Imprimatur Edm. Calamy THE JOURNAL OR DIARY OF A THANKFVL CHRISTIAN Presented in some Meditations upon NUMB. 33. 2. And Moses wrote their goings out according to their Journeys by the commandement of the Lord. By J. B. Master of Arts and Minister of the Gospel at Barnstone in Essex Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord Psal 107. 43. Who hath despised the day of small things Zach. 4. 10. Nihil tam conveniens Deo quam beneficentia nihil autem tam alienum quam ut sit ingratus homo Lactan. de ira Dei ad Donat. cap. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Rom. Hom. 18. London Printed by E. Cotes for Tho. Parkhurst at the Three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside 1656. Deo plane quod debet retribuere nemo potest quod tam copiose supra nos accumulaverit misericordiam quod tam multa deliquerimus quod tam fragiles nihil sumus quod tam plenus ille sufficiens sibi nec bonorum nostrorum egens Bern. Serm. 3. De adventu Domini Hucusque NOS Adiuvit 1. Sam. 7. 12 Curatoâ—em mei rerumque meâ—rum ex pacto Deum habeo illi bene notum est quid mihi sufficit quando conduceret hactenus non fefellit quando dubitare inciperem non simul ingratus esse inciperem Foxius To the Right Honorable truly Noble and Religious Lord Robert Earl of Warwick Baron of Leez c. And to the Right Honorable the Lady Eleanor Countess of Warwick His most Pious and Vertuous Consort Such an encrease of Grace on Earth as may bring them to fulnesse of Glory in Heaven RIGHT HONORABLE AS there is no Grace that giveth more glory to God so there is no Grace that hath more honour from God then Faith Who though he doth all our work for us and therefore should have all the glory from us yet is pleased that Faith should go away with the praise of that which himself only doth Daughter thy Faith hath made thee whole saith Christ to the woman that by the touch of his garment received virtue from him and was healed By faith the Israelites passed through the Red-sea as on dry ground By faith the wals of Jericho fell down When we know that the Waters of the one and the Bulwarks of the other obeyed the soveraign authority of the Word of Gods command Yea further as there is no Grace that brings more glory to God so there is no Grace that yeelds more benefit to us then Faith It is a Grace as the most usefull so the most successefull and of the largest capacity for our good As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee saith our Saviour to the Centurion He that is inlarged in his faith cannot be straightned in his comfort Through Faith God the Father is our portion God the Son is our pledge God the Holy Ghost our earnest Heaven our home Holinesse our way the Angels our gard the Saints our company the World our servant and the Promise under seal our security And what would we what can we have more yea such is the large capacity of this Grace of Faith that could we be rich in that grace we might have our wils even with an overplus Oh woman saith our Saviour to the woman of Canaan great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Luther was so strong in faith and therefore so powerfull in Prayer that when Frederick Myconius his dear friend was sick he prayed for his recovery and used these words Hoc peto volo fiat voluntas mea This I aske and this I will and let my will be done a while after Myconius recovered according as he had prayed Whereupon Justus Jonas said of Luther Iste vir potuit quod voluit That man could have what he would Now the reasons why through faith we may have what we will and more then we will are these three First Because by Faith we live the best life in this world From life to life how vast a distance is there from the life of the highest Angell to the life of the lowest Mushrome how great a difference 1 There is the life of Vegetation and that is the life of Plants 2 There is the life of Sense and that is the life of Beasts 3 There is the life of Reason and that is the life of Men. 4 There is the life of Faith and that is the life of Saints Now according to the kinde of life such is the capacity of the creature The life of a Beast is more excellent then the life of a Plant and therefore more capable of good The life of a Man is better then the life of a Beast and the life of a Saint far above the life of a meer Man The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour saith Solomon and therefore more capable of good the good of the body and the soul the good of this life and of that which is to come As we have believed so shall it be done unto us much faith and much comfort whilst we live rich in Faith and rich in Glory when we shall go hence and be no more seen Secondly Because other Graces make us like unto God as Wisdome Holinesse and Righteousnesse but Faith makes us Sons of God As many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his name And if we be Sons we are capable of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved for us in the heavens For if Sons Heirs Heirs of God and co heirs with Christ who is heir of all things Such a man is capable of being heir to an Esquire of a vast estate not because he is like him but because he is his Son Other graces make us like unto Christ as Humility Zeal for Gods glory and Love to the Brethren but Faith makes us members of Christ and it is our membership our union to Christ our communion with Christ that makes us capable of all that grace and glory that he hath for us for he is only the Saviour of his body A painted arme and a woodden legge are like those members but they draw no virtue from the head It is because we by faith live in Christ and grow up with Christ That of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Thirdly Because Faith is a grace by which we venture upon the willingnesse and power of Christ to save and succour us Every true believer is a Merchant adventurer whose returns must be greater then his ventures or he cannot live even so it is with every believer if God whose thoughts are above our thoughts should not send in to our Faith more then we come for we should live but barely The believing Palsie man and his
their owne and they first set up the Altar and offered â—urnt-offerings they kept the feast of Taberacles and built the Temple before they set p the Wall And had we in our generation â—een as wise and observed Gods and his peoâ—les method that is first sought the Kingâ—ome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereâ—f then all outward good things had â—een added to us Had we sought Gods glory â—efore our owne grandure we had better â—rovided for our owne and the Kingdomes â—afety It is observed that the Disciples at sea 〈◊〉 the absence of Christ by reason of a storm â—owed slowly and dangerously but as soon â—s they willingly received Christ into the â—ip immediately they came to the land whiâ—her they intended The most politick Pilots â—hat ever sate at the stern of any Common-â—ealth were never able through the depths of State to drive on their designes with successe unlesse they took Christ along with them They that trust much to their ownâ— pates and policies without an eye to God are like Boys that stand on their heads and fling up their heels against heaven as thiâ— standing is dangerous to the state of the Body so that trusting to carnall policies with a neglect of Religion by some and a contempt of reall opposition against the truth by others are as destructive to the body of any State in the world The Bishop of Moâ—â— Pulciano told Charls the Emperor in thâ— Councell of Trent that it was one of the chief instructions Pope Paul the third gaâ— to his Legat to commend to that Assembly That Principalities cannot be preserved where Religion is lost And it was a good Law that 〈◊〉 Danish King of this Land made That at thâ— generall Court of every Shire the Bishop of tâ— Diocesse should accompany the Sheriffe that tâ— one might countenance Gods law the other maâ— Much like the practice of good Jehosaphâ— whose heart was lifted up in the ways of tâ— Lord. He sent with his Princes the Leviteâ— to teach in the Cities of Judah The Princâ— are said to teach that is either by the Levites whom they did company countâ—nance and encourage in the work or rathâ— the Princes taught the Laws of the Land tâ— Levites the Law of God and both did mutually help each other 3. Keep an account of the various and â—angeable condition of the Times in â—e Countrey where we live either for rosperity or adversity with the fruits nd effects of both Omnium retum est vicissido There are no sublunary comforts but â—e subject to change We have sometimes â—n-shine and sometimes rain we have someme day and sometime it is night with us â—he Church of the Jews under the Old Teament had sometimes War and sometimes eace Jabin King of Canaan mightily opressed Israel twenty yeers but the Lord iscomfited Sisera his Commander in chief with all his host before Baruch and the Land ad rest forty yeers How punctuall is the oly Ghost in observing the very circumâ—ances not onely of person and place but f the very time how long they had War nd how much longer time they injoyed eace Under the reign of Solomon that eople enjoyed much peace Judah and Israel â—ere many as the sand which is by the Sea shore 〈◊〉 multitude eating and drinking and making â—erry But in the dayes of Abijah his Grandhilde Israel and Judah fought one against â—other so that there fell down stain of Israel â—ve hundred thousand chosen men at that battle challenge any man that is most verst in â—istory to give me a parallel The Church of the Jews under the Goâ—pel about the time that Stephen was stoned hrough the heat of persecution was scaâ—tered abroad throughout the Regions of Jâ—dea and Samaria But when Saul became Paâ— and of a Persecuter turn'd a Preacher Tâ—â— had the Churches rest throughout Judea and Gâ—lee and Samaria c. This one thing amongst other is recordâ— in the sacred Journall of the Israelites sometimes they had plenty and sometimâ— they wanted bread and water sometimâ— they had peace and sometimes their enemiâ— made war against them sometimes thâ— enjoyed health and sometimes the plagu brake out amongst them And thus it haâ— been in all the generations and ages 〈◊〉 the world England that some have callâ— Terra Florida or the fortunate Island that wiâ— Capernaum hath been lifted up to heaven 〈◊〉 the enjoyment of peace and plenty the Gospel of peace and the peace of the Gospâ— together for many yeers so that enoug cannot be spoken upon this subject to tâ— praise of God the envy of our enemies anâ— the blot of our ingratitude But we haâ— had our changes We have sinned away aâ— our comforts Our peace brought plenty our plenty nourisht pride our pride begâ— contention our contention drew the sword and the sword a civill sword the sharpâ— and sorest of all Gods judgements haâ— turned our peace into war our plenty into penury our friends into enemies 〈◊〉 that our blood hath been spilt and oâ— treasure spent and our glory stained most beyond all example Where every â—y Marte cadunt subito per muâ—ua vulner a fratres In a battle betwixt Sylla and Marius both â—omane Commanders a Souldier having ain one and afterward understanding that 〈◊〉 was his Brother in anguish of spirit â—rust his sword into his own bowels Titus â—espastan Emperor of Rome wept when he â—aw the destruction of Jerusalem and the great aughter of the Jews chiefly occasioned hrough their owne civill dissensions but hat which hath heightned our misery and fear aggravated our sin very much we grew 〈◊〉 that height of heat and bitterness that we ejoyced over our brethren when we obtained ny victory against them Pliny reports this â—f the Dragon that fighting with the Eleâ—hant he got under the belly of that mighty â—east where he suckt out the blood so far â—at at last the Elephant fell but with his all crusht the Dragon to death He that wins most by a civill war will be a great oser at the last Philip Duke of Burgundy his embleme of a flint-stone and a steel striâ—ing one against another so long till both â—re consumed doth lively set out the miseries of that fire that is made by domesticall â—rms A forain enemy cannot wish us a greater mischief nor themselves a greater advantage then our intestine wars Hence the Turks use to pray unto God to keep the Christians at variance which caused oâ— of their Emperors to say to his Councell disswading him from making war with the Germanes because of their multitude and fortitude that he feared them not because saith he sooner would his fingers be alâ— of a length then their Princes be all of onâ— minde 4. Keep a Diary of the severall and moâ— remarkable judgements that God hath iâ— our time inflicted upon notorious offendeâ— whether persons in high places or such 〈◊〉 moved in a lower orbe The holy Ghoâ— takes speciall notice of
in a mercy â—an never be truely thankfull Check your â—elves therefore often for this neglect as this â—acob did who when in his journey to Labanâ—e â—e had in a vision a sight of a Ladder whose â—oot stood on the earth and whose top did â—each to heaven and the Angels of God were â—scending descending upon it and the Lord â—ood above it All which was a lively discoâ—ery of Gods provident care of him said God was in this place and I knew it not So â—â—y you God was in this friend that relieved â—e in this ordinance that refreshed me â—n this creature that comforted me and I observed him not There are none of the wayes of God wherein he useth either thâ— ministery of Angels or the wisdome of meâ— or the strength of any creature but God is 〈◊〉 the top of the Ladder and orders all though we observe him not We may by an eye of reason see a man is his works though his person be not presentâ— As when we see a piece of ground well ploughed the fences well made the cattle well ordered we say Here is a good Huâ—band though we do not see the Farmer When we see a house built very well and every room well contrived we say Here iâ— a good Work-man though we do not see the Carpenter And may we not as well by an eye of faith behold the wisdome goodnesse and power of God in his works though he be invisible Say you therefore Here is so much of the prudence of a Pâ—â—nce so much of the policy of a State so much of the valour and faithfulnesse of a Governour but how much do you observe of God who rules the hearts and wayes of all men Here is so much of the cost of a Father so much of the affection of a Mother so much of the faithfulnesse of a Friend but how much of the mercy and wisdome of God A great Cardinall that I have read of writing down in his Diary what such a Lord did for him how far such a Prince favoured him what incouragement he had from such a King and how such a Pope preferr'd him but not a word of God one â—eading of it said This man remembred â—is friends but forgat God Like another Haman who when he told his friends and â—eresh his Wife of the glory of his riches â—nd the multitude of his children and all the things wherein the King had proâ—oted him who had advanced him above â—ll the Princes and Servants at the Court â—nd what honor Queen Esther did him who â—nvited him onely with the King to the banâ—uet never made any mention of God Do â—ou rather as David who when he had â—old King Saul how he had slain the Lion and the Bear said moreover The Lord that â—elivered me c. He comes over with it aâ—ain rather then not mention the Name of the Lord and let Saul know he observed Gods great power in that victory All the letters in the Alphabet without a â—owel will not make one word nor all the â—ars in the firmament without the Sun will make a day nor all the world the profits of it or pleasures in it can make a man happy without God The Jews some say when they read the Book of Esther let the book fall on the ground and they give this reason for that â—eremony though they esteem it a Canonitall piece of Scripture yet they somewhat undervalue it because the word of God is not found in all the Story Though a man have as much health strength and beauty as Nature can afford him and to that aâ— much wealth honor and friends as thâ— world can bring him and to all these aâ— much learning as Tutors can put into him yet if he be a man without God he falls in the thoughts and estimation of such as are spirituall and can discern him though they may acknowledge him a very discerning man 2. Labour by faith to see and observe all these good things in God For as omnia malâ— may be seen in summo malo All evils in the world may be seen in sin the chief evill as blindnesse nakednesse poverty death hell for he that is ignorant is blind indeed he that is without God is naked indeed he that hath no grace is very poor he that is dead in sins and trespasses is truely dead he that is under the power of sin and given up wholly to his hearts lusts is in an heâ—l above ground So omnia bona are in summâ— bono all good things are in God the chiefest good All creatures may be seen in the Creator as all the stars may be seen in the sun So the Apostle thought who called God the God of all comfort Honor is not the God of comfort nor liberty nor health or wealth nor hath honor the comfort of liberty nor liberty the comfort of health nor health the comfort of children or wealth c. But the comfort of all these may be found in God Hence he is called our Son He will be a Sun and a shield to those that walk uprightly The light and comâ—ort of all these things may be found in God 〈◊〉 the light of all the stars may be seen in â—he Sun As a Sun he gives all the light so 〈◊〉 a shield he gives all the protection to all â—en and means of our good The shield in â—ncient times to which the holy Ghost â—eems as some think to allude was made â—o big as it covered the whole man and all â—is armour as appears by that speech of Ajax to or of Vlysses when he contended â—im about the armour of Achilles Opposui molem clypei texique jacentem â—n his flight he came to me and I covered â—im with my shield and so saved his life So I say as a Sun and shield all comfort is from him Hence he that can call the Lord his God may call God any thing that at any time he stands in need of As David sometimes did whilest compassed about with many enemies The Lord is my rock and my fortresse my deliverer my high tower my buckler and why so He is my God and in that all If he be my God saith a believer he is my Father and no father like him for affection if my God 〈◊〉 my Friend and no friend like him for faithfulnesse my Physician and none like him for skill nay my Bed-maker and none can make my bed so easie as he So that if we lose the comfort of any creature as the comfort of a wife by death of health by sicknesse of liberty by a prison of wealth by poverty they may all be found in a God who is health in sicknesse liberty in prison yea all things in the want of all He that is the Alpha and Omega hath said it He that overcometh shall inherit all things But how shall that be I will be saith the Lord his God and he shall be my
into this discontented speech before God What wilt thou give me seeing I go childlesse As if all had been nothing no not Gods being his shield and exceeding great reward unlesse God gave him a Son Though some have thought that his complaint reached higher to whom I encline What wilt thou give me all hitherto is nothing if I goe childelesse if Christlesse if Saviourlesse for it is such a Son that I have waited for in whose seed the Nations of the earth shall be blessed and it is such a Son that thou hast promised me and if not such a Son all is nothing 6. Reckon often not onely what you have and what you want but what you may want cast up all hazzards Who knows what lies in the wombe of the next morning All the pomp of the world is but a fancy and may soon vanish It is said of Agrippa and Berenice that when they came to Jerusalem to hear Paul they entred with great pomp the word in the orig is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with great fancy with great pomp And how soon are affair changed in a Kingdom or in a family Hamoâ— the great Minion in the Court of Ahashuerosh is hanged on that tree that he prepared for Mordecai It hath been observed by Historians of Tiberius Emperor of Rome of Mahomet the Great Emperor of the Turks and of Henry the Eight King of England that there was no security in their love but that such as were highest in their favour were neerest to ruine Who ever hath read the stories of Bajazet and Bellizarius who fell from the highest pinnacle of greatnesse to the lowest extreme of all scorn and misery but will acknowledge the uncertainty of all sublunary comforts Saladine the great Sultan of Aegypt and Conqueror of the East to shew the frailty and vanity of all worldly felicity commanded on his death-bed that no Princely solemnity should be used at his Funerall more then his shirt fastned to the point of a Launce and carried before his dead body a Priest going before and crying aloud to the people in this sort Saladine of all the great riches and honor that he had in his life carries no more with him at his death then his shirt A Duke of Exeter that marryâ—d K. Edw. the fourth his Sister was seen barefoot begging in the Camp of the Duke of Burgundy Hence a wiseman will cast up his hazards and reckon upon losses thus Here is a fine house a most pleasant habitation but a fire may suddenly levell it even with the ground Here is a competent estate of land but riotous children may spend it here is a great summe of money but as that fire that came down from heaven that consumed the sacrifice and the wood and lickt up all the water in the trench about the Altar that Elijaâ— caused to be made so sicknesse or suriâ—yship or long Suites in Law or a Civil war may consume all I have those comforts in wife children relations friends that few have but how soon death may deprive me of all I know not And he died and he dyed is the end of every mans story and the winding sheet of the strongest man and the choycest friend I have health strength and such personall endowments that many want but I may suddenly by some noysome disease or violent distemper be stript of all Yea which is more then all this I have peace with God and mine owne conscience it is fair weather over head though foul under foot though I meet with some trouble in the world yet the lamp of God shines upon my tabernacle and the Almighty is with me as Job sometimes said of himself yet I may be forsaken and left to my self and the most dreadfull terrors get hold of me for a time yea God may write bitter things against me and make me possesse the sins of my youth for there is no evill of sin but that against the holy Ghost nor evil of sorrow but that of the bottomlesse pit but may befall me When Joseph dreamt of his great preferment he never dreamt of his imprisonment We often look upon that we have but seldome consider what we doe or may want When a great City was burnt to ashes Seneca had this saying Vna dies interest inter magnam civitatem nullam One day makes a great difference betwixt a great City and none Is not this great Babylon saith Nebuchadnezzar which I have built for the house of my Kingdome and the honor of my Majesty by the might of my power Whilest the word was in the Kings mouth there fell a voyce from heaven saying Oh Nebuchadnezzar to thee be it spoken The Kingdome is departed from thee c. The same hour was the thing fulfilled Christs prophesie of the ruine of the Temple and those stately buildings that the disciples shew'd him was dreadfull Verily I say unto you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down 7. In the next place from hence study seriously the vanity of all creature-comforts honors pleasures riches friends O quanâ—um est in rebus inane Oh how much vanity is in these things was the saying of Perseus long agoe By this time we are faln upon the dregs of time the last and worst age of the world and now these things run a tilt and therefore have the lesse in them Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity Vanitas est debitae entitat is vacuitas Vanity is nothing else but the want of a just entity or being Now 1. A just being is a present being but these things are often furthest off when we have most need of them God onely is a present help in trouble and can be with us in all places according to that promise to 〈◊〉 2. A just being is a constant being but these things last not our pleasures end in pain our plenty in penury our honor in contempt The fashion of this world passeth away the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the species the figure the image like a brave picture drawn upon the ice that under the heat of the Sun is soon gone God onely is from everlasting to everlasting 3. A just being is a perfect being that hath all excellencies in it but these things want something still Nihil est ab omni parte beatum Nothing here is in every part compleatly happy onely God is a perfect good and he that enjoys him needs no more 4. A just being is a solid being that hath no evill in it at all but these things are not onely vanity but vexation of spirit Augendicura amittendimetus A care to get and a fear to lose like burs stick close to our choycest comforts These things at the first fight seem very good but better considered are not so Quae cito aspecta placent ea melius inspecta displicent as Seneca could say They are seemingly good
burn me I will thank her So a gracious heart will say If the Lord give me health or sicknesse I will thank him if I have much or little I will thank him if I live or dye I will thank him Ecclesiastical Histories report this of one Servulus who for a long time was grievously afflicted with the Palfie his life was a lingring death whose daily and ordinary speech was God be thanked 3. Blesse God every day wherein he hath kept you from scandall It is our misery that our hearts are so vile but it is Gods mercy that they break not out continually to his dishonor and the offence of brethren that he sets bounds to those waves of our unruly lusts and saith Hitherto and no further Esteem any condition better then a sinfull and choose rather to suffer the worst then sin in the least Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God and who meet with more sorrows then they then enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season And where might he satisfie his lust more to the full then in the Court of a King Socraâ—â— had so vile an esteem of sin that he thought it would be one of the greatest torments in hell to be given up to those sins that men most delighted in Major sâ—â—n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natus saith SeÌ„neca quam ut sun 〈◊〉 corporâ—â— mei I am greater and born to greater things then to be a slave or drudge to my body Say to the Tempter as Joseph to his Mistris There is none greater in the house then I and shall I then commit this great wickednesse Or as Nehemiah Shall such a man as I flee Shall such a man as I be drunk or deal unjustly or break my oath These sons of Zerviah are sometimes too hard for us These unruly corruptions sometimes prevail over us Our darling fin like 〈◊〉 daughter comes out with timbrels and dances with many pretty smiles and subtle reasons and sometimes overcomes in and brings us low and troubles us We all run in a race how few get to the goal without a fall by the way There are two things that I desire daily to make the matter not only of my praise but admiration And the first is that God hath preserved from the beginning to this day a little flock of sheep amongst a world of Wolves and Lions and Bears that are set on mischief And the second is that God maintains a little grace in life in the midst of so much corruption that the heart is poysoned with a little faith and a little humility in the midst of so much unbelief and pride The reason why the Church is not wasted is because the Lord is their God why this grace is not overwhelmed and that our corruption breaks not out every moment into most notorious scandallâ— is because the corruption is ours but the grace is the Lords Hath God kept you therefore any day that your heels have not been tript up Forget not to blesse him for such a mercy A notable example of such a thankful spirit we have in David who by the humble and prudent counsel of Abigail being stayed from imbruing his hands in the blood of Nabal and his family blessed God and her that he was prevented Blessed be the Lord God of Israel saith he to her which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou that hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood and from avenging my self with mine own hand c. In every affliction forget not to blesse God for this It is mine affliction not my fin What ever the crosse be it might have been worse for it might have been my fin Blesse God that either prevented the temptation as he did for David or assisted in the temptation as he did Joseph who left his garment but kept his chastity and chose rather to suffer then to sin 4. Blesse God not onely for what you have and for what you want but for what you hope to have All is not come that is â—â—â—miâ—ed by the Father all is not come that is merited by the Son nor is all come that 〈◊〉 assured to yon by the Holy Ghost the best iâ—â—et to come Here joy enters into us there we shall enter into joy Here are promises there performances Here is faith there is fruition Here we enjoy God mediately there immediately In heaven there is a Kingdome without cares a throne without a thorn greatnesse of state without corruption of manners a treasure without moâ—â—s honour without envy joy without â—â—ars love without jealousie and dayes without end A devout Pilgrim travelling to Jerusalem and by the way visiting many brave Cities with their rare monuments and meeting with many friendly entertainments would often say I must not stay here this is not Jerusalem So do you in the midst of all the delicates that the world can afford you not onely with variety but plenty say still of every one of them This is not Jerusalem This is not heaven these are but tents and tabernacles all no better then moveables our mansions are in heaven where we shall abide for ever But would you be thankfull 〈◊〉 heaven and do you long to be there â—e truly thankfull then for Jesus Christ It is Christ that makes heaven to be heaven He that cannot be thankfull for Jesus Christ cannot be thankfull for heaven nay would not go to heaven at the last A wicked man at the day of Judgement might he have his choyce would not go to heaven Dives in hell torments when he discoursed with Abraham afar off did not desire to go to Abraham but prayed that Lazarus might come to him he cared more for â—ase then heaven nor did he desire that his five Brethren should go to heaven but that one might be sent to them to testifie to them that they might not come into the place of torment For certainly they that could not endure the presence of Christ with his servants in his ordinances will have no desire to be with him in all his glory In the last place because you may your selves come very far short of what you should do in this great duty of thankfulness declare to others as occasion is offered what the Lord hath done for you that they may blesse God with you It is an argument of an ingenuous spirit to acknowledge the courtefies of a friend non amotis arbitris sed clarè ut audiat hospes not in private but in the presence of others Much more is it an argument of a gracious heart to speak of the loving kindnesse of the Lord before many witnesses that they may be provoked also to blesse God David was of this mind I have not hid thy righteousnesse O Lord within my heart I have declared thy faithfulnesse and thy salvation I have not concealed thy loving kindnesse and thy truth from the great
congregation The Psalmist exhorteth to this duty very much Sing unto the Lord sing Psalms unto hi◠〈◊〉 ye of all his wondrous works It was the Psalmist his practice Come and hear all ye that 〈◊〉 God and I will declare unto you what God hath dâ—â—e for my soul Moses the servant of the Lord did so He told Jethro his Father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Aegyptians for Israels sake and all the travell that had come upon them by the way and how the Lord delivered them Which occasioned much prayse unto God from a Midianite who said Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Aegyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh c. Christ himself commanded the man whom he delivered from the legion of Devils that he should goe home to his friends and tell them how great things the Lord had done for him and had compassion on him And indeed to return thanks unto God for all his mercies is so great a debt that we alone cannot pay unlesse God give us time and no lesse then eternity is enough And therefore we had need make collection of praises from friends that the summe may be made up the more full The Psalmist goes to all the creatures both in heaven and earth and makes a collection Heavens Angels saith he Sun Moon and Stars Kings and all people young men and maids old men and babes praise the name of the Lord. Comemmoration Sermons which are in use in Colledges and some other places are excellent And as there may be good use made of them divers wayes so this way especially that all may be provoked to blesse God for their Benefactors It is observable that to beg prayers is the common complement of friends at their pâ—â—ting and Ora pro nobis is the conclusion of all our Letters but we seldome beg praises When do we say I beseech you blesse God for me and with me for such a late deliverance for such successe in mine endevours for such comfort in my relations c. As if we served an hard Master as if God had been a barren heath or a wildernesse to our souls as if his service had no profit Whereas there is no Matter like the Lord no service like his whose very work is wages CHAP. VII An use of Exhortation wherein Christians are perswaded to keep such a Journall or Diary AND thus far shall suffice to have been spoken of the manner how such a Journall should be used For the application of all I shall onely 〈◊〉 such as have not been acquainted with this duty to set upon this work Indeed there is a latitude in Christianity and the wayes of God that all do not reach I have have an end of all perfection saith the Psalmist but thy commandement is exceeding large When things are come to their perfection to their flower they quickly fade 〈◊〉 a Lute string if wound up to the highest it breaks but the course of holinesse and way of righteousnesse have large limits and boundaries that many come not at There are sins that some seldome confesse as Sacramentall sins Sacramentall ignorance Sacramentall unbelief impenitency uncharitablenesse c. There are some things they seldome pray for Where is the man who with Agur prayes Lord give me no riches We often in prayer presse the promise but how few at any time presse the seal wherein God is come under the power of law under the power of his own law wherein all his wisdome power faithfulnesse goodnesse and mercy is under the power of his owne law yea so far engaged that he cannot go back And yet how few urge the seal and enter a suit with the Lord There are some duties we seldome or never perform Where is the man that makes conscience of private fasting and â—rayer that shuts himself up in his closet and wrâ—stles with God in secret that his Fatâ—â—r that seeth in secret may reward him openly To conclude how few are there that keep a Diary by them of all Gods gracious dealings with them Now that I may perswade such Christians at least as have any abilities and opportunities to enter upon this duty I shall doe these two things 1. Give some directions that may be as advantages to further this service 2. Give some arguments that may encourage and provoke thereunto and so conclude 1. Therefore often remember your sinfull estate when you were in a naturall estate and therefore in the 〈◊〉 of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity God commanded his people so to do Remember and forget not â—ow thâ—n provokedst the Lord thy God in the wildernesse c. This charge the Apostle lays upon the Ephestans Remember that you being in times past Gentilâ—s in the flesh that at that time ye were without Christ â—liens from the Common-wealth of Israel and stâ—angers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world God promised that his people should do so You shal remember your wayes and your doings wherewith you have been defiled and you shall loath your selves Paul did so he oftentimes makes mention of his sinfull condition before his conversion he is not ashamed to declare it before King Agrippa I thought verily with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth which thing I also did in Jerusalem for many of the Saints I shut up in â—â—ison and when they were put to death I gave my voyce against them and I punished them oft in every Synagogue c. So much he telleth the Corinthians I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God The like he declares to Timothy I was a blaspheâ—â—â— a persecuter and injurious Yea he was more then an ordinary sinner in his owne eyes Jesus Christ saith he came into the world to save sinner's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof I am thiefâ— or primus the first as it is in the originall He was primus the first non ordine sed excellentia not in order of â—ime but in the excesse of wickednesse for 〈…〉 every sin hath his 〈◊〉 So did Joseph 's Brethren when he dealt roughly with them and God lookt so mercifully on them as to afflict them for their â—in They said one to another we are very guilty conâ—â—â—â—ing our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and we would not hear And how have those old bruises and fins of youth being sadly and seriously remembred caused much brokennesse and tendernesse much care and watchfulnesse in some all their days Themâ—sâ—â—eles told his friends when being banished out of his Countrey and most honorably entertained by the King of Persia Perâ—eram nisâ— periissem I had been undone if I had not been thus distressed So may many a gracious soul say I had
faln into hell if I had not faln into â—in Onesimus therefore departed saith St. Paul to Philemon that thou mightest receive him an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eternall So it is in the Originall And thus if our sins were heavy Gods mercies would be weighty and worth the recounting Were our fins often in our eyes Gods praises would not be long out of our mouths We that see we have deserved nothing would be thankfull for every thing and rather then his mercies should be forgotten would keep some remembrances by us of Gods goodnesse to us who is every day mindfull of us 2. Remember oftne your low and poor condition It is little peradventure that yâ—â— haâ—â— but was it not lesse God commands his people this duty Remember that thou wast a serâ—ant in the land of Aegypt This they were enjoyned to do when they came yearly to offer up their basket of first-fruits to the Lord. Thus they must say A Syrian ready to perish was my Father and he went down into Aegypt and â—ojourned there with a few c. 〈◊〉 King of Sicily who was by birth but a Potters Son would alwayes be served at his Table with earthen vessels that he might ever be mindful of his low mean condition at first Jacob did so With my staff I came over this Jordan His condition was low when the earth was his bed a stone his pillow and the heaven his canopie over his head he is thankfull for this because he forgâ—t not his low estate He that well remembers what he once wanted will not forget to be thankful for what at present he enjoys Humility is a good spur to thankfulness I have read of two garments in Scripture of excellent use First the garment of humility Be 〈◊〉 with humility saith Peter and the garment of praise Christ is said to appoint to them that mourn in Zion the garment of praise for the spirit of heavynesse The under garment is commonly plain and of lesse worth but the upper is very costly Let humility be like the first It is no matter how vile we be in our own eyes but let praise be the upper garment Be ye rooted and built up in Christ faith the Apostle and established in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving He that is rich in faith and low in humility will make his upper garment costly will be abundant in praises 3. Labour to understand a mercy aright Endevour to discern the height and breadth of a providence weigh every benefit bestowed skilfully The reason why the Israelites remembred not the multitude of Gods mercies was saith the Psalmist because they understood not his wonders in Aegypt Moses told them that they had seen all that the Lord had done before their eyes in the Land of Aegypt unto Pharaoh and unto all his servants and unto all the land The great temptations which thine eyes have seen the signes and thâ—se great miracles And yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to bear unto this day It is true they had eyes and ears but they wanted an understanding heart to perceive and discern God in all Hence it comes to passe that as a proud man will not be mindfull so an ignorant man cannot remember God and be thankfull It is good therefore not onely to remember our low and sinfull estate that we may be humble but to understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord that we may record his favours The reason why the Disciples forgâ—t what Christ had done done and therefore mistook him when he had them take â—eed of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduces was they did not understand the miracles of the five loaves amongst the five thousand nor the seven loaves amongst the foure thousand nor how many baskets they took up They did not well understand nor seriously consider the mighty power of his divine nature by which he did all that You shall do well therefore to understand a mercy fully in all the causes circumstances manner and means of working Sometimes he works without means and then his works are miraculous sometimes by weak means and then his works are wonderfull sometimes by contrary means so that losses enrich us divisions unites us and our routing in battle makes us conquerors and then his works are glorious Hence the Lord commanded his people to understand why he gave them that good Land to possesse it not for their righteousnesse for they were a stiffe-necked people but for his Name sake and for the wickednesse of those Nations which were driven out before them It is not an easie matter for men to hit right oâ— the true reason of Gods dispensations of mercy or judgement Hence Samuel advised the people of Israel to consider that is to weigh ponder wel in their hearts what great things God had done for them Now we all know things that are not known and therefore lightly valued are soon forgotten when matters that are looked at as things of price and worth are laid up very carefully It is good therefore when our thoughts dwell upon mercies Omnis festinatio caca swift passengers cannot be serious observers a transient thought is too mean for a standing mercy one mercy enjoyed deserves more serious thoughts then a million of miseries do one hearty tear our mercies are from God our calamities from our selves Understand this well and consider this seriously you cannot be unmindful of the loving kindnesse of the Lord. 4. Would you write down the great things of God in a book that you might never forget them Take speciall notice of the actings of God in the wayes of his gracious providence whilest they are new and fresh in memory together with the workings of your hearts whilest they are so considered Oh! what vows covenants purposes resolutions are made and entertained then Omne novum valde mutat saith Scaliger New things fresh mercies make a wonderful change upon mens spirits for the present Omnia subita videntur majora saith Cicero All sudden and unexpected passages seem very great at first fight and work very much upon the heart Observe then what joy what thankfulnesse what meltings what resolutions And what you doe doe quickly strike while the iron is hot Qui tardâ— fecit diu noluit saith Seneca He that is slack in his performances was but unwilling in his resolutions Oh! remember your first love when you were newly converted and brought home to God how zealous lively active forward and savoury were you in the wayes of God So much the Lord tells his people by the Prophet Hosea that at their restitution and Gods reconciliation with them they should sing at in the dayes of their youth as they did when they came out of Aegypt Then sang Moses and Aaron A converted condition is a singing condition God takes special notice of this I remember thee saith the
Lord of Israel the kindnesse of thy youth the lose of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wildernesse in a land that was not sown Our first works and our last works are commonly our best works when we begin first to live the life of grace and when we are ready to die and are entring upon the life of glory how excellent is our marriage how savoury our words how heavenly our conversation Even so it is when we are delivered from any great danger when enlarged with any singular comforts how lively how zealous and how active are we Call to minde the fifth of November 1605. when we were delivered from that barbarous Gunpowder-treason how forward were we in making laws against Papists how severe in suppressing Jesuites how zealous in setling true Religion Iâ— Iâ— reported of the City of Berne when first delivered from Antichrist when that State cast off that Romane bondage and reformed Religion that they wrote the day of their Redemption upon pillars in letters of gold And it is observable that in all the ages of the Church God hath set out himself to his people by such names and titles as were most suitable to his present dispensations or such as were of the last edition And why so But that his late mercies might be the better considered and remembred Hence in the beginning he was called the most high God the possessour of heaven and earth who had made all by the word of his power Under those times Melchisedech blessed Abraham Blessed be Abraham saith he of the most high God possessor of heaven and earth And Abraham covenanted to take nothing from the King of Sodome and that under these terms I have lift up my hand unto the Lord the most high God possessor of heaven and earth that I will not take from a thread to a shoe-latchet and that I will not take any thing that is thine Afterwards when God entred into a covenant with Abraham and his seed he was called the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. And under those titles God gave his charge to Moses when he sent him to bring his people out of the Land of Aegypt I am the God of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. After that he was called the God that brought them out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Such was the preface to his law I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage And so it continued for many generations even until he brought them out of Babylon And then saith the Lord It shall be no more said The Lord liveth that brought them out of the land of Aegypt but The Lord liveth that brought the children of Israel out of the land of the North. And now under the Gospel he is known by this most excellent name The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And why so But because our redemption by Christ is the last and the great work he hath done for his Church and most fresh in our memories Whilest therefore mercies are fresh and work most upon the heart doe something in remembrance of Gods goodness and why not then write them downe in a Journall A small matter I should think whilest the heart is warm and well affected with the present sense of some singular pledge of Gods loving kindnesse may easily perswade to this duty 5. And finally love the Lord for his goodnesse If any thing under heaven will constrain us and help forward this duty love will Oh! love the Lord all ye his Saints saith the Psalmist And indeed none but Saints can love him He knocks at every dore and as it were pulls every man by the sleeve and saith Oh! love you the Lord Let the drunkard love his cups and the adulterer his harlots and the covetous person his bags but do you that are Saints love the Lord. For the Lord preserveth the faithfull and pletifully rewardeth the proud doer When one bucket goes downe the other will come up When Pharaoh is drowned Israel is saved When Haman is hanged Mordecai is advanced When proud doers are plagued the faithful are delivered Oh! love the Lord therefore And indeed love is all that God looks at in us and expects from us and where there is love there is no lack After so large a repetition of the great things God hath done for Israel What saith Moses to them doth God now require for all this but that you would love him And indeed love is complementumlegis the fulfilling of the Law Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing saith the Apostle but faith that worketh by love Faith and Love are like a pair of Compasses Faith like one point fastens upon Christ as the center and Love like the other goes the round in all the works of holinesse and righteousnesse Now certainly Love hath a good memory or would have a good memory What we slight we soon forget but what we love we endevour to lay up sure in our memories Vbi amâ—r ibi animus Where our love is our minde is Where our treasure is there will our heart be It was the eye that made the match That which which the eyesees not the heart desires not And as love came in by the eye so it delights by the same dore to look after that beloved object Such a soul that hath seen God in all things and therefore loves God above all things delights still to look after God in all his wayes that he may love him more and more Such a soul loves God as Jonathan loved David 1. Amore unionis with a love of union the soul of Jonathan was knit to David for he loved him as his own soul 2. He loved him amore complacentiae with a love of delight for it is said that Jonathan delighted much in David 3. He loved him amore benevolentiae with a love of good will for Jonathan said to David Whatsoever thy souldesireth I will even do it for thee Even so doth a gracious heart love God not onely with a love of union and a love of delight but with a love of good will too who saith to God as Paul at his conversion Lord what wilt thou have me to do Such an one is ready to suffer what ever may be inflicted on him and to do what ever may be required of him especially whatsoever may testifie how well he remembers God and his loving kindnesse to him CHAP. VIII Severall arguments propounded by which Christians may be provoked to keep such a Journall or Diary as hath been commended THat such Christians as have any abilities for the keeping of such a Journal or Diary as hath been commended to them may be encouraged thereunto I shal in the second place propound these foure arguments First it is
all my life long unto this day The Angell which redeemed me from all evill blesse the lads Now is not faith a profitable grace Faith is the greatest gather-good in the world What need he care why should he fear what can he want that is rich in faith For rich in faith and rich in God and he that enjoyes God shall inherit all things By this faith strengthened and by so many experiments thus enlarged he may erect a monument and say Hitherto the Lord hath holpen me And thereupon look up into heaven and thus admire at the large allowance that is provided for him there with the Psalmist How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for those that fear thee If my friend will give me such entertainmentat an Inne by the way how welcome will he make me when I come to his house If earth be such what is heaven If my comfort in a cottage be so great what are the joys of those everlasting habitations not made with hands but eternall in the heavens where I shall have glory with a double hyberbole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an exceeding weight of glory Oh! that our treasure were laid up in heaven that our conversation were in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Heaven wil make us amends for all but Jesus Christ is better then heaven Jacob's Sons met with hard measure whilest they travelled into Aegypt for food but I am Joseph your Brother and Governour of all Aegypt did abundantly recompense them for all their trouble After all our sorrows and sufferings in this vale of tears Fear not it is I. All power is given unto me your Captain your Brother your Head will satisfie abundantly Paul had a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Riches are good but Learning is better Learning is good but Grace is better Grace is good but Glory in heaven is better Heaven is good but Christ is far better A picture of the globe of the whole earth set out with all the brave things that Sea and Land can afford with this sentence encircling it round To be with Christ is far better is a Christians embleme Indeed Jesus Christ is a Christians heaven in whose presence there is fulness of joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore Whither he bring us who hath so dearly bought us to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be given by us and all his Saints all honor and glory now and for evermoâ—e Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christianus gratulabundus Thankfulnes A way to thriue Exod 28. 34. FINIS The Contents CHAP. I. The Preface wherein an entrance is made to the words and the duty of a Journall or Diary is propounded pag. 1 To forget Gods mercies a provoking sin 2 God is very gracious in affording means for the helping of our memories 5 CHAP. II. The matter whereof a Journall or Diary is compounded and first Nationall and publick 14 1. Take notice what Governours have ruled over us Ibid. 2. What Religion was by such countenanced 16 3. How variable the condition of the Times have been 19 4. What remarkable judgemints God hath inflicted upon notorious offenders 22 5. What the Nationall sin for the present generation may be It 's good to know that 25 Some times have been more notorious for Drunkennesse 26 Some for Swearing 27 Some for Pride and Ambition 28 Our generation as some think most guilty of Contention 30 Some think Hypotrisie 33 Some think Apostasie Ibid. Enâ—â—ity against the Kingly government of Christ in his Church is the sin of this age 39 CHAP. III. What personall and private passages of Providence those are which ought to be recorded in our Journall or Diary 48 1. Keep an account of our conversion Ib. 2. Of all divine assistance either for the doing of that which is required or the bearing of such evils as are inflicted 51 3. All deliverances from dangers 55 4. All the men and means God hath used for our good 58 5. All the returns of our prayers 62 CHAP. IV. The manner how a Journall or Diary is to be used and first what is to be done by way of observation 66 1. Labour to see and observe God in all things 66 2. Labour to see and observe all things in God 70 3. Observe the wayes and means by which all good things are conveyed to us 74 1. By Christ savingly 75 2. By the promise certainly 79 3. By the creatures sensibly 85 Wherein observe Gods wisdome in the choyce 1. Of the instruments that are used 86 2. Of the the time 89 3. Of the measure 93 In all which hold fast these three conclusions 1. Where God sees any fit to use more he can afford more 98 2. That it is a mercy when our mindes are conformable to our means 99 3. That God hath many wayes to throw these things in to us and as many to take them from us 100 CHAP. V. The manner how a Journall or Diary is to be used according to the rules of Practise 102 1. Look often upon the Journal and read it over Ibid. 2. Cast up all your wants 105 3. Reckon how many ways those wants are supplyed with other comforts 107 4. Take great notice of the peculiar excellency of all Gods dispensations towards you above the world 109 5. Take heed that the want of some comfort do not rob you of all other 114 6. Reckon much upon what you may want 115 7. Study much the vanity of all Creature-comforts 118 8. Be very moderate in the use of these things 122 9. Trust not too far depend not too much upon men 124 CHAP. VI. More rules of the same kinde that concern our practice 128 10. Ask your own hearts 3 Questions Ib. 1. What honor do I bring to God for all this Ibid. 2. What good do I to my neighbor 131 3. What good do I reap by all for my self 137 11. Labour to be thankfull for all 140 1. Especially for Jesus Christ 141 2. For afflictions 142 3. For preservation from scandals 144 4. For heaven 146 12. Declare to others what God hath done for you to provoke them to blesse God with you and for you 148 CHAP. VII An use of Exhortation wherein Christians are perswaded to keep such a Journall or Diary 150 Directions to further this work 151 1. Often remember your sinful estate 152 2. Remember your low poor estate 155 3. Labour to understand every mercy aright 156 4. Take notice of the actings of God whilest they are new 158 5. Love the Lord for his goodness 161 CHAP. VIII Arguments propounded that may provoke Christians to keep such a