitution to the state of righteousness and holy living for which we covenanted in Baptism For wee must know that there is but one repentance in a Mans whole life if repentance be taken in the proper and strict Evangelicall Covenant-sense and not after the ordinary understanding of the word That is wee are but once to change our whole state of life from the power of the Devil and his intire possession from