every Lesson that 's deliver'd in publick and when they hear Sinners reprov'd and condemn'd cry with the Disciples of our Lord Master is it I But our Business for the most part being with men who like wanton Children will scarce eat the Meat that 's cut for them and are so choak'd with the Cares and Riches and Enjoyments of this World that the loudest Thunders of God make no impression on them and fancy because they are not particularly named in the Bible that therefore the Commands there given do not belong to them we are forced to make the way they are to walk in as easie as we can remove the Stones out of it and tell them every step of the way in hopes that all these pains may work upon their good Nature and oblige them to break loose from the Kingdom of Sin and Darkness And therefore 1. If the Actions and Motions of our outward and inward man be made the Rule of this Daily Self-examination the particular questions that must be proposed to our Hearts at night must be such as these To begin with the Senses As for the Ear Have not I this day heard some ill immodest unsavoury Expressions used by others and hath it been a grief to me hath it been a trouble to my Soul to think that my God was abused and dishonoured by it Have not my Ears been open to corrupt and vain communications Have not I been tickled with some obscene or filthy Story I have heard Have I heard my Neighbour reviled or ill spoken of and have I done the duty of a Friend and justified his innocent Behaviour Have I heard this day of any undecent deportment of any of my Family and have I reproved them for it or admonished them to amendment of life Have not I been pleased with the Commendations I have heard men pass upon me and hath not their applause tempted me to vain-glory Have I heard of losses I have had with Patience Have I heard a man speak disgracefully of me without being enraged at the Calumny Have I heard men entice me to sin and have I abhorred the invitation Have I heard men Swear and Curse and have I been concern'd at the greatness of their Sin On the Lords day especially Have I heard the Word this day with seriousness Did I come to Hear with Resolutions to Practice what I heard Was my Heart affected with the happy Message of Grace and Pardon Was not I more taken with the Ministers delivery than the great things he spoke of Was it custom that obliged me to go and hear or was it a fervent desire to be edified and built up in my most holy Faith Do I feel in my self any Purposes at this present to do as I have been advised to day Did I prepare my self for hearing the Word by suitable Thoughts and Contemplations of that awful Majesty before whom I was to appear Did I feel any heat in my Hearing which was ready to consume the Straw and Stubble of my carnal Affections Did I find any sweetness in the Word of God I heard to day Was my heart ravisht when I heard the joyful news of Christs Redemption to day Was my Soul affected with the love of God when I heard it described to day at the Receiving of the Holy Sacrament Have I done my duty at home Have I made my Servants and Children hear what the Lord their God requires at their hands As for the Eye Have I this day lifted up mine Eyes to Heaven and taken notice of Gods Providences Have not I fed mine Eyes with some unlawful Spectacle Have not I seen men sin and laught at it Have not I beheld immodest Actions and been delighted with them Hath not the sight of such a Vanity transported me into admiration of it Have I read a Portion of the Holy Scriptures to day and remembred to apply the things I read of to mine own Conscience Have I been enflamed with the goodness of the men I have read of Have the Duties and Precepts I have read caused in me a willingness to perform them Have I beheld the Finger of God in the Blessings I have received to day Have I taken notice of Gods goodness to me and mine and stood amazed at it Have I look'd upon the Works of God to day upon Trees and Herbs and Flowers and admired the Wisdom Glory and Bounty of God As for the Tongue and Lips Have I wilfully spoke evil of no man to day Have not I rendred Railing for Railing and Threatning for Threatning Have I been careful to drop something of God in the company I have been in Did not I Eat and Drink to day more to please my Appetite then to repair the decay'd strength of my nature that I might be more serviceable to God and my Neighbour Did I take occasion to speak of something that 's good at my Table And when I craved a Blessing was not my mind more intent upon the Meat before me than on the Great God above me Have not I been intemperate to day Did not I Eat and Drink more than Nature required Have I Pray'd with my Family to day and did that Prayer proceed from an humble sense of our Spiritual Wants and Necessities Have not I said something whereby my Neighbour might suffer in his Credit and Reputation Have I dropt never a Lye in my Shop or Trade or in company either in Jest or for some Advantage or to please Men Have not I rashly made or falsly broke a Promise Have I in my Addresses and Answers shew'd all Meekness unto all Men Have not I talk'd Surly or Proudly to a Man because he was Poor Have not I disdain'd to speak to him because he went in Rags Have I avoided foolish Talk and when I have been tempted to break a Jest which was either Smutty or might be some way prejudicial to my Neighbour have I suppressed it and been more ambitious of being Grave and Modest than of the Reputation of being Witty As for the Hands and Feet whereby the Scripture usually expresses Mans actions Have I been diligent in the Duties of my Calling to day Have I defrauded no Man deceived no Man Have I dealt uprightly and honestly with all Men Have I shunn'd that company which I was afraid would draw me into Sin Have not I complyed with some sinful Action of the Company I have been in Have I some way or other shewn my abhorreney and detestation of their Sins Have I really endeavour'd more to please God than Men What good have I done to day Have not I taken more pains and care to dress my Body than I have done to beautifie my Soul Have not I been more curious about my Cloaths than about my Graces Have not I been more careful to make my Face pleasing to Spectators than I have been to approve my self to God Have not I lost somewhat of the Life of Religion by going into such Society Have not I spent
and his Righteousness and nothing ingrosses my desires so much as to be always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as I know my Labour is not in vain in the Lord. 15. Then I exercise my self unto Godliness as a Great Man or a Man of a Gentile and Noble Extract when I mind things Great and Generous and slight those Lusts which other men admire and make pleasing God the chief care of my Life while others make it their principal care and business to please and gratifie themselves When I undervalue that world others doat on and love that God with Zeal and Fervency whom others love only in Words and vain pretences When I pray with Groans which cannot be uttered while others draw nigh to God only with their lips and their Hearts are far from him and dare loose something for Christ while others follow him no farther than is consistent with their Temporal Glory when I mind that which many Kings and Prophets and Righteous Men have desired to see even the Spiritual Riches of Grace and the everlasting Mercies of David When I mind that for which Abraham forsook his own Countrey and Moses left the dazling Glories of Pharoh's Court and for which Saints and Martyrs have spilt their Blood even that everlasting Kingdom of Bliss which Sense cannot Fathom and no Eye can perceive but that of an illuminated Understanding and which the King Immortal who cannot lye hath promised to the Man that shall be faithful unto death When I am ambitious of the company of that vast multitude we read of Rev. 7. 9. which no man can number out of all Nations Kindred Tongues and People that stand before the Throne and before the Lamb with Palmes in their hands and clothed in White Raiment and cry day and night Salvation unto our God and to the Lamb for ever and ever When I can offer free-will-offerings to God and am so far from being frighted at the Gift God requires at my hands that I am ready to do more than I have an express Command for like the Pious Souls at the erecting of the Tabernacle who being bid to bring in their proportion freely offered more than their share and were so free to give that Moses was forced to put a stop to their Generosity and Liberality Exod. 36. 3 5 6. And to add no more then I exercise my self unto Godliness as a common ordinary man as a man in a lower Sphere and private station When I am just in all my dealings and in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God have my Conversation in the World When I live in a sense of God's Mercy and am ready to do good Offices to all my Neighbours When I study Truth in my Trade and Calling and as much as in me lies provide things honest in the sight of all Men. When I am not slothful in business but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer c. You see Christians what it is to be universally conscientious In vain doth the Pharisee boast I thank thee O God that I am not as other Men Extortioners Unjust Adulterers nor even as this Publican As much as he valued himself up-his perfection it was nothing but Rags and menstruous Cloaths for in this Catalogue no Duties of his several Relations are mention'd and he knew not what it was to live like a Divine or like a Loyal Subject Let Alexander boast of his Conquering Persia India and other Countries and mourn that there are no more Worlds to conquer He that faithfully discharges the duties of his several Relations is a greater Man Such a Man is sensible that God will not be put off with shews and shadows nor with a righteousness that is as a Morning Cloud and as the early Dew which passeth away Such a Man receives the Kingdom of Heaven as a little Child and doth not stand out for want of pains Such a Man is resolved to know God and what the exceeding greatness of his power is to them who believe O Sirs retire and think of the reasonableness of this Exercise O that we could make you see the necessity of it O that it lay in my power to perswade you to it O that I had Rhetorick enough to charm you O that I had the Tongues of Angels to catch your Inclinations by a holy guile But it is not Eloquence will do it God's Spirit must breathe upon you and O that this blessed Spirit would blow upon you and compel you to come in and make you so sensible of the love of God that you might not be able to withstand its force but become greedy and ambitious of this Imployment You would then see how much these Men are mistaken how much they are out what a wrong way they take that place all Religion in a few heartless Prayers and careless Wishes and will not be perswaded to believe that God ever commanded this faithful discharge of the Duties of their several Relations and Callings and that they may not be obliged to it are resolved to continue in that unbelief to their dying day You would be ready to call after them Awake ye that sleep and Christ shall give you light You would wonder that they take no greater care to dress up their Souls for the Marriage of the Lamb O how you would pity them bemoan them and wish for a Fountain of Tears to bewail their stubbornness O how you would be frighted to see what burthens they lay upon their backs Burthens insupportable burthens which will crush them burthens which will make them cry out one day O that there had been such a heart in me O that I had kept close to the Law and to the Testimony O that I had look'd more to my ways O that I had remembred what a charge God gave me O that I had given ease to my Soul when Christ offered to refresh me O that I had submitted to his Yoak in all things when he promised me rest for my Soul We have innumerable examples of Men who even in this life have felt the burthen of God's anger for their unfaithful discharge of these Duties How many Fathers have groan'd under a sence of neglect of their duty to their Children How many Children have smarted for the neglect of theirs to their Parents How hath God punish'd Princes how hath he visited Subjects for their carelesness of these mutual Offices How many Servants have complain'd that they have been undone because their Masters admonish'd them not How many Masters have been ruin'd because their Servants remembred not what faithfulness and what duties God required at their hands And if God's anger against these neglects be so heavy in this life what will it be in the day of Wrath and in the day of Indignation The Judgments God
to give to them that need Do I respect Gods Ministers Do I love them Do I communicate to them that teach in all Good things Do I forbear with their infirmities Do I obey them in things that tend to my Salvation Do I give them that which is due to them Am I kind as well as just to them especially to those who faithfully labour in Gods Vinyard As to the Fifth Commandment Have I acted this day as a Father as a Mother as a Master as a Mistress as a Magistrate as a Tutor as a Son as a Daughter as a Servant as a Subject as a Pupil as an old Man as a young Man as a Husband as a Wife as a Minister as a Hearer as a Maid as a Widdow as a rich Man as a poor Man ought to act and as they are commanded by the Holy Ghost to act in their several Stations Have I been thankful for Kindnesses shew'd me Have I kept my due distance to my Superiours Have I been officious to my Equals kind to my Inferiours Have I studied gravity in Words Actions Gestures and Postures and Behaviour Have not I spoke Evil of Dignities Have not I been a Respector of Persons Have not I connived at Sins in my Children or Friends which I have reprov'd in a Servant or one in a low Condition Have not I been negligent in providing for my Family Have not I spent that time in idleness which should have been spent in working in my Calling As for the Sixth Commandment Have I been just in all my Dealings this day Have I hurt no body in Word or Deed Have I moderated mine Anger Have I been easily reconciled to persons that did offend me Have not I studied Revenge Have I look'd up to Heaven when I have been reproach'd and minded the Supreme Cause that suffered this reproach to fall on me for my Sins more than the Instrument or Person that abused me Have I been willing to decede from mine own right for peace and quietness sake Have not I been Cruel Harsh Morose Ill-natur'd to Men Have not I begun a Quarrel or encouraged it when it was begun Have I been sorry and troubled for any injury that hath been offer'd to my Neighbour Have I been compassionate tender-hearted Have I discharged the Duty of a Friend to those whom I have made believe that I was their Friend Have not I pretended Friendship when I had no love for them Have not I dissembled with men flatter'd them given them fair words when in my Heart I hated or despised or undervalued them As for the Seventh Commandment Have I maintained Chastity this day Have I watched over my Thoughts Inclinations and Desires Have I abhorr'd all obscene filthy and impure Communications and Actions Have I been very moderate in my Eating Drinking Recreation Cloathing and Desires after these outward Comforts Have I dash'd all evil Concupiscence in my Soul in its Birth and when first I felt it stirring Have I been troubled when I have heard of the Adulteries Fornications and Lasciviousness of other men If I met with any immodest or undecent Sight did I turn away mine Eyes and impregnate my Mind with Arguments and Reasons against any sinful complacency As for the Eighth Commandment Have I come justly by those things I have gain'd this day Do I possess nothing that hath been got by Deceit or Oppression Have I been faithful to my Trust Have not I suffer'd my Neighbour to be wronged when I might have prevented it Have not I been guilty of Covetousness Or have not I been guilty of another Extreme which is Prodigality Have not I thought much of giving something to the Poor while I have spared no cost to adorn my Back and feed my Belly considering the Plenty God hath given me Have I been Hospitable and glad to feed some Stranger or poor House-keeper at my Table Have I not spent Money upon my Sin and Pride or Wantonness Have not I consented to another Mans Injustice If I have wronged or deceived my Neighbour am I willing and ready to make restitution As for the Ninth Commandment Have I spoke nothing but Truth to day Have I kept my word to day Have I perform'd what I promis'd either to God or Man Have not I by Equivocations Palliations of Sins and Mental Reservations sought to put a Cheat upon my Neighbour Have not I been voluntarily ignorant of such Deceptions Have not I reported things for certain which at the best have been but doubtful Have not I been peremptory in accusing my Neighbour of an Error when nothing but a conjecture or surmise rais'd the Accusation Have I been candid and open-hearted in my Dealings Have not I betray'd the Secret of my Friend Have not I been wavering in asserting the Truth Have not I been very forward to censure others Have I been silent when I have had no certain knowledge of things and have I been willing to be better inform'd by others Have I patiently heard what men could say for themselves And have not I given Judgment before I have heard the Cause As for the Tenth Commandment Have I been contented this day with that condition God hath allotted me in this World Have not I grumbled and repined that God hath not provided so well for me as he hath done for others Have not I been wishing that I were in such a rich mans Case or that I had such a Estate as my Neighbour hath or that I had such a House such Means such Accommodations as he is Master of that I had as little to do and had as plentiful a Table and as prosperous a Life as he is blessed withal Have my Desires kept within their bounds and have not I been ready to determine what State and Condition is fittest for me And have not I thought my self wiser than God in fancying I might have done better in another State of Life than that he thought fit to place me in 3. In the same manner Christ's Sermon upon the Mount may be laid before us and our Hearts called to an account by such Queries as these Have I this day exercised any Poverty of Spirit Have I entertained low and humble Conceits of my self Hath my Heart been very indifferent as to these outward Conveniences and unconcern'd whether I have much of this Worlds Goods or no Have my Sins been a grief or trouble to my Soul Have they made me take on and mourn because I have offended a tender Father a gracious God a merciful Redeemer Have I studied Meekness and Gentleness in my Answers and Actions Have I felt a mighty hunger and thirst after Righteousness in my Soul Have I had an opportunity to shew myself Merciful and have I embraced the opportunity Have I look'd to my inward man and indeavour'd to purifie my Thoughts Desires and Inclinations Hath my Heart gone along with my Prayer Have I studied sincerity in Devotion sincerity in my Dealings and sincerity in all my Speeches
this Art did Paphnutius teach Thais the Harlot after her Conversion and St. Bernard reports the same of St. Malachias I have read of others that while they have been in company of their Neighbors have in their Minds offered no less then One hundred and three Prayers to Allmighty God and accordingly Macarius advised the Man that ask'd him how he should Pray to repeat very frequently such words as these in his Mind Have Mercy upon me O Lord as thou wilt and think'st most convenient In the Lives of the Fathers there is mention made of one Moses that Pray'd Fifty times a day of one Paulus that Prayed Three hundred times and of a Virgin that did so Seven hundred times others have gone farther and lifted up their hearts to Heaven a Thousand times a day as St. Clara. These Prayers were only short Ejaculations used upon all occasions effects of this Praying Frame and whatever they undertook they began with a Prayer and while they were busy in the Works of their Calling still some Holy Aspirations came from them and if they were reading the Bible at the end of every Verse their Souls breath'd after God and in few words beg'd some Blessing at his hand to which purpose St. Ephrem gives this excellent Rule Whether you work or are going to lie down whether you stand still or are in a Journey whether you eat or drink whether you are going to sleep or are awaking take heed you do not forget to Pray whether you are at Church or at home or in the field whether you feed sheep or build houses whether you are at a Feast or otherwise engaged still Pray and Converse with God These short Ejaculatory Prayers are by St. Austin justly call'd Arrows whereby Gods heart is wounded and our hearts are rais'd into reciprocal love to God These are the Prayers which Tertullian calls Prayers without a Train or retinue of Words And Isack the Anchorete in Cassian pure Offerings Sacrifices with Marrow in them These are the Works or Attempts of our Spiritual Bow as Justinian phrases them Darts and Arrows levell'd against the Enemy Fiery Desires of the heart and the Wishes of Importunate Supplications which are shot up to Heaven wound a great way off fly with great swiftness keep the Enemy from coming too near and sometimes at one stroke enervate his Temptations when he approaches for seeing the presence of God in these Ejaculations he is struck with horror and departs And this Rule I earnestly entreat my Reader to think of and put in practice Christian What difficulty is there in 't before any honest attempt or enterprise to say in thy Mind Lord establish thou the work of our hands upon us yea the work of our hands establish thou it or if it may not tend to thy Glory keep it from prospering and let it not succeed according to my desires If thy design be honest and lawful Why shouldst thou be loth to recommend thy endeavors to the conduct of Providence try it and thou wilt find what comfort it will yield in the end When thou hearest the Clock strike let thy Mind immediately mount up to Heaven and say Lord so teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom When dressing thy self Cloth my soul with salvation and deck me with white raiments that the shame of my nakedness may not appear When washing thy hands and face Bathe my soul in the Blood of Jesus and wash my heart from all Iniquity When walking O Lord cause me to walk in the way of thy Testimonies and let me not wander from thy Commandments When in Company O when will that Joyful Day come that my soul shall be gathered to the innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in Heaven and to the Spirits of just Men made perfect When Writing Lord put thy Laws in my heart and write them upon my mind When Reading O make me to understand the way of thy Precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous Works When Rising O let me awake unto Righteousness and arise from the dead that Christ may give me light When lying down O cause me to lie down in the green pastures of thy Mercy lead me beside the still waters of thy Comforts and restore my Soul When kindling a Fire O shed abroad thy love in my heart and raise such flames within as may burn up all my dross and all my filth When lighting a Candle O give me the spirit of Wisdom and Understanding and enlighten mine Eyes that I may see what the hope of thy calling is and what the riches of thy Grace are When Eating or Drinking O let it be my Meat and Drink to do thy Will feed me with the Bread which came down from Heaven and give me to drink of that Water whereof whoever drinks shall never thirst again When Riding out O Thou that ridest upon the wings of the Wind shew thy self conquer my Corruptions and trample all my Sins under thy feet When taking the Air Come Holy Spirit blow upon my Garden that the Spices may flow out make my mind calm serene and quiet breathe upon me and revive me with the light of thy Countenance When Visiting a sick Neighbour O do thou make all his Bed in his sickness and give me Grace to speak a word in season to him and cause all thy Goodness to pass before him When beholding Trees and Plants and Flowers Lord how wonderful are all thy Works in Wisdom hast thou made them all the Earth is full of thy Riches O make me as a Tree planted by the Rivers of Water which may bring forth its fruit in due season When going to speak to a Great Man Over-awe me with thy presence Lord that I may not comply with any Evil but may fear Thee more than Men. When going by Water O satisfie my Soul with the Fatness of thy House and make me to drink of the River of thy Pleasures When Buying or Selling Lord prevail with me to keep a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Man When standing in thy Shop How amiable are thy Tabernacles Lord God of Hosts O let me ever love the Habitation of thy House and the place where thine Honour dwelleth When hearing thy Neighbour Curse or Swear O Lord lay not this sin to his charge Father forgive him for he knows not what he doth When hearing any good of thy Friend or Acquaintance O let him grow in Grace and go on from Virtue to Virtue and make him fruitful in every good word and work When seeing any one that 's Blind or Lame or Dumb O Lord make these distressed Creatures amends for these defects some other way make the Eye of their Faith the quicker their inward Man stronger and their Hope more lively and visit them more powerfully with thy Salvation When looking upon a
time and while he should work and be busie in his Calling sits in an Alehouse or Tavern or runs into ill Company That cares not what Qualifications his Servants have so they will but do his Work and is not at all displeased if they privily slander their Neighbours or turn aside from the holy Commandment deliver'd unto them That either oppresses his Servant with Work and Drudgery or gives him leave to waste much time in doing nothing That allows his Servants no time to perform their duty to their Maker nor incourages them to Prayer by his example and command That gives them liberty to do what they please on the Lord's day and is unconcern'd if they neglect the publick Worship of God or their private Devotion That takes no notice of their thrivings in Grace and cares not what he doth in their presence so his passion and humour be but gratified That gives them bitter language and in stead of reproving of them with meekness and gentleness for their sins and faults reviles them with all possible wrath and bitterness That doth not give them things necessary and convenient for their sustenance and denies them the Wages for which they serve him That doth not faithfully instruct his Covenant-Servant in the Art or Trade he hath promised to instruct him in and hath no tenderness no compassion to such persons in their distress and sickness That thinks much of giving them Bread when they cannot work and of maintaining them when Providence hath disabled them from doing their Masters business 4. If I will exercise my self unto Godliness as a Servant I must be diligent and faithful industrious careful in the Work I am imploy'd in I must advance my Master's Interest and manage his Concerns in his absence with the same honesty that I would do if he were present I must cheerfully run at his Command if not contrary to the Will of God and be ready to do the Errand he sends me upon I must not pick and chuse my Work but do that which he thinks most fit and convenient for me I must not grumble at his order nor be unwilling to go where he sends me I must love him as well as serve him and honour the froward as well as the gentle I must suffer none of his Goods to be embezell'd nor waste the Treasure he hath committed to my charge I must not steal from him what I think he doth not know of nor enrich my self by what he hath farther than he gives me leave and liberty I must not mispend the hours he gives me for my Work nor dissemble with him in things that make for his just interest and advantage I must be tender of his honour and the secrets of the House I am acquainted withal I must not reveal to strangers I must not discover his faults without a lawful call nor tell Stories to the Men that hate him of his actions I must not consort with idle Companions nor let persons come into his House that would either wrong him or do him mischief I must stand up in his Vindication when he is abused and take heed of exaggerating his errours if once they come to be publick I must not tell him a lye if I have committed a fault and am ask'd about it nor stand to justifie or excuse my errour when it will not bear an Apology I must not answer again when I am chid by him much less repay him with ill language if his passion prompts him to speak more than otherwise he would have done I must bear with his infirmities and though he hath his failings yet do him service with fear and trembling I must not despise him because I am better born nor speak therefore dishonourably of him because I understand more than he I must plead Conscience when he would have me do a thing that 's displeasing to God and humbly beg of him not to put me upon that which in the end will be a torment to my Spirit I must endeavour to gain his love and do sometimes more than he commands me to testifie my zeal to do my duty I must listen to the good Lessons he gives me from the Word of God and exhort my fellow-servants to do the like I must be kind to his Children and take care that by my familiar converses with them I do not draw them into any thing that may be prejudicial either to their Souls or Bodies 5. That Man doth not exercise himself unto Godliness as a Husband that loves not his Wife without dissimulation or doth not as much as in him lies promote her spiritual and everlasting welfare that doth not care for dwelling with her nor thinks it his duty to entreat the Light of God's Countenance for her or join in prayer with her That is intemperate in his Wedlock or thinks that the strict alliance between him and her warrants every immodest extravagant and inordinate pleasure and desire or that no Decorum is to be observ'd in that estate That hath no care of her Health Wealth and Credit or loves her more for her Money and Beauty than her Virtue That gives her reproachful language and reproves her not with tenderness and compassion if her errours deserve reprehension That doth not instruct her so far as he is able or doth not help her to bear the burthen of the Family That is a stranger to all pity and cares not what becomes of her so himself can but enjoy health and prosperity whose carriage to her is churlish and his expressions to her dipt in Gall and Vinegar That exposes her natural defects before company and aggravates her neglects which should be qualified with softer constructions That in stead of comforting her slights her and is so far from healing her wounds that he doth what he can to make them wider That doth not allow her convenient Food and Raiment and let 's her want those necessary supplies which the Law of Nations binds him to That doth not protect her when she is in danger nor redeem her from the malice and cruelty of those that use all means to disparage her That doth not trust her with the affairs of the Family if she be able to manage them or conceals from her the things which appertain to their common safety That goes beyond the bounds of the authority God hath given him over her and in stead of being her Head makes himself a Tyrant and her a Slave That doth not yield unto her reasonable requests nor by his good example encourages her to Piety Gravity Charity and Discretion That despises her good counsel and will be sooner perswaded by a stranger or idle Companion than by her that lies in his bosom That laughs at her Devotion and takes pains to make her weary of her seriousness That takes it ill she should obey God more than him and thinks nothing so tedious as her
to all that converse with me and I must learn to be meek even to those which I have power over to those which are under my Charge and whom I could by stripes and threatnings force into respect and obedience and when justice and conscience oblige me to punish even in that punishment my mildness must be seen I must learn to be a Lamb and to imitate the softness of Wool for nothing appeases the angry Elephant as the meekness of the former and nothing resists the fury of Cannon-shot like the softness of the other I must not give over till I have brought my self to a temper whereby my passions may be calm and quiet and serene while those about me and who chide me and are angry with me make a fearful noise and are transported with indignation My Self-resignation may possibly serve me to leave my self to the Will and Direction of God in the enjoyment of moderate Prosperity but here I must not rest but advance this Virtue to a far higher pitch that come what will whether Weakness Feebleness or Lameness or Agues or Fevers or Consumptions or Falling-sickness or the Stone or the Gout or Poverty or Nakedness or contempt or loss of Friends or loss of Father Mother Children Sisters Brothers Relations Benefactors Money Lands Houses c. I may conform entirely to the Will of God My Obedience may lead me to do several things God hath commanded but I must drive it farther and learn to obey God readily humbly chearfully universally indefatigably learn to obey him in things that cross my inclination my temper my sensual appetite that are against my profit my temporal Interest my honour and my natural desires without disputing evading or perverting his Commands and though I apprehend not the reason of his Commands My Modesty may oblige me to bashfulness in asking but I must exercise it into greater perfection till I hate detraction shun contention avoid boasting keep secrets committed to my breast fly idleness watch against imprudence strive against irreverence and leave all affectedness My Temperance may make me cautious and afraid of eating or drinking more than nature requires but this is not the only effect it must work in me but it must teach and oblige me to go on and avoid curiosity in Diet Cloaths and Furniture and bring me to Self-denial in Sleep Recreations Words Gestures to ruling of my Affections and to purifying of my Thoughts and Imaginations My Moderation is not come yet to its full growth while I do no more but fear overvaluing sublunary comforts beyond their intrinsick worth and the end for which God doth allow them but I must make the virtue larger it must grow in me like the Lillies and spread its branches as the Cedars of Lebanon I must learn to keep my delight and mirth in outward enjoyments within bounds I must learn to moderate my grief when they are taken away in a word weep as if I wept not rejoice as though I rejoiced not and buy as though I possessed not and use the World as if I used it not I must learn to be moderate in my contests with my Neighbour moderate in my censures moderate in my passions moderate in my principles moderate in my judgment moderate in disputes about Religion My Love to God is but weak if I only stand up to vindicate his Word and holy Oracles assert their Divinity and their Truth but I must blow the fire into flames learn to embrace mean and painful things for God to bear incommodities in duties with patience to be undiscouraged in succesless Labours root out Vice and plant Virtue in all that depend upon me My love must be so exercised till God becomes the life of my Soul the light of mine eyes and till I can say Lord Here I am send me give me Grace to do what thou dost command and command what thou wilt I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Let him kiss me with the kisses of his lips for his love is better than Wine O my love my life my desire my delight my riches my treasure my all my happiness my hope my comfort my beginning my end too late have I known thee too late have I loved thee O that I had loved thee sooner My Charity to my neighbour is but in its infancy while I am only civil and respectful to him without prejudicing my self but it must be exercised and it will grow large and lovely extend to his Soul as well as to his body teach me to be tender of his credit compassionate to his calamities helpful in his distress to rejoice at his prosperity to admonish him to holiness to encourage him to good Works and to forgive him even as I hope to be forgiven in the day of our Lord Jesus My Repentance must not only fill me with melancholy thoughts about another life nor teach me only to suppress the sins I have been guilty of but I must learn to strike at the root of sin it must elevate my Soul and make it fruitful in all good works and I must learn to hate sin as much as I loved it before and to answer my degrees of sin with my degrees of contrition and my measure of vanity with my measure of sanctification and righteousness My Redeeming the time must not only make me spend some hours in private devotion but I must learn to improve opportunities whereby my better part may be exalted not to allow my self in idleness to do that which is worth spending my time in not to spend it in sin or satisfactions of the Flesh to part with vain thoughts and projects to rise early if my strength will permit to be industrious in my Calling to season my natural and civil acts and the Works of my Profession with holy contemplations to remember what will stand me in most stead after death and so to number my days that I may apply my heart unto wisdom even unto that wisdom which consists in Knowing and doing the Will of God in procuring Peace and Pardon in mortification of our Lusts and in conformity to Christ's example Then I exercise all these Graces when I work them into greater solidity of seeble make them lusty and vigorous and of fickle and uncertain make them fixed constant and immoveable till I come to abound in the work of the Lord Jesus and into this strength and glory they may be wrought by the assistance of Gods Free and Generous Spirit who is nigh unto them that call upon him unto all such as call upon him in truth I dislike not the practice of some Christians that do exercise some particular Grace more than the rest and render themselves eminent in it and make it their chief business to be ready prompt and accurate in it as Gregory the Great whose excellency lay in entertaining Strangers as the pious Lucius of France who took great delight in visiting Hospitals and serving the sick with his own hands as
my time in idleness Have I taken care to spend it for Eternity As for the Mind Have I endeavour'd to disposses my Mind of Evil thoughts to day Have I called in Pious and Spiritual Reflections Have I resisted Wandring thoughts in Prayer Have not I suffered worldy thoughts to eat out the virtue of my Prayers Have I in my supplications represented to my Mind Gods Greatness Goodness Majesty and Holiness And was I sensible of my Spiritual Wants and Necessities all the time Have I been much in holy Ejaculations to day Was God first and last in my thoughts when I Waked this morning and went to Rest last night As for the Conscience Have I made Conscience of the least Sins to day Have I conscientiously discharged the Duties of my several Relations Have I done as a person in such a Relation would and should have done Have I made Conscience of doing a thing which I have either known or feared to be a Sin Have not I made light of Sin Have not I laught at those Sins I should have Mourned at Have I been concern'd at other Mens Sins as well as at mine own As for the Passions and Affections Have not I given way to the Workings of Pride and Anger to day Have not I been angry with my Neighbor without a Cause Have not I in a Passion given men ill Language Have not I said that in my Wrath which now I wish I had not Have not I been fiery and hot upon very slight and trivial occasions Have not I mistrusted Gods Providence Have not I been more careful about making provision for the Flesh than about enriching of my Soul Have not I found greater joy in temporal than in spiritual Blessings Hath not such a vanity such a Present such a Gift affected and ravished me more than the news of Gods Grace and Pardon and the influences of the Holy Ghost Have I watcht against Wrath and Envy and Malice and immoderate Grief and carnal Mirth Have I got ground of such a corruption Have I been better to day than yesterday Have I serv'd God without distraction more to day than I have done formerly Such questions as these you may put to your Hearts if you mean to take your outward and inward man into consideration But then 2. If you had rather make the Ten Commandments your Rule the Account may be taken in this manner As to the First Commandment Have not I this day confided in the Creature more than in the Creator Have not I been wilfully ignorant of some Truth that hath been brought to my Ears Have not I despised God by rejecting some motions of his Holy Spirit Have not I lived to day like a Man that doth not believe the Promises and threatnings of God Have not I doubted of some Truth revealed in the Word of God or lived as if I had doubted of his Providence Hath my Faith been lively this day Did not I sink into carnal Security Have I exercised my Hope in God Have I expressed my love to God to day Have not I loved some outward thing more than God Hath not my love to God been in words only Hath it discover'd it self in actions Have I desired to be at peace with God and to be united unto him more Have I done nothing that hath savour'd of hatred or contempt of God As to the Second Commandment Have I feared God to day and have I feared him more than all the men I have had to do with Have I been very cautions of offending him Have I abhorred the motion when I have been tempted to any Evil Have I obeyed God in sincerity Hath there been any known Sin that I have not shunn'd or hath there been any known Duty which I was not more forward to perform than to omit Have not I exalted my self or thought my self better than my Neighbours Have I given God all the Glory and have I spoke very modestly of my self Have not I been peevish and impatient under such a Providence that hath crossed my Designs Have not I indulged my self in Hypocrisie Have I been more desirous to be than to seem good Have I given God that Worship to day which is due to him Have I prayed to him in Truth and praised him with joyful Lips As to the Third Commandment Have not I this day neglected an opportunity of giving good Counsel and Advice to men related to me Have not I shunn'd discourses of God and Holiness Have I admired and adored Gods Holy Attributes Have not I broke forth into rash Oaths Have not I been ashamed of standing up for the Glory of Gods name Have I trembled to see God abused Have I shew'd Courage and Resolution when I have seen or heard my God dishonour'd Have not I scandalized some Persons by my Actions Have not I abused my Christian Liberty Have I magnified Gods Mercies and dared to own God in the Blessings I have received Have not I extenuated or denied Gods Mercies Have not I neglected the Gifts of God that are in me Have not I by my lukewarmness betray'd Christ's Cause Have not I neglected my Duty of Prayer upon the account of some Wordly Interest Have not I begg'd of God things contrary to the Will of God As to the Fourth Commandment which doth in a special manner respect the Lords day Have I gone this day with joy into the House of God Have I heard the Word and treasured it up in my Heart Have not I aimed more at the information of my Judgment than at warming my Affections Was it Curiosity or Piety that led me to the Temple Have I gathered my thoughts together in the publick Prayers of the Church and hath my Heart and Desires gone along with the Supplications the Minister of God put up to Heaven Have not I thought of my Trade and Farms and Oxen while I have been repeating the words after Gods Minister Have I meditated and bid my thoughts fly up to Heaven to take a view of my Eternal rest Have I Read in private Have I called my Family together read to them instructed them made them give me an account of what they remember Have not I preferred my Worldly profit to day before my Duty Have not I stayed away from the publick Worship of God for wordly Gain When I received the Holy Sacrament to day were my thoughts fixed on the Cross of Christ Was my Soul affected with the Mystery of Gods love Did my Sins grieve me when I beheld Christ Crucified Did the sight of Christs Crucifixion fill me with indignation against my Sins Did it fill me with serious deliberate Resolutions to watch against them Did it fill me with Praises and Adorations of the stupendious Humiliation of the Son of God Did it make me resolve to imitate him in his Holiness Have I according to the Apostles Command laid in store as God hath prospered me the foregoing week Have I laid aside somewhat of my Gain for Pious uses
taken notice of his former austerities and saw him laughing and merry with his Brethren that came to see him and was scandalized at it Bend thy Bow saith he he did so Bend it more he obey'd him Bend it yet more No answered the Huntsman then it will break Just so saith he is it with these severities too much of them spoils all but the moderate use of them may preserve both Soul and Body to Eternity I do not believe it was possible without a Miracle for Besarion to stand forty nights in a Hedge of Thorns that continually prick'd him though some do confidently report it and if he did so I do not see of what use his Body could be to his Soul after such Torments Nor do I know what to say to that man in Dionysius that being at Prayer and a Scorpion biting him and shedding Poison into his Foot insomuch that it swell'd immediately pain'd him exceedingly and convey'd the infection to his very Heart yet would not move from his place nor take care to resist the noxious Animal till he had done his Prayer for though he was restored to his former Health by the Prayer of Pachomius yet no rational Man can think well of such severities where men may prevent their death and will not and I know not whether it be not tempting of God rather than trusting him where he hath put the means to save our lives into our hands and we neglect them Nor VI. Must the stress of Repentance be laid on these severities This I have already touch'd upon and I cannot but mention it again because without great care and watchfulness men are apt to be deluded by the Devil into misconstruction of this Exercise as if God were more pleased with this Exercise than with the Repentance Men may possibly be pleased with these outward Austerities more than with inward Reformation but God who sees further cannot His piercing eye looks through the Bowels and if the Root be sound loves all the Branches that spring from it if the Foundation be good casts a favourable Eye on all the Ornaments of the Structure This Root this Foundation is a sincere Repentance or a Heart enamour'd with the Beauty of Holiness If this Rod buds and blossoms and bears such Fruit it is accepted in Christ Jesus without a contrite Heart severities are but a deceitful Bush whereby Men are deceived into a good opinion that there is excellent Wine to be found in the House but find nothing but Gall and Vinegar a stately Gate to a Swine-stye and paint laid on upon a homely Face which makes the Mortification ridiculous And therefore VII These severities must be only demonstrations of the sincerity of our Repentance when they are used they must be used to convince our selves and others that we do in good earnest abhor the sins we have been guilty of When our Hearts grieve for the provocations we have given to the Almighty and temptations come in and our frighted Consciences would make us believe that our sorrow is but counterfeit there is no better way to dash and beat back the despaining suggestion than by offering some violence to our Bodies for being naturally lovers of ease and softness when we can thus deny our selves and can be reveng'd for our sins upon our selves we give very good evidence that what we profess is 〈◊〉 and that our Tears are flowing from a Heart sensible of the Majesty and Purity of the Great Creator And this was the reason why the noble 〈◊〉 repenting of her being married to another Husband while the former from whom she had been divorced was living came into the Church with her Haiâ— dishevelâ—d with her Hands and Neck and Lips all diâ—ty and bemired with lying in Dust and Ashes for some time and for this S t Jerome commends her highly because hereby she discover'd the reality and sincerity or her Repentance VIII These severities are of great use in our endeavours to despise the World and to lead a truly Spiritual Life Indeed our love of the World hath need of 〈◊〉 coâ—â—osives It 's a Distemper which is 〈◊〉 to be dispell'd by flatrery 〈◊〉 is it cured by a few angry words such as Eli gave his two Sons Hophni and Phinees Without it be corrected and and lash d the Weed will over-run the Ground and endanger the Soul even in the mid'st of ordinary devotion The Body is ever a Bosome-friend to this love of the World and therefore if the Body be proceeded against with harshness this love feels the smart and begins to abate in its Grandeur and Loftiness The Body being put to pain it 's satisfaction faint and it begins to lower it's Top-sails and to dwindle away into nothing such Mustard being laid on these Breasts the Child soon gets an aversion from sucking them and this bitternes drives the Soul to seek for sweeter Object in Heaven And upon this account it was that Sylvanus the Bishop of Philippoâ—olis went always in Sandaâ—s made of Hay even in the City of Constantinople and the Rural Bishops in the Diocess of Rome denied themselves of all Wordly Rotinue and Splendour while those of Rome lived in all the Pomp and Bravery the World could afford IX Either to subdue a corruption or to prevent yielding to a sin these severities may be very helpful Such severities fright away the corruption and make Satan himself stand amazed at what we are going to do Seeing the love of God so strong in us that for his sake we can put our selves to great inconveniencies he departs and finding that Gods favour is dearer to us than our ease and interest his next conclusion is that he must find out other Subjects to impose and Work upon When Hilarion applied himself to the subduing of his Lusts he spake to his Body Come thou Beast I will not feed thee with Barley but with Chaff I 'll so order thee that thou shalt not kick I 'll subdue thee with the hunger and thirst I 'll lay Weights upon thee I 'll afflict thee by Heats and Colds that thou shalt long for Victuals more than for Lustful Objects And so he did labouring hard when the Sun shin'd hottest and praying and singing all the while he was at Work and thus he became Master of his Passions In the same manner Zenon travelling one day through Palaestina and seeing a Bed of excellent Cucumbers a Fruit he naturally loved and finding temptations in his Breast to steal some from the Owner it came into his Mind that Thieves when taken by the Magistrate are usually tormented I must therefore saith he try whether I can endure Torments before I steal and accordingly he laid this punishment upon himself for coveting another mans Goods and stood five days in the Sun frying his Body in the intolerable heat and being able to endure it no longer I see saith he I must not steal for I cannot endure Torments and so he passed on