undergo so strict an examination Well may the time of judgement be called a day for it will declare and manifest the worth of grace and holiness which in the night of this life is not observed Ah who can conceive the value which the vilest wretch on earth will put upon holiness at that day then grace will be grace indeed and godliness will be godliness indeed Then they who mock at Saints for their purity and strictness and look upon Sanctity but as Hypocrisie and the acting of a part to cozen the world with and think it is enough to put God off with a few prayers now and then when their pastimes and lusts will give them leave will call to beleivers as the foolish to the wise Virgins Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out then the graceless Princes and Potentates of the world will throw their Crowns and Diadems at the feet of the meanest Christian for a dram of his grace and holiness The Apostle speaking of that day puts the question Where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Now indeed those that â—coff and deride and scorn at holiness and holy ones may appear before great men in many parts of the world with praise and applause Now they may appear in the Country and be respected of their Drunken Atheistical Brutish Neighbours and probably be the more honoured for their opposition to the Spirit of grace and holiness but then Where will the sinner and ungodly appear Not in Heaven for that is no Stie for Swine no Kennel for Dogs no Gaol for Malefactours no place for such unholy God-provoking persons Into it can in no wise enter that which is defiled or unclean Such a Pallace is not fit for Beasts Snakes and Serpents and Adders are more fit for the bosome and embraces of men then such men for the bosome and embraces of God Heaven cast out wicked Angels and will not take in wicked Men Where shall they then appear Not on Earth for that will be burnt up with fire Their Houses and places must know them no more for ever The earth groaned under their weight whilst it bare them but now is eased of such loads and shall not be pestered with such Plagues again But where shall they appear Not before Christ the Iudge with any comfort for him they have derided buffeted crucified they have rejected his Laws trampled on his blood told him to his face that they will not have him to raign over them But where will they appear Not before the Saints for they have maligned oppressed imprisoned persecuted them as a company of Cheats and Hypocrites O where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1. Consider The holiness of the Iudge He is the holy Iesus He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity Psa. 45. What will the ungodly sinner do when he shall be judged by the holy Saviour Who can stand before this holy God 1 Sam. 60. 20. His eyes are like a flame of fire and so he knoweth the most secret works of darkness His Law is very pure and observeth and condemneth the least spots the least defilement and how will unclean ones endure to be judged for their everlasting lives and deaths by such a Law His throne is a white throne and how will the black sinner do to stand before this white throne Reader Thou hadst need to be a faithful and loyal subject if thou wouldst then be owned and acknowledged by thy Soveraign How exact should he be in his life who must be tried by so holy a Law If thou callest him Father who without respect of persons will judge every man according to his works pass the time of thy sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2. Consider The strictness of his proceedings Every thought word and action shall be revealed examined and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary There is nothing hid that shall not be revealed nor secret that shall not be made known The thoughts of thy heart shall then be as visible as the features of thy face When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 2â— 16. All thy words will then be as audible as if thou hadst had a voice to reach every child of Adam both alive and dead Verily I say unto you that of every idle word ye shall give an account at the day of Christ Mat. 12. 36. Every action of thine will then be legible not onely to God as it is at this day but also to Angels and Men We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account of all things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. All the works of darkness will then be brought to light We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely be present in person and not by a proxy but be laid open and manifest be transparent so the word signifieth to give an account of every thing done c. to render a reason of every individual thought word and deed what was the principle from which we acted what was the rule by which we acted what was the end for which we acted When Benjamins sack was opened the silver cup appeared On that fair-Fair-day all mens packs will be opened and then it will be known what ware they carry about with them Hence some have conjectured that it will not be a short time nor the judgement soon passed over It is called a day but not in relation to our natural or artificial days for Christ judging as man in his humane nature by his divine power will probably employ a far greater time in searching into and publiquely revealing every mans condition and conversation Though I am not of their opinions who say it will be precisely a thousand yearsâ— because it s said A thousand years are in thy sight but as one day Yet I judge it to be taken indefinitely and as Aâ—stin saith That the day of judgement shall begin is certain but when it shall end is uncertain I find two Divines eminent both for grace and learning in their generations speaking One saith I humbly conceive that the day of judgement shall not be passed over in an instant but shall be of long continuance sor if Christ should judge onely as God he could dispatch it in a moment but he judging as man it must be after the manner of men that the creature may understand admire and approve what is done The other saith It must take up some large quantity of time to manifest all the secret sins of men and therefore it may be made evident both from Scripture and reason that the day of Christs kingly office in judging the world shall last happily longer then the day of Christs private administration now in governing the world 3. Consider The weight of the sentence It s called the eternal judgement because the sentence then pronounced shall never be
commission of their sin There are those of the Serpents brood that have been crushed in the egge and others that have stayed longer have been ripe for ruine before they had attained their full age Though the Creditour hath forborn thee five hundred talents yet he hath not forborn some others five hundred pence wrath hath sometimes followed sin so closeâ— that it hath lodged where sin supped Gehezis leprosie and lie were contemporary Absolons life and treason against his Father expired toâ—gether A sudden Thunder-bolt from Heaven hath struck some into Hell without any fore-runner to give warning of it yet thy God hath spared thee 2. He that forbore thee who hast so often offended him did not forbear Angels a moment after they had once offended Behold the severity and goodness of God! towards Angels the highest and noblest house of the creatures severity towards thee goodness He that stated those excellent natures in an irrecoverable condition of wo and misery upon their first fault hath born with and forborn thee after millions of affronts 3. He that spares thee did not spare his own Son The Son of God did no sooner stand in the place of sinners but it pleased the Lord to bruise him and to put him to grief and to make his soul an offering for sin Though he were free from sin he was a man of sorrows and thou who art little else then sin hast not so much as tasted what such sorrows are Thy God hath forborn thee a monster of rebellion and wickedness when he would not in the least forbear him who was a miracle of obedience and dutifulness Nay he did not spare him that he might spare thee and would not forbear him because he intended to forbear thee Wonder O my soul at this transcendent grace and goodness Is it possible for thee to consider how a sudden Arrow hath shot others dead on thy right and left hand how Angels themselves upon their first breach of the divine law were without any pity or forbearance reserved in chains of darkness to the judgement of the great day Nay how the Son of Gods boundless love who never offended him for becoming onely a surety for others sins was without the least forbâ—arance arrested and forced to pay the utmost farthing and that thou who art a lump of lust a sink of sin an old enemy and traytour against the crown and dignity of the King of Heaven after thousands and millions of provocations against Law and Gospel Light and Love Precepts and Promises art to this day spared Canst thou I say consider all this and not be transported into an high and holy passion of love and admiration at such unparalled patience Thou mayst well say with the holy Apostle In me Jesus Christ hath shewed forth all long-suffering and patience for an example to them that should hereafter believe on him unto life eternal O my soul what dost thou think of these things was ever patience represented in such lively lovely colours Thou mayst now fully satisfie thy self in the reason of thine abode so many years on this side the unquenchable lake Dost thou ask Why was I not cut off from the womb and hurried through the light of this world to blackness of darkness for ever I answer because thy God is patient Dost thou ask Though I was not as a poisonous viper crusht to death as soon as brought forth with the foot of divine wrath for the venome which was in me yet when I put it forth to the injury of others and did spit it in the face of God himself why was I spared I answer because God is patient Thou sinnest often every day every hour in every thought in every word in every deed and he spares as often because He is patient Thou readeâ—t of a season when the patience of the Saints doth especially triumph Here is the faith and patience of the Saints This world is the stage and this life is the time wherein the patience of thy God doth act its part to the amazement of all judicious spectatours Here is the faithfulness and patience of thy God O that I could affect and admire it embrace and entertain it according to its worth O that my heart were filled with its warmth my tongue with its praise and my life with its end O thou that art so much in favour with God and so great a friend to men that thou wert engraven upon the palms of my hands and thy walls were ever before me O that thy noble deeds and what wonders thou hast wrought for the children of men were written for the generations to come that the people yet unborn might praise the Lord When O when shall this patience of my God make a suitable impression upon my spirit I live upon it I live by it I had been a fire-brand of Hell at this moment had it not been for it yet how great a stranger am I to it It goeth with me when I walk abroad it abides with me when I stay at home it followeth me up and down day and night I am beholden to it for my life and all my mercies for my present enjoyments and future expectations yetâ— alas how little am I affected with it I wonder at the patience of some choice Christians that hold their tongues when others revile them and their hands when others assault them and do not wonder at the patience of my God when their injuries are nothing to his either for nature or number and their patience to his far less then the smallest Drop to the Ocean O my soul how wilt thou be able to answer for this sensless stupidity Must the Candles of creatures be gazed at with amazement and thy God alone be neglected Is a beam of the Sun worthy of such admiration and not its glorious body worthy of much more Wilt thou not value a pearl of such infinite price and disesteem all the meekness and forbearance of men in comparison of the patience of thy God O where is thy judgement that thou valâ—est so little such unsearchable riches that thou dost not cry out O the height and depth and length and bredth of the forbearance of God Where are thy affections that they do not cling about it cleave to it close with it delight in its presence and desire its continuance Where is thy heart that it doth not taste its sweetness smell its savour love its gracious Author and meditate on its precious nature and pleasant effects night and day Where are my spiritual senses that they are not conversant about so worthy an object I cannot open mine eyes but I may behold it in every thing that is visible The food and raiment and life and health and strength and liberty that I and others enjoy present the patience of God unto me Every friend I converse with every drunkard and unclean person and atheist yea every man I meet tells me God is patient The Oaths and Curses and
he denied the Faith but siting at the Court Gate when Simeon an old Bishop and holy person was leading to prison he rose up to salute him but the good Bishop frowning on him turn'd away his head with indignation upon which Vsthazanes fell a weeping went into his chamber put off his Courtly attire and burst out into this speech Ah how shall I appear before the great God of heaven whom I have denied when Simeon but a man will not endure to look upon me If he frown how will God frown when I come to appear at his Tribunal Upon these considerations he repented of his Apostacy assumed courage and be-became a glorious Martyr for Christ. If Felix an Heathen trembled when Paul reasoned of judgement to come nay if the very Devils so far believe that day as to tremble at the thoughts of it well may the consideration of that day make Christians tremble at the thoughts of sin and not dare thereby to treasure up wrath upon their heads against that day of wrath and the declaration of the righteous judgement of God Reader At this day think much of that day of judgement hereby thou wilt be stirred up to judge thy self to repent of sin to ensure an interest in Christ the Judge to keep a good conscience and so to think speak and act as one that must be judged by the Law of liberty 1 Cor. 11.31 Act. 3.19 and 17. 31. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Eccles. 12. ult Iam. 2. 12. Act. 24. 16. Eighthly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness Call thy self often to account This is a special help to holiness I considered my ways and turned my feet to thy testimonies saith David Psa. 119.5 A man that goeth out of his way will continue wandering if his mind be occupied about other things and he consider not what he is doing and whither he is going The Christian that is careless of his carriage and seldom compareth his heart and life with the divine commands to observe how they agree or disagree will never order his conversation aright When a clock is out of order we take it to peices and search where the fault lyeth knowing that one wheel amiss may hinder the going of the whole Clock Our hearts are every day out of order our work must be to take them to peices by Examination and to see where the great fault is Seneca's sober young man Ita laborat ita ludit ita caenat ita potat ita loquitur ita vivit ut qui ephemerides Patri est approbaturâ—â—â— so labours so playeth so eateth so drinketh so speakâ— and so lives as one that is daily to be accountable for all to his Father He that would keep his spiritual estate must keep his Account-books well The neglect of this hath been the breaking of many Tradesmen When Shop-keepers live high far above their incomes and for want of searching into their Books are ignorant whether their gains will allow such large expences it is no wonder if they prove worse then naught They who expect the coming of great and severe strangers who will observe narrowly how their house lyeth and how their vessels are kept and publish it either to their credit or discredit according as they find will keep their houses in order sweep them clean have their pewter bright and clear and all things exactly in their places When the Christian looks every night for the coming of Gods Deputy his conscience to spy and search into his heart and life how clean and holy both have been kept all the day it will be a special means to make him watchful over his ways and exact in his carriage and conversation Bee-Masters tell us that they are the best hives which make the greatest noise So that conscience is the best which makes the greatest noise in daily reasonings and debates before its own bar Examination is the quickest way to bring the erring sheep home to the fold Honest men will examine their weights and measures by the standard that if they be defective they may be mended The honest heart will examine its thoughts its words its actions by the Royal Law that their unsutableness to its strictness and latitude may be repented of and to the utmost of its power reformed Let us search and try our ways For what cause What will be the issue of such a scrutiny And turn again to the Lord Lam. 3.39 What man will seek to a Physitian or accept his advice or take his prescriptions who doth not know himself distempered and feel his disease T is examination of our hearts and lives by the holy and pure Law of God that gives thee knowledge of our spiritual sickness and helpeth us to feel it to prize our Physitian and thankfully and heartily to accept his directions for our cure It s observed of the Dutch-men that they keep their banks notwithstanding the threats of the insulting Ocean with little cost and labour because they look narrowly to them and stop them up in time If there be but a small breach they stop it presently and hereby save much charge and trouble Frequent examination will do this courtesie for the Christian it will maintain his peace with little charge and trouble comparatively As soon as any breach is made by sin that Arch-make-bate between God and the soul it will help the Christian to run presently to Christ to heal and make it up in Heaven by his merits and in the soul by his purifying and pacifying spirit The counsel which the Philosopher gave the young men at Athens may sutably and profitably be applied to Christians That they should often view themselves in a glass that if they were fair and well featured they should do such things as were beseeming their amiable shape but if soul and ill-favoured that then they should labour to salve the bodies blemishes by the beauties of a mind accoutred with the ornaments of vertue and good literature Examination is a special preservative against sin No Children are more bold to defile themselves and to play with dirt or rake in kennels then those who know their Parents are so foolishly fond like David of Adonijah that they never displease them at any time in saying Why hast thou done so The Child that expecteth to be reckoned with at night will be careful how he dirtieth his cloaths in the day Examination will help the Christian if not to hinder a coming disease yet to prevent its growing and increase The Ship that leaketh is more easily emptied at the beginning then afterwards The Bird is easily killed in the Egge but when once hatcht and fledged we may kill it when we can catch it A frequent reckoning with our selves will pluck sin up before it is rooted in the soul. Examination will help the Christian that hath fallen and bruised himself to heal the wound whilst it is fresh before it is festered This one advantage if there were no more is extraordinary As the sting of
To Conclude Reader Be not thou envious against evil men neither desire to be with them Charity forbids the former and Christianity the latter Love to them must preserve thee from envy but love to thy self must keep thee from keeping them company When ever providence calleth thee amongst them make them thy fear not thy familiars For their heart studieth destruction and their lips talk of mischief Prov. 24. 1 2. 1. Society in evil we may not hold no not with the best men Ephes. 5. 7 11. Si cum malis non tamen in malis Psa. 141.4 2. Society in good i. e. in sacris in the Worship of God we may hold with the worst men Math. 23. 1 2. and 21. 12 13. 3. Society in things indifferent we may have with all men as in civil commerce and Offices of humanity Gen. 23. 1 Cor. 10. 27. A Good Wish of a Christian about the Choice of his Companions wherein the former particulars are Applied THe blessed and glorious God the Father of mercies and fountain of all communion of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named who hath sufficiently evidenced the good of Companions in saying It is not good for man to be alone and who hath sanctified society by his own example in creating Angels and Men not onely for mutual comfort in the fruition of each other but also that his sacred Majesty and those Heaven-born spirits might have fellowship together as intimate friends and especially in that infinite complacency which he had in his beloved Son and his Son in him from all eternity who was dayly his delight rejoycing always before him Having made me rational and thereby meet for converse with men Religious and thereby capable of communion with Christians I Wish that I may never abuse his kindness by shutting up my self as Monks and Nuns in Cells or Cloisters or as some melancholy persons in a Closet or Chamber but may know both how to be alone and how to be in company and be so sensible of his love in affording me fellow-travailers that my journey to my Fathers house may be the more pleasant that I may accept it thankefully and improve it faithfully to his own praise My God suffereth my spiritual wants that I may look for help under him from others wealth and he affords me spiritual riches that I might be able to supply others poverty It s his pleasure that none of his Children though to some he gives liberal estates to all a competency should be able to live without being beholding to their Neighbours Though privacy hath fewer incitations to evil company hath more provocations to good by so much â—s doing good is better then not doing evil Let me prefer society before solitariness Yet Lord let me never be a good-fellow in the Worlds sense to joyn with all sorts but let my fellowship be with them that have fellowship with thee Though I may have bad acquaintance let me not have a bad Companion whatsoever commerce I may have with sinners let my communion be onely with thy Majesty and thy Saints O let them that fear thee turn unto me and such as keep thy righteous judgements Psal. 119. 79. I Wish that the consideration of the great influence which Companions will have upon me to hinder or help me in the way of holiness may make me the more prudent in my choice Though there be some quicksets of grace in the soyl of my heart yet these evil weeds may endanger their death at least will prejudice their growth How often hath ill company as an East-wind nipt and destroyed those buds which gave hopes of becoming in time good and wholsom fruit If the fire of my godliness be not extinguished no thanks for that to my self yet it s sure to be abated by these waters My spiritual life is maintained onely by that provision which my God is pleased daily to send me in and can I expect that he should send supplies into his enemies quaâ—ters What man will send goodly Furniture into his house untill the dust and rubbish be cast out With what reason can I look for succour from Heaven when I run my self into the jaws of Hell Though others that are found out by their grand foe may receive help from God and come off with conquest yet if I go to seek out the temper for where can I sooner find him then in his house amongst his own Children I shall have little pity and may well expect to be foiled in the fight Again How doth Familiarity with what is evil make it less frightful Children are much startled at some creatures which when they are accustomed to they are not at all afraid of Possibly my anger against sin at present is very hot but evil company is a drugge that will much allay the heat of that Simple The filthiest disease is not so loathsom in a Wife or Child as in a Stranger nor in an intimate friend as in another If there be not a due distance betwixt the â—isive faculty and the object there can be no true sight If the sin be too near me in a friend that lyeth in my bosome I cannot behold its ugliness and deformity its hainous hateful nature I doubt not but that poysonous Apple which had eternal death at its core would have been far more loathsom and detestable in Adams eyes much less would it have been so lovely and acceptable had he seen it in any other hands then of his dearest and onely Companion on earth O that since he was wounded by the hand of his nearest and most intimate friend who had the breastplate of compleat righteousness and perfection of grace for his shield I might never dare to thrust my self amongst such enemies who am compared with him wholly naked and unarmed I am apt to think that I can secure my self against their shot but alas the long and often playing of the Cannon will batter the strongest wall A continual dropping will pierce a stone Doth not experience tell me that it s no hard matter to give such a weakling as I am a fall And is it likely that I should stand fast in so slippery a place My God asketh me Can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloaths not be burnt Can one go upon coals and his feet not be burnt My cloaths notwithstanding all my care to the contrary will smell of the Coals and my feet will blister with the fire My God tells me that sin is a Canker a Gangreen and experience teacheth how spreading and infectious sinners are 2 Tim. 2. 17. I may think to make them better but they are more likely to make me worse Sickness is catching but not health the rotten sheep infect the sound but the sound sheep do not cure the rotten Solomons bosome Companions drew his heart from his God but I read not of any one of them whose heart he drew to his God If Pitch be but
as never to reproach the sinner when I reprove the sin lest I break their heads instead of their hearts and make them flie in my face instead of falling down at Gods feet Bone-setters must deal very warily and Physick is given with great advice and in dangerous diseases not without a consultation I would distinguish between crimes and not fall upon any as the Syrians did on Gilead Amos. 1. 3. with a flail of Iron when a small wand may do the work nor as Jeroboam threatened Israel chastise them with Scorpions who may be reformed with Whips It was not the heat but the cool of the day when my God came down to reprove Adam The wrath of man workeâ—h not the righteousness of God It s in vain to undertake to cast out Satan with Satan or sin with sin I must turn anger out of my nature but I must not turn my nature into anger Yet let me be serious not light in all my admonitions It s ill playing or jesting with one that is destroying and damning himself Would it not stick close to me another day should I laugh at them at this day that are going into the place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth My frothy carriage would as Hazaels cloth dipt in water instead of recovering stifle my brother to death Physick works best when its warm I must love my Neighbour as my self True self-love will throw the first stone at its own sin I may not suffer sin in my self therefore not in my neighbour Lord thou hast commanded me in any wise to rebuke my neighbour and not to suffer sin upon him I confess it s an unpleasing work to rake into sores and ulcers If I lance festred wounds I make the Patients angry by putting them to pain and O how averse is my wicked heart to such a task I am prone to fear their ill-will more then thine and rather to let them rot in the hony of flattery then preserve and save them by faithful admonition How backward is my cowardly spirit to undertake the work how many excuses will it plead for its neglect When through grace I have overcome those lets and hinderances how flatteringly and unfaithfully do I go about it rather stroaking the sinner then striking the sin O pardon my omissions of this duty and all my falseness in the performance of it Let thy Spirit so encourage me that I may not fear the faces of men so direct me that affectionately prudently and zealously I may admonish them that go astray and O do thou so prosper and bless that I may bring them home to thy flock and fold I Wish that I may unfaignedly bewail others wickedness and lament that dishonour to my God which I cannot hinder It s an ill sign of my Sonship for others to blaspheme the name of my father and me to be insensible Adoption is ever accompanied with filial affection If I expect the priviledges I must ensure the properties of a Child Nature will teach me to be troubled for affronts that are offered to the Father of my flesh and will not grace enable me to be greived at the dirt which wicked men throw in the â—ace of the Father of Spirits Again I must not look for freedom from others sufferings unleâ—â— I lay to heart their sins The mourners in Sion are those that in a common calamity are markt for safety Ezek. 9. The destroying Angel will take me to be as guâ—lty as others if it fixd me without grief and so wrap me up in their punishments my God himself judgeth me infected with those sins for which I am not afflicted and can I then think to escape O that my head were water and mine eyes fountains of tears that I might weep day and night for the iniquity and misery of dying gasping sinners Lord thou canst fetch water out of this rocky heart and open the sluces of my eyes Break my heart because others break thy Commands When others kindle the fire of thine anger help thy servâ—nt to draw water and poure it out before thee Let me be so far from seeing others provoke the eyes of thy glory without sorrow that when ever I remember the transgressours I may be greived because they forsake thy statutes Let rivers of tears run down mine eyes when the wicked forsake thy Law I cannot for my life so carry my self but I shall sometimes fall amongst wicked men Whilst I am amongst them I endanger my soul either by complying with or conniving at them in their evil actions There is no safety in evil society Such Pitch is apt to defile my conscience Who can expect to come off without loss from such Cheats and Juglers It is the peevish industry of wickedness to find or make a fellow Besides they are Children of the world whose friendship is enmity against my God they are Children of disobedience therefore contrary to my new nature and so must needs be uncomfortable to me Children of the Devil therefore Traytors against Christ and so abominable to my God I cannot be certain not to meet with evil companions but I will be careful not to be their consorts I would willingly sort my self with such as should either teach me vertue or learn of me to avoid vice And if my Companion cannot make me better nor I him good let me rather leave him ill then he should make we worse Though if I depart from â—hem the world will judge me proud yet should I stay with them needlesly my God would count me prophane and is it not better that men accuse me falsly then God condemne me justly What need I care what men think so God approve T is to his judgement that I must stand or fall for ever It is likely that those who cannot defile my conscience will injure my credit and publish to their fellows that I am a precise fool But this is my comfort there is a time coming when innocency will cause the greatest boldness and freedom from sin will do me more service and be infinitely more worth then the highest renown that ever mortal acquired Lord thy people in this world are as Lillies among Thorns The Canaanites of the Land are Thornes in the eyes and Pricks in the sides of thy true Israelites Wo is me that I dwell in Meshech and my habitation is in the Tents of Kedar My soul hath long dwelt with them that hate peace They like not me because I am not like to them and count my Company not good because it is not bad and I dare not sin with them They are mine enemies because I follow the thing that good is O how black are their tongues with railing and their hearts with rage against them who dare not provoke thee as much as themselves I am ready to say now upon the view of their abominations and the hearing their Oaths and Curses and Blasphemies Cursed be their anger for it is fierce and their rage
Pigeon are dazeled and drawn with admiration but stouter Birds of prey the Merlin and Hobby are invited to stoop and gazing on the outward form lose themselves So when Satan spreadeth his day-net of pleasure and honour he allures not onely Heathens and Indians but even unsound and secure Christians As the Birds that are caught in the snare so are the Sons of men snared in an evil time Eccles. 9. 12. 3. That those that would conquer their spiritual enemies must be full of courage and valour The Kite is Andax in minimis timidus in magnis bold in dealing with tâ—me fowl as Chickens and Ducks but cowardly in medling with wild ones that will not yield Give not place to the Devil Resist the Devil and he will flee from you 4. The misery and mischief of contention The Hawk thinks constantly to make a prey of the Heron but sometimes the Heron when she cannot by any winding shifts get above the Hawk nor by bemuting his feathers make him flag-winged resumeth courage out of necessity and strikes the Hawk through the gorge with his Bill and so have both been seen to fall down dead together So rich men many times presume that they may oppress their inferiours at their pleasure but the event of their strifes and law-suits after all their turnings and winding Meanders in the Law sought out to get above each other hath proved the undoing of both 5. The unreasonableness of diffidence and distrust They will teach thee a lesson of faith and help to banish our fears Behold the Fowles of the Air for they Sow not neither do they Reap nor gather into Barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are ye not much better then they Mat. 6. 28. 6. The observation of times and seasons It s thy prudence to take notice of the stormes of judgements and sunshine of mercy The Stork in the Heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord Ier. 8. 7. 7. The pains thou shouldst take for spiritual food the fowles of the Air will flye far for meat Where the carcass is there will the Eagles be gathered together No labour should be thought too great for the meat that endureth to eternal life 8. The regard thou shouldst have to the preservation and safety of thy self and Family They build on high and make their nests on the tops and small twigs of trees and will spare it out of their own mouths to feed their young He who provides not for his Family is not onely worse then an Infidel but also worse then the very Birds of the Air. O my soul proceed farther Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee 1. A lesson of Humility Thou art but breathing earth enlivened dust as vile as the dirt that every Beast of the field trampleth on Behold I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. 27. 2. A lecture of thy frailty that thine earthly tabernacle will ere long fall to the ground Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return 3. A lesson of fruitfulness It bringeth forth thirty forty sixty an hundred for one And Isaac sowed in the Land and had an hundred fold increase 4. A lesson of faith and trust in God The earth hangs on nothing it hangs in the thin air where an Hair-ball nay a straw will not stay without a support Job 26. 7. He hangeth the Earth upon nothing Once more And the fishes of the Sea shall declare unto thee Though they are mute Masters yet they are great Teachers They declare unto thee 1. The Affection and communion that ought to be amongst Saints Fish of the same kind flock together in Sholes The Greek word for Fish is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is derived as some think from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be carried with force and violence so the Fish swim in troops with great force The safety of Saints consisteth much in their society 2. The misery of want of government The greater Fish devour the lesser The Pike feed upon Roach Thou makest men like Fishes of the Sea that have no government Hab. 1. 14. So Men without Magistrates like Canibals feed on each other 3. The folly of men that take not warning by others Silly fish are caught by the Angle or Net and carried to the fire yet they that remain are still greedy of the bait Satan takes some sinners with the snares and baits of his temptations jerks them out of the water of life and casteth them into the unquenchable fire yet those that survive are as ready to hearken to his suggestions as if there were no such thing Eccles. 9. 12. 2 Tim. 2. 26. For man knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evil Net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them That they may recover themselves out of the snares of the Devil who are taken captive at his will 4. The subtile malice of Satan When thou seest the Fisher baiting his hook thou mayst think of the policy of the Devil who sugars over his poisoned hooks with seeming profit and pleasures Eves Apple was candied over with Divine knowledge Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil 5. The multitude of Believers that are begotten by the Gospel When the Psalmist speaks of the Sea he saith Wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great Beasts Psa. 104. 25. The Latine Piscis cometh of the Calde word Push which signifieth to multiply and increaâ—e for nothing multiplieth more then Fish So the great increase of Christians under the Gospel is compared to the number of the fish of the great Sea Ezek. 47. 9. And there shall be a very greaâ— multitude of fish because these waters shall come thither for they shall be healed c. 6. The duty of men to abide in their places Fishes do not change their element Birds are somtimes aloft in the air sometimes below on the earth but Fish keep always iâ— the water Let every man abide in the same vocation wherein he is called 1 Cor. 7. 20. 7. The benefit of abounding in holiness Fishes are then sweetest and acceptable to the pallat when they begin to be with spawn The fruitful Christian is most pleasing to God Herein is my Father glorified if ye bring forth much fruit Ioh. 15. 8. 8. The noisomness of sin Fish cannot abide any ill savour When the Pump of the ship is emptied they flie from the stench and smell of that nasty water hating the garment spotted with the flesh Iude 23. 9. The necessity of faith and holiness No Fish were counted clean but such as had Fins and Scales The Fins guide the fish the Scales are a defence and ornament
and serving his God and his soul as well as his family and body in those interjections The wheel of a chariot though it be in motion all the day and turning about on the ground yet it s but a small part of it that toucheth the earth at one time the greatest part of it is always above it so the true Christian though he be all the day busie about earthly affairs yet it s but his body his lesser part that is employed about them his soul his affections which are his greatest part are always about them SECT I. I Shall first offer thee two quickening Motives and then acquaint thee wherein thy daily exercise to Godliness consisteth First Consider Any day may be thy last day and therefore every day should be an holy day with thee I mean not an holy day for play or recreatâ—on but for the work of Religion He that knoweth not how soon his Master will come and reckon with him had need to be always employed about his Masters business Because there is no time of life in which thou art secure from death therefore every day of thy life thou oughtest to be about thy duty Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Every day is big-bellied and hath more in the womb of it then any man knoweth he that salutes the morning with a smiling aspect may bid the world good night for ever before the evening The candle of thy life may be blown out on a sudden before its half burnt out The Poets fable that Death and Cupid lodging together at an Inn exchanged arrows whereby it hath since come to pass that old men â—â—ote and young men die Death cometh up to the young and strong old and weak men go down to Death Thou mayst be called forth to that war in which there is no discharge and not have an hours warning to prepare thy self for a march Sturdy trees are overturned by an unexpected wind lusty men by violent feavers or outward accidents our enemies are strong our earthly houses weak the coming of our Landlord is unknown the lease of our lives is uncertain we are every moment liable to be ejected and shall we not be so employed that our Lord when he comes may find us well-doing I remember I have in some Author read that the invention of clocks was not primarily to mind us of the Suns posting in the heavens but of our Lives passing on earth It was Calvins reason for his unweariedness in his studies when his friends urged against it the injury it did his body Would ye have my Lord when he cometh find me idle It will be woful for that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find doing evil or doing nothing But and if that servant say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens and to eat and drink and be drunken The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers Luk. 12. 45 46. In which words we may observe 1. The sin of the unfaithful servant 2. The severity of his Lord. In the sin we may take notice 1. Of the nature of He bâ—ats his fellow-servants and eats and drinks and is drunken He gives himself up to all manner of wickedness He is unrighteous to his fellow-servants he beats them and unfaithful to his Master he abuseth his goods he eats and drinks and is drunken Sin doth not lie skulking in the â—ecret trenches of his heart but appeareth boldly in the open field of his life T is a sign an enemy hath great power when he sheweth himself openly 2. The occasion of it His Plea for it His Lord delayeth his coming Because he hath not a speedy reward he layeth aside all good works because of Gods gracious forbearance he argueth a general acquittance for all his evil works He makes bold to riot because he is not called to a speedy reckoning We tremble not at the noise of those Cannons which we fancy to be a great way off That which is lookt upon at a distance seems small and so is despised though the same beheld near appears great and terrifieth us In the severity of the Lord we may read 1. How sore his judgement is He shall cut him asunder and give him his portion among unbeleivers These two expressions speak the dreadfulness of his doom though no words can speak fully how woful it is He shall cut him asunder An allusion to some tortures then in use amongst the Heathen to shew the exquisite pain which his body shall suffer And give him his portion among unbeleivers Because the hottest Hell is reserved for such The wrath of God abideth on them Joh. 3. ult to note the extream punishment which his soul shall undergo 2. How sudden it is unexpected evils are most dreadful The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him Sudden frights overwhelm the spirits Those miseries which seen at some distance have been entertained with patience surprising men on a sudden have â—triken them into despair Death comes sometimes like a Thief up into our windows coming in at the door is ordinary but coming in at the window is unlookt for Ier. 19. 21. As the snare secretly and unexpectedly seiseth the silly Bird so doth a day of death the simple Children of men Luk. 21. 35. Our Saviour speaks of his coming in the second or third watch of the night which the Jews called Intempestum Gallietnium not in the first and fourth because saith Theophilact they are the dead time of the night when men are in their soundest sleep to shew us how suddenly and unexpectedly he shall surprise most men Luk. 12. 38. Reader This present days work may be the last act of thy life it behoveth thee therefore to do it well When thou art in thy Closet thou mayst think with thy self I may possibly never pray more never read the word of God more how reverently uprightly graciously should I therefore pray and read When thou art eating or drinking or refreshing nature thou mayst consider for ought I know this may be the last time that I may use these creatures of God how fearful should I be of abusing them how should I eat my bread as before the Lord. When thou art in thy Shop or about thy calling thou mayst ponder this Possibly my last sand is running and I must this day bid adieu for ever to Wares and Shops and Flocks and Fields and all civil commerce O how heavenly should I be about these earthly affairs How spiritual about these temporal things Who would not do his last work well Ah how holy should he be at all times who hath cause every moment to expect the coming of an holy and