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
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
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
condition is sometimes the safest Iob on the dunghill speeds better then Adam in Paradise David with his sling and his stone hath better successe against Goliah then he could have expected in Saul's brave armour which he had not proved And I am sure a poor man on foot may get to heaven as soon as the rich on horseback God grant I may go to heaven on foot saith good Mr. Welsh when he saw the Bishop of London ride in all state to the Court I have seen a great Lord in his Coach drawn with six horses stayed at the turning of a street either by a Carman or a Colliar when many a poor man on foot hath slips by and got safe home We are apt to think those men that have most wealth are of best worth and we usually call them the best men of the Parish and our betters Like ignorant people that judge those Luminaries of heaven as the Sun and Moon to be the greatest because the lowest when stellae prime magnitudinis seem lesse but are not because higher The things of this world are such as commonly the best want them and the worst have them and they are often reserved for their owners to their hurt Dantur bonis ne videantur mala dantur malis ne videantur summa bona They are sometimes given to good men lest they should seem evil sometimes to wicked men left they should seem the chiefest good things Some have lost their fingers for their gold rings some their lives for their purses others their souls for their mammon Many Papists in the Parisian Massacre were butchered with the Protestants for their wealth which made them Naboth's vineyard was his greatest â—aulâ— not blasphemy against God and the King It was his land that cost him his life Sir Iohn Cornwall Lord Fanhope at his death dâ—rst say that not himselfe but his brave house at Ampthel was guilty of treason Soâ—in told Croesus when he shewed him his great â—reasure of gold If your enemies Iron be better then yours he will carry away all your gold and so it fell out afterward Silver and gold I have none saith Peter to the â—ame man All these things will I give thee faith the Devil to Christ If these things were so very good as the world judgeth them to be Peter should not have wanted them nor would the Devil ever have offered them In sublimitate metus in mediocritate quiet A mean condition hath safety when high places are full of fears The poor of the Land of Judea are spared by Nebuchad-â—ezzar and left behinde to till the land when Zedekiah the King had his eyes put out his Princes slain with the sword and the wealthy carried into captivity Medioâ—ria firma a middle estate betwixt poverty and riches food convenient for us which the Wiâ—e man prayed for is the more secure when excesse hath danger Which made Scipio Africanus say when he was required to joyn with the Priest who prayed for more encrease to the Romane State No our State is rich enough I will rather pray the gods to keep and continue what we have How many when they have found theâ— blood too rank have been at the charâ— with a Chirurgeon to let some out However God deal with you whether he give you more or lesse it will be your wisdome to hold these three conclusionâ— Fast 1. Conclude that if God did see you 〈◊〉 to use more he could and would afford more Are you straightned in outwarâ— comforts It is not because there is anâ— want in God the want is rather in youâ— selves So much God told David by Nâ—than the Prophet I anointed thee to be Kiâ—â— over Israel and delivered thee from the hand 〈◊〉 Saul and I gave thee thy Masters house and 〈◊〉 Masters wives into thy bosome and gave thee 〈◊〉 house of Israel and Judah and if that had beeâ— too little I would moreover have given thee 〈◊〉 and such things He saith to every childe of his as Ephron the Hittite said to Abrahaâ— when he came to buy the field and the caâ—â— in Machpelah to bury his dead in The lanâ— is worth 400 shekels but what is that betwiâ— thee and me What are riches and honour and peace and liberty They are indeed oâ— great value but they are little betwixt yoâ— and me who am a great God and have given you my Son and can there be any limits in that love any bounds or bottomâ— in that bounty I am a great God and can do more for you then you can ask or think and that exceeding abundantly When one and he a poor man asked Alexander a penny he told him it was too little for him to give whereupon he asked a talent he then told him it was too much for him to beg But of God we may say he loves to give above our petitions yea our thoughts and that very bountifully Jacob confessed so much to â—oseph I had not thought to have seen thy face and loe God hath shewed me also thy â—eed 2. Conclude that it is a rich mercy when your mindes are conformable to your means and should your means come up to your mindes it might be a misery In every estate to be content requires not an ordinary measure of grace St. Paul attained to it but he had learned so to do It is an hard lesson we had need to take out that lesson betimes Yea it is hard to learn to be contented to be full and to abound for commonly they that have most are the most discontented persons and the more they have the more they would have He that loveth silver saith Solomon shall not be satisfied with silver and he that loveth abundance with encrease Whence one told Alexander that had he the Eastern Empire in one hand and the Western in another he would not be contented Whereas on the other side Diogenes the Cynicke housed in his tub and making even with his victuals and the day together being invited to a great feast could say I had rather lick salt at Athens then feast with Craterus It is â—â—ported of one of the old Philosophen that when he saw a Prince going by with the greatest pomp and state that might be he said to some about him See how many things I have no need of He that hath food and rayment and is therewith content may say with Cato as Aulus Gelliâ— reports of him Si quid est quo utar â—toâ— si non scio quis sum mihi vitio vertunt quiâ— multis egeo ego illis quia nequeunt egere I have neither house nor plate nor garments of price in my hands what I have I can use if not I can want it Some blame me because I want many things and I blame them because they cannot want And it is not strange that herein a Heathen should go beyond a Christian 3. Conclude that God hath many wayes to throw
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
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
others have exceeded against God in their transgressions as Job hath it and the judgements both spirituall and temporall of our times else we may be equally destroyed and sure shall not keep a faithfull Journall There is a book of three leaves thou shouldest read dayly to make up this Diary the black leaf of thy own and others sins with shame and sorrow the white leaf of Gods goodnesse mercies with joy and thankfulnesse the red leaf of Gods judgments felt feared threatned with fear and trembling But what needs this waste may some say of time and paines it's too strict and precise a practice a hard saying at least a duty too legall for Gopel liberty Answ 1. Gods law is a law of liberty to a gracious heart None of his commands grievous yea and each command requires not only the duty it self but the help and means to that duty to be observed as Divines generally hold Now this Diary is a Directory and help to praise and thankfulnesse yea indeed to the whole practicall part of Religion The Pharisee was thankfull for spirituall mercy and our righteousnesse by Christ must exceed Scribes and Pharisees upon the penalty of the losse of heaven Luk. 18. Mat. 5. 20. 2. Nor is this imposed on all upon pain of damnation or so exacted as the totall of all mercies providences must be registred Who can number the stars or sands Gods blessings or our sins the most eminent of the first magnitude are to be noted down as all our sins are to be laid to heart but especially the most hainous 3. If thou fearest to be overstrict in practicall godlinesse sure without fear thou wilt be soon over loose and carelesse thou fearest not to be strict for thy estate and outward concernments why art thou lesse carefull for thy soul many not exact in casting up their books they have cast them up thy Audit will be strict so should thy accounts be 4. Lastly the ingenuity of grace in the soul cals for thus much not only to endevour what may safely carry thee to heaven but that which may most advance Gods glory and thy souls prosperity and happinesse God kept a Diary in the Creation of the world Gen. 1. to president this practise to us Yea he keeps a Book of Remembrance for us that think upon his name he numbers our hairs bottles our tears writes us upon the palms of his hands forgets not any of our works of love to his name Registers our names in heaven and shall we write down his name works love in water in the dust on earth Shall he lay up our drosse and not we his gold Shall he remembring us blesse curses to us and shall we by ingratitude and forgetfulnesse of him curse his blessings to us He hath called us to inherit a blessing and to blesse them that curse us and shall not we blesse our blessed God that blesses us So much the more now as we expect and desire some settlement of truth and peace Bring in your tallies of old if you look for new mercies to be put upon your account But why do I detain thee so long without in the portall of a Preface go in set thee close to this divine Arithmemetick sums are best cast up in solitarinesse retire into thy self set thy heart on Gods wayes to thee and on thine own wayes to him I heartily desire thy thriving in this spirituall soul-trade Study not only the notionall Numeration Addition and Multiplication of particulars recited and set down in this Christian Journall but above all look to the rule of Practise which in this is the true Golden rule indeed I may say to conclude of this Book as one of the Scripture They are words to be lived and practised not read only And as another of the 119 Psalm They are good and true Catholicks indeed who follow both sound faith and good manners This musicall lesson of Praise and Thankfulnesse must be well practised Which that thou mayest do both make thy Journall and thy life and journey to heaven answerable to such a Journall go to him and set out in his strength Who is the wonderfull numberer as Daniel styles him who can teach thee to number thy dayes sins Gods dispensations to thee and others yea and how to profit by all even the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Way Truth and Life without whom we can do nothing and by whom we can do all things In whom craving thy prayers and praises for him that is lesse then then the least of all his servants and mercies yet is and rests Ironmonger-lane London Octob. 12. 1655. thy soul-friend and servant in him our common Saviour John Fuller In Reverendi viri Mr. Johannis Bedle Tractatum pium eruditum viz. Grati erga Deum animi AStronomi populo colllecta Diaria vulgant Theiologi haec reliquas vincit Ephemeridas Dat chartis loca visa suis spontaneus exul Alter ut incertos dirigat inde pedes Ad superas Coeli namque hîc via lactea sedes Hinc pia mens foelix carpere discat iter Scribitur heu nimiùm vitiatur casta papyrus Nugarum levium pondere praela gemunt Quas bis tinctorum vel quas lymphata Trementûm Secta parit libros jurgia dura replent At pietas candorque nitent hâ—c Codice pectus Exhibet authoris pagina quaeque sui Quicunque inspicies è nato nosce parentem Ore refert patrem Quod docet ipse facit C. G. Books lately Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the signe of the Three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside DR Richard Sibbs his Commentary upon the Second Epistle to the Corinthians published for publick good by Tho. Manton in Folio Mr. John Cotton his Exposition on the First Epistle of John with Doctrines Reasons and Uses in Folio There will be shortly extant a Book Entituled Cathechizing Gods Ordinance or A short Treatise concerning that Ancient approved and soul-edifying Ordinance of Catechisme by Mr. Zach. Crofton Minister of the word at Buttolphs without Algate London in Octavo Curteous Reader THou mayest expect within a short time to see published some new Pieces of Mr. William Fenners who was so famous when living and his works though he is dead hath such a sweet though silent voice T. P. ERRATA PAge 3. l. 27. though r. thought p. 5. l. 22. favour r. favours p. 9. l. 6. put out all after the word Journies l. 7. r. in the second verse p. 16. l. 4. for huge r. whose l. 6. for are r. if p. 18. l. 10. and a reall p. 26. l. 1. for praise r. paines p. 44. l. 17. for lanes r. caves p. 45. l. 3. r. from strength to strength THE JOURNALL OR DIARY Of a Thankfull Christian NUMB. 33. 2. And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandement of the Lord. CHAP. I.
bloody Amalekites and fiery Serpents were in their way So falls it out with any Christian who though whilest he walked in the broad way that leads to more then an Aegyptian darknesse and bondage he had no cause of complaint but all went well with him yet when he set his face to heaven and walkt in that narrow way that leads to life then found that his wants were many and his temptations great The best even in the midst of their abundance have their just complaints and he that hath most hath not all One man hath wealth but no honour he is under a cloud another hath wealth and honour but not a dayes health scarce in a moneth a third hath all these but not a childe The life of the best is like a shuttle-cock kept up a while betwixâ— two battle-dores and at the last falls to the ground Betwixt prosperity and adversity good dayes and evill light and darknesse our lives run on and at the last we are laid in the grave The Germanes have a proverbiall saying of the three Princes Electors that the Palâ—sgrave hath the honour Brandenburg the land but the Duke of Saxony the money No man hath all Even Adam in Paradise was taught to want something he must not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evill Moses one of the five grand favourites of heaven called in one chap. five times the servant of the Lord. And to be a servant of God is a great honor Deo servire regnare est To serve God is to reign And yet Moses must not go into the Land of Canaan though he begg'd hard for it Let it suffice thee saith God to him speak no more to me of that matter I know no man that enjoys that abundance of all good things but I may say to him as our Saviour to the young man in the Gospel One thing thou lackest If the possession of many things make us proud God knows how by the want of one thing to keep us humble Oh be sure that one thing be not that one thing necessary namely faith by which we may see God in all enjoy God with all and love God above all 3. In the midst of all our wants reckon how many wayes those wants are supplyed with other comforts God usually makes us a good amends as David said to Abisha when Shimei railed on him It may be God will requite me for this cursing this day If Adam may not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the Garden yet of the fruit of every tree in the Garden besides he might freely eat If Moses may not goe into the Land of Canaan yet his body shall have the most honorable buriall that ever man had the Lord buried him and no man knows of his sepulchre unto this day and his soul went to heaven which was far better If we be straightned in outward comforts and enlarged with spirituall graces if we be weak in body and strong in the Lord if poor in the world and rich in faith if forsaken of friends and God stands by us we have no great cause to complain Travellers into forain parts will tell you that those Countreys that are most Paganish are most stored with gold and silver and that those lands that are without those rich mines have more of the knowledge of Christ and his wayes One man hath little to live upon but his labours but he hath a very strong and healthy body Many times the poorest men have most children which some esteem a great blessing though others look upon it as a burthen and put it into the bill of charges Even Haman when he boasted before his wife and friends of his great wealth and honors reckons the multitude of his children amongst his great preferments If one childe be a blessing then ten children are ten blessings Children of youth saith the Psalmist are like arrows in the hand of a mighty man happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them And certainly many a man would willingly part with half his estate for the fruit of the loyns and wombe If God send mouths he will provide meat Ashur's blessing was children but God will provide for him and them Ashur shall be blessed with children saith Moses but let him be acceptable to his Brethren and let him dip his foot in oyl his shoes shall be iron and brasse and as his dayes be so shall his strength be His bread shall be fat saith Jacob and be shall yeeld royall dainties Every childe that cometh into the world commonly hath two breasts The like may be said of any other wants and the several wayes by which God is pleased to supply them very graciously to his yea sometimes to those that are without It is said of Galba the Emperor of Rome that he had a crooked body but a good head insomuch that one said of him Galbo's great wit had but an homely habitation Aesop was much deformed but very wise and Erasmus a plain man but a great Scholar Such a man and blessed be God there are many such is but one story high in the world but a very godly man and high in Gods favour and esteem of all his people To conclude could any man live the dayes of Methuselah and should all his way lie by Weeping-crosse God reconciled in Christ with the enjoyment of heaven at the last would make amends for all 4. Take great notice of the singular peculiar excellency of all Gods dispensations towards you above the world Your waters are become wine your gleanings are better then the vintage of the world God dealeth with you as with Sons the Servant shall have his wages and it may be a livery but the Son shall have better He is the Saviour of all but especially of them that believe Every passage of providence towards you if you be the Lords hath something more speciall in it God hath choyce mercies for a chosen generation peculiar favours for a peculiar people hidden comforts for his hidden ones that which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can enter into a carnall heart to conceive See this made good in three passages 1. Such have ever what the world hath and something more an overplus the meanest Christian may vie comforts with the greatest men of the world as Paul sometimes with the false Apostles Are they Hebrews So am I. Are they Israelites So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham So am I. Are they Ministers of Christ I am more in labours more abundant c. So a gracious heart Are the men of the world honorable So am I that am a Son of God and a partaker of the divine Nature Have they friends So have I that have union to and communion with Jesus Christ and his members Are they rich So am I that am rich in faith and an heir of heaven as poor
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