in his Law hee doth meditate both day and night HITHERTO we haue heard a godlie man described First The description of a godly man affirmatiuely negatiuely shewing what euilles hee doth most carefully shunne and auoyde Now he commeth to his description affirmatiuely shewing what good things he doth most carefully embrace and follow In this description first note the Christian duety and holy practise of a godly and righteous man namely to be much and often in serious and Christian meditation Secondly the obiect of his Studie not his pleasures preferments or profits as most carnall men doe which minde nothing but earthly things but he is conuersant in the holy Scriptures doth furiously study the word of God his meditation is concerning the Law that is the heauenly doctrine which shews the will of God and his worship what man must and ought to beleeue and do to eternall life Thirdly the circumstance of times is carefully to be considered for the godly man doth not now and then by starts and fits like a man in an ague Reade study and meditate the word and doctrine of God but it is his dayly study and continuall exercise not that wee should imagine hee doth nothing else but the meaning is hee setteth some time apart daily to serue God some time to reade some time to heare and some time to meditate yea oftentimes he bestoweth some part of the night when some be at rest and sleepe and bestoweth it on Gods seruice setting his minde on heauen and heauenly things First in that the Spirit of almighty God describeth a godly man not onely by leauing and auoyding lewd company and the counsell of the wicked but also by liuing well and framing himselfe to study the Scriptures and to leade his life thereafafter Hence I gather this doctrine that Doctr. 1. Not to do euill is not svfficients it is damnable not to do good it is not sufficient for the leading of a godly life which may both please God and bring comfort to a mans owne soule to abstaine from euill but he must also doe well not onelie not to doe euill but to doe good it is not enough to prooue a man to be a godly man and a sound Christian that hee carefully shunne and auoyde the lewd counsell and company of wicked men but hee must also be as carefull to meditate in the Law of God day and night And therefore as in this place so vsually in the holy Scriptures they are both ioyned together cease from euill learne to doe well Esay 1.16 Psalme 34 Matt. 3.10 eschew euill and doe good and thou shalt liue for euer The Axe is put to the roote of the Trees euery Tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit Marke Christ sayth not onely euery Tree that is barren and bringeth foorth no fruit good or bad nor euerie one that bringeth foorth euill fruit But that bringeth not foorth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Mat. 25.41 And at the last day the Lord will say to the wicked Depart yee cursed not for robbing the poore of meat drink or apparrell or casting them out of doores but for want of shewing mercy vnto them A Christian life doeth consist of two partes so set downe by the Apostle Paul Abhorre that is euill there is one halfe And cleaue to that is good Rom. 12.9 there is the other halfe If any want the former or the latter he is but halfe a Christian and so shall at last come short of a rewarde And therefore this is a priuiledge to all the Commandements of God that where any vice is forbidden the contrarie vertue is commanded and where any vertue is commaunded the contrary vice is forbidden The owner of an orchard is not contented that his trees beare no naughty fruit but if they beare not good fruit hee will hew them downe as fewell for the fire It is not enough for Zacheus that hee be no more an extortioner But if hee will become a true conuert indeede hee must make restitution of that hee hath wrongfully gotten Luke 19.8 Iames 2.25 These and the like examples make this Doctrine apparent vnto vs That for the leading of a godly life it is not sufficient that a man doe no euill Not to walke in the counsell of the wicked not stand in the way sinners nor sit in the seate of the scornefull but hee must doe good His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Lawe hee doth meditate both day and night Vse 1 This serues to reprooue most men in the world as no godly men indeed nor sound Christians for most men doe thinke if they can say I thanke GOD I doe no bodie anie harme nor say them harme I am neither whoore nor thiefe I am neyther blasphemer drunkard c. All is then well they be as good Christians as the best and shall as well be saued as the best Preacher of them all Yea but you see here a godly man must not onely abstaine from euill But meditate in the Lawe of God not onely cease from euill but do good Looke on the places of Scriptures before named Matt. 3.10 Mat. 25.41 Iudg. 5.23 Deborah pronounces a heauy curse against Nerosh not for hurting or hindering the people of GOD but because they did not helpe them against the enemies of GOD and so the axe and curse of GOD shall bee vpon all those that be not as carefull to doe good as to eschew euill S. Paul professeth that hee was a man of an vpright life and one that was vnrebukeable to the world and yet professeth that all this was but as Dung without the righteousnesse of CHRIST Philippians 3.4 It were good if our ciuill honest men as wee call them would consider this they stand vpon this they defie al the world who can say black is their eie they say no body harme nor doe none well grant that they say which is impossible though they could abstaine from all outward euill as swearing lying drunkennesse whooring pride enuy c. So as no man could lay any of these to their charge yet heere is but halfe a Christian but one part of his life for hee must not onely not doe euill but doe good Not onely to bring foorth euill fruit is damnable but not to bring foorth good fruit And in the day of iudgement CHRIST will proceede against men not onely for doing euill but especially for nor doing good Vse 2 Secondly if such as abstaine from grosse euills bee in danger of damnation for want of doing good that is to say because they haue not ledde a godly life bestowed much time in hearing and reading the Scriptures praying and calling on Gods name doing workes of mercie and equitie to men how much more those that abstaine from no euill but breake out into all kindes of wickednesse and prophanenesse Such as make a mocke of Religion and seldome or neuer come to heare the Word
4.23 looke vnto the casements of thy soule thy eyes and thy eares Ps 119.37 Eccl. 9.4.5 Pray with Dauid Lord turne away my eyes from beholding vanity make a couenant with them with Iob. Iob 31. What folly nay what madnesse is it then in them that dare come into any company that dare looke and pry into the beauty of a woman as though they were so strong that they were out of all danger to sin But art thou more holy or strong then Dauid Peter c. if not thou maist fall Vse 2 Let all godly men and women take heed let them feare themselues and doubt the worst Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall not prosper Wee must at all times haue especiall regard to the heart or else wee cannot stand Such and so many are the assaults that sathan doth lay against our soules this is that wholesome counsell that the Apostle Peter doth lay downe vnto vs who was both acquainted with the frailty of mans nature and the malice of sathan when hee saith 1. Pet. 5.8 Bee sober and watch for your aduersary the deuill c. Where hee ioyneth vnto Sobriety Watchfulnesse for though a man be neuer so sober yet if hee do not watch withall and that against the occasions of sin hee is easily made a prey to Sathan And for want of this care and watchfulnesse many of Gods children haue beene ouertaken and haue fell into many horrible and grieuous sinnes which they could not so easily haue done had they beene watchfull ouer their owne affections And thus much for the first Doctrine in the description of a godly man hee must carefully auoide all occasions of sinne That doth not walke in the Counsell of the wicked c. HEre the Prophet Dauid shewes who is a godly man and what be his properties First as we haue heard hee auoides all occasions of sinne so now in the second place the counsell and company of lewd wicked and vngodly men A godly man and such a one as shall bee truely happy and blessed indeed doth distaste and dislike yea vtterly renounce and abhorre their societie and company their counsels and consultations so as hee doth shunne and auoid them as dangerous and infectious from whence wee gather a second point of Doctrine That men must carefully shunne Doctr. 2. Wee must shunne the company of wicked men and auoid the company of the wicked it is very apparant Num. 31.16 2. Sā 10.3 Mat. 16.22 Acts 13.8 Psalme 15 Tit. 2.12 2. Cor. 6.14 if they themselues will not be defiled with their abhomination for that rule of Salomon will stand Hee that toucheth pitch shall bee defiled Bad company is exceeding pernicious and hurtfull either to disswade from that which is truely good or to perswade to that which is naught and wicked Dauid maketh it a marke of a true member of the Church That in his eyes a vile person is contemned And the Apostle willeth all Christians who looke for glory through Christ that they would haue nothing to do with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse And againe This indeed is pure Religion and vndefiled to keepe our selues vnspotted of the world This the Apostle S. Paul vrgeth Be not vnequally yoaked with infidels for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse It is the exhortation of Salomon Forsake the wicked and yee shall liue Ioseph liuing in the Court of Pharaoh had quickly learned to sweare by the life of Pharaoh and we know that it was in the common Hall amongst the seruants of the high Priests that Peter had learned to curse and to sweare It were no lesse then treason in a subiect to liue in friendship with one that is a professed enemie to the King much more is it treason in the subiects of the King of heauen to haue society with the wicked and this is obserued to bee the fault of Iehosaphat That hee would helpe the wicked and loue them that hate the Lord. Such are euen odious vnto God Psalm 5.5 as Dauid saith Thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie Besides their company is exceeding dangerous for the wrath of God hangeth ouer the head of the vngodly This we may see in Lot who for the fruitfulnesse of the place was drawne to liue in Sodome where the men were wicked Gen. 19. So when they were taken prisoners Lot was taken prisoner with them And had not thē Lord beene exceeding mercifull vnto him hee had perished with them in the generall ouerthrow of that Citie And this was the voyce of God from heauen concerning Babylon Reu. 18.4 Goe out of her my people that yee bee not partakers of her sins and that yee receiue not of her plagues And this was the cause why the Lord gaue so streight a charge to the people of Israel that they should haue no dealing at all with the Inhabitants of the land of Caanan Thou shalt make no couenant with them nor with their gods Ex. 23.32 Neither shall they dwell in thy land lest they make thee sinne against me Deut. 7.2 Neither shalt thou make any marriages with them neither giue thy daughter to his sonne nor take his sonne to thy daughter for they will cause thy sonne to fall away from me and to serue other gods And how true this threatning from the Lord was the euent maketh it manifest for they neglecting this Commandement from God Wee are mingled amongst the heathen and learned their workes Ps 106.35 as Dauid saith and wofull experience doth proue this to be true of many who haue sometime beene indifferently conformable to good duties afterwards falling into wicked and lewd company haue beene corrupted and growne dissolute Oh what stumbling blockes are such vnto a man from the performance of any good duety This did Dauid know full well when hee said Away from mee yee wicked Ps 119.115 I will keepe the Commandements of my God Insinuating therby as it may easily be gathered that he could not set himselfe to the performance of any holy duty as hee ought so long as such wicked company were about him Yea it hath been a griefe vnto the godly to haue beene in the company of vngodly persons As Lot liuing in Sodome where hee saw their filthy abhominations 2. Pet. 2.7 It vexed his righteous soule And this was it that made Dauid bemone his estate in the time of his banishment when he was constrained to abide amongst the vncircumcised people Woe is me that I remaine in Mesech and to dwell in the tents of Kedar My soule hath long dwelt among those that bee enemies vnto peace By all this that hath beene spoken it doth appeare That the godly man who shall bee happy and blessed indeed doth carefully shunne and auoid the lewd company of the wicked This Doctrine in the first place doth serue to reproue all such as Vse 1 are carelesse of their company that can vse
Papists Mocke-Gods Swearers Swaggerers Drunkards and so forth By which means it is iust with God they not shunning the occasions of sinne are peruerted by them to their owne destruction And no lesse worthy of reproofe are those kinde of men or women that lincke themselues or their children in marriage with such as be vile wicked prophane and irreligious Alas what agreement is there betweene CHRIST and Belial God and the Diuell Light and darkenesse 1. Cor. 6. a Beleeuer and an infidell to haue such neare coniunction and fellowship with them How can such escape and not be polluted with their sinne And because men and women in this match make no better choice but marry for loue of money beauty or the like rather then for Religion Vertue or the Feare of God it commeth to passe that they liue together most vncomfortably and in great discontentment Nor sit in the seate of Scorners BY Scorners in this place are meant such wicked men as are both hardened in sinne and liue a wicked life such as are become stubborne and rebellious sinners professing all impietie contemning God and man such as being confirmed with the long practise of sinne and a bad life haue got a habite of sinne and can doe nothing else but sinne and despise all good duties and make a scoffe at all Religion Hence wee learne this doctrine Doctr. 2. The mark of a lewd and wicked man that this is the propertie of a notorious lewd and wicked man to make a mocke of all pietie and godlinesse to make a mocke of all Religion and euery Christian dutie And such a man is come to a wonderfull height of sinne and is notoriously wicked and vngodly So it is sayd that cursed Cham mocked his father Noah Gen. 9.22 and Ismael mocked godly Isaac because as it is like Ismael seeing godly Isaac performing some duty of Religion Prayer Thankes-giuing or the like hee laughed him to scorne The Athenians mocked Paul Acts 17. what will this Babler say So the Scribes and Pharisees mocked our Sauiour CHRIST saying Mat. 26.68 Haile King of the Iewes The Iewes mocked Saint Peters Sermon saying Act. 2.12 These men are full of new wine The children of Bethel mocked Elizeus the Prophet saying Go vp thou Bald-head 2. Kin. 2.22 This was the complaint of godly Ieremie O Lord I am in derision daily Ier. 20.7 euery one mocketh mee And as it was so is it still and will bee the world is full of such lewd and wicked men such Mock-gods that mocke and mow at all good duties scoffing and scorning all Religion flouting and mis-vsing Gods faithfull Ministers raile vpon them and reuile them yea if any man feare God make conscience of good duties to heare the word of God diligently and carefully to reade pray in family c. And will not sweare with the swearer drinke with the drunkard and run with wicked men into all excesse of ryot this man shall bee mocked and poynted at and called by the name of Puritan and precisian and I know not what and can very hardly endure their company Now these kinde of men these scoffing Ismaels and cursed Chams though they seeme to be neuer so honest ciuell yet the word of God paints them out in their colours as the most vile and wicked men that liue in the world because they contemne and despise they mocke and scorne Gods word and those that be most deere vnto God Let all such scorners and scoffing Vse 1 mates take heede for as they bee most abhominable in the sight of God Pro. 3.32 so they seldome or neuer escape vnpunished Looke on that cursed Cham scoffing Ismael behold Gods vengeance vpon those two and forry yonkers that mocked the Prophet Elizeus What became of them that mocked and mis-vsed the Prophets of the Lord What became of those that mocked and mis-vsed our Sauiour Iesus Christ And let men but obserue it and marke it well Esay 37 and they shall cleerely see some token or other of Gods vengeance vpon the heades of such scoffing wretches yea let all such wicked men know that they be too much their owne foes in that they hate the godly mocke Gods Ministers raile vpon his seruants they fare the better for them euery day they rise whatsoeuer wicked and vngodly men haue and enioy it is for the godlies sakes for if it were not for them and their sakes the Sunne would scarce shine vpon them the heauens would fall vpon them the earth would open her mouth and swallow them the fire would burne them the water would drowne them and all the creatures of God would arme themselues against them And therefore the children of God as one saith are like a peece of Corke cast into the Sea full of Nayles the Corke beares them vp which otherwise would sinke of themselues one by one Now then what a folly and madnesse is this to hate them to mocke them and to mis-vse them by whom they fare the better euery day they rise Seeing wicked men are so ill affected Vse 2 to God and his children because they loue the diuell and bee his vassailes and these belong to God Let vs herein be like to God our Father and most vnlike wicked men let vs loue Gods children and make much of those that feare the Lord and let vs delight in their company for as the former is a signe of a notorious wicked man so this is a signe of a godly man He despiseth a vile person Psal 15.4 and maketh much of those that feare the Lord. Againe 1 Iohn 3. Hereby we know that wee loue God if wee loue the brethren Againe All my delight is in the Saints and such as excell in vertue Such as be religious feare God and liue a godly life These be to be beloued be they neuer so poore It is lamentable to see the course of the world let a lewd man come into company that is notorious wicked an Atheist a blasphemous wretch one that laughes at God and all goodnesse a drunkard or the like this man shall be too too welcome and we will eate and drinke and bee mery with him But let a godly man a Prophet of the Lord a faithful and zealous Minister come into our company we are weary of him wee cannot endure his companie hee marres all our mirth wee cannot be merry for him Thus men say Oh Hel-hounds and wicked wretches thou maist as well say thou canst not be merry when God is present Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee These men onely delight in the Diuell and his cursed instruments And thus much for the first part of the description of a godly man negatiuely described Hee doth not walk in the counsell of the wicked Hee doth not stand in the way of sinners nor hee doth not sit in the seate of the scorners The first Psalme VERSE 2. But his delight is in the Lawe of the Lord and
preached or taught but abound in all kinde of sinne and iniquitie If the Rich man bee damned that did not giue of his bread to feede the poore good Lord what shall become of those that haue takē away the bread of the poore that all their life haue drunke downe iniquity as it were water their damnation doeth hot sleepe If these things be doone to the greene tree what shall become of the dry tree In a word if the not doing of good shall bee punished so seuerely as wee haue heard Oh! what will then become of those whose liues abound in all maner of sinne and impiety whooredome drunkennesse c. Where shall such sinners as these appeare If the others which haue seemed to haue beene iust and righteous men shall not be saued O consider this yee that forget God Psal 50.22 lest I teare you in peeces and there bee none that can deliuer you Psalme 50. and verse 22. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord. THAT is the godly man who is truely blessed and happy doth wonderfully loue and is greatly affected with the word of Almightie God and hath exceeding delight ioy in the doctrine of God because there is reuealed the will of God whereunto men must bee carefull to frame and conforme all their desires thoughts words and deeds because heerein is chalked out and declared the very high-way to eternall life and saluation Doctr. 2. A godly man performeth godly dueties cherefully Hence then wee are taught this doctrine that it is a speciall note and property of a godly man to perform Christian dueties to God willingly and cheerefully and to make them his delight and ioy Indeede it is worthy yea thrice worthy to be delighted in both in regard of the Author of this Lawe which is God as also in respect of the authority of it which is manifold In regard of God the author of it it is to be delighted in who is the only true euerliuing God 1. Cor. 8.6 of whom are all things and we in him Secondly in respect of the authority of the same containing in it perfect wisedome truth iustice wisdome mercy goodnesse c. It is called by the Prophet Dauid Psal 19.7 Reu. 22.18 a perfect Law to the which if any man shall presume to adde anie thing God shall adde to him the plagues written in this book and if a man shall diminish any thing God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and from the holy Citty Heere and no where else is to bee found the true VRIM and THVMMIM the VRIM that is Light and the THVMMIM that is Perfection and the Saints of God in all Ages haue esteemed highly of it Thus did Iob Iob 23.12 I esteemed thy word more then my appoynted food Thus did Dauid when he said Lord what loue haue I to all thy commaundements Psal 119. all the day long is my study in them And Dauid shewes his wonderfull loue and account of it by the names that hee doth giue vnto it calling it Doctrine Testimonies Commaundements Feare Iudgements Way Statute Word c. And in another place hee saith That it is more to be desired then Golde Psa 16.10 Mat. 22.37 Rom. 12.8 yea then fine Golde that it is sweeter then the honny and the honny-combe And this is that which the Lord him selfe doeth require when he saith Leuit. 1.3 Heare O Israel the LORD thy GOD is LORD onely Deut. 6.5 And thou shalt loue the LORD thy GOD with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might And so the Prophet Dauid prayeth O Lord I beseech thee accept of the free offerings of my mouth and teach mee thy iudgements And this is the rule which the Apostle Saint Paul setteth downe when hee sayth 2. Cor. 9.7 As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue not grudgingly or of necessitie for God loueth a chearefull giuer Now that which the Apostle speaketh of Charity and Almes may truely be vnderstood of euery Christian dutie when wee pray wee must pray vnto God chearefully when wee giue thanks to God we must do it cherefully Genes 4.5 and so of all other dueties of Gods worship layed downe in his Word And indeede this is it which dooth put the difference betweene the godly and the wicked the seruice of the one and the seruice of the other Caine will come with his Sacrifice aswel as Abel but he brought of the worst thinking any thing to be good enough for God and this he did very grudgingly Whereas Abel brought of the best to sacrifice to God this hee did willingly and cheerefully And all those dueties that are not thus performed they haue no life nor vertue in them to giue them any grace or acceptance with God So that we see that outward profession is not enough to assure vs of our saluation if it be not ioyned with sincerity of heart Now where it is said heere Reason that the godly mans Delight is in the Lawe of the Lord there is great reason why the children of God should be thus affected to his blessed word and heauenly Doctrine aboue all things in the world that it should be Sweeter vnto them then the honny and the honny-combe Tit. 2.11 First because it is the bread of life it is the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 And therefore is called the Gospell of the Kingdome and the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 13.44 because it is that whereby men are brought to eternall life and the kingdome of Heauen Secondly it is the effectual means and instrument which the Lord vseth and hath appointed to beget all sauing grace in the hearts of his children Ro. 10.14 1 Cor. 1.21 namely knowledge faith humility obedience and the like Thirdly it is the bread of life euen the heauenly Manna whereby our faith is confirmed and our soule comforted yea it is the staffe whereto wee must leane in all dangers as Dauid saith I had perished in my trouble had it not beene for thy word Psal 119. And thy Rod and thy Staffe doth comfort me Psal 23. Fourthly the word of God is that direction whereby wee may square all our thoughts words and deedes as Dauid saith Thy word is a Lanthorne vnto my feete Psal 119. and a light vnto my paths And without this we can not liue well but shall wander vp and downe as blind men in the darke And last of all it is the two-edged-Sword of Gods Spirit Matth. 4.4 whereby wee must put to flight all the temptations of the Diuell so as we cannot repell them or withstand them vnlesse we be skilfull and cunning to vse this weapon This Doctrine may seeme to reproue Vse 1 the greatest part amongest vs as wicked and vngodly because generally men haue no loue vnto the word of God no delight in this heauenly Doctrine it is not sweete nor
the worship and seruice of God to reade pray and meditate and at the least twice a day to call vpon his Name to reade the word of God and to study therein This is that the Lord commandeth his people to offer vnto him euery day the morning and the euening sacrifice at the least twice euery day they were commanded to worship God and so the holy Patriarchs were wont to worshippe God morning and euening So wee reade in Gen. 24.63 That godly Isaac went out into the fields in the euening to pray or meditate to make himselfe fit to pray And Iob 1.5 Acts 10.2 Iob rose vp earely to offer sacrifice and called his family together and this did Iob euery day and Dauid in many Psalmes sheweth that he did set some time apart euery day to worship God in praying reading meditating c. Cornelius worshipped God continually 1 The. 5.23 that is euery day according to the rule of the Apostle Pray continually And that we should not be weary of well-doing Christ spake the parable of the vniust Iudge and poore widdow to this end that we ought alwayes to meditate pray c. and not waxe faint and wearie Luke 18.1 The meaning is not that men should leaue their callings and other businesse altogether to attend vpon hearing reading meditating c. but that wee should bee much and often in meditating in prayer in reading c. and in performing these blessed dueties vnto almightie God And at the least three times a day to pray and call vpon the name of God In the morning when wee doe arise to giue vnto God hearty thankes for keeping vs the night past and to craue for a blessing at his hands ouer the day following At noone againe when when we receiue his good Creatures And at night when we go to rest And this godly practise the word of God prescribes vs and the examples of the godly doe teach vs Dan. 6.10 Daniel prayed three times a day vpon his knees vnto God and praised him as his manner was though the King had made a strict Law against it Euening morning and at noone will I pray vnto thee Psal 55.17 And againe Seuen times a day will I praise thee Psal 119.164 That is many times For the morning Earely in the morning will I direct my prayer vnto thee Gen. 22.2 Iob 1.5 And thus did Abraham Isaac Iob. Secondly at noone or mid-day so did Peter Peter went out to prayer about the sixt houre Actes 10.9 That is about twelue of the clocke or noone-tide Thirdly at night in the euening when wee goe to bedde to take our rest Genes 24. Psa 139 11 Psal 19.5 Mat. 13.23 Esa 28.3.4 wee must then remember likewise to render the Lord thankes for the comfort of the day and to craue his blessing for that night Neyther is this all but in the night time when sleepe is departed from a man and Nature is sufficed with rest he doth euen then call to minde the heauenly Doctrine of the word of God and doth muse and meditate therein as the Text saith heere euen day and night For God which hath bounded the day with the night hath set no bound to a godly mans meditation It is nothing to be first one that heareth the word secondly one that receiueth it thirdly with ioy if fourthly it shal be but for a time onely if he shall not also continue and constantly perseuer to meditate therein day and night So as we see this is our duety to set some time apart euerie day to worship God as to heare reade pray meditate c. We see men doe set apart depute and ordaine some certaine time euery day for the food of the body at the least twice a day to eate and drinke how much more then should wee bee carefull for our Soules euery day to reade meditate and to pray Of all the time we spend in this world none will be more comfortable vnto vs in death when wee shall goe the way of all flesh then that which wee haue bestowed in the seruice and worship of Almightie God There is not now one houre spent in the seruice of God but will then minister cause of ioy and reioycing neither is there now one houre spent in the seruice of sin and of Satan but the remembrance thereof will then be a terrour vnto the soule Oh that men would be wise then would they vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 This seemes to reproue the common carelesnesse of the world most Vse 1 men and women spend al their daies in delights and vanities in sports and pastimes in scraping and raking together the things of this life and in the meane time finde no time at al to serue God that in twenty foure houres hardly can spare one to serue God one to reade heare pray meditate yea how many be there that neuer open their books to reade one chapter in the Bible all the Weeke long How many be there that neuer spend one quarter of an houre in Meditation which neuer call vpon GOD from Sonday to Sonday doth not this proue men to be carnall and vngodly Do not these men do nothing of conscience or with delight and loue to GOD and his worship but all for fashion sake or feare of the Law What difference is there betwixt those men who seldome or neuer call on the name of GOD and the beast they ride on The beast arises in the morning out of his den and streakes himselfe goes to his meate and so to worke Euen so do they neuer call on the name of God In this thing wherein do such men differ from a very beast How can such look for any blessing from God vpon their labours Yea how can they chuse but feare some fearefull iudgement and curse of God to ouertake them And no doubt the cause why many ride and run earely and late and do not call on God for a blessing vpon their endeuours cannot prosper and thriue in the world No God sends sometimes iudgements plagues and punishments vpon them and all for the neglect of this godly and Christian duety it is iust with God both to crosse and to curse both them and their labours Psal 14. Againe by the rule of this doctrine they are no lesse to be reproued Note who can bee content now and then to Heare Reade Pray and Meditate c. But this must bee at their leasure when they haue nothing else to do bur to keep certaine times Mornings Noones euenings to leaue all sports pastimes delights and businesse to go to GOD and serue him and call vpon his name they cannot abide that they will not bee so tyed and restrained but as the man in the Gospell when CHRIST called him first he must go bury his father and him that would go Bid his friends fare-well So many could be content to serue God and to pray vnto him but they