by a particular decree of Providence Prepare me Lord and every of those in whose Felicity I more especially take part for all the Calamities and Sorrows thine infinite Wisdom shall think fit to exercise us with this following year and by thy merciful Providence and gracious Conduct cause them to work for Good Furnishing us with suitable strength and wisdom to acquiesce in thy good Pleasure and obey thy Will. Let me follow thee as the Father of the Faithful ' tho I know not whither thou wilt lead me Knowing the wisdom and faithfulness of my Pilot let me therein be satisfied though I know not particularly what course he will steer I thank thee O Heavenly Father that thou hast reserved the knowledg of future Times and Seasons to thy self and hid Events from Men Lest by considering them Certain we should presume in case they are Good or should despairingly afflict our selves by foreseeing the Evil we know to be inevitable Did we certainly foreknow the Good that would befal us we should not Trust in thee to bring it to pass or heartily implore thy Care and Conduct Did we foresee the Evils we shall suffer before they overtake us we should be overwhelmed with diffidence and Despair Many a Mother who rejoiceth at the Birth of a Son would mourn to foresee what a Man what a Son he will prove Such an increase of Knowledg would increase our Sorrow such a Prescience would transport and discompose us by unseasonable Joys and Sorrows born out of Time make us remiss in our Duty to Thee and weaken our Dependance on thine own unerring Wisdom Truth and Power IX The Supposition of dying this Year should be improved the consequence of redeeming Time and providing for Eternity farther prest The Folly of Elder Persons is condemned and checkt from the Example of Children 'T is adviseable to familiarize the Thoughts of Death and to imagine before-hand what Apprehensions of things we shall then have THe longest Life is but a day multiplied and who can certifie or assure me which will be my last He only who was God as well as Man could say Mine Hour is not yet come Is all my Life given me to resolve this Question Whether I shall be in Heaven or Hell for Ever And have I any time to lose and squander away as superfluous have I any more than needs T is no impossible or unreasonable Supposition to make that I may dye this year Let me admit that Thought and imagine my self on a Bed of Sickness wearied with Pain and ready to leave this World the Physicians gone despairing of my recovery my Friends about me weeping and all things in a doleful melancholy Posture suited to such a state feeling within my self the presages of Death expecting the final stroke in an hour or two more What is then the value of sensual Pleasures can I then relish or savour them what then is Honour to me who shall never go abroad more to receive it till carried to my Grave will it then comfort me to have lived in Reputation and Applause if my Heart was not humble under it and the Honour of God promoted by it can Riches and a great Estate support me when I am just packing up for a removal to the other World in that hour will it be any satisfaction to have made a stir and noise for a few years upon Earth to be talkt of for a while longer than other Men are these the things my dying thoughts will be most concerned to reflect on These dignities pleasures and possessions offered to a dying Man would rather upbraid than tempt him they come too late as a Princes Pardon to a Man whose Head is off Die I must and appear before my Judge to answer for all that I have received and done in the Body Fool that I was shall I then too justly say to my self not to have considered this much sooner not to have provided for it at a better rate my Sins stare me in the face my Conscience tells me I am not ready for such a Trial I have lived a stranger to such thoughts as now I cannot refuse and which should have been admitted sooner But if to such a state any hope of Mercy may be granted tho it be unspeakably little yet I cannot promise my self any such warning by sickness The sleeping Virgins were called at Midnight and so may I. Where can I pitch my Tents on Earth to be secure against a sudden remove Lord make these Thoughts effectual to prevent my loss of precious Time which at such a season will be esteemed precious though now it be not O how swift how short is my Time of Trial in order to Eternity how difficult how important a work is it to prepare for an Everlasting State What is all this World how little how meer a nothing to a departing Soul and shall I after such Reflections continue to pursue shadows and please my self with empty dreams when being so near my final Judgment the common wisdom of a Man requires me to mind it in good earnest and be more sollicitous about it than for any thing Temporal O in what manner will Death open my Eyes by shutting the Windows of Sense How shall I then see the nothingness of what is but Temporal and the reality of what is Eternal We sometimes laugh to see the vanity of little Children who are greatly pleased with painted toys and busily imployed about trifles It extorts a smile to see them eager and industrious and mightily concerned in their childish sports to see them fight or weep for little things which we despise to observe with what sollicitude and care they 'l raise a little fabrick which three Moments after they themselves pull down or would otherwise tumble of its own accord We laugh at these but should weep over our selves as the greater and elder Fools who are every whit as silly yea infinitely more so that considering we know the frailty of our present Life and can look beyond the Grave to another World should yet mispend our precious time on things which cannot profit and please our selves with what is so unsuitable to our Age and State and suffer our Passions to work with violence for a thing of nought and our greatest diligence care and zeal to be exercised on things impertinent and vain that are perishing in themselves and can contribute nothing to our Eternal welfare And is it not thus with reference to all that Men toil and labour for with the neglect of an immortal State The voluptuous Sadducee will not refuse the present gratification of his sensual Appetite because he is uncertain of another day Let us eat and drink for to Morrow we dye Should not the same motive quicken my Diligence in a better work and because my Lord may come suddenly as a Thief in the Night immediately prepare to meet him Let me now therefore O my Soul look forward to the end of Life and
that quick succession to one another The supposition of a perpetual night is a dismal gloomy Thought O what will the Everlasting Darkness of the Infernal Prison be The Sun by day enlightens the Earth directs our motion guides our way governs our Travail assists Conversation awakens Industry warms the Earth and Air gives life and vigor and fruitfulness to all things under the Sun and makes the whole Inferior Creation to rejoyce An Emblem of God's universal Goodness who is kind to all his Creatures How admirable is its Lustre how glorious is its Light how loudly doth it proclaim his Power and Wisdom who made this and the other Lights of Heaven his powerful Word and preserves them hitherto by his daily Providence If God be now so glorious contemplated in his works considered in the lustre of the created Sun viewed only through the Windows of Sense how much more glorious will he appear hereafter when we shall see him face to face and nothing interpose btwixt us and his incomparable Light If mine Eyes dazle to look upon the meridian Sun in what inaccessible Light must he dwell who is the Father of Lights If this lower World the common receptacle of his Friends and Enemies have so much of his Glory vouchsafed them by the Heavenly Bodies O what a place will Heaven be where shall be no Sun or Moon nor need of any but the Glory of God shall lighten it and the Lamb be the Light thereof While I thus consider the Sun and the Day I must not think the Night is useless which discovers another part of the Heavens not discernible by Day viz. the Stars and Planets refreshing the Earth cooling the Air giving necessary Rest to the Creatures c. their order motions aspects oppositions influences are all useful and instructive The agreeable mixture of Light and Darkness the regular succession of Day and Night within a few hours are exceeding wonderful and advantagious In other parts of the World where the Sun beams are more direct and its Heat excessive God hath made amends by the length of the night under the Equinoctial Line it is always Twelve hours and in the more Northern parts where the Influence of the Sun is weaker the days are proportionably longer So good is God to all his Creatures in all parts of the world As the Morning and Evening answer to the day of Twenty four hours so doth Spring and Autumn to the Twelve Months of the Year that we may not pass immediately from one extreme to another but gradually be disposed for so great a change as is between Summer and Winter and Winter and Summer So merciful and gracious and infinitely wise is God in all his Works so that we cannot say one part of the Year is more necessary than another The winter is as useful for the good of the Universe as the summer In this we are supplied with what is necessary to maintain us in that and the admirable situation of the Sun most probably in the Center of the World seems much to contribute to it If it had been at a farther distance from us our earth would have been in a manner desolate be cause the influence of the Sun could not have been considerable And if it had been nearer the Stars above would have wanted Light and this Earth under been burnt up The Excellent order which it hath now obeyed for above six Thousand Years is also wonderful The Sun never stood still but once and that by a miracle Tho much inferior to that of its daily Progress What a subject is here to admire the Power Goodness Wisdom and Faithfulness of God Lord what is Man for whom thou dost all this And because I find every year that the Day dies into Night the Summer into Winter and herbs and plants lose their beauty and verdure and shed their blossoms may I not hence learn to consider and prepare for my own approaching Change In prosperity health and ease and life to expect and make provision for trouble sickness pain and Death as every wise man in Summer would do for Winter and work all my might while it is called to day while the Light continues because the Night of darkness is at hand when none can work VIII Of Evils to be expected in this Year the Wisdom and Mercy of God in concealing from us the knowledge of future Events NOt only few and uncertain but Evil likewise are the days of the Years of my Life may every one say with the Patriarch Jacob. A sufficient portion of Evil for every year may well be expected when our Lord tells us there is a certain measure allotted for every day Sufficient to the day is the evil of it Not only is our Life short but troublesome full of vexatious Mixtures We cannot sing a Requiem to our Souls when one great Calamity is past for we know not in this Region of Changes but another a greater may be at hand One Messenger of ill News may succeed and out-do another as it was with Job We come weeping into the World in a most helpless forlorn state and if we escape the dangers of Infancy and the casualties of Childhood and after that out-live the Snares and Follies of Youth We are tost upon the Pikes of Time and Chance and sadden and disquiet our selves with a thousand Griefs and Sorrows by inevitable and unexpected occasions though we increase the number of needless Cares and Fears and Discontents Till at length a sudden stroke arrests us we fetch a groan and die Who can give a Catalogue of the Afflictions and Calamities Perplexities and Disappointments Incumbrances Crosses and evil Accidents of Humane Life By means whereof Millions are disconsolate and sad mourn and complain weep and sigh and from day to day are fed with the Bread of Affliction and the water of Adversity Not to mention mens fluctuating restless Thoughts of Heart importunate Desires baffled Projects defeated Purposes which suppose or bring vexation A good share of these is not to be avoided and yet very few can be particularly foreseen Who could prognosticate a year ago the Mercies or the Evils which have happened since Publick and private personal and relative to the Countries Cities Families and Persons we are concerned for And who can certainly foretel the Events of this ensuing Year God hath intermixt Good and Evil in the Life of Man He hath set Prosperity against Adversity saith Solomon to the end that Man should find nothing after him Eccles 7.14 that he may not know what shall come next whether a Prosperous or a Calamitous Event What a change may be made in a year by the meer Casualty of humane Events by the treachery of Friends or the malice of Enemies or the more immediate Hand of God We know not what shall be on the Morrow much less what a twelve Month may produce Because whatever may be disposed to happen from natural causes or civil counsels may be altered
are intended to direct and assist him in I am perswaded he will thank me for putting him in mind at least of so seasonable an Exercise The greatest part of these Meditations were begun on a New-years day tho some others are thought fit to be inserted as tending to promote the same design But knowing how much easier it is to stir up other Mens Devotion than to command and keep alive my own 't is desired that the most devout Thoughts contained in these Papers may be looked upon as what the Author aims at and would perswade to rather than what he hath already attained as what he knows he ought to be and do and doth seriously endeavour rather than what he is and hath been heartily lamenting wherein he hath been Faulty or defective in such duties as these and the like Reflections do oblige to and enforce upon All who shall read them and therefore much more upon himself That they were Penn'd at several times and in occasional Retirements for Spiritual Exercises will with the difference of the Subjects be a sufficient excuse that some are larger and others shorter and that the Style is in some places more neglected than in others If I may hereby render any Service to the Souls of Men if any secure Sinner any Self deceiving Hypocrite or backsliding Christian be hereby awakened or any serious Believer's Devotion be quickned and advanced I hope God will accept it To his Blessing I humbly recommend it for those Ends. THE CONTENTS THE Introduction which shews from what time the Jews reckoned the Beginning of their Year of the difference between their Sacred and Civil Account The Feast of Trumpets on the first day of the Year its Institution Nature and Design the Traditions and Customs of the Jews respecting that Day pag. 1 Sect. I. Of the changeable State and short Duration of Earthly Things especially of Man how little it is considered and believed how necessary it should be pag. 15 II. Of the Change in Mens Inclinations Opinions and Actions which one year shews How observable it is in Others how much more discernable in our Selves Honour and Reputation c. how uncertainly preserved and how easily blasted p. 21 III. Of the Uncertainty of Living to the Period of another Year The Vanity of this Life The Swiftness of Time and how to be improved p. 28 IV. Of the seeming Difference between so many Years Past and the same number of Years to come p. 34 V. The little Portion of our Time on Earth considered by a Computation of the Life of Man from the number of Years and Hours p. 36 VI. Of the Redemption of Time how precious and valuable a Treasure it is and will be thought to be when 't is too late p. 40 VII Of the Ordinances of Heaven Day and Night Summer and Winter Seed Time and Harvest their order and succession establisht by God is the effect of Infinite Wisdom and Goodness What they may teach us p. 45 VIII Of Evils to be expected in this Year the Wisdom and Mercy of God in concealing from us the knowledge of future Events p. 50 IX The supposition of dying this Year should be improved the consequence of redeeming Time and providing for Eternity farther prest The Folly of Elder Persons is condemned and checkt from the Example of Children 'T is adviseable to familiarize the Thoughts of Death and to imagine before-hand what Apprehensions of things we shall then have p. 54 X. The Brevity of Life considered as the fruit of Sin. There are but three ways of leaving this World as Abel Adam or Enoch A diligent improvement of Time farther prest and the neglect of it bewailed p. 59 XI Of the Expectation of Another Life The Vanity and Misery of Man in his Best Estate if there be none The satisfactory removal of that supposition by the Thoughts of God and of Eternal Felicity in his Blessed Presence p. 63. XII The consideration of the Death of others especially of Relations Friends and Acquaintance how to be improved What instructions we may learn by the fight of a dead Carkass or a Deaths-Head and the usual Motto on it and what by the death of Holy Persons to quicken our desires to be as they p. 70 XIII What Influence the consideration of Eternity would have upon our Hearts and Lives if soundly believed and considered Especially if the supposition of Dying this Year be annexed to it p. 77 XIV How a good Man may improve and encourage himself under the Supposition of dying this Year even in the most uneasy and undesirable Circumstances p. 82 XV. Of dying in a Foreign Country and of dying Young. Considerations proper to Reconcile the Mind to both p. 89 XVI The contemplation of our approaching Change may assist us to mortifie the Lusts of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes and Pride of Life to cure Ambition and promote Contentment p. 96 XVII The same Argument considered farther as disswasive from Worldliness and Earthly mindedness and as proper to confute the vanity of long Projects and great Designs for this World. p. 100 XVIII The consideration of the certain near Approach of an Everlasting State amplified and prest to inforce an Holy Life p. 104 XIX The Punishments of the Damned considered as Intolerable and Everlasting and as unquestionably Certain What the Reflection upon Hell-Torments may and ought to teach us p. 112 XX. The Eternal Blessedness of HEAVEN considered as the Perfection of Holiness to quicken our desires and endeavours after greater Meetness to possess it p. 125 XXI A devout Meditation upon the 73. Psalm 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee p. 140 XXII The Glorious Appearance of Christ to Judgment considered as Certain The Terror and Astonishment Confusion and Despair of Wicked Jews and Christians to behold their Judge and bear his condemning Sentence to EVERLASTING Destruction p. 149 XXIII Meditations of the Glory of Christ in his Glorified Saints and of the thankful Admiration of Believers when He shall come again from Heaven which shall be continued to all Eternity p. 159 XXIV Concerning the Examination of a Man's Heart and Life the Reasonableness Advantages and Necessity of it Some Direction and Advice concerning the Time and Manner That we may know in what Preparedness we are for ETERNITY p. 171 XXV How Christans ought to examine their Decays of Grace and Piety The greatness of their Sin and of their Loss under such a Declension God's Displeasure and departure from them considered to awaken endeavours of Recovery In what manner the Faith of Adherence may be acted by one who hath no Assurance p. 183 XXVI Confession of Sin Humiliation and Repentance must follow upon Self-Examination Advice concerning Repentance of some particular Backsliding The great Perplexity and Distress of a Penitent Sinner represented as a Caution against returning to Folly. p. 196 XXVII The necessity of Christian Resolution to Vpright
but by dying and my Saviour hath dyed for me and he that believes in him shall never see death He lives who was once dead yea he lives for evermore and hath promised that I shall be with him to behold his Glory He hath the Keys of Death and Hell He is the Resurrection and the Life he hath removed the sting of Death and I need not fear a conquered Enemy If I dye this Year I must quit the Company of all my dearest Friends on Earth but I shall go to better Company above and if they are the Friends of Christ we shall shortly meet again and love one another in a better manner than now and never more be parted I may dye this Year my Friends and Enemies may dye too Let me enjoy the one as mortal dying Persons that must e're long leave me or I them and not fear the other who may so soon Perish and quickly be uncapable of doing me or others Mischief I may dye this Year let me not then think much of Temporal Sufferings of any Evils which may so soon be over Oh what would condemned Sinners in the other World give to be able to believe and say so of their Sufferings I may dye this Year and can I wonder that I am sometimes Sick and in Pain and that my Body is out of order Am I not Mortal and dwell in an house of Clay which must shortly moulder into Dust and is it any thing strange that such a crasy Building doth sometime shake and need repair and threaten a dissolution 'T is a greater wonder I am any time well That such a Body compounded of so many little parts and so easily disordered by innumerable accidents should be in Health is hardly less to be admired than that an Instrument of a thousand strings should be kept in Tune I thank thee O Heavenly Father for the many advantages of Sickness to weaken the power of Sin to humble my Pride and cure my Worldliness and Sensuality to reduce me from wandering to empty me of Self-conceit to awaken the consideration of Death and Judgment to impress the Thoughts of the Vanity of this World and the Eternity of the next to assist me to mortifie the Flesh to rule my Passions to exercise Patience and quicken Prayer and try my Faith and Love and excite my diligence to redeem Time and convince me of the Worth and Uncertainty of it and thereby promote my Preparations for my final change The Great Apostle by dying daily had as many victories over this World as he lived Days Oh that I might so far walk by the same Rule as every day to think of providing for my last and in Health to do that which in Sickness I shall wish I had done I may dye this Year It may be by some tedious painful Sickness some troublesome and loathsome Disease But God hath promised his Grace shall be sufficient he will make my Bed in my Sickness and put under his everlasting Arms for my support and not suffer me to be tempted above what I am able he will encrease my Patience and carry me thro' the pangs of Death and the dark valley and when Heart and Flesh fail be the strength of my Heart and my Portion for Ever I may dye this year What if it should be by an hand of Violence if for Righteousness sake in defence of the Truth for a good Cause and a good Conscience and my Peace be made with God and I am accused for doing well or innocent of the Evil which is laid to my charge there is ground enough for encouragement and support Thousands of my Betters have met with the like whose names are precious and renowned Innumerable Christians have dyed by the Sentence of a Judge with more Chearfullness and Joy than others or it may be than they themselves would have done by the sentence of the Physician The Torture of many Diseases is unspeakably more formidable as to the meer Pain and for all else the Righteous Lord who loveth Righteousness will clear my Integrity if it may best subserve his own Great and Holy ends at least he will stand by and help me when all forsake me and if he speak Peace and give inward Consolation who can speak Trouble and his final Judgment which is near at hand will distribute rewards and Punishments to all according to their works Suppose farther that I should want a Sepulcher after Death There is nothing I could better be without If God receive my Soul and will raise my Body at the last day whether it putrifie and consume under ground or above it is no great matter They who are alive will be more concerned in that than I shall be Graves are for the sake of the Living rather than the Dead The Sun the Rain the Air Birds Beasts Worms will all contribute to give me Burial if Men deny it The only difference is that it will be a little longer ere I am buried If my Soul rest in the Bosom of my Saviour and by persevering in the love and practice of the Truth I have secured my Reputation with wise and good Men I need not be sollicitous what become of my Body My Almighty Judge will raise me a glorious Body like his own and reunite it to my Soul As easily as certainly as for any of those whose Bodies were preserved in Caves and Vaults in proud Sepulchers and under stately Monuments I may dye this Year and shall not then have the satisfaction to see my Children or nearest Kindred educated and provided for setled and disposed of But is not the Everliving God the same cannot he as well take care of them when I am gone as now answer all my Prayers after my decease and exercise that Fatherly Care Wisdom and Love which shall dispose of their conditions save them from Temptations and supply all their wants and exceed all my desires in reference to them and fulfill his Covenant promise from Generation to Generation to the Childrens Children of them that fear him O how weak is my Faith that cannot trust God in so common and plain a case Lastly I may dye this Year and not live to see the ruin of the Antichristian Kingdom and Interest and the accomplishment of many Excellent Promises which concern the Rest and Peace and Purity and Glory of the Churches of Christ on earth in the latter days But have I not deserved by my provoking Unbelief Ingratitude and Disobedience to dye in the Wilderness and not behold behold the promised Land or see the Peace of Jerusalem and will not the struglings of Satan to support Babylon infer a dismal night of darkness and distress before the expected Morning of Deliverance so that it may now if ever be truly said Henceforth Blessed are the Dead who dye in the Lord. And if God will take me to himself in the other World I cannot possibly be a loser tho' I should not see the Beginnings of a