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
nourishment Fluxes in the mind as in the outward man are arguments and authors of weakness The milk must be set some time before it will turn into Cream The longer Physick remains within me tâ—e more operative it will be The flame of Davids extraordinary affection to Gods Law was kindled at the hot fire of his constant meditation O how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day His love was hot burning coals He speaks not barely by way of affirmation I love thy law and by way interrogation How love I thy Law but also by way of Admiration O how love I thy Law But his abiding thoughts on it were the warm beams which beating constantly upon him put him into such a violent heat It is my meditation all the day As the Hen by sitting on her eggs some weeks warmeth them and hatcheth young ones so may I by applying savoury subjects home to my soul and brooding some considerable time on them bring forth new affections and new actions Though my affections seem as dead as the Shunamites son by stretching my thoughts thus on them I shall warm and enliven them Many blows drive a nail to the head many thoughts settle a truth on the heart O that I might not onely at some times exchange a few words with the subject of my meditation occasionally as I do with a friend passing by my door but also at set times invite it as Lot did the Angels to stay with me all night being confident it will pay me bountifully as they him for my charges in its entertainment Yet I would not onely have my affections renewed but also my actions reformed by my meditations If I meditate what is good to be done and do not the good meditated on I lose my labour and take much pains to no purpose Cogitation is the sowing of the seed Action is the springing of it up the former is hidden and under ground the latter is visible and many are the better for it If the seed should still lye buried in the earth it is but lost and thrown away t is the springing of it up that causeth the Harvest Meditation is the womb of my actions action is the Midwife of my meditations An evil and imperfect conception if it hath the favour of a birth yet the mind is but delivered of a monster and of that which had better been stifled in the womb then ever seen the light A good and perfect conception if it want strength for its birth perisheth and comes to nothing like Ephraim It playeth the part of an unwise Son and stayeth in the place of the breaking forth of Children Its pity that such conceptions should prove abortive or such beautiful children be still-born Lord thou hast appointed me to meditate seriously on thy statutes and those excellent subjects contained in them I confess my heart is unwilling to this needful and gainful work and apt to be unfaithful in the management of this sacred duty If thou pleasest not to lay thy charge upon it and to use thy power over it it will either wholly omit it or perform it to no purpose Why should it not dwell now upon thee by meditation with whom I hope to dwell for ever What unspeakable joy might I receive in and from thy self could I but get above this earth and flesh O who will bring me into that strong City not made with hands Who will lead me into thy holy hill of Sion by meditation Wilt not thou O God Grant me thy Spirit I beseech thee that my spirit which lives upon thee may be united in thinking of thee and may live wholly to thee O my soul now thou art spending thy self in Wishes set upon the work and turn thy prayers into practice for an example and pattern to others and for thy profit There is one Attribute of thy God to which thou art infinitely indebted and beholden for every moments abode on this side the unquenchable sire even his Patience and long-suffering Ah where hadst thou been at this hour had not that Attribute stood thy friend Let the kindness thou hast received from it encourage thee to a serious consideration of it Old acquaintance and former courtesies may well plead and prevail also with thee to afford it entertainment for some time in thy thoughts What is this Patience of thy God to whiâ—h thou art so much engaged It is his gracious will wherâ—by he beareth long and forbeareth his sinful creatures It is that Attribute whereby he beareth their reproach and forbeareth revenge It is sometimes called slowness to anger Psal. 103. â— He is not easily overcome by the provocations of men but striveth to overcome them by his patience A small matter doth not incense him to anger he is not presently put into a fury and his wrath is not easily heightned into revenge Thou wast a trangressor from the womb for mine name sake I will defer mine anger and refrain for thee that I cut thee not off Isa. 48. 8,9 It is sometimes called long-suffering Exod. 34. 6. He expecteth and waiteth a long time for the repentance of sinners He doth not onely pity our misery which is his mercy and notwithstanding all our wickedness and unworthiness load us with benefits which is his grace but also bear many days many years with our infirmities which is his long-suffering Men are transgressors in the womb before they are able to go they go astray yet after a thousand and thousand affronts from the womb to the tomb he bears with them Forty years long was I grieved with this generation Infants or green wood are fit fuel for the eternal fire yet he forbears rotten Okes and old sinners They owe an infinite debt to Iustice and are liable every moment to the prison of Hell but Patience stoppeth the arrest of destructionâ— Rom. 9.12 This Patience of thy God is amplified by considering 1. How odious sin is to him the evil of sin never obtained a good look from God Thou art of purer eyes then to behold iniquity He seeth all sins with an eye of observation but he seeth no sin with an eye of approbation T is not out of any love to sin that he is so long-suffering towards sinners for sin is the object of his anger and dislike He is angry with sinners every day Sin is the object of his wrath which is anger boyled up to its greatest heat The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighttousness and ungodliness of men Nay it s the object of his hatred which is the highest degree of detestation Hatred is abhorrency heightned to an implacability Bare anger might be appeased wrath might be pacified but hatred is irreconcileable The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity Six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination to him There is an antipathy in his nature against the smallest sin as sin is
my self when any reprove me for the evil in me let me accept it with thanks Make me able to say with that sweet singer of Israel Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent oyl it shall not break my head I Wish that I may by no means repine but always rejoyce at the gifts and graces of others If the other members of the body thrive the heart doth not grieve but is glad at it It s ordinary for younger brothers to boast and glory in the large estate and great possessions which their elder brothers have left them by their Fathers Why should not my soul be joyful at the great share of spiritual riches which the onely wise God hath given some of my brethren If a man love sweet smels the greater degree of them he observeth in any place the moâ—e he is refreshed with them He that delights in Pictures if he see one in a room exactly and exquisitely drawn above all the rest that shall have more of his eye and his heart Is not grace compared to sweet Oynments and shall not I be comforted the more for the greatness of its savour Is not the Image of my God amiable in mine eye and ought I not to delight most in that Copy which is nearest the Original Surely if I envy any their spiritual excellencies I shew my self too like a Child of the Devil There is hardly any worm that gnaweth that unclean spirit more painfully then the grace which God gives his Children Their sins are his utmost joy their graces are his extream greif Would I be found in Satans livery at the last O that I might be so far from murmuring at that double portion of the Spirit which my God bestoweth upon some of his people that I might bless God heartily for it and beg of God to add to it an hundred fold how great soever it is The pretty Birds sing the more merrily the higher the Sun mounteth in the Heavens I have cause to be the more chearful the nearer any ascend to Heaven and the higher they mount in holiness My love to my God to my Brother nay to my self all command me to it My love to my God He that loves his Soverain will rejoyce that he hath any Subjects eminent above others for duty and loyalty They that have much spiritual strength will do my God much spiritual service The more grace they have the more glory they bring to God It s an honour to the Father of Spirits when his Children keep open house according to their estates cloathing the naked feeding the hungry soul and relieving liberally such as are in want I am no Christian if I be not tender of my Gods honour and joyful when that is exalted in the World Besides Love to my brother should quicken me to this duty If I love him as my self I shall both grieve at his soul-losses and rejoyce at his spiritual gains Love delighteth in the welfare of the party loved The hotter the beames of grace are in the party beloved the more they rejoyce the heart of the lover Why should any mans eye be evil towards his Brother because Gods is good to him Have others the less because some have so much Or is it not my own fault that I am not as holy and gracious as he God is a Fountain of grace always running over but he derives it to us according to our capacities If I go to the Well of Salvation and receive but little of the water of life I may know the cause my Vessel was no bigger Nay Love to my self may make me glad at others gifts and graces The greater the Saints estate is the more he will relievâ— others As the Earth though it sucketh in so much water as will give her self a competent refreshment conveyeth many springs through her veins for the cherishing and refreshment of others So the Saints do not onely advantage their own but also others souls Lord though in Hell there be little else but murmuring and repining at the good of thy chosen yet in Heaven there is no emptiness in themselves no envying at others every Saint there hath his joy doubled for anothers joy and is glorified in anothers glory Suffer not thy Servant to make his heart a little Hell by filling it with grief at the good of thy chosen But O make it thy lesser Heaven be thou pleased to dwell in it and then I shall begin the work of eternity in time magnifie and bless thee for thy love to them and praise and bless them for their likeness to thee Finally I Wish that I may so carry my self in all my converses with the Children of God here that I may meet them in the Fathers house and sit down with them at the Supper of the Lamb. Lord if Communion with thy Saints be so pleasant and delightful on earth how pleasant and delightful will it be in Heaven Here my communion with them is imperfect my flesh will not suffer me to receive the good I might from them nor their flesh allow them to do the good they might to me But there shall be no evil no occasion of evil no appearance of evil no sin shall clog the chariots of our souls no flesh shall fetter us from running to embrace and delight in each other but all shall be free to rejoyce and refresh one another Every Saint shall be as it were a fountain of Communion in the sweetest mannerâ— and fullest measure from every one shall flow Riâ—ers of water of life and every one enlarged to rellish and receive If Jonathan beholding a little grace in David on earth loved him as his own soul how doth he love him in Heaven Here our Communion is much lamed by the defects in our bodily organs we cannot impart our minds without our members which being defective make our Communion so but there we shall be as Angels seeing each other without eyes hearing each other without ears and embracing each other without hands Here our Communion is interrupted our particular callings our eating our drinking our sleeping our many occasions call us from it But there is no calling but our general calling of worshipping and enjoying our God no feeding but on the tree of life that groweth in the midst of Paradise no drinking but of the Rivers of Gods own pleasures and no night no sleeping but that rest which remaineth for the people of God O what darkness what night can be there where all the righteous shall shine infinitely brighter then the Sun in his noon day lustâ—e Here our Communion is hindered by the differences that frequently arise â— like Children of the same Father we quarrel and wrangle but there they will all be like-minded having the same love being of one accord and one judgement There indeed Jerusalem is a City compact together and at unity within it self There Pauls desire is granted
him All men are naked and open to him He knoweth every thought word and action of every man as exactly as if he had none but him to mind His knowledge is infinite he knoweth all the sins of all men clearly they are as visible to his eye as if they were written with the brightest sun-beam on the clearest chrystal He knoweth all the sins of men distinctly not in a confused heap or lump but one by one knoweth all the sins of all men every moment All the sins that are that ever were or that ever shall be are continually in his eye and view 5. How he is able to revenge himself every moment David did bear with Joab because the sons of Zerviah were too hard for him He was a tender plant that was scarce rooted and feared to be overturned by their fury but God beareth with sinners though he be Almighty and can do all things He can as easily turn the sinner into hell as tell him of hell he can blow the sinner with his breath into the bottomless pit By the blast of God they perish by the breath of his nostrils they are consumed The most secret sin is within the sight of his countenance and the strongest sinner within the reach of his vengeance This is wonderful indeed he is infinite in patience who is infinite in power The Lord is slow to anger and great in power saith the Prophet Nahum 1. He that can in a moment speak the whole Creation into nothing beareth many years with his rebellious provoking Creatures The Lord looked upon the Egyptians and troubled them It s an easie matter to look especially for him that made the eye A glance of his eye will overthrow the proudest stoutest sinner Men are great in anger who are little in power their hearts are good I should say bad enough speedily to ruine such as offend them but their hands are weak and straitned that we may thank their want of power not their patience for our preservation But God who is all power is all patience he that can spurn the whole world into endless wo more easily then all the men of the world can spurn a foot-ball into the water forbeareth them year after year 6. He doth not onely forbear but also do men good His goodness towards them is positive as well as privative he upholds them in their beings protects them in their goings supports them by his power supplieth them by his providence as well as forbear them by his patience His enemies are hungry he feeds them they are thirsty he gives them drink He gives them that corn and wine and oyl which they bestow on Baal he bestows on them those mercies with which they fight against him he blesseth them with life health strength food raiment sleep reason friends peace liberty riches honours the Gospel Sermons Sabbaths offers of pardon and life whilst they persist in their provocations against him He is at infinite cost and charge night and day in sending provision into the camp of his enemies 7. He woeth us to be reconciled He doth not onely command and enjoyn rebellious man to throw down his weapons of unrighteousness but even prayeth and entreateth him with much importunity to accept of peace and pardon As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God He is earnest and instant by his Ministers by the motions of his spirit by the calls and convictions of conscience that he might perswade miserable men to be happy 2 Cor. 5. 15 20. 2 Chron. 36. 15 Isaiah 65. 2. and 42. 14. I have stretched out my hand all the day long to a rebellious house that have walked in a way that is not good 8. He doth all this without any expectation of advantage to himself He gains not by our holiness neither is he a loser by our wickedness The arrows of sin are always too short to reach him and he is so high that he is far above our highest service our blessings and praises infinite perfection admits of no addition Can a man be profitable to God as he that is wise may be profitable to himself Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect He begs as hard as if it were for his own life but it is wholly for ours He loseth not the least if we be lost he saves nothing by our salvation It s all one to the Sun whether men open their eyes and are refreshed with its light or shut their eyes and behold nothing of its glorious splendour 9. He forbeareth us who is infinitely our Superior It were much for a King to bear with a affronts from a vile Beggar but it s infinitely more for the King of Kings to bear with indignities and treasons and malice and hatred from his vile creatures O the patience of a God! man cannot suffer a disrespect from his fellow but God doth from them that are infinitely his inferiours The Apostles were good men yet upon a little disrespect from some of the same make and mold with themselves they presently call for fire from heaven what patience and goodness is then in God who beareth with such innumerable and notorious affronts from his Slaves and Vassals from them that in comparison of him are much lesse then nothing 10. He warneth before he striketh He threatens that he might not punish and thundereth with his voice that he might not overthrow us with his hand He shoots off his warning peices that he might spare his murthering peices Men that are set upon revenge are silent When Absolon resolved on the destruction of Ammon he spake not a word to him either good or bad but God tells men fully what is intended against them by his justice that it might be prevented by their fitness for mercy That bitterest cup of threatnings hath the sweet of love at the bottom 11. He punisheth temporally that he might spare eternally When he is forced to strike he â—seth the rod that he might not use the ax We are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the world He forceth tears in this world to prevent eternal weeping how many a mans way doth he hedge up with thorns that he might not find the path to eternal death 12. He is thus patient towards men who did not wait at all on Angels The Angels were more noble creatures and able to have done him more and better service then man yet when they sinned he did not wait a moment for their repentance but he stretcheth out his hand all the day long to man He that would not wait upon disloyal Courtiers waits upon rebellious Beggers Consider the causes of it The moving cause is his own gracious nature Men forbear punishing Malefectours sometimes because they are related to them sometimes from hope of advantage by them sometimes because they are afraid of them