Thou must never think to have any great measure of communion with God as long as thou standest in this uncertainty and irresoluteness As a woman as long as shee is courted by two and will not give an absolute denial to one of them cannot enjoy either as an husband c. so wants that communion that she might have with the one so that indeed both visit her but shee dwells with neither So while thou art thus doubting and wavering thou may'st have many visits and motions of the Spirit of God but the Spirit of God does not dwell in thee thou loosest those unspeakable advantages both of grace and joy which come by the co-habitation of the Spirit therefore make Religion thy businesse and follow God fully as Joshuah did and follow hard after God as David did and press forward to the mark as Paul did and strive to enter in at the strait gate as our Saviour commands CHAP. XVI The next great impediment is worldly company THe twelfth great impediment is worldly company such as have no acquaintance with God but talk of such things as Turks and Heathens do talk of as well as they When a Saint has been in private ravisht with the love of God and the joyes of heaven and meets with company which speaks not one word of such matters nor can what a damp is it and quenching as it were of the spirit of God in us How sapless juiceless and without relish are such discourses And the people of God do generally loose more by worldly men that in respect of their conversation are somewhat blameless than they loose by wicked and prophane men for their company they utterly avoid but the other they conversing withal they suffer much from It is generally in every ones mouth that wee have three grand enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil but few there are that deal with the flesh or with the world as enemies but they endeavour too much to please both which they do not use to do to enemies nay wee suffer very much many wayes meerly because wee would not displease the men of the world I knew an excellent Christian a woman of Quality who spent most of her time in private and secret duties a woman of the greatest eminency for that as I knew She when persons of great Quality came to see her would not omit her set times but would as they call'd rudely take her leave of them rather than omit her communion with God Alas What good can conferences with the people of the world do us though they talk of the things of God their discourses are unprofitable and unsavoury for one may see that they speak of things they understand not and have no experience of they speak as if one should speak of the West-Indies that was never there Alas they are neither able to comfort one nor to advise one concerning spiritual matters the lesse wee have to do with them the better CHAP. XVII The next impediment is abundance of worldly imployment The next impediment is abundance of worldly imployments and businesses Many there are that never think they can exceed this way and they put it all under the notion of their particular calling and grasp so much business that they can have no leisure or communion with God nay that time which they do spend in private their heads and hearts are so distracted with the thoughts of their imployments that God has little of them but their bodily presence and lip-labour for what with the business they were involved in before duty and that which they are to bee imployed in as soon as ever they have done there is such a throng of worldly thoughts in their heads and hearts that they do finde it an hard matter to get their hearts so much as in tune the time is so little they can spare for such matters then all must bee excused they must provide for their families or else they are worse than Infidels whereas they should withal think of providing for their own souls and for the soules of their families and their prayers with them for them and instructions of them they do not consider enough how that Christ blames Martha for being busied about many things though they were not onely domestical imployments but such as belonged to her and were undertaken for the immediate service and entertainment of Christ and if Christ blamed the multitude of her imployments thus qualified how much more will hee blame theirs They should also consider that those children thrive best for the most part both in the matters of the world and especially in the matters of God who have so much left them as they may with their own reasonable endeavours and industry live well else not And these men if they can but finde a place of Scripture or two which injoynes them to take up some calling or other they rejoyce and quiet themselves as if their greedy and covetous desires were justified by it Why do they not also consider how earnest the Scripture is in setting down the danger and deceitfulness and uncertainty of riches insomuch wee scarce read of any rich man that was holy except hee were holy first And those that wee read of that were holy they got their riches not by such worldly imployments as now adayes are used but such wherein they had abundance of leisure to serve God for they were generally Shepherds and their riches consisted in cattel So Abraham Isaac Jacob Job David they should also think with themselves how much the Scripture presseth us to have our conversation in heaven and there to lay up our treasures and that we should bee frequent in prayer meditation and closet duties for without frequency in them 't is impossible to bee heavenly minded in earthly imployments Hee needs frequently to take Antidotes that converses nay lives with those that have the plague Why do not men put bounds to their desires of growing rich they put bounds to their charity and to their times for solemn duties and why not to the things of the world CHAP. XVIII The next great impediment is to have a carnal opinion that it is easie to bee religious ANother great impediment is to think it is an easie thing to bee religious and that one need take no pains but that wee may go to heaven upon a bed of roses or at least now and then to pray and to read some good books to hear Sermons and repeat them and other such outward works of Religion are abundantly enough Alas Alas the work of Religion is within 't is neither the ear that hears nor the tongue that prayes but the heart doth both It is true the body by consent and sympathy may suffer somewhat insomuch that it is a hard thing to pray as wee ought upon a full stomack without being sick And if one has something that wee must obtain of God and intend to wrastle with him for it wee shall finde that our
CHAP. XI Wherein the Power of Godlinesse consists as to Knowledge or the high acts and effects of Knowledge 4. COncerning our knowledge of God the signes of its perfection are these 1. When wee are rather passive than active in our knowledge when the thoughts of God alwayes end in admirings and adorings of him and in such a case the understanding rather suffers than acts as it were ceasing from its opperations and suffering it self to be overcome by the object It is quasi silentium intellectus or admiration When the truths of God are to us alwayes like a great Ocean whereof wee can neither fathom the bottom nor see the shore 2. Then our knowledge is excellent when it never comes with light alone but alwayes comes with flames when our hearts are as much ravish'd with the extasies of love as the understanding is filled with admiration of the truths Those that are in love seldome speak or think of their beloved without flames and shall wee bee such Tinder to the dark beauty of the world and shall wee lye frozen in the midst of the glowing coales of his mercies and the flame of his love and excellency Then 3. The truths of God have wrought a perfect work in us when the doors of our hearts are not only opened by understanding of them but are lifted off from their Hinges by admiration so that they stand open now and wee neither can nor will think of any thing but God so that wee need not set our selves solemnly to think of him or else wee can have no thought of him that affect us but our hearts are so fixt upon the thoughts of him that nothing can divert us as Mary Magdalen not the Angels of Heaven no nor Christ untill hee appeared to bee Christ could have any thing from her But they have taken away my Lord That soul is in a good frame that has its door shut to the world so that the thoughts thereof must first knock and ask leave before they can enter but open to God so that the thoughts of him may come in when they please 4. Than the Knowledge of the things of God has obtained a considerable degree of perfection when temptations cannot stand before it but if in the midst of a temptation the thoughts of any divine truth comes in the temptation flies before it The Truths of God have never yet attained to any considerable degree of that authority they ought to have over us when temptations and they can both be in the soul together when a temptation can go on inticing the Soul to sin while the truths of God look it in the very face when a Father cannot by his looks or threats or calling for or shaking of the rod rule his children unless hee chastise them it shewes hee hath either lost or never had that authority over them that hee should So when the consideration of the truths and the mercies of God will not keep us in awe but wee go on sinning in the presence of such truths it shewes they have little power over us 5. Then our Knowledge is as it should bee when the truths wee know have that weight with us that they sink down into our hearts nay when wee care to have nothing to do with such truths as have nothing to do with the heart but are meerly speculative and float in the understanding Some have that vaine and sinful art of beating the weighty truths of God so thin and fine that it cannot sink down into their hearts as one may beat lead so thin that one may make a boat of it that it shall not onely float it self but shall keep other things from sinking CHAP. XII Wherein the Power of Godlinesse consists as to Humility or wherein Christian Humility chiefly consists 5. FOr Humility the excellent degrees of that are these 1. When wee stand wondring at the goodness of God even in the least mercies when wee can admire and blesse God for having so much which others of our degree having murmure against God for having no more when wee are so sensible of our own vileness that the least temporal blessings seem wonders of mercy to us and when God layes upon us never so great a weight of affliction yet even then wee can admire his mercies and blesse him more that wee are not in a worse condition than murmure that wee are so bad and cry out it is his mercy that wee are not consumed when Gods mercies humble thee and Gods afflictions fill thee with his praises when thou canst see thine own vileness in the midst of Gods mercies and Gods goodness in the midst of thine afflictions and bee powerfully affected with them then thy heart is in a right frame A sinner that murmures on this side of Hell if hee were truly sensible of his own vileness were as great a prodigy and would argue as much impudency and arrogancy as for a pardoned Traitor who had deserved to be tortured to death with the exquisitest tortours to complain of the Kings cruelty because hee did not feed him and cloath him deliciously sumptuously every day so for a living man to complain c. 2. When wee are unwilling that any one should have good thoughts of us or at least in reference to our selves and if it were not for the duty wee owe to truth the glory of God and the edification of our brethren wee would never vindicate our selves from any slander or aspersion that is laid upon us Many do with so much violence and impetuousness vindicate themselves that they doe wound their own consciences and bring a greater scandal upon Religion by their unchristian carriage in vindicating themselves than the crime which was unjustly laid to their charge would have done had they been guilty of it like one that going about to rub off a spot of dust cast on his face should rub off the skin also and so leave behinde a greater blemish than he removed Wee ought humbly and quietly to deny those crimes which are unjustly laid to our charge this duty wee owe to Truth and to Religion which may also suffer by our sufferings this way but then wee must also remember to perform that duty wee owe to Humility and patience which is quietly and willingly to be content that any or all should think as ill of us as they please and think thus with our selves that the shame that lights on us by being supposed to have committed the crimes wee are guiltless of is not to be compared to that which is due to us for those sins which wee are guilty of though men know them not 3. Another singular Act of Humility is to bee troubled at all unjust praises as much as others are at unjust slanders Surely the one is as much against truth as the other nay though the praises be due to us if they be given us upon a wrong ground or from a wrong end wee ought to reject them So our Saviour
up this temptation 1. Pride Wilt thou not serve God except hee will put thee in that highest office Canst thou not be content to bee a door-keeper in the House of God It is an holy frame of heart to mourn for the weakness of our graces but it is a carnall one to murmure or dispond 2. The second carnal ingredient is that wee distrust God who made the tongue though thou art like Moses slow of speech yet God can make thee like to Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee saith God to Paul and so it is with thee it is a delusion somewhat like that which Satan uses to hinder us from believing our justification What art thou saith Satan and carnall conscience that God should justifie thee or love thee or give thee such great things as thou expectest But Faith answers Since I come to God in Christs Name it is not for mee to consider in my self how hee loves mee but how hee loves Christ nor is it for mee to consider as to justification what I have done or suffer'd or what I am but what Christ hath done and as long as thou look'st upon thy graces to justifie thee or thine own strength to sanctifie thee it is no marvell that thou dispairest of both That which thou art to do in this case is 1. To bless God for the graces and comforts that hee hath given to others it was a spiritual frame of heart that hee had or at least a spiritual speech of him who when hee was upon his death bed and endeavouring to apply the promises of the Gospel to himself but could not as hee thought yet he blessed God that he had made such precious promises for others to apply though hee could not so thy design being that God should be honour'd thou should'st rejoyce that others do it though thou canst not spirituall envy is the worst kinde of envy 2. Thou art to imitate them in their perfections 3. Thou art to strengthen thy confidence and hope for they were hewen out of the same rock with thee their hearts were as hard by nature as thine it is a comfort to one to know that such an one as was cur'd by such a Physitian had the same disease as wee have it makes us to rejoyce to see how well hee is and to hasten to his Physitian it doth not encrease our sorrowes or fears of our recovery but our joyes to think that if he were cured wee may 4. Thou must desire that holiness thou canst not attain to that is not the language of Gods people to say What needs so much holiness if thou dost not hunger and thirst after righteousness it proceeds not because thou art full of grace but corruption 5. Prize holiness have high thoughts of it and see beauty in it 6. Mourn for the want of it and then if thy judgement doth prize if thy heart doth desire if thine eye doth mourn if thine endeavours doth follow hard after God though thou canst not attain to bee so eminent a Christian as others be assur'd that Christ will not quench such smoaking flax nor break such a bruised reed as thou art and know this for thy comfort that the weakest faith doth justifie not only as well but as much as the strongest and that the weakest grace is as sure to persevere as the strongest for it is not by the power of our graces but by the mighty power of God to salvation God keeps us not only through faith but hee keeps our faith also hee gives us not only remission of sinnes upon repentance but hee gives us repentance also Acts 5.31 CHAP. II. The second Caution That wee should take heed that the works of our General Calling justle not out the works of our particular calling 2. ANother thing that you are to take heed of is that the works of your general doth not justle out the works of your particular calling grace doth not hinder but sanctifieth our lawful worldly imployments it makes us perform them upon more spiritual motives and from other principles and for higher ends but it makes us not leave them off there is a temptation that divers young and unexperienced Christians are exercised withall viz. in the midst of the necessary works of their calling they are press'd to leave off and go to prayer indeed this is a good sign but it is a disease as Physitians say that the swelling of the legs after a great fit of sicknesse is a good sign though such swellings are to bee cured also so it is generally a good sign to see people forward though somewhat unseasonably in the duties of Religion for few unregenerated persons are troubled with this kind of temptation yet this distemper is not to bee cherished nor accounted health Therefore since because many times the Spirit of God may extraordinarily stir us up to prayer It is worth considering how to know whether it is the Spirit of God or a delusion of Satan when wee are moved to this duty therefore first if thou art moved to prayer only when thou art imployed upon the works of thy particular calling but never upon vacant times it is very likely to be a delusion of Satan for Satans way is not to cure idleness with duties but to spoil one duty with another to put thee upon duties that are unseasonable in respect of thine imployments or unsuitable to thy gifts or such an one that thou art not warranted to by thy calling 2. Art thou inlarged in prayer when thou art put thus extraordinarily upon duties or not God doth seldome give one a call to any imployment but hee gives one gifts suitable to it as hee doth not lay any affliction on us but what he doth enable us to bear so hee puts us not upon any imployment but hee enables us to perform it Indeed God sometimes may give one the will to do a duty and not give him the deed but that is very rarely and generally to teach us that truth that the strength of our own resolutions is not able to carry us thorough the doing of good or resisting evil Yet one thing is to bee considered that thou may'st be enlarged in prayer both by God and Satan But the difference is when God enlargeth thee it is in the fervency of thy desires but when Satan it is only in the fluency of thy expressions when God enlarges thee thou art humbled after thine enlargements when Satan thou art puft up 3. What power and efficacy has thy prayer upon thee The prayer of a righteous man is not only fervent during the time of prayer but effectual afterwards and that not onely by prevailing with God but prevailing with thy self it makes thee more watchful and industrious as for example if thou prayest that God would enable thee to serve him if it bee a right prayer it will make thee more careful more watchful over thy wayes every prayer is interpretatively a vow which obliges us to perform it
therefore observe what power and influence thy prayers have upon thee 4. How is it with thee upon the Lords Day If the Spirit of God moves thee to duties on the week daies thou wilt bee much more in the Spirit on the Lords Day CHAP. III. The third Caution which is that we should take heed of degenerating into will-worship TAke heed of degenerating into will-worship to study plots and contrive how to serve God better is a singular duty and act of piety but then see the Word of God bee your rule for else to invent wayes of worship that God hath not commanded or warranted in his Word though they seem never so specious and have never so great a shew of humility they puff thee up and provoke God One hath this simile A certain great man had thirty servants ten of them were natural fools and had not wisdome to judge of or to alter their Lords directions the second ten had some measure of understanding but were proud and arrogant so that they would oftentimes because they saw not the reason of their Lords directions for the depths of his wisdome were too great for them to fathom would follow their own inventions which being but vain they spoiled the work which the Lord set them about and so provoked their Lord not only by spoiling the business hee imployed them in but much more by their judging his wayes to be foolish the third ten servants were those who had far more wisdome than the second but never used it to alter their Lords directions alwayes judging them to be best though they many times could see no reason for it nay much against it The high thoughts of their Lords wisdome first caused them not to alter his instructions and afterwards their own frequent experience of the betterness of his wayes The first ten are natural agents which work but they know not what rather by instinct than by understanding the second ten are wicked men who judging of the wayes of Gods Worship by naturall reason to which many of his wayes seem absurd they would therefore alter them and institute others of their own invention that carry a fairer shew to human reason and so they mightily provoke God For to break Gods Law may bee an act of infirmity but to judge his Law is arrogancy The last ten are the people of God who have wisdome and more wisdome than the former but they never use their wisdome in judging of Gods wayes and finding out new wayes and worship for they know that God never gave them their reason for that end but only to help them to judge of the things of the world as how to build houses and how to finde out wayes for the improvement of other manufactures and things of that nature that are temporal and not spiritual CHAP. IV. The fourth Caution which is that especially new Converts take heed of over-burdening themselves with over-difficult or multitude of duties 4. ANother errour and mistake of new converted Christians is to over-burden themselves with duties for Satan when he sees that hee cannot keep them any longer from the wayes of God then hee doth endeavour to put them upon religious duties as they seem but indeed are nothing but superstition or else upon such duties that are too hard and difficult as fasting which is too strong cloth as was touched before to bee sown into an old garment or else bee puts them upon multiplying duties so that though in respect of their nature they are neither superstitious nor too difficult yet in respect of their number are very burdensome Satans aim is to tyre and discourage new beginners by putting them upon difficult and multitude of duties and therefore new beginners need be very wise not only in respect of many other cases and therefore because it is a hard thing for them wanting experience in the things of God to direct themselves let them chuse some experienc'd grave sober Christian that they may bee advis'd by them Take heed of rash vowes nay take heed of all vowes lest they bee rash there are divers Christians who being unmarried and newly converted have bound themselves by vowes to such a number of outward performances as to read so many Chapters a day to fast often every week that afterwards when they were married and had many family businesses to look after their vowes have been great snares unto them but concerning the directions for making vowes snares that they may not be temptations afterwards I refer you to my little Manual Treatise of meditation CHAP. V. The fifth Caution against several mistakes of the people of God in spiritual joyes and sorrowes 5. COncerning spiritual joyes Christians are subject to several mistakes 1. They retain all joyes that seem to bee spiritual whereas they should examine them for an enemy may put on the colour of a friend to deceive us I will give you a few rules to judge of your joyes whether they be spiritual or no 1. True spiritual joyes generally come from the application of some promise of Scripture Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth saith the Spouse Cant. 1.2 Joyes that come wee know not whence are very dangerous and by experience all the people of God can set their seal to this truth 2. True spiritual joyes generally follow deep humiliation generally one is a childe walking in darkness before one is brought into this marvellous light the evening and the morning was the first day it was the stony ground that the first time it received the Word it received it with joy but the good ground brings forth fruit with patience I know one who often as soon as hee began to confess his sins us'd to have joyes but hee look'd upon them as dangerous as coming too soon before hee was in any considerable measure humbled for his sins 3. True joyes as they generally follow humiliation so they do leave us more humble and more desirous to serve God than they found us joyes that puff up with pride are from Satan those that build us up in holiness are from God joyes that make us wanton and careâ—ess of Gods service are such joyes that Satan will never grudge us 2. They judge of their graces by their comforts whereas consolations are no part of but rather a reward of sanctification the dearest of Gods people nay even Christ himself was a man acquainted with sorrowes and generally their graces are strongest whose comforts are weakest and your ancient Christians though they may have a setled serenity and peace but have not such extasies and ravishments of spirit as new Converts have God deals with new Converts as wee deal with our little children wee dandle them on our knees wee play with them and kiss them oftne which wee do not do when they are grown to mans estate their graces being weak something must bee strong therefore God gives them more comforts to support them besides the novelty of Religion doth much occasion
their joyes for all things are become new they are like men that come into a strange country they are very much affected with the strange sights they behold therefore do not judge of thy graces by thy comforts 3. The next errour and mistake wee are subject to is to judge of their duties by the relish they finde in them judging those duties not to bee wholesome that are not sweet and that God is not pleased with those duties wherewith they themselves are not pleased surely it is an easier thing for a Saint to please God than himself and it were a sad thing if God should have as hard thoughts of them as they have of themselves therefore to this I say 1. That oftentimes Christ is delighted with those duties that wee are ashamed of and mourn for the Spouse hides her self in the clifts of the Rocks and under the stairs as a shame that her person should bee seen or her voice heard yet even then Christ was delighted with both Cant. 2.14 2. Nay there may bee much more grace in such a soul that is constant in holy duties though hee findes no joy nor relish in them For it shewes 1. More pure love to God As for example a friend desires two to walk and one of them takes no delight in walking but in respect of some lameness it is a trouble to him the other friend doth very much delight in the walk it self both of them go with their friend which of them think you yeelds to the desires of his friend out of the principles of love when thou performest duty without comfort it shewes that you do love the God of consolations more than the consolations of God 2. There is more pure obedience manifested in such duties There is a story of an excellent Musitian who when hee was aged grew deaf but retained his skill and his Lute being tun'd by another could play singularly well the King would often have him to play before him Surely this Lutanist being deaf could take no delight in his own musick but what he did hee did out of obedience to the Kings command so when thou findest no relish nor delight in thine own duties thou dost not do them to please thy self but to please God 3. There is more humility shown in such duties it is an act of spiritual pride as well as of disobedience not to serve God unless hee will bee giving of us comforts The prodigal childe thought it enough for him to bee as an hired servant though hee was not entertain'd with those smiles and expressions of love that a father uses to bestow upon his sons they think it a wonderful mercy that they may as dogs be suffer'd to gather the crums under the table and that they are not destroyed as Wolves 4. Christians do not enough improve their joyes but like some who when they go to feast with their friend take more delight in the banquet than in their friend therefore two wayes you are especially to improve your spiritual joyes 1. Improve them as Esther did take this opportunity of presenting some petition of great concernment at this banquet It hath been the custome of Courtiers that when the King hath carried himself with most love and familiarity to them to take that time to present their petitions unto him what corruption wouldest thou have especially subdued Would'st thou have the Church deliver'd or what other petition is in thy heart to ask of this nature ask it now God smiles upon thee hee will deny thee nothing 2. Improve thy joyes as Joseph did the years of plenty lay up against a dear year for thou may'st not expect that these daies should alwayes last therefore treasure up these experiences write down what those joys were how it was then with thee and how thou cam'st by those joyes what promise was it that the Spirit applied and sealed to thy soul which hee made as a full brest unto thee and gave thee faith to draw forth the comforts of it forget not the songs that thou hast had in the night and the daies of the right hand of the most High for when afterwards when thy conscience or Satan shall question thy title and interest nay God himself may frown upon thee and seem to bee a swift witnesse against thee and call thee forth to bee burnt with everlasting fire for thy spiritual whoredomes and adulteries then to have these evidences by thee under Gods own hand and seal will stand thee in great stead they say that when honey-dews fall Bees do not gather and carry any to their hives but only feed upon it for the present but it is that they gather from flowers that they lay up against Winter if Joseph had made no other use of the times of plenty than to make the greater feasts Egypt might have perish'd in the seven years of dearth take thou heed that when these honey-dews fall upon thee from heaven take heed that thou dost not onely delight thy self with the enjoyments of them but enrich thy self also with the treasuring of them up against the daies of sorrow Lastly bee watchful take heed that thou art not so busie in taking the spoile that thine enemy rallies again gives thee a second onset bee not secure in the time of joyes or at least provide for a sharp encounter afterwards Our Saviour after that wonderful testimony from heaven Mat. 3. last was immediately led into the wildernesse to bee tempted of the devil Mat. 4.1 and St. Paul immediately after his great revelations Satan came and buffeted him 7. Concerning spiritual sorrowes the people of God are subject to many mistakes 1. They nourish them too much they think if their sorrowes be spiritual in respect of the object there is no fear that the actings of their sorrow can any other way bee carnal nor to bee resisted or limited but if any of these things shall accompany thy spiritual sorrow so far forth as these following effects shall proceed from it it is to bee mortified 1. It thy sight of and sorrow for sin hinders thee from believing thou art not to cherish but to mortifie such sorrowes for it is carnal I do not say totally but so far as it hinders thee from going unto Christ for though it comes in the shew of humility yet it cannot bee true humility For 1. Though one vice be contrary to another yet one grace is not contrary to another true humility will keep one from presuming but it is pride that keeps one from believing 2. All true grace comes from Christ from him wee receive grace for grace but from Christ doth not come any thing to hinder us from going to Christ 2. If the sight and sorrow for thy sins hinders thee from other duties if thy mournings for thy sins hinder thee from family duties from the works of thy particular calling if they hinder thee from prayer or receiving the Lords Supper I say if they hinder thee either
very bodies will receive alterations in the combate If so bee Religion bee such an easie thing as some lazy persons will make it let them answer mee these few Queries 1. Why does the Scripture speak otherwise of it Why does Christ say Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many shall seek to enter in but they shall not bee able if wee may bee lazy in this work Why are wee commanded to stir up the grace of God that is in us 2 Timothy 1.6 Why doth God by his Prophet complain that no man stirs himself up Isai 64.7 Why does the Scripture speak of following hard after God and of our life as a continual war-fare 2. How comes it to pass that most eminent Saints have found so much ado Do wee not read how Jacob wrastled all night with teares and supplications Hosea 12.4 How did that blessed Apostle Paul fight not as one beating the ayr How did hee presse forwards towards the mark forgetting the things that were behinde and beat down and keep in subjection his body How hee was in fastings often in perils by Sea c. passed thorough good report and ill report and how comes it to pass that thou thwarting one corruption or denying thy self in any thing thou givest thy flesh what ease what diet what pleasure soever it desires If it bee but a little cold rather than thou wilt endure it thou wilt leave Ordinances duties as much Religion as may stand with the praise of men the ease of thy body the saving nay the increasing of thine estate if that will save thy soul O how far art thou from leaving hating Father and Mother and Brethren and Sisters yea thine own life for his sake Flatter not thy self if thou wilt not cross a lust nor leave a sin in the time of peace thou wilt not leave thy life in time of persecution for his Namessake 3. Why does the Scripture say that the righteous shall scarcely bee saved And bee thou sure that if ever thou comest to heaven thou shalt wonder how it was possible but that then thou shalt see the infinite wisdome and power of God ordering things how it was possible that thou shouldest escape such imminent dangers Thou wilt see that thousands of times in thy life what with thy back-slidings thy gross carelesness of duties and in duties by the victories that temptations have gotten of thee that thou hast been at the very brink of the pit of hell and that there has been but an haires breadth betwixt thee and destruction Alas the senslesnesse of thy dangers temptations corruptions makes thee so careless and so little to wonder at thy safety like him that in a dark night rid over a very narrow long plank that was laid over a great bridge that was repairing when they who knew the danger ask'd him how hee came into the City that way Hee said why what should ail him hee came and rid over the bridge But the next day when hee saw the danger hee had escaped the apprehensions of the danger though past made him fall down for dead Surely if thou comest to heaven with lazy wishes and performances it must bee by some other way than ever the Word of God hath spoken of it must bee by some Gospel that Paul never preach'd nay such an one that if hee or an Angel from heaven should preach they should be accursed 4. Go and enquire of all the Saints of God of the most experienced Christians and ask them that have twenty thirty sixty yeares experience of the wayes of God and power of godlinesse and they will tell thee that though Religion and keeping of strict communion with God has more delight in it than the world can know and such that if they had ten thousand worlds they would give all to enjoy him whom their soul loves yet they will tell you also that it has cost them many a fervent prayer many a strong cry many a doubtful conflict many tears sighs and groanes nay they will tell you that they have so strange and strong temptations still to grapple withal and that not any corruption is so fully vanquish'd but that it sometimes troubles still and that as long as they have an heart so full of corruptions and live in a world so full of temptations and Satan is so full of malice they do not nor can expect to put off their armour and think to sleep upon a bed of Roses generally 't is peoples ignorance and want of experience that makes them have such light and slight thoughts of the great businesse of Religion Indeed if they think it easie from their sense and conference in the power of God that 's something Men generally in the matters of Religion do as presumptuous persons do in their confidence of the pardon of their sins they think sin displeases God no more than themselves and from their senslesnesse of the sinfulnesse greatnesse and number of their sins proceeds their easinesse of their carnal belief of the pardon of them So from their senssesnesse and ignorance of the greatnesse of the work and labour of love and the number and impetuousnesse of their own corruptions and Satans temptations proceeds their carnal confidence of their easinesse to bee saved Is it so then that the established Decrees of God and the experience of all Saints shews that the way to heaven is up hill it is not to bee attained without fightings without and fightings within and must thou have a private way made for thee only to go to heaven in must the Rock of God his Decrees bee removed and the experience of all the Saints on the earth be altered for thee Job 18.4 May wee not say in this case as it is in the matter of poverty that which makes one live contentedly is that ones minde and ones estate agree Wee generally desire that God would bring our estates to our mindes and God requires of us that wee should bring our mindes to our estates as to our content it is all one which of these two are done and is it not much more reason that wee should yeeld to the desires of God than that hee should yeeld to ours So in this case Is it not much more reason that we should make the work of Religion easier and easier by multiplying holy duties for the more wee pray the easier and the better wee pray than that God should make it easier by abating our work For as in the other instance if God should give us according to our desires in earthly things there would bee no end for that which wee desire to day would as little satisfie us to morrow as that which wee desired yesterday doth satisfie us to day so if that our duty should bee abated there would bee no end unlesse God would bee satisfied that wee should do nothing at all in his service for hee that is unwilling to pray thrice a day will bee more unwilling to pray twice within
invincible As when one first begins to bee angry one may easily refrain but after it becomes outragious and will neither follow nor hear any counsel nay advice in the height of fury is as Physick in the Paroxism of a discase dangerous The third advice is in principio respectu consuetudinis before thy sin grows customary for when once thou art accustomed to do evil then the Blackmoor may as soon change his skin and the Leopard his spots as thou thy sin saith the Prophet So then there are three wayes in respect of the beginnings of sin to conquer it 1. In respect of the root and spring from whence it ariseth and then as hath been said your main application must bee to the root not to the branches for many times that which seems to bee the Master sin is not but is rather like Joseph who acted all but hee did it by the authority of Pharaoh who though hee appeared not yet Joseph could do nothing but by commission and power derived from him So Anger that makes the great noise and seems to bee the Master sin in those that are passionate but the spring of it is pride which though it appears not yet by its power and influence anger does what it does therefore thou art to seeke out the root of that which seems to bee the Master sin And there are three grand sins from which generally all others do proceed Pride Covetousnesse Voluptuousnesse though indeed all these come from one which is self-love therefore do but learn that singular lesson which Christ gives and thou shalt destroy both root and branch of sin viz. He that will bee my Disciple let him deny himself saith Christ Self is the great enemy that every man has 2. As for the beginning of sin in respect of his degree watchfulness is the singular remedy For if we have a continual watch over our words and actions nay even our thoughts wee shall see sin in its beginnings nay even in its first motions and occasions and temptations and so wee may either prevent or at least take it before it comes to its Paroxisme And the beginnings of sin as of all other things are weak and easily subdued 3. And as for the preventing of sin that it comes not to bee customary the remedy for that is frequent examination for by often examining our selves wee shall discover our sins as soon almost as wee commit them and so they will bee kept from being habitual and customary therefore let the examination of thy self be at least Diurnal so that no sin can be above a day old before thou perceivest it and so if thou canst not strangle it in its birth thou mayest in its cradle I suppose one need not bee a Giant to encounter with a Lion as soon as it is whelpt or to pull up an Oke when the Acorn first sprouts forth 5. The fifth advice is concerning temptations and three advices there are concerning temptations 1. Concerning the foreseeing of temptations it is good in every action to consider what temptations wee are like to bee encountred withal in that action as when you go to hear the Word consider what temptations are incident to that And so in all holy duties Ordinances and worldly imployments For if a temptation takes us unawares a weak temptation will prevail more than a strong foreseen 2. The second advice concerning temptations is to prepare and provide for them as one advises that if you know you are to speak with a passionate man you are not only to foresee that you are likely to provoke him and hee you to passion but you are to provide remedies against both either by preparing mollifying words or taking with you some person whose presence may awe or such like 3. But you are to avoid all the temptations that you can so that you do not neglect a duty to avoid a temptation for it is presumption to run into unnecessary temptations and it is spiritual cowardise to neglect our just imployments because a Lion is in the street And as I have elsewhere said when one has once found ones self overcome with such a temptation frequently then it is a sin to go into that temptation though one bee not overcome by it And it is a great fault in parents when they dispose of their children not to consider what callings have the most temptations accompanying them and they should consider of what callings there are few that are religious in and utterly avoid disposing of their children to such a calling for if the calling bee not in it self unlawful yet it shewes the temptations that accompany it are so many that it is almost impossible to avoid and overcome them 6. The next adivce is concerning thy speech As often as occasion is given speak against the vice thou would'st overcome and three advantages you shall receive from it 1. By often speaking against it thy heart will bee brought into some measure of hatred of it for as by evil communication good manners are corrupted so by good communication thy heart will bee inclined to the best things 2. It will keep thee from many a temptation for when thou shalt bee known to speak against such a sin people will more hardly entice thee to commit it or commit it themselves in thy presence As it is reported of one that shee was so great an enemy to censuring and speaking ill of others that it came to a Proverb that if such an one was present they were sure that they were not standered at that time 3. It does strongly ingage thee not to commit that sin which thou so frequently condemnest 7. Another advice is to divert thy thoughts and speech to some other thing and this advice takes place in lusts censuring or speaking ill of others and blasphemous thoughts for the Apostle bids us not so much to resist as to fly fleshly lusts Other sins wee are to resist these to fly from for a chaste Matron rather avoids the room when a lewd man solicites her to uncleanness than stands long to dispute the question So Joseph flies from his Mistress And so also in blasphemous thoughts they are to bee abhor'd not to bee disputed withal they are not to bee thought over again for the benefit in abhorring of it will hardly recompence the horror that such thoughts bring with them 8. The next advice is concerning vowes and resolutions concerning which since in that which I have already published concerning vowes in my Treatise of my Meditations I have given rules I refer to them CHAP. III The next help for the attainment of the Power of Godliness are Ejaculatory prayers THe next thing that I shall speak to which is of unspeakable spiritual advantage are Ejaculatory prayers which do first honor God much in his Attributes 1. In his Omnisciency I mean mental ejaculatory prayers for generally all mental prayers are ejaculatory and by this we profess that God is Omniscient that hee knows our
thoughts 2. It honours Gods mercy abundantly for wee suppose that God is so ready to hear and waits to shew mercy Isa 30.18 that the swiftest shortest prayer cannot escape him 3. It is a distinguishing note between regenerate and unregenerate persons for solemn prayer publike family closet prayer an hypocrite may perform them but not frequent mental ejaculatory prayer 4. By this means the soul must needs be perfumed and inflamed and established as hee that is often in a Perfumers Shop and at the fire must needs retain much of the heat of the one and the sweet sents of the other 5. These ejaculatory prayers keep us in a perpetual fitness for solemn prayer instruments of musick that are seldome plaid on though they bee left never so well in tune yet if hung by for any considerable time will grow out of tune and unfit to play on without retuning of them So our hearts except continually exercised by ejaculatory prayer will loose that sweet harmony they had nor will bee fit for solemn duties without further preparation but one that continually multiplies ejaculatory prayers is alwayes in such a frame of heart as is fit for solemn prayer 6. This is the way to keep God always with us in a friendly presence for if so be ones friend comes to see one if ones busines bee of that nature that one cannot speak with him from morning to night or if it bee not of that nature as divers kindes of imployments are if one would not so much as minde him hee leaves us but if wee will converse with him though we bee doing something else hee stayes with us So if thy heart bee continually speaking to God by ejaculatory prayers hee will not forsake thee but if you will not by ejaculatory prayers speak one word to God when thy solemn prayer is ended thou mayest not expect the presence of God at other times nay nor then neither 7. Thou wilt miss of abundance of blessings and mercies if thou neglectest ejaculatory prayers for divers times thou wilt finde while thou art in conference with the people of God or reading some good book c. that thine heart will bee sometimes inflamed with the love of God and desires after enjoyments of him thou wilt bee brought to the sight and sense of thine own unworthiness and spiritual wants so that thou wilt finde many things that thou standest in need of for which it is very fit that thou should'st put up thy prayers to God and while the sense of these things do affect thee thou wilt pray with more zeal and fervency but if thou wilt refer all to thy solemn prayers and say to thy self As soon as the company is gone and I have an opportunity for solemn prayer then I will poure out my soul before God But by this meanes two great mischiefes will befall thee 1. It may bee that frame of heart may cease and thou not striking while the iron is hot ten times more strength and time will not serve 2. Thou canst not keep in minde all those things which thou wast moved to pray or praise God for for in an hour or two especially if wee are in conference with the people of God a multitude of occasions of ejaculatory prayers will occur which it is almost impossible for thee to remember if thou neglectest them when they offer themselves unto thee and if thou canst remember them when thou comest to thy solemn prayers thy former ejaculatory prayers will not hinder but further thee in the duty 8. This is the way to spiritualize all our worldly imployments this is our having our conversation in heaven I have heard it reported of one that hee kept a stricter communion with God whilst hee was walking in the streets than ordinarily Christians did on their knees By this means worldly objects that take up the thoughts of wicked men in their worldly imployments and also in holy duties I say those worldly objects that distract others will serve to imminde thee of and give thee matter of more frequent ejaculations unto God 9. The want of ejaculatory prayers cannot bee any way supplied not by solemn duties and if the case were so that wee must omit one of them it were better to omit our solemn prayer in the morning and to have our heart sending up continually ejaculatory prayers and breathings after God than to spend an hour in the morning in solemn prayer and meditation and all the rest of the day not to have so much as one thought of God One that were to write or read all day in exceeding cold weather which of these two do you think hee would chuse either to bee an hour at a good fire in the morning but not to come neer it all the rest of the day or an hundred times a day if hee so pleased to go and stay a while and warm himself and return again to his imployment though both were best yet the last if they must bee sever'd were to bee chosen as to warmth By our ejaculatory prayers wee do frequently warm our souls and keep the heat of the love of God from going out in us 10. These are the first and last prayers of every Saint as soon as hee is new born hee cries Abba Father or with Paul Lord what wilt thou have mee to do and it is the last thing that a Saint doth when hee comes to die An ejaculatory fervent inflamed prayer is the fiery Chariot which carries the soul of every Saint to heaven So our blessed Saviour Father into thine hands I commend my spirit when hee dies and takes his leave of praying it is by an ejaculatory prayer and so it is the first and last of all solemn duties it prevents and prepares us for them When a man is converted as hee is hearing the Word hee cannot stay while hee comes home to solemn prayer but is sending up sparks and ejaculatory prayers from the time that hee is wrought upon by God it is the Amen which closeth up all our prayers for Amen is but an ejaculation great fires begin and end in a spark So David ends his Psalm with an ejaculatory prayer Psalm 19.14 As in a bell when it ringeth out if you let it go it will not cease of a sudden but will strike many a Toll before it quite ceaseth so the Soul after solemn duties hath some motions and returnes and callings upon God Mark those solemn duties which you have begun without ejaculatory prayers by way of preparation and have ended without any consequent breathings after God you shall finde such duties much lesse effectual 11. This is the way to weary out Satan as a City is wearied out by continual Assaults and Alarums for every ejaculatory prayer gives Satan a fresh Alarm so that by this means thou dost never let Satan alone Solomon compares a contentious Wife to a continual droping Prov. 19.13 one that rideth in a great shoure if the rest of the day
may'st easilie spiritualize It is stored of M. Dod who intending to marrie but being troubled with fears and cares how hee should bee able to live in that condition since his incomes were but small and but enough to maintain him in an unmarried condition looking out of the Window and seeing a Hen scraping for food for her numerous brood about her thought thus with himself This Hen did but live before it had these Chickens and now shee lives with all her little ones upon which hee added this thought also I see the Fowles of the Ayr neither sow nor reap nor gather into barnes and yet my heavenlie Father feeds them And if thou gettest that spiritual Art like the Bee to draw sweetness from everie flower and if thou canst turn everie thing thou hearest and seest into holy meditations these ejaculatorie prayers will come of themselves for holy thoughts of God end in holy prayers to God 4. Get a sense of thy own vileness and inabilitie of doing any thing that is good or resisting any thing that is evil and that will make thee cry to God upon all occasions whether of dutie or temptation 5. Hinder not the motions and breathings of the Spirit upon thee quench not the Spirit and the Spirit of God will inflame thee for when the fire of his love is kindled in thy heart what would hee but that it should burn nay wee must not only not hinder but earnestlie desire these breathings of the Spirit Cant. 4. ult Awake O North winde and blow O South winde upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth for if the fire bee blown the sparks will arise 6. Much frequent the company of Gods people for their companie will much inflame green wood will burne when it is mixt with that which is very dry and if thou canst get thy heart inflamed love will dictate and furnish thee with thoughts enough but I must give some few cautions 1. By this expression of ejaculatorie prayers I meane all manner of holy thoughts whether they are praises of God or prayers to God whether they bee any admirings as Lord what is man that thou regardest him or any abasing thoughts of our selves Psalm 73.22 how foolish was I and ignorant c. or whether by enquiries after God as when shall I come and appear before God Psalm 42.2 or with our own soul Why art thou cast down O my soul Psalm 42.5 6. so that I use the word Ejaculatorie prayers very comprehensively 2. Let thy ejaculatorie prayers bee frequent but not customary for as I have already said such kinde of customarie ejaculations whosoever useth them is neer of kin to a common swearer 3. Though they bee short let them bee fervent 4. Let them generally bee mental except thou art alone and if they bee vocal bee rather passive than active in them As David held his tongue until the fire burnt and hee could hold in no longer but burst out in this expression Lord let mee know my end and the measure of my daies 5. You must not leave off solemn duties and think to supply the want thereof by ejaculatory prayers for they are not to justle out but help one another This is as if the Priests should content themselves with keeping the fire burning alwayes on the Altar and neglect their morning and evening Sacrifice And as when Solomon first offered Sacrifice at the Dedication of the Temple there came down fire from heaven to consume it but afterwards they were to keep in the fire day and night by continual supplies of fewer So that if they let the fire go out they were not to expect that God should by fire from heaven consume their Sacrifices as oft as they were to offer them So it is with every soul that belongs to God at first God doth inflame the soul with fire from heaven but when once God hath kindled that fire wee are to keep it in by continual ejaculatorie prayers for else how can wee expect that God will alwayes kindle it anew when wee go to our solemn duties CHAP. IV. The next great help direction for attaining of Holiness is reading of holy books THe next direction and advice is to read holy books the chief and fountain of all the rest is the Scripture which is able to make us wise unto Salvation I confess it doth amaze mee to think that any one that dare own the name of a Christian should forbid the people of God to read the Bible but when I consider that Popery is upheld by cruelty and policy and that it is unpossible but that their errors should bee detected if their ignorance were dispelled then no marvell they should forbid the reading of the Scripture but because there is so much fear that their errours will bee spread I shall speak a word or two to this point 1. What reason imaginable is it that they to whom the Scripture is commanded to bee read should bee forbidden to read the Scripture but the Scripture is commanded to bee read even to men women and children Deut. 31.11 12. 2. How sensless is it to say I write and send a letter to such a man but I intend not that hee should read it Now it is plain that generally the Epistles of Saint Paul and others were writ to all the Saints in that City to which the respective Epistles are directed as appears by the titles of the several Epistles And for any one to say that Paul c. did not intend that they should read them notwithstanding they sent them to them is so sensless that the very naming of it is sufficient confutation But if any one desires further satisfaction in a thing so evident let them read the strict command of the Apostle that they should read it 1 Thes 5.27 I charge you by the Lord that this Epistle hee read unto all the holy brethren And in his Epistle to the Colosians hee commands them not only to read the Epistles writ unto them but the Epistle writ to Laodicea also and that those of Laodicea should read the Epistle writ to Coloss Colosians 4.16 3. Those that have been frequent in searching the Scripture and thereby to judge of the Doctrine that was delivered to them by St. Paul were commended then it is a commendable thing to read the Scripture except one can search the Scripture without reading of it Now it is plain the Bereans were highly commended for this very thing Acts 17.11 4. Our Saviour doth command the Jewes to search the Scriptures John 5.39 Paul commends Timothy for learning the Scriptures from a childe 2 Tim. 3. 15. and hee is blessed that reads and that meditates in it day and night Rev. 1.3 Psalm 1.2 Object But they say Alas how can poor simple people understand the Scriptures I answer 1. Ask God that question who commands them to read the Scriptures as hath been shewn already 2. One main end of writing the Scripture
them down Psalm 56.8 I shall conclude the answer to this objection with this further argument or motive to keep a Diary you may read of Gods Diary that hee kept of his own works for God hath set down every day what hee did all the works of the Creation are set down in their several respective daies when they were created as you may read at large Gen. 1. Now certain it is that this is written for our instruction and I question not but for our imitation for as Gods reviewing of his works every day is an excellent president to put us upon diurnal examination so his setting down every thing that hee did upon every one of those six daies is an excellent president to put us upon diurnal Records of our actions Object 5. To set down what time wee spend in holy duties and the several incomes of God as to the actings of graces and bestowings of comforts seems to bee an act of pride and will bee subject to puffe us up I answer 1. Will not the remembrance of them have the same effect though they bee not written down in a Diary And are wee not bound to remember them to remember our songs in the night and the daies of the right hand of the most High nay are wee not bound in some cases to tell others what God hath done for our souls Psalm 66.16 In how many places of the Psalmes do wee read of Davids fervent prayers unto the Lord and his answering of them It is spiritual cowardize to neglect a duty for fear of the temptations that accompany it 2. But I suppose that the goodness and mercies of God will rather cause thee to fear than to pride thy self and nothing humbles a soul more than the consideration of Gods mercies therefore if thou shouldst finde at any time thy heart begin to bee puft up then do but look over thy diary and remember thy sins and the mercies of God will make thy sins out of measure sinful and by consequence make thee more humble and lay thee lower 3. Instead of puffing thee up thy former duties and Gods former mercies will stir thee up to more thankfulnesse and more obedience for when wee shall see in our Diary that many years ago Gods comforts and the actings of his graces were so and so and finde them no more now it will bee a shame and a grief unto us and it will provoke us to more diligence and stir up the graces of God in us and in case of back-sliding it is of singular use for wee shall see from whence wee are fallen and what our first works were that wee may do them Object 6. I can neither write nor read I answer it is a wonderful and a lamentable thing and a thing that we have cause to stay all people that come by and wish them to stand and wonder at it that Christians should bee so negligent of the great incomparable spiritual advantages that are to bee got by reading and yet to neglect to learn and the Prophet Isaiah seems to say as much Chapter 29. the 9. and 12. compared for there the Prophet doth wish all to stay and wonder and cry out when they see and consider that there is such a deep spirit of slumber and sottishness upon people that any one should say when the Scripture is given into their hands to read I cannot for I never learned to read and I believe there scarce can bee a better work through England than this that all the children throughout the whole Nation should bee brought up to reading writing and Catechisme that those Parents that are able should be compelled so to do and those that are not their children should bee taught upon the Parish or County charge therefore there is no other answer to this objection but that you must learn to write but howsoever learn to read I am confident it were better to have the use of ones eyes onely for reading the Scriptures and want them in all other things than to have the use of your eyes to all other things in the world and want them to read Scriptures It may bee some will say it is an imprudent thing to set down such particular instances and directions for the keeping of a Diary as I have done in this Chapter but when since they may bee profitable by helping those that know not which way at all to mannage this duty I am much of that Saints minde Ignatius Jordan who used to say fie upon this discretion I mean as hee did when discretion hinders us at all in the duties of holiness and indeed where one man makes use of his discretion for the furthering ten do make use of it for the hindering the glory of God In cases where there is no sin and where there bee much profit to others I think every Christian should say Let them have the benefit and me have the shame I think generally we do stand too much upon punctilioes of honour in such cases as these are Now I must desire you to remember if you keep this Diary to improve it to the utmost for your spiritual advantage by observing what vowes you have made and not kept or prayers unanswered that you may keep the former and bee more fervent in the latter and often to review your sins that you may mourn for them and so of the rest for you must know the writing of them down is not the onely work you are to do but serves only as an help to enable you to do those several particular works that are mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter CHAP. XV. The last help to a godly life wherein are set down several stories of Gods Providences examples of graces c. NOw I shall come to the last of those helps wherein I shall set down several signal stories of Gods Providence the actings of the graces of Gods people and Gods manifesting himself unto them and several others which I thought to have digested and set down under several heads but considering that many if not all the stories may bee made use of severally and so bee referred to several heads I thought good rather to set them down as they came to my memory little regarding curiosity of method in this or any other case I do acknowledge and bless God for it that many of them have much affected mee the Lord make them so to you and much more abundantly I shall begin with an excellent story of Origen the fame of whose excellent learning and singleness of life being brought to the ears of Alexander Severus the Roman Emperour hee sent for him to come to Rome and commanded the Provost of Egypt to furnish him with all things necessary for his journey When this Provost had provided him a Ship and all things necessary and beheld him but simply apparrel'd hee prepared for him divers garments in the most honest and comely sort that Phylosophers then used but Origen would receive no
thy condition of life thy imployments the place wherein and the persons with whom thou livest do incline thee Abraham bâ—ing to leave his Fathers house and his Kindred to leave all and wholly to depend upon the providence directions and especial commands of God was most eminent in the grace of Faith which was most suitable to those temptations to which hee was most incident by reason of that his condition of life Moses having to do with a stiff-neck'd and perverse people who by their continual obstinacy and rebellions would often provoke him to anger and impatience was most eminent in meekness Elias living in times of so great idolatry and general Apostacy was most eminent in zeal Solomon having a great people to judge and hee being but young about twelve years of age desired especially to bee eminent in wisdome Now as I said before my meaning is not that the choice of any of these graces should bee with the neglect of others but as in embroyderies there are divers colours and materials purple blue and Scarlet Silk Gold and Pearles c. but the ground is but one so this one grace which thou chusest must bee imbroidered with all other graces and duties Now where two or three or more of these rules do concur that grace is to bee chose the more rules concur in your choice of any grace the better if it might bee it were best that all these might agree in the grace that you most desire to exercise and excel in CHAP. XII The eighth and ninth Directions for the attaining the power of godliness viz. We ought not without just cause to leave off any duty before that effect be wrought for which wee use it as also concerning frequent examination IT is an excellent practice not to leave any Duty without just cause untill wee have attained to that for which end wee did beginne the Duty as for example if wee go to confesse our sinnes before God wee should not leave off until wee finde our hearts affected with the sinfulness of sin with an hatred and detestation of it and an abhorring of our selves for it so if wee set our selves to praise God wee should not leave off meditating of the excellency mercy loving kindnesse of God and speaking good of his Name untill our hearts are wrought up to an holy admiring of him For in this case it fares as it doth with one that is rowling a stone up to the top of an hill if hee leaves off before he hath brought it to the top and let it goe his labour is utterly lost and the stone rowls back again as at the first but if he brings it to the top there it rests and returns not whence it came so if when thou prayest thou doest not bring thy self to that frame of spirit to which thou shouldest bee wrought thou wilt fall back to the same frame and temper of spirit as thou hadst when thou didst begin to Pray It was reported of Mr. Bradford as I remember that this was his practice And indeed I have heard of one who at his first Conversion had assurance called and sealed the same day and it was thus One being at a Sermon where the excellency sweetness and everlasting profit of the love and favour of God was set forth and the Minister did very much presse every one to get assurance of his interest in Gods love This Saint was converted by that Sermon and being wonderfully affected and enflamed with a desire of knowing God to be his God resolved to set upon the duty of prayer and resolved not to rise from his knees untill hee obtained and through his importunity and wrestling with God did prevail and lived holily and comfortably ever after This story I commend not to others as a President nor dare I absolutely condemn it in him neither though I am much enclined so to do and to judge it a rash resolution but since the extraordinary motions of Gods spirit are not to be judged or limited as well as not to bee made a rule for others I dare not censure it in that particular onely I wish that every one of us were more resolute and importunate in and for the things of God and that we would not bee so easily denyed when wee beg spiritual mercies from the Lord for if wee will be denied God will deny us and if we will not be denyed God will not deny us that which makes us generally not to be importunate and give God no rest is either our undervaluing of the spirituall mercy we beg or our hard thoughts of God judging him not to be willing to bestow them both which considering the abundance of mercy and love which God hath shewn us do wonderfully provoke him and indeed would do so with us for any one desiring some Jewel of inestimable price if we should plainly perceive he had a low and base esteem of it we should upon that very account deny him so also if a friend one upon whom we have bestowed abundance of favours yet when he comes to us for some curtesy we should fully understand that he thought all our expressions of love to him to be but counterfeit and that notwithstanding all our protestations of love we did not mean what we professed would not this wonderfully exasperate us yet notwithstanding there are some cases wherein we must leave off our duty before we find our Hearts wrought to that frame wherein they are suitable to the matter of that duty if you shall ask what those just causes are First Ministers praying in the congregation since the main of their businesse respects others at that time and not themselves and every thing they do ought to be done as may be most for the edification of those to whom they are sent therefore though as for the fervency of their prayers they ought to act to the utmost that their hearts may be brought to that spiritual frame which is suitable to the duty they perform yet as for their continuing the duty it ought not to be such as might justle out other Ordinances or hinder others edification as for example if a Minister should in his prayer before Sermon and in that passage wherein hee makes confession of sin because his heart is not wrought to an humble frame should continue so long that it should take up all or most of the time allotted for his Sermon that were justling out one ordinance with another and minding himself more than the Congregation this also holds in Family duties and in all others wherein one is a publick Minister wherein we are to suite our selves for the remedying of their wants rather than our own Secondly As for secret and closet Duty yet even there also we are not to continue so long as to neglect necessary Family duties which concern either their temporal or spiritual good or any other imployment that is incumbent upon us Thirdly And least this should bee a snare to any I do
not mean that one sinnes if one leaves off a duty before wee have a sense of that frame of heart wrought in us that is suitable to the duty for wee may have such a frame of heart and not bee sensible of it So that if you desire and endeavour to get that frame and mourn under the sense of the want of it when after much fervency and wrestling with God you prevail not God will not lay it to your charge as a sin nay further it argues that you have that grace that you so earnestly desire and mourn for the want of for fervent desires after any grace are either actings or signes of that grace or both 4. Nor do I mean that as soon as ones heart is in such a frame one should leave off nay but rather should continue for a while if just occasions hinder not nayâ— indeed wee should have a suitable frame of heart before wee begin the duty and that which is most to bee wisht is that all our duties should come from our hearts or if that bee not that they should go to our hearts as thus that wee should have a broken frame of heart before wee begin our confession and that if it might bee that all our praises should be flames ascending from a heart already kindled with the love of God The next great help to a godly life is frequent examination This frequent examination may bee made several wayes 1. Wee are to examine our state and condition as to the work of grace in us as the Apostle bids us try our selves c. 2 Cor. 1.5 yet though this kinde of examination bee of singular use to awaken us and stir us up to sincerity and repentance in case wee finde our selves not to bee in the Faith as also of more holiness by way of joy and thankfulness in case we finde that wee have an interest in God yet this is not that which is to bee so frequent as other kindes of examination but having had assurance from Scripture grounds upon due and strict examination wee ought not easily to question our condition for Christ doth not take it well for us alwayes to bee questioning his love for as when our Saviour asked Peter three times Simon son of Jonas lovest thou mee Peter was grieved so wee do but grieve the Spirit of Christ when the Spirit hath witnessed with our spirits that wee are the sons of God and Christ hath manifested his love to us and yet upon every slight occasion wee say Lord Jesus lovest thou mee 2. The second kinde of examination as to our inward frame of heart is to examine the growth of our graces which is profitably at least to bee done once every year as tradesmen cast up their accounts and make up their books yearly that they may see what loosers or gainers they are at the years end and to this purpose it is profitable to keep a Diary that thereby thou mayest bee able to cast up thy account for it is impossible otherwise to remember the passages of a whole year But indeed it is convenient that the examination of the growth of our grace should bee as often as we go to the Lords Supper for to do it daily is very inconvenient nor indeed can we perceive whether wee are grown or no As when wee look upon the shadâ—w on a Sun Dial except we stay some considerable while though it hath moved the distance is so small it cannot be perceived but if wee stay a quarter of an hour wee may easily perceive that it hath moved So from Sacrament to Sacrament is a considerable distance but yearly examination concerning this matter is as long a distance as may bee allowed if it bee not too much 3. But the main thing here intended is to examine our actions and there are three particulars in that 1. Wee must consider in the morning what wee have to do that day and what temptations are incident to our several actions and imployments and how wee may mannage all our businesses and affairs most for the glory of God the edification of our brethren and the salvation of our own souls As for the considering how to mannage our imployments most prudently for our temporal lawful advantage is a duty in its season being rightly qualified but it is a sin when thoughts of that nature steal away any portion of that time which wee set apart for the immediate service of God By this daily morning pre-examination wee may bee in a competent measure fore-armed and provided for all ordinary fore-known business 2. But there are many actions and businesses that are occasional that one could not foresee at any considerable distance yet even those wee should pre-examine and fore-think what wee are to do before wee do it And as Polititians do nothing without considering how far it may bee for their interest and how far not so we should think when any one comes to speak with us c. what advantages Satan may get and how far that action may bee improved to the glory of God and then do as Nehemiah did make thy prayers to the God of heaven to direct thee to do what thou hast to do for if thou doest any thing without this examination four great inconveniences come of it 1. You will fall into many sins which you might have easily seen and avoided 2. Though thou doest that which is right or doest not fall into those sinnes that are incident to such actions yet it is little thanks to thee no more than it is to a sleeping Watchman that the City is not taken 3. Many opportunities of doing good pals by thee unobserved 4. For want of this watchfulnesse and consideration which is all one or at least includes examination wee do not what wee do in the service of God with an actual intention of honouring of him and an actual intention of honouring God doth much add to the holiness of the action and Gods acceptance of it 3. Another kinde of examination should bee post-examination that is to consider and examine our actions discourses duties c. after they are ended for many passages will not seem to bee sinful or not so sinful when we look upon them before our doing of them as they will do after for the temptations of pleasure profit c. which intice us to the committing of a sin do either altogether cease or very much abate of their vigour when the sin is committed so that thou wilt by post-examination discover many sinnes which by pre-examination thou couldst not What was one of the great causes of the wickedness of the Jewes but that no man considered with himself and said what have I done Jer. 8.6 So that there bee three questions What have I to do that 's pre-examination What do I that 's co-examination and what have I done that 's post-examination The first is to bee performed in the morning The second when any unforeseen imployment or business comes