heed of placing your Affection on any of them For be the Recreations in themselves never so honest it is a Vice to set your Affections on any of them But thou mayst take Recreation in playing for the time thou playest otherwise it would be no Recreation but thou must not eagerly desire or long after them nor yet study on them nor vex thy self about them And when thy Recreation withdraweth thy Mind from walking in an honest Calling or eateth up the Time which might be far better spent in doing those things as might tend to the good of thy self or others either in respect of this Life or the Life to come it is a manifest Intemperancy and want of Moderation And if so strict an account must be given of idle words at the Day of Judgment as our Saviour tells us how strict a reckoning must be rendred of idle Actions And all actions of Sport are idle when they are Immoderate All Christians are bound to redeem the time not thus idly and vainly to trifle and pass away the time And Heaven is appointed as a place for Men to rest in from their Labours not for those to sit down in who have here spent a great part of their days in Sports and Pleasures Ye may see the lawful use of outward Comforts Recreations and Pleasures allowed to the Godly and the ungodly Man's unlawful and voluptuous course of living in Pleasure shadowed forth to us in the difference that 's between a Bird's and a Fish's using of the Waters 1. The Bird doth but touch the Water and sips only for refreshment but the Fish wallows and tumbles in it and delighteth to drench and cover her self therein 2. The Bird only toucheth the Waters but resteth not upon them but quickly speeds her self away again but the Fish resideth in them as in its proper Element 3. The Bird as she flieth lighteth down and takes up a little Water in her flight by the way but the Fish lieth continually swilling and sucking in it So he that lawfully useth those things which God hath given for our Delight and Refreshment in a Christian moderate way he takes them more sparingly whereas others do even glut and cloy themselves with them God's Children do take but a little of these and but by the way as they are in running the Race that is set before them as they are in their flight towards Heaven their Souls being then upon the wing and raised to Heavenly-mindedness when they do taste of the sweetness of these things And if they herein transgress and sometimes glut themselves too much with these things their Failing doth more trouble them than their Pleasure doth refresh them On the other side He that lives in Pleasure as the Fish in the Waters he is then at rest when he is enjoying some sensual Delights he is then in his proper Vbi and Element when his Heart is even drench'd and immersed in some such Pleasure as is adapted to his Sensual Affections And when he is in the Service and Worship of God he is like a Fish on dry Land out of its place he is in such a Course as is not pleasing to him his Heart acquiesceth in the midst of his Delights being not at all exercised in any Heavenly Imployment his Heart is not any way born up with any lively and Heavenly Affections SECT XXVII Of the Conversation of Parents and Elders EVery one in the Family ought to serve God according to his Abilities as his Place gives him occasion or advantage Many a one if he were Head and Master of a Family as he is but an Inferiour would do more good than there is done Therefore they that have such advantage of place should glorifie God accordingly And they should be like those Wheels in the Clock which move first of all and carry round all the rest with them They should be Leaders in Praying in Reading in Meditation in holy Conference in Humility in Zeal in Sobriety in Admonition in an Heavenly Conversation Parents should pray earnestly unto God to heal their Childrens Souls They should also be very careful to purge out the vanity of their Hearts and Conversations that so albeit they could not prevent the running Issue whereby they conveied Sin to their Children at the first yet they may take heed of increasing it by an evil example By a vain and evil Conversation thou dost no less than confirm and even water those roots of Sin which thou thy self hast planted in them 1. Evil Examples are most dangerous which are practised by Men that have most Authority Now the Child especially when he is young in his Childhood when his disposition receiveth its first shape looketh upon his Father as his Prince as it were he feareth and regardeth more than any Prince and so his Look his Word and especially his Example is a Law unto him and he looks for no better Warrant Maxima debetur pueris reverentia It hath been said Much reverence is due to Children We say and that truly that Children owe great Reverence to their Parents and Elders And 't is as true Parents and Elders should carry it reverently toward Children because their Example emboldens Children to imitate them in a likeness of Speech or Behaviour 2. That Example is most dangerous that is most commonly in sight Now the Child looketh upon the Father and Mother almost every Day when they rise up lie down go forth come in talk eat drink c. he is still with them Other Mens Courses he seeth but now and then these always Now when unmortified unrestrained Vanity shall break out in every passage of their Lives and their Children be witnesses of it is it not likely that they will be followers of it also The Child perhaps hears a Neighbour Swear once in a Week or Month but when he shall hear his Father every Day dishonour God this way this is very dangerous 3. Evil Examples are most dangerous in those whom we specially love for Love is a cover for many Blemishes in Persons and Things that are beloved Now whom doth the Child love so much as Father and Mother therefore their evil Examples will foon take with them That which is evil in Parents seemeth good to their Children because of their Natural Love toward them Therefore ye Parents how careful should ye be of your Carriage in regard of your Children Ye would have your Children love you and so they ought But take heed lest ye make their Love to you an occasion of Destruction to them That were a most wicked unnatural Parent that knowing his Child should love something as should poyson it would purposely lay it in his Child's way that he might swallow it down So when a Parent knows his Children love and embrace him and that which he doeth his Courses and Actions what a woful thing is it if he shall defile himself and his actions with Sin and Wickedness and so occasion his Children
then cannot a Man forget God Who lives under a continual sence of the want of God his Soul is still breathing and panting after God Love causeth an emission of the Thoughts it will not suffer him to dwell at home but to be where it is best of all to be There 's a Necessity a Man should mind what he most affecteth and a Man that loveth God cannot live in a Course of Forgetfulness of God either as an holy Man noteth Want brings him or Love constrains him or Christ draws him and Christ will not be long from his if their Hearts come not up to him he will come into them and if he be there all is taken up with attending upon him SECT II. A Soliloquy at Waking HOw pretious are thy thoughts unto me O God! how great is the Sum of them c. When I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.17 18. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Because thy Loving-kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips when I remember thee upon my Bed and meditate on thee in the Night-watches Because thou hast been my Help therefore in the shadow of thy Wings will I rejoice My Soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me Psal 63.1 to 9. O God my Heart is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my Glory Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early or in the Morning I will be up first and raise the Morning out of its Bed that I may come to the Celebration of thy Praises Psal 108.1 2. My Soul waiteth for thee O Lord more than they that watch for the Morning I say more than they that watch for the Morning Psal 130 6. He waited for the Lord more than they that watch for the Morning either as one Expositor saith more than they who in the Sanctuary of the Lord heedfully observ'd the Morning watch that they might offer the Morning Sacrifice in due season or more than they that are appointed to keep watch all Night do watch and long for the Morning as another Expositor hath it SECT III. Directions how to begin the Day GIve GOD your first waking Thoughts Suffer no Wordly Thought to enter till God first come in The First-fruits of the Mouth and of the Heart are to be offered unto God Primitiae oris cordis Deo offerendae Ambros in Psal 119. saith St. Ambrose So all evil and vain thoughts either will not dare to intrude or shall more easily be kept out The Mind of Man is never idle it will be always active either about God or the World Christ or Vanity Good or Evil. It is always busied in thinking devising pondering on somewhat or other Therefore it is necessary that first of all in the Morning we set our Minds to the Meditation of Divine and Heavenly Objects How will the Devil busy himself in injecting Multitudes of other thoughts into your Minds to divert your Minds from the sweet Meditation of God if you give not God your waking thoughts Multitudes of thoughts will run into your Minds like People running to a Bull-baiting or to see some strange Sight but you must watch against them and drive them away as Ahraham did the Fowls from his Sacrifice 2. Lift up your Hearts to God in a reverent manner and give him thanks for the rest of the Night past that his Compassions have not failed you but are renued every Morning that even in the Night you have received an apparent Evidence of his Love and whereas for your Sins committed the day before God might even in the dead of Sleep have taken your Souls from you and so have suddenly brought you to your account bless him that it hath been his good pleasure yet to spare you 3. If God's Glory be dear unto you you will or ought to begin every Day in this manner before you do any thing by offering to God's Glory what ye are about to do setting before him premeditately the Actions of the ensuing Day in this or the like manner My God whatsoever I shall this day speak or do yea whatsoever I shall think I offer wholly to thee these Prayers these Meditations these Alms these Devotions this Fasting these Works these Businesses these Actions these my Affairs I dedicate and consecrate unto thee nor desire I any thing else than what I shall perform this day may turn to thine Honour How sweet is it in the beginning of the day before a Man takes any new Matter in hand to lift up his Heart to God and to say thus within himself Lord I will undertake this or that Action by thy help and for thee this day for thee will I labour I will think this for thee for thee now will I hold my peace and now I will speak for thy Honour and Glory I will cast my self on thee for the following Day Use your selves constantly to this Course that your Consciences may check you when you neglect it Such a constant Course will keep off divers Temptations that may otherwise surprize you and engage your Hearts to God for all the day following SECT IV. At the Dawning of the Day and Rising of the Day-Star MEditate how the Gospel is tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Day-Star and the Work of the Spirit enlightning the Mind is as the dawning of the Day or rising of the Day-star in the Heart of a Christian So St. Peter commends those to whom he writeth for making use of the Old Testament of the Truth whereof they were assured in the mean time 2 Pet. 1.19 until by a further Work of the Spirit of Illumination their Hearts and Minds are more effectually instructed and more strongly assured of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ The Old Testament is as a Torch-light in a dark Room the New Testament revealed by the Spirit is as the Dawning of the Day or Rising of the Day-Star in comparison of that Light which shall appear at Christ's second Coming which shall be as the bright Rising of the Sun of Righteousness Consider that as the Dawning of the Day is in respect of the Night so is a Soul enlightned with the saving Knowledg of the Gospel to one in his natural Blindness And First If we compare such a Soul to those poor Creatures that want the outward Means of Knowledg it is manifest for these have no Light offered them whereby to come to know God in a saving way therefore in respect of this Knowledg there is a meer Night of Ignorance among them The
60.19 Meditate also of the correspondence between Grace and Light 1. The Light ye know doth è Caelo manare it floweth and breaketh out from the Heavens So doth Grace too it is derived and sent down from Heaven 2. Light doth tenebras fugare it doth dispel and drive away Darkness So doth Grace too dispel the darkness of Errour and Ignorance 3. Light doth purge the Air from Mists and dark Fogs that choak it Acts 15.9 So doth Grace purifie the Heart with the beams of it from the corruption of Sin with which it is choaked and defiled 4. Light quickens the Seeds that are sown in the Earth making them to spring and fructifie So doth Grace always quicken the seed of God's Word when it is sown in our minds If that be not there it withers and dies but Grace makes it prolifical and fruitful 5. Light doth visum delectare it pleaseth the Eye-sight Light is sweet saith Solomon c. so Grace is pleasant to an Eye that is spiritually enlightned Even the Eyes of God himself are delighted with such objects For what be those Beauties and Ornaments of the Spouse with which our Saviour Christ in the Book of the Canticles professeth to be so much affected and ravished as endowments of Grace in which the Spouse excelled 6. Light doth Occulta manifestare manifest things that are hid In the Dark there is no judging of Colours but the Light makes all things manifest So doth the light of Grace it doth manifest those things unto us which before were hidden from us especially two sorts of things Dei misericordiam nostram indigentiam God's Mercies and our own Wants As for God's Mercies without the light of Grace we cannot judg of them as we should do Either we take no notice of them at all or we ascribe not the having them to him from whom indeed we receive them And as for our Wants the more our Eyes are opened to see them the more hath the light of Grace shined into our Hearts 7. Light doth Calorem generare where Light is it doth beget heat So doth Grace in us likewise it begets in us an heat of Zeal and fervent Charity It enlightens us not with Knowledg only but warms us with Zeal also to make us contend for God's Truth and for his Glory The consideration hereof should teach us to love Grace and to hate Sin We naturally hate Darkness and love Light Darkness is a thing horrid and hateful to Nature but woful is the condition of those that love Darkness rather than Light John 3.19 it sheweth that their deeds are evil And every one that doeth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved Like Owls and Bats they shun the Light for Light is a discovering thing SECT XVI At the springing of the Day or rising of the Sun HEre consider that Christ in his coming into the World was as the Day-spring from on high or the springing or rising of the Sun from on high Luke 1.78 Consider how his coming is most fitly compared to a Day-spring or to the rising of the Sun in divers respects 1. The Sun doth as it were issue out of the Night as appeareth to our Eyes He seemeth to spring out of the womb of Darkness The rising of the Sun followeth the darkness of the Night So our blessed Saviour at his coming did seem as it were to spring out of Darkness he lay hid before under the Veil he was covered with Shadows Types Ceremonies Mystical Representations Dark Figures c. yea the Prophecies which did bear witness of him had much darkness in them though they were so clear that they shewed the way to Christ unto all the Faithful Yet the Light was but dim in comparison of that which followed And at that time especially there was much darkness overspreading the Face of the Church even about the time of our Saviours coming Then was that true which is spoken Psal 47.9 We see not our Signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long And besides the want of this Light there were special causes of darkness viz. blind Guides For such our Saviour himself charged the Pharisees to be who sat in Moses's Chair and being blind and ignorant themselves took upon them to lead the blind and instruct the Ignorant and so no marvel though both stumbled in the dark and fell into the Ditch and ignorance in these bred Errours in the People and caused an increase of Darkness But now consider That Christ was not sent for the salvation of the Jews only but of other Nations also and so consider what darkness was on the World in general The Nations of the World were all Regions of darkness and of the Shadow of Death and St. Paul calls those Ages Saecula tenebrarum Ages of Darkness Even the learned Athenians worshipped God as a Stranger and their Altar had this Inscription To the unknown God Now out of this Darkness as it were the Day-spring issued Christ came and manifested himself to the World 2. The Day-spring or Rising of the Sun removeth the Darkness so Christ manifested in the Flesh did chase away that Darkness which was upon the face of the World and soon after Christ's coming there was such an Alteration as if there had been a new World created as it is expressed of the Land of Nephtali and Zabulon so the like Change was also in many parts of the World The Land of Zabulon and the Land of Nephtali by the way of the Sea beyond Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles The People which sate in darkness saw great light and unto them which sate in the Region and Shadow of Death is Light sprung up Mat. 4.15 16. Thus it might be said of the World in general The Day-spring or Sun-rising is beautiful and glorious Psal 19.5 David compares the Sun at his rising to a Bridegroom coming forth of his Chamber with all his Ornaments Christ's manifestation to the World was glorious and full of heavenly Beauty and Majesty Many glorious things appeared in him at his Birth and in his Life many Miracles Signs and Wonders and among other things the Beauty of his perfect Holiness and Righteousness was such that even the malicious Eye of his Adversaries could see no spot or blemish in it but especially in that more glorious manifestation at his Resurrection and Ascension and sending down the Holy Ghost by whom his Apostles were led abroad to carry the Light up and down in the World his Beauty Excellency and Glory did appear 4. The Day-spring or Sun rising yeildeth special Refreshment to the Creatures Men Beasts Birds c. So the Coming of Christ yeilded special Comfort and Refreshment to the People of God yea and to those who formerly were not the People of God Hos 1.10 Many poor Gentiles after a tedious Night of many hundred years of woful Darkness and Blindness were now most
by embracing him in love to take into their Hearts and Affections their Sin and Wickedness also whereby he and his Actions are poisoned 4. The evil Examples of those are most dangerous on whom we depend most Now upon whom on Farth doth Children most depend so much as on their Parents They look for Meat Drink Clothes Protection Portions from them therefore their Examples are even a Law unto them Therefore Parents should walk unblameably before their Children that their Sins may not be Stumbling-blocks and occasions of falling to them 5. Those Examples are most dangerous which are of such Persons as have a special nearness and likeness to us in Natural Dispositions Now whose Natural Tempers are commonly more like than the Child 's to the Father's and Mother's And when they being of like temper to the Children shall walk before them in a vain Conversation this will be a dangerous means to draw them after them Therefore ye that are Parents take heed let not your Children learn of you to Lye Swear to be Drunk to Cheat to prophane the Sabbath to scoff at Piety to speak Filthily to be Malicious to be Revengeful to be greedy on the World to be Proud to be Wanton to be Obstinate to be Idle to contemn the Word of God to neglect the Worship of God or to perform it carelesly It is little thought what mischief Fathers and Mothers do to their Children in this regard When the poor Child not yet knowing the right Hand from the left in matters of Religion nor what belongs to Salvation and Damnation shall see the print of his Father's foot in the way of Sin and Death will he not be apt to make his Father's footsteps his Direction Ezek. 20.15 16. Fathers by giving evil Examples to their Children give evil Statutes to their Children The Lord saith Walk ye not in the Statutes of your Fathers This he spake unto the Children Their Fathers gave them Statutes viz. They gave them their evil Example as a Law and Rule unto them The Lord chargeth them to walk in his Laws and keep his Statutes and not to make the evil Ways and Examples of their Fathers a Rule unto them Therefore ye Parents be ye very careful of your Conversation even in regard of your Children for be you sure of this that if you perish in your Sins and by your Example bring your Children to the same place of Torment every one of them shall add exceedingly to your Woe and Misery On the other side in tender pity towards them and your own Souls labour all ye can by Exhortation Example and by all good Means to set your Children in the way of Life that they may be a Crown unto you at the last Day Blessed are those Parents which so walk before their Children and blessed are those Children which so follow such Parents as they follow Christ SECT XXVIII Of the Carriage of Children Servants and Inferiours Children and Servants and Inferiours must not slack their pace if they should perceive much backwardness to do that which is good by those that are above them but they must stir up the gift that is in them and labour to go as far before others in the Ways of God as they are behind them in place and dignity For although their Superiours should out-run them in Zeal and Holiness yet they have no Warrant to tarry for them when they see them to loiter Ahab should have been more careful than his Servant Obadiah in saving those hundred Prophets from Jezehel's rage Yet though Obadiah see his Master rather yield to his Wife than fear the Lord he will not learn to stand still by his example but hides them by fifty in a Cave and feeds them with Bread and Water Nabal should have been more ready to have relieved David's wants and more provident in saving his Family from danger than his Wife the weaker Vessel But when Abigail seeth him fail in both she doth not sit still and put all to the hazard but supplieth in both that wherein her Husband was defective The zeal of an Inferiour Person ought to be attended with Humility and comliness of Behaviour yet must he not under colour of Humility Modesty or keeping distance neglect his Duty Young Elihu Job 32.18 ver 6 7. though he was so full of Matter that he was ready to burst yet would not speak before his Elders had said what they could Yet when he saw the Ancients silent he thought their unseasonable silence a warrant for his younger years to speak those things which they ought to have delivered SECT XXIX How every one is every day to embrace all Opportunities of doing Good OPportunity is many times a special means which a Man of Gifts and Place hath to do good above others and above himself at other times Sometimes things fall out so fitly to a Man that they even put him upon some Service tending to the Glory of God whereas others have not the like In such cases the Rule is that which is given to one in the holy Story Do as thine Hand shalt find Do as occasion shall serve do as opportunity shall inuite thee Many are called by the Lord's Providence giving them opportunity to do somewhat for his Glory whereunto others have not the like occasion And when Men fail herein they shew some neglect or disobedience towards the Lord's Calling and therefore when God offers an opportunity we must not stand a questioning or muttering Why do not such or such go before us Why do not such do it rather As Moses in his weakness told the Lord Send him whom thou shouldest send But every one should think thus with himself This is my Work the Lord puts it upon me and I must do it This falls out in many Cases for which there is not a full Direction to be looked for Thus it may happen that a Man may sometime by opportunity be put upon a work of Mercy to relieve one in Wants when we meet him through God's Providence in case of Extremity and we have something at hand whereby to help him This was the Samaritan's case who found in his Journey the poor helpless Man Robbed and Wounded and so as occasion was given he menifully relieved him Now this Opportunity that he came by him in this Extremity and had something about him to help him withal did both enable him to relieve him and was a calling to the Work which others had not that came not that way So again When Mens cases are more clearly made known to us than to others by familiar conversing with them or by some other means and thereupon special suit is also made unto us So David's case was specially made known to Nabal by the familiarity passing between him and Nabal's Servants in the Wilderness and special suit was also made unto him by all the Rich Men thereabout and therefore he had a special opportunity and calling to have relieved David and was