my wits and many times take away from me the will to go about it aright That therefore I may count all inordination or immoderation in meat or drink Poison at least to my Soul and in a degree also to my body as is confest by all some meats and drinks to be in themselves to some and others if taken to such a quantity 14. I wish to be watchfull over my self always that I may be thus sober and sober that I may be watchful and watchful that I may withstand enemies and have time and spirits to do all the works my heavenly Master sets me about 15. I wish to redeem all time I can from sleep and so to order my sleep as I may redeem most time To redeem all time I can from sports and so to order my imployments as that the varieties of them may commonly be recreation enough without using any sports at all for my minds sake And that if my body seem necessarily to require any I may remember that Nature is content with a little and Grace never asks more That if courtesie require me to bear friends company in their sports I may not only refuse such as are unlawful in themselves but in others consider whether they are not for the present unseasonable or vitiated with some other ill Circumstances being specially shie of those that are apt to lead astray either by affording provocations to impatience or threatning to swallow up too much time of which friends not seldom robbing us do it no way more than by exacting of us to hold out with them in their sports which they by an evil though significant name usualy call Pastimes 16. I wish to redeem all time from vain thoughts and unprofitable musings upon my bed night or morning in my walking or riding upon the way in my attendances where neither my Eye nor my Tongue can be profitably set on work and to take those Advantages greedily to advance the businesses of God and my soul My thoughts are her eldest and noblest off-spring and so too worthy to be cast away upon base objects 17. I wish to redeem all time from idle words and frivolous discourses to avoid what I can the hearing of such pratlings to shun all light and frothy and amorous Books My Tongue is my Glory and my best Instrument to advance the Glory of God and Religion towards others It were pity to prophane it with such words as to be upon my contrary score at the day of accounts and so much I have to learn of God and of Religion as without slighting them I can find no leisure to give heed to trifles besides the danger of poison to be conveyed in these If I were confined to the society of Pagans I might from thence expect some profitable Discourse though altogether of the world and even towards them I were bound to offer at least sometimes mention of God How much more among such as call themselves Christians Specially who profess Christianity to be their business as well as mine 18. I desire to redeem all time I can from curiosity in dressing my body as that which besides the vanity and unprofitableness endangers the leaving off the best clothing Humility and so doubly sets my business back 19. I wish to redeem what time I can even from worldly business whatever they are so as at least I may never want room to exercise my self unto Godliness to perform my dayly solemn services to God both personal and domestick and for extraordinary Projects to the honour of God 20. I desire to take no journey or make no visit which falls not into the road of Religion Courtesie which to allow and in a sort even command is Religious Honour will carry me a little way sometimes But specially Purposes accompanied with Hopes of making all my correspondences pay tribute to Relegion whilest in the mean time I am carefull to lose no opportunity of trafficking for Religions gain and resolutely to stay no longer time any where than while I may do my self or others more good there than in another place 21. I wish specially to make all my medlings in worldly businesses serviceable to Religion Whilest I imploy whatever Talent I have received and do receive to strengthen encourage and secure my Self Family Friends Neighbours and all Fellow-Christians in the wayes of Godliness and to exercise and demonstrate Faith Humility Patience Contentedness Liberality Justice Heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly imployments and thereby to draw even strangers to admire and approve of that Religion which teaches and effectually perswades so much good 22. Particularly I wish that I may never grasp so much of the world as to distract my head with cares or engage my heart in sins and that in the rust that cleaves to my fingers in telling of money though each piece seem clean enough I may see the emblem of the defilement gotten insensibly by the use even of lawful things that therefore I may constantly afterwards wash my heart by prayers and meditations 23. I wish to account nothing a cross to me but what crosses Religion in some respect either to my own Soul or others to reckon by that Rule my losses and gains my thrivings and goings back and for this reason to esteem scandal the worst of evils and to give or do or suffer any thing to prevent or take them away and next to these the want of Gods Ordinances 24. I wish to have my heart and conversation alwayes in heaven as counting my treasure to be laid up there and though I must trade with worldly commodities yet to reckon Grace my chief stock and that as fore-seeing losses I may trade much in the Assurance-Office and study daily the Art of Christian Alchymy which can extract advantage out of losses gold out of every thing even doâ—ng it self that is Grace not only out of every gracious act of Gods providence within sight or hearing but even out of afflictions and very sins 25. Particularly I wish to improve the time of sickness which disables from most worldly businesses to set forward greatly the businesses of God and my soul and wholly to bestow that leisure upon them further than the necessity of my body calls me partly to attend it and that because I am then debar'd from publick means of thriving I may beg of every Visitant to help me with somewhat which yet will not impoverish but help to enrich them also by mutual trading in spiritual matters and to count this covetousness only lawful Never to think I have enough of Grace but the less time I have to live the more greedy to be to heap up of these riches 26. I desire to count the Sabbath the Lords day mine made for me for mine advantage the Market-day for my soul a spirituall harvest-day wherein I may all day long make provision and lay up in store for afterwards and to bless God continually for it as without which my soul might be
but read to learn that thou maiest be the wiser holier happier for that particular Word and reading of it therefore think of it a while with all seriousness 13. Usually read from the beginning of a book to the end 14. Strive not to read much at once yet in stories unless called away necessarily break not off till seen some issue of it 15. Choose to read those Books and Chapters most frequently that are most easie to be understood and most readily applyed to practice As the Psalms and Epistles specially the latter part of them 16. Special difficulties as soon as thou hast time enquire of from books friends Ministers especially 17. If indispenssible interruption put thee from the usual time of prayer or reading take the next free time with all diligence and watchfulness 18. However do not dine till thou hast prayed solemnly alone longer or shorter and read at least some portion of Scripture every day 19. Unless on unavoidable necessity be not absent from family-Prayers 20. Quicken thy self to like zeal and faithfulness as if thou wert alone and call thy self to some account for the Word then read 21. Having attended upon God address thy self to the business of the day 22. Allot for extraordinry business the fittest time and then be diligent to dispatch it 23. Having a special calling or outward imploiment do somewhat at it every day if possible or take a strict account of thy selfe why not 24. Think thou dost not well if the bulk of thy time be not taken up in thy special calling from one end of the year to another 25. Thy calling consisting of divers imployments look that one encroch not upon the other And prefer the most important for the time present and for the principal end 26. Be watchful of thy diet that thou neither eat nor drink out of season things hurtful excessively that so thou prejudice not thy self by what was given thee for good and so be 1. Hindered in Gods services or thy own businesses 2. Hurt in thy mind through temptations in thy body by diseases paines present or future 27. Let not thy mind be earnestly bent presently before at or too soon after meales 28. Yet take heed of the breaches of time and interruption of thy business by meals c. that they put thee not too far out of the way But have a care to return again to thy imployments as soon as is convenient And particularly if it may be within an hour or less 29. Once a day read over and recollect in thy mind these rules 30. Whoever thou art look to thy thoughts that they be 1. Free from 1. Wicked Atheism and denials of Fundamental Truths 2. Pride Arrogance Self-Applause though praised 3. Lasciviousness Covetousness malice envie matters of provocation 4. Impatience grudging discontent 5. Lightness and â—â—ity froth and emptiness 2. Filled with apprehensions of God Christ Eternity thy Calling the Church and thy own last account 31. When thou comest into company make account thou treadest among snares which the Devil hath set to take thee Look to thy self first and then to thy company 1. That thou be not the worse for them but better for them 2. That others be the better specially not the worse any way by thy speech silence actions forbearance 32. Bridle thy tongue so with consideration before thou speakest that thou afterward wish not any thing unsaid in reference to what may befal temporally or spiritually 33. Take heed of 1. All ungodly words 1. Athestical 2. Slighting or scorning Religion Devotion 3. Taking Gods name in vain in the least 4. Swearing falsly unnecessarily 5. Mentioning God without Reverence 6. Making jests of Scripture-phrases 7. Using them sportingly 8. Repeating others oaths 2. All slanderous words 1. Untruths 2. Truths spoken maliciously sportingly unnecessarily concerning others faults or imperfections 3. Bitter provoking jests 4. Railing speeches though provoked 3. All scurrilous and lascivious talk one of the worst signs of a rotten filthy heart 4. All kind of lies notwithstanding any pretence 5. All idle and vain words not profiting thy self or hearers 6. All peremptory affirming news unless infallibly assured of it 7. All words of heat and anger peremptory and provoking in disputing though perswaded and even assured thou art in the right unless in matters fundamental for saith or practice yet even then let thy passion not be unbridled as serving to gain the hearers 8. In thy promises to men and much more in vows to God be not over-hasty till thou hast throughly weighed the possibility and convenience lest thou be either 1. Insnared in keeping of it 2. Incur the blame of rash or false in breaking it 9. In any disputable Question be moderate in asserting or denying lest an unexpected Argument put thee to shame by forcing thee to alter thy sentence or contradiction without reason 10. Boast not thy self neither speak much unnecessarily of any thing already done by thee or of any ability specially spiritual or any future action or undertaking 11. Yet deny not the grace of God in thee or toward thee for others or by resolutions of faithfulness to God or men 34. Take a time the first free season when thy mind is in any fitness to pray alwayes solemnly be tween dinner and supper and let nothing hinder thee in it being at home and neglect it not through unwillingness 35. Whereever thou art inure thy self to short frequent and fervent ejaculations to God both of requests and thanksgivings which will be a blessed preservative to thy soul and gain more blessing than thou canst imagine 36. Particularly neglect not this upon any sentible failing of thine even in a sinful thought or any unexpected accident or news of importance 37. Give not any one specially a stranger power to undo thee if he will be false 38. Have not many friends nor count them so till thou hast good trial of their faithfulness to God being truly religious and of their wisdom 39. To no friend impart another friends secret without leave 40. And whenever thou tellest a secret tell it as a secret lest they take it otherwise and so reveal it 41. Have now then that saying in thy mind amici sunt fures temporis Friends are thieves of time 42. Yet count the Communion of Saints redeeming of time 43. Remember that some time must be dedicated to preparation to make way 1. For favour in others minds 2. For introducing a discourse advantagiously and that sometimes it will seem lost through disappointment of hope which yet is to be counted wisely and necessarily imployed and the benefit perhaps will appear afterward 44. Do nothing to another which thou wouldest not have done to thee or thine 45. Do that to another thou wouldest have done to thy self or thine 46. Be sure to take head of giving any scandal by thy behaviour better thy hand or thy eye were cut off c. 47. Rejoyce with them that rejoyce after the Apostles rule and weep
MEMORIALS OF Godliness Christianity In Three Parts PART I. CONTAINING MEDITATIONS 1. Of making Religion ones Business 2 An Appendix Applied to the Calling of a Minister With a Brief Account of the Authors LIFE The Tenth Edition Corrected and Enlarged By Herbert Palmer B. D. late Master of Queens Col. Camb. London Printed for Henry Million at the Bible near White-Fryers in Fleetstreet 1670. I Conceive this Letter with the Appendix following it to be very well worthy the Printing Ch. Herle TO THE READER Christian Reader THis ensuing Meditation upon making Religion ones business having first affected my own heart and afterward some friends to whom it hath been communicated I have been so far made to believe that by Gods blessing it may be some advancement to the business of Religion now in this season when Religion hath Retainers enough but not Servants enough that at last my thoughts told me The very expressions herein would upbraid me as not true to them if I had denyed or longer delayed their publication I have no doubt but sundry passages in them will meet with some Scoffs and some Cavils as being over-nice and precise and I shall meet with some Reproches as not answering my own strict rules But in hopes there will yet be found those that will both be glad to see such a piece of a Patern for their Hearts and Lives and also strive to make it their own in affection and practice I have resolved to adventure the one and the other and do trust also that by Gods grace it will somwhat help to make me the more watchfull over my own self and my behaviour that I may not only not shame my self and my so publick professions but also may set a real Copy in some proportion suitable to this verbal one for thy double benefit Herein if thou wilt help me still with thy prayers as I am confident thou wilt if thou reap any benefit by it I again tell thee thou mayst be the better for it thy self while I am thereby through Gods mercy to us both helped to do thee yet some further spiritual Sevice which while I live I must now alway profess my self ambititious of as being ever Thine and the Churches Servant in Christ altogether Herbert Palmer Octob. 13. 1644. A Brief Account of the Life of Mr. Herbert Palmer THE Reverend Author of this ensuing Treatise was whilst living prized by good men for his Piety and loved by all wise men that knew him for his Learning And now he is dead let not the Reader in this short Epitome of his life expect any more than a brief Narrative or Account of his most eminent peculiar publick passages and transactions in the world He was the Son of Sir Thomas Palmer of Wingham near Canterbury in East-Kent where he was born about March 1601. he was prudently and piously educated and in his Infancy made great proficiency in the serious study of Religion and Learning so that when he was 4 or 5 years of age he would oft cry to go his Mother To hear somewhat of God From a Child he was acquainted with the Scripture and earnestly desired to be A Minister of Jesus Christ He had excellent natural parts both intellectual and moral his excellency and exactness in the French Tongue which he could speak almost as soon as English and the great knowledge he had as well of the persons places and affairs of the French Nation as in the propriety of the pronunciation of the Language made many strangers to his Nativity believe he was a French-man born and after his call to the Ministry he Preached to the French Church at Canterbury on two several solemn days to the great edification and approbation of the hearers His Industry also in learning the Latine Tongue was manifested by his great proficiency therein whilst young His dutifulness and obedience towards his Parents as well when grown to years of maturity as whilst young spake his great reverence and esteem of them and as he was a great Example of Filial obedience in his Conversation so he was a great Asserter of Parental authority in his Doctrine At the age of about 14 years to wit in the year of our Lord 1615. he was admittod as Fellow-Commoner in St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge And according to his standing and desert took the degree of Master of Arts in the year 1622. And in the following year was constituted Fellow of Queens Colledge in the same Vniversity and whilst he so continued he took on him the great care of many Pupils who by his prudent and painful instruction and care over them made great proficiency in Learning whilst they continued with him And in the year 1624. he was called and ordained to the work of the Ministry by a Licence from the then Arch-Bishop of Canterbury In the year 1626. he was called to the publick exercise of his Ministry at Alphage Church in Canterbury where by his laborious Industry sound Doctrine and exemplary conversation he proved himself to be a burning and shining light In the year 1632. he removed to Ashwell in Hartfordshire by the presentment of Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury The plainness of his Preaching did manifest his great desire to be understood by his Auditors for their Edification His pains in Catechising the ignorant his charity in providing Bibles for the poor and his humility in admitting persons of all ranks and degrees to discourse with him for their Souls edification got him love respect and honour from all acquainted with him and was a great means of reformation amongst the people to whom he was a Pastor obliging them to several excellent resolutions against drunkenness swearing or other open debaucheries He made and printed an excellent Catechism entituled An endeavour of making the Principles of Christian Religion plain and easie His Domestick or Family Government was as pious as his Ecclesiastick or Church care was painful he would not permit any of his houshold for frivolous excuses to be absent from family duties neither would he entertain any in his family that either were not truly Godly and Religious or willing to be instructed in the wayes of God He read the Scriptures and prayed twice every day in his family Catechised twice every week and after every meal he caused to be read as at his own so at his servants Table a portion of Gods word requiring also on the Friday and Saturday an account from those under his Tuition of what they remembred of the Sermon I reached the Sabbath day before He would not suffer any of his servants to sit up late about their weeks work upon Saturday at nights neither on the Sabbath would he eat of any dish if he understood it kept any of his servants from the publick ordinance by providing of it And as he was painfull in his Ecclesiastick and exemplar in the Domestick Government so also was he pious in his more private retired closet duties being a great
Commandments and live and my Law as the apple of thine eye Which sentence by Gods blessing hath occasioned this whole Meditation whatever it is The Apple of the Eye is the tenderest thing in the World of Naturall things the Law of God no less infinitely more in Spirittuals As I therefore like not the word infinite but when we speak of God so those forenamed phrases seem to be Gods peculiar and that one main cause why common men so readily say They love God with all their heart I mean why they so easily deceive themselves in so saying is because they have adulterated the phrase with all my heart and prostituted to every base trifle Say if it be not so And then as Saint James blames for not saying If the Lord will c. though every one will grant such words necessary and pretended to suppose them so is it not blame-worthy to say in petty matters what should make a sacred sound in our ears and to our spirits 6. I wish I could loose my self in a holy trance of meditation every time I think of God and Christ as the Author Fountain Life Substance of all my happiness All-sufficient alone sufficient only-sufficient for my soul and all comfort and good Nothing wanting in God and Christ to Eternity No need of any creature No accession by any creature no one creature not all of them comparable to him or any thing without him Time lost happiness lost while converse with any creature further than according to his Ordinance as his instruments and servants 7. I wish I could forget all respcts to my self carnal natural while I have any service to perform to God as I have every moment though I cannot ever think so that I might shew I love God with strength My God with all my strength and never be weary of his immediate services especially or if naturally yet not spiritually Lusts are vigorous when the body languishes being spent Oh why is not grace more strong 8. I wish my heart may never recoil upon me with saying Thou mightest now or such a time have done thy God thy Saviour more service than thou didst even when thou didst somewhat thy body and spirits would have held out longer time and endured a geater stress of zeal And much less Thou didst wholly lose such an opportunity of doing or receiving good though scarce can any one do good who receives not some present payment at least in soul the enlargement of Grace and holy affections and least of all Thou didst wholly employ thy strength to sin or thou hast weakned thy strength by intemperance or any other foolish or sinfull practice 9. I wish that every day among my first thoughts one may be What special business have I within doors within my soul What sin to mortifie Whether lately raging and even but last day or night prevailing over me Or which I have had at least some late victories over that I may allot time to pursue it and by no means forget it in my paryer and arm my self against the encounter if there be any possibility of my being assaulted that day And what grace to strengthen wherein I have been exceeding feeble of late or even begun to obtain some vigour which it may easily be lost and will be if not with all care and means and prayers fomented and cherished that so I may prepare for it These are a Christians main businesses within himself alwayes Withall I wish to die dayly I mean not that I dayly wish for death but that I may foresee it more than possible and may prepare for it resolvedly contentedly that I may look at it as at a means of happiness and take such order as it may not cut me off from any main necessary imployment But each hour and minute to dispatch the substantials of my business and referre circumstances and event to the All-wise Powerfull and gracious Providence of the great Ruler and King of the whole world and of every creature 11. I wish to improve every relation I stand in towards any of mankind to the advancement of Religion that Glory may redound to Christ by my being a child to one a brother to another a neighbour to a third a kinsman a freind an acquaintance to any one That as well for the credit of Religion which commands to give to all their due honour and to love them as my self as for the Propagation of Religion I may be ambitious to approve my self the best Child or Subjâ—ct or Friend c. in the world I and careful also to insinuate my self as much as may be into the favour of every one I converse withall in the world of Superiours by submission and diligence of Equals by courtesie and fredom of Inferiours by affibility mixt with gravity and gentleness with necessary strictness And that I may not fail to entitle God to whatever ground I gain upon the affections of any that is to engage them thereby the more forwardly in his service in their own persons and towards all others and that I my self also may reap some spiritual benefit by them that so I may bless God for them and they him for me and others for them and me together 12. Particularly I wish that toward Inferiours I may never put lesse but rather more weight upon Gods Comandements than mine own and upon religious than civil observances and that because the best are not Angels I may bear with more patience failings in meer worldly than spiritual matters 13. I wish never to be one of those that feed themselves without fear but that whether I eat or drink I may do all to the glory of my God that is Seasonably Sparingly and with Choice for Health and Strength Not Gluttony Drunkenness or Riotous Curiosity That I may daily remember my business not to be to live to eat but eat to live that I may follow my business that is Christianity that I may not forget how slippery a place the throat is and how easily that glides down which after works disease that because the craving of the sensual appetite seeming but reasonable being but for ones self is of the betraying of Reason it self besides the quelling of Grace both Grace and Reason may combine together in the practise of this difficultest piece of self-denyal And that I may ever consider not only what a shame what an unthankfulnesse it is in the least degree to disable my self for the service of Him who allowes me liberally so much as can be fit for me how-much soever that be but also what pity to wast good Creatures to so vile a purpose as to weaken my body or overcharge my spirits with what was meant to strengthen and quicken them That from the observation of the untowardnesse of my mind when it is in the best temper I may tremble at the thoughts of the least intemperance which if it fetter not my body so as it cannot do its duty will at least hamper