it by thy providence water it with the showres of thy grace and so quicken it with the beams of thy favour that it may bring forth much fruit to thy glory I Wish that I may like Enoch walk so with my God in all my actions whilst I walk amongst men that in thy good time my soul may be translated and I may not see death either as the wicked in this World do with terrour or as the damned in the other World do in torment to their everlasting woe Lord thou art Jehovah Tsidkenu the Lord my righteousness be pleased to cloath my person with the robe of thy Sons imputed righteousness that my nakedness may not appear before Men and Angels to my eternal shame let all my actions be covered with the garment of thy Spirits imparted righteousness that they may be acceptable and amiable in thine eye Let thy grace so fill my heart that godliness may be visible in my hands and I may thereby draw others towards Heaven Thou hast said Behold I make all things new what wilt thou then do with this old corrupt nature of mine O Renew that or nothing will be new to my comfort O God create a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me I know the time will come that thou wilt create new Heavens and new Earth wherein shall dwell righteousness My body is the Earth and my soul is the Heaven which thou hast already made but might thy servant prevail with thy Majesty to create my soul thy new Heavens and my body thy new Earth wherein may dwell righteousness how infinitely should I be bound tâ— thy distinguishing mercy Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may keep thy Commandements Were my soul bespangled with the glorious stars of thy graces and my body embroydered and curiously wrought so as to be the Temple of thy Spirit then indeed thou mightest reâ—lect upon what thou hadst made with complacency for behold it would be very good Hast thou not made the great World for man and the little World Man for thy self When shall I be so pure as to invite thy presence and so sanctified as to be set apart from all others and to be only for thy service O make it appear that I am thy workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which thoâ— hast before ordained that I should walk in them If thou pleasest to set forth this Heaven and Earth this little Epitome of the creation in a new edition I know it would be done in so fair a Character as to delight thine eyes and to raviâ—h the hearts of all that behold it T is confest the Copy was perfect when it came out of thy hands there was no unrighteousness or impatience not the least blot or blemish in it but my Parents who transmitted the book to the world through their unfaithfulness filled it from the beginning to the end with errors Adam begat a Son in his own likeness after his Image The first sheet went off the press through his cursed falseness and negligence imperfect and full of faults and the many millions that followed have still retained the same defects Yet Lord since thy Son was at the cost of a new impression Let it please thee for his sake to be at the pains of correctâ—ing this volume so effectually that those who look into it may read righteousness courtesie meekness faith humility patience heavenly-mindedness printed in so large a Letter free from the former errors that they may so like it as to embrace and imitate it O then I shall be assured that at the general Resurrection when thy last hand shall pass on me and I shall be published in the newest and last edition none of those blots and blurs wherewith I have defiled it shall be found in it but thy Image shall be printed on me in such a lovely Character and in so perfect a manner that thou wilt delight in me and I in thee for ever and ever Amen CHAP. II. How Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness in the Choice of their Companions SEcondly Thy duty is to make Religion thy business and to exercise thy self to Godliness in relation to thy Company Man saith the Great Philosoper is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natures good-fellow as one Englisheth it a creature in love with Company Cosmographers observe that the farthest Islands of the World are so seated that there is none so remote but that from some shore of it another Island or Continent may be discovered as if nature hereby invited Countries to mutual commerce God never intended that the World should be a wilderness nor the chief inhabitants thereof as barbarous Beasts to live alone lurking in their Monksâ— and Nuns and Hermits who under pretence of Sanctity sequester themselves from all society are so far from more holiness and being better Christians then others that they seem to have put off the very humane nature and not to be so much as Men. Vnclean nasty persons love to be always private and by their good will would neither seeâ— nor be seen of others Birds of Prey flye always alone and Ravenous Brutes come not abroad till others are retired Psa. 104. 23. Our very senses speak that God would have us sociable nay it s the natural voice of our tongues for our speech and hearing and sight would be in a great degree lost and our Makers end in giving us those Organs and Instruments for converse much frustrated if every man should immure himself in his own Cell The graces and spiritual riches of Saints would in some measure be useless if they did not deal with some to whom they might distribute them The Law of man condemneth ingrossers of external goods and the Law of God condemneth ingrossers of spiritual good things They who study to Monopolize all to themselves undo others As the World shall never want poor men that the wealthy may always have objects of Charity and opportunities of laying out and improving those talents which are committed to their trust so the world shall never be without needy Christians that those who are rich in grace may have fit objects and occasions of imploying their gifts The Moralists axiom is right Omne bonum quo communius eo melius Every good thing is so much the better as it hath many sharers in it In this sense there is a truth in that It is not good for man to be alone Not that it was a formal evil but inconvenient Infinite wisdom hath so dispenced his gifts and graces that no man is so sterile but he hath something wherewith to profit others nor any man so furnished and fruitful but he standeth in need of others help The Head cannot say to the Foot much-less the Foot to the Head I have no need of thee The King himself who seemeth to have least want cannot subsist without the meanest workmen even them that grind
God much more eligible then the pleasures of sin Symphorianus a Christian young man after he was almost scourged to death being draged to Execution at Augustodunum met his Mother not crying or tearing her hair but like an Holy Lady thus comforting him Son my Son I say Remember life eternal look up to Heaven Life is not taken from thee but exchanged for a better At which words of his Mother he went on willingly to the Block and exposed his Throat to the fatal Ax One of the Dutch Martyrs feeling the flame coming to him said O what a small pain is this to Heaven Our blessed Saviour had an eye to the joy set before him and thereby was encouraged to endure the Cross and despise the shame Indeed if Faith spring a leak then the waters break in and the Christian sinks apace as we see in Peters denial of his Master As Faith in the Promises so also Faith in the Threatnings makes the Christian a Conquerour over the worlds affrightments where the World threatens Bonds and Whips and Dungeoâ—s and Death if the Christian will not sin against God and begins to stagger the soul. Take heed what thou dost saith Faith for God threateneth Fire and Brimstone and Chains and Blackness of Darkness for ever as the wages of all sin Is the Wrath of an Infinite God not more to be feared then of weak dying Men Is the pains of a violent death which will quickly be over and the most the World can do against thee comparable to the pains of eternal death And thus Faith by the terror of this great Ordinance drowns the noise of those small peices that the soul is deaf to their report 2. Faith enableth the soul to overcome the allurements of the world If the world cannot terrifie the Saint with its fiery Furnace to disown and deny his Saviour it will seek to inchant him with its Musick and thereby to make him deaf to the Call and Commands of Christ. Thus it served Ioseph When it could not prevail on the left hand by selling him for a slave it tryeth him on the right hand by setting a Dalilah to tickle him with pleasure but by Faith he saw the Hook under the Bait and durst not nibble at it much less swallow it Though the world like Iezabel painteth her face and tireth her hair to render her amiable and lovely and as a Srumpet sheweth her naked Breasts of pleasure and profit to entice the beleiver to go a Whoring after her yet he vieweth by Faith the deformity of her person under all her dawbery and the dregginess and deceitfulness of her pleasures notwithstanding their shew of clearness and so rejects them with scorn and disdain Pliny saith of Cato that he took as much pleasure in the Honours he denied as in those that he enjoyed The beleiver can glory more in his refusal of glory for Christ then unbeleivers in all their preferments Indeed if the Christian did consult with sense or carnal reason he would take the worlds present money but the beleiver doth not consult with flesh and blood like wise Abigal knowing how much it will conduce to his advantage he can part with his estaâ—e for God and never make those Nabals privy to the design lest they should hinder it Besides Faith discovers pure Rivers of pleasures more noble and excellent delights to be the portion of those that refuse to grate their teeth with such kennel water As man is a rational creature he would sell his wares to them that will give most Now Faith sheweth how infinitely God out-bids the world Sense saith The world offereth fair it offereth comforts sutable to thy flesh such as they desire and it offereth ready money present possession But saith Faith God offereth thee better The comforts he offereth are more excellent being sutable not as the Worlds to a carnal brutish nature but to an heavenly divine soul and more durable being eternal when the pleasures of sin are but for a season He that hopes for no better market will take the present money offered him But he that is assured of greater gains will refuse the lesser An unbeleiver who expects no better bargain then what this life affords him may well take up with present pay what ever it be but the Beleiver who seeth the glory to be revealed and fulness of joy in Heaven and is assured that if he be faithful unto death he shall receive that eternal crown of life turns his eyes off the honours and comforts of this beggarly world Those stars of creature joys do all disappear in the presence of this Sun Gold bears little sway with the soul that knoweth his title to the new Ierusalem that is paved with Gold in which gold is trampled under foot Those birds that flie aloft in the Firmament are not so easily snared by the Fowlers Gins Though the things of this world were glorious in his eyes during his estate of unbeleif yet now he hath discerned a world beyond the Moon and sent Faith as a spie to search and coast that Country which hath brought word back that its a good land flowing with Milk and Honey and in it there is want of nothing they have no glory by reason of that glory that doth so infinitely exceed When a man is below things above seem small the great Stars that are bigger then the Earth seem not so big as a bushel and things below seem great but when a man is above as upon the top of a Steeple then things below seem little he beholdeth men like Grashoppers Were he conveyed to the highest hill in the World men would not be discerned great Kingdoms would be but small Cottages Unbeleif sets a man below here on earth and so the things of Heaven are little in his eye but Faith soars aloft it carrieth the Christian up to Heaven and then the whole earth is but a small spot in his eye Ioseph bids the Patriarchs Regard not your stuff for the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours So saith Faith to the Christian Regard not the lumber and rubbish of this world for all the great and good things of the other world are thine Faith gives the soul a taste the first fruits of Heaven And as no man having drunk old wine desireth new for he saith the old is better So no man having tasted the wine of Heavens pleasures desires carnal delights A Pilgrim travelling to Ierusalem saith one came to a City where he saw a goodly Training and Mustering there he had a mind to stay but that he remembred that was not Ierusalem He came to another City where he saw gallant sports and pastimes there he had some good will to abide but that he remembred it was not Ierusalem He came to a third where were goodly buildings Fair Ladies curious Musick c. where also he had some thoughts of setling but still he remembred it was not Ierusalem So the beleiver when the
commanded but upon some sinister account Morality and Christianity differ specifically the Moralist worketh from nature a little refined by study or education the Christian from nature throughly renewed by the Holy Ghost Where this spring is wanting no motion can be true be the fruit never so fair to the eye if the root whence it groweth be not good it will be unpleasant and distastful Laban at the last was just in his agreement with Iacob but shame not conscience was the curb that held him in Such dealings like fruits which are ripened by art and force are not kindly neither be they acceptable to the heavenly taste Indeed all such righteousness is unrighteousness and all such persons though they are just to men and do them no wrong yet are unjust to God and deprive him of his right The true Christians righteousness towards men proceedeth from the fear of his God The former Governours saith Nehemiah were chargeable unto the people and had taken of them bread and wine besides forty Shekels of silver yea even their Servants bare rule over the people but this did not I because of the fear of God Nehem. 5. 9 15. The dread of the most high was the hedge which kept him within his bounds Look therefore friend to the ground of thy dealings Nothing will be commendable in Gods eye which doth not flow from his awe if the desire to keep up thy name or to please thy Neighbour whose good word thou valuest be the main reason of thy righteousness thou servest thy self but not thy God He is a false servant who payeth the debts his Master appointeth him but more in his own name and lest he should be counted a Cheat then because of his Masters command Thou art a true servant if therefore thou darest not deceive men because thou dreadest the just and jealous God Ioseph encourageth his brethren to expect fair dealings from him upon this ground Do this and live for I fear God Gen. 42. 18. i. e. Ye need not fear unrighteous actions at my hands since the fear of God is in my heart As long as this guard is set upon me I shall do violence to no man It was a prety answer of Xenophons when Laelius told him that he was a timerous fellow because he durst not play at Dice with him Very timerous indeed and fearful to do evil Thirdly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness in thy dealings with men let thine end and aim in thy dealings be good Have an eye in them not onely to thine own temporal good this is low and mean but chiefly to the glory of God and the spiritual good of thy self and others Christians must not deal together as Indians meerly for trade and outward advantage It s but a beggarly calling to trade onely for the dirt and pebbles of worldly profit but its high and honourable to be a Merchant for the Diamonds and Pearls of spiritual riches The Heathen and the Christian both may meet in the manner of their dealings but they part in their ends The Thief and the honest Country-man are both found riding in the same road but they have different ends therein and that distinguisheth them He is a Dwarf indeed and looks very low whose eye in such actions is wholly upon earth True Saints sore aloft and have more noble designes in their ordinary dealings Mat. 5. 16. Like the Moon they enlighten others with their borrowed brightness and endeavour to their power to reflect their beams back to the Sun the Fountain of their light How ungratefully doth he slink away that dieth and returneth no glory to his Father neither raiseth up any seed to his elder Brother I seek not mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved saith St. Paul 1 Cor. 10. 33. He hath cause to fear his own going to heaven who would go thither alone True favourites desire their King may have many Loyal Subjects Every creature almost is of an assimulating nature Fire turneth what comes neer it into fire Earth changeth what we commit to it into Earth Water moistens what it meets with Stones grow and spread in the veins of the earth Even Flowers and Hearbs will be scattering their seed for the increase of their kind Good men cannot but desire endeavour that all they converse with might be like themselves in goodness The first blessing which God bestowed on man after his creation was this Be fruitful multiply How industrious are Christs enemies to spread their poison and draw men from their allegiance to him I have read of a Jew who turned Turk how shortly after in buying Grâ—pes he fell out with a Turk and beat him soundly Whereupon a certain Jew asked the abused Turk why he would suffer himself to be so much wronged The Turk answered You shall beat me as much if you will turn Mussul-man It s too visible that Romes agents are also sufficiently active to make Proselytes to their idolatries and wilt thou sit still and do nothing towards the gaining of subjects to thy Lord and Saviour Holy David was more diligent to enlarge the borders of Christs then of his own kingdom He would blaze Gods honour and power before the highest and not shrink for shame Psa. 119. And the success of his industry is considerable Though great Fish are seldom caught by such Angles yet King Hiram came to be converted to God by his converse with David It s likely Reader thou dealest with sinners thy first care must be that thou mayst not partake of their sins It s reported that at Belgrade in Hungary Danubius and Sava two famous Rivers the one pure the other filthy meet and yet their waters mingle no more then water and oyl not that either float above the other but both joyn unmixed so that neer the middle of the River saith my Author I have gone in a Boat and tasted the Danow as clear as a Spring and putting my hand an inch further I have taken of the Sava as troubled as a street channel tasting the gravel in my teeth thus they run together unmingled sixty miles So shouldst thou in thy contracts and dealings with the wicked keep thy self pure and undefiled Thy next care must be to make them better A meek gracious carriage may win them to Christ. Some Fish have been caught with a Golden Hook Sometimes by parting with a little of thy right by losing a little silver thou mayst gain a precious soul He that always stands strictly and stifly upon his right may thereby wrong both God and his Gospel Heavenly mindedness shining in a Christians dealings with prophane men hath such a beauty in it that it attracteth at the first sight the eyes of every beholder like the sudden appearance of a Candle in a dark room As we have opportunity let us do good unto all men Gal. 6. 10. An opportunity to do good to others is a
Precepts diligently O that my ways were directed to keep all thy Commandements Though I abound and am never so strict in thine Ordinances if I be careless and loose in my Contracts with men thou canst espie the evil constitution of my soul notwithstanding such painting Thou canst see the rottenness of my heart in the rottenness of my wares under the false gloss I put upon them And if thy moral precept find not obedience with me my spiritual performances will never find acceptance with thee The Pie a speckled Bird whose Feathers were white and black was unclean Should I seem pious in those duties which concern thy worship and yet be perverse in my dealings with men I am in thy judgement a wicked person Thou hast said of such Shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances and with the bag of deceitful weights Micah 6. 11. If there be iniquity in my hands there is hypocrisie in my heart How clearly doth a person that picketh and chooseth his food liking this and loathing that though neâ—er so wholsom prove a foul stomach and how fully do I demonstrate secret filth in my inward parts if I pick and choose amongst the food of my soul the precepts When the soul is clean and sound every command will be sweet if my heart be sincere all my dealings will be square O let me never be like those Pharises who made long prayers for a cover that they might prey the more closely upon their Neighbours but let thy spirit in my heart send up the sap of grace into every branch of my life that all the passages thereof may abound in the fruits of righteousness and I may esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right I Wish that the glory of Religion may be so dear to my heart that I may render it amiable to the eyes of others by walking every way sutable to my profession The name of my God is holy and reverend and shall I offer it to reproach Some write that the Iews would not foul their mouths with that unclean word of blaspeming God but always expressed it by a contrary word of blessing God If it were so execrable that they hated to speak it shall I be so vile as to act it It were a sin to wrong a man of his good name what is it then to rob my God If I dress my self in the livery of Christ and in that habit wallow in the mire of unrighteous dealings I give up the blessed Redeemer to the scorn and derision of the world Every one that nameth the name of Christ should depart from iniquity The colours of Christ which I wear cause many to look upon me Every professor is like a City on an Hill visible to all Spots are sooner seen in scarlet then in sackcloth Blots appear fouler in a strict professour then in a loose and prophane person None wonders to see swine dirty but to see the Ermins beautiful skin bemired is prodigious How watchful are the wicked to observe my wandrings All my familiars watch for my halting they mark my steps when they watch for my soul If they can sinde the least tincture of falseness in my words or colour of unfaithfulness in my works they soon make it much greater looking on it through the Spectacles of malice How quick do they post it abroad and publish it amongst their companions I hear the defaming of many fear on every side Report say they and we will report it What a shame was it that the Great Turk should take the violated Covenant of the Hungarian King out of his bosoâ—e and present it to the blessed God as the act of those that wore his livery and prosest them selves his servants When those that should be the beauty of Israel are slain in the high places and those that by their profession are the mighty fall in the streets they soon tell it in Gath and publish it in Askelon the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce the Sons of the uncircumcised triumph then the banks of blasphemy are broken down and the floods of scoffs and scorns come pouring in And when they went among the Heathen they prophaned my holy name when they said to them These are the people of the Lord. How doth the World conclude Surely the Parents are very bad whom their own Children discommend so much Certainly there is little love or power or faithfulness in their Father when his own Sons dare not trust him for a little food but go up and down to steal and filch from others O how ordinary is it for the prophane to throw the dirt of professours sins on the face of their profession None give such wounds to the credit of the blessed God as some who pretend to be his own children The higher the place is whence a stone fals the deeper it piercethâ— No blows more mortal then those of a Thunder-bolt My profession is high if my practices be vile and base I strike religion to the very heart O let me never be so vile a Traytor as by my sordid courses like Judas to betray the holy Iesus to the buffetings and mockings of his adversaries Why should I harden the bad by my sinful shifts in their wickedness Shall I be the Divels broker to put off those rotten wares for him of cozening and cheating which otherwise might lie upon his hands Why should I sadden the good Shall I cause them to hang down their heads with sorrow as the Patriarchs did theirs when the cup was found in Benjamins sack Lord thou art tender of the Reputation of thy chosen and hast many a time wrought wonderfully for their renown and credit When the wicked world hath blown upon their names endeavouring to blast them and make them unsavoury thou hast magnified thy power to vindicate their honour And shall I make thy glorious name contemptible when thou makest my vile name honourable Can I be so void of love to thy Majesty as to tread upon that name of thine that is more worth then Heaven and Earth Besides Many a season I have pleaded thy name in prayer and that with success My voice hath been in the behalf of my own soul For thy names sake pardon mine iniquity for it is great Thou art my Rock and my Fortress therefore for thy names sake lead me and guide me When thou haste answered me Behold I even I am he that blotteth out thine iniquities for my names sake I will defer my anger for mine names sake and for my praise will I refrain for thee that I cut thee not off O how many a blessing hath thy name been both the Oratour to procure and the Messenger to bring when many others have treated to little purpose that that hath been the undeniable Ambassadour to prevail for peace and pardon Thy name hath been by shelter in many a storm and my supply in many a straight and shall I be an enemy to that
me in all my dealings chuse rather to be a loser then a lyar and let that be my character which thou hast given of the Citizens of Sion that I may never lift up my soul to vanity nor swear deceitfully but walk uprightly work righteousness and speak the truth in my heart I Wish that I may be Courteous as well as Righteous towards all with whom I converse Humanity is a debt which I owe to all mankind why should I therefore as some proud men dam up and contract my civility into so narrow a compass that it shall swell into flittery towards my Superiors and not suffer one drop to descend towards Inferiors I would not as Formalists in fashion of habits or outward Vesture discover the lightness of a carnal mind Nor like Hypocrites by composed actions or artificial gesture manifest the looseness of a frothy spirit but as a prudent yet serious Christian be so affable in my carriage that I may be the more acceptable in my counsel for the good of others souls Humanity doth cast a lustre to attract the eyes and hearts of others Courtesie is commendable and an adorning adjunct to sanctity Holiness is honoured by the attendance of this Hand-maid Grace is rendered more lovely when t is accompanied with a kind nature T is pity that Jewel should not ever be in this soft Velvet Cabinet One end of my trading must be to commend to others the excellency of spiritual wares and to encourage them to buy the truth but if my behaviour be morose and unkind I shall fright men from being my customers and inflict on my self part of Nebuchadnezars penalty separate my self from amongst men by forcing them to withdraw from me If my language be fierce and my looks frowning I may deter men from my company but shall never allure them to Christ. Where the carriage is sowre and pouting the Counsel will never be sweet and prevalent O that I might never disadvantage Religion by any rugged disposition but by the kindness of my nature may do a real kindness to grace and become all things to all men if by any means I might save some Yet I would not be so courteous to others as to be discourteous to my self I mean be so courteous to sinners as to comply with them in their sins T is far better that the World should count me uncivil then the Lord should esteem me ungodly Let me be an enemy to their corruptions when I shew my self most friendly to their persons and never be so much a Courtier as to forget that I am a Christian Lord who hast commanded thy people to be kindly affected one towards another teach me to shew the true affection of my heart in the kindness of my tongue and hand courtesie is as salt and dryeth those ill humours which are distastful to others and will make my counsel the more savoury Thine Angels themselves used salutations in their occasional converses with Mortals give me to do thy will on earth as it is done by those Noble Courtiers in Heaven for I believe that they were in Heaven when they were discoursing with thy chosen on Earth Grant me so much gracious good manners as by my prayers to send the next man I meet even all I deal with to thee Let me bestow the almes of some hearty ejaculation as well as the outward expressions of The Lord be with you upon them Yea let me for thy sake be kind and gentle to all men that I may draw them to thy self Yet suffer me not to be so friendly in my words as to have fellowship with any in their wickedness but helpe me to dispence even my civilities by a standard measure least what I intend as shy Net to take others souls prove Satans trap to catch mine I Wish that I may be both so just as not to offer injuries to others and also so meek as to suffer with patience what others offer to me The world will never leave its old haunt of persecuting them that are holy It s natural for Wolves to hate and devour Sheep If I were of the world I should be one of its darlings for the World loveth its own My God hath called me from it and chosen me out of it therefore it hates me I need not marvail at its malice when it did spit its venome at the Author of its being and took away life from him who gave life to it The Servant is not above his Master nor must the Disciple look to fare better then his Lord. If the soft Pillow of meekness be not laid on my back I shall never bear the burthens of their calumnies and cruelties with the least comfort What pain doth such Vinegar cause when it meets with the raw wound of an impatient spirit The more mad the world is the more meek I had need to be if I would enjoy my self Besides there may be â—allings out amongst the best friends Good men are not all of the same stature nor all of the same temper Some are like broken bones if but toucht they fret and fling How full are some of jealousies and suspicions which would soon be increased by my passions and that spark which might be extinguished by my lenity is blown into a flame by my fury Some are sickly and in constant pain others are under some smarting providence some offend me upon mistake and though others should do it out of malice yet even they also call for my pity more then my passion The best have need of pardon from man as well as God and shall I who want it more then others not allow it to others Alas what harme do I get by others heats The Air when beaten is not injured no not so much as divided but returnes to its place and becomes thicker then before The sharpest words cannot wound me if I do not put my hand to the weapon All those tongue-squibs of reproach which the malevolent world throw at me will go out alone and die of themselves if I do not revive them My well-grounded patience will as a walking staff preserve me from many a fall whilst I travail in rugged ways The distracted world indeed judgeth him the bravest fellow that will not pocket up the least affronts but the wisest man that ever was nay the onely wise God tells me The patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit O my soul whom wilt thou believe the world that long since hath lost its wits and must ere long for its phrensie be fettered with the chains of everlasting darkness in the Bridewel of the bottomless pit or that God to whom Angels themselves are comparative fools O be not hasty to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools What a fool art thou to break thy own bones to give another a smart blow A furious man is like Tamar who to be revenged of her father in Law defiled him and her self
To Conclude Reader Be not thou envious against evil men neither desire to be with them Charity forbids the former and Christianity the latter Love to them must preserve thee from envy but love to thy self must keep thee from keeping them company When ever providence calleth thee amongst them make them thy fear not thy familiars For their heart studieth destruction and their lips talk of mischief Prov. 24. 1 2. 1. Society in evil we may not hold no not with the best men Ephes. 5. 7 11. Si cum malis non tamen in malis Psa. 141.4 2. Society in good i. e. in sacris in the Worship of God we may hold with the worst men Math. 23. 1 2. and 21. 12 13. 3. Society in things indifferent we may have with all men as in civil commerce and Offices of humanity Gen. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 27. A Good Wish of a Christian about the Choice of his Companions wherein the former particulars are Applied THe blessed and glorious God the Father of mercies and fountain of all communion of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named who hath sufficiently evidenced the good of Companions in saying It is not good for man to be alone and who hath sanctified society by his own example in creating Angels and Men not onely for mutual comfort in the fruition of each other but also that his sacred Majesty and those Heaven-born spirits might have fellowship together as intimate friends and especially in that infinite complacency which he had in his beloved Son and his Son in him from all eternity who was dayly his delight rejoycing always before him Having made me rational and thereby meet for converse with men Religious and thereby capable of communion with Christians I Wish that I may never abuse his kindness by shutting up my self as Monks and Nuns in Cells or Cloisters or as some melancholy persons in a Closet or Chamber but may know both how to be alone and how to be in company and be so sensible of his love in affording me fellow-travailers that my journey to my Fathers house may be the more pleasant that I may accept it thankefully and improve it faithfully to his own praise My God suffereth my spiritual wants that I may look for help under him from others wealth and he affords me spiritual riches that I might be able to supply others poverty It s his pleasure that none of his Children though to some he gives liberal estates to all a competency should be able to live without being beholding to their Neighbours Though privacy hath fewer incitations to evil company hath more provocations to good by so much â—s doing good is better then not doing evil Let me prefer society before solitariness Yet Lord let me never be a good-fellow in the Worlds sense to joyn with all sorts but let my fellowship be with them that have fellowship with thee Though I may have bad acquaintance let me not have a bad Companion whatsoever commerce I may have with sinners let my communion be onely with thy Majesty and thy Saints O let them that fear thee turn unto me and such as keep thy righteous judgements Psal. 119. 79. I Wish that the consideration of the great influence which Companions will have upon me to hinder or help me in the way of holiness may make me the more prudent in my choice Though there be some quicksets of grace in the soyl of my heart yet these evil weeds may endanger their death at least will prejudice their growth How often hath ill company as an East-wind nipt and destroyed those buds which gave hopes of becoming in time good and wholsom fruit If the fire of my godliness be not extinguished no thanks for that to my self yet it s sure to be abated by these waters My spiritual life is maintained onely by that provision which my God is pleased daily to send me in and can I expect that he should send supplies into his enemies quaâ—ters What man will send goodly Furniture into his house untill the dust and rubbish be cast out With what reason can I look for succour from Heaven when I run my self into the jaws of Hell Though others that are found out by their grand foe may receive help from God and come off with conquest yet if I go to seek out the temper for where can I sooner find him then in his house amongst his own Children I shall have little pity and may well expect to be foiled in the fight Again How doth Familiarity with what is evil make it less frightful Children are much startled at some creatures which when they are accustomed to they are not at all afraid of Possibly my anger against sin at present is very hot but evil company is a drugge that will much allay the heat of that Simple The filthiest disease is not so loathsom in a Wife or Child as in a Stranger nor in an intimate friend as in another If there be not a due distance betwixt the â—isive faculty and the object there can be no true sight If the sin be too near me in a friend that lyeth in my bosome I cannot behold its ugliness and deformity its hainous hateful nature I doubt not but that poysonous Apple which had eternal death at its core would have been far more loathsom and detestable in Adams eyes much less would it have been so lovely and acceptable had he seen it in any other hands then of his dearest and onely Companion on earth O that since he was wounded by the hand of his nearest and most intimate friend who had the breastplate of compleat righteousness and perfection of grace for his shield I might never dare to thrust my self amongst such enemies who am compared with him wholly naked and unarmed I am apt to think that I can secure my self against their shot but alas the long and often playing of the Cannon will batter the strongest wall A continual dropping will pierce a stone Doth not experience tell me that it s no hard matter to give such a weakling as I am a fall And is it likely that I should stand fast in so slippery a place My God asketh me Can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt Can one go upon coals and his feet not be burnt My cloaths notwithstanding all my care to the contrary will smell of the Coals and my feet will blister with the fire My God tells me that sin is a Canker a Gangreen and experience teacheth how spreading and infectious sinners are 2 Tim. 2. 17. I may think to make them better but they are more likely to make me worse Sickness is catching but not health the rotten sheep infect the sound but the sound sheep do not cure the rotten Solomons bosome Companions drew his heart from his God but I read not of any one of them whose heart he drew to his God If Pitch be but
and stranger in this earth may joyn my self not with the natives the men of the World whose portion is in this life by whose company I am sure to contract either guilt or greif but with my fellow sojourners who are travailing with me towards the same Heaven Though I love the wicked with a love of pity I would love onely the Saints with a love of delight Let my choice be of them now with whom I would choose to be for ever O let me joyn with those on earth and that in discoursing of thy gracious word and glorious works with whom I hope to joyn in Heaven in admiring thy boundless perfections and giving thee everlasting praise Lord if there be such comfort in thy chosen and their voices be so lovely and their faces so comely here below in the estate of their minority when they are black with the worlds calumnies and cruelties and besmeared with their own corruptions what delight will there be in them above when they shall come to their full age be parted from all their defilements and be perfectly adorned with thine Image How lovely will their voices be when they shall joyn with thy Celestial quire in singing HallelUjahs and in running division on thine infinite attributes and excellencies How comely will their faces be when they shall be freed from all the freckles and spots of sin and so see thee as to be fully like thee O if grace in its infancy be so ravishing what will it be in its maturity If the morning of holiness be so glorious how glorious will it be in its noon-day lustre Lord if my soul rejoyce so much in thy Saints who shine onely as stars in their several Orbes with a borrowed light what joy may I have in thy self the true Sun O cause thy servant so to glorifie thee in my choice of Companions and in my carriage in all Companies that I may come at last to enjoy immediate communion with thy beautiful Saints and thy blessed Majesty World without end Amen CHAP. III. How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in evil Company HAving spoken to the Choice of Companions I proceed Reader to thy Carriage in Company and first in evil Company Though evil men are not to be the object of a Christians choice or delight yet he must sometimes fall into their Company or go out of the world 1 Cor. 5. 10. Our Relations or Vocations or Offices of Charity which we owe to the worst of men will command our presence now and then amongst them Civil commerce with them is lawfâ—l though intimate communion be sinful It s certain the less we have of their society the more of safety but because civility and our necessities require us sometimes to be with them Christianity must help us as a glass-window to let in the light and keep out the rain to get what good we may and to prevent the hurt they intend God in the first creation separated the light from the darkness and so must the godly man amongst wicked persons Swine will be cleanly in a fair Meadow Sinners civil sometimeâ— in the society of Saints but Christians must keep their garments unspotted when they walk in dirty places and amongst defiled persons Godliness will be thy best armour to ward off those blows and hinder those wounds which those sons of violence and villany would cause in thee A wise Physitian whatsoever diseased Patients he goeth amongst will take some preservative but if he be to go into a Pest-house an Antidote It will be a sign of an excellent complexion if thou canst walk as occasion is in the Sun and not be tanned The Romans had a Law that every one where ever he went should wear a badge of his profession or trade either on his garment or in his hat that he might be known Christianity must be owned in every company as that which is our great and worthy calling The Nobleman carrieth his Garter or George with him in all places because he esteems them his gâ—ory and honour and if he be of the blood royal he desireth that all may take notice of it O what an honour and happiness is it to be a Christian to be related to Iesus Christ and how willing shouldst thou be to own and acknowledge it as the badge of thine honour amongst all personsâ— He is a base servant that is ashamed of his Lords livery It s said of the Teal a certain wild Beast iâ— AEthiopia that he hath two hornes of a Cubit long which he moveth as he pleaseth either both forward to offend his enemy or both backward to defend himself or one forward and the other backward to both uses at once A Christian in evil company should be as wise as a Serpent that he do not bring himself into suffering but yet as innocent as a Dove that others do not draw him to sin Walk as prudently as thou canst onely walk piously Use as much caution as thou wilt but be sure thou keepest a good conscience The Apostle gives a special precept for our pious carriage in such Company Walk wisely towards them that are without Col. 4. 5. In which words the qualification of the act and the specification of the subject are considerable 1. The qualification of the act walk wisely that is graciously Grace is Wisdom To fear God is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding He who walketh in the Law of the Lord and according to the rule of the word is the wise walker Job 28. 28. Psa. 119. 1. Gal. 16. 16. Whatsoever our company be we must walk by precept not by pattern He may be a good Courtier but he is a bad Christian that alters and orders his carriage according to his company If like Musicians we play no lessons but what the company calls for and what pleaseth them our musick will be harsh and jarring in Gods ears If I please men saith Paul I am not the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. He walks foolishly that to please a few weak dying Men displeaseth the jealous and Almighty God He walks wisely who will be sure who ever be offended to please him upon whose favour his life and all his comforts depend 2. The specification of the Subject towards them that are without Wicked men are said to be without 1. Because they are visibly without the Church scandalous sinners proclaim to the world that they are not so much as visible members of Christ. What have I to do to judge them that are without Do not ye judge them that are within but them that are without God judgeth 1 Corinth 5. 12 13. 2. Because they are really without God and Christ God may be in their mouths and they may call him Father but he is far from their hearts and will never own them foâ— his Children That at that time ye were without Christ and with out God in the world Ephes. 2. 12. 3. Because they shall go
when they were sick he fasted so when they sinned he prayed and mourned Hasten out of evil company if thou hast no hopes of doing good That Company may well be to thee as the torrid Zone where wickedness sits in the chair and Religion is made a foot-stool Though thou mayst pass through such a Climate as thy occasions require yet it s not safe to dwell in so unwholsom an air Men that are forced to walk by unsavoury carcasses hold their breath and hasten away as soon as they can It s ill being an Inhabitant in any place where God is an Exile A little before the destruction of Ierusalem there was a voâ—ce heard in the Temple very terrible Migremus hinc let us go hence That were a good Motto for Christians in ill-company Let us go hence Let such men know as Manlius Torquatus told the Romans that as they cannot bear thy strictness so thou canst not endure their looseness sake heed of staying in any place needlesly out of which thy God is gone before thee Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge Prov. 14. 7. Running away was the means Ioseph used against the wicked allurements of his Mistriss It s not cowardise but true courage to turn the back upon sin and sinners It doth often reflect upon our credits to be amongst wicked men AEschinus in the Comaedian blusht when he saw his Father knock at the door of an infamous woman but it will reflect upon our consciences to continue amongst them when our business with them is done The Apostle Peter with many words did exhort and testifie saying save your selves from this untoward generation Act. 2. 40. It appears to be a business of no small concernment and weight that the Apostle should use so many words about it Wise men will not spend their time or breath in vain they do not send more messengers about any work then the consequence and worth of it requireth Besides as Beza observeth upon the place he interposeth Gods authority and chargeth them in his name to save or guard themselves from such ill Companions What hast thou to do with them that scorn to have any thing to do with God The King may well frown on those and deny to converse with them that converse with Traytours in no relation to his service Rebeccah must leave her Fathers and Brothers House if she will be joyned to Isaac Hearken O Daughter and consider aâ—d encline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy Fathers House so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty Psal. 45. 10 11. A Good Wish concerning a Christians carriage in evil Company Wherein the former heads are applied THe Mighty Possessour of Heaven and Earth who governeth the World with infinite wisdom and allotteth to all the Children of men their several Callings and Habitations having permitted the chaff to continue amongst the Corn and appointed the tares to remain amongst the wheat till the great Harvest day and calling me sometimes by his providence to deal with prophane and vicious persons I Wish I may be so sensible how difficult it is to be safe amongst such defilers and destroyers of souls that I may walk with the more caution when ever I walk in such company and make them my fear not my familiarâ— and rather my care then my Companions I know that I must go out of the world if I will go away from the wicked Ill humours will be amongst good in the body Sins will be amongst graces in the soul and sinners will be amongst Saints on this Earth I am but a stranger here they are men of the world I must therefore expect as Lot in Sodom to be both vexed with their unclean conversations and tempted to their violent corruptions my God calleth them Foxes for their craft Lions for their cruelty and a generation of Vipers for their rage and venome In what danger therefore is my soul of being deceived and devoured by them How certainly will these ravenous beasts tear me in peices unless I stand upon my guard and the Keeper of Israel undertake my protection Lord since it is not thy pleasure to free me from their Company grant me such help from thy good spirit that I may be free from their contagion Though I may sit at the same table with them as my occasions or relations require let me never eat of their dish nor feed on their dainties I pray not that thou shouldst take me out of the world but that thou shouldst keep me from the evil keep me from the snares which they lay for me and from the gins of the workers of iniquity Let the wicked rather fall into their own Nets whilst that I withal escape I Wish that the sense of my danger may keep me from being secure and make me the more sedulous in the discharge of my duty Sound eyes are apt to fall a watering by beholding and looking on sore eyes Dry Flax is not more apt to take fire then my vicious nature to be inflamed the wet sheet of watchfulness is a good preservative He had need to have much grace who would not learn others vice It s hard to touch pitch and not be defiled Vngodly men are Satans blood-hounds with which he hunteth my soul. How many hath he drawn into the pit of perdition by such Cart-ropeâ— They are his strongest chains wherewith he binds men now to his own work and at last as their wages hales them to Hell Fruits of hotter Countries transplanted into colder Climates do not seldom die through the chilling nips of the air and the unsutableness of the soyl wherein they are planted there may be grace in my soul ready to flame heavenward which may be soon quenched by the putrid fogs of evil companions I know my God can keep mee as he did the three Children in the fiery furnace amongst them that are set on fire of Hell from being sienged or so much as having the sent of the fire on me but I know also that then I must keep his way and be watchful O that I might keep my heart with such diligence that as the Christal I may touch those Toads and not be poisoned yea that as a true Diamond in a ditch I may sparkle with holiness and shine brightly amongst defiled persons How natural is it to resemble their faults whose faces I am wholly unlike I am apt like a Snow-ball to carry away the dirt I am rolled upon and as an Ape to imitate those amongst whom I am in their folly and to sin for company rather then to be singular But though the Loadstone can draw Iron yet it cannot draw gold Lightning may smite the dead Oak but not the green and fresh Laurel though corrupt nature follow a multitude to do evil yet grace through the help of the Spirit is invincible Why may not my soul like Moses bush in the midst
of fire be kept from consuming and as Gideons fleece be moyst when all the earth about it is dry O that I might as Fish retain my freshness in the saltest waters and never savour others vices or follow their steps who depart from the Commandements of my God Lord whose promise is to thy Disciples They shall take up Serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them Mark 16. 18. Is it not thine own hand writing and canst thou fail of fulfilling it O let thy powerful presence accompany me whithersoever thy providence calleth me Let thy preventing grace preserve me from receiving harm and thy quickening mercy enable me to do good that whereas thine enemies are apt to speak evil of me as an evil doer they may be ashamed who falsly accuse my good conversation in Christ 1 Pet. 3. 16. I Wish that I may be so far from receiving prejudice that I may be profited by the worst of those with whom I associate As my God created nothing in vain so he permits nothing but to some good purpose T is true wicked men are Dogs Mat. 7. 12. prone to faun on me that they may defile me but even of Dogs there may be a good use The Flock is the more safe from Wolves and the House from Theives through their watchfulness They are dust apt to breed vermine but some creatures live upon it as their Aliment and in it as their Element and the basest rubbish may be serviceable about the foundation of a building The Guts and Garbage of some beasts are food to others Doth not experience teach us that many Fowls draw nourishment from unclean and filthy Carcasses Why may not my stomach be so good and my spiritual constitution so strong as to concoct such unwholsom food Lycurgus taught the Lacedemonians vertue not onely by the pattern of their Sober Ephori but also of the drunken Helots their slaves Poisons are as necessary as the best diet if they be in the hands of him who is able to improve and prepare them Beer is the better the more lively and brisk for the grouns that are in the same vessel with it O that my graces might be the more quick and active for the lees of others vices that their sins might increase my sanctity both in making me more thankful to him who maketh me to differ and more watchful over my self lest I fall from my own stedfastness The Mariners are directed in their sailings by Rocks and Shelves as well as by the Northern star My God instructeth Jonah by the shadow of a Weed Go to the Pismire thou sluggard consider her provident ways and be wise to follow them Observe the men of this world O my soul consider their wicked ways and be wise to avoid them Ask these beasts of the earth and they will teach thee nay shame thee How unwearied are they in the pursuit of the world how diligent about their works of darkness how often do they lose their sleep to do mischief and neglect their food and callings to indulge their fleshly lusts whilst thou whose Master is the Lord of Glory whose service is the onely freedom and whose recompence will be infinite art loytering and lazing upon the bed of security O that thou mayst learn industry about the concernments of heaven and eternity from others industry about the affairs of this earth for a few days and take shame to thy self that Satans Servants should be more forward to gratifie their Soul-destroyer then thou art to please the blessed Saviour Lord it is thy prerogative to cause light out of darkness and to bring good out of evil teach thy servant to gather figs from these thistles and to be the better because others are so bad Because the wicked forsake thy law therâ—fore let me love thy commandements above gold yea above much fine gold I Wish that though in pursuance of my calling I do afford my â—ompany to sinners I may never bear them company in their sins True Gold will not change its colour or nature for the hottest fire The Rock keeps its place and is immoveable notwithstanding the continual dashing of the water The earth is not hurt either by the heat of Summer or cold of Winter Though much dirt be flung at a post well oyled it will not stick My God hath enjoyned me Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness Whence I learn these three things 1. That sin is a work of darkness The Prince of darkness is its Father It s his natural off-spring therefore called the work of the Devil Iohn 8. 44. A dark heart is its Mother there it s conceived thence it s brought forth In dark holes these vermine breed and swarm Ephes. 4. 18. Hos. 4. 1 2 3. 2 Cor. 4. 4. It s portion is utter darkness blackness of darkness for ever all its inheritance lieth in darkness and the shadow of death 2. I learn that the works of darkness are unfruitful The sinner makes a sad market of all his wicked wares He soweth vice and reapeth vanity promiseth himself much pleasure and sindeth it wholly unprofitable What fruit had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death O what a frightful monster is this miscreant It hath fruitlesness in the beginning shame in the middle and death in the conclusion 3. I learn that I onght not to have fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness Indeed I have little reason if I consider the two former particulars yet how prone am I to it either by my silence when they sin or by my secret complyance with them in their sin My corrupted heart is like Touch-wood ready to take fire by the least spark When others are bold to blaspheme God I am apt through an ungodly bashfulness to hold my peace little considering that I must one day answer as well for my sinful silence as for every idle word It s my duty to hold the jewel of my faith fast lest Satan steal it from me to hold my profession to the end lest by leaving my Colours I lose my Crown but not to hold my peace in the quarrel of truth lest by suffering sin in others I wrong my own soul Where is my love to others if I stand still whilst they destroy themselves It may well break the strings of my tongue as of the Son of Cyrus when sin like the Persian is ready to kill my Father or Brother or Neighbour Evil men are like Traytours with whom if we act or conceal we are guilty Where is my love to my self if I take others intolerable burthens on my own back Sin is a load too heavy for the stoutest for the strongest to carry Should I by my silence give consent to others Oaths or Lyes or Ieers at godliness and godly men I become a party in their bonds and liable to make satisfaction for their debts and may
name and repay him for the loss of his credit Here was uncharitableness and want of love towards the poor Ninivites whose condition called for the deepest compassion What answer can be judged tart enough to such a passionate prayer What language can be too harsh what carriage can be too heavy towards such a cross-grain'd child It s abominable for any man to contend with his Maker It s bad for servants to strive with their Master or children to resist their Father though both these are their fellow-creatures But for any to contend with God whose dominion over us is unquestionable and their dependance on him indispensable between whom and them there is an infinite distance is infinitely worse But for Ionah not onely a man but a new man a child of God a Prophet of the Lord that should have taught others by his precepts and by his pattern to submit to the severest Divine pleasure one that had been signalized above others with eminent and distinguishing favours both for this and the other world to flie thus in Gods face is worst of all Surely no punishment can exceed the desert of such peevishness such passion Some dreadful thunder cannot but be expected as the consequent of such hot weather But hear O heavens give ear O earth and be astonished at the calm milde voyce of the Great God And the Lord said unto Ionah Ionah dost thou well to be angry Mark what love sounds in this language Such an affectionate voyce after such gross disobedience might make even marble to weep and as that voyce from heaven turn a Saul into a Paul Could the fondest and most indulgent Father in the world be more meek more milde in his expression He appeals to Ionah's conscience whether such behaviour was answerable to his Oath of Allegiance Dost thou well to be angry Is this passion sutable to that submission which thou owest to me and my Providences Eli said as much to his wicked sons It is not a good report which I hear of you my sons c. when God was so incensâ—d against him for his mildness that he sends him an ear-tickling and an heart trembling message And yet God himself is so favourable and compassionate to one whose sin admitted of greater aggravations in some respects then those of Eli's sons Ionah sinned after such a miraculous salvation and that against chusing calling pardoning saving love which Eli's sons did not nay and when the Malefactor upon the reading of this gentle Indictment to him instead of pleading guilty and begging a Psalm of mercy had stubbornly and obstinately justified himself God who might have awarded judgement against him according to law still forbeareth him and when his pathetical words would not reclaim him he trieth if a miraculous work will reduce him to his allegiance O the tenderness of God towards his froward Children I have sometimes wondred at his infinite patience towards so disobedient a Prophet but alas I experience it daily in his superabundant grace and goodness towards my own soul notwithstanding my greater provocations Reader by all this thou mayst see what cause thou hast to bear with thy fellow-Christians when God beareth with his creatures notwithstanding those multiplied affronts and dis-respects which they offer to his glorious holy and infinite Majesty Secondly We may observe in the foregoing Text the prevailing Argument to this Precept And so fulfil the Law of Christ. This was the great Law which Christ commanded so frequenty so affectionately and the Apostle mentioneth it here as if it were the onely Law or all the Law because this love is the fulfilling of the whole Law As if he had said O my Galathians if ye have any love to Christ and would evidence it to your selves and others let there be no bitterness nor envyings nor heart burnings amongst you but love your Neigbours as your selves suffer with them in their sufferings let their sore eyes and tears for sin set your eyes a watering pardon them though they may offend and provoke you bear with them notwithstanding their passion and peevishness for hereby ye will obey that great Law which is indeed the whole Law containing your duty toward your brother or that Law which the heart of Christ was so infinitely set upon that he will have it called his Law the Law of Christ â—his is my commandment that ye love one another Though he was the Churches onely Law-giver and so all the commandments enjoyned her were his yet as amongst all the Disciples there was one that had most of his heart and was called the Disciple whom Iesus loved so possibly amongst all the commendments that of love had most of his heart and may fitly be called the commandment which Iesus loved My commandment the Law of Christ. O how sweet is the musick when Saints joyn thus in consort and how harsh is the sound of jarring strings a mutual yeilding and forbearance is no small help to our peace and safety There is a story of two Goats which may excellently illustrate the benefit of this duty They both met on a narrow bridge under which a very deep and fierce stream did glide there was no going blindly back neither could they pass forward for the narrowness of the Bridge Now had they fought for their passage they had been certain both to perish this therefore they did they agreed that the one should lye down and the other go over him and by this means both their lives were preserved Whilst Christians are fighting like some small chickens they are a prey to Kites and other ravenous creatures In quietness shall be their strength Isa. 30. 15. is true in this as well as other senses SECT VI. THirdly Christians ought in good Company not onely to do what good they can to each other but also to receive what good they may from each other God sets up such candles not for us to play but to work by The strongest Christian may gain by the weakest A small brimstone match may help to light a great Torch A servant may sometimes think of a way to inlarge his imprisoned Master when his Master dreams not of it Every loop or pin was helpful to the Tabernacle An homely digger that is poor doth sometimes discover rich Mines which wealthy Merchants took no notice of Apollo one mighty in the Scriptures is content to learn of an Handy-craft man Cordials are not to be refused because brought to us in a wooden spoon Who ever sent away silver or gold because brought to him in a bag of Leather The Moon though she be but small and seated in a lower Orb then the stars of the first magnitude and though she hath her spots and imperfections yet she lends an useful light to men prevents their stumbling and wandring out of their way and produceth here and there a motion subordinate and obedient to an heavenly influence when those luminaries that are above her in place are below her in use
Christian without a spice of this sin Ioshua is ready to envy them that seemed by their light to darken his Master Cantharides a venemous worm usually breedeth in Wheat when it is ripe the highest Christians as the greatest Favourites at Court are usually the greatest objects of envy But O t is a sign of a weak eye not to behold the sunshine of others holiness without pain The holy Apostle is enlarged in thanksgiving to God for the faith and love and patience of the Thessalonians and their grace was â— strong cordial to revive him in his sorrows and distress We give thanks to God for you all Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Iesus Christ. We were comforted over you in all our afflictions and distresse by your faith Nay he was so far from grieving at others graces that he professeth the joy of his life did very much depend upon their perseverance in piety For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord As if he had said Our life will be but a death in regard of sorrow and grief it will be so doleful a being that it will not deserve the name of a life if ye should once be loose and wandring from the Lord 1 Thes. 1. 2 3 4. 2 Thes. 3. 6 7 8. 1 Colos. 12. Grace cannot but desire and delight in its like He that truly loves his God will rejoyce in his brothers graces because they tend to his Fathers glory and he that truly loves his brother will be glad at his grace because it tends so exceedingly to his brothers good Pedaretus when he could not be admitted to be one of the three hundred among the Spartans went home rejoycing that his Country had three hundred better men then himself Surely then Christians when they behold others sparkling with grace and shining as lights in the World should rejoyce that the blessed God hath some that can do him more service and bring him more glory then themselves Good Wish about a Christians Carriage in Good Company wherein the former heads are applied THe Father of mercies and onely wise God who hath appointed â—he way in which I should walk during the time of my Pilgrimage and understandeth the multitudes of rubs and hinderances that I shall encounter with the power and policy of those enemies which will beset me therein as also how weak I am and unable to hold out how weary I shall soon be and ready to give over if I should travail alone having out of his boundless grace and goodness called me to the communion of Saints that I might be directed by their counsel and encouraged by their company notwithstanding all opposition to run the ways of his commandements I Wish that I may esteem his precept herein as my glorious priviledge improve their society to the greatest advantage both for my own welfare and my Gods honour and delight to converse with those brethren here with whom I hope to dwell in my Fathers house for ever What an inestimable dignity doth my God invest me with in imposing on me so sweet a duty How wretchedly ungrateful should I be if his paths should not be the more pleasant to me for such companions The worth and riches of this society may well invite me to trade with them and give me hopes of profiting by them All the companions on earth of the highest Callings are but a rabbel of Cennel-rakers to this noble society The Prince of this Senate is the Heir of all things the blessed and glorious Potentate such a Soveraign whose dominion is universal from Sea to Sea whose Kingdom is eternal throughout all Generations and even the highest have gloried in being his Subjects The Charter and Priviledges of this Society are the inestimable Covenant of Grace exceeding great and precious Promises wherein pardon of sin peace of conscience new natures adoption justification the love of the blessed God and eternal life are granted to them and entailed on them for ever The Servants of this Corporation are all the creatures in their several places striving which shall do them the greatest kindness They are in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field though never so ravenous by nature are at peace with them The glorious Angels pitch their Tents about them and count it their honour to wait upon them both living and dying The Livery in which this company is attired is the Royal Robes of Christs righteousness which renders them without spot or wrinkle and far more beautiful and amiable then Adam in his estate of unspotted innocency Their Garments smell of Myrâ—he Aloes and Cassin and for their richness infinitely surpaâ—â— that cloathing which is of wrought gold Their food is hidden Manna such meat as endureth to eternal life the bread that came down from Heaven the flesh of the Son of God which is meat indeed and the blood of the Son of God which is drink indeed Their inheritance is a Kingdom that cannot be shaken a Crown of life Rivers of pleasures an eternal weight of glory Some Societies have boasted that Kings and Lords have been Free of their Company the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is both Freee and Head of this Society they are his Hephzibah his delight his Segullah his peculiar treasure Ah! who would not have communion with them whose communion is with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son Lord let my ambition be to be enrolled a Citizen of Sion and to walk amongst them worthy of that vocation wherewith thou hast called me since the communion of thy Saints here is some weak resemblance of Heaven where all thy chosen shall glorifie and worship thee without fault and faintness teach me to hallow thy name by doing thy will on earth as it is in heaven I Wish that the gain which I am sure to reap by joyning with Christians in their common stock may make me more diligent at this spiritual trade The greatest priviledges are granted to Corporations not to particular persons The greatest victories are obtainted by Regiments and Brigades not by Souldiers engaged singly against their enemies That Oyntment which yeilded so grateful a savour as to delight God himself was compounded of several spices Exod. 30. 23 24 25. My God hath ordained the communion of the faithful for the building up one another in their most holy faith and if I expect his blessing it must be in his own way The body thrives best when all the members concur to perform their distinct and proper offices for the good of the whole Men make the most ravishing musick when many joyn in consort The two Disciples travelling together found the blessed Jesus to make a third and to warm their hearts with the fire of his heavenly Doctrine How many vessels going in company have returned in safety richly laden with the unsearchable riches in Christ If I am in doubts
of a Crown for the highest â—ead on earth Am not I a greater fool then the former and more vain then the latter if I spend that time which is infinitely more costly then gold or Bezer as having relation to eternity wholly in worldly talk which might be imployed in declaring and admiring the boundless perfections of the blessed God in furthering that curious work of grace in my own and others souls and in preparing us for our unchangeable bliss in the other World My God hath not onely a book of remembrance for every good word but also a book of observance and account for every idle word Lord within a few days I shall go the way that I shall not return thine Angel may say concerning me That time shall be no more Thou wilt never trust me with another life nor afford me another day of grace this is the onely time that I shall have to provide against the coming of my Lord. Nay whilst I live thou mayst part me from thy people and deny me that happy priviledge of their society that I now enjoy For the Lords sake help me to work whilst it is day and to walk whilst it is light because the night is coming wherein I can neither work nor walk I Wish that my tongue may never be so set on fire of Hell as to speak evil of those that are the Heirs of Heaven It were better for me to be sick and solitary in my bed then to be censuring or reflecting upon the Lords Servants The Divels themselves though for their own ends could sometimes speak of righteous ones with a seeming awe and reverence These men are the Servants of the most High God and shew unto us the way of salvation And shall I at any time be worse then a Divel at some times Such impotency in my tongue would be too great a sign of impurity in my heart Those that have a blemish in their eyes judge the Skie to be ever cloudy Caligula who was a Monster of obscenity and uncleanness thought there was never a chaste person in the World T is usual with the wicked measuring others by themselves to judge all to be ungodly They render others to be deformed that their own faces might be esteemed the more fair Or as the Lapwing they hope by their false cries against the godly to divert strangers from finding the nest of their own filthiness They would have all good men thought to be evil that themselves who are fullest of evil might be thought good But though the seed of the Serpent spit their poison against the seed of the woman should I do so who am one of their brethren How bad is that Bird that defileth its own nest How foolish as well as sinful is that Child that disgraceth and defameth his own Family If I speak evil of any of the Saints I speak evil of my self and of the Master whom they serve Though Christ was not upon earth in Enochs days yet he tells me that he will judge the slanderers of the Saints as blasphemers of himself Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince them of their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Iude vers 15. It is Satans title to be the accuser of the Brethren and my God calleth such men as are guilty of it by no better name then Devils 2 Tim. 3. 3. Tit. 3. 2. Would I be willing to resemble the Prince of darkness or can I do it and escape punishment O t is dangerous to abuse the King of Heavens Favourites Such Arrows of slander and censure shot out of Satans Bow by my hand against the Saints would as a Shaft shot against a Stone rebound upon me and hurt not the Stone or Saint but him that shot it He that snuffeth a candle with his bare fingers doth foul if not burn his fingers but makes the Candle to burn the more brightly If I censure the Children of God I defile my own conscience but do not make them the less glorious O my soulâ— consider what thy God hath said Cursed is he that smiteth his Neighbour secretly And all the people shall say Amen Thou mayst smite thy Neighbour as really and as dangerously with thy tongue as with thy hand The wages of both is a Curse from God from all the People Surely the breath of so many would blow down the strongest person the strongest dwelling Though the causeless curse shall not come yet when God and Men both see cause for it and say Amen to it there is no way to avoid it I may build upon my profession as if that would secure me against such a stormy wind but it will prove a rotten foundaâ—ion My God hath told me What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thine own Mothers Son No pretence whatsoever can prevent my punishment But I will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thee If God once undertake to reprove it will be cutting it will be killing O let me tremble to think of tearing the names of any of Gods people lest my God tear me in peices when there is none to deliver me Psa. 50. 16 17 21 22. How irrational as well as irreligious is it for me to spend my time in censuring others If they be guilty of erring they do but shew themselves to be Men not Angels Am I so foolish as to expect Heaven upon Earth perfection in a polluted and polluting World If I my self were without sin then I might throw the first stone The actions of the best are but a miscellay of good and evil Moses himself like the Pillar that conducted him had his dark side The cleanest Corn even after threshing and winnowing will have some soil in it There is a tincture of corruption that stains all mankind Otherwise there are some graces that would rust for want of use and be given in vain What wise man will despise or deny a Mine to be Gold because it hath some dross or bad earth with it or will throw away a Beast and say it is not good meat because it hath guts and garbage in it The Vermine of sin may sometimes craul in a cleanly holy person though they be not allowed there One act will not prove an habit nor a few bad actions a bad person If every sin unsaint a man Satan will challenge the whole race of mankind as his own peculiar When I see the course rather good then evil my charity commandeth me not to think the man other then a Christian Besides How frequent is it for the malicious world to lay down false reports of the Saints and shall I be their Pedler to take them up and cry their rotten deceitful wares up and down the Country The Priest under the Law was
Psa. 16. 7. The sensual worldling is a stranger to such secrecy It hath in some respects an advantage of society it hath not those clamours nor distractions with it which hinder us in our heavenly trade As it hath fewer allurements to good so it hath fewer impediments of good and fewer suggestions to evil and truly the grand Argument to good which is instar omnium is not wanting to it It hath the presence of God Every godly man may say in a sense as Christ did when his Disciples were to leave him alone I am not alone because the Father is with me Joh. 16. 32. It is reported of Numa that after the death of his Wife Tatia he left the City and gave himself wholly to walk in Fields and Woods consecrated to the gods and thence was said to enjoy the goddess Egeria and that she made him her Husband Plut. in vit Num. Though such stories are fabulous yet its true of the Christian that he enjoyeth much of his God when he is out of the worlds crowd Lovers give and return the sweetest kisses and embraces when they are together in secret Isaac and Rebeckah thought themselves in secret when they sported together David had his Sweet-meats and Heavenly Iunkets in the night when the eyes of others were closed and saw not the Charger which was sent from above for his spiritual refreshment His solitary meditations brought him more solace and comfort then the whole creation could afford him When I meditate on thee in my bed and think of thee in the night watches My soul is filled with marrow and fatness Psa. 63. 6. Communion with God in secret is an Heaven upon Earth What food can compare with the hidden Manna Some persons have excellent banquets in their Closets That bread which the Saints eat in secret how pleasant is it Ah what stranger can imagine the joy the melody which even the secret tears of the Saints cause Believers find rich mines of silver and gold in solitary places they fetch up precious jewels out of secret holes out of the bottom of the Ocean where are no inhabitants Naturalists observe that those fish are sweetest which lye hid Saints have often sweet joy and refreshment in secret they have meat to eat which the world knoweth not of The Fig-tree Olive and Vine would not leave their sweetness fatness and chearfulness to be Kings over other trees They that know what it is to enjoy God in secret would not leave it or lose it to be Kings or Commanders over the whole World Iudg. 9. 11,12,13 One place where the Israelites pitched in their passage to Canaan was called Iothatha from Iatab and Batha a pleasant Wilderness or delectable Desart A Christian hath many such stations in his travails to the Heavenly Canaan When he is in a Wilderness alone out of the noise of Pharoahs Court and free from the clamours and complainings of Gods Israel by reason of Epyptian Task-masters he hath the Pillar the extraordinary presence of his God which abundantly satisfieth and rejoyceth his soul. The highest Princes sometimes give their largest gifts to their favourites in private to prevent that envy which publique notice or knowledge of them might occasion Some Saints give their largest almes in secret that their left hand scarce knoweth what their right hand doth The great and holy God sendeth many a rich present giveth many a large almes to his indigent friends when there is none by to witness his bounty and charity In the dead time of the night when deep sleep seiseth on men the earth receiveth many pleasant refreshing showres The Children of God have many costly Collations and much curious Musick when no eye but their own seeth or tasteth the former and no ear save theirs heareth the latter The Prophet Hosea represents God thus speaking of his people Behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her Hos. 2. 14. Gods method is marvellous he brings his Church into a Wilderness and then turns it into a Canaan causing it to flow with Milk and Honey By Wilderness some understand a sorrowful and others a solitary condition but then God appears to her the God of all consolation for he speaks comfortably to her He that chid her when she was in the crowd of the world saying as they said and doing as they did when he hath her alone reflecting upon her sins and recollecting her self will speak friendly and comfortably to her In the Hebrew it is I will speak to her heart and surely his powerful satable speech will banish all her heaviness This invisible trade brings in visible profit and comfort Secret correspondence with allies is most difficult but exceeding gainful and delightful Some curious mysteries are like Mines sprung under ground the less they are known the more efficacious and effectual they are The open air or breath of men would soil the beauty and lustre of exact pictures Christ calls his Spouse out of the worlds view and light when he intends her the fullest seals of his love Come my beloved let us go forth into the fields let us lodge in the Villages let us get up early to the Vineyards there will I give thee my loves Cant. 7. 11 12. Mark There in the Fields where no eye beholdeth the sweet meeting of our lipsâ—â— the close embraces of our armes the intimate conjunction of our hearts there I will give thee my loves Kings do not unbosome and open their hearts before a multitude The favourite is acquainted with the richest secrets of state in wereâ— saith Iob as in the days of my youth when the secret of God was with my Tabernacle Job 29. 4. As if he had said according to some O that I were as in my former days when God was secretly in my family and gave me familiar visits which the World took no notice of when I had many reviving soliloquies about God and refreshing colloquies with him The Egyptian Laws placed the Image of silence in all those Temples where the Image of Seâ—apis their god stood as if they might expect most of her favour when they approached her privately with as little noise as might be Addresses to the true God in secret have been accompanied with great successe 2. Consider If thou dost not exercise thy self to godliness in solitude thou wilt be in great danger of running into sin and contracting guilt on thy soul The benefit of solitude rightly improved may afford us comfort but the danger of it commandeth our caution A man in solitariness may be secure because he seeth no visible enemies but he is not therefore safe We are no sooner alone but armies of evil thoughts present themselves to us and they will by force quarter with us if the lodging rooms of our hearts be not taken up beforehand When the Virgin is alone then she is in most danger of being ravisht In our solitude we should not
better to receive the greatest Theives into our houses then vain thoughts into our hearts Iohn Husse seeking to reclaim a very prophane wretch was told by him that his giving way to wicked wanton thoughts was the original of all those hideous births of impiety which he was guilty of in his life Husse answered him That though he could not keep evil thoughts from courting him yet he might keep them from marrying him as saith he though I cannot keep the Birds from flying over my head yet I can keep them from building their nests in my hair Christian be careful when thou art out of Company as well as in it for these guests will visit thee as soon ever as thou art alone and if thou shouldst not frown upon them they will turn thy solitude into a crowd as Hierom found Rome in a Wilderness The Heathen Cicero employed his solitude to better purpose then most seeming Christians I being weary saith he of living amongst wicked men with whom all places in a manner swarm betake my self to solitariness as much as I can yet that none may think I trifle away my time idly to say no more let my Books speak how I employ my self Yet alas when many Christians are retired out of the crowd and throng of worldly men they suffer worldly things to crowd and throng so abundantly in their hearts that as it was said of Ephraim strangers devour their strength earthly things though tending to no profit waste their time and devour their thoughts which as Reuben are the excellency of dignity and the excellency of strength SECT IV. SEcondly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in solitude labour to spiritualize earthly things I must say this is one of the most excellent and enriching arts in Christianity Though these occasional thoughts resemble lightning as well in the suddenness of their journey as the vastness of their way being able to reach from one end of Heaven unto the other yet such light gains with quick returnes make an heavy purse He that hath learned this mystery is the true Chymist he leaves the dregs and lees of things and extracts the substance and quintessence of them He hath better then Midas Wish he turns all he toucheth into better then gold Many a great Scholar begs with rare notions of the nature of silver and gold and pearls when some Merchants who never saw Mine or Furnance or read Book concerning them hath his Coffers full of them The Rabbies of the world were they able like Solomon to speak of all plants from the Cedar to the Hysope and of all Beasts and Fish and Fowl nay and of all creatures in a Physical and Philosophical way are not comparable to the illiterate Countryman who can read his God in them and improve them for his spiritual advantage Luther relates a story of two Cardinals riding to the Council at Constance how by the way they heard a shepherd weeping and crying out sadly upon which they turned aside to know what was the matter and found the shepherd looking upon an ugly Toad They asked him the ground of his lamentation He answered I cannot but weep to consider the goodness of God that he did not make me such a loathsom creature and my own unthankefulness that I should be no more sensible of it At which one of the Cardinals was so affected that he fell from his horse in a swoon and coming again afterwards to himself told his Brother Well said St. Austin Indocti rapiunt coelum c. The unlearned take heaven by violence whilst we with all our parts and learning wallow in the mire of the earth and flesh Natural beings are as spades wherewith we may open the mines and dig out spiritual riches He that hath a gracious fancy may like the Bee suck honey from every flower in the garden of the creation and climb up by the stairs of the meanest creature to the Supream and Infinite Creator All objects to a wise Christian may be wings to mount him up to heaven As the old Romans when they saw the blew stones thought of Olympus so the holy person by every work is elevated to admire some excellency in the workman There is a threefold aspect which men cast upon the Works of God according to the difference of their eyes or the degrees of their understandings 1. Ordinary and vulgar persons who differ little from Brutes and behold the face of nature as beasts do a picture onely viewing the outside and surface of it rudely and superficially never considering any art or curiosity in it As the Horse and Mule which have no understanding they view and drink of the streams but mind not the purity or clarity of the water or the fountain whence it floweth these look on Gods works at best but as passengers on a clock to know the time of the day but take no notice of the wheels and poises and their several motions and contrivances 2. Schollars and Philosophers who go a step higher and view this picture somewhat exactly as Artists contemplating its curious wormanship its proper colours comely features and rare composure of the whole with admiration As Nicotratus that told the Country man who wondred at his wondring at the exact piece of Helena drawn by Zeuxis If thou hadst my eyes thou wouldst be affected as I am 3. Christians and spiritual men who move above the Philosopher and most skilful Naturalists in their own sphere these look on the face of nature with a spiritual eye as a lover on the Picture of her beloved delighting more in the resemblance then the table contemplating the matchless Power embroidered Wisdom and infinite Goodness of their God which appear in his creatures These are the men that can turn the stones and dirt of the streets yea the snakes and serpents of the earth into bread for their souls if they should be denied the Scripture which God forbid they can fetch spiritual food out of the creature The Heron findeth her food in lakes and rivers and picks it out with her long bill where other birds can get none So saith Hesychius the Christian by meditation can get food for his soul where others that understand not this duty starve Our blessed Saviour teacheth us to see the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses and to make a ladder of the creatures whereby we may ascend to heaven in our thoughts He hath set us a pattern that we should follow his steps What honey of profit and pleasure doth he tâ—ach us to draw from all the flowers and weeds too that grow in the garden of the Creation He instructeth his Disciples by Lillies growing and seed sown in the field by trees and vines in the Orchard and Vineyard by pearls treasure tares leven mustardseed water bread nets fish salt oyl lamps and as at Cana in Galilee turns all this water into wine as well for their imitation as information A mean
Scaffold may serve to rear up a goodly building and an ordinary creature may afford matter for excellent meditations God likens himself to many to shew that there is something of him in all He compares himself to a Builder to a Buckler to a Castle a Captain to a Fortress to a Fountain of living water to an helper to health to an Habitation to Light to Life to a rocke a refuge a reward to a shadow a shelter a shield to a Lion an Eagle a Leopard a Bear to fire dew a moth the Sun and why but to teach us to read him in his creatures In Heaven the Christian shall know God and all the creatures in him but on earth we must learn to know him by them God hath given us three Books which we ought to be studying whilst we are living The Booke of Conscience the Booke of Scripture and the Book of the Creature In the Book of Conscience we may read our selves in the Book of the creature we may read God in the Book of Scripture we may read both God and our selves The great God sets us excellent lectures in the volume of the creation Though this Book hath but three leaves in it Heaven Earth Sea yet it teacheth us many rare lessons If we think of the visible Heaven and behold those great lights of the world how swiftly they move in their proper orbes how unwearied they are in their perpetual courses how they fail not a minute of their appointed time nor wander an inch out of their designed way how they divide the day and night and the several seasons of the year how they bless the earth with their smiling aspects and keep the inhabitants of this lower world from finding it a Dungeon by their enlightning beams we may therein discover the wisdom and power of its maker and cry out with David Psa. 19. 1. and 8. 2 3. The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-works When I consider the heavens the work of thy singers the Moon and Stars which thou hast made What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou dost thus visit him O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory above the heavens What rare fruit may a soul gather from these celestial trees if the porch of Heaven be such a curious piece the work of his fingers i. e. an elaborate piece of embroidery how curious is the Palace within If the outward Court be so glorious how glorious is the holy of holies If light be so sweet and it be so pleasant a thing to behold the Sun how sweet is the light of my Gods countenance and how pleasant is it to behold the Sun of righteousness O what a blessed day will that be when the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as the light of seven days when all beleivers shall shine as the Sun in the firmament of their Father Lord thou speakest to the Sun and it riseth not to the Moon and it standeth still Why should not thy Servant be as obedient to thy command even when it is against my natural depraved course O speak but as powerfully to thy poor creature and he will as readily obey thy pleasure If we look a little lower to the clouds and meditate on them in their natural cause thin vapours exhaled by the Sun in their principal use to drop fatness on the earth in the tenuity and smalness of their bodies the weight and greatness of their burdens the waters in them being like lusty children encompassed onely with a tender film how they are tossed too and fro hurried hither and thither with tempestuous winds and yet burst not in pieces through lack of vent nor sink under the heaviness of their load nor leak out one drop till the hand of their Master unstop their bottles may well admire that infinite invisible power that upholds and governs them and say as Eliphaz of their author He doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number for he giveth rain upon the earth and sendeth water upon the fields Job 5. 9 10. What excellent water may I distil with the limbiks of the clouds If the favour of a Prince be as a cloud of the latter rain Prov. 16. 15. so refreshing and comforting what is the favour of the King of Kings As the clouds mask the Sun from the â—ight of Mortals so doth sin hide the smiling countenance of my God from the view of my poor soul. As the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come-up no more If showres from above make the earth soft and fruitful surely the showres of heavens grace would make my hard and barren heart both tender and abundant in holiness Lord whilst I am in my journey towards my heavenly Canaan let thy good spirit be my pillar of cloud to direct me Suffer me not to be as a cloud without water Do but say unto me I have blotted out thy transgressions as a thick cloud and I will bless thee for ever If we look to the earth and view her well though she hath been called and counted the vilest and grossest of the elements we shall finde her a glorious body and not in the least degree a disparagement or disgrace to her maker Take her inside and she is curiously and wonderfully made Her Center like the heart is seated in the most convenient place for the benefit of every part Her several channels under ground as so many veins do convey her pure though pale blood for the animating and actuating as it were every member Though her wealth lyeth deep and much of it was never discovered to any mortal yet what rare jewels and rich mettals have been seen in her very guts and garbage Take heâ— â—â—â—side and that cloathing will be found better then of wrought gold Her Garment is richer in any part of it then Solomon in all his royalty The fine linnen of Egypt silks of Persia and curious works of Turkey are exceedingly inferior to her daily attire She is covered with the costly curious Aâ—ras of Hearbs and Plants and Flowers embroydered with variety of all sorts of colours perfumed with the most fragrant and delightful odours She is attended by Birds and Beasts of several orders that all in their proper ranks move too and fro acknowledging their engagements to her O who is like that God that hath made himself such a foot-stool If his foot-stool be so glorious how glorious is his throne But besides all this he that shall ponder the fruitfulness and fecundity of her Womb her unweariedness in bringing forth her wonderful care of her off-spring in bringing them up providing them all though of different kinds food sutable to each of their natures whilst they live and receiving them kindly into her bosome and embraces when
they die and all else are weary of them may well cry out by way of admiration O Lord the earth is full of thy goodness The earth is full of thy glory What rich mines may I dig out of the bowels of the earth when my God is angry the earth shakes and trembleth and the foundations thereof are moved and shall not my flesh tremble for fear of the God of the whole earth and my soul be afraid of his righteous judgements His hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and his right hand hath spanned the Heavens â— when he calls they stand up together and shall not I hear his call and obey his command Lord if the earth be thine and the fulness thereof the world and all that dwell therein Whos 's then am I Surely thine O help me to disown all title to my self to quit all my interest in my self and to live as one that is not his own but the Lords the earth is full of thy riches let my heart be full of thy righteousness and that will turn earth to me into heaven whilst I am full of thy likeness and thy love If we consider the Ocean that amazeth a beholder with its fierce countenance and seems to have neither banks nor bottom how it threatens the earth with its boysterous billows as if it intended to swallow it up in a moment and yet when it hath swoln it self to the height of its pride and its insulting waves have shewed their teeth how soon it retreats like a coward as if it were afraid of the smallest worm and had already outgone its bounds and commission what innumerable Fish both small and great take up their chambers in the waters and finde their food in the jaws of that devourer what multitudes of massy Vessels she fetcheth off from one Island and carrieth upon her back as a Porter his burthen and sets them down safe at another how she playeth with them what frights she puts them in by the way as men do little children tossing them up to heaven and then throwing them down again as if her belly should be the certain place of their burial and after all her frowns and fury refresheth them with her smiles and favour and doth but prepare them thereby to salute their harbour with the greater joy and gladness how she sendeth out of her store-house provision for the several families of the world furnishing the several pipes and aquaeducts of the earth with fresh springs and streams for the comfort of Man and Beasts If we but confider these things what cause shall we have to say with the Psalmist They that go down into Ships see his wonders in the deep and with those Mariners What manner of man is this whom the Winds and the Seas obey What manner of God is this who gathereth the waters of the Sea together and layeth up the Floods in store-houses who shutteth in the Ocean with bars and doors and saith Hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed who puts a bridle in the jaws of such a monster and when she threatens nothing but death and destruction puls her in and makes her retreat to her own den without doing the least hurt O what a God is this whom the rugged blustring winds and raging boistrous seas obey What excellent conclusions may a Christian gather from such premises Do the Winds and Seas obey God as stubborn and surly as they are and shall not I obey him Are they kept within their banks and shall not I be kept within my bounds Lord thou stillest the noise of the Seas the noise of the Waters and the tumults of the people O why dost thou not quiet the headstrong passions in my breast Thou observest how they roar and make a noise continually what frightful stormes they raise within me If thou wouldst but say to them in their height and heat Peace be still there would presently ensue a calm O suffer not these high winds to overturn me nor these swelling waters to overwhelm me I am even ready to sink save me Master or I perish Thus a Christian may consider the works of God either collectively or severally both in their insides and outsides to his marvellous advantage As the Rabbies say of the Word I may say of the Works of God Turn it over and over and over again for all is in it Turn them over and over and over again for all is in them There is wisdom in them in their variety diversity of natures subordination and serviceableness each to other O Lord how marvellous are thy works in wisdom hast thou made them all There is Power in bringing with a breath the whole Creation out of the barren womb of nothing He spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast There is Mercy in providing so bountifully for every of his creatures The whole earth is full of thy goodness There is Faithfulness in upholding all things in their being Thy faithfulness is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth yea mercy and truth meet together Thy mercy O Lord is in the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds Every of Gods works is so profitable that as the Aromatick fruit not onely the kernel is a Nutmg but the skin of it is Mace As in a fair suit of Arras though the hangings never appear to their full advantage but when they are opened in all their dimensions and seen together yet a small shread may assure you of the excellency of the colours and richness of the stuff So though the Divine Perfections would appear most in their beauty and glory if we were able at one view to behold the whole world in its several eminencies and beauties yet a little part of it may speak the worth and richness of the whole It was an honest speech of a Monk who being asked how he could endure that life without the pleasure of books answered The nature of the creatures is my library wherein when I please I can muse upon Gods deep Oracles The Egyptians were instructed by Characters and Hieroglyphicks by something presented to the eye notions were represented to the understanding Reader it is thy priviledge that thou mayst perform this duty in any place No sight no sound but may afford matter for meditation If thou walkest in thy garden thou mayst turn it into an Eden by delightful meditations Dost thou behold the flowers standing in their ranks what a goodly shew they make thou mayst think what a lovely â—ight it is to see Christians contînuing in those several places and stations in which God hath set them Some flowers open and shut with the sun so doth the Christian observe the shining and withdrawing of the Sun of righteousness Some flowers dye having a worm gnawing their root so will all hypocrites wither and come to nothing notwithstanding their gaudy shew Flowers are tender things and must
whole world and lose his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul If the gaining a little silver or gold be worth so much time and pains how much is holiness and heaven worth surely ten thousand times more Art thou in the day to take a journey thou mayst consider I am but a Pilgrim and Stranger in this earth I am every day travelling towards my long home I have no abiding City here but look for one that is to come whose Builder and Maker is God O that I could prepare for it and daily make some progress towards it Art thou to spend the day in thy Shop or fields and about many businesses think on that of Christ Martha Martha Thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken from her This Reader were an excellent improvement of thy time in solitude by such occasional meditations which are obvious to ordinary understandings SECT V. THirdly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in solitude Mind solemn and set meditation In the former head I advised thee to Occasional in this to Deliberate meditation Hereby thou wilt not onely prevent those covetous ambitious lascivious thoughts which otherwise might crowd in upon thee and pollute thee but also exceedingly further thy soul in holiness Occasional meditations do some good but these much more as making a greater impression upon the soul and abiding longer with it They differ as a taste and a full meal as a sip and a good draught Occasional meditations are like loving strangers that afford us a visit but are quickly gone Deliberate meditations are as inhabitants that dwell with us and are longer helpful to us The former as the morning dew do somewhat moysten and refresh the earth but quickly passeth away The latter as a good showre soaks deep and continueth long Because this is of great weight I shall acquaint thee what solemn meditation is and then give thee a pattern of it Solemn meditation is a serious applying the mind to some sacred subject till the affections be warmed and quickened and the resolution heightned and strengthned thereby against what is evil and for that which is good There are five things in this description 1. It is an application of the mind The understanding must be awake about this duty it is not a work to be done sleeping If the mind be not stirring the affections will be nodding The understanding in this is as it were the Master-workman if that be out of the way or missing the servants of the affections will be idle and stand still T is by this Sun that heat is conveyed to the lower world Darkness like the night is accompanied with damps and cold The Chariot of light is attended with warming and quickening beams 2. It is a serious applying the mind Too quick digestion breeds crudities in the mind as well as in the body and doth often more distemper then nourish There must be a retentive faculty to hold fast that which nature receiveth until a through concoction be wrought or little strength will be gotten by it Hereby it differeth from occasional meditation which is sudden and soon vanisheth this calls at the door salutes us and takes its leave that comes in and stays some time with us Occasional meditation is transient like the dogs of Nilus that lap and are gone set meditation is permanent it as the Spouse beg'd of Christ lodgeth all night between the breasts This duty cannot be done unless the mind be kept close to it the person that is negligent cannot do this work of the Lord. Things of importance are not to be hudled up in haste Loose thoughts as loose garments hinder us in our business We need as much our hearts united to think of God as to fear God Short glances do little good it is the abiding influence of the sun that turns the earth into silver and golden mettal It is not once dipping the stuff into the Dy-fat but frequent doing it that giveth the pure scarlet colour The true Mithridate which is so cordial and opening is long a making The yellow wax lyeth long in the beams of thâ— Sun before it changeth its colour and attaineth a virgin-like whitness and purity He that rides post though he wearies himself in travelling from place to place is less able to give an account of the Country through which he passeth then he that is more slow in his course but more constant in his abode Omnis festinatio caeca est saith Seneca T is much blowing that makes the green wood to flame 3. It is about some sacred subject As good meat and drink breed good blood so good subjects will breed good thoughts There is abundant matter for our meditation as the Nature or Attributes of God the States and Offices of Christ the three-fold state of man the four last things the vanity of the creature the sinfulness of sin and the love and fulness of the blessed Saviour the Divine Word and Works out of these we may chuse somtimes one thing sometimes another to be the particular subject of our thoughts Exo. 15.11 Ps. 1.1 and 119.148 Pro. 6.22 1 Tim. 4. 13. To undertake more then one at a time will deprive us of the benefit of all Too much food will rather destroy then encrease the natural heat A little wood may help that fire to burn which a great quaintity would smother Whilst the Dog runs after two Hares now after one and presently after the other he loseth both Many subjects as a press or crowd of people do but hinder one another Those streams are strongest which are most united Greediness of appetite and receiving too much food weakeneth digestion Simples are most operative mixtures and compositions are often used to allay their force When thou hast fixt upon the subject meditate if it may be on its causes properties effects titles comparisons testimonies contraries all will help to illustrate the subject and to quicken and advantage thee they do all as so many several windows let in those beams which both enlighten the mind and warm the affections but they must be considered in their places and methodically The parts of a Watch jumbled together serve for no use but each in their order make a rare and useful peice 4. It is that the affections may be warmed and quickned Our hearts and affections should answer out thoughts as the eccho the voyce and the wax the character in the seal If our meditations do not better our hearts they do nothing Whilst they swim in the mind as light things floating on the waters they are unprofitable but when they sink down into the affections as heavy and weighty things making sutable and real impressions there then they attain their end Our design in meditation must be rather to cleanse our hearts then to clear our heads Whilst I was musing the fire
herein I shall give thee an example though I would desire thee to remember that the advantage of meditation is rather to be felâ— then read He that can paint Spikenard or Musk or Roses in their proper colours cannot with all his Art draw their pleasant savoâ—r that is beyond the skill of his pencil Let us O my soul a little retire out of the worlds company to converse with the word of thy God I cannot but hope the malefactour hath an high esteem for that Psalm of mercy without which he had lost his life I have reason to believe that thou hast no mean value for that Gospel of grace and the graece of that Gospel without which thou hadst lost thy soul thy God thy joy thy delight thine all and that for ever yet sure I am the price thou sets on it is far inferiour to the worth of this Pearl and besides I have observed of late wheâ—her partly because of its constancy with thee things common though never so necessary and excellent being less valued then meaner things that are rare or cheifly because of thy old seeming friend or rather real enemy thy flesh within thee that never speaks well of it because of its contrariety to the word from which it hath received its deaths-wound and therefore would die as the Thies on the Cross spitting out its venome and malice at it or what ever be the cause I perceive too much thou beginnest to decline in thy respect to it what else doth thy backwardness to read it thy carelesness in minding what thou dost read and thy neglegence in practicing it signifie Therefore let us take a turn or two together and argue the case lest it be argued against thee in an higher Court to thy cost and I charge thee before the dreadful God at whose judgement seat thou art to stand or fall for ever that thou attend to me seriously and not dare to give me the slip till the whole be debated for it is not a vain thing but iâ— for thy life What is this Word which thou art so prone to despise Consider it O my soul First in its Causes and then tell me whether the child be not worthy of love and esteem in the superlative degree for his parents sake 1. It s Principal Efficient cause is the glorious and supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the Spring and Fountain of all excellency and perfection All Scripture is given by inspiration of God It s the Word of the Lord the Breath of his Mouth the Law of his Lips whoever were the Pens or Scribes his Mind indicted and his Hand wrot every sentence in it What a word must that be which is the result of infiniteâ— wisdom How precious are those Tables which are the writing of God himself How glorious is that beam of light which was darted from this Sun to whom a whole Firmament of Suns were worse then perfect darkness If the breath of a man be so sweet that his doctrine drop as the rain and his speech distil as the dew If the heart of a man can indict a good matter and his tongue resemble the pen of a ready writer O what is the speech of the tongue of a God! Never man spake as he spake his enemies themselves being judges The Queen of Sheba came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and blessed those Servants that waited at his Table and heard his wisdom But loe O my soul A greater then Solomon is here How blessed are they that wait at his Gates and that watch at the Posts of his doors 2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces Some of them were like Saul higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favour of God As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth David the sweet singer of Israel a man after Gods own heart Solomon who excelled in wisdom all that were before him or came after him Isaiah of the Blood-Royal an Evangelical Prophet or Prophetical Evangelist whose prophesie is clean and clear and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetorick Iohn the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosome of Iesus Paul who was wrapt up into the third Heavens and as famous for active and passive obedience as any in the world in his days All of them were men extraordinarily inspired and assisted by the Spirit of God Not onely the notions but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them and infused into them by God himself The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes but the best of them though the Prophesie of the Sybills which the Heathen so highly esteemed be included is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book Prophesie came not of old time by the will of men but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost O how excellent must that Scripture be of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Amanâ—enses and to whom the infinite wisdom of God did dictate every word 3. The matter of them is heavenly and divine the epitome of all equity and righteousness the compendium of whatsoever is fit to be beleived or practiced The Scripture is a perfect rule both for faith and manners It informeth us fully in our carriage towards God and towards men how we ought to walk in all relations and conditions it forbiddeth evil all evil in the very thoughts it commandeth good whatsoever is good in the whole course of our lives It speaketh of such things as are far above reason and yet nothing that is contrary to reason The truths delivered in it are many of them such as no humane or created capacity could have possibly invented yet such as are all agreeable to a rational understanding It would have exceeded the wisdom of an Angelâ— to have thought of such a sweet mixture of justice and mercy as is discovered in the Gospel about the redemption of fallen man It teacheth the nature and excellency of God the trinity of persons the unity of essence the immensity of all his attributes how he is infinite in his being wisdom knowledge holiness mercy and faithfulness how he is a pure act without the least passion a perfect being uncapable of any addition eternal without either beginning or ending immutable without the least alteration incomprehensible beyond all coâ—ceptions omnipresent without any circumscription It instructeth us in the person and offices and states of the blessed Redeemer how he being the Son of God was partaker of the humane nature that the Sons of men might be partakers of the divine nature How God and Man were united in one person that Man and God might be united in one Covenant How the eternal God married our natures that he might exalt his boundless grace in marrying our persons How man
where it ariseth and displayeth its beames dispelleth mists and clounds causeth an alteration in the face of the Air and makes the shadows to flie before it that they cry like Iacob to the Angel Let me go for the day breaketh so the light of the word scattereth that darkness which was before upon the minds of men 1. It dispelleth the darkness of error Mat. 22.29 Naked Truth conquereth Armed Error and Little David with his small stones out of the silver streams of the Sanctuary the great Goliah of Heresie With this silly women have confuted and conquered profound Doctors notwithstanding their deep and intricate arguments and have wounded them as mortally as that woman without weapons did Abimilech that great Captain with a Milstone 2. It dispelleth the darkness of ignorance The word is the key of knowledge and openeth the door that lets us into the treasures of wisdom and knowledge It is that precious eye-salve with which our blind eyes being anointed see It is sent to open the eyes of the blind and to turn men from darkness to light When the word comes the people that sat in darkness see a great light Act. 26. 18. Mat. 4. 16. 3. It dispelleth the darkness of prophaness this weapon of the word stabbeth lust under its fifth rib and letteth out the very heart blood of it The Devil puts off his rotten wares in the dark shops of Heathen and unbelieving and unchristian Christians but where the word hath arisen upon any soul it discerneth his cheat and is too wise to be cozened by him By what means may a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy word Psa. 119.9 The word is resembled to Rain to Water to Dew Moses tells the Israelites My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain and my speech distil as the Dew Christ calls it the water of life Joh. 6. 35. 1. Rain is from above God keeps that key under his own girdle Can any of the vanities of the Heathen cause Rain Art not thou he Jer. 14. 22. Man may speak long enough to the cloâ—ds before they will distil one drop but if God command those bottles they are presently unstopped and poure down in abundance He covereth the Heavens with Clouds and prepareth Rain for the earth Psa. 147. 8. Thus the Word of God came down from above Every of the Pen-men of it might have spoken as David The Spirit of the Lord spake by me 2. Sam. 23. 2. It did immediately inspire me what particulars to utter and in what phrases to deliver them That which is said of some of the Prophesies may be said of every Book and of every Chapter and Verse in every Book Thus saith the Lord The word of the Lord which came to Amos The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it It is all one to say The Scripture saith and God saith Compare Rom. 4. 3. and 10. 11. with Rom. 9. 25. and Heb. 4.3 and Gal. 3. 21. with Rom. 11. 32. Some observe that the word which Moses useth for Doctrine dropping like Rain signifieth received Doctrine because the Doctrine in the word is received from God not devised by men Deut. 32. 2. I received from the Lord that which I also delivered unto you 1 Cor. 11. 32. 2. Rain is mollifying and softning When the earth hath been like Brass and Iron under our feet by long drought or hard frosts a few good showres supple it and make it tender Therefore David speaking of the earth saith Thou makest it soft with showres Psa. 65. 10. So the heart of man is compared to a stone to a rock to a flint to an adamant the hardest of stones for its hardness hath been suppled and softned by the word The Jews that had imbrued their hands in the blood of Christ had certainly very hard hearts The thought of such a murder would have made a deep impression upon any conscience that were not seared with a red hot Iron yet this word preached melted them as hard mettal as they were When they heard these things they were pricked to the heart Peters Sermon like Moses rod fetcht water out of the Rock Act. 2. 37. David upon the disorder and intemperance of his soul in the matter of Vriah had an hard swelling which continued and increased upon him several moneths yet when Nathan comes and gently baths it with this Oyl of the Word it groweth soft and tender as appeareth by the title of Psa. 51. A Psalm of David when Nathan the Prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba 3. Rain maketh the earth fruitful therefore some call it the earths Husband because it helps the earth to bring forth He watereth the hills from his chambers the earth is satisfied with his works he causeth the grass to grow for the earth and hearbs for the service of man Psal. 104. 13,14 so Psal. 65.9,10,11,12 So the Word of God turns that heart which was as a barren wilderness into a fruitful meadow 1 Pet. 2. 2. 4. Rain reviveth and refresheth the earth when the earth is chopt and faint when it gaspeth and is weary a showre of rain recovers and refresheth it the Psalmist tells us that upon such droppings from above the pastures and valleys shout for joy they also sing Psa. 65.13 Thus the Christian scorcâ—ed with the apprehension of Gods wrath due to him for sin draweth all his comfort and refreshment out of those wells of salvation the promises of the word When conscience is sore and raw through the wounds sin hath made in it and the weight of guilt that lieth continually grating upon it He sendeth his word and health them Psal. 107.20 David had experience what an healing medicine the Word was In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. When Philip had preached the word to the Eunuch he went away rejoycing That milk which runs from the breasts of the two Testaments is never sucked with the mouth of faith without abundant satisfaction that wine which which is drawn from the pipes of the promises rejoyceth the heart of man indeed These things are written that your joy may be full The Saint never sits at a fuller table of joy then when he is feasting on the dainties of the Gospel O my soul how many thoughts mightst thou spend about those several things to which the word is aptly and excellently resembled It is compared to Armour to a tree of life to a portion to milk to strong meat to pastures to seed to an ornament of grace to rest to a Crown of glory to hidden treasures to gold tried in the fire to a glass to oyl and oyntment all which as so many curious colours well laid may help thee to admire and prize more the beauty of that face which they resemble and represent Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou Word of God Many books have done vertuously have acted famously for the overthrow of sin and
Satan for the advancement of Christ and holiness but thou hast excelled them all Thou hast changed Lions into Lambs Ravens into Doves Beasts into Men and Men into Angels thou hast subdued head-strong passions mortified natural and riveted corruptions tore up old and sturdy lusts by the roots conquered Principalities and Powers led captivity captive and turned the world upside down By thee wonders are wrought the blind restored to their sight the dead raised the deaf hear the dumb speak the Lepers are cleansed and the poor have the Gospel preached to them and are changed into the nature of it where thou ridest conquering and to conquer the whole world runneth after thee Thy neck is like the Tower of David builded for an Armoury wherein there hang a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Thy weapons are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. By thee poor weak and contemptible men have subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained the promises stopped the mouths of roaring lions quenched the violence of hellish fire escaped the edge of Hereticks and persecutors sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in sight turned to flight Armies of the Aliens Thou hast not onely like Saul slain thy thousands but with David thy ten thousands thou hast broken the serpents head destroyed the great Leviathan tramplest on Scorpions and Vipers and nothing can hurt thee Thou bringeth heaven down to earth and carriest earth up to heaven Thou are the joyful message from a far country the river whose streams make glad the City of God Infinite Wisdom contrived thee Infinite Truth proclaimed thee and infinite Goodness discovered thee The Father indited thee the Son confirmed thee and the Spirit revealed thee to the children of men The Countries and Kingdoms of the earth were overwhelmed with worse then Egyptian darkness till thou didst arise upon them and with thy glorious beams enlighten and enliven them by thee fools have been made wise sinners made Saints ignorant men have been instructed wandring men reduced weak ones confirmed and lost ones saved By thee the heavens were established the foundations of the earth formed the sorrowful are comforted the scandalous reformed the needy relieved and the righteousness of God revealed Thou art eyes to the blind and â—eet to the lame and food to the hungry and rest to the weary and physick to the sick and life to the dying The ablest Historian will infinitely fall short in describing thy heroick deeds None can declare thy noble acts or display half thy praise Angels may well pry into thee with admiration and astonishment and make the contents of thy Chapters the subject of their songs and substance of their Halelujahâ— to all eternity When that heavenly host preached on earth thou wert their Text be thou their triumph in heaven for ever O thou savour of life thou living water thou well of salvation thou tidings of great joy to all Nations thou ministration of righteousness thou mystery of godliness thou mine of unsearchable riches thou way of holiness thou word of the kingdom that thou wert written on the tables of my heart and graven with a pen of iron and the point of a diamond on that rock for ever Thou wast once written on tables of stone with the hand of God himself how precious was that book wherein every leaf was immediately of Gods making and every line in it of Gods writing My heart is an heart of stone I find it by too much experience but if thou wert engraven on it 't would be a precious stone its price would be far above Rubies the Onyx and the Saphire should not be valued with it the Gold and the Chrystal should not equal it neither should it be exchanged for Coral or Pearls O that I were manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God known and read of all men O that my soul were the house and thou the inhabitant for ever O that the word of Christ might dwell richly within me that I were able to say with holy David I delight to do thy will O God thy law is within my heart or in the midst of my bowels Thou art the Oracles of God all thy sayings are faithful and true and worthy of all acceptation when O when shall I give it them Thou art worthy of the eye Blessed is he that readeth the words of this Prophesie Rev. 1. 3. Thou art worthy of the ear Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Thou art worthy of the heart O that I could hide thee in mine heart that I might not sin against the Lord Thou art a counsellor to the doubting a comforter to the distressed Thou art health to the navel and marrow to the bones an ornament of grace unto the head and a chain of gold about the neck They that walk in thy ways are safe and their feet do not stumble Thou teachest in the ways of wisdom and thou leadest in right paths O that my ways were directed to keep all thy commandements for thy steps tend to holiness and thy Paths take hold of Heaven O my soul is it possible for thee to hear the excellency of Scripture thus opened to thee and not to burn in love to it Hast thou been all this while in such an hot bath and still cold and shivering Hast thou felt its power tasted its savour seen its beauty often heard its awakening voice and known its universal vertue and dost thou yet doubt its divinity or question its excellency Surely if ever thou shouldst again through unbelief belief ask it the same question which the Scribes did Christ when they beheld his miraculous actions By what authority dost thou these things or who gave thee this authority thou mayst answer thy self in the words of the man born blind and then seeing to the Jews Is it not strange or This is a marvellous thing that thou knowest not whence it is yet it hath opened thine eyes Joh. 9. 30. Was there not a night of dread and horror with thee when thou didst sit in darkness and in the shadow of death till this sun did arise with light and life under its wings O cry out with the Psalmist I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me I was wallowing in my filth weltring in my blood rotting in the grave of corruption till thou didst say unto me Live yea till thou didst say unto me Live Thy voice is powerful overcoming all opposition The love revealed in thee is wonderful far surpassing the love of woman Thy promises are exceeding great and precious more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold Thy Maker may well prevail for thine acceptance Who
esteems himself in good company He had rather Gods deputy conscience should admonish him to contrition then that God himself should do it to his confusion According to the Apostles Doctrine Every one of us must give account of himself to God therefore every one of us must take account of himself befare-hand It will be but a sad account which some will give at the great Audit-day when conscience shall confess against them They made me keeper of others vineyards but my own vineyard have I not kept And it is but a poor trade that they drive at present who make little use of their Shop-books The greatest Merchants and the most thriving are much in their Counting-house 5. In solitude accustom thy self to secret ejaculations and converses with God Lovers cast many a glance at each other when they are at a distance and are deprived of set meetings A little Boat may do us some considerable service when we have not time to make ready a great Vessel The casting of our eyes and hearts up to Heaven will bring Heaven down to us My meditations of him shall be sweet Psa. 104. 34. Secret ejaculations have meat in their mouths and will abundantly requite such as entertain them If they be much in our bosomes as Abishag in Davids they will cherish us and put warmth into us They are sweet in the day like the Black-bird cheering us with their pleasant noats and do also afford us wiâ—h the Nightingale songs in the night A true Israelite may enjoy more of his God in a Wilderness then in an earthly Canaan Christians are nearest their heaven when farthest from the Earth What care I how much I am in solitude so I may but enjoy his desirable society Ah how foolish are those persons that neglect the improvement of this glorious priviledge They that like swine can look every way but upward may well lie rooting in the earth desiring no more then fleshly pleasures because they know no better Surely the company of my God is of such weighty consequence and universal influence that I need no other I can have none to equal it The society of my best friends for all their love to me and tenderness of me is but as the company of Snakes and Serpents to the company of my God They have not pity enough for the thousandth part of my misery nor power enough to answer in any degree my necessities Their hearts are infinitely short of my Gods his love to me like his being is boundless but their hands come far short of their hearts though they are not unwilling they are unable to relieve me How often have I told them of my doleful case and distressed condition in vain when thereby I have rather added to their afflictions then lessened my own But my God is all-sufficient both for pity and power he hath bowels and mercy enough for my greatest sufferings and sorrows and strength and might enough for my support and succour My best friends are waspish and upon a small cause are ready to snap asunder their friendship when my Gods good will everlasting and thongh he scourge me he will is never remove his loving kindness from me What need I those puddle streams whilst I have this Well of living water O let me enjoy him more though I never enjoy frâ—end more Because I shall have opportunity to speak more to soul conferences and also to converse with God in secret duties in other parts of this Treatise I shall speak no more in this place A Good Wish about the exercising our selves to Godliness in Solitude wherein the former particulars are applied THe blessed and infinite wise God who made my soul for himself and knoweth it will never be satisfied without himself commanding me in all company to converse with his sacred Majesty and calling me sometimes to solitude that being freed from worldly distractions I might have more of his society I Wish that my nature may be so sutable to his holy being and my love so great to his gracious presence that though his providence should cast me alone into a Prison yet enjoying his favour there I may esteem it sweeter and pleasanter then the stateliest Palace It is both his precept and my priviledge that in the greatest company I should be alone to him and in my greatest solitude in company with him There is not the most solitary place I can come into nor the least moment of my life but I have still business with my God and such as is neither easie nor of mean concernment All my transactions with men about House or Land or Food or Cloaths or the most necesâ—ary things of this present life are nothing to my businesse with God about my unchangeable being in the other world If they were all laid in the ballance with this they would be found infinitely lighter then vanity and nothing My understanding is ready to be overwhelmed with the apprehension of an endless eternal state All my business with meat or drink or sleep or family or friends or mercies or afflictions nay or the means of grace or ordinances themselves is no more worth or desireable then they tend to the furthering my everlasting good All other things are but as passengers to which I may afford a short salute but it is my home where I must abide for ever that my heart must be always set upon and it is my God upon whom this blissful endless life depends that I have most cause to be ever with O my soul by this thou mayst gather with whom to deal and about what to trade when thou art alone tell me not henceforward in the words of the lazy worldling I am idle for I have nothing to do Hast thou pardon of sin the Image of thy God an interest in thy Redeemer freedom from sin the Law the wrath to come a title to life and salvation to get and secure without which thou shalt be a firebrand of hell for ever and hast thou any while any time to be idle Hast thou that high that holy that weighty work of worshipping and glorifying the great God of Heaven and Earth and of working out thy own salvation and yet hast thou nothing to do O that I might never hear such language in thy thoughts much less read it in thy life when thou hast so much business of absolute necessity to be done lying upon thy hands that if all the Angels in Heaven should offer thee their help unless the Son of God himself do assist thou canst not dispatch it in many millions of ages Lord I am thine absolutely thine universally thine all I am is thine all I have is thine O when shall I live as thine I have no business but with thee and for thee O that I could live wholly to thee I confess it is thine infinite graâ—e to suffer such a worm as I am to converse with thy glorious Majesty that Heaven should thus stoop to earth
and the most holy condescend to so great so greivous a sinner O affect my heart with thy kindness herein and so fill me with thy blessed spirit that as thou art ever with me whether I am alone or in company so when I awake I may be still with thee I Wish that I may esteem solitude when my God calls me to it a gracious opportunity for more united and intimate converses with his Majesty How often hath the company of men distracted my spirit and hindered me from having my conversation in Heaven Their miâ—apprehensins and carnal interests and predominant passions do frequently bring such prejudice to their associates that none would be over fond of their honey who hath once felt their stings If I converse with wicked men I hear their Oaths and Blasphemies and Ribbaldry their Mocks and Taunts and Ieers against God and his people I see their intemperance and prophaneness and injustice and oppression and persecution of them that fear the Lord I can read in their wicked language and cursed carriage their bitterness and rage and emnity against their Maker and Redeemer I may behold the body of Christ wounded and his pretious blood trampled on the law and love and worship and honour of the blessed God scorned and despised and such vileness and wickedness committed in an hour as shall be bewailed and lamented for ever Such sights as these call for my deepest sorrow and the best that I can get by such company is inward trouble and abundant grief but it s many to one if they do not make me either directly or indirectly to contract real guilt O what pleasure can I take to be in a room filled with smoke which will certainly wring tears from mine eyes and probably smut and defile me If I converse with good men though their company in many respects be desireable and I have found it to be profitable and I would prize them whom God esteemeth and love them that have his beautiful Image and with whom I must live for ever yet how many things are in them to allay the vertue and benefit of their society Their peevishness and paâ—sion and pride and selfishness which are still too much in them the difference of their judgements and dispositions causeth their company to be far the lâ—ss eligible and lovely Besides their readiness and activeness to propagate their errors and their power and prevalency to draw others to joyn with them in their wandrings from the truth doth not a little abate of that comfort and delight which I might have in them Again their miseries and wants and necessities which are many and great and urgent which I am wholly unable to relieve or remedy call me to tears and weeping Once more their slips and falls and weaknesses and back-slidings which I must observe and reprove and bewail are far from being occasions of joy or pleasure to me They are at best as we say of Children certain cares and uncertain comforts Though they are roses they have prickles which offend as well as their pleasant smell to refresh us the truest friend I have may occasion me as much trouble as comfort When I travail with a chearful good Companion I promise my self much delight in my journey but anon he falls and wounds himself or tires or proves sick and unable to go further and instead of going forward I must stay to attend on him and thus instead of being my help he becomes my hinderance Indeed I have the more cause to bear with it in another not knowing how soon it may be my own case but however these accidents which too often fall out as they speak the benefit of it to one so also the perplexity and trouble of it to another If I converse with great or rich men what disdainful looks do they give me at what a distance do they behold me It s hard to obtain the liberty of speaking to them but if I would obtain their favour t will cost me more then it did the cheif Captain for his Roman freedom Vnless I can gratifie their lusts I must not expect their love If I can drink and swear and curse and roar at their hellish rate it may be they will afford me a good word but alas what man in his wits would pay for their best words so dear a price Their friendship can hardly be got without a breach with my God and what wise man would lose the good will of the Lord for the gain of the whole world When I have by many friends and with much â—â—fficulty and even danger to my soul procured their favour how little am I the better for it The most rotten tree is not so hollow for as cunning wrestlers they will get within me to give me a fall the wind it self is not more wavering then they are except I can be contented to be their foot-stool that by their treading on me they may be lifted higher in the world I must expect to be quite cast by It s possible wbilst they may make some use of me to decoy and trepan others or to raise and advance themselves they may carry me upon their shoulders as men do their Ladders when there is hopes thereby of climbing to their desired height but when that is done or if the Ladder prove too short they will throw it upon the ground If I will not always be some way or other mâ—king provision for their flesh I shall be dismist with the brand of an unworthy fellow If I converse with mean and poor men I find but little comfort in their company I see their poverty and indigency and hunger and nakedness which I cannot help or prevent I heard their cries and groans and complaints by reason of oppressing Landlords or tyrannical revengeful Neighbours or unfaithful Friends or distempered Bodies all which affect my soul and grieve me to the heart that I am ready to sit in the dust and cry and groan and mourn with them Let me go where I will to converse with any in this wilderness of the world I find little but briars and brakes and thorns and thistles and matter of sorrow and lamentation but when I retire alone to converse with my God I am freed from those distracting clamours and vexations cries and disturbing noise and might could I but leave an ungrateful unbelieving heart behind me find in him an Heaven â—pon Earth I may with Moses go up to Mount Pisgah and take a view with the prospective glass of faith of Palestine and that goodly land flowing with milk and honey I may enter into the suburbs of the new Jerusalem taste some clusters of the Grapes of Canaan and view as in a glass those celestial beauties and glories which I hope one day to see face to face and to be partaker ofâ— O my soul what needst thou care how much the world scorns thy company or to what place thy God see fit to banish thee if thou canst
but as Zacheus when gotten out of the crowd climb up into the Sycamore of meditation and obtain a sight of thy Saviour If he want no company who is with the King surely thou mayst deny all the company on earth for the King of Kings Look how lovingly he invites thee to take a turn or two with him alone in the fields Come my beloved let us go forth into the fields there I will give thee my loves Hast thou not many a time sighed out to him O kiss me with the kisses of thy lips for thy love is better then wine Lo he tells thee the place where he will answer thy petition There will I give thee my loves Thy bridegroom is bashful and desirous to satisfie thy longings in secret Isaac met his bride in the fields and thou mayst meet thy beloved when thou turnest aside from the world to entertain thy self in solitude O how pleasant should solitude be to thee for his sake What matters it whether thou art driven or who be the whips that drive thee when thou art driven farther from men to be nearer the Lord Iesus Christ A loving Husband is instead of all company to a faithful Spouse Is not Christ dearer to thee then all the world be not thou dejected though thou shouldst be turned as he was into a Wilderness but expect an Angel even the Angel of the Covenant to be sent from Heaven for thy comfort Lord it is my support that wherever I am thou art continually with me O that I were able to say I am continually with thee I would willingly with Jacob leave all my company to meet thee aloneâ— so I might but as he did weep in secret and make supplication so as to prevail with thee for thy blessing Though I should sind cause to say with David Lovers and friends stand aloof from me and with Job My friends scorn me yet if thou pleasest by parting me from them to draw me nearer to thy self and to afford me more of thy quickening cheering presence I shall account their absence a desireable advantage The best society without thee is as a barren desart and an howling wilderness the greatest solitariness with thee is as a fruitful Country and delectable Canaan How precious are thy thoughts my thoughts of thee to me O God Let me rather dwel alone in a Prison with thy company then in a Pallace without thee I Wish that I may be the more careful of my carriage in secret lest what I intend as an opportunity for my Gods service should prove a season and advantage for Satan The body must be lookt to narrowly when it comes out of an hot Bath lest the Poors being open it should take cold The soul must be carefully tended when it comes from Christian communion lest in solitude it lose what it hath gained in good company When the Countryman hath been at Market and filled his Purse he is in most danger of robbing as he goeth home alone The Tempter will be sure to be present with me whoever be absent He walks to and fro in the earth and whilst I am in his Circuit I must expect his company Though he be more bold then welcome and though I deny his desires defie his works and resist him and sometimes foil him yet he will still attend to sollicite me to folly wherever I go he will find me out and whatever I do I must expect him at my elbow he hath a double advantage of me in solitude partly in that I have no visible second to assist me he hopes when I am alone t is a good time to set upon me and that he is strong enough by force to ravish and defile me Partly in that shame which restrains from sin in publique hath no place no prevalency in private He will tell me that secresie may be a curtain to hide my sins from the worlds eye of which I am so much afraid As Josephs Mistress he will cry Come lie with me be bold to sin to take thy pleasure for here is no man present to know it or to reveal it to thy disgrace And for God he hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it How shall God know can he judge through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a covering to him that he doth not see and he walketh in the circuit os Heaven But O my soul thy double danger calleth upon thee to be the more vigilant and diligent in minding thy duty When thou hast no humane friend to watch over thee thou art the more concerned to watch over thy self They that live far from Neighbours are the more liable to Thieves and therefore if wise will make up that want by extraordinary watchfulness and a greater provision of armour and weapons If one Devil be too hard a match for many secure Christians how unable will one single Christian be to encounter with many with a Legion of Devils Shouldst thou be idle in solitude or suffer thy thoughts to wander expect more then good Company and such as will employ thee about works of darkness Besides Consider Though thy thoughts are mantled from the view of men yet thy God knoweth thy thoughts a far off long before thou thinkest them and will judge the secrets of mens hearts according to his Gospel He that numbereth the stars of Heaven numbereth all the thoughts of thy heart I know the things that come into your mind O house of Israel every one of them Ezek. 11. 5. And he that punisheth men for wicked deeds doth not let them escape for their evil thoughts Hear O earth behold I will bring upon this people the fruit of their thoughts Ier. 6. 19. Nay thy God will scourge men both for and by their thoughts accusing thoughts are stinging vipers That worm of conscience which will ever ever gnaw the sinners heart to his unconceiveable misery is bred in his thoughts O therefore wash thy heart from wickedness let not vain thoughts lodge within thee Remember also O my soul if thy most retired thoughts are legible to thy God then thy secret actions are all open and visible to his eye Never presume upon sin in hope of secrecy for though thou mayst cover the candle of creatures with a bushel yet thou canst not the glorious sun of righteousness nothing is hid from his sight There is no darkness nor shadow of death where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves Lord thou hast told me There is nothing hid which shall not be revealed nor secret which shall not be made known I confess my wicked heart is apt to argue impunity from secrecy and to think I am invisible to thee because thou art invisible to the eye of my sense O affect my heart so throughly with thine Omniscience and Omnipresence that â— may keep thy precepts because all my ways whether inward or outward are before thee I Wish that I may have this comfortable evidence of my sincerity by the
contrary to his being law and honour though he be so perfect a God that no sin can be hurtful to him yet he is so pure a God that every sin is hateful to him Therefore the Scripture speaking of God after the manner of men represents it as offensive to every of his senses It grates his ears and thence he complains of the cry of Sodom It provoketh his eyes and hence it is said Evil cannot stand in thy sight neither canst thou behold the workers of iniquity It oppresseth his feeling wherefore he â—s said to be pressed with â—in as a Cart is pressed with sheaves It displeaseth his smell and so he calleth sinners rotten carâ—â—sses open sepulchres that send forth noisom savours He proclaimes to the world the offensiveness of sin to his sacred Majesty by the names he gives it in his royal Law wherein â—e forbids it He calls it dung mire vomit filth superfluity of naughtiness filthiness a menstruous cloth a plague an issue an ulcer And yet though sin be thus infinitely loathsom and odious to him he bears with men that are all over infected with it in the highest degree 2. The condition of sinners His patience is much heightned by considering who they are that distaste and provoke him with their sins they are his creatures the work of his hands They rebel against him who were made and are every day maintained by him They forget him that formed them and fight against the fountain of their beings They are his obliged creatures such on whom he hath laid millions of engagements They cannot speak a word or think a thought or fetch their breath without him they live every moment wholly upon his mercy Hear O Heaven give ear O earth he hath nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against him He is daily multiplying mercies on them and yet they are daily multiplying iniquities against him they are creatures full of enmity against him they sin against him out of hatred of him The carnal mind is enmity against God If it could lay a plot to take away the life of God it hath malice enough to put it in execution Hence there appears little reason why he should pity or spare them If a man find his enemy will he let him go yet God is patient towards them 3. The multitude and greatness of sins and sinners He cannot look down from heaven but every moment he beholds millions of transgressors proclaiming war against him walking contrary to him and provoking him before his face The whole world is a field wherein the inhabitants are continually with drums beating and colours flying with brazen foreheads and stubborn hearts letting flie whole volleys of sins and impieties against heaven Their whole work is to stretch out their hands against God and strengthen themselves against the Almighty From the highest to the lowest they disown his authority deny his dominion deface his image dishonour his name despise his laws scorn his love and moâ—k at his threatnings All sin and come short of the glory of God The whole earth is a kind of hell in regard of blasphemy and pollutions and all manner of provoâ—ations His pure eyes behold the Devil-worship amongst Heathen the Imposter-worship amongst Turks the Idol-worship amongst Papists and the belly and flesh-worship amongst Protestants He seeth in the Rich oppression atheism swearing cursing pride persecution of others in the Poor envying murmuring carnal-mindedness drunkenness and ignorance in the Young head strong passions uncleaness youthful lusts in the Ancient impatience covetousness prophaness He understandeth the several hearts of men so many sinks of sin and the several lives of men so many treasons and conspiracies against his Being and Law and so many men in the world so many monsters of wickedness Though he enjoyn them his Precepts they cast them behind their backs though he would allure them by his Promises they scorn them as Babies to fool children withal though he would affright them with his comminations and threatnings they laugh at the shaking of those spears and look on all his words no better then wind Though he endeavours by his works to reclaim them from their wickedness sometimes loading them with his benefits that his goodness might lead them to repentance sometimes scourging them in measure that they might not be condemned with the world yet they slight his favour are not afraid of his fury and by their impenitency and continuance in sin dare him to his very face He sendeth his Ministers to tell them of their danger he sets up Conscience within them to mind them of their duty he hangs up others before them as spectacles of his wrath that they might take warning and escape destruction and yet they laugh at Ministers for their weeping over them check Conscience for its boldness to check them and think themselves wiser then to be frighted with the scarecrows of Gods judgements on others They sin against â—is Wisdom his Power his Goodness his Faithfulness his Patience his Providence his Ordinances his Son his Spirit his Law his Gospel their own Promises and engagements the voyce and cry of his Vicegerent within them and that day after day and this throughout the whole earth and yet notwithstanding all these high affronts and notorious indignities repeated and continued every moment he beareth with them The meekest man in the world no not all the men in the world have patience enough for one sinner what patience then hath God that beareth so much with a world of sinners It is the saying of one If but any tender-hearted man should sit one hour in the Throne of God Almighty and look down upon the earth as God doth continually and see what abominations are done in that hour he would undoubtedly the next set all the world on fire O how patient is that God that beareth with it so many years The meekest man upon earth could not endure the â—rowardness of one people and they the best people in the world the peevishness of the Jews drove him into that passion for which he was excluded the earthly Canaan How meek and patient then is God who beareth the evil manners of all the nations of the world the greatest part of which make it their work to spit their venome and malice and blasphemy in his face every day The whole world is a volume in every leaf and in every line of which Patience Meekness Gentleness Long-suffering Forbearance are written in broad letters 4. How he knoweth all their sins He doth not forbear sinners from ignorance of their sins he seeth and knoweth all things All the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondreth all his goings His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men Men bear with others because they know not their secret treasons and heart-rebellions but God knoweth all the wickedness that is committed in the world He telleth man his thoughts All secret sins are publick to
and serving his God and his soul as well as his family and body in those interjections The wheel of a chariot though it be in motion all the day and turning about on the ground yet it s but a small part of it that toucheth the earth at one time the greatest part of it is always above it so the true Christian though he be all the day busie about earthly affairs yet it s but his body his lesser part that is employed about them his soul his affections which are his greatest part are always about them SECT I. I Shall first offer thee two quickening Motives and then acquaint thee wherein thy daily exercise to Godliness consisteth First Consider Any day may be thy last day and therefore every day should be an holy day with thee I mean not an holy day for play or recreatâ—on but for the work of Religion He that knoweth not how soon his Master will come and reckon with him had need to be always employed about his Masters business Because there is no time of life in which thou art secure from death therefore every day of thy life thou oughtest to be about thy duty Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Every day is big-bellied and hath more in the womb of it then any man knoweth he that salutes the morning with a smiling aspect may bid the world good night for ever before the evening The candle of thy life may be blown out on a sudden before its half burnt out The Poets fable that Death and Cupid lodging together at an Inn exchanged arrows whereby it hath since come to pass that old men â—â—ote and young men die Death cometh up to the young and strong old and weak men go down to Death Thou mayst be called forth to that war in which there is no discharge and not have an hours warning to prepare thy self for a march Sturdy trees are overturned by an unexpected wind lusty men by violent feavers or outward accidents our enemies are strong our earthly houses weak the coming of our Landlord is unknown the lease of our lives is uncertain we are every moment liable to be ejected and shall we not be so employed that our Lord when he comes may find us well-doing I remember I have in some Author read that the invention of clocks was not primarily to mind us of the Suns posting in the heavens but of our Lives passing on earth It was Calvins reason for his unweariedness in his studies when his friends urged against it the injury it did his body Would ye have my Lord when he cometh find me idle It will be woful for that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find doing evil or doing nothing But and if that servant say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens and to eat and drink and be drunken The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers Luk. 12. 45 46. In which words we may observe 1. The sin of the unfaithful servant 2. The severity of his Lord. In the sin we may take notice 1. Of the nature of He bâ—ats his fellow-servants and eats and drinks and is drunken He gives himself up to all manner of wickedness He is unrighteous to his fellow-servants he beats them and unfaithful to his Master he abuseth his goods he eats and drinks and is drunken Sin doth not lie skulking in the â—ecret trenches of his heart but appeareth boldly in the open field of his life T is a sign an enemy hath great power when he sheweth himself openly 2. The occasion of it His Plea for it His Lord delayeth his coming Because he hath not a speedy reward he layeth aside all good works because of Gods gracious forbearance he argueth a general acquittance for all his evil works He makes bold to riot because he is not called to a speedy reckoning We tremble not at the noise of those Cannons which we fancy to be a great way off That which is lookt upon at a distance seems small and so is despised though the same beheld near appears great and terrifieth us In the severity of the Lord we may read 1. How sore his judgement is He shall cut him asunder and give him his portion among unbeleivers These two expressions speak the dreadfulness of his doom though no words can speak fully how woful it is He shall cut him asunder An allusion to some tortures then in use amongst the Heathen to shew the exquisite pain which his body shall suffer And give him his portion among unbeleivers Because the hottest Hell is reserved for such The wrath of God abideth on them Joh. 3. ult to note the extream punishment which his soul shall undergo 2. How sudden it is unexpected evils are most dreadful The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him Sudden frights overwhelm the spirits Those miseries which seen at some distance have been entertained with patience surprising men on a sudden have â—triken them into despair Death comes sometimes like a Thief up into our windows coming in at the door is ordinary but coming in at the window is unlookt for Ier. 19. 21. As the snare secretly and unexpectedly seiseth the silly Bird so doth a day of death the simple Children of men Luk. 21. 35. Our Saviour speaks of his coming in the second or third watch of the night which the Jews called Intempestum Gallietnium not in the first and fourth because saith Theophilact they are the dead time of the night when men are in their soundest sleep to shew us how suddenly and unexpectedly he shall surprise most men Luk. 12. 38. Reader This present days work may be the last act of thy life it behoveth thee therefore to do it well When thou art in thy Closet thou mayst think with thy self I may possibly never pray more never read the word of God more how reverently uprightly graciously should I therefore pray and read When thou art eating or drinking or refreshing nature thou mayst consider for ought I know this may be the last time that I may use these creatures of God how fearful should I be of abusing them how should I eat my bread as before the Lord. When thou art in thy Shop or about thy calling thou mayst ponder this Possibly my last sand is running and I must this day bid adieu for ever to Wares and Shops and Flocks and Fields and all civil commerce O how heavenly should I be about these earthly affairs How spiritual about these temporal things Who would not do his last work well Ah how holy should he be at all times who hath cause every moment to expect the coming of an holy and
jealous God to call him to an account Secondly Consider Gods eye is all the day long upon thee and therefore thou hadst need to be all the day long in his aâ—e It was a frequent speech of Seneca Vbicunque eo quodcunque ago Demetrium circumfero Wheresoever I go whatsoever I do I carry Demetrius along with me Thou mayst upon better grounds say Whatsoever I think or speak or act wheresoever I go whither to my Closet or Shop or Field or Neighbours Houses I have an holy jealous God along with me Thou mayst write over every room which thou enterest into Thou God seest me and call it by the like name which Hagar did the Well Beerâ—la-haroi The Well of him that liveth and seeth me Thou hast in all the passages of the day that God with thee who takes notice of and will reckon with thee for every passage Thou mayst call every place thou comest into Bethel or Penuel I have seen God in this house or God is in this place He is not like Iupiter of Creet whom some pictured without ears and publish never to be at leasure to take notice of small matters He is all eye all ear He observeth the greatest the smallest things and actions As the Optick vertue in the eye he seeth all and is seen of none Cicero tells us the King of Lydaea had a ring which when he turned the head of it to the palm of his hand he was invisible to others and yet others were visible to him The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good though none hath seen God at any time nor can see him As a well-drawn picture which way soever you turn your self it seems to have its eye still upon you and to follow you God doth that really which the Picture doth seemingly he beholds every person and every action with so direct a face as if he beheld none or nothing else Reader It concerns thee to be every day pious who art all the day long in so holy a Gods presence I have kept thy precepts saith David for all my ways are before thee Psa. 119. 68. The Scholar will ply his Book when his Master is present though he play and prate in his absence The Thief will not steal when the Iudge looketh on He that was accused to force the Queen before the Kings face had a Gallows for his end If the eye of good or great men will prevail with us to be handsom and comely in our behaviour and carriage how holy should they always be that are ever in the presence of the infinite God who is cloathed with Majesty as with a garment and who is so holy that the Heavens are unclean in his sight If a King sitting upon his throne sâ—attereth evil with his eye how much more should the eye of a God! Prov. 15. The Sun locally in Heaven is virtually on Earth its light heat influence over-spreadeth the face of Sea and Land He that shuts his eyes and will not see the light of it doth feel its heat and influence Its presence scattereth Clouds and Mists and Fogs Though Gods glorious and most joyful presence be in Heaven his real essential and gratious presence is on earth they who put out the eyes of their reason and conscience and will not see him do yet feel him in their beings and blesâ—ings for in him they live and move and have their beings Shall not his presence disperse those clouds of sin which would obscure his glory and hinder the light of his countenance from shining on us SECT II. AS to the exercising thy self to Godliness on a week-day though what I have write in former Chapters in this and the two former Parts hath much prevented me yet I shall commend to the Reader six particulars First Begin the day with God Never expect a good day unless you begin with a good duty He hath the best good-morrow who meets Ged first in the morning Though some sunshiny mornings are overcast before night yet the Heavens are usually all day clear to him that sets out early in the way of Gods commandements The mind retains a tincture all day of its first serious exercise in the morning When the right Watch or Clock is wound up well in the morning it will be regularly going and moving all day after He that loseth his heart in the morning in a throng of worldly affairs seldom finds it to purpose in any part of the day It was the honoâ—r of Rusticuâ— that though Letters were brought him from Caesar he refused to open them till the Philosopher had done his lecture Surely the worship of the blessed God is of more worth in it self and of more concernment to us then any moral Philosophical Doctrines to him or any affairs whatsoever and therefore ought to be first minded and performed As soon as thou awakest lift up thine heart to Heaven Great and Noble persons are usually first served Though others that are our inferiours wait out leisure our Superiours have the precedency of our time Let the first Messenger thou sendest forth be sent to the Lord of thy life to present thy humble service and thanks to him for his providence over thee and the rest and refreshment he hath afforded thee the last night Thou mayst say with the Psalmiâ—t I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me For except the Lord keepeth the City the watchman waketh but in vain He giveth his beloved sleep Psa. 3. 5. and 127. 1 2. Be mindful also in some short ejaculation to beg his guidance protection and blessing all the ensuing day For 't is he that can make an hedge about thee thine house and all that thou hast If he bless the work of thine hands thy substance will increase in the Land Iob 1. 10. This small taste of ejaculatory prayer will quicken thine appetite after a full meal of â—et and solemn devotion If thou canst after this keep thy mind intent whilst thou art dressing thy self on some divine subject thou wilt be much the more fit for thy secret duties and in a fair way to walk with thy God all the day The next thing I would advise thee to or rather Câ—rist enjoyneth Enter into thy Closet and when thou hast shut thy Door pray to thy Father which is in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Here is 1. A Precept to secret prayer Pray to thy Father in secret The Priest was every morning to renew the Fire on the Altar and to offer Sacrifice And they offered burnt-offerings unto the Lord even burnt-offerings morning and Evening And they offered the daily burnt-offerings offerings by number according to the custome as the duty of every day required Ezra 3. 3 4. So also in Davids time Asaph and his Brethren ministred before the Ark continually as every days work required 1 Chron. 16. 33. Solomon took after his Father 2 Chron.
strong This Sampson of death can fetch meat out of the eater and out of the strong sweetness Deaths harbinger sickness which prepareth its way before it will make me melt like Wax before the Sun though my strength were the strength of stones and my flesh as brass Fresh Flowers are cropt in their pride and greatest beauty The Autumn of death comes ordinarily before the winter of old age Besides I am liable every day to many sudden accidents and unexpected surprisals How many die in their Shops or Fields or in the Church or Streets as well as others in their beds All men do not go out of the world at the fore door of sickness many at the back-door of a violent death When my blood frisketh merrily in my veins and light sparkleth gloriously in mine eyes when my countenance is most fresh and lovely and my senses are most quick and lively even then aâ— my best estate I am altogether vanity I may draw a long line of life because nature may afford radical moysture enough for it when death lieth in ambush like a theif in the candle and wasteth all on a sudden Should I as the rich fool reckon falsly to a million when I cannot count truly to one and promise my self many days when my soul may be required of me this night how gross is my delusion Ah how sad how fatal is that error that can never be mended The time past is gone and never never to be called back All my prayers and tears all the revenues of the world cannot regain the last moment The time to come is Gods not mine own It is not in my hands therefore I have no reason to reckon upon it I am both foolish and dishonest if I dispose of anothers goods Reversions are uncertain and he may well be poor that hath no estate but what he hath in hope or rather presumption Lord thou reckonest my life not by ages no not by years but by days thou hast told me that my days are few my time is little though my work be great I acknowledge my proneness to put far from me my dying day whereby I gratifie my grand enemy in drawing nigh to the seat of iniquity O help thy servant to live every day as if it were his last day Grant that I may live well and much though my life be little and short because there is no day of my life in which I can promise my self security from the arrest of Death let me expect it every day and every hour of every day that when ever my Lord shall come I may be found well-doing I Wish that since the eye of my God is ever on me my eye may be ever on him and I may be so pious as to carry my self all the day long as in his presence What ever I do my God observeth whatever I speak my God heareth whatever I think he knoweth I may call every place I come into Mizpeh The Lord watcheth and observeth Ah how holy should he be who hath always to do with so pure and jealous a Majesty The Iews were to dig and cover the natural excrements of their bodies because the Lord their God walked in the midst of their camp Sin is the spiritual excrement of my soul and infinitely more odious and loathsom to my God O how watchful should I be against it who walk ever in his company The Sun is said by some to be all eye because it hath a thousand beams in every place it filleth the largest windows and peepeth in at the smallest key-hole it shineth on the Princes Pallace and the Poor mans Cottage the Heavens above the Earth beneath and Air between it looks on every person with so direct a countenance as if it beheld none beside The natural Sun is darkness to the Sun of righteousness the whole world to him is a sea of glass he seeth it thorough and thorough The Watch-maker knoweth all the wheels and pins and motions in the Watch He that made me cannot be ignorant of me nor of any thing in me or done by me Whether I be in my Shop or Closet Abroad or at Home in Company or Alone the Hand of my God is with me and the Eye of my God upon me O that I could set him ever before me and set my self ever before him that I could always see him who always seeth me and like a Sun-dyal so receive this Sun in the morning as to go along with him all the day Lord thou searchest and knowest me thou knowest my down-sitting and uprising thou understandest my thoughs afar off Thou compassest my paths and lying down and art acquainted with all my ways For there is not a word in my tongue but O Lord thou knowest it altogether Whither shall I go from thy Spirit and whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up to Heaven thoâ— art there If I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the utmost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me If I say surely the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me Yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day The darkness and the light are both alike to thee O teach me to walk before thee and to be upright I Wish that the end of all my days may be the beginning of every day that my first thoughts in the morning may be of him by whom alone I think The Firstling under the Law was to be the Lords and why not the first fruits of every day under the Gospel Surely the worthiness of the person deserves precedency of dispatch It is no mean incivility to let an honourable man wait our leasure what impiety is it then to let the great God stay till the dreggy flesh or world be served Ah how unworthy as well as wicked is it to put that God off who deserves all I am and have with the leavings of his slaves Besides the soul usually walks up and down all day in the same habit in which it is dressed in the morning The day is usually spent well or ill according to the morning employment If Satan get possession in the morning t will be many to one but he keeps his hold all day What youth is to age that is the morning to the day if youth be not tainted with vice age is imployed in vertue He that loves chastity will not marry her that spent her youth in whordom A man may give a shrewd guess in the morning when second causes are in working what weather will be most part of the day If I set out early in my heavenly journey I am the more likely to persevere in it all the day As some sweet Oyls poured into a Vessel first will cause whatsoever is put into it afterwards to taste and
savour of it So if godliness and the immediate worship of God do first in the morning possess my soul my natural and civil affairs will probably rellish of it Again Mens hearts are generally upon that in the morning which they esteem their happiness and portion The covetous Muck-worm no sooner openeth his eyes but his â—eart is tumbling in his heaps The voluptuous beast no sooner wakes but he is sporting in sensual waters The ambitious Peacock no sooner is able to think but his gay Feathers and gaudy dress for that day come into his mind and why should not my heart send its first thoughts into Heaven Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee The Birds early in the morning salute the rising Sun with their sweet notes and shall not I the Sun of righteousness Further My wants my mercies call for morning duties I walk in the midst of deaths of dangers every day and shall I dare to travail without my defence Men cloath their bodies against the sharpness of the weather and why not their souls against the assaults of the flesh the world and the wicked one There is no safety without this breast-work If Satan take me out of my trenches and strong holds as Joshua did the men of Ai it will be no wonder if he roâ—t and ruine me If I do not bless God in the morning how can I expect that he should bless me in the day Is any earthly Prince so prodigal of his favours as to throw them away upon those that esteem them unworthy to be desired If I do not serve the Precepts of God I am presumptuous to look that his providence should serve meâ— Should I undertake my affairs on earth before I have dispatched my business with heaven I am a notorious Cheat and Theif I am a Theif to God by robbing him of his glory and that natural allegiance which I owe to my Maker I am a Theif to my self in robbing my self of that blessing which I might have on my callings and undertakings O that prayer might be the girdle to compass in the whole body of my natural and civil dealings and concernments And that I could every day of my life forestal the worlds market by setting early about closet and family duties Suitors find it fittest to wait upon and dispatch their business with great persons betimes in the morning Lord freedom of access to thy throne of grace is an unspeakable favour Access is hard to earthly Princes No worldly Court is so open as to admit all comers Those that with much difficulty present their Petitions are often against all reason denyed Thy gates are open night and day all that will may come and be welcome Thou invitest souls to come into thy presence and delightest to hear and grant their prayers Thine eares are more open and ready to hear then their mouths to ask Thou pressest upon many undesired blessings but denyest none who ask not stones instead of bread Importunity never angers thee the more fervent and frequent my soul is with thee the more prevalent Thou fillest the hungry with good things and dost not send any that desire thy grace empty away from thy gate What care I how little notice or knowledge the Nobles of the earth will take of me when I can speak so freely to their better their Soveraign and not fear a repulse O teach me the right art of begging and then I need not be afraid of poverty If I be but skilful to follow that trade my returns will be both â—â—re and large Thy mercies are renewed upon me every morning so are my necessities O let my prayses and prayers be as frequent and early I will bless the Lord at all times his praise â—hall be continually in my mouth O God my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and barren Wilderness where no water is My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I Wiâ—h that having done with the more immediaâ—e service of my God in Praying and Reading both in my Closet and Family I may proceed to serve him in my Shop and Particular Calling When God saith Man is born to labour I must not sing with the fool Soul take thine ease An idle person is like Caterpillars and Mice that devour Gods creatures and do no good to others It s pity he ever lived the book of whose life is filled up with nothing but Cyphers Nature never intended men to be drones to feed on others labours nor bats to spend their lives in the company of sleep the brother of death My God my soul my family my country do all call upon me to be diligent in that calling whereto he hath called me My God is a pure act himself and hath capacitated all his creatures for action He created all men but never made a sluggard The idle person wholly degenerates from the end of his being and receiveth his faculties in vain The command for civil labour hath the same divine stamp as that for sacred rest I have also his pattern for my encouragement as well as his precept for my warrant Hitherto my father worketh and I work My soul also stands in as much need of exercise as my body Idleness is the door at which diseases enter into both Rust eats up vessels that are laid by and unused The mind is never more bright then when it is in imployment from doing nothing we proceed to do evil Idleness is not onely a vice it self but also hath this unhappiness to usher in all other This is the least advantage of industry that it gives the soul no leasure to play with sin or to entertain the wicked one Standing waters do not sooner putrifie then lazy souls T is action that preserves the â—oul in health As Gâ—ats dance up and down in the Sun and then sit down and sting the next hand they seize upon So they who have no time to work have much to imploy in slandering and backbiting others One sin never goeth alone Again my Family may well rouze me out of the bed of laziness If I expect supply of their wants it must come in with Gods blessing at the door of diligence I am stealing from my wife and children all the while I am loytering The Heavens may cause seed sown to ripen into a joyful Harvest but untilled land will afford no crop save of weeds or stones Once more My Country commands me to my calling I am but an ill member in the body Politique if as a diseased part I take of its nourishment but rather hinder its growth then contribute to its health A jarring string is not more prejudicial to the rarest Viol in the hands of a skilful artist then an idle person to the musick and composure of the universe The most venemous
with fear Didst thou receive thy meat as in Gods presence and hadst thou an eye therein at his praise How didst thou behave thy self in thy Particular calling Did it no way incroach upon thy general Was thy conversation in heaven whilst thy dealings were about earth Wast thou diligent in the exercise of it righteous in thy dealings in it depending on God for a blessing on it What was thy carriage in company was thy life holy spotless exemplary profitable to others Mightest thou not in such a place have done thy God more service and thy Brothers soul more good May I not say to thee as God to Jonah Didst thou well to be angry at such a time upon no cause what were thy thoughts in solitude how wast thou imployed Had God any true share in thy thoughts hast thou watched thy self this day and kept thy heart with all diligence Hath none of thy precious time been lavisht away on unnecessary things Answer me faithfully to all these particulars that I may be able to return an answer to him that sent me O that I could but imploy one half hour every day with seriousness and uprightness in such soliloquies Lord thou didst create the world in six days and thou wast pleased to loâ—k back on every days work and behold it was very good and then ensued thy Sabbath Cause thy â—ervant to be a follower of thee as a dear child in minding every day the work thou hast given me to do that I may every night review it with comfort finding it good in thy Christ at the end of all my days looking back upon all my works I may see them very good through the acceptation of thy grace and with joy enter into my eternal Sabbath I Wish that I may end every day with him who is the beginning and first born from the dead That I may every night go to bed as if I were going to my grave knowing that sleep is the shadow of death and when the shadow is so near the substance cannot be far off Though lovers cannot meet all day yet they will make hard shift but they will find an opportunity to meet at night Should my devotion set with the natural Sun I may fear a dreadful night of darkness to follow That bed may well be as uneasie as one stuft with thorns that is not made by prayer If the soul lye down under an heavy load of sin the body can have no true rest Jacob could sleep sweetly upon an hard stone having made his peace with God when Ahashuerus could not though on a bed of down I cannot sleep unless God wake for me and I cannot rationally expect his watchfulness over me unless I request it My corruptions in the day call for contrition in the night How many omissions commissions personal relative sins heart life wickedness am I daily guilty of and â—hould I lye down under their weight for ought I know they may sink me before morning into endless wo. Whilst blood is in my veins sin will be in my soul. The weed of sin may be cut broken pulled up yet it will spring again I shall as soon cease to live as cease to sin Though I should be free all the day long from presumptuous enormities and onely defiled with ordinary humane infirmities yet these if not bewailed are damning The smallest letters are most hurtful to the eyes and far worse then a large Character Those sins which are comparatively little if not lamented are far more dangerous then Davids Murther and Adultery which were repented of When the soul like Thamar hath notwithstanding its utmost endeavours to preserve its chastity been ravished and by force defiled it must with her lift up the voice and weep If the Sun may not go down upon my wrath against man much-less may I presume to lye down under the wrath of God Besides how can sin be mortified if it be not confessed and bewailed Arraignment and Conviction must go before Execution The favours of the day past are not to be forgotten but to be acknowledged with thankefulness I receive every day more considerable mercies then there are moments in the day and when I borrow such large sums the principal of which I am unable ever to satisfie shall I be so unworthy as to deny the payment of this small interest which is all my Creditour requireth Whatsoever gain I have got in my calling whatsoever strength I have received by my food whatsoever comfort I have had in my Relations or Friends whatsoever peace liberty protection I have enjoyed all the day long I must say of all 〈◊〉 Jacob of his Venison The Lord hath brought it to me Surely the hearer of my morning prayers may well be the object of my evening prayses Aâ— how unreasonable is it that I like a whirl-pool should suck in every good thing that comes near me and not so much as acknowledge it Should any one be the thousandth part so much indebted to me as I am to God how ill should I take it if he should not confess it If a Beggar at my door receive a small almes from God by my hands I look for his thanks How often have I complained of the baseness and unworthiness of some that are engaged to me O what tongue can express what heart can conceive how much I am indebted to my God every moment though I am less then the least of all his mercies and doth not all his goodness merit sincere thankefulness Lord I confess there is not a day of my life wherein I do not break thy Laws in thought word and deed Sin is too much the element in which I live and the trade that I drive I find continually a law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and captivating me to the Law of sin and death Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Since I am no day innocent make me every night penitent As my sins abound let my sorrow abound and thy grace much more abound Though I can never requite thy favours help me to admire and bless the fountain of them Suffer me never to go to bed till I have first asked thee my heavenly Father blessing Let the eyes of my soul be always open to thee in prayer and prayse before the eyes of my body be shut And O be thou always pleased so to accept my confessions petitions thanksgivings my person and performances in thy dear son that I may lay me down in peace and sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Finally I Wish that every day of my life may be spent as if it were the day of my death and all my time employed in adorning my soul in trimming my lamp and in a serious preparation for eternity Whilst I am living I am dying every moment my sand is running and my Sun is declining I am as Stubble before the Wind and as
Chaff that the Storm carrieth away I flie away as a dream and shall not be found my life is chased away as a vision of the night The eyes which have seen me shall see me no more neither shall my place any more behold me I must live now or never If I die I shall not live again O that all the days of my appointed time I could wait till my change cometh Were I to take my leave of the world this night and were my life to end with the day how then would I spend every hour every moment of it Should I lavish away my time about this or that vanity Would I play it away in vain company Would I neglect my spiritual watch or waste my talents upon trifles should I dally about secret or private duties or be careless of my carriage in my calling would I starve my immortal soul or cast off all care of eternity No but I should all the day long act by the square and rule of the word How serious should I be in praying in reading in working for my soul for my salvation how diligent to do all the good I could to receive all the good I might how watchful to catch at and embrace all opportunities of honouring and serving my Maker and Redeemer because my time is short and I must pray and read and work for eternity now or no more no more for ever And why should I not be as holy though I do not know that I shall die this night when I know not but I may die this night How foolish is he who neglects doing his work till his work is past doing Besides Other creatures are constant and unwearied in serving their maker they are every day all the day long in their stations obedient to his commands If I look to Heaven to Earth to inanimate to irrational creatures I behold them all as so many Souldiers in their several ranks exactly and continually subject to the orders which they receive from the Lord of hosts and shall I be shamed by them I am at present more indebted more intrusted by God I have a reward hereafter of joy to encourage me of pain to provoke me to unweariedness in well doing which they neither hope nor fear Lord I live every moment upon thee why should I not live every moment to thee My life is by thy providence O that it were according to thy precepts I would not be thine hireling to serve thee meerly for wages thou thy self art my exceeding great reward but I would be thy days-man to work for thee by the day every day all the day long O help me to live well in time that I may live well eternally Let every day be so devoted to thy praise and every part of it so imployed in thy service that I may be the more fitted to please and woâ—â—â—ip thee in that place where there is no night yet all rest no Sun yet all day all light all joy where I shall have no meat or drink or sleep or shop or flocks or family and which is best of all no unbeleiving selfish carnal heart to call me from or hinder me in thy work but I shall worship and enjoy thee without diversion without distraction without interruption without intermission both perfectly and perpetually Amen CHAP. VII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in visiting the Sick FIfthly Thy duty is to exercise thy self in visiting the sick The Visitation of the sick is a work of as great weight as any injoyned us relating to others and as much neglected and slighted in its management as almost any duty commanded Sickness is so common and Death so ordinary that with most their frequency takes away the sense of them and charity in many sickens and dieth as fast as others bodies The generality of pretended Christians like the Priest and the Levite if they see a man wounded both in his body and soul though it be to death pass on the other side of the way not caring to meddle with any that are in misery They tell us they are true members of Christ but like a bag of suppurated blood they feel nothing neither have any communion with the body Many on their dying beds whose souls are worse and more dangerously sick then their bodies may speak to their Minister or Neighbour for the duty belongs to the People as well as the Pastor almost in the words of Martha to Christ Sir If thou hadst been here my soul had not dyed Some visite the sick but rather out of a complement then out of conscience or to profit themselves more then their Neighbours The Ingenuous Heathen Seneca will tell such If a man visit his sick friend and watch at his Pillow for charity sake and out of his old affection we approve it but if for a Legacy he is a Vulture and watcheth onely for the carcass The discourse of these is chiefly about worldly affairs and nothing about the great concernments of eternity Others sometimes go about the work but perform it so ill administring Cordials when there is need of Corrosives sowing Pillows under their sick friends heads that they may die easily or if they tell them of their danger they do it so coldly and carelesly and by halves that as he said there is diseaseâ— their soul-sickness is curable but the unsutable medicines they take make it incurable It may be said of many a soul as Adrians Counsellers said of him Multitudo medicorum c. Many Physitians have killed the Emperour Ah! How dreadful is it when unskilful and unfaithful Mountebanks undertake to tamper and trifle with immortal souls that are just entring into their eternal estates Father forgive them they know not what they do Galen saith in respect of bodily Medicines In medicina nihil exiguum There is nothing small in Physick Every thing in it is of great consequence A little mistake may cause death I may upon greater reason say There is nothing little in spiritual Physick A small error in our prescriptions to sick souls may cause dreadful mischief Instead of curing we may kill the patient Hazaels wet cloth was not more deadly to his Masters body then the discourse of most is to their sick neighbours souls Fear of displeasing and a natural propensity to flatter prevail with too many to sooth their dying friends into unquenchable flames But surely there is more love as well as more faithfulness in frighting a sick person out of his spiritual Lethargy then in fawning him into the eternal lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Some venemous creatures tickle a man till he laughs even when they sting him to death so doth the flattering Minister or Neighbour he raiseth a sick man void of grace to the Pinnacle of joy and highest hopes of Heaven and thereby throweth him down into the Culph of irrecoverable sorrows and leaves him to undeceive himself in hell I shall first lay down two or three
prudent questions to the sick concerning the condition of their souls The ignorance of a Physitian may occasion the death of the Patient Some practitioners in Physick who intend much good do much hurt for want of judgement to find out the tempers and distempers of the sick A mistake in soul-cases is of more hazard then in body-sickness If I undertake to humble a person who is already cast down sufficiently and wants a Cordial or to comfort one who is full of presumption already and needs a Corrosive how good soever my meaning may be my acting is evil and instead of releiving I may destroy my Brother The Eastern Churches did not without cause enjoyn the Minister or such as were appointed to visit the sick to continue with them seven days together that in that space they might discover the man before they applied themselves to him either in a way of Admonition or Counsel or Consolation Iobs friends when they came to visit him spake not a word either reproving or advising him till they heard him open his mouth and curse the tongue that told the news of his birth The knowledge of the sick mans spiritual condition is as it were the foundation upon which we must build all our discourse with him and prayers to God for him or at least it is the rule by which we must build and therefore it s very dangerous to mistake in it If the Foundation be laid ill the superstructure will never stand well If the rule be crooked the building cannot be strait A blind Archer may as soon hit the Mark as one ignorant of his Neighbours state advantage his soul. SECT IV. 2. APply thy self to him sutably to his condition As the conditions of men are several so must the Application be that which cures one may kill another One medicine will as soon cure all diseased bodies as one way all sick souls Indeed the Physick to be prescribed every Patient is the same for substance The blood of Christ By his stripes we are healed but there are several ways of tendering this to sinners that they may be prepared for it and give it all acceptation that Physick which is given to one in a Potion is given to another in a powder to a third in an electuary to a fourth in a pill according as it will be most prositable and most acceptable to them It s not easie so to write the bill that the sick may receive what is prescribed to his greatest content and advantage For as many perish errore medici as vi morbi by the error of the Physitian as by the power of the disease Though I judge it next to impossible for me to set down exactly and fully directions answerable to the difference of sick persons condition disposition education calling guilt c. yet I shall speak to the most ordinary cases and be careful not to omit the main work namely that which concerneth the conversion of graceless and Christless persons if on a sick bed God peradventure will give them repentance If the sick person be judged carnal and unregenerate for the Tree is known by its Fruits Besides it s no breach of charity to fear the worst of them whose lives do not speak a positive holiness especially whilst we are endeavouring their good then in general I would advise thee to speak 1. To the depravation of mans nature and the transgressions of life with the sad aggravations thereof How holy man was by creation how universally and desperately vicious he is by his fall from God and what horrid unthankfulness he is guilty of in continuing in sin notwithstanding the grace that is offered to him in the Gospel It s fit to speak to the purity and equity of the Law of God and to the difference and contrariety of his heart and life to it to the sinfulness of sin in its offensiveness and opposition to the nature and word of an infinitely Holy Glorious and Gracious Majesty in its destructiveness to the present peace and future perfection of his own precious and immortal soul and in that the stain of it is so deep and the venome of it so great that nothing beneath the blood of God could wash out its spots or be a sufficient Antidote for its poison Tell him of the folly of sinners in refusing Heaven for Earth Angelical Delights for brutish Pleasures the blessed God for a base lust and of his own madness likewise in running on so eagerly upon his own ruine against the counsels of men the commands threatnings and intreaties of God the convictions of his conscience the calls and invitations of a loving Redeemer and the motions of the holy Spirit 2. Speak to the merit of sin how it being committed against an infinite Majesty deserveth infinite wrath and severity Tell him that the Wages of Sin is death temporal spiritual eternal Acquaint him with the justice holiness and jealousie of God how he will by no means clear the guilty but hath threatned all manner of plagues and judgements on the workers of iniquity and cannot fail in the least of accomplishing his word how he is resolved to make all the Children of Men feel sin to be an evil and bitter thing either in broken bones on earth or broken backs and endless torments in hell Let him know his own obnoxiousness by reason of his many and greivous sins to the curse of the Law the wrath of the Lord and the vengeance of the eternal fire Tell him that he is by nature a Child of Wrath an Enemy to God and an Heir of Hell that it had been just to have cast him out of the Womb into Hell that Gods patience in bearing with him thus long will but increase his condemnation and endless misery unless he prevent it by sincere conversion This is the first thing requisite in order to the recovery of his soul. Till sin be discovered in its hainous nature and bloody colours it will never be lamented nor the Saviour esteemed according to the duty of the Sinner The first thing usually which the Spirit doth in the change of a sinner is to convince him of sin Joh. 16. 8. And this is also first in the Ministers commission Acts 26. 18. The great neglect of this in Ministers and others is one reason that so few Sinners are awakened the needful work of humiliation is so dangerously slighted that poor souls go sleeping and dreaming all is well till they come to be undeceived in Hell 3. Speak to his own inability to help himself that no less then infinite power can recover him out of his miserable condition Men are prone to act like Brutes when they are wounded to undertake the licking themselves whole as if it were an easie thing to renew a carnal creature and heal vitiated nature but alas the work is not so soon done It s another manner of work to open the blind eyes and â—â—liven the dead soul then the secure careless worldling
to his breast Hic sat lucis Hâ—re is abundance of light of joy He asked one of his Friends What news His Friend told him None Then saith he I will tell you some news I shall presently be with my Lord Christ. I shall give thee two or three quickening Motives and then direct thee about the workâ— of exercising thy self to Godliness on a Dying Bed and because its the last time of a Christians working for his God I shall in the third place annex some brief helps to this duty In reference to the Motives Consider First What a serious thing Death will be to every Man and Woman in the World It s ill and dangerous for any to cozen themselves and undertake to mock God in their health and life but it s worst of all and desperate for any to do this on a sick and dying Bed The Heathen hardened in sin and wholly under the power of Satan ignorant of the evil of their hearts and lives and of the sad consequence of a wicked end made light of death Flavius Vespasian none of the worst of the Roman Emperors died as Sir Thomas Moor with a jest in his mouth Vt puto Deus fio Methinks I am going and growing to be a God Augustus Caesar esteemed the best of them whose death the people so much lamented that they said Vtinam aut non nasceretur aut non moreretur Would he had never been born or never dyed went off the Stage of the World with a Complement Livia Nostri Conjugii memor Vive Vale Farewel and Live Wife mindful of our Marriage Galba dyed desperately crying out Feri si ex re sit Populi Romani Strike if it be for the common good Tiberius dyed dissemblingly of whose death Tacitus wittily Iam Tiberium vires corpus non dissimulatio deserebant Now strength and life hath lest Tiberius but not dissimulation But Christians who understand the holiness and justice of God the infinite demerit of sin the certainty of an unchangeable condition in the other World either in joy or torment know that death is no jesting matter that to dye is one of the most serious searching things that they can possibly do Two or three Particulars will shew what a serious thing death is 1â— Death will try men When the Bridegroom comes it will appear who have Oyl in their Vessels and who have noneâ— As soon as ever thou takest thy leave of temporal good things thy spiritual riches will be known A scorching Summer discovers what streams are fed with Ponds and what with Springs The Wind sheweth which Clouds have Rain in them and which have none Death will anatomize every soul and reveal all that is in it Conscience will then bring in a true Verdict in despight of all those bribes and frights which formerly kept the Bill in suspense or caused it to write on it an Ignoramus There are marks by which Saints and Sinners may be distinguished whilst they live as great mens servants are by the Liveries that they wear but these characters being most inward and known to none but themselves and the Lord they serve it is their dying onely that will reveal infallibly what they are and to whom they belong This World is as a common Inn wherein all are lodged and no difference is made between the good and bad onely that the worst men have the best usage but the very moment of mens dissolution makes a plain and vast distinction Death is the way of all the earth according to Ioshua's Periphrasis of it but this way hath two turnings one on the right hand to joy and bliss another on the left hand to misery and horror now as when the attendants of two Lords travail together on the road their servants cannot easily be distinguished especially if the Servants of the one counterfeit the livery of the other but when they come to the Bivium the parting way then it s clearly known who belong to the one and who to the other for each then followeth his own Master waits on him to his house stayeth and abideth there with him So though whilst men live all professing themselves Christians and most for a shew at least putting on the livery of Christ it is not known who belong to the Prince of Life and who to the Prince of the powers of the Air but death will discover it to themselves and the Elect Angels 2. It will appear that Death is a serious thing in that Eternityâ— When thou diest thy condition will be like the Law of the Medes and Persians such as cannot be altered At death thou goest the way that thou shalt never return David speaking of his dead Child saith I shall go to him but he shall not return to me And Iob by asking the question denyeth it If a man dye shall he live again God will never trust thee with a second life or give thee leave for second thoughts or better purposes or more serious and sober actions when thou art once landed in the other world He will not offer thee a Christ and Grace and Heaven when thou art gone from this earth Think of it seriously is not that work to be done well which can be done but once Shouldst thou not use thine utmost care and strength and diligence to dye well when thy everlasting making or marring dependeth on it Ah Friend If thou failest now thou failest for ever if thou dalliest now thou art undone eternally There is no wisdom nor knowledge in the Grave whither thou art going Eccles. 11. 7. 3. Death will appear to be a serious thing in that all the powers of Hell will then assault thee Thou mayst say of it in some respects as Christ did to wicked men and the Wicked one This is your hour and the power of darkness The Devil its observeable is most busie at the conclusion of a duty as of prayer that the Christian might be hindered and distracted when he closeth up all in the name of Christ and so all his desires be frustrated so he is most busie in the conclusion of our days adding fearful dreams to our slumbers strong distractions to our fancies increasing our pains with terrors driving the good if possible to despair and intoxicating the bad with presumptuous conceits and all because his time is little The Devil is come down having great rage knowing that his time is short Rev. 12. 12. At the approach of death through pain of body and perplexity of mind men are least able to resist and therefore this cowardly enemy will then be most ready and fierce to assault When the Christian is down then if possible he will â—rample upon him The last persecutions of the Church under Dioclesian and Maximinian were the soarest The last messenger the Devil sent to Iob concerning the sudden violent death of all his Children pierced his heart deepest The subtle serpent reserved that great Ordnance for the last hoping the former small
of Christ do all give thee daily occasion to mingle thy bread with ashes and thy drink with weeping What is this world that thou art so fond of it Thy God calls it a Sea of glass mingled with fire Rev. 15. 2. A Sea for its turbulency it s never at rest but ebbs and flows continually though sometimes more sometimes less Its work is to bubble up mire and dirt especially on them who are chosen out of the world A Sea of glass for its fragility All its pomp and pride on a sudden vanisheth Glass is both easily and irrecoverably broken in peices A Sea of glass mingled with fire for the fiery and dreadful miseries that befal men in it All its apparent comforts are mingled with real crosses In Heaven there is solace without the least grain of sorrow In Hell there is mourning without the smallest dram of mirth but on Earth there is no estate without mixture The Saints have joy in God but if need be they are in heaviness through manifold tribulations 1 Pet. 1. 6. The merry sinners in the midst of their pleasures have their hearts heavy Some of the wiser Heathen were so sensible of humane miseries that one of them when Ancient told his Scholar that if it were offered him to be young again he would not accept if Saints of all men must expect a large draught of sufferings The world is their enemy and raiseth all its forces against them If I be a Disciple I must look to follow my Master in bearing his Cross O my soul why shouldst thou hug that which hates thee and doat on this world which is neither a fit match for thee as being unsutable to thy nature nor if she were can be faithful to thee being made up of wavering and inconstancy Or secondly Is it the pain of death that thou art so frighted at Surely the fear of it is the greatest torment How many have felt greater pain in divers diseases as in the Stone or Strangury or Collick then in a dying hour Some of Gods Children have felt very little pain in the judgement of those that have seen them dying The waters of Jordan though rough to others have stood still when the Ark was to pass over But though I were sure my pain should be sharp yet I am as sure it shall be short In a moment in the twinckling of an eye I shall be transported over the gulp of misery into endless glory My pangs will be almost as soon gone as come Sorrow will endure but for a short night joy will come in the morning If I were assured of a great purchase made for me in Spain or Turky which upon my first comming over I should enjoy would I not adventure a passage through the boistrous Ocean to take possession My Saviour hath made a larger a better purchase for me in Heaven He is gone before to prepare a place for me My passage thither though it may be more painful is less perillous It s impossible for me to miscarry in it O why am I so slothful to go in and possess the good Land Surely the pleasures of the end may well sweeten the ways to it were they never so bitter With what chearfulness do some women undergo their sharp throws and hard labours supported with this cordial that a child shall thereby be born to them O how infinitely inferiour is the joy of a man child brought forth into this world to the joy of a sanctified soul brought out of this world into Heaven Again I have a tender Father who knoweth my frame and will lay no more upon me living or dying then he will enable me to bear He hath said it I will never leave thee nor forsake thee O my soul thou hast little reason to dread a contest with this enemy for this cause Thou mayst contentedly undergo a little pain to go to thy dearest Lord when many a sinner hath suffered greater to satisfie his hellish lust Thirdly Is it thy future condition that makes thee unwilling to dye Dost thou not know that death is thy portal through which thou shalt pass into the true Paradise It s the straight gate through which thou shalt enter into life Though its the wicked mans shipwrack which swalloweth him up in an Ocean of wrath and torment yet it s the Saints putting into harbour where he is received with the greatest acclamation and richest welcom imaginable Travellers who have met with many dangers and troubles in their journeys rejoyce when they come near their own Country I am a Pilgrim here and used or rather abused as a stranger shall I not be glad when I come near my blessed home my eternal happy habitation Children in some parts when they first behold the Stork the messenger of the Spring testifie their joy with pleasant and loud shoutings O why shouldst not thou lift up thy head with joy when sickness the fore-runner of death is come to bring thee tidings that the Winter of thy misery and cold and hardships is past and the Summer of thine eternal light and joy and pleasure is at hand Thy death may well be a Free-will-offering considering that though the ashes of the sacrifice thy body fall to the earth yet that divine flame thy immortal spirit shall ascend to Heaven In death nothing dyeth of thee but what thou mayst well spare thy sin and sorrows When the house is pulled to peices all those Ivy roots in the wall shall be destroyed The Egg-shell must be broken that the little chick may slip out Thy body must be dissolved that thy â—oul may be delivered Yet thy body doth not dye but sleep in the bed of the grave till the morning of the resurrection That outward apparel shall not be utterly consumed by the moth of time but lockt up safe as in a chest to be new trimmed and gloriously adorned above the Sun in his greatest lustre and put on again when thou shalt awake in the morning never never to put off more O that I could so live that I might not only be always ready but also when God calls me desirous to dye If I borrow any thing of my Neighbour I pay it back with thanks My life is Gods he lends it me for a time Why should I not when he calls for it restore it with thanks that he hath been pleased to lend it me so long Lord thy Children love thee dearly and believe that when they come home to thee thou wilt entertain them kindly yet their flesh like Lots Wife is still â—ankering after the Sodom of this World and loath they are to leave it though it be for their exceeding gain Give thy servant such true faith in thy Son that I may neither love life nor fear death immoderately but as the heart of Jacob revived when he saw the Wagons which Joseph sent to fetch him to Egypt so my heart may leap for joy to behold the heavenly Chariot which the Son of
by the roots All that these can do is to make a man like a grave green and flourishing on the surface and superficies when within there is nothing but noisomness and corruption It hath often appeared that those means which the great Moralists have used to bridle their lusts and passions have rather like strong sents to Epileptick bodies raised them then recovered them Indeed if the cheif fault were not in the vital parts then outward applications might be effectual but when the heart and lungs and inwards are all corrupted Plaisters applied to the face or hands or thighs or sides will do little good When the fault is in the foundation of an house it cannot be mended by Plaistering or rough-cast A Leopard may be flea'd but he is spotted still because the spots are not onely in the skin but in the flesh and bones and sinews and most inward parts When the disease is accidental as to lose the sight by the Small-Pox or the like there the Physick of morality may be advantagious but where the disease is natural as in the man that was born blind there Physick will do no good a miracle alone must restore such a one to his sight Unsanctified persons at best act from themselves and therefore for themselves As the Kite they may spread their wings and soar aloft as if they touched Heaven when at the highest their eyes are upon their prey upon earth Lucullus told his guests when he had feasted them liberally and they had admired his bounty in their costly entertainment Something my Friends is for your sakes but the greatest part is for Lucullus his own sake An unconverted person may do something some small matter for the sake of Religion from common gifts of illumination c. but the most that he doth is for his own sake for that credit or profit which he expecteth thereby If any thing be enjoyned which thwarteth his interest he will reply with Ajax when commanded to spare Vlysses In other things I will obey the Gods but not in this Reader Make sure of this inward change otherwise though thy conversation may be specious it can never be gracious nor thy profession durable If the house be built on loose earth it will never stand long When the principles are variable and uncertain so will the practices be If the arguments upon which thou takest upon thee the livery of Christ and the grounds of thy engagement in his service be not firm and constant the love of God and hope of eternal life c. such as the world and flesh cannot over-top thou wilt throw up thy profession and leave thy Master when thou art offered in thy blind judgment a better service though it be but the pleasures of sin for a season with eternal pains at the end of them for thy soul and Saviour and eternal salvation How well may he prove a Bankrupt who is worse then naught when he first sets up I wonder not that many pofessors disown the Lord Jesus when they were ignorant why they at any time owned him He that takes up Religion on trust will lay it down when it brings him into trouble As the Celendine springeth and floweth at the comming of the Summer birds but withereth at their departure And the Corn that promiseth a good Harvest in the Blade is blasted in the Ear because its root is withered and naught So the person that hath no sound foundation though he seem to look high will never hold out The Turnsel makes a shew for a time with white velvet leaves and yellow flowers but fadeth away without bringing forth any fruit Christ tells us some which heard the word though for a season they rejoyced in it when tribulation came because of the word were offended at it because they had no root To prevent that sad Apostacy which many are guilty of to their eternal undoing Friend consider serionsly beforehand what it will cost thee to be a Christian indeed A foolish builder that undertakes to raise a structure as high as Heaven and pondereth not the charge thereof gives over before he hath half finished it and so loseth all his expence and labour As in marriage one that is wise and considereth the person his portion and his precepts with the cares and burdens that are incident to that condition for such must have trouble in the flesh and after this upon mature deliberation accepteth him for an Husband will stick and cleave to him loyally and faithfully whatever befalls him whereas a foolish Maid that hudleth up a match in haste hand over head promising her self nothing but delight and pleasure when she comes to suffer poverty or imprisonment or disgrace with her Husband repenteth of her bargain and forsakes the guide of her youth So the Christian that hath duly pondered the excellencies in Christ his misery without Christ absolute necessity of Christ what love and joy and peace and endless bliss God offereth with his Son what Christ expecteth from all that will be married to him even the denyal of themselves the taking up of their Cross the contempt of Father Mother Wife Children Estate Life and all for him and after he hath duly considered all this gives himself up to Christ will be faithful unto death and own the Lord Jesus Christ whatever it may cost him when the man that followeth Christ for the loaves or for fashion or on a sudden strikes a league with him expecting nothing but comforts and joy in his contract will quickly leave him if called to suffer with him He that followeth Christ he knoweth not why will forsake him he knoweth not how If thou art Reader to begin this work of entering thy self into Christs Army I would advise thee to bethink thy self upon what grounds thou engagest in his quarrel For Christians are not called to their spiritual war for love of fighting as Cocks that fall to it upon sight of each other Consider the enemies thou art to fight against how potent and crafty and cruel they are continually seeking thy destruction the Captain thou art to fight under how wise he is to direct and command thee how able to protect and defend thee how faithful and bountiful to crown and reward thee the excellency of the cause it is for thy soul thy God thy Saviour thy salvation the dangers thou must encounter and hardships thou willt be called to endure the certainty of thy conquest how impossible it is to miscarry in so just a quarrel under suchâ— an Almighty Captain and then list thy self to fight the good fight of faith and fear not but thou shalt be more then a conqueror through him that loves thee Secondly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness Live by Faith The life of Faith it s the onely life of holiness and unbelief is the mother of all Apostacy When God would perswade Abraham to sincere and singular godliness he doth it by offering him sure footing for his faith I am
cometh such pride and carnal confidence in prosperity but because men beleive not the meanness and vanity and emptiness of riches and that divine mercy not the merits of men are the original of them There is no sin so monstrous but unbeleif will venture upon it He that beleiveth not will never be allured by divine promises nor affrighted at divine threatnings nor obey divine precepts nor submit to divine providences As Cicero said of Parricide I may say of Unbeleif It s a teeâ—ing vice a well of wickedness many sins are bound up in it No wonder the Apostle gives such a serious warning and so strict a charge against Infidelity as the mother and nurse of all Apostacy Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeleif whereby ye depart away from the living God Heb. 3. 12. The superstitious Pagans thought that their Idol Vibilia kept them from erring out of their way The religious Christian knoweth by experience that his faith keeps him within the limits of his duty Faith ingrafts the soul into Christ and into the fellowship of his death by which the old man is crucified and the body of sin destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Rom. 6. 5,6,7,8 For therefore did Christ bear ouâ— sins in his body on the tree that we might become dead to sin 1 Pet. 1. 24. Faith enableth the soul to conquer sin by enabling it to overcome the three grand provocations to sin The World the Flesh and the Wicked one There is neither of these enemies but Faith hath wounded mortally 1. Faith enableth to overcome the World the World indeed hath conquered millions the greatest Souldiers have been slain by it Alexander could subdue the Nations in it but could not subdue his Affections to it As great a conqueror as he was over it he was its slave and vassal for his ambition was still larger then his Dominions But faith cloathing the Christian with the Sun helps him to trample this Moon under his feet This is your victory over the world even your Faith 1 Joh. 6.4 The World hath two faces the oneâ— ugly and deformed toâ—affright the Saint the other comely and painted to allure him to sin but Faith seeth how pittiful onely touching the body her threatnings are and how poor onely skin-deep her promises are and makes the soul to disdain both It was by Faith that Luther could say Contemptus a me Romanus favor furor I scorn both Romes favour and Romes fury The worlds Furnace and Musickâ— are much alike to a Beleiver he is blind and deaf nay dead to both The special object of Faith is the Cross of Christ whereby saith the Apostle I am crucified to the world and the world to me Tickle a dead man or lance him it s all one he is sensible of neither As Fabricius the Noble Roman told Pyrrhus who one day tempted him with Gold and the next day sought to terrifie him with Elephants I was not yesterday moved with your money nor to day with your beasts So Basil when first offered preferment and afterward threatened with imprisonment if he would not deny Christ and turn Arrian to this purpose answered the Messenger Such babies of preferment are fit to catch Children with and such bug-bears of bonds and imprisonment may fright your tender Gallants and Courtiers Faith enableth the Christian to mount up to heaven and thereby secures him from the baits and shots the snares and lime-twigs which attend him on earth Homer saith Vlisses caused himself to be bound to the Mast of the Ship and every one of his fellows ears to be stopped with Wax that they might not hearken to the Songs of the Syrens and so be drowned in the Sea Faith fastens the soul to Christ and so ravisheth iâ—s ears with the glad tidings of pardon and peace and eternal life that it is deaf to the worlds musick 1. Faith enableth the soul to overcome the affrightments of the world Faith like blown bladders keepeth the soul from sinking in deep waters It s a Target under which a soul is free from the hurt though not from the smart of evil It s the Ark wherein he rides triumphing when the windows from above are opened and poure down and the floods from beneath are broken up In this strong Tower the soul finds shelter Faith like Ioseph layeth up in a time of plenty against a time of scarcity in a day of prosperityâ— against a day of adversity and so feareth it the less Faith sheweth the Christian a place of refuge in the time of trouble He shall hide thee saith Faith in the secret of his presence i. e. cover thee with the warm wings of his providence he shall keep thee secret in his Pavilion An allusion to Princes retiring rooms which are sacred and secure places for their Favourites Nature teacheth all creatures to run in distress to that which they count their defence The Conies run to the Rocks the Goats to the Hills the Ravenous Beasts to their Deâ—s the Child to his Mothers Armes This grace discovereth to the soul a Rock a Refuge a Fort a Fortress an High Tower which makes him fearless of the worlds threatnings and bugbears The lame and the blind those most shiftless creatures when they had got the strong hold of Sion over their heads scorned the Host of David 2 Sam. 5. 6 7. The Egyptians that dwell in the fens are much troubled with Gnats therefore they sleep in High Towers whither those Insects cannot flye The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous run unto it and are safe Prov. 15. Such a soul is like a strong Tree which no wind can shake or like Mount Sion which cannot be moved Therefore he can sing when unbeleivers quake and tremble Though the Earth be troubled though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the Waters roar and the Mountains shake yet we will not fear The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Psa. 46. 56. and 91. 2 3. Faith is like the Cork in the Net when the Lead wound sink the Net the Cork keeps it above water This Faith is the Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfact entering into that within the vail and so stayeth the Saint against all the winds and waves of affliction Faith or beleif of the resurrection and that happiness which then should be enjoyed was that which enabled Paul to dye daily and to fight with Beasts at Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. 30. In the greatest distress Faith can see deliverance and when it is at the greatest distance salute it as Abraham did Christs day afar off When the weather is cloudy it can see the Heaven begin to clear and notwithstanding his present pain and poverty cause the Christian to rejoyce in his hope of bliss and glory The eye of Faith looking to the recompence of reward seeth afflictions with the Israel of
course will be hindered Indeed as God could preserve our bodies without food or any sustenance by his omnipotent power as he did Moses and Elijah forty days together but he will not where he affordeth ordinary means So he could preserve our souls in life without ordinances but he will not where his providence giveth us opportunity to enjoy them Reader I must say to thee as Iacob to the Patriarchs Behold I have heard that there is Corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us that we may live and not dye Behold thou hast heard there is spiritual food in Heaven the Son of Ioseph hath his granaries full of Corn go thou thither daily by sacred duties that thy soul may live and not dye There is a sensible decay of the strength in Husbandmen whose work is great upon one days abstinence If tradesmen grow careless of their business and neglect their Shops they quickly decay in their estates When Christians grow careless of duties and neglect their Closets t is no wonder that they decline in their spiritual stocks When the Moon hath her open side downward she decreaseth but when her open side is upwards towards Heaven she increaseth in light There is no growing in grace and holiness but by conversing with Heaven Grace like Armour may easily be kept bright if it be daily used but if it hang by the wall it will quickly rust and cost much time and pains to scoure Much fasting takes away the stomach and omission of Closet duties at one time makes a man more backward to them and dead about them another time When a Scholar hath plaid the Truant one day its difficult to bring him to School the next day Fear and Shame both keep him back when he comes thither he is the more untoward about his book Our deceitful hearts after they have discontinued holy exercises and are broken loose are like horses gotten out of their bounds not found or brought back without much trouble When an instrument is daily plaid on it s kept in order but if it be but a while neglected and cast into a corner the strings are apt to break the frets to crack the bridge to flye off and no small trouble and stir is requisite to bring it into order again We read of the Iews daily sacrifice which was Morning and Evening Exod. 29. 38. and 30. 7 8. David was for Morning and Eveningâ— and Noon-tide Psa. 55. 17. Daniel was three times a day upon his knees Dan. 6. 10. In the Morning the Saints were at their devotion which is thought to be the third hour when the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles Act. 2. 15. This is deemed to be our ninth hour The midle or mid day prayer was termed the sixth hour which is our twelfth Ioh. 4. 6. At this time Peter went up to the house top to pray Act. 10. 9. The evening Prayer was at the ninth hour which is our three a clock in the After-noon Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour Act. 3. 1. So Cornelius Act. 10. 30. At the ninth hour I prayed in my house Some think the Primitive Christians had these three hours in such regard and use that thence they were termed Canonical hours David tells us Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psa. 119. 164. The more frequent a Christian is at holy duties supposing he doth not make the commands of God to interfere and neglect his calling and family when his presence is required in them the more thriving he shall be in his spiritual trade The oftener we go to the Fountain or River the more water we bring thence As Runners in a Race do daily diet their bodies and use exercise to keep themselves in breath that they may be more able and active when they run for the wager whereas if they should neglect it they would grow pursie and shortwinded and unlikely to hold out when they run for the Garland So Christians who would hold out to the end and so run as to obtain must be daily feeding and dieting their souls and renewing their strength by these means which God hath appointed As the Sun is the cause of life and groweth in vegetables so is the Son of God the efficient cause of motion and growth in Christians where the Son is present in any soul there is spiritual moâ—ion and growth budding and blossoming and bearing fruit but when the Sun with-holds and with-draws when this Sun departs the soul is at a stand Now Ordinances are the means whereby the Mediatour conveys heat and life and growth to men CHAP. XI Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness Frequent Meditation of the day of judgement A daily Examination of our hearts Avoiding the Occasions and Suppressing the beginnings of Sin SEvently If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness Meditate much upon the day of Iudgement They will prepare themselves best to the battel who always hear the sound of the last trump in their ears Zisea that valiant Captain of the Bohemians commanded his Country-men to flea off his skin when he was dead and to make a Drum of it Which use saith he when ye go to battel and the sound of it will drive away the Hungarians or any of your enemies Could the Christian but with Ierom hear the sound of the last trumpet in his ears at all times it would encourage him in his spiritual warfare and enable him to fight manfully and to cause the enemies of his salvation to flee before him He who can frequently by faith view the Judge sitting on his Throne of Glory hear the last trumpet sounding behold the dead raised the books opened the godly examined by the Covenant of grace all their duties graces services sufferings publiquely declared approved and rewarded the wicked tried by the Law of works all their natural defilements actual transgressions in thought word and deed which ever they were guilty of with their crimson bloody circumstances openly revealed their persons righteously sentenced to the vengeance of the eternal fire and that sentence speedily without the least favour or delay executed on them will surely loath sin as that which brings him certain shame and torment and follow after holiness which will be his undoubted credit and comfort at that day The Apostle writing to the Iews concerning the terror of that day how the Heavens must pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein burnt up makes this use of it Seeing then that all those things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness And again Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for these things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness He had need to be exact in his conversation who must
undergo so strict an examination Well may the time of judgement be called a day for it will declare and manifest the worth of grace and holiness which in the night of this life is not observed Ah who can conceive the value which the vilest wretch on earth will put upon holiness at that day then grace will be grace indeed and godliness will be godliness indeed Then they who mock at Saints for their purity and strictness and look upon Sanctity but as Hypocrisie and the acting of a part to cozen the world with and think it is enough to put God off with a few prayers now and then when their pastimes and lusts will give them leave will call to beleivers as the foolish to the wise Virgins Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out then the graceless Princes and Potentates of the world will throw their Crowns and Diadems at the feet of the meanest Christian for a dram of his grace and holiness The Apostle speaking of that day puts the question Where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Now indeed those that â—coff and deride and scorn at holiness and holy ones may appear before great men in many parts of the world with praise and applause Now they may appear in the Country and be respected of their Drunken Atheistical Brutish Neighbours and probably be the more honoured for their opposition to the Spirit of grace and holiness but then Where will the sinner and ungodly appear Not in Heaven for that is no Stie for Swine no Kennel for Dogs no Gaol for Malefactours no place for such unholy God-provoking persons Into it can in no wise enter that which is defiled or unclean Such a Pallace is not fit for Beasts Snakes and Serpents and Adders are more fit for the bosome and embraces of men then such men for the bosome and embraces of God Heaven cast out wicked Angels and will not take in wicked Men Where shall they then appear Not on Earth for that will be burnt up with fire Their Houses and places must know them no more for ever The earth groaned under their weight whilst it bare them but now is eased of such loads and shall not be pestered with such Plagues again But where shall they appear Not before Christ the Iudge with any comfort for him they have derided buffeted crucified they have rejected his Laws trampled on his blood told him to his face that they will not have him to raign over them But where will they appear Not before the Saints for they have maligned oppressed imprisoned persecuted them as a company of Cheats and Hypocrites O where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1. Consider The holiness of the Iudge He is the holy Iesus He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity Psa. 45. What will the ungodly sinner do when he shall be judged by the holy Saviour Who can stand before this holy God 1 Sam. 60. 20. His eyes are like a flame of fire and so he knoweth the most secret works of darkness His Law is very pure and observeth and condemneth the least spots the least defilement and how will unclean ones endure to be judged for their everlasting lives and deaths by such a Law His throne is a white throne and how will the black sinner do to stand before this white throne Reader Thou hadst need to be a faithful and loyal subject if thou wouldst then be owned and acknowledged by thy Soveraign How exact should he be in his life who must be tried by so holy a Law If thou callest him Father who without respect of persons will judge every man according to his works pass the time of thy sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2. Consider The strictness of his proceedings Every thought word and action shall be revealed examined and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary There is nothing hid that shall not be revealed nor secret that shall not be made known The thoughts of thy heart shall then be as visible as the features of thy face When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 2â— 16. All thy words will then be as audible as if thou hadst had a voice to reach every child of Adam both alive and dead Verily I say unto you that of every idle word ye shall give an account at the day of Christ Mat. 12. 36. Every action of thine will then be legible not onely to God as it is at this day but also to Angels and Men We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account of all things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. All the works of darkness will then be brought to light We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely be present in person and not by a proxy but be laid open and manifest be transparent so the word signifieth to give an account of every thing done c. to render a reason of every individual thought word and deed what was the principle from which we acted what was the rule by which we acted what was the end for which we acted When Benjamins sack was opened the silver cup appeared On that Fair-day all mens packs will be opened and then it will be known what ware they carry about with them Hence some have conjectured that it will not be a short time nor the judgement soon passed over It is called a day but not in relation to our natural or artificial days for Christ judging as man in his humane nature by his divine power will probably employ a far greater time in searching into and publiquely revealing every mans condition and conversation Though I am not of their opinions who say it will be precisely a thousand yearsâ— because it s said A thousand years are in thy sight but as one day Yet I judge it to be taken indefinitely and as Aâ—stin saith That the day of judgement shall begin is certain but when it shall end is uncertain I find two Divines eminent both for grace and learning in their generations speaking One saith I humbly conceive that the day of judgement shall not be passed over in an instant but shall be of long continuance sor if Christ should judge onely as God he could dispatch it in a moment but he judging as man it must be after the manner of men that the creature may understand admire and approve what is done The other saith It must take up some large quantity of time to manifest all the secret sins of men and therefore it may be made evident both from Scripture and reason that the day of Christs kingly office in judging the world shall last happily longer then the day of Christs private administration now in governing the world 3. Consider The weight of the sentence It s called the eternal judgement because the sentence then pronounced shall never be
hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire They know his fury is terrible intolerable none can abide it no sinner can avoid it therefore they hate sin the object of it and flie to Christ who delivereth from it O what a work a gracious sanctifying work doth the knowledge of God make in the soul It makes the understanding to esteem him above all the will to chose him before all the affections to desire him to delight in him more then all the whole man to seek him to serve him to honour and praise him beyond all in Heaven and earth What is the reason that God is so much loved admired and worshipped and glorified in his Church when all the World besides despise him but this In Judah is God known his name is great in Israel Psa. 76. 1. O Reader be confident of this the more thou knowest of the excellencies of God the more thou wilt prize his Son submit to his spirit crucifie the flesh contemn the world fear to offend him study to please him the more holy thou wilt be in all manner of conversation Hence the main work of Christs prophetical office was to reveal God to the world And the Devils great work is to keep men from this knowledge of God knowing that it will tend so exceedingly to their sanctification and holiness and to the overthrow of his interest The Miller mufleth and blindeth his Horse that draweth his Mill and thereby keeps him at his round deceiving him in making him to think he goeth forward The first work of the Philistines was to put out Sampsons eyes and then they made him grind at their Mill and make them sport The Eagle saith Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 10. cap. 20. before he setteth upon the Hart rolleth himself in the Sand and then flyeth at the Staggs head and by fluttering his wings so dustieth his eyes that he can see nothing and then striketh him with his Talons where he listeth Satan darkneth mens understandings and thereby commandeth their wills and affections and destroyeth the whole man If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish whom the God of this world hath blinded their minds lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4 5. When men are spoken in Scripture to be vicious and prophane they are onely said not to know the Lord and there is no knowledge of God in the land Ier 4 22. Hos. 4â— 1. and when God undertakes in his Covenant of Grace to sanctifie and make men holy he is said to put his knowledge in their hearts and his promise is They shall all know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 10. Ier. 31.34 And they that would grow in grace are commanded in order thereunto to grow in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. Ignorance is the mother of all irreligion of all atheism Ephes. 4. 18. They are alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts As Owles sinners may see in the night of this world have some knowledge in worldly affairs but they cannot see in the day are ignorant of spiritual of heavenly things Sin like the pestilence David speaks of walketh in the dark Psa. 91.5 And Satan is the enemy that soweth his tares by night This is one cause why sin is called a work of darkness It is from that darkness which is in mens understandings that they turn their backs upon God and run upon their own eternal ruines It were impossible for the rational creature to be so desperately mad as to play with the wrath of God and slight the love of God to neglect his mercy and despise his justice if they did but know God When Princes go incognitâ—s in a disguise and aâ—e unknown then they are disesteemed Hence they who are obstinately prophane and resolved on wickedness say unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. The hooded Hawk that seeth not the Partridge will never flye after it The Israelites pitched in Mithkah which signifieth sweetness before they removed to Cashmonah which signifieth swiftness They onely who know the sweetness of God will flye to him with swiftness Ignoti nulla cupido He who knoweth the Allsufficiency of God will never turn to the Creature even as the Bee if it did not find honey enough in one flower would never hasten to another Those that are ignorant of God abound in all manner of Atheism and wickedness The Families which know not God will not call on his name There is no truth no mercy but lying and stealing and swearing and killing where there is no knowledge of God Hos. 4. 1 2. 'T is no wonder to see blind men stumble and fall and break their limbs I do not marvail to see ignorant men who know not God to live without him to turn him out of their hearts and houses as if they had no dependance on him or ingagements to him Whence is it that men are regardless of their souls and eternal estates that they dance over the unquenchable lake and are merry and jovial at the very brink of destruction that they despise the God that made them preserveth them bought them and hath them in his hands and at his mercy every moment that they slight his Son his Spirit his Law his Love his wrath his promises of eternal life as if they were things of no value and rather fit to be trampled on then esteemed that they can lye down and sleep and rise up and eat and dâ—ink and follow their sports and pleasures and laugh and sing under the guilt of sin and curse of the Law and infinite wrath of the Lord but their ignorance of God Ah did they but know his holiness his Jealousie his Power his Justice they they would sâ—oner undergo any misery that men could inflict on them then incur his anger or provoke him to jealousie they would never neglect â—is Worship or put him off with a few heartless prayers Ludentes cum Deo ut pueri cum suis puppis as Calvin hath it Playing with him as children with their babies when they come immediately to his presence and pretend to seek his face The holy times under the Gospel wherein the people of God shoâ—ld be of one heaâ—t are spoken of as proceeding from this cause The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as waters cover the sea Isa. 11.9 The perfection of grace and holiness in heaven will be the effect in part of this knowledge of God When we shall see him perfectly we shall be perfectly like him 1 Ioh. 3.2 Reader be perswaded therefore to study this knowledge of God think no labour too much for itâ— pray and read and hear and confer and mourn that thou mayst know God Beleive it it is a jewel that will pay thee well for all
with Mithridates they were so eager after their prey that thereby they missed taking the King who could not otherwise have escaped their hands Ah! how foolish art thou if through thy violent pursuit of a perishing world thou shouldst lose an eternal kingdom As Constantinople was lost through the covetousness of the Citizens so is the crown of life and glory the City that hath a foundation through mens eager endeavours after earthly things The beloved Disciple doth not unfitly represent all the beauties and glories and excellencies of this lower world under the name and notion of the Moon which is ever in changes and never looks upon us twice with the same face and when it is at the fullest is blemished with a dark spot and next door to declining Rev. 12. 1. An old man of Brasil discoursing with the Merchants of France and Portugal and perceiving the long and dangerous voyages which they took to get riches asked them If men did not dye with them as well as in other Countries They told him Yea. He asked them who should possess their riches after their deaths They said their Children if they had any if not their next kindred Now saith the old man I perceive ye are fools for what necessity is there for you to pass the troublesome Seas wherein so many perish and to run so many hazards Is not the earth that brought you up sufficient to bring up your children and kindred also We have children and kindred that are likewise dear to us but when we consider that the earth which nourisheth us is sufficient to nourish them we rest satisfied That busie Bee and great trouble-world Alexander had a tart yet wise reproof from Diogenes when being taken with the Philosophers witty answers he bade him ask what he would and he would give it him The Philosopher desired him to grant him the smallest portiou of immortality Alexander said that is not in my power to give Then saith the Philosopher Why doth Alexander take such pains and make such sâ—ir to conquer the world when he cannot assure himself of one moment to enjoy it Ah! why should thou neglect thy God and Christ and soul and eternal good and tyre and weary thy self night and day for these unsatisfying comforts which may leave thee to morrow and of which thou canst not secure the enjoyment of one moment If God complain of wicked men and threatens them with fierce wrath and fiery indignation for selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes and would make them know that he valued his people at an higher price and would not suffer them to be sold at such a rate What will become of thee if thou shouldst sell thy soul thy salvation thy God thy Christ for silver for vain unsatisfying corruptible silver when their value is above millions of worlds O take heed that thou dost not cast away thy self for such transitory trifles Let not the Worlds venison cause thee to lose thy Fathers blessing T was a poor change of Glaucus to exchange gold for copper but O what a sad exchange wilt thou make to exchange heaven for earth the endless fruition of the blessed God for a moments enjoyment of creatures Thou wouldst condemn that Mariner of folly who seeing a Fish in the water should leap into the Sea to caâ—ch it which together with his life he loseth What a fool art thou for mortal comforts to lose an immortal crown The women of Corinth saith an ancient Father did set up Tapers at the birth of every child with proper names upon each of them and that Taper which lasted longest in burning had its proper name transferred to the Child God himself gives the highest and richest though conceited worldling his name Thou fool this night c. Nabal is his name and folly is with him The plain truth is the world is the ruine and destruction of men Its pleasures and honours make the sinner merry and jolly as the hearb Sardonia the eater who eating dyeth They that will be rich fall into temptations and snares and many hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. The world serveth its darlings as that tyrannous Emperor did his servants let them through a sliding floor into a Chamber â—ull of Roses that being smothered in them they might meet the bitterness of death in sweetness O do not spend thy strength for that which is not bread but hearken to Christ and thou shalt eat that which is good and thy soul shall delight it self in fatness Isa. 55.3,4 Secondly Consider the brevity of thy life He who hath but a little time and a great task must work hard or his work will not be done The Birds know their time and improve it in some Countries the shorter the days are the faster they flye Heathen have been sensible of this Theophrastus cryed out on his dying bed Ars longa vita brevis Time was short and not sufficient for humane arts and sciences Seneca saith of himself Nullus mihi per otium exiit dies partem noctis studiis devovi I lose no day through idleness but even devote part of the night to my studies The very Devils follow their cursed trade with the greater diligence knowing that their time is short Rev. 12. 12. Now Reader Consider how few thy days are What is your life even a vapour a coming and a going a flood and an ebbe and then thou art in the Ocean of eternity I have read of one that being asked What life was was answered answerless for the party of whom the question was demanded onely turned his back and went away We come into the world and take a turn or two about in it and God saith Return ye Children of men A little child may number the days of the oldest man We project high things and lay foundations for an earthly eternity but the longest life is less then a drop to that Ocean Yet alas the most are blown off in the spring and few continue to fall off in Autumn Plutarch compareth Galba Otho and Vitellius in regard of their short reign to Kings in Tragedies which last no longer then the time in which they are represented on the Stage The River Hypanis in Scythia bringeth forth every day little bladders out of which come certain Flies which are bred in the morning fledg'd at noon and dye at night Man cometh up like a flower and is cut down he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Job 14. 2. This short time posteth away with speed How soon do our days vanish Iob tells us that his little time made great haste to be gone My days are swifter then a Weavers shuttle Job 7. 6. The Weavers shuttle is an instrument of very swift motion and so swift that it is used for a Proverb for all things that are swift and speedy Radius Textoris dictum Proverbiale Radio velocius The Latines express it by a beam of the
Conclusion of the Treatise FOurthly Consider the excellency of this Calling As it is said of God in respect of beings Who is like thee O God! Among all the Gods none is to be compared to thee So I may say of godliness in respect of Callings What is like thee O Godliness amongst all callings none is comparable to thee 1. It is the most honourable Calling The Master that thou are bound to is King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Fountain of honour and Lord of glory One of whom the greatest Princes and Potentates of the world hold their Crowns and Scepters to whom they must kneel and do their homage One to whom the whole creation is lesse then nothing The work that thou art imployed in is not servile and mean but high and noble the worship of the great God walking and conversing with his blessed Majesty subduing brutish lusts living above this beggarly earth a conversation in heaven a conflict with and conquest over this dreggy flesh and drossy world and powers of hell to which the greatest battels and victories of the most valiant warriours that ever drew the sword are worse then childrens play To conquer our passions is more then to conquer kingdomes Thâ—mistocles is renowned by Cicero for telling some who disparaged him for his ignorance in playing on the Lute That he knew not how to play on the Lute yet he knew how to take a City To subdue one lust is more then to subdue a thousand Cities Thy fellow servants are the elect of God glorious Angels and Saints who are higher then the Kings of the earth Princes in all lands a crown of glory a royal diadem a chosen generation the excellent of the earth vessels of Gold the Children of the most high of whom the world is not worthy The Priviledges of this calling and company are eminent Adoption remission growth in grace divine love perseverance â—n holiness an eternal kingdom are all contained in the Charter granted to thiâ— Corporation The covenant of grace that hive of sweetness that mine of gold that cabinet of jewels to which all the world is but an heap of dust is their part and portion and contains more in iâ— for their comfort then heaven and earth is able to contain To serve God is one of the fairest flowers in the Saints garland of honour hence the Lords kinsman glorieth in being the Lords servant and the Lords Mother calleth her self his handmaid Iude ver 1. Luk. 1. 38. If the meanest offices about earthly Princes are esteemed honourable what an honour is it to wait on the King of heaven The Saints duty is their preferment and that service which is commanded them a priviledge The great Apostle boasteth of his Chain for God as his glory and credit and holdeth it up as a mark and badge of honour For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain Act. 28. 20. and begins one of his Epistles with this honourary Title Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ Philem. 1. It is not earthly riches that make a man honourable we mistake in calling and counting rich men the best men in the Parish Riches without godliness are but a gold ring in a swines snout for which the brute is nothing the better It is not aiery applause or worldly preferments that will make a man honourable Titles are but like feathers in the hat or glistering scarfes under the armes which adde not the least worth to the man that wears them A great letter makes no more to the sense of the word then a small one Worship Honourâ— Grace Highness Majesty make nothing to the real intrinsick value of any person The ungodly Monarchs of the world are but beasts in Gods account Antiâ—chus Epiphanes whose name signifieth Illustrious whom the Samaritans stiled the Mighty God is called by the Holy Ghost because of his ungodliness a vile person Dan. 11. 21. In his days shall stand up a vile person All honour without holiness is fading as well as fancied rather then real External nobility though it glister in the face of the world is but as Seneca saith vitrea brittle as glass and compounded of earth The Potentates of the world are often like Tennis-balls tossed up on high to fall down low Hence some of the wiser Heathen have called them Ludibria fortunae the scorn of fortune Haman honoured one day the next day hanged Gelimer the Puissant Prince of the Vandals Bellisarius Charles the fifth and Henry the fourth Emperours and many others experienced the brittleness of worldly glory But that honour which is from above is true and eternal Plutarch tells us the Roman nobles as a badge of their nobility wore the picture of the Moon upon their shoes signifying as their nobility did increase so it would decrease All priviledges all prerogatives all titles all dignities without godliness are vanishing shadows T is the new creation that rendreth the children of Abraham like the glorious stars in heaven The world looks on the Saint possibly he is poor and mean in the world as the Jews lookt on Christ As a root out of a dry ground and so saw no form nor comliness in him but they who could pierce into the inside of Christ could see that in him dwelt thee fullness of the godhead bodily and they who can see into the inside of Christians behold the Kings daughter all glorious within As the precious stone Sandastra hath nothing in outward appearance but that which seemeth black bâ—t being broken poureth forth beams like the Sun So the Church of Christ is outwardly black with affliction but inwardly more bright and glorious then the Sun with thriving vertues and celestial graces The power of godliness in a mean Christian is a rich treasure in a mean Cabinet but vice in robes in scarlet is poison in wine the more deadly and dangerous Tamberlain tomb was rifled by the Turks and his bones worn by them for Iewels though their enemy and one that had conquered them in divers combates and captivated their Emperour and carried him up and down in an Iron Cage for his foot-stool God makes his people honourable in the eyes of the wicked Since thou wast precious in my sight thou art honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life The sons of them that afflicted thee shall bow before thee and thine enemies shall lick the dust Isa. 43. 4. A wicked King Iohoram honoreth and waiteth on a Servant of God Elisha Herod reverenceth the Baptist. Grace is a powerful though silent Oratour to perswade all that see it to love and honour it What Diogenes spake of learning is truly applicable to grace or the knowledge of God in Christ It makes young men sober old men happy poor men rich and rich men honourable When Agesilaus was ready to dye he charged his friends that they should not make any picture or statue of him for saith he If I
and smiling but his conscience is red and fiery But the godly mans inside is his best side though his full sacks of joy and delight are not opened till he comes to his Fathers house yet the blessed Jesus gives him as Ioseph the Patriarchs sufficient provision for the way The Law gave the first fruits of the earth to God the Gospel gives the first fruits of Heaven to men which are both an earnest and a taste of their glorious and everlasting harvest All sorrow proceeds from sin As the shadow followeth the body so doth grief follow guilt Lust like rotten flesh or wood will breed worms to gnaw in the sinners bowels Therefore it s no wonder that Nabal Saul and Belshazzar when their lusts flew in their faces dyed or were ready to dye with horror If a godly man sin wilfully and wound his soul it s no wonder if he feel the smart and pain of it When David steps awry and slips with his feet and falls dangerously he may well keep his bed and water his couch and cry out of his aches and broken bones yet the very sorrow of a Saint for sin against his God hath more real joy and delight in it then all the skin-deep pleasures of gigling Gallants Crates could dance and laugh in his thread-bare coat and his wallet at his back which was all his wealth The Saint can rejoyce in his saddest afflictions though he seldom live in Palaces yet he always lives in a Paradice having if he be careful to keep a good conscience a constant youth of joy and perpetual spring as that place they write of under the AEquatour The tears of those that pray saith Austin are sweeter then the joys of the Theatre It s true godliness doth abridge men of sinful pleasures but it s the more pleasant for seperating it self from that which is worse then poison Agesilaus could taste by a natural appetite that such pleasures are more fit for Slaves then Freemen Averroes and the rest of the Arabian Philosophers are ashamed of that sensual and beastly Paradise which their Mahomet provided for them as most unworthy the soul of man and infinitely shoâ—â— of true delight Godliness doth not deny us our natural delights onely rectifie and regulate them lest we should surfeit on them It doâ—h not deny us drink but drunkenness nor meat but gluttony Nature even in things in themselves lawful would run out unlawfully if she were not restrained Grace onely keepeth the reins in its own hands least that skitâ—ish Colt should through its wantonness break its own nâ—ck It is as the Pale to the Garden to preserve the flowers in it from Beasts or as an hedge to a Field to keep what is in it within bounds As Leonidas the Captain perceiving that his Souldiers left their Watch on the City Walls for the Ale-houses commanded that the Ale-houses should be removed to the City walls that they might both enjoy their pleasure and discharge their duties together Godliness alloweth men the comfort of their Relations and Possessions only it so limiteth our delight in them that we may not by them be hindered from working the work of God and minding our eternal salvations Godliness brings more noble and excellent pleasures Others are puddle-water those pleasures which godliness giveth are pure and clear streams such as flow from God himself There is more sweetness in one drop of the Fountain then in all the waters of the Sea There is more joy more comfort in a little communion with God then in the greatest confluence of creature-enjoyments Austin saith How sweet was it to me on a sudden to be without these sweet vanities thou Lord who art the true sweetness didst take them frem me and enter in thy self who art more pleasant then all pleasure and more clear then all light The world as they say of Fairies deprives of true children and puts changelings in their room deprives men of true substantial joy and gives them shadows in the room but godliness on the contrary deprives oft painted poisons and gives them wholsome and real pleasures All the comforts of this world to a person void of grace are but as a sack of perfumes and medicines and cordial drugs to the back of a galled horse which may vex and inrage his sores with their weight but do not ease or abate his pain with their vertue A Saints life notwithstanding his greatest sufferings whilst it is blessed with the smiles of his father is an heaven upon earth but the sinners life notwithstanding his honours and pleasures and riches and relations whilst under the wrath of an infinite God and anguisht with the gripings of a guilty conscience is little less then an earnest and taste of hell Grace is sugar to sweeten all our crosses and sin is vinagar to sower all our comforts The iron seems to embrace the load-stone with great delight and to be rapt with an amorous extasie So as Thales thought it animal and yet that motion is void of the least sense of pleasure The wicked man seems by his smiling face and gigling countenance to be the onely merry man when he is as far from true pleasure as from true piety The least Bee finds more delight in making and tasting a little honey then the great Sun and all his glorious attendants in their high and perputual courses The meanest Christian hath more comfort in making sure his salvation and tasting the sweetness of his Saviour then the Kings of the earth and their Courtiers in their abundance of all earthly comforts The Wiâ—e man tells us concerning the ways of wisdom wherein a Christians daily walk is Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Pro. 3. 17. And the Saints find them so by experience The word of God which is the rule of their work is sweeter to them then the honey and the honey comb and they delight to do the will of God The sinners life is an uncomfortable life beâ—ide those inward gripes and horror which sin causeth in the conscience at present and its end the sting in the tail which is the eternal fire there is trouble and fear and shame and vexation in the very act or commission of many sins To forgive an injury which is one peice of Christianity is pleasant and delightful but to revenge an affront what heats and colds what passions and perturbations doth it cause To love our neighbours and wish their wellfare is a sweet thing a reward in it self it hath meat in its mouth but to envy my neighbour because he is richer or more honourable or hath larger gifts and more friends then my self is as rottenness to the bones it wasteth and consumeth the inward parts as rust eateth out iron according to Solomons phrases A Contented man hath an heaven upon earth all the year with him is spring-time or summer like a child he takes no carking care for food or raiment or houseâ—rent but minds
heavenly things pointing out the Messiah Jesus Christ briefly explained whereunto is added the harmony of the Prophets breathing with one mouth the mystery of his coming and of that redemptâ—on which by his death he was to accomplish By Will. Guild Good company being a collection of various seriouâ— pious meditations by I. Melvin A Religious Treatise upon Simeons song or Instructions how to live holily and dye happilyâ— by T. Woodriff B. D. The Reformation in which is reconciliation with God and his people or a Catechism unvailing the Apostles Creed with Annoâ—ations in which Faith Ordinances and Governments are professed as in the Primitive Times in opposition to all Errors and Hereâ—â—es by W. K. Prospering prophaneness provoking holy conference and Gods attention several Sermons from Mal 3 15 16 17. by Zach. Crofton The Catechism of Hugo Grâ—tius done into English Benedictio Valediction or the Remembrancer of thy friend and thy end being a farewel Sermom Preached at the house of the late Right Honourable Letitia Lady Paget Dâ—wager deceased by her Chaplain Anth. Sadler Ioh. Am. Comenii schola Luduâ— Encuclopaediâ— viva i. e. Ianâ—â— Linguarum praxiâ— Comicae A divine Cordial or the transcendent Priviledge of those that love God and are savingly called A word of comfort for the Church of God The Holy Eucharist or the mystery of the Lords Supper briefly explained A Plea for Alms in a Sermon preached at the Spittle in Easter-week All four by Tho. Watson Poems of divers sorts by Sir Aston Cokain The Protestants Triumph wherein the divinity excellency antiquity and Certaâ—nty of our Religion is asserted against the Papists by Charles Drelingcourt Twelves THe dangerous rule or a Sermon preached at Clonmel in the Province of Munster in Ireland upon Aug. 3. 1657 before the reverend Judges for that circuit by S. L. The womans Glory a Treatise aâ—serting the honour of that Sex by manifesting that Women are capable of the highest improvements by Sam. Toâ—shel The discovery of the most dangeroâ—s dead Faith by Iohn Eatâ—â— M. A. Christ a Christians only Gain by R. Viâ—es A plain Answer to this practical Question What course a Christian may take to haâ—e his heart quickened in the duty of secret prayer By Rich. Mayo late of Kingstone The dying Fathers last living Legacy to his only Son A most excellent Treatise containing The way to seek Heavens Glory To flye Earths Vanity To fear Hells Horror With the Bell-mans Summons A Good day well Improved Death disarmed at the Funeral of Dr. Hill The Balm of Gilâ—â—d for the Wounds of England By Anthony Tuâ—knâ—y The true Evangelical temper wherein Divinity and Ecclesiastical History are interwoven and mixed both to the profit and delight of the Christian Reader on Isa. 11. 6 7 9. by I. Iackson Twentyfours GRoans of the Spirit or a Tryal of the truth of prayer A Handkercheif for Parents wet eyes upon the death of their Children or Friends FINIS Salv. l. 4. De gub dâ—i Tert. Apol. Psalm 39. Ambulare Hebraica phrasi significat câ—rsum vitae instituere 1 John 1. 6. Psa. 119. 1. Est motus progressâ—vus Ambulare in Chrâ—sto duo denotat Prâ—gredi perseverare in doctrina fide Christi Dav. in Col. 2. 6. Est mâ—tus perpetuus Bis de Enoch dicitur Ambulavit cum deo ad explicandum quod ab ineâ—nte aetate profecit in via dei perseveravit profitiendo in eadem semper Câ—jrer Ambulare est vivere Hac loquendi formula admonemur Christianum esse in perpetuo itinere versus caelest in patriam neque unquam esse illi subsistendum in via sed perpetuo ambulandum prâ—grediendum Dav. in Col. Job 39. 18. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Acts 14. 16. Motives 1 T is a sign of hypocrisie to be unrighteous in our dealings Heb. 13. 18. Non est vera religio quae cum templo relinquitur Lactant. 2 Motive The Credâ—t of Râ—ligion is much engâ—ged in our dealings with others Scandalum est dictum aut sactum quo aliusâ— redditur deterior Paraeus in 1 Cor. 8. 9. Quod quasi siccos madesaceret exprimeret humentes because he did advance and wet them well when dry and press them hard when wet Tacit. Iustâ—m precium quod multo amplius erat nec opinanti dedit Aug. de Trin. l. 53. c. 3. Mâ—â—imony Treatise of Thefr Cap. 7. Be religious in the manner of thy selling Tull. de Offic. Quod tibi non vis alterine seceris Sever. Arist. Hist 9. Animal c. 24 Festina Iente Illud adagium arridebat duobus Imperatoribus facile laudatissimis Aug. Tito Eras. Adag Isa. 618 Be righteous in thy words and expressions Tul. de Offic. Vsus frandis in bello gerendo laudabilis in aliis actionibus dâ—test ibilis Machiav Be Courteous in thy dealings Benigniâ—ate adeo praeditus ut quos armis suâ—â—gerat clementia magis vicerit Solin Austin Epist. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comis Affaâ—ilis Humanus ad vitae consuetudinem facilis commâ—dusque Eras. Tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui sapit amica i. e. Qui studet facere ea quae alteri sunt amica grata Comitas alias dicta humanitas affabilitas est virtus in conversatione mediocritatem servans ne quis juste offendatur Praetor p. 2. Theat Eth. Sect. 13. Blunts Voyage Ruth 4. 2. Be meek in thy dealings with men Mansuetudo est virtus quae mediocritatem servat circa iram Golius l. 4. Eth. c. 5. Mansuetudo est virtus quae hominem ita tractabilem facit in communi conversatione ut non praeter aequum bonum exaâ—peretur aliorum ineptiis morositatibus peccatis leâ—ioribus etiam in suam injur amtendent hus Dav. in Col. 3. 12. Ovid Metamor Plutarâ—h Infirmi animâ—i est exiguique voluptas Vltio continuo sic Collâ—ge quod vindicta Nemo magis gaudet quam faemina Juvenal Sat. 6. Noâ—ilâ—ssimum genus vindictae est parâ— ere Contemnere opâ—rtet injurias quas injuriarum umbras dixeâ—im contumelias sive merâ—to mihi acciâ—â—t sive immerito Si merito non est contumelia sed judicium Si immerito illi qui injusta facit non mih. erubesâ—endum est Senec. in Sap. non cad injuria If Injuries be shameful it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that doth the wrong not to him that suffereth the wrong saith Sâ—crates Saeâ—â— dicere solitus sum Etiamsi me Lutherus diabolum vocaret me tamen hoc illi honoris habiturum ut insignem dei servum agnoscam Cael. Bu. Hierom observeth upon Ephes. 4. 32. that the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 freely forgiving your selves Nam quod bene in alium fit magis ei reponitur qui praestitit quam cui datum est (b) Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim Horas Non vivitur inter perfectos bonos sed inter illos qui