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
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.
affections to them Who would esteem much of that flower which flourisheth and looks lovely in the morning but perisheth and is withered at night How little are those things worth which are to day mine and to morrow anothers which make themselves wings and as birds flye away are no sooner in sight but almost as soon out of sight Though all the works and creatures of God are excellent and admirable in their degrees and places yet some are of far more worth then others because of their nearer relation to our spiritual souls and their eternal duration When I look upon honours and applause and respect in the world methinks its worth is little for I can see through that air it is but a breath a blast that quickly passeth away When I look upon houses and lands and silver and gold I may well judge their price low for there is a worm that will eat out and consume the strongest timberd-dwelling and gold and silver are corruptable things Riches are not for ever When I look upon my Wife and Children in whom I have through mercy much comfort and contentment yet their value as natural relations is small for so they shall not be mine for ever and therefore they that have wives are commanded to be as though they had none But when I look upon grace upon godliness upon religion upon the Image of God O of what inâ—â—nite worth and price and value are they because they are lasting they are everlasting they are mine for ever When honours and crowns and robes and scepters are but for a few days when stately pallaces and costly mannors and treasures gold and pearl are but for a short time when the most lovely and loving wives and husbands and sons and daughters and friends are frail and fading The fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever Godliness is the good part that when thy relations and possessions and all the good thing of this life shall be taken from thee shall never be taken from thee Reader what an argument is here to provoke thee to spend and be spent to imploy all thy time and strength and talents to sell all for this pearl when it is of so great price that when all other priviledges excellencies royal or noble births high breedings preferments favours with Great men riches pleasures will onely as brass of leathren money be currant in some Countries in this beggarly earth it will enrich thee and enliven thee refresh and rejoyce thee for ever 11. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which all men even the greatest enemies to it will sooner or later heartily and earnestly wish had been their business We have an usual saying that what one speaketh may be false and light and what two speak may be false and vain and what three speak may be so but what all speak and agree in must have something of truth and weight in it And again we say Vox populi est vox dei The voice of all the people is an oracle Though as Christ said of himself so I may say of Godliness God himself beareth witness of it and his witness is true and it needeth not testimony from man yet as he made use of the testimony of Iohn to convince the Jews of their desperate wickedness and inexcusableness in not submitting to his precepts and accepting him as a Saviour So may I improve the witness of the whole world on the behalf of Godliness to convince thee Reader of thy folly and sinfullness in neglecting it and to shew thee how inexcusable thou wilt be found at the day of Christ if thou dost not presently set upon it and make it thy business It s evident that many men whose hearts are full of opposition to the ways of God and whose lives are a flat contradiction to his Word and Will do yet in their extremity seek him early and cry to him earnestly and flie to Godliness as the only shelter in a storm and safest anchor in a tempest The most prophane and atheistical wretches who have in their works defied God himself and in their words blasphemously derided godly men and godliness when they have been brought low by sickness and entred within the borders of the King of terrours and have some apprehensions upon their spirits that they must go the way of all the earth then as Naturalists observe of the dying Cuckoe they change their note send for godly Ministers godly Christians desire them to pray with them to pray for them hearken diligently to their serious instructions wish with all their hearts and would give their highest honours and richest treasures and imperial diadems and kingdoms if they have any and all they are worth that they had made Godliness their business and promise if God will spare them and lengthen their lives but a few days upon earth that they will have no work no calling no employment no design but how to please God and obey his counsel and submit to his Spirit and follow after holiness and prepare their souls for heaven O then Godliness is godliness indeed and grace is grace indeed Then they call and cry as the foolish Virgins to the wise Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out O give us grace give us godliness in the power of it for all our formal out side lazy serving of God is come to nothing The Serpent that is crooked all her life time when dying stretcheth her self straight As Dionisius on his death when he heard Thales discoursing excellently about the nature and worth of Moral Philosophy Cursed his pastimes and sports and foolish pleasures that had taken him off and diverted him from the study of so worthy a subject So these lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God whose lives are little else then brutish delights in a circle or a diversion from one pleasure to another whose business now is to mock at piety and persecute the pious when they come to be thrown by a disease on their beds and their consciences begin to accuse them for their neglect of Godliness and to convince them of its absolute necessity and they have some fears to be overthroâ—n by death then they curse their hauks and hounds and games and cups and companions and sensual delights that hindered them from making religion their business Experience testifieth this frequently in many parts of the Nation where the consciences of dying sinners are not seared with a red hot iron Some wish this whilst they live either under some great affliction or on a dying bed nay I am perswaded that most wicked men that live under the Gospel in their prosperity even when they have the world at will in the midst of their sensual delights have inward conviction that the course they take will prove cursed in the end and have some velleities or weak desires though overruled by carnal head-strong affections that they could leave those vanities and make religion their business But
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
be charily lookt to or they fade away so Saints if the Spirit of God were not choyce of them and ever watchful over them would perish How lovely are flowers to the eye how pleasant to the taste how soft to the touch what ornaments to an house How amiable are the children of God to those that have eyes to see his image on them how fragrant is the smell of their Spiknard and Calamus and Cassia what a grace are they to any Family or Society Dost thou walk into thy Garden to observe how thy flowers thrive so Jesus Christ goeth into his garden to see how his plants flowrish Thou wilt not allow any weeds or barren flowers in thy Garden and Jesus Christ will not permit such wicked unprofitable ones in his Church Flowers are lovely and beautiful one day and withered and fallen off the stalk the next so man is a comely living creature one day and a deformed corps the next Thus a Saint may make every flower like the Gilly-flower cordial to him If thou walkeâ—t by a River thou mayst change the water there into spirits by meditation How fitly may thy thoughts be raised by that object to the cleansing refreshing properties of the Word of God to the water of life to the Well of salvation to the river whose streams make glad the City of God to the rivers of pleasures at Gods right hand for evermore The same water which being liquid is penetrated with an horse hair will bear the horse himself when hard frozen So those threats and judgements of God which penetrate deep into the tender consciences of the regenerate enter not at all into the hearts of carnal men hardned by custom in sin and hence thou mayst gather the reason whence the sword of the Word that in some divideth the joynts and marrow in others glanceth only or reboundeth not making the least dinâ— or impression upon their frozen adamantine hearts If thou art eating and drinking thou mayst feed thy soul as well as thy body by meditating on the meat that endureth to everlasting life on that flesh which is meat indeed and that blood which is drink indeed Thou mayst think if my outward man need food and without it cannot subsist surely spiritual food is as needful for my inward man and without it that will starve If a famine of bread and water be so dreadful that the tongues of men cleave under it to the roof of their mouths and their countenances become as black as a coal how dreadful is a famine of the Word of the Lord If natural food be so pleasant and savoury to my taste surely spiritual food is sweeter then the honey and the honey comb If all the labour of man be for his belly what labour doth the soul deserve If the ordinances of my God now are so pleasant to me that my soul is even filled as with marrow and fatness and refreshed as with Wine on the Lees well refined what a blessed day will it be when I shall eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven and drink new wine in my Fathers Kingdom O blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. If thou beholdest thy candle thou mayst consider how that light which makes small shew in the day yeilds a glorious lustre in the night not because the Candle hath then more light but because the Air hath then more darkness so that holiness and grace which in a day of prosperity and life seems of small worth and price in a night of adversity and death will be of infinite value Or thus I set up this candle to help and direct me about my business so God sets up the candle of my life and affords me the light of his word for me to work out my salvation not to play by them Or thus this candle is spending it self for my good so I should be willing to spend and be spent for the good of others souls Or this Candle is always consuming and will at last be quite wasted so is my life daily wearing away and ere long will be quite extinguished The great Candles whilst they burn make the greater light but when they go ouâ— leave the greater stench So ungodly men the greater they are the more they shine with glory whilst they live but when they die leave the more stinking savour behind them If thou art putting off thy cloaths thou mayst ponder thy duty to put off the old man which is corrupt according to his deceitful lusts and to put off the works of darkness as also that ere long thou shalt put off thine earthly tabernaâ—le Art thou lying down in thy bed thou mayst think of thy grave wherein thou must shortly lye down and never rise up till the morning of the resurrection Is the night dark thou mayst meditate thence on the darkness of thy mind naturally of the works of darkness of the blackness of darkness for ever Ah! what a dark dungeon is Hell where not the least spark of light appears though so much fire My night will end but sinners evening will find no morning If a bed be so refreshing to my wearied body how refreshing is a Redeemer to a wearied soul How lovingly he inviteth me Come to me all that are weary I will give you rest and how refreshing will tha God! When thou wakest in the morning thou mayst say with the Psalmist When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness or When I awake I am still with thee or rouse thy self up with Awake to righteousness and sin not Awake thou that sleepest arise and call upon thy God When thou art rising thou mayst meditate on the Churches garment of needle work the fine linnen of the Saints righteousness thy putting on the new man created after God in righteousness and true holiness thy putting on that most excellent cloathing which is for warmth for ornament and defence the Lord Iesus Christ. Dost thou look on the glass to dress thy self think of the glass of Gods law how necessary it is daily to look into it for the discovery of thy spiritual spots and filth Dost thou wash thy hands O wash thy heart from wickedness and forget not that great laver of the blood of Jesus Christ. Doth thy stomach call for some food think of thy spiritual appetite and how savoury it will make the dainties of Gods house to thee They did all eat of the same spiritual meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. Art thou to go about buying or selling or worldly bargains take some thoughts of buying that one Pearl of great price which the wise Merchant sold all he had to purchase of buying that gold of grace and fine linnen of the Saints righteousness Mat. 13. 44. Rev. 3. 18. Amongst all thy gains and gettings consider What will it profit a man to gain the
8. 14. And what is the substance of those shadows but that Christians who are a spiritual Priest-hood should every day have their solemn Morning and Evening addresses to God and offer up holy sacrifices acceptable to God in Iesus Christ. Davids purpose was to be early at prayer O God my voice shalt thou hear in the morning in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up And his practice was answerable I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried Psa. 5. 3. and 119. 147. He was up before the day and risen and at work before the Sun Nay he tells God In the morning shall my prayer prevent thee As if he would be at his prayer before God were stirring and going abroad But surely we cannot rise so early but God is awake before us for he that keepeth Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth His eyes are ever waking who holdeth sometimes our eyes waking But David meaneth rather that his prayers should prevent Gods servants his severest or most solacing providences not God himself He would send a Messenger with Petitions or Thanksgivings to God before God should send any Messenger with good or bad tidings to him he would be too early either for crosses or comforts 2. The Promise to secret Prayer And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly God heard Paul in the Dungeon as well as Peter on the House top The Sun of Righteousness looks as well into the narrow Closet Casement as into the large Church Windows Secret prayers are audible to him that made the ear As he bottleth up our secret tears so he registreth our secret prayers Though the Ark was close on every side that every man might not look into it yet it had a Window open to Heaven As the Flowers open themselves in the morning to take in the sweet influences of the Sun so should the Christian open his heart in the morning to receive a blessing from the Father of lights Mary went early in the morning to the Sepulchre of Jesus and had the honour and favour to have the first sight of him after his resurrection Many a Saint hath had a blessed vision of the glorified Saviour in a morning prayer Knowest thou not O man saith Ambrose that thou owest the first fruits of thine heart and voice to God therefore meet the Lord at the Sun rise that the Sun rising may find thee ready It s reported of Cardinal Wolsey that though he was Lord Chancellour and had great and weighty employments yet he would not go abroad any morning before he had heard two Masses I wish the Popish Mattinâ— did not shameâ— the Protestants for their sluggishness and their frequent omissions T is much that some should be so diligent at their blind devotion which comes to nothing and others that have experience how profitable their spiritual trade is so backward to it and careless about it Gods mercies prevent us early and therefore our prayers should prevent him His going forth is prepared as the morning he satisfieth us early with his mercies that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days Hosea 6. 3. Psa. 90. 14. If his mercies are renewed on us every morning our acknowledgements may well be renewed unto him Every favour makes us debtors and all the pay he expects is thanks If any man should every morning send us who have little of our own to live upon very considerable presents we should esteem our selves very uncivil and unworthy if we should not as often return him our service and thanks and sense of his kindness How great and how many are the mercies with which our God loadeth us every morning and are we not sordidly ungrateful if we neglect the acknowledgement of them Our ordinary mercies are of extraordinary merit and deserve hearty thanks The damned could we speak with them would tell us that life a naked abode on this side Hell were an infinite mercy The siâ—k and such as are troubled with continual Aches or tortured with the Stone or Gout or Collick would tell us that health is a great mercy The Blind and Lame and Deaf would tell us that Limbs and Senses are a great mercy The Hungry and Naked and Houseless and Friendless would tell us that Food and Raiment and Habitations and Friends are great mercies Poor Prisoners and such as are vexed with cruel Wars and forced to flie before their enemies will tell us that liberty and peace are great mercies The Saints in Heaven could we speak with them would tell us the Patience of God the Gospel of our Salvation the tenders of Grace are inestimable mercies and do not all these which every morning are notwithstanding our notorious abuse and frequent forfeitures renewed upon us deserve our solemn and sincere thanks every morning The Jews some tell us are bound to say over an hundred Benedictions every day and among the rest these two when they go out in the morning Blessed be he that created the greater light and when they come in at evening Blessed be he that caused darkness David was frequent at this duty I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psa. 34. 1. and 119. 164. It is a Motto say some often repeated in Mercers Chappel Think and Thank Our many wants and necessities command us to be every morning at Heavens Gate for supply We are needy indigent creatures and must get our living wholly by begging all the day long we want forbearing preserving supporting mercy It must be Divine power that must enable us to follow our callings to stir or move about our business that must defend and protect us in our out-goings and incomings and prosper and succeed our undertakings God alone can shield us from spiritual and corporal enemies that can supply us with inward and outward good things and surely such blessings are worth asking They who will have mercies that are not of the growth of their own Country Earth must send thither to Heaven where they are to be had Prayer like the Patriarchs and Solomons good House-wife fetcheth our food from far As the Merchants Ships it supplieth us with commodities of all sorts from forraign Countries No mercies hang on so low a bough as to be pulled to us and gathered by our own armes therefore it behoveth us to beg Give us this day our daily bread Besides our dangers and difficulties every day are many and call us to be early and earnest at this duty Our callings every company all earthly affairs are snares and temptations to us unless they are sanctified by prayer It s not safe to drink of those streams wherein so many poisonous creatures dip their venemous heads unless this Vnicorn hath healed them They who walk abroad without prayer may fear they walk abroad without Gods Protection Oratio matutina clavis diei
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
larger then I intended when I first put pen to paper about it If thy soul receive any profit by it I shall not repent of my pains only beg thy prayers that thou mayst is the desire of Thine and the Churches Servant in the blessed Saviour GEORGE SWINNOCK Reader The Authors absence from the Press hath caused many mistakes in the English Latine and Greek both in the Margin and Body of the Book the most material of those that are in the Body of the Book are corrected to thy hand thy Pen must correct or Candour excuse the rest Vale. ERRATA PAge 3. l. 30. for of the r. and the. p. 7. l. 19. add is unrighteous p. 60. l. 6. for the r. thy p. 64. l. 13. add to the honour p. 116. l. 11. for chattered r. clattered p. 118. l. 2. add of p. 122. l. 24. for detectable r. delectable p. 123. l. 4. r. grace l. 5. for toâ— r. paint p. 125. l 22. r. did not stir p. 130. l. 25. guest r. grief p. 187. l. 13. conversationâ— r conversion p. 195. l. 14. for nor any r. and any p. 232. l. 5. r. indirect p. 227. l. ult For Ieroboam r. Rehoboam p. 286. l. 23. for sweetness r. sweetned p. 462. l. ult for regenerate r. vegetative p. 519. l. 2. adorned r. adored p. 595. l. 10. Haman r. Heman p. 606. l. 3. ends r. friends p. 641. l. 29. for desired r. deserved p. 653. l. 31. r. insperaâ—am p. 656. l 24. for one r. none p. 721. l. 32. For conscience r. confidence p. 748. l. 16. for monstrous r. menstruous p. 769. l. 31. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 816. l. 15. for promises r. premises There is extant of this Reverend Authors these following Treaties The Christian-mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones Business wherein the Nature and Necessity of it is discovered as also the Christian directed how he may perform it in Religious Duties Natural Actions his particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their instruction and Edification The first Part. The second Part Wherein a Christian is directed how to perform his duty in the Relations of Parents Children Husband Wives Masters Servants and in the Condition of Prosperity and Adversity This third Part Diâ—ecting a Christian to perform his duty in his Dealings with all men in the choice of his Companions in Evil Company in good Company in Solitude on a Week-day from morning to night in visiting the sick and on a dying bed with Means Directing and Motives perswading thereunto The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration or a Treatise containing the Nature Necessity Marks and means of Regeneration as also the duty of the Regenerate Heaven and Hell Epitomized or the true Christian characterized The Fading of the Flesh and Flourishing of Faith or one Cast for Eternity with the only way to Tâ—row it Well as also the Gracious Persons incomparable Portion Tâ—e beauty of Magistracy in an Exposition of the 82. Psalm where in set forth the necessity Utility Dignity Duty and Morality of Magistrates 1 TIM 4. 7. But refuse Prophane and old VVives Fables and exercise thy self unto Godliness And Exercise thy self unto Godliness The Preface THe life of Man is not seldom in the Word of God compared to a Walk The womb is the place whence he first in the morning of his age sets out and his actions are the several steps by which he is alwayes hastening to his journeys end the Grave that common Inn of resort The life of a Christian is called a walking in the light a walking in the Law because his motion is regular and his whole race by rule He must have a divine word for all his works and a precept from God for all his practices Scripture is the Compass by which he steereth and the square by which he buildeth Hence he is said to walk with God because he walketh according to his Commands and his example he doth not walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Man 1 Cor. 3. 3. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his measure as God willeth and as God walketh Further the holy life of a Saint is compared to an orderly walking in these two respects First In regard of his gradual proficiency He doth not stand still but gets ground by his steps They go from strength to strength Psa. 84. 4. From faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. He is ever going forward in Heavens way and never thinks of sitting down till he comes to his Fathers House Sometimes indeed he is so straightned that he can onely creep at other times he is inlarged that he can run but at all times he is going on towards perfection The light of his holiness though at first but glimering is always growing and shines brighter and brighter till perfect day Pro. 4. 18. Secondly In regard of his uniforme perseverance It is not taking a step or two in a way which denominateth a man a Walker but a continued motion It is not one or two good Actions but a good conversation which will speak a man to be a right Christian. A true beleiver like the heavenly Orbes is constant and unwearied in his motion and actings An Expositor observeth of Enoch that it s twice said of him He walked with God Gen. 5. 22 and 24. to shew that as he first began to walk and profit in Gods path so he alwayes continued profiting to the end No man is judged healthy by a flushing colour in his face but by a good complexion God esteemeth none holy for a particular carriage but for a general course A sinner in some few acts may be very good Iudas Repenteth Cain Sacrifiseth The Scribes Pray and Fast and yet all were very false In the most deadly diseases there may be some intermissions and some good prognosticks A Saint in some few acts may be very bad Noah is Drunk David defileth his Neighbours Wife And Peter denyeth his best friâ—nd yet these persons were heavens favourites The best Gold must have some grains of allowance Sheep may fall into the mire but Swine love night and day to wallow in it A Christian may stumble nay he may fall but he gets up and walks on in the way of Gods Commandements the bent of his heart is right and the scope of his life is straight and thence he is deemed sincere It is the Character of the Christian to be constant in his gracious course If you would speak with the Tradesman you may meet him in his Shop The Farmers usual walk is in the Fields He that hath business with the Merchant expecteth him in his Counting-house or amongst his Goods And he that looketh for the Christian shall not fayl to finde him with his God Whether he be alone or in company abroad or in his Family buying or selling feeding himself or visiting others he doth all
Reprove seasonably Reprehension is not necessary or convenient at all seasons Admonition is like Physick rather profitable then pleasant Now the best Physick may be thrown away if a fit time of giving it be not observed Some unskilful Physitians have wronged their Patients in administring sutable potions out of season It s a great part of Christian prudence to discern the fittest time of lancing spiritual sores if they be taken when they are ripe the corrupt matter may be all let out and the party be the healthier whilst he liveth but if before they be ripe it will not be so well A fool will always be talking and is ready to burst if he may not have vent but a wise man will keep a word for afterward Prov. 29. He will neither run before an opportunity nor neglect to follow after it many a fair child is spoiled by an untimely birth and good duty prejudiced by an unseasonable performance Sometimes a sudden reproof upon the commission of the sin hath reformed the sinner but this is not always safe When men are rebuked before their Companions their hearts are usually enraged against the Reprover suspecting him to intend their disparagement rather then their amendment Besides when their spirits are hot and their minds drunk with passion they are apter to beat the Christian then to hear his Counsel When a person is in a violent Fever it s not good to give him Physick its safest to stay till the fit be abated or over Abigal would not tell Nabal of his danger till he was sober Some small fish are twicht up with the violence of a sudden pull when the like action would break the line whereon a great one hangs But I would not be understood Reader to encourage thee in the least under pretence of deferring it till a fitter day to omit the duty if there be no probability of a better season nor any hope of doing good after some ejaculations to Heaven for assistance and success take the present opportunity Fabius conquered by delaying but Caesar overcame by expedition Though it s not ordinarily so good to sow Corn when the Wind is high yet the Husbandman will rather do it in such weather then not at all or then to want his harvest As the Bird often flieth away whilst the Fowler still seeks to get nearer and nearer her so doth a season of advantaging our brethrens souls whilst we wait still for a fitter It s thy duty therefore to take hold of the present where thou hast no likelihood of another and to improve the first good opportunity rather then to adventure the loss of all by expecting a better 4. Reprove prudently A Christians wisdom in the matter of his reproof will very much further its working As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear Prov. 25. 12. A wise reprover is a credit to the Reproved It s an honor to be wounded thus by one that is wise Some men would receive blows with more patience if they were given them with more prudence None so likely to find an obedient hearing as they that are wise in reproving the best ear will hardly brook foolish speaking there is a way to make men take down their bitter potions before they are aware The recovering of a fallen sinner is the setting of a bone in joynt which requireth much skill and dexterity Every Mountebank is not fit to undertake this ask First Have respect to the person whom thou reprovest Secondly Have respect to the crime for which thou reprovest First Respect is to be had to the person both as to his condition and his disposition 1. To his condition and quality Though the sins of Superiours may nay must be reproved by those that have a call to it yet not in that bold manner which is allowable to our equals nor without some acknowledgement of that reverence which is due to their Callings and Conditions Rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father 1 Tim. 5. 1. When Daniel was to interpret Nebuchadnezzars dream and to acquaint him with his danger observe with what respectful language he cloatheth his dreadful message Dan. 4. 19 24 27. The Prophets that spake so boldly to their Princes were commanded commissioned by God what to say Though Superiors ought to be reproved yet they ought not to be reviled Paul as I conceive acknowledged his passion when he had spoken irreverently to the high Priest I wist not brethren that he was the High Priest I did not consider as I ought to whom I spake Act. 23. 5. It will not excuse us to give ill words though we receive ill wounds from Magistrates Is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked and to Princes ye are ungodly Job 34. 18. Though this Text doth not silence all from acquainting Kings with their faults muchless justifie any that shall daub them with their flatteries 1 King 18. 18. 2 King 3. 13. yet it proves that Princes must be spoken to respectfully because of their places Superiors may be amended by exhortation equals by friendly admonition inferiors by severe reprehension Secondly Respect is to be had to the disposition of the offendorâ— some in their fainting fits are recovered easily with throwing some cold water in their faces others must be beaten or rubbed very hard Some men are like Briars you may handle them gently without harm but if you grasp them hard they will fetch blood Others as Nettles if dealt with roughly do the less wrong Iude 22 23. And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear Some are like tiled houses that can admit a brand of fire to fall on them and not be burnt yet some again are covered with light dry straw which with the least touch will kindle and flame about your ears By scruing strings moderately we may make good Musick but if too high we break them All the strings of a Viol are not of equal strength nor will endure to be wound up to the same pitch we may sooth a Lion into bondage but sooner hew him in peices then beat him into a chain A difference ought to be observed between party and party an Exhortation will do more with some then a severe Commination with others The sturdy Oak will not be so easily bowed as the Gentle Willow Elisha recovered the dead Child with a kiss but Lazarus was restored to life with a loud strong voice Reproof must be warily given for t is like a Razor whose edge is keen and therefore the sooner rebated It s dangerous to give a medicine stronger then the disease and constitution of the Patient require A gentle fire makes the best distilled waters Respect is to be had also to their faults Wise Physitians will distinguish between a Pimple and a Plague-sore Those that sin of infirmity are to be admonished more mildly then they that sin obstinately
for it is cruel O my soul enter not thou into their secrets mine honour be not thou united unto them for in their anger they seek to destroy souls and in their self-will they dig pits to cause others to fall Because they cannot defile the brethren they defame the brother-hood and disgrace them whom they cannot deceive Let the heat of their lust increase my longing after that place where there is no Judas among thine Apostles no Demas among thy Disciples where all the Society will be of one mouth and mind of one heart and way where all the Companyâ— will joyn in consort and the whole Celestial Qâ—ire tune their strings and raise their voices to the highest pitch in sounding thine excellencies and singing thy praises without sin or ceasing There will be no Tobias to indict thy children of Treason against men for their faithfulness to thee There will be no Ahab to accuse thy best servants as troublers of the state for reproving the Idolatries and enormities of the Church There will be no Balaam trying his hellish tricks to make thy people a prey to their bodily foes and a provocation by their sins to thy Majesty There will be no Tares in that Field no Straw in that Barn no Vessels of dishonour in that House Into it can in no wise enter any thing that defileth or is unclean The Company there will be not tempting me to wickedness or taxing me with preciseness but part of my felicity O what an happy day will it be when all prophane Esaus and scoffing Ishmaels shall be cast out of the House and I shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob and with none but the holy of the Lord in the Kingdom of Heaven Holy Father let the skirt of thy mercy cover all my iniquities and failings in evil company and grant that my carriage amongst such persons whilst I am through thy providence forced to be amongst them may be so pious and gracious that at that great Harvest-day when thou wilt separate the chaff from the good corn and burn it up with unquenchable fire I may be wholly free from their vicious infections and vexatious presence and associate with the Spirits of just men made perfect an innumerable company of Angels the General Assembly and Church of the first born and enjoy them all in and with thy blessed self for ever and ever Amen CHAP. IV. How Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness in good Company With a Good Wish about that Particular HAving dispatched the Christians carriage in evil I proceed to his behaviour in good Company The Communion of Saints is the most desirable and delectable society that the whole creation affordeth God himself is pleased to delight in the Assembles of his people He loveth the gates of Zion where they met together above all the dwellings of Jacob Psa. 87. 2. The evil spirit is for solitariness he walketh in solitary places seeking rest Mat. 12. But God is for society he dwelleth among his children and bestoweth his choicest comforts upon the Congregations of his poor The Father provideth the greatest cheer and maketh the best feast when many of his Children come together to wait upon him though each coming singly is welcome to his Table The Spirit of God fell down in an extraordinary measure upon the Primitive Christians when they were gathered together in one place and with one consent Act. 2. 1 2. Naturalists tell us that strife and quarrelling among the Bees is a sign that the Queen-Bee is about to leave the Hive and be gone It s plain that when the Disciples were scattered every man to his ow◠〈◊〉 the Lord â—â—suâ— wâ—s leaving themâ— but when they were met together with one accord then he came unto them and said Peace be unto you receive ye the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. God cannot affect contentious spirits he would not appear in a blustring wind or in an earth-quak but in a still low voice when the difference between Abraham and Lot was over then God appeared to Abraham Gen. 13. 14. As God delights in the company of his Children Isa 62. 4. Thou shalt be called Hephzibah i.e. my delight is in her so the Saints delight in communion with one another things of like Nature desire to be joyned together Love the consequent of likeness hath an attractive power and covets the presence of the party beloved Balm put into the Bee hives causeth the Bees to come together and others to come to them Grace like fire soders together those that before differed Hence Saints are like Doves they flie in troops to their windows Isa. 60. 8. Though the Pellicane be a melancholly Bird and naturally inclineth to desarts yet when they remove their places they go in companies and the first stay for the last as they flie over the Mountains Isa. 34. 11â— Eph. 2. 14. Though Saints love sometimes to be solitary as having secret business with their God yet they do not forsake the assembling themselves together That verse Psa. 84. 7. which we read they go from strength to strength every one of them in Sion appearing before God Iunius reads it and so it is in the Hebrew They go from Company to Company as they went up to Jerusalem they went in troopes and companies Possibly we translate it strength because much of our safety consisteth in good society He that travails alone is eaâ—ily made a prey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One man is no man Even Counties that have been large have drawn themselves into Associations for mutual and common defence Hebron which was a type of the Church takes its name from Cabar to accompany and thence Chebron or Hebron a pleasant or delectable society The Saints are all One Family One Houshold One Body One Sheep-fold One Brother-hood One Building one Vine-yard one Army one Spouse to shew that oneness which ought to be in affection among them Christ tells us of his Spouse Cant. 6.9 My Dove is one the onely one of her Mother Hence the Primitive Christians though some thousands are said to be of one heart and of one soul of one heart in unity of affection and of one soul in unity of judgement Act. 4. 32. In Tertullians time the Heathen admired the Christians for their love saying Look how the Christians love one another Jerusalem is a City compact together at unity within it self Psa. 122. 3. Babel was confounded by diversity of tongues and the Citizens of Zion are confirmed by being of the same mind and mouth by speaking all the same thing O how many arguments doth the Spirit of God use to perswade them to oneness and unity He tels them they have one Father Rom. 8. 14. One Mother Gal. 4. 26. that they are begotten by the same immortal seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. and nourished by the same milk 1 Pet. 2. 2. He calls them co-workers in the same labours co-heirs of the same life Rom. 16. 3. and 8.
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
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
conscienciousness of my behaviour in secret The lineaments and features of the body are beâ—t discovered in the night when it s stripped naked of those garments which in the day time covered it and were not wholly answerable to the proportion of its several parts The shape and countenance of the soul is much better revealed when it retires from the world and is freed from these objects and businesses which hurried it hither and thither possibly much differing from its own inclination There is no right judging of the Patient by his water till it is setled nor true discovery of the state of a Christian by his heart till it be quiet and composed When men are busie upon the stage of the world surrounded with spectators they put on habitsâ— and act not their own but the parts of others and so are not easily known who or what they are but he that followeth them into the retiring room where they undress themselves may soon discover them The frame and bent of my heart in private to sin or holiness will speak its temper whether good or bad The soul is not at such liberty to vent it self and to manifest its genius and disposition in its outward actions as in its inward motions and meditations External acts may flow from external principles which as a Team of Horse draw the Cart after it by force but internal thoughts ever flow from an internal principle which as the natural and proper off-spring of the mind discover what its parent is The Laws of men the fear of punishment the hope of reward may tye my hands in company but it s nothing but the fear of my God can bind my heart to its good behaviour in secret My thoughts are not liable to an arraignment at any earthy Bar nor my person to any arrest from men â—or any tumult or disorder in them because the Law of the Magistrate can take no cognizance of them they being locked up from all humane eyes in the privy cabinet of my heart Though I am limited in my words not to speak what I will and also in my works not to do what I will by reason of that shame or penalty or ill-will from friends or superiours which dishonest actions and unseemly expressions may bring upon me yet my thoughts in this sense are free I may think what I will notwithstanding any of these considerations Again outward actions both good and bad materially considered are common both to Sinners and Saints What good duties are there but as to the matter of them wicked men may perform them as well as the godly Abstinence from gross sins praying fasting hearing reading almes-giving have been practised by some Hypocrites in a larger measure then by some sincere Christians On the other side There are â—ew sins so great but some of the Children of God have at some time or other been guilty of them Gluttony Drunkenness Fornication Incest Murder c. have been committed by them that were truly sanctified where then lieth the difference between them so much as in their usual and predominant thoughts Once more my God judgeth of my actions by my thoughts and therefore by them I may well judge of my spiritual condition Isa. 10. 7. Gen. 22. 16 17. Lord I have often heard out of thy word Where the treasure is there will the heart be also I know every man will be frequent in thinking of that which he esteems his happiness and treasure The Covetous wretch hugs and embraceth his wealth in his heart and thoughts when it is out of his sight and in other mens hands the Adulterer pleaseth himself in the meditation of his wanton dalliances with his foolish Minion when he hath no opportunity for the execution of his lust the Proud man fancieth himself in a fools Paradise whilst he imagineth multitudes waiting upon him in the Presence Chamber of his crazie brain with their bare heads their bended knees admiring and applauding the worth of his person the vastness of his parts and himself as the only epitome of all perfections O give me that character of thy children to meditate in thy Law day and night Let my thoughts be conversant about those riches that are not liable to rust those pleasures which satisfie a rational soul and that honour which is from God give me to know that my treasure is in Heaven with thy self in thy Son by having my heart and my conversation there also I Wish that when ever I sequester my self from worldly business I might leave all my finful and worldly thoughts behind me There can no work of concernment be done in secret unless these disturbers be absent Should I entertain such guests I forbid Christ my Company Vicious thoughts are his sworn enemies and he will not dwel in the same heart in the same house with them If I desire him to sit upon the throne of my heart I must give him leave to cast down every imagination and to bring every thought to the obedience of himself Places that are full of vermine are not fit for a Princes presence Vain and unnecessary thoughts about lawful objects are strangers though not sworn enemies and will give my best friend distast Though a noble person should come to give me a visit if he should hear me debasing my self to converse needlesly with inconsiderable impertinent fellows I may look that he should passe by without calling in Christ loves not to be entertained in a room full of dust-heaps and cobwebs If vain thoughts lodge within the blessed Jesus will stand without Gold and Clay will not mingle If these mists arise and these clouds interpose they will hinder my sight of the true Sun Besides My works will be answerable to my thoughts if my thoughts be wicked or fruitless so will my actions be My hands are but the Midwife to bring my thoughts the conception of my heart into the world My thoughts are the seed that lyeth in the ground out of sight my works are the crop which is visible to others according to the seed whether good or bad such will the crop be If men be so careful to get the purest the cleanest and the best seed for their fields that their harvest may be the more to their advantage how much doth it concern me that my heart be sown with pure and holy thoughts that my crop may tend both to my credit and comfort Lord there is no good seed but what comes out of thy garner I confess the piercing thorns of vicious thoughts and the fruitless weeds of vain thoughts are all the natural product of my heart O let thy good spirit plow up the fallow ground of my soul and scatter in it such seeds of grace and holiness that my life may be answerable to thy Gospel and at my death I may be translated to thy glory I Wish that I may in solitude when I have no men to discourse with converse with other
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
commission of their sin There are those of the Serpents brood that have been crushed in the egge and others that have stayed longer have been ripe for ruine before they had attained their full age Though the Creditour hath forborn thee five hundred talents yet he hath not forborn some others five hundred pence wrath hath sometimes followed sin so closeâ— that it hath lodged where sin supped Gehezis leprosie and lie were contemporary Absolons life and treason against his Father expired toâ—gether A sudden Thunder-bolt from Heaven hath struck some into Hell without any fore-runner to give warning of it yet thy God hath spared thee 2. He that forbore thee who hast so often offended him did not forbear Angels a moment after they had once offended Behold the severity and goodness of God! towards Angels the highest and noblest house of the creatures severity towards thee goodness He that stated those excellent natures in an irrecoverable condition of wo and misery upon their first fault hath born with and forborn thee after millions of affronts 3. He that spares thee did not spare his own Son The Son of God did no sooner stand in the place of sinners but it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief and to make his soul an offering for sin Though he were free from sin he was a man of sorrows and thou who art little else then sin hast not so much as tasted what such sorrows are Thy God hath forborn thee a monster of rebellion and wickedness when he would not in the least forbear him who was a miracle of obedience and dutifulness Nay he did not spare him that he might spare thee and would not forbear him because he intended to forbear thee Wonder O my soul at this transcendent grace and goodness Is it possible for thee to consider how a sudden Arrow hath shot others dead on thy right and left hand how Angels themselves upon their first breach of the divine law were without any pity or forbearance reserved in chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day Nay how the Son of Gods boundless love who never offended him for becoming onely a surety for others sins was without the least forbâ—arance arrested and forced to pay the utmost farthing and that thou who art a lump of lust a sink of sin an old enemy and traytour against the crown and dignity of the King of Heaven after thousands and millions of provocations against Law and Gospel Light and Love Precepts and Promises art to this day spared Canst thou I say consider all this and not be transported into an high and holy passion of love and admiration at such unparalled patience Thou mayst well say with the holy Apostle In me Jesus Christ hath shewed forth all long-suffering and patience for an example to them that should hereafter believe on him unto life eternal O my soul what dost thou think of these things was ever patience represented in such lively lovely colours Thou mayst now fully satisfie thy self in the reason of thine abode so many years on this side the unquenchable lake Dost thou ask Why was I not cut off from the womb and hurried through the light of this world to blackness of darkness for ever I answer because thy God is patient Dost thou ask Though I was not as a poisonous viper crusht to death as soon as brought forth with the foot of divine wrath for the venome which was in me yet when I put it forth to the injury of others and did spit it in the face of God himself why was I spared I answer because God is patient Thou sinnest often every day every hour in every thought in every word in every deed and he spares as often because He is patient Thou readeâ—t of a season when the patience of the Saints doth especially triumph Here is the faith and patience of the Saints This world is the stage and this life is the time wherein the patience of thy God doth act its part to the amazement of all judicious spectatours Here is the faithfulness and patience of thy God O that I could affect and admire it embrace and entertain it according to its worth O that my heart were filled with its warmth my tongue with its praise and my life with its end O thou that art so much in favour with God and so great a friend to men that thou wert engraven upon the palms of my hands and thy walls were ever before me O that thy noble deeds and what wonders thou hast wrought for the children of men were written for the generations to come that the people yet unborn might praise the Lord When O when shall this patience of my God make a suitable impression upon my spirit I live upon it I live by it I had been a fire-brand of Hell at this moment had it not been for it yet how great a stranger am I to it It goeth with me when I walk abroad it abides with me when I stay at home it followeth me up and down day and night I am beholden to it for my life and all my mercies for my present enjoyments and future expectations yetâ— alas how little am I affected with it I wonder at the patience of some choice Christians that hold their tongues when others revile them and their hands when others assault them and do not wonder at the patience of my God when their injuries are nothing to his either for nature or number and their patience to his far less then the smallest Drop to the Ocean O my soul how wilt thou be able to answer for this sensless stupidity Must the Candles of creatures be gazed at with amazement and thy God alone be neglected Is a beam of the Sun worthy of such admiration and not its glorious body worthy of much more Wilt thou not value a pearl of such infinite price and disesteem all the meekness and forbearance of men in comparison of the patience of thy God O where is thy judgement that thou valâ—est so little such unsearchable riches that thou dost not cry out O the height and depth and length and bredth of the forbearance of God Where are thy affections that they do not cling about it cleave to it close with it delight in its presence and desire its continuance Where is thy heart that it doth not taste its sweetness smell its savour love its gracious Author and meditate on its precious nature and pleasant effects night and day Where are my spiritual senses that they are not conversant about so worthy an object I cannot open mine eyes but I may behold it in every thing that is visible The food and raiment and life and health and strength and liberty that I and others enjoy present the patience of God unto me Every friend I converse with every drunkard and unclean person and atheist yea every man I meet tells me God is patient The Oaths and Curses and
Morning prayer is the key of the day which openeth the treasury of divine bounty and locketh the soul up in safety A Prayerless person goeth all day unarmed and may expect many wounds from that hellish crew that lye always in ambush to destroy him The neglect of this pass gives Satan a great advantage to take the City When Saul had left off calling at Heavens gate the next time you hear of him is knocking at a Witches at the Divels door Prayer is one of the great ordinances that batters down the strong holds of the Devil hence he sets his wits at work to divert men from it It is the Souls armour and Satans terrour he that knoweth how to use this holy spell aright need not fear but he shall fright away the Devil himself The Lord Jesus when he marcht out against the powers of darkness and was to fight with them hand to hand armed himself before-hand with prayer Luk. 3. 21 22. not onely for his own protection but also for a pattern to us Every day we walk in the midst of enemies which are both mighty and crafty and will watch all advantages to undo us and should we go amongst them without prayer we are sure to become their prey It s too late to wish for weapons when we are engaged in a Battel Caesar cashierd that Souldier who had his armour to furbish and make ready when he was called to fight The moral of the Fable is good The Boar was seen whetting his Teeth when no enemy was near to offend him and being asked the reason why he stood sharpening his weapons when none was by to hurt him he answered It will be too late to whet them when I should use them therefore I whet them before danger that I may have them ready in danger Another duty that concernes thee in secret is to read some portion of the Word of God The Work-man must not go abroad without his Tools The Scripture is the Carpenters Rule by which he must square his building the Tradesmans Scales in which he must weigh his commodities The Travellers Staff which helpeth him in his journey There is no acting safely unless we act scripturally Bind it continually upon thy heart and tie it about thy neck When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keep thee when thou wakest it shall talk with thee For the commandement is a lamp and the law is light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6. 21 22 23. The Lawyer hath his Littleton or Cook which he consulteth The Physitian hath his Galen or Hippocrates with which he adviseth The Scholar haâ—h his Aristotle The Souldier his Caesar And the Christian his Bible that Book of Books to which all those Books are but as a course list to a fine cloth and scarce worthy to be wast paper for the Binder to put before this to shelter it This will teach the Lawyer to plead more effectually then Cicero when undertaking the cause of Quintâ—â— Ligarius one of Caesars enemies he did by the power of his Oratory make Caesar his Soveraign to tremble and often to change colour and when he described the Battel of Pharsalia caused him to let his books fall out of his hand as if he had been without spirits and life and forced him against his will to set Ligarius at liberty this will teach him so to plead as to prevail with and overcome God himself This will teach the Physitian to work greater cures then ever AEsculapius wrought to produce more strange and rare effects then the most powerful natural causes The Weapon-salve and most extraordinary cures that ever have been wrought are nothing to the healing a vitiated nature by the spirit and a wounded conscience by the blood of Christ which have been frequently done by the Word of God It hath opened the eyes of the blind abated the dropsie of pride softned the stone in the heart stopped a bloody issue of corruption healed the falling-sickness or back-sliding and raised the dead to life He sendeth his Word and healeth them Psa. 107. 20. The waters issuing out of the Sanctuary are healing waters Ezek. 47. 9. This will teach the Scholar to know more then the greatest Naturalists or then the Delphick Oracle could enable him to though it told him his duty even to know himself It is a Glass clean and clear wherein he may plainly see the spots and dirt and deformity of his heart and life It will teach him to know the only true God and Iesus Christ whom he hath seâ—t whom to know is life eternal This will teach the Souldier how to war a good warfare how to fight the Lords Battails against the Prince of Darkness and all his adherents and over all to be more then a Conquerour There is no Guide no Counsellor no Shield no Treasure among all the Books that ever were written comparable to the Scripture It is reported that a certain Iew should have poisoned Luther but was happily prevented by his Picture which was sent to Luther with this warning from a faithful friend That he should take heed of such a man when he saw him by which Picture he knew the Murtherer and escaped his hands the Word of God discovereth the face of those lusts in their proper colours which lie ready in our callingsâ— in all companies in our goings out and comings in to defile us and which Satan would employ to destroy us By them is thy servant forewarned saith David Psa. 19. 11. By reading and applying it we may know their visage and prevent their venome by the words of thy mouth I have kept my self from the paths of the destroyer Cyprian would let no day pass without reading of Tertullian nor Alexander without reading somewhat in Homer Shall the Christian let a morning pass without an inspection into the Word of Christ As God commanded Moses to come up into the Mount early in the morning with the two Tables in his hand So Reader he commandeth thee to give him a meeting every morning with the two Testaments in thy hand After the refreshment of nature about which I have given thee directions else-where and therefore shall omit it here it will be requisite that thou shouldst call thy family together and worship the blessed God with them Our Relations namely Children and Servants have mercies bestowed on them wants to be supplied dangers to be prevented natures to be sanctified souls to be saved as well as our selves and therefore must not be neglected Some tend and feed the souls in their families on the Lords day and starve them all the week after but herein they are guilty of dishonesty and unfaithfulness They rob God of the service which is due to him from all in their house joyntly They wrong the souls in their families by not allowing them the liberty at least by not calling and causing them to hear the voice and seek the face of God
with others And they injure themselves most by being false to their trust Should they feed the bodies of their Children and Servants on the Lords-days and make no provision for them on the week-days their consciences would flie in their faces and tell them they were inhumane and unnatural and yet they can omit all regard of their immortal souls which are far more worthy of care and tendance without remorse and sorrow I must tell such persons that if Atheism had not the predominancy in their hearts it would not bear such sway in their houses Such men are like Swine with their Pigs as if all their noses were nailed to the trough in which they feed they look not up to the God of their food and of all their comforts Such Children and Servants will in the other world find cause to curse the time that ever they knew such Fathers and Masters Others there are some of whom I hope to be godly though not in this particular that pray in their families every night but omit morning duties As if God were the God of the night and not of the day as the Syrians blasphemously affirmed that he was God of the Hills but not of the Vallies These as Austin speaks of those that woâ—ship the Moon are Atheists by day as they that worship the Sun are Atheists by night The day is thine the night also is thine thou preparest the light and the Sun Psa. 74. 16. Surely though evening Sacrifice ought to be minded yet there is as much if not more reason for morning duties A man at night in his Chamber is like a Souldier in his Garrison subject onely to the unavoidable and more immediate hand of God whereas in the day when he stragleth abroad from his quarters to fetch in his supplies he is then exposed to many unexpected casualties and unthought of accidents Family perils and dangers every day call for family prayers and duties every morning Family favours and kindnesses every night call for family thanks and acknowledgements every day When many are joyned in a Bond they go often together to see the money paid All in a Family joyn in borrowing domestical mercies therefore they must all joyn in paying hearty praises Reader if thou art Governour of a Family Consider that thou canst not faithfully serve God as a Commander unless thou takest care that all the persons under thy power do their duties in their places The Lord of Hosts will never thank that Officer who is careful to sight for him in his own person but suffereth his Company through his carelesness to fall away to the enemy Do not pretend Servants are abroad or scattered here and there about their imployments and are not at leasure but answer 1. Art thou and thy servants contented to go all day without Gods protection and provision Without question thou art most unworthy of them that dost not think them worth asking Surely God may as well say he hath no leasure he hath other employment then to defend and feed and preserve thee as thou that thou hast no leasure to serve him 2. Dost not thou and do not thine squander away more time idly and vainly then need to be taken up in morning duties 3. Do not Children and Servants come together every morning to feed their bodies and why not to feed their souls 4. If any man should make use of thy Goods or Servants of thy Time without leave thou wouldst take it very ill at their hands Thou art Gods and all that thou hast may not God therefore take it unkindly that thou shouldst dispose of thy self and thine affairs without his leave 5. Is it not plain Atheism and horrid disrespect to the blessed God to put thy self or them under thy roof upon worldly imployments without asking his providence and blessing Is it not too plain a speaking that there is no such need of him that thou canst do well enough without him 6. Thou wilt not say that thou and thine have no leasure in the morning to plough or sow or buy and sell oâ— follow earthly affairs and why not leasure as well to serve and worship the Lord His worship is of greater worth of greater weight It is of more necessity it concerns thine endless bliss in the other world It will bring in the greatest profit In the doing of his commands there is great reward Dost thou not believe that he is a better pay-master then the world 7. Art thou able to do any thing in any part of the day without his assistance Dost thou not depend every moment upon him for all thy motions and actions and is he not worth acknowledging 8. Wilt thou sayâ— Thou hast no time no leasure to be saved to escape Hell and to attain Heaven I must tell thee if thou hast no time to serve God he will have no time to save thee 9. Wilt thou stand to this Plea at the day of Christ When God shall ask thee Why thou and thy Family went abroad prayerless and drowned your selves in worldly affairs and were taken and torn by snares and temptations and disowned him and his laws as if they were not worth regarding Dost thou think it will be sufficient then to answer Lord I was a Knight or a Squire and though I had many servants yet they had their several offices and employments and could not spare time to pay that homage they owed to thy Majesty to implore thy mercy and to intreat an interest in the merits of thy son We had other things to look after then thy beautiful Image and the blessed vision of thy face for ever Or suppose thou art of an inferiour rank canst thou imagine it will be a comfortable Plea to say Lord early in the morning my Children and Servants were called to tend my Sâ—op or Flocks or Cattel or set upon some needful business or other that they could have no leasure to mind their inestimable souls or to approach thy glorious Majesty in holy ordinances O blush Reader if thou art guilty of morning omissions and either cast away thy frivolous pretences and set upon the duty or else stand to thy foolish pleas and try whether they will bear weight at the great and terrible day of the Lord Jesus but remember in the mean time that thou hast had one warning more I have written somewhat largely about family duties in the first Part and therefore had intended onely to have saluted them in this place and so to have left them but observing how some families even where governous are judged to fear God are without morning though not without evening sacrifices I dwelt the longer upon it to quicken them to this duty that they might be able to say with Abijah The Lord is our God and we burn incense and offer sacrifice every morning and evening unto him 2 Chron. 13. 10 11. SECT III. SEcondly Spend the greatest part of the day in thy particular calling He that mindeth
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
creatures that nature produceth are some way serviceable to their fellow creatures O that I might never by filling up my life with laziness be a Wen in the face of nature serving no way to profit onely to disfigure it Yet I desire that my diligence in my particular may be regulated by my duty towards my General calling Oyl moderately poured in feeds the Lamp excessively drowns it Alexanders Souldier run so lightly upon the sand that he made no impression with his feet My duty is to give earthly things my hands but my heart onely to the things of heaven Lord It s as well thy pleasure that I should work here as thy promise that I shall rest hereafter Let tâ—y grace be so operative in me that I may never give Satan advantage against me by being negligent or over-diligent in my particular calling Suffer not the interposition of the earth ever to cause an eclipse of holiness in my soul But let thy word so limit me and thy spirit guide me that as one diligent in his business I may come at last to stand before the King of Kings to my eternal comfort I Wish that I may no part of the day be so overcharged with the cares of this life by my particular calling as to expose my self to wickedness by neglecting my spiritual watch If my heart be full of earthly vapours they will fume up into my head and make me drowsie A drunken man is no sooner set in his chair but he is fast asleep Sober and Vigilant are sisters in Scripture 1 Thes. 5. Let us watch and be sober 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober and vigilant The immoderate love of the world will incline me as effectually to spiritual slumbers as immoderate drinking of Wine to bodily If Satan can get me to take this Opium he doubts not but to lock me fast to my bed and to have me at what advantage be pleaseth O how easie is it to destroy a sleeping body to defile a sleepy soul Noah Lot David Solomon walked in their sleep and dreams in strange and sensual paths When the eye of the souls watchfulness is â—hut the soul is open to all dangers and assaults Whilst the Husbandmen sleep the enemy soweth Tares Sisera's head was nailed to the earth whilst he lâ—y snoring on the ground Epaminondas was not more severe then exemplary when he ran the Souldier through with his sword whom he found sleeping upon the Guard as if he intended to bring the two Brothers Sleep and Death to a meeting The Hare therefore say someâ— being liable to many enemies sleepeth with her eyes open to see danger before it surprise her I walk continually in the midst of powerful and politick adversaries The Canaanite is yet in the Land though not Master of the Field yet skulking in Holes and Ambushments watching an opportunity to set upon and destroy me There is not onely an Army of Temptations besieging me without but also many Traytours conspiring within to open the gate of my heart to them that they may enter and undo me My own heart is like Jacob a Supplanter and conspireth to rob me both of the birth-right and the blessing Let me go where I will I tread upon Lime-twigs which the Arch-fowler layeth to intangle and insnare me Saul sent messengers to Davids house to watch him and to slay him Satan sendeth messengers after me in all places where I â—ome to watch me and to sâ—ay me The whole world is as the valâ— of Siddimâ— full of slime-pits and without watchfulness the anointed of the Lord are taken in those pits Gen. 14. 10. Lam. 4. 10. Sin is a slie theif that steals upon the soul to rob it when t is asleep O what need have I of the greatest watchfulness and circumspection imaginable As the eye-lids guard the tender eyes from harm so doth watchfulness preserve the soul from wickedness O my soul canst thou not watch with thy Redeemer one hour when he ever liveth to make intercession for thee T is but the short night of this life that thou art commanded to stand â—entinel ere long thou shalt be called off the guard and freed from that trouble Lord thou art ever watchful over me for good thou never slumberest nor sleepest but thy seven eyes are ever upon me Thou mayst say to me as to thy Vineyard I the Lord do keep it I water it every moment lest any hurt it I keep it night and day O since thou watchest to preserve me let me watch to serve thee Set a watch O Lord before my lips Be thou the Governour of my heart Lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death Let mine enemies never find me nodding lest they leave me dying Thou hast told me Behold I come as a Theif Blesâ—ed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Give me so to wake and watch now that death may bring me a Writ of ease and call me to my endless rest I Wish that I may all the day long be even covetous of my time as knowing it is allowed me not for the service of the flesh but for the service of my God and to dress my soul for Heaven If I be lavish of my time I am the greatest Prodigal in the World If he be a spendthrift that throweth away an hundred pound every day he is a far greater that wasteth half an hour in one day Time is more worth then the revenues of the whole world He that can command millions of treasure cannot command one moment of time The Father of eternity hath the sole disposition of time The value of this commodity is not known to this beggarly world in a day of life Now men study sports and pleasures and company and plays to waste time It lieth as a drug upon their hands and they think themselves beholden to any that will help them to put it off But when the King of terrors with his gastly countenance approacheth them and summons them to a speedy appearance bâ—fore the King of nations to receive their eternal dooms O then their judgements will be quite altered and time will be precious indeed Then they who play away their time and give all to the world or flesh will tell me that time was good for something else then to eat and drink and sleep and trade that it was good to feed an immortal soul in and provide for an eternal estate Then the Rich and Covetous as well as they loved their wealth though it be now dearer to them then their God and Christ and Souls and Heaven will part with all they have for a little time Then the Swaggerers and Gallants of the world who spend twenty hourâ— in Taverns to one hour in the Temple and if it were not for Play-houses and Ale-houses and Whore-houses and Hawks and Hounds and Cards and Dice could not tell what to do with their time who mark all the
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
are unable to flie to their Hives by reason of the weakness of their wings then stir from them or forsake them The Swine are so sensible of their fellows sufferings that if one of the Company be lugd all the rest will after their manner condole it If a Beast be slain and its blood spilt others of that sort will â—hew their love and pity by scraping earth on the blood burying their fellow and solemnizing his funeral with a kind of lamentation Grace doth much more enjoyn me to be sick in others sickness poor in others poverty and to remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being my self also in the body David speaking of his enemies that sought his destruction saith But as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sack-cloth I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosome I behaved my self as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother Psa. 35. 11 to 15. My God hath said To him that is afflicted pity should be shewn Sickness is one of the greatest outward afflictions it renders all the comforts of this life uncomfortable The largest Houses Revenues Honours the most loving Acquaintants Friends Relations are all unsavoury to them that are under great sickness To visit the prosperous and healthy is courtesie but to visit the distressed and sick is charity The sweetest showres should fall on the lower grounds Lord thou art the Father of mercies and art afflicted in all the afflictions of thy Children thy soul is greived for the miseries of Israel How sutable is it for them who expect mercy another day to shew mercy at this day Make me a follower of thee as a dear child to put on bowels of compassion and to be merciful in heart tongue and hand as thou my Father in Heaven art merciful I Wish that as a wise Merchant I may make the use of this price which is put into my hand for the furtherance of my own and my neighbours peace Sickness is a special opportunity wherein I may advantage others souls The most poisonous Viper is at such a season benummed with cold and so may be handled without much danger The strength of the body of sin is much abated at least in regard of act and exercise by the weakness of the natural body They who counted holiness a fancy and holy ones Phanaticks in their health and power will beg hard for purity and desire the Saints prayers in their sickness The waters of those passions which in a Summer of prosperity did overflow their bounds and threatned to over-whelm and over-throw all that was near are frozen up in a Winter of adversity and kept within their banks There are many nicks in time as we see in a Clock which if they hit the work goeth on well The hardened hearts of sinners are often melted when their persons are confined to their warm Chambers As Tinder when dry easily takes fire by the least spark that falls on it so when the souls of ungodly men are made soft by sickness and their thoughts of the evil of sin in the pain it brings on their bodies makes their affections combustible it will be much the easier to kindle the fire of repentance in them Affliction boareth or openeth the ear and then its seasonable to drop some wholsom counsel into it Though a load on the ground be hard to be stirred yet a load on the wheels is easie to be drawn The illness and aches and distempers of sinners bodies do as it were set the work of conversion and minding the good of their souls upon the wheel and therefore such opportunities ought to be diligently improved Sickness is a good time when charity is in season T is a grace to have an opportunity for the service of my God but a greater to improve it The Eastern people do Plow and sow their grounds when the former Rain hath softned it and why should not I endeavour to Plow up the fallow ground of my Neighbours heart and to sow in it the seeds of savoury instructions when it is made tender by sickness Lord thou layest hold of every opportunity to bless me with mercy answerable to my necessities make me both wise to discern time and judgement and faithful to make use of all such seasons to do thee service I Wish that the opportunity I have thereby of doing good to my own soul may move me to be the more careful and consciencious in visiting the sick It is the wise mans speech It is better to go into the house of mourning then to go to the house of feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart It is better as it is most sutable to my present state T is not proper for Pilgrims to spend their time in Pleasure Sorrow is becoming in a valley of tears An house of mourning agrees well with the mourners in Sion This world is a Sea I am a Mariner and Mariners rejoyce in the Haven not in the Tempestuous Ocean This life is a warfare I am a Souldier T is too soon to be joyful whilst I am fighting it will be time enough when all my Enemies are foyld O how harsh is it for a child to be jocond when he is far from home Weeping is good language for them that sit down by the River of Babylon How can I sing the Lords songs in a strange Land Again It is better to go into the house of mourning as it is most profitable to my precious soul. Grace thrives best in a wet soyl By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better The inner man is best when clad in mourning Trees planted by the water-side hang with clusters and bring forth fruit in due season The sick bed is a Pulpit and though there be a wicked man in it he may teach me rare instructions If he be wholly silent his condition Preacheth to me that sin is the greatest evil that the world is a cheat and impostour and that grace is the most desireable created good His dark chamber weeping friends watered couch aking head trembling heart pale lips quivering loyns all call aloud to me to consider of and prepare for such an hour Abel being dead yet speaketh My sick my dead Neighbour speaketh Prepared be to follow me Some have been raised to life by beholding the dead O that I were wise to observe and improve the opportunities which free grace affordeth me for my own and others welfare If I lose a good Market for the furtherance of my outward estate I befool and bewail my self Ah why should I not be as much affected with the loss of opportunities for my inner man Sinners observe their seasons for the gratifying their Loves and the satisfying their lusts The Thief waiteth for the full Purse till the Market is
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
concern thee to watch Consider 1. His Power Your adversary the Devil It is not a weak man but a mighty Devil Thou art not called to wrestle with flesh and blood but Principalities and powers Is man a match for a Devil or a stripling nodding fit to enter the Lists with Goliah What is a Pigmie to a Giant or a a dying creature to the Prince of the powers of the air Had David been asleep when the Lion out of the wood came against him the Lion had sooner tore him by the throat then he had taken the Lion by the beard The cobweb may as soon withstand the broom in the maids hand and the dust oppose the force of a violent wind as a nodding secure Christian the temptations of Satan 2. His Policy Seeking whom he may devour Had our enemy strength without craft there were not so much danger nor cause of vigilancy but when he hath seven heads as well as ten horns and exceeds us in subtilty as much as in power it concerneth us to be watchful He that playeth with a cunning Fencer will heed his wards the more Reader the Devil hath a shrewd guess what Dalilah is most likely to entice thee and deprive thee of thy spiritual strength and if amongst all the uncircumcised there be any that will fit thee thou shalt not want her He hath not walked too and fro in the earth so long for nothing but he knoweth what weeds will take best and thrive most in the soil of thy heart be confident he will help thee both to the seeds and plants of them The subtle serpent that could wind himself into Paradise knoweth surely how to wind himself into thee If he were too crafty for man when he was perfect much more is he for man polluted And can such a strong politick foe be resisted when thou art lazing upon thy bed of security 3. His Industry Your adversary the Devil goeth about He is a diligent servant never from your elbow As Ioseph's Mistris when denied still sollicited and Sampsons Harlot pressed him with continual importunity night and day that his very soul was vexed unto death So the Devil serveth men he will never forsake them but follow them with his darts and assaults till they are safe in heaven from hiâ— or safe in hell with him He is called the Prince of the powers of the air and his Angels spiritual Wickednesses in high places the air is the seat of his Empire and truly as ravenous foul hover up and doâ—n in the air to catch and kill little chickens and though they be frighted away by any one yet they lye near at the catch and the person is no sooner gone but they are descending to destroy them So those infernal spirits are hovering up and down walking too and fro to defile and destroy souls and though they are resisted and foiled yet they impudently continue their former endeavours to undo us Now hath he any time for sleep that is every moment in such danger 4. His Cruelty As a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour The Lions of the Forrest have no pitty Lest he tear my soul like a Lion renting it in peices Psal. 7.2 The Lions brake the bones of Daniels accusers before they came to the bottom of the Den But the Lions of hell have much less pity his tender mercies are cruelties indeed it is not the loss of thy life but of thy soul and thy God and thy Christ and that for ever which he looks after The racking of thy body and renting thy bones is nothing to the flames and whips and torments which he makes men suffer and that not for a day or week or year or age but to all eternity Reader is there not infinite reason for watchfulness Had not the Apostle ground enough for his precept Be sober be vigilant when our adversary is so strong a Devil so sedulous going about so cruel as a roaring Lion and so crafty seeking by all means whom he may devour Yet alas this is not all Go where we will we see abundant cause to look well to our feet Every place we come into is a net to ensnare us we cannot look out of our eyes but we see a baited hook nor open our ears but we hear the Syrens songs we cannot put forth our hands but we touch pitch nor set our feet but in the midst of nets every part of the body is a Iudas a Traytor to the soul. Our crosses and afflictions if we be secure will be to us as the Goal to a prisoner filling us with Vermine Our greatest earthly comforts if we be not watchful prove but like traps set for vermine pleasant and killing When the world sings most sweetly in our ears she doth but like Orpheus with his pipe endeavour to lead us by the ears into unquenchable flames Theives with provender in their hands catch horses to steal them The world allures our hearts by its pleasures and profits and steals them from God Our own hearts are Iacobs Supplanters of us deceitful and desperately wicked As the water-foul in Friezland will decoy other wilde foul in a net and then give a watchword to their Master to seise on them so officious will our own hearts be to the Devil And shall we not watch and pray that we enter not into temptation Sleep is the great Leveller which makes all equal The strongest Sampson is as liable in his sleep to be slain as the smallest infant When a deep sleep from the Lord had seised on Saul and his Souldiers how easily might David if he had pleased have killed them He took away Sauls Spear and Cruse of Water to assure him that he could have taken away his life Ah! how soon may the Devil or World or Flesh defile deceive and destroy a sleeping soul Bees that have many enemies Mice Spiders Drones Hornets Birds and Beasts never dare say Naturalists to give themselves to security but night and day have their Scouts and Centinels and Corp-du-guard to keep watch and ward lest some of their many enemies should on a sudden surprise them The Christian may learn this duty from such creatures Spiders weave their Cobwebs near the Flowers where the Bees use to gather and also just over the passage out of their Hives that so at their going out but especially at their comming in laden and weary they may catch them and make a prey of them David saith In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me So mayst thou Reader say In the way wherein I daily walk doth Satan privily lay Baits to catch me at my Table in my Closet in my Shop in my Bed in the Streets in all places where I go he hath laid snares for my soul. If there be a snare and such danger in all things then let me advise thee if thou woulst avoid them in the words of Paul to Timothy Watch thou in all things 2 Timoth. 4. 5.
in the everlasting Covenant wherein is set forth the Nature Conditions and Excellencies of it and how a sinner should do to enter into it and the danger of refusing this Covenant Reâ—ation Also the Treasures of Grace Blessings Comforts Promises and Priviledges that are comprised in the covenant of Gods free and rich mercy made in Jesus Christ with Beleivers By Obadiaâ— Sedgwick B. D. The Parly of Beasts or Morphandra Queen of the inchanted Island with Reflexes upon the present state of most Countries in Christendom By Iames Howel Esq The dead Saint speaking to Saints and Sinners livingâ— in several Treatises viz. The fulness and greatest evil that is in sin on 2 Sam. 24. 10. The love of Christ to his Spouse on Cant. 4. 9. Nature and Royalties of Faith on Iohn 1. 15. The slowness of heart to believe on Iohn 1. 50. The causes signs and cure of Hypocrisie with motives and helps to sincerity on Isa. 58â— 2. The wonderful workings of God for his Church and his people on Exod. 15â— 11. Never before published By Boltâ—â—â— D D. Quarto's AN Expositâ—on upon the nineteen last Chapters of Ezekiel By Will. Gâ—eenhil An Exposition on the first eighteen verses of Iohn By I. Arrowsmith An exposition on the book of Canticles By R. Robotham A Treatise shâ—wing the right ordering of the Bee By Sam. Purchas An Exposition on the 15 16 17. Chap. of Iob By I. Caryll An Exhortation from the Churches of Bohemia to the Church of England By Iohn Amos Comenius The Plain Doctrine of the Justification of a sinner in the sight of God justified by the God of truth in his holy Word and the Cloud of Witneâ—â—es in all ages By Charles Chauncy of New England The whole Tryal of the Marquiss of Arguile An Exposition upon the 4. Chap. of the 2. Epist. to the Corâ—nthians By R. Sâ—bbs Comfortable Sermons on Psalm 24â— Preached before the Lady Elizabeth her Grace By Daniel Dyke B. D. God save the King in a Sermon preached the day after his Majesty came into Londonâ— by Anth. Walker Preacher of the Gospel An Antidote against Anabaptism wherein the baptizing Infants taking Tythes c are fâ—lly vindicated by Aylmor Haughton The Conversation as heavenly and as natural in two Treatises by D. Stoughton Jesus Christ the mystical or Gospel Sun sometimes seemingly Eclipsed yet never going gown from his people opened in a Sermon at Pauls Church before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor Aldermenâ— c. March 28. 1652. the day before the lâ—â—e Solar Eclipse by Fulk Beller M. A. A Sermon Preached before the Honourable House of Commons at their late Monethly Fast being on Wednesday Iune 30. 1647. by Nath. Ward A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England agreed upon consented unto by their Elders Messengers in their meeting at the Savoy Oct. 12. 1658. Mesolabium Architectonicum that is a most rare and singular Instrument for the easie speedy and most certain measuring of Plaâ—ns and Solids by the foot invented long since by Mr. Tho. Bedwel Esq A Changlâ—ng no company for lovers of Loyalty or the Subjects Lesson in point of sacred submission to and humble compliance with God and the King The beauty of Magistracy in an Expositioo of the 82. Psalm where is set forth the Necessity Utility Dignity Duty and Morâ—lity of Magistrates by the labours of Tho Hall B. D. and Pastor of Kings Norton and George Swinock M. A. and Pastor of Great Kimbel Large Octavo's FOur profitable Treatises very useful for Christian practice viz. The killing power of the Law the spirâ—tual watch the New Birth of the Sabbath by the reverenâ— Fenneâ—â— late Minister of Rotchford in Essex Enchirid on Iudlâ—um or Iehoshaphats charge to his Judges together with the Catastrophe Magnatum or King Davids lamentâ—tâ—on at Prince Abners Incinerationâ— by Iames Livesey Minister of the Gospel at Atherton The greatest loss upon Mat. 15 26 by the same â—uthor Meditations Divine and Moral by Henry Tabb M. A. The Psalms of K. Davâ—d translated by K. Iames. Willâ—ul impenitency the greatest Self-murther by that able faithful and laborious Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. W. Fenner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Almost Christian discovered or the False professor tryed and cast by Matthew Mead. Spiritual Wisdom improved against Temptation by the same Author Pharonnida an Heroick Poem by VVill. Chamberlain The good old way of Perkins improved in a plain Exposition of Perkins Catechism by C. Broxholme A Treatise of Self-denial with the Necessity and Excellency of it by Thâ—â—philuâ— Polwheele The Hippocrâ—tes Ladder by John Sheffield The Christian compleatly armed by R. Robinson A practical discourse of prayer wherein is handled the nature and duty of prayer by T. Câ—bbet The Righteoâ—s mans tower by Ier. Dike Mount Ebal levelled or a redemption from the â—urse by El. Wales with Mr. Calamies Epistle Tentations their nature danger cure to which is added his Remains by R. Capel A Wedding-Ring fit for the finger â—ogether with the Non-such Professor by W. Secker The History of the Turkish Wars in Hungary Transilvania Austria Silesia and other Provinces of the German Empire from the first invasion of Amurath the second Anno. 1432. to this present year 1664. to which is prefixed a shorâ— discourse of the state and government of the said Provinces The spiritual taste described and a glimpse of Christ discovered in two parts grounded on Psalm 34. 8. and Mal. 4. 2. by Râ—b Dingley M. A. Small Octavo's CAtechizing Gods Ordinance in sundry Sermons by Mr. Zach. Crosâ—on A bridle for the tongue or a â—â—eatise of ten sins of the tongue viz. Cursing Swearing Slandering Scoffing Filthy Speaking Flattering Censuring Murmuring Lying and Boasting on Iam. â— 26. by W. Gearing The Pastor and the Clerk or a debate real concerning Infant Baptism by Iohn Ellis Habakkâ—k's prayer applied to the Churches present occasions on Hab. 3. 2. and Christs counsel to the Church of Philadelphia on Rev. 3. 11. by Sam. Balmford The Rudiments of Grammar The Rules composed in English verse for the great benefit and delight of young beginners by Iames Shirley The Ladies Dispensatory containing the Natures Vertues and Qualities of Herbs and Simples useful in Physick reduced into a methodical order for their more ready use in any sickness or other accident of the body The godly mans Ark in the day of his distress discovered in divers Sermons the first of which was preached at the Funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Moor. Whereunto is annexed Mrs. Elizabeth Moors Evidences for Heaven composed and collected by her in the time of her health â—or her comfort in the â—ime of sickness by E. Calamy B. D. The Gale of Opportunity and the beloved Disciple by Thomas Froysal Sion in the house of mourning because of sin and suffering being an Exposition on the 5. Chap. of the Lamentations by D. S. Moses unvailed or those figures which served unto the pattern and shadow of
days in the Kalender of their lives for Festivals and make them all Play-days as if there were never a working day among them that are as busie and tedious in dressing their worm-eaten bodies as Children in dressing Babies and are more troubled at the smallest disorder in their hairs then the greatest disorder in Church and State would give up all and much more if they had it for a little time Then the Nobles and Kings and Emperours of the world will disesteem their honours and height and trample upon their Robes and Scepters and â—rowns for a little time Then they who dally with their days of grace and delay the preparation of their souls for death and judgement as if time were at their command and they could force it to attend their leasure that live as if Death were their servant and must wait on them till they thought fit to come to their graves will find that time was time indeed O my soul of what worth will time be at that day and wilt thou waâ—te it at this day Alas how little is that time which thou hast to improve for thine unchangeable estate My life is but a shadow that is gone when the Sun hides his head A Bubble that vanisheth when a small breath of wind appeareth A day that is soon overtaken by a night a span nothing Thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth mine age is nothing unto thee Wert thou able to secure a long life though thou hâ—sâ— work enough of infinite weight to imploy it all yet thou mightest have more colour of reason for being lavish but when thy time is little and thy business of such consequence what unspeakable madness is it to be wasteful of it He that hath thousands of acres of Land will spare some for a Park some for a bowling-green some for a court-yard some for pleasure and pastimes but he that hath but a little land upon which himself and his family must live and by which they must be maintained can spare none at all for vain pleasures but must improve all to real profit Man that is born of a woman is but of few days He comes up as a Flower fleeth as a shadow and continueth not and wilt thou O my soul revel and riot away this poor pittance in which thou shouldst work out thy salvation O that I could value this jewel in some measure answerable to its worth and do the work of the day in the day allotted me for work Time rightly husbanded is acceptable time a day well imployed is a day of salvation Lord though my journey be great my time is little Nay how much of that little time have I lost A considerable part of it hath been taken up with my Infancy and Child-hood wherein I did little above a Beast My youth hath been squandred away in trifles and vanity and too much of it in lust and iniquity Much of what remains if thou shouldst add a few more days to my life must be spent in eating and drinking and sleeping and necessary natural actions and shall I not redeem it to my power for the service of my Saviour O affect my soul throughly how Eternity rides upon the back of time that I may prize time highly redeem it carefully and improve it so faithfully that eternity may be my friend and when time shall have an end I may enjoy that joy which hath no end I Wish that I may every day so cast up my accounts that I maybe always ready for the great Audit-day Wise Stewards do not write down great sums in gross which they have disbursed for their Lords at several times but set down the particulars whereby they are prepared for a general reckonning and enabled to justifie their accounts My trust is more weighty then of any Princes Steward on earth my Master will be more exact then the severest humane Lord and am I not then concerned so to number my days as to reckon every day what I receiâ—e from my Lord what I disburse for my Lord and at the foot of every day to write the total sum How foolish is he that rejects his books till his bookâ— reject him 〈◊〉 is it not better for me to look over the book of my conscience and observe what blots and errors are there whilst I have licence and liberty to correct them then to neglect them till those eyes which are purer then to behold iniquity come to look it over and leave be denyed of ever amending what he finds amiss O my soul this evening now I am writing this page I must send to thee Amaziah's challenge of Joash Come let us see one another in the face Why should we that are so near together be such strangers to each other I must ask thee as Elisha did Gehezi Whence comest thou Where hast thou been What hast thou done this day for God and thy self Hast thou lived or onely been in the world this day Doth thy soul work thine eternity work go forward or backward Hast thou lived as if thou wâ—rt going to die and walked in the fear of the Lord all the day long Hath the awe and dread of the divine Majesty all along possessed thee Dost thou consider that thou hast one day less to live and one day more to account for Suppose God should come to thee this night as he did to Belshazer with a Mene Mene It is numbred It is numbred Thy days are told God hath counted them up and finished them thou shalt not live to see a morrow Thy days are extinct the grave is ready for thee Art thou ready for thy grave If God should say to thee as that Lord to his Servant Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou shalt be no longer Steward Are thy accounts and Gods even Dost thou reckon as he doth What do all the actions of this day stand for in thine account Figures or Ciphers somthing or nothing What were thy first thoughts in the morning Was he who came first to thee with his morning mercies first served by thee How didst thou pray in thy Closet and Family What sorrow accompanied thy confessions Was thy heart broken that thou hast broken his holy laws What faith and fervency did accompany thy requests Was the heat of thy affections answerable to the weight of thy petitions Didst thou present thy petition to the Master of Requests the Lord Iesus Christ by him to be delivered to the Father What spiritual joy and delight didst thou find in Thankesgiving Didst thou wonder at that infinite cost which the glorious God is at with such an unworthy wretch How didst thou râ—ad the word this day Did it come with power and authority to thy conscience was it mingled with faith Didst thou hide it in thy heart Hadst thou any resolution to make it thy rule and Counseller and Comforter and to order thy conversation according to it How didst thou eat and drink this day Didst thou feed
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