toward Men speaking and doing every thing with much Consideration and never slighting or despising the Counsel of those that are able to advise you Keep the thoughts of God's Presence always in your thoughts and testifie it by the desire you have to please him in all Places Occasions and Actions Dedicate all your Works to him before you begin them and having finished them remember always to set upon them the seal of Thansgiving due to his Divine Majesty SECT XXV Rules about Eating and Drinking IN Eating and Drinking beware of Excess either in reference to the Quality or Quantity of Meats and Drinks As to the Quality or kinds of Meats and Drinks be content with those that are necessary and useful for the preservation of the Health and Strength of your Bodies and do not insatiably desire those Meats which do not befit your Calling The Children of Israel in the Wilderness lusted after the Flesh-pots the Leeks the Onyons and Garlick of Egypt saying Now our Soul is dried away and there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our Eyes Num. 11.4 5 6. See how contemptibly they speak of that Manna which God had in a miraculous way rained down from Heaven among them which is called the Corn of Heaven and Angels Food Psal 78.24 25. but this was not good enough for their Palates they must have more rare and choice Provision Thus saith Tertullian Primus populus primi Hominis resculpsit crimen pronior ventri quam Deo deprehensus Tert. contra Psychieos The Men whom God owned as his first People did if it may be so rendred re-print the Sin of our first Parents and set it forth in a new Edition complying more with their Bellies than their God The Lord satisfied their inordinate Appetite but it was with the execution of Vengeance on them For whilst the Flesh was between their Teeth exe it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord came upon them and slew the fattest of them and smote down the chosen Men of Israel Psal 78.31 Seneca tells us That he is the Wisest Man not who hath a faculty of making Rooms to feast in with the greatest Artifice and is skilful in adorning them with the most luxurious variety of Dishes but he who teacheth himself and others that Men may have such Provisions as are necessary for them Senec. Ep. 90. if they are content with the things quae Terra posuit in summo which the Earth doth with an open and ready hand afford unto them such as required but little Cost or Toil to procure or Art to dress them Quae si audire humanum genus voluerit tam supervacuum sciet sibi coquum esse quam militem Which Doctrine saith he if Mankind would hearken and give good credit unto a Cook would be as needless a thing in the World as a Souldier who certainly would be a very useless and superfluous Creature if the World were as Wise as Good and Peaceable as it should be Solomon adviseth us not to be desirous of Dainties for they are a deceitful Meat Prov. 23.3 Pythagorus enjoyn'd his followers to abstain from all sweet and costly Meats Epictetus would have Men take so much care for the things of the Body Meat Drink Clothing c. as is necessary to make it serviceable to the Soul and saith he Whatsoever serveth for Ostentation only or Deliciousness he would have Men to abandon Plutarch complained That Men kept such ado about seasoning the Flesh of living Creatures which they killed for Food with Oyl Wine and Hony Plutar. Xeno apud A heneum lib. 3. with Syrian and Arabian Sauces and Spices as if they meant to embalm them in order to an honourable Burial in their own Bodies And Xenophon tells us Such fare is longed for only by Wanton Diseased Effeminate Persons and that they who eat their Meat most heartily need no such Sophistications To feed upon variety of Dishes is very prejudicial to our Bodily Health There is not so much harm proceeding from the substance in it self of Meat and quality of it in ill Dressing and Preparing as there is from the quantity disorder of Time and Place unseasonable Use of it Intemperance and overmuch taking it That of Pliny is most true Simple Diet is the best heaping up of several Meats is pernitious Homini cibus â—utilissimus simplex acervatio ciborum pestifera multos morbos multa fereula ferunt Plin. lib. 11. cap. 52. Avicen dec 31. cap. 2. and Sauces worse Many Dishes bring many Diseases And Avicen saith That nothing is worse than to feed on many Dishes or to protract the time of Meats longer than ordinary From thence proceed our Infirmities and 't is the foundation of all Diseases which arise out of the repugnancy of gross Humours Thence saith Fernelius come Crudities Fernel path lib. 1. ca. 14 Wind Oppilations sudden Death and what not As a Lamp is choaked with too much Oyl or a little Fire with overmuch Wood quite extinquished so is the natural heat with immoderate eating of variety of Meats strangled in the Body Hippocrates himself tells us That impure Bodies the more they are nourished the more they are hurt for the nourishment is putrified with vitious Humours 2. As for the quantity of Meats we should be very sparing and moderate It was the complaint of Cardan in his time Cardan l. 2. de Com. Man alone saith he eats and drinks without Appetite and useth all his Pleasure without necessity animae vitio and thence come many Inconveniencies to him for there is no Meat whatsoever though otherwise wholesome and good but if unseasonably taken or immoderately used more than the Stomach will well bear it will engender Crudity and do much hurt Therefore Crato adviseth his Patient to eat but twice a Day and that at his set Meals by no means to eat without an Appetite or upon a full Stomach and to put seven Hours difference between Dinner and Supper Which rule did we observe it would be much better for our Healths than it is Temperance is a Bridle of Gold as one calleth it and he that will preserve his Health and avoid those Inflations Obstructions Crudities Distentions that proceed from full Feeding must feed sparingly of one or two Dishes at most and have ventrem benè moratum as Seneea calls it for by overmuch eating or feeding on variety of Meats we choke up our selves and stifle Nature Hilberius writing the Life of Berengarius Hilber in vit Barengar saith of him Cui non fuit unquam Ante sitim potus nec cibus ante famem That he never drank till he was athirst nor eat till he was hungry But now it is otherwise Men wear their Brains in their Bellies and their Guts in their Heads as Cornelius Agrippa taxed some in his time who are ingeniosi ad gulam if they are witty in any thing it is to seek ways to please the Palat and satisfie
my self What a miserable Wretch am I A thousand yea ten thousand times unhappy that have so fondly deceived my self Oh it had been well if I had never been Born SECT XXXIX A Meditation in putting off our Clothes to go to Bed 1. HEre consider that Clothes do not make nor mar a Man The Body ceaseth not to be a Body when the Clothes are put off that the Body may take its rest in a warm Bed So it is not the Body that makes a Man Animus cujusque quisque it is the Mind or Soul of Man that is the Man When the Body is laid aside in the Grave a Man doth not then cease to be but his Soul is then taking its rest in Heaven or tormented in Hell Death is not an Annihilation of a Man but only a Dissolution 2. Consider That as a Man unclothes himself before he goes to take his rest in his Bed so Death to a Godly Man is but an unclothing of him for Sleep and Rest And here meditate on the resemblances between Death and the unclothing of our selves for Sleep and Rest 1. Before a Man lays off his Clothes he doth ungirt himself he unbuttons and untieth his Garments that he may put them off Thus ordinarily before the Soul is unclothed of the Body God sendeth Sickness one Disease or other to ungirt and let loose the Body so nearly united to the Soul of Man Therefore St. Paul calls it a Dissolution I desire saith he to be dissolved Nisi se vinctum putaverat non optaverat dissolvi If he had not thought his Soul bound and girt to his Body he would not have desired to been dissolved Every Ach Pain and Sickness that God lays upon the Body is and ought to be a forewarning to thee that it is almost Bed-time It is death's Harbinger and God's Servant sent it may be to fetch and carry thee to thy Bed to thy place of Rest 2. A Man cannot take such sweet refreshment in his Clothes as when he is Unclothed So a Godly Man can never rest from his Labours whilst he is in the Body but he will be always burdened wearied and groaning in this Earthly Tabernacle he is born to Labour as the Sparks flie upward There is no hope of resting from Sin from Temptation from Trouble from Labours without and from Fears within till a Christian lays aside his Body the Garment of the Soul Death makes him to rest from all his Labours While the Soul is in the Body it is absent from the Lord the proper Rest of the Soul the Saints everlasting Habitation But Death carries Lazarus into Abraham's Bosom 3. When a Man puts off all his Clothes to go to his Bed he lies not down naked and uncovered but takes a Covering upon him Thus when the Soul leaves the Body it lays aside his Clothes yet lies not he without a Covering Man's Bed is his Grave and the Earth is his Covering A Pious Man may think upon his Burial in a Grave as a Chest or Coffer wherein his Body the Apparel of his Soul is laid up till the Morning of the Resurrection But a Wicked Man may think on it as a dark Prison reserving his Body as his Soul is reserved in Hell in chains of darkness until the Judgment of the great Day 4. When a Man puts off his Clothes he lays aside all his rich Ornaments with them Thus when the Soul lays aside the Body it lays aside also all a Man's Honours Preferments Riches Pleasures and whatsoever the vain Heart of Man prides himself in We came forth naked into the World and naked we shall return out of the World We came forth Naked which sheweth Men were not born to great Matters and Naked we shall return to shew the vanity of Men in looking after great Matters for when the Rich and the Honourable Man die they shall carry nothing away with them and their Glory shall not descend after them Psal 49.17 Oh consider what a lamentable thing it is for Men to lay aside these things at Death and to have no Ornament but the ugliness of Sin to appear before God in 5. Men put off their Clothes in hope after they have refreshed themselves with Sleep to put them on again So when the Soul lays aside her Body it is in hope of rising again of a Re-union of the Soul with the same Body which a Man did lay aside so to put off the Body as one that shall put it on again in a more glorious manner and never lay it aside more SECT XL. When you lie down in your Beds at Night HAving recounted the Mercies of the Day think on the dangers of the Night It is said of Thieves and Robbers that in the dark they dig through Houses which they have marked for themselves in the Day-time Job 24.16 The Word in the Original signifies to mark with a Seal as if they did put their Seal upon other Mens Houses for their own use Thieves set their Mark upon such Houses in the Day-time which they intend to Rob at Night Or as some expound it they observe the strength of the House the ways to it what Company is in the House and where they may with most facility and advantage break into it Houses are marked out in the Day and broken open in the Night many Houses also are fired in the Night and how helpless is Man amidst these Casualties and Dangers If he be asleep the Thief finds him bound to his hand and if Fire take his Chamber how ready is the Fire to consume him in his Bed At midnight the Lord smote all the First-born in the Land of Egypt from the First-born of Pharaoh c. unto the First-born of the Captive that was in the Dungeon and all the First-born of Cattel Exod. 12.29 It was in the Night that the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 Kings 19.35 Ishbosheth was slain at Noon upon his Bed but the Night hath been fatal unto many Acknowledg it a mercy that God affordeth you rest after Labour Man goeth forth unto his Work and to his Labour until the Evening Psal 104.23 for so or rightly he giveth his Beloved sleep Life and Strength would fail for want of Rest as for want of Food A good Christian may go to Bed without fear You shall find many Promises in Scripture about this Blessing Prov. 3.24 When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet Job 11.18 Thou shalt take thy rest in safety thou shalt lie down and none shall make thee afraid David saith Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me Psal 4.8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety Every Member of Jesus Christ is secure through Faith in him The Shepherd wakes when others are
from all these and the rather because ye know ye have but a few steps to your Grave Whosoever of us is appointed in the seeret Counsel of God to live longest here yet the Day is not long the night of Death is hastening upon us The longest Summer's Day is soon at an end and the longest Life upon Earth passeth away as a Tale that is told Let us then endeavour this short Life so that it may be lengthened out with everlasting Life and Blessedness God hath given us time to make our Peace with him and if that be neglected all is lost and we are undone for ever It is reported of Alexander the Great that when he marched against any City his manner was to set up a Lamp burning and made Proclamation That whosoever oame in and submitted whilst this Lamp was burning should find Favour and have his Life But whosoever staid till this Lamp was out he was but a dead Man and must expect no Mercy Know ye O Christians that God hath set up a Lamp and our life is this Lamp and God proclaims Whosoever comes in whilst this Lamp is burning shall find Mercy but if you stay till the Lamp is out till your life be consumed there is nothing but eternal Woe to be expected Now this Lamp of your lives may not only go out on the consumption of the Oyl but it may be put out by accidental means and if this Lamp be once out and your Work not done ye are lost and undone for ever Eccles 11.3 In the place where the Tree falleth there it lieth Which way thou fallest when thou diest that way thou shalt lie to Eternity if towards God then God is thine for ever if toward Sin the Misery and Destruction is thine for ever There can be no repenting nor believing after Death the Soul and Body being parted the whole Man is not capable of a Work of God upon it Index Rerum SECT 1. The Introduction to this Work Sect. 2. A Soliloquy at waking Sect. 3. Directions how to begin the Day Sect. 4. Meditations of the dawning of the Day and rising of the Day-star Sect. 5. Meditations at the breaking forth of the Light Sect. 6. Meditations of the springing of the Day or rising of the Sun shewing how the first and second Coming of Christ is compared to the Day-spring or Sun-rising in many Particulars Sect. 7. Meditations at a Man's rising out of his Bed in the Morning Sect. 8. Quickning Meditations for one that is sluggish and loth to rise out of his Bed in a morning Sect. 9. Meditations when you are putting on your Clothes and putting away your old Clothes Sect. 10. Meditations when you are about to dress your selves Sect. 11. Meditations when you are beholding your Face in a Glass dressing your selves by it Sect. 12. Of our Dedicating the Morning to God Sect. 13. Of retiring our selves in the morning to Pray and givâ— Thanks Sect. 14. Of Thanksgiving and for what we are more especially to be thankful Sect. 15. Of preparation to Prayer Sect. 16. Of reading the holy Scriptures Sect. 17. Of Meditation and the fittest Season for it Sect. 18. Of Petition Sect. 19. Of offering our selves to God every Morning Sect. 20. Of Contrition Sect. 21. Of Family-Worship Sect. 22. A Calling and Business of what Importance with divers directions concerning it Sect. 23. Considerations for the Nobility and Gentry and those that are in Preeminence above others in the Body Politique Sect. 24. Directions to a Master of a Family for the Government thereof for the choice of Servants and his Carriage towards them Sect. 25. Rules about Eating and Drinking Sect. 26. Of Recreations and how to use them Sect. 27. Of the Conversation of Parents and Elders Sect. 28. Of the Carriage of Children Servants and Inferiours Sect. 29. Sheweth how every one is every day to embrace all Opportunities of doing Good Sect. 30. Of the improvement of all Means Gifts and Abilities inward and outward and what they are Sect. 31. Of Holy Watchfulness against Temptations and divers Preservatives against them Sect. 32. Of Exercising our selves daily in the work of Mortification Sect. 33. Of daily growing in the Knowledg of Christ and in Grace Sect. 34. Rules about the Government of our Tongues Sect. 35. A Meditation on the Miseries of this Life Sect. 36. Of returning to Family-Worship in the Evening Sect. 37. Of ones taking a review in the Evening of the Actions and Mercies of the day past Sect. 38. Of providing in the Evening for the day following Sect. 39. A Meditation in putting off your Clothes to go to Bed Sect. 40. A Meditation when you lie down in your Bed at Night Sect. 41. A Meditation when you compose your selves to sleep THE Sacred Diary SECT I. The Introduction to this Work IT is good for Man to draw near to God as the Psalmist saith concerning himself Psal 73. ult This Gloss put upon any thing commends it unto Man for naturally since the Fall there is so much left in Man that he hath an inclination to that which is good but when he cometh to particulars here is the Mistake he seeks Light in the way of Darkness and Happiness in the way of Misery and Life in the way of Death being hurried the contrary way by the violence of his impetuous Lusts But yet there is a natural tendency in all Men to that which is good as some of the Heathen have observed from the Principles of Nature there remaining this general Foundation of Religion in all Men. Good hath a magnetick Force and is of a drawing Nature and answerable to the Discovery of Good or Evil in the Understanding there is an Embracing or Aversation in the Will of Man which is that part in the Soul of the Man that cleaveth unto Good discovered It is good to draw near to God who is summum Bonum the chiefest Good The Goodness of a thing is the Reason why we desire it It is the Philosophers Definition of Good That is Good which all things do desire Bonum est quod omnia appetunt Now then what is more desiâ—â—ble is more excelling in Goodness and what is chiefly desirable is the chiefest Good All Creatures do naturally desire their chief Good their Happiness their Perfection And it is the Happiness of Man to draw near to God his Creator The Mind of a Christian may sometimes slip from God and for a time be taken up with other things but it cannot long be kept from him because God is its Center and it is as natural for a Spiritual Mind to move towards God as for a Needle touched with the Loadstone to point towards the North Pole I have set the Lord always before me saith David Psal 16.8 Where God hath no place in our Minds we have no Interest in him A pious and devout Man must be continually with God If the hungry Man cannot forget to eat nor the thirsty Man to drink
this Day-spring at his second coming shall awaken all that sleep in the Graves and in the Sea and in all places whatsoever all the Dead from Adam to the last Day all that lie sleeping in their Graves from one end of the World to the other shall be awakned All Kings and Princes and other great Men who shall be found sleeping in their sumptuous Tombs and Monuments and all that are buried any where The Trump shall sound and the Dead of all sorts degrees Ages Nations shall awake live arise and come before the Son of God coming in his Glory O the wonderful Change that shall be at that Day-spring When those Eyes that have been shut up so many hundred Years shall be opened and those Bodies that have been long buried in a silent Grave and covered with the darkness of death shall be brought forth into the Light of the great and glorious Day O my Soul awake thou beforehand that then I may awake full of Joy and Comfort and be satisfied with the Image of my dearest Saviour and lift up my Head to behold my most glorious Redeemer and the bright and blessed Day of my full Redemption The Angels Trumpet shall then awaken the most secure Conscience that ever composed it self to sleep in Sin yea then all their sins will awake with their awakened Conscience and rage fiercely against their Souls Awake then O Sinner to Repentance awake to Holiness and Righteousness that thy Conscience may be at peace with him and thy sins may be abolished for ever that Christ may not find thee sleeping at his coming 7. As the Sun at his rising causeth harmful Creatures to hide their Heads so this last coming of Christ is grievous to the Wicked it will make them to call to the Mountains to fall upon them and upon the Hills to cover them from the Wrath of the Lamb and from the Presence of him that sitteth upon the Throne then they would be glad to hide their Heads in the center of the Earth when the Light of this Day-spring shall appear O my Soul do thou now cast off the works of darkness and then the Light of that Glorious day shall not be grievous unto thee which none of the Children of darkness can behold without confusion of Face 8. Consider how welcome the second coming of Christ will be to the Godly The Faithful are described by this Property that they love his Appearing It is said That every one is a Friend to him that giveth Gifts Oh! how welcome shall Christ be to all the Faithful when he cometh with both his Hands full of rich and precious Gifts such as surpass the thoughts and understanding of Man When Christ cometh to bestow a Crown of Immortal Glory an everlasting Kingdom Oh! what Heir of the Kingdom would not with a glad Heart bid him welcome But chiefly Christ shall be welcome to them in respect of himself for then they shall see him as he is Consider what a blessed sight will this be O my Soul to see thy dear Saviour who hath died for thee loved thee and washed thee with his own Blood to see him now so Glorious To see him on the Throne who was nailed to the Cross to see him Reigning and Judging who was Judged and Condemned to see him most Blessed who was made a Curse to see his Righteousness shine forth to all the World who was numbred among Transgressors to see him in such excellent Majesty and fulness of Glory this will be most welcome Oh! how blessed is the condition of that Soul who being fitted for Christ hath a longing desire of his coming and can from his Heart say Come Lord Jesus come quickly 9. As the Day-spring sheweth Man his work and his way so the glorious coming of Christ shall shew unto the World which way they have gone and to what issue their way and works are come Many now do imagine that they go the way of Salvation and the way of Life and that they shall have Peace and will not be convinced otherwise by the Word But this Day shall declare it it shall shew that many such have trodden the Path of destruction and have been going down to the Chambers of death yea now the end and issue of all will appear to be Death and Condemnation on this Day the Lord will shew who is Righteous and who is Wicked he will shew by the Light of that Day who are Wheat and who are Tares which are for the Fire and which are for the Gardner which are for the right Hand and which for the left SECT VII Whilst thou art yet lying in thy Bed REmember that Almighty God is about thy Bed and that he observes all the secret thoughts and workings of thy Heart Commune with thy Heart upon thy Bed Psal 4.4 Consider That we lie in our Beds as it were within our Graves and the Sheets between which we lie may put us in mind of our Winding-sheet It is good to remember God upon our Beds as David's practice was and the Law of God was his Meditation by night as well as by day When he meditated on God in the night Watches he was as one satisfied with Marrow and Fatness Psal 63.5 Meditation and Prayer may best be practised Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 3. when we are freest from disturbance in the Night or upon our Beds after we awake no Body then is troublesome to us then we have a greater freedom and tranquillity of our Thoughts when we are not molested with Business when there is none that can hinder us from having access to God when our mind knitting it self together is able diligently to make reference of all to the Physician of Souls At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang Praises unto God being thrust into an inner Prison having their Feet made fast in the Stocks Acts 16.24 25. Behold the Doctor of the World saith Chrysostom fast in Prison praying notwithstanding at midnight with Silas Neither the renting of their Clothes nor their Stripes and Bonds could hinder them from it nay they did so much the more shew their fervency toward the Lord. I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night saith David Psal 119.55 The Night presents us with many opportunities of deeper Meditation Ambros de bono Mortis p. 245. We more sincerely in the Night-time and upon our Beds do bethink our selves saith St. Ambrose Beware of plotting ill designs upon your Beds It is said of the Wicked man that he deviseth mischief upon his Bed Psal 36.4 he there employs his time of rest and freedom from business to devise wicked acts to execute the next day Take heed of abusing your Beds to satisfie your Lusts and to draw others unto Adultery and Wantonness Remember that the Bed undefiled is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg SECT VIII When thou risest out of thy Bed in the Morning THink then how Almighty God can as easily raise
thee out of the Grave in the morning of the Resurrection from the sleep and bed of death as he hath awakened thee in thy Bed and raised thee up in health and safety this Morning When the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God the sound of this Trumpet shall be heard over all parts of the World and with this Trumpet shall he summon all Nations to come to the general Judgement This is that fearful Voice whereof Saint Hierom speaketh saying Whether I eat or drink or whatsoever I do I seem always to hear that Voice sounding in mine Ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment Oh! Who shall appeal from this Summons Who shall be able to avoid this Judgment Whose Heart shall not quake and tremble at the sound of this terrible Voice This Voice shall take from death all her Spoils and cause her to restore again all that she hath taken from the World The Sea shall give up the Dead which are in it and Death and Hell deliver up the Dead which are in them Rev. 20.13 Think with thy self O Christian when thou art rising out of thy Bed what a wonderful sight that shall be to see the Sea and the Earth bring forth in all parts such variety of Bodies and to behold so many huge Armies rising out of their Beds of death and darkness and so many sorts of diversities of Nations and People gathered and assembled together To see the most mighty Princes and most puissant Potentates of the Earth raised out of their Tombs and appearing with another manner of habit and behaviour and with other kind of thoughts much differing from those that they had in this Life Think then with thy self that all the Children of Adam shall meet together every one to give up an account of his own Life and to be judged according to his Works yet shall there be a great difference between the Just and the Unjust at the day of Resurrection Some shall rise to everlasting Life and Glory and some to Shame and everlasting Contempt Dan. 12.2 Consider what a joyful meeting there will be of the Souls and Bodies of the Just at the general Resurrection With what joy shall the Soul then embrace the Body And as it were say thus unto it O my Body and faithful Companion that hast holden me in obtaining this glorious Crown that hast so often Fasted Watched and Prayed that hast suffered with me the necessities of Poverty the cross of Afflictions the reproaches and contradictions of reviling Tongues How often hast thou stript thy self of thine own Raiment to cloth the Naked How often hast thou denied thy self renounced thine own right and title being unwilling to break Peace and be at Variance with thy Neighbour Wherefore it is meet that thou shouldst now be partaker with me of this my Glory as thou hast been my companion in all my Labours and Sufferings Think also with thy self of the grievous and woful meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked at the day of their Resurrection The Soul of such an one shall then say to his vile Body O cursed Body the cause of my woe and misery Now I take thee no more for my Companion but mine Enemy Now art thou no more my Helper but my Persecutor O cursed Taste how dearly now do I pay for thy delicates and delights O stinking Flesh how have I by yielding to thy Lusts and Pleasures plunged my self into these endless Torments Is this the Body that scarce must touch the Ground that would not endure the Wind to blow upon it that Body which I spent so much time in Dressing and Adorning it Is this the Flesh which I so often glutted and pampered Were these the delights of this Body for which I cast away my self Was it for this stinking Dung-hill that I have lost for ever the Kingdom of Heaven O ye infernal Furies rise up now against me and tear me in pieces Cursed be the day of my unfortunate Birth seeing for a few short Pleasures I must suffer everlasting Torments These and other more desperate words thou mayst think Christian Reader shall the miserable Soul speak unto that Body which she loved so exceedingly in this Transitory Life I will set down the words of a Devout Man in this kind Tell me O miserable Soul why dost thou now so much abhor that thing which heretofore thou lovedst so well Is not this Flesh thy dearly beloved Is not this thy Belly which thou madest thy God Is not this the Face which thou didst keep so charily from Wind and Sun Is not this the Visage which thou didst paint with so many Artificial Colours Are not these the Arms and Fingers which glistered with Rings of Gold Bracelets and Diamonds Is not this the Body for whose sake search was made both by Sea and Land to furnish a Table for it with all dilicate and dainty Dishes To have a soft and stately Bed to procure curious and sumptuous Garments Who hath now so changed thine Affections who hath now made thy Body to appear so horrible and deformed which before seemed so amiable and beautiful Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power Rev. 20.6 SECT IX When thou art sluggish and loth to rise out of thy Bed in the Morning THink then with thy self O Christian that thou hearest the Voice of Christ calling to thee as sometimes to his Spoufe Cant. 2.10 Rise up my Love my fair One and come away Consider what Saint Paul saith to the Romans Rom. 13.11 It is high time to awake out of sleep Awake unto Righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15.34 It is not enough that ye affect Righteousness and to have the Heart bent toward it in some sort but you must awake to it as Mens Spirits are fresh and renewed and made more quick and active when they awake out of sleep awaken and quicken your Souls to Righteousness and Holiness as if you were to begin the work again that so your Spirits may be fresh and your Hearts active and lively in the Service of God See how David stirreth up himself Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early Awake Psaltery and Harp Doth David speak to these dead Instruments Doth he not rather speak to his own Affections that they might be awakned and quickned to make Melody to the Lord in his Heart whilst he played with his Hand upon the Psaltery and Harp He knew the Harp though never so well tuned and managed would make but dull and flat Musick in the Ears of the Living God if the Heart were not tuned and the Affections stirred up and quickned Raise up thy Heart to God and the love of the World will little prevail with it the more able shalt thou be to discern the excellency of Heavenly Things This is a special Help against Temptation
practise the one as they wear the other As we are exhorted to put on Christ so having put him on we must keep him on and not when we list put him off again we are not so to put off Sin as when we list to put it on again rather put on Shame than put on Sin In a word Though you are to cast off Sin like a Garment yet not like a wearing Garment for then you will one time or other get it about you again but like a rotten Garment like a menstruous Garment like a leprous Garment like a diseased Garment like a Prison-Garment as Joseph left his Prison Garments when he was brought before Pharaoh and when they were once put off never put them on again So should we leave off our Sins not only seponere but deponere not only lay them apart but quite cast them away never to resume them any more SECT X. When you are going to dress your selves THink with your selves how Pride and the vain Fashions of the Times do draw many into such a garb of Attire as makes them long in dressing them in the Morning and this do you resolve against and do you wear such Habits as may be soon put on Our first Parents were clad in Beasts Skins the Prophets wore rough Garments and John Baptist was clothed in Camels Hair and many of the Ancients say That the Blessed Virgin had a mean Habit only to cover her Nakedness not to adorn her Body The Lacedemonians had a Law that none but Harlots might wear rich Apparel that honest Women might be brought out of love with Bravery and not spend much time in decking themselves It is a piece of great folly to spend so much time in the Morning in decking and adorning the Body that must ere long be a dish for Worms and pass away many Days Weeks Months and Years altogether neglecting the Soul that must live for ever If Saint Paul durst not glory but in the Cross of Christ how darest thou to pride thy self and spend much time about these Vanities Consider with thy self what is the design of those who delight in sumptuous Apparel and spend so many Hours in trimming themselves is it not to please those who look upon them to entangle Souls in their Nets Indeed Women do not care to Dress themselves when they are alone Solitariness is an enemy to Pomp as Peacocks close up their Plumes when no body beholds them so these do neglect their Dressing when no body admires them And when they have neither Spectators to observe them nor any to flatter them Self-love is not of force enough to make them long or curious in Dressing themselves It is better to go in our Habits as the wild Indians than have those precious hours of the Morning especially on the Lord's Daies to answer for as too many Ladies and other Gallants have yea and those that affect to wear fantastical Habits above their degree It is dear-bought Bravery that must every day take up an hour or half an hour of our precious time extraordinary as one noteth SECT XI When you are beholding your Faces in a Glass and Dressing your selves by it 1. COnsider That the first use of Glasses was that thereby Men and Women might the better know themselves that the most amiable Persons might learn to shun all infamous things and not defile the dignity of their Persons with the deformity of their Manners But our Glasses now have lost their primary Institution and make many Persons to forget themselves and like Narcissus to dote upon their Faces thinking that every one that sees them wrongs them that doth not admire them 2. Consider also That there are divers Glasses that we may look our selves in to observe and see what manner of Persons we are or ought to be The Glass of Nature The Glass of Example The Glass of Conscience The Glass of God's Word 1. The Glass of Nature That is a Glass which the Heavens and the â—arth and every Creature do hold up unto us There is never a Creature that we can look upon but we may behold in it as in a Glass either the Face of God's Glory of his Wisdom of the eternal Power and Godhead or may see the Image of that Obedience and Duty which we owe to God 2. There is the Glass of Example For what are the Examples of those Saints that we see before us and those which are recorded in Sacred Scripture and in the Acts and Monuments of the Church but so many Looking-Glasses by which we may learn to fashion and compose our Lives according to the holy Patterns which they do give us How many lively Examples and Clouds of Witnesses are set before us in whom as in so many Glasses we may behold the admirable Graces and ready Obedience of the Saints in those things whereat the Flesh and Nature do stagger and draw back yea Obedience in those things which might seem Ridiculous unto Men and in such things as seemed contrary to Natural Affection contrary to their Profit and in such things as made against their Safety The sight of those holy Examples should make us cry out Oh Lord our God! How wonderful are thy Works which thou dost by the hands of thy Servants How wonderful are thy Graces which thou causest to shine in their Lives 3. There is the Glass of Conscience Though we wanted other directions yet if we would but daily look into this Glass if we would but reflect upon our selves and turn our Eyes inward to view our own Consciences then should we find a Glass of Good and Evil in their right forms and colours represented to us If a Man look frequently into this Glass he may cry out with the Psalmist Who can understand his Errours Who can count and number up the blemishes of his Soul and the errours of his Life 4. There is the Glass of the Word of God That which of all other is the clearest and perfectest Mirrour both to shew us what indeed we are and what we should be to discover our Spots and Blemishes to us that we may see them and also to direct us how we may amend them The Glass of Nature hath a power of Conviction whosoever looks not into it and therein observes not God's Power and Wisdom is an Atheist The Glass of Example hath the power of Direction whoso looks not into it is negligent and perverse The Glass of Conscience hath the power of Accusation whoso looks not into it so as to discover and bewail his Sins is an Hypocrite The Glass of God's Word hath the power of Conversion whoso looks not into it to learn the Will of God and to reform himself by it is an Infidel In a Glass we behold the Lineaments of our natural Faces and the outward form of our bodily Structure So in the Glass of God's Word we may behold the Spiritual Face as it were of our Hearts and Lives and whatever inward corruption
doth cast any stain upon us we may thereby discern it and judg of it By the Law cometh the knowledg of sin saith the Apostle Rom. 3.20 viz. 1. Generally because it makes us to know what Sin is 2. Particularly because it makes us to know how far forth we are guilty of it But when the eye of our Judgment or the eye of our Affection is blinded or dimmed though we stare at our Spots and Blemishes yet we do not espie them Therefore we must earnestly beg of God that the veil that lieth upon our Minds may be taken away that when we come to look into this Glass we may clearly see what it will shew us and represent unto us Whosoever looks into this Glass it will represent unto him the true Image that he carrieth and not delude his Eye with any false shadow We must not labour to see our Corruptions by the Glass of the Word but when we see them to reform them In Exod. 38.8 We read of a Laver that Moses made of the Looking-glasses that the Israelitish Women brought unto him to be set into the Tabernacle Devout and Religious Women were content to bestow those Glasses by which they were wont to dress their Bodies toward the making of an Instrument whereby through Faith they might sanctifie their Souls This Laver served the Priests both to look in and to wash in It was clear that they might see themselves in it and if they had nay Foulness about them they might also wash themselves with the Water that ran out of it Such a Vessel is God's Word it is a Looking-Glass wherein we may see our Selves and our own Corruptions in it but a Laver too to wash our selves in it Wherewithal shall a young Man cleanse his way The answer is By taking heed thereunto according to thy Word If you are Persons of Quality you may employ some one about you to read a Chapter in the Bible whilst you are dâ—essing you Or the time may be employed by you in some profitable Meditation or godly Conference with those about you as far as your necessary occasions do permit And when you Deck your selves with Jewels and rich Ornaments take heed of being proud of them or setting your Hearts upon them beware of vain Affectation in wearing them and of wasting your Estates upon them For no Persons are to bring Poverty upon themselves and their Children to make themselves fine All your Ornaments are but as marks of your Sin and Misery And as a Footman who wears a gaudy Livery makes but his Servility more visible so those that trim themselves finest make but their Shame more publique Let Men and Women use what Art they can to excuse their Vanity they cannot deny but that their most gaudy Apparel are the spoils of Beasts that their Ornaments are sought for in the bottom of the Sea or in the bowels of the Earth What is the matter whereof so many different Silks are made but the Drivel of Worms and the Sepulchre which those little Animals make unto themselves when they die What is Purple which was wont to be the Badg of Soveraignty but the Blood of certain Fishes What are Pearls but the Warts of certain Shell-fish and the thickest part of the Fome of the Sea which could not be turned into its substance What are Diamonds and Rubies but Water congealed within Rocks And what is Gold which Men disguise into so many Shapes which is sought for with so much Labour gotten many times so Unjustly and kept with so much Care but the Excrement of the most barren Soyl to which the Fire gives Lustre and humane errour Valuation And what is the finest Linnen wherewith multitudes of People are so much covered and wherein the greatest part of their Vanity consists but a kind of Herb and Grass which grows up and flourisheth in the Fields withereth and dieth in a short time which passeth through Womens hands which is wetted with their Spittle turned with the Spindle stretcht upon the Loom wrought with the Shuttle whitened in the Dew and at last cut out into several sorts of things wherewith the Bodies of Men and Women are adorned Must not that Man or Woman have lost their judgment that shall be proud of such Trifles I deny not but it is lawful for some Persons to wear Ornaments for we may not only wear that which serves for a covering to the Body but also that which may adorn it For as all may wear Clothes to hide their Shame and Nakedness so some may wear Robes and Ornaments to shew their State and Greatness But their Adorning must not be so much that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold and of putting on of Apparrel as the hidden Man of the Heart Yet in times of great Calamity and Afflictions even great Persons must lay aside their Ornaments when the Wrath and Displeasure of God is broken out against a Land or People So the Lord said unto the People of Israel Put off now your Ornaments that I may know what to do with you Exod. 33.5 At such times we should rather appear in Rags than in Silks with Dust upon our Heads and Sackcloth about our Loins than with Ornaments upon our Backs and Chains of Pearl about our Necks SECT XII Of our Dedicating the Morning unto God GOD commanded the Children of Israel Exod. 23.19 The first of the First-fruits of the Land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord. God would not only have the First-fruits but the first of the First-fruits if there were any ripe sooner than other God called for them Which instructeth us that we must not only give God the First-fruits of the Day but the earliest time in the Morning which is the First of the First-fruits of the Day This was the practice of holy Job in the behalf of his Children He sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all Job 1.5 6. As it is God's due so it is our Duty to dedicate the Morning the first and best of every Day to God Psal 5.3 David saith unto God My voice shalt thou hear in the Morning in the Morning will I direct my Prayer to thee and will look up As the Morning is a good friend to the Muses so it is a great friend to the Graces as the Morning is the best studying time so I judg the Morning to be the best Praying time So Bildad speaks unto Job Chap. 8.5 If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes In strictness of Translation it may thus be rendred If thou wouldst seek unto God in the Morning or If thou wouldst morning God be with him early in the Morning which is the first part or beginning of the Day then pour out thy Heart unto God in Prayer It was an ancient Course to seek God early in the Morning And the very Heathens by the light of Nature took
1.7 to note the place whence they return and go St. Bernard hath a Meditation upon it That God is as the Sea and we should be as the Rivers All Blessings come from God as Rivers from the Sea and as Rivers to the Sea so we should return our praises to him Indeed that is as much as we can do and so much we should do This Act as one noteth consisteth in three things 1. In the Memory which representeth to the understanding the benefit received and this Understanding considers the Hand that gives them and to whom and how and by what ways and means and in what measure Thereupon an affectionate acknowledgment is made in the Will which not able to continue idle spreads it self into outward Acts to testifie the fervour of its affection Now to practise this well it is requisite that we should make and keep a Catalogue of all the Benefits of God Bless God especially for the benefits of Creation Preservation Redemption Vocation and for all other secret Benefits particularly received 1. For the benefits of Creation consider what thou wast before thou wast Created even no more than very nothing and that from the very beginning thou wast nothing and that nothing could not make it self any thing Now he that drew this great Universe out of the Chaos and Darkness of nothing to the light of Being and Life it pleased him out of his meer Grace to shew upon thee his Almighty Power to bring thee to a being and make thee something And as St. Augustine saith not every somewhat not a Stone not a Bird not a Toad not a Serpent but even a Man one of the most noble Creatures in the World he made thee as a little Miracle of Nature with the adornments of so many pieces well compacted together to bear in thine aspect the Beams of his own Majesty He framed this thy Body and beautified it in all parts both with Members and Senses and that with such curious Art and wonderful Providence that every one of them if they be well considered is of it self a great Wonder and a great Benefit This Job humbly and thankfully acknowledgeth Thine Hands have made me and fashioned me together round about c. Job 10.8 9 10 11. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the Clay c. Hast thou not poured me out as Milk and crudled me like Cheese Thou hast clothed me with Skin and Flesh and hast fenced me with Bones and Sinews c. Our making and natural constitution are to be reckoned among the great Benefits received from God I will praise thee saith David for I am fearfully and wonderfully made The greatest wonders of Man's Creation are unseen God hath packt many Rarities Mysteries Wonders in Man's Chest All the vital Instruments and Wheels whereby the watch of our Life is in perpetual motion from the first Hour to the last are locked up in a curious internal Cabinet where God himself prepared the Pulleys hung on the Weights and wound up the Chime by the Hand of his Infinite Power without opening of any part As a learned Anatomist of ours hath elegantly instructed us in the Preface to his sixth Book Consider what usefulness and commodiousness Beauty and Convenience do meet together in every part What Beauty is stampt on the Face What majesty in the Eye What strength is put into the Arms and Back What activity into the Hands What Musick and Melody is in the Tongue Nothing in this whole Fabrick could be well left out or better placed either for Ornament or for Use But the excellency of Man consisteth in his Soul And as Man was the principal part of the Creation so the Soul is the principal part of Man God by a Divine Breathing communicated this fountain of Life which heavenly form without noise or delay diffused it self entire into the Body remaining nevertheless whole in every part The frame of the Body is an exquisite frame but the frame of the Soul the faculties and powers motions and operations of the Soul are far more exquisite The Inhabitant is more noble than the House and the Jewel than the Cabinet And so great is the capacity of the Soul that all the things of the World put together are not able to satisfie it Besides there is no ability no perfection in any Creature here below but that a Man hath the same in him in a higher and far greater perfection and by the capacity of his Soul he is able to attain unto it whereby it is manifest that God by giving us this thing alone viz. our Soul hath given us therewith at once all things together The consideration hereof should ever make thee thankful to thy most Gracious and Bountiful Lord for this surpassing great Benefit 2. Be thankful to him for thy Preservation and the Benefits thereof Consider that God hath not only created thee in so great Glory and Dignity but it is He also that preserveth thee for thou art not able to live one moment nor to move one step without him Consider also how he hath created all things in the World for thy use and service yea he hath appointted the very Angels in Heaven to be thy guard and defence They are all Officers in this great House and Family of God unto whom is committed the defence and safeguard of Men. Here consider the particular favours received from God in your Birth Nourishment Education Instruction in gifts of Soul and Body in Means and Conveniences in Health Strength Life Sustenance and all other Temporal Helps and Succours in Friends Allies Kindred in thy Calling Profession and estate of Life in a continued Protection in deliverance from so many Dangers and freedom from manifold Miseries into which thou seest others to fall every Day and thou thy self mightst also have fallen into the same had not Almighty God of his great Mercy preserved thee In guiding thee through the degrees of Ages wherein every one in his own particular may acknowledg infinite passages of the Divine Providence How should the consideration hereof together with the Circumstances of each Benefit make thee to cry out with the Prophet David Who am I O Lord God and what is my House that thou hast brought me hitherto 2 Sam. 7.18 3. Be exceeding thankful for thy Redemption We are all by Nature in miserable bondage to Sin and Satan and we have all sold our selves for nought Isa 52.3 and by this felling our selves to Sin and Satan we have put our selves out of our own into their Dominion and during that estate abide wholly to be disposed at their pleasure They are now become our Lords and no drudgery must we refuse be it never so irksome or burdensome whereabout they shall list to employ us Now how should all God's Redeemed Ones ascribe Honour and Glory to their God acknowledging the infinite Love and abundant Grace of God in procuring Redemption for poor Bond-slaves Captives Prisoners that he
fanctified So Samuel said to the Elders of Bethlehem Sanctifie your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice 1 Sam. 16.5 This Sanctifying was a preparing of themselves was a fitting of themselves that they might be ready for the Sacrifice The very Heathen had this Notion they would not admit any to come to their Religious Services unless they were prepared therefore they had one that cried out to the People when they came to Sacrifice All ye that are unclean and prophane go far away from these Sacrifices Prepare your felves unto Prayer by considering the Greatness and Majesty of that God to whom you go to speak in Prayer For this Consideration will teach you with what great Humility and Reverence it behoveth such miserable Creatures to speak unto a Lord of so great Majesty as Almighty God is concerning a matter of so great importance as is your own Salvation How close shut ought ye to have the gates of your Understanding and Will at the time of Prayer from the cares and thoughts of the World and open unto God alone that in case he come to enter therein he be not driven back again finding the Gates shut against him or the Lodging-Chambers taken up and pestered with other Guests And to this end you may pray to be prepared and enabled to Pray in this or the like manner Almighty God I beseech thee be pleased to prepare my Heart and quicken mine Affections in this holy service of calling upon Thy Name Make me to consider that Thou into whose Presence I am come and have to do art a God clothed with Glory and Majesty and that I am Dust and Ashes and a most vile and unworthy Sinner I beseech Thee possess me with an amfal reverence of Thy Glorious Majesty that I may watch over my Thoughts and have regard to my good behaviour before Thee lest my presumption and want of due respect to Thy Majesty should turn my Prayers into Sin Give me a lively sence of my own Wants and a clear apprehension of those Blessings I have received from Thee and of those Mercies which in Thy Word Thou hast promised to bestow that I may be furnished with matter both for Request and Thankfulness and may be able to pour out my Soul abundantly before Thee Let Thy Spirit of Supplication sanctifie my Thoughts guide my Tongue and help mine Infirmities Give me faith in Thy Promises that I may come boldly unto the Throne of Thy Grace and let me find it is good to draw near to Thee my God in Prayer Let the end of my praying be Thy Glory and make me as ready to give thanks for Blessings obtained as to be earnest for Mercies I stand in need of With this Preparation mayest thou draw near to God in the Morning imploring God for the assistance and succour of his Grace whereby thou mayst the better bestow the day following in his Service And be earnest with God in thy Preparation to instruct thee how to do thy Duty therein and to direct thee to speak unto him in Prayer with such Attention and Devotion with such recollection and closeness of Mind and with such A we and Reverence as is to be used before so great a Majesty and withal entreat him that thou mayst so spend that portion of time in this exercise of Prayer that in the end thou mayst arise from the same with new force and strength to do all such things as appertain to his Service And that thou mayst the better fit thy self for thy Morning-prayer go to Bed with the thoughts of it over Night like those that intend to bake Unleavened Bread the next Day do use to lay the Leaven over Night So may a Christian over Night think on what he will recommend unto God the next Morning and assoon as he awaketh busie his Mind about it before any other thing do enter therein that so his Heart having endited a good Matter his Tongue may be as the Pen of a ready Writer And for as much as the Prayers of the Righteous are acceptable with God you shall do well to consider in your Prayers both Morning and Evening what a number of God's faithful People both Men and Women in this World be at this time at the Throne of Grace humbly confessing their Sins to the Lord and craving Pardon for them and begging such Graces and Blessings as are needful for them with which Persons you ought to joyn your selves that the present sweet remembrance of them may be a Spur to your Devotion causing you to persevere in this holy exercise of Prayer Moreover whensoever you shall find your selves cold and remiss in this Duty you may be ashamed and check your selves by the example of so many Pious and Devout Persons which with so good carefulness and diligence have continued so long a time in this exercise of Prayer without ceasing dayly offering up their Bodies and Souls unto God in Sacrifice SECT XVI Of Reading the holy Scriptures AFter Preparation followeth Reading which ought not to be done lightly nor passed over in haste but with great deliberation and attention applying thereunto your Understanding to conceive such things as you reade and chiefly your Affections to taste those things which you understand Before you pray in the Morning first reade a Chapter or some select portion of Scripture out of the Word of God and when thou comest to any place that may enflame thine Affections and raise thy Devotion thou shalt do well to stay and pause a little upon it and to make there as it were a station in thinking upon that matter which thou hast read and in making some short Prayer upon it according to the Counsel of St. Bernard saying It is requisite oftentimes to gather and procure a little Spirit and Devotion out of the matters that we reade and to break off the course of our reading with some kind of Prayer by means whereof we may lift up our Hearts unto the Lord and talk with him according as the sence and matter of such things as we reade do require Here let me Advertise Let not thy Reading be very long lest it take up too much time which ought otherwise to be employed For as St. Augustine saith It is good both to reade and pray if we can doth both the one and the other After thou hast read a while think with thy self how many choice things thou canst pick out of it Consider what holy Counsels and Exhortations to a godly Life What Threatnings against such Sins What dreadful examples of God's Judgments upon such and such Sinners What Blessings and Rewards God promiseth to such Graces and Vertues What wonderful Deliverances God hath wrought for his Church in Times past and what singular Blessings he hath bestowed upon his faithful Servants Bring home these things to thine Heart and do not reade them as matters of Historical Discourse but as so many Epistles sent down to thee from God out of Heaven and
and Men that in special do want our Prayers in publique and private Calamities Object But we must ask according to the Will of God Resp Yes according to his revealed Will We must not cannot look into his secret Will to see who are there excluded from his Mercy but those who are excluded in his revealed Will we must not sue for as the Devils and those who have sinned against the Holy Ghost if we knew them Object But do we not worship God in vain when we pray for whom the Lord will not hear us Resp I answer No Our Prayer shall return into our own bosoms as it was with the Psalmist when he prayed for his Enemies III. To whom must we pray I answer Unto God who is there called a Father a Word of Nature or Person In the former sense taken for the Holy Trinity in the latter for the First Person Here ye may understand it both ways in a compound sence 1. That you are to direct your Prayers to God the whole Divine Nature Father Son and Holy Ghost And then withal to the Father first in order through the Son by the Holy Ghost All are here condemned who pray unto any other None is to be prayed unto but whom we may call our Heavenly Father which is not due to any Creature IV. Through whom I answer Through Christ alone For through him and none other is God become our Father By Him we have the priviledg of Adoption and are made Sons and Daughters We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is the Prepitiation for our Sins 1 John 2.1 None can be our Mediator of Intercession unto God but He that is the Propitiation appeasing him and satisfying his Wrath due unto our Sins and therefore no Saint nor Angel must be employed in this Office There is but one Mediator of Redemption and Intercession between God and Man even Christ Jesus who is both God and Man V. How we must pray Resp 1. As to a Father 2. As to a Father which is in Heaven And therefore To one that is willing and ready to help infinite in Majesty and Soveraignty seeing and knowing all things our Hearts our Wants This should teach you to pray with Boldness Confidence Reverence Understanding Sincerity Pray with Boldness as to a Father with Confidence and Reverence as to an Heavenly Father with Sincerity and Understanding as to him that seeth your Hearts The things that we are to pray for every Morning at least one reduceth them to these Heads viz. That you may not offend God this Day That you may not want Grace Light and Courage to resist those Temptations which most assail you and those Sins to which you are most inclined That you may practise those Vertues which are most necessary for you That you may be guided this Day by God's good Providence in all that concerns your Soul Body and Estate That you may obtain new Favours and Assistance for the Necessities of your Neighbours which you may then set before him This kind of Supplication among other Commodities hath this withal that it daily reneweth in the Soul some good purposes and desires of Vertues and moveth it to be the more earnest to do that thing which he hath so frequently and so earnestly desired Chrysostom saith Such as pray earnestly in very deed will not suffer their Hearts to commit any thing that is unseemly for such an Exercise but ever have their Eyes upon God with whom a little before they talked and were conversant And so by that Cogitation they put away from them all the Suggestions of the Devil when they consider what an hainous matter it were that he that had a little before talked with Almighty God and desired of him Chastity and Holiness with all other Vertues should immediately run to his Enemies side and open the Gates of his Soul to receive in filthy and dishonest Delights and suffer the Devil to place him self in that Heart which a little before was the Temple of the Holy Ghost A form of Petition composed by Thomas Aquinas O God give unto me and unto all those whom I commend in my Prayer an understanding to know Thee and affectionate devotion to seek Thee a Wisdom to find Thee a Conversation to please Thee a Perseverance boldly to wait on Thee a Faith happily to embrace Thee My God so order it that I may be wounded with Thy sufferings in Repentance that in this Life I may use Thy Blessings in Grace and enjoy in the other Eternal Joys in Glory Amen SECT XIX Of Offering our selves to God ONe act of true Devotion is That a Man should every Morning offer up and make a Resignation of himself unto God which is an absolute parting with himself and a putting himself under the Power Wisdom and Soveraignty of God to be commanded ordered and disposed in all things by him according to his Will This work of Resigning our selves to God must be always doing whilst we are in this World When God hath wrought upon the Heart by effectual Perswasions and by his mighty Power the Lord saith to the Soul I am thy God and the Soul answers in truth And I am Thine As David Psal 116.6 O Lord I am thy Servant I am thy Servant Now is the Resignation actually made But though this be done yet it is still always doing whilst we are here upon Earth nay to Eternity For it is a thing that consists of an iteration of multiplied Acts. As Wedlock is not one single Act of Persons giving themselves each to other but if they live as Married Persons ought there is a daily giving of themselves each to other Their Hearts go out every day with Complacency and Delight willingly renewing the Bond and making the Contract yet firmer and firmer The end of this Resignation of your selves to God is that in all things you may be Commanded Ruled and Governed by him to have the Will of God to be your Bounds and to have it for your Rule and Pattern To be Bounded by God is to do nothing but what God doth either Command or Warrant All things are not Commanded a Christian that he may do But Commands and Warrants are the utmost Latitude of that Liberty which is left us we have no further to go and we need not there is scope enough to keep within these Limits Psal 119.16 Saith David I have seen an end of all Perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad It is as if he had said I have walked over the fair Plains of every Creature I have viewed the extent of all Excellency in them and I could look beyond it But when I look upon the Commandment of God as it is either Mandatory or Promisory it is of so vast Dimensions so exceeding great that it exceeds all things in the World there is room enough for the Spirit of a Man that is in true subjection unto God Now as we need not step
shews and needless Superstitions and yet have not one spark of Fire from above to set their Offerings on fire It is not a body of Sin that will make a pleasing Sacrifice unto God but a Body and Soul washed by the Blood of Christ Therefore you to whom God hath thus given you must offer up your selves to him as our Saviour saith to his Disciples To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given So I say To you it is given to pray to you it is given to reade the Scriptures and to hear the Word of God To you it is given to meditate on the Word To you it is given to see and conceive aright of Heavenly Things Ye have tasted of Love and Mercy and therefore to you it is given to shew Love and Mercy Think ye of your Talents and of your Receipts unto whom God hath given much look what ye have received mind your Account tender his Glory whose Love in all Eternity was so tender to your Souls above many thousand others SECT XXX Of the Improvement of all Means Gifts and Abilities inward and outward bestowed upon us LEt every one labour to improve all inward Gifts Means and Abilities bestowed upon them 1. Whosoever hath a larger Understanding and a more searching Head than others God requires the more of such an one his Brains should not be busied in hatching crafty and mischievous Plots against God and his Service against the Church of God or against his Neighbour God did not allow that great Politician Achitophel to use that wit he had given him to invent nor his Tongue which was an as Oracle to deliver a pestilent Counsel against his Anointed a Man after God's own Heart not to teach the Son how to kill his Father This is the height of Satan's wickedness that whereas the Lord made him a glorious Angel of Light and endued him with an admirable understanding and knowledg he on the other side abuseth it most wickedly to the Dishonour of God his Maker to oppose his Glory to ensnare his Servants and weaken his Kingdom Some Men have notable Heads and great Apprehensions but they fill them meerly with Earth the World possesseth them altogether they are wholly busied in laying plots for Gain or in compassing and grasping more of the World than they can well rule when they have it as if God had given them more Wit than others that they may be greater Drudges and Slaves to Mammon than others Some again do abuse their Wits in frothy Jesting and Scoffing at others in wanton and licentious Rhimes and Poems A witty Poem of one Licentius a young Noble Man coming into the hands of St. August Epist 39. ad Licen Augustine whose Scholar he had sometime been the said Father perceiving he had wickedly abused his Wit therein writes to him in this manner I have read this Poem of thine and I know not with what Verses to lament and mourn over it because I see a pregnant Wit in every Line but such an one as I cannot dedicate unto God Then he exhorteth him Da te Domino meo c. Give thy self unto my Lord who hath given thee this excellent Wit If thou hadst found a Golden Cup wouldst thou not have given it to some publique use God hath given thee a Golden Wit thy Vnderstanding is a Golden Cup and wilt thou let thy Lusts drink out of it Or wilt thou drink thy self to the Devil in it Know thou that Satan seeks to make thy Wit an ornament to him and thy Parts the credit of his Court and Cause The best Wits are fittest for the best and highest Employments It is pity that Men of excellent understandings should be set to dig in the mines of base Employments They should use them in searching the Scriptures and in gathering Knowledg out of the Word of God who doth not require of the unreasonable Creature that it should know his Will in his Word but of Man to whom he hath given a more excellent Spirit But this is to be lamented that Men that naturally have notable Understandings quick Wits and solid Judgments are very blind and shallow in the knowledg of God's Word How will these stand before the Lord at the last Day when he shall say unto them I gave thee a great Understanding but thou knewest any thing rather than me whom thou shouldst have laboured to know above all things How hast thou busied thy Wits Didst thou not think me worth thy knowledg and acquaintance Thou knewest the way to thrive and get Wealth to please and get the good will of Men but didst not care to know the way to please Me to find out the way which I had ordained for thee to walk in Thou knewest how to speak unto Men but didst not care how to call upon my Name Then wilt thou cry out Oh! that I had had a saving knowledg of God and his Will although all that had known Me had derided me for a Fool and contemned me for want of Worldly Wisdom Oh that I had known Jesus Christ and him Crucified though I had known nothing else Oh that I had throughly and spiritually known the Scriptures which would have made me wise unto Salvation though I had not known my right Hand from my left Wo is me that I busied my Head about Trifles and cared not to know the Way of Life and everlasting Peace Alas all my Wit my Craft my Policy now faileth me it will not serve to help me with one excuse whereby to shift off the Wrath and Justice of God it doth me no good now that I am to appear before my Judg. Labour then for such knowledg as may tend some way or other to your furtherance in Godliness and use your Understandings also to bring things about as well as ye can for the promoting of God's Glory For as the Lord doth by his infinite Wisdom defeat and bring to nought the crafty malicious plots of Satan so also he would have his Children to whom he hath given better Understandings and more Wisdom than to others to oppose their Wits against the Craft of wicked Men and use their best skill to uphold Religion and to overthrow the strong-holds of Satan Thus was Hushai among all David's followers chosen out to match Achitophel and to be a means to defeat his crafty Counsel and turn it into Foolishness And as for those that have not so good Natural Understandings as these yet according to their measure they must use their Talent for which they are accountable to the Lord Even weak natural Parts may be excellently perfected and bettered by Grace and raised to an higher degree than could be expected therefore none must give over exercising their Gifts although they cannot match some that are more excellent II. In the second place as to the Memory some Men have a great Gift this way They can remember things even
There if it will be let it be like a Gibeonite to an Israelite a Drudg a Slave not a Sarah but an Hagar a Servant not a Mistress let not Sin lose ground in one place and gain in another Mortifie your earthly Members Col. 3.5 or Affections Draw mortifying Vertue daily from the Death of Christ and that will have its influence upon the whole Old Man within you although perhaps ye employ it more especially against some particular members of the body of Sin As when Christ cursed the Fig-tree in more special reference to the Branches that bear no Fruit the whole Tree immediately withered This mortifying Vertue will not only tame and bring under all Sin in you that it cannot domineer and rage as formerly it did but it will receive its mortal Wound languish and consume away more and more Nullis medicabilis herbis as being past all recovery and hasten not only to a Dissolution but also as it were to a total Annihilation SECT XXXIII Of growing in the Knowledg of Christ and in Grace LAbour every Day to grow more and more in the Knowledg of Christ Now there are two degrees of the Knowledg of Christ 1. Historical or Doctrinal 2. Experimental and Effectual 1. As to the former it is the knowledg of the Person Natures Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascension Kingdom Offices of Christ Priestly Kingly and Prophetical as these things are laid down in the History and Doctrine of the Gospel And these contain abundance of glorious Mysteries and wonderful Revelations which all the Wisest Men under Heaven could never have found out no nor the holy Angels of Heaven if the Lord himself had not revealed them by his Spirit Christians must grow in the Knowledg of these But an Historical Knowledg or a bare Understanding of these things is not enough 1 Cor. 13. though a Man had all Knowledg that is of this degree or kind But 2. Labour for an inward experimental knowledg of Christ and to encrease therein With St. Paul count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus labour daily to know Him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings and to be made conformable to his Death Our Understandings are very weak and it is but little that we can discern at one view we have but weak and childish Capacities in respect of Heavenly Things therefore we must endeavour to grow more and more in the Knowledg of Christ Moreover there is an admirable Depth in the Mystery of Christ and you can never come to the bottom of it although ye should be diving into it all your life long Look over all the objects of Knowledg and can ye find a more pleasing a more joyous a more comfortable Object to study than the Knowledg of Christ and his Love towards Sinners What St. Augustine said of the Joys of Heaven Tanta est dulcedo so great is the sweetness of it that if God should let fall one drop of Heaven's Joy into Hell it would turn Hell into Heaven it would turn the Lakes of Brimstone into Rivers of Joy we may say as much of the Knowledg of Christ and of his Love towards us So great is the sweetness of it that it can turn an Heart full of the sorrows of Hell into an Heart full of the Joys of Heaven The more inwardly ye grow acquainted with Christ the more shall ye delight in Him and admire Him The Queen of Sheba knew Solomon by report and she admired him so far that she took a long Journey to visit him but when she was an Eye-witness and an Ear-witness of his Glory and Wisdom she admired him much more So when a Christian hath some acquaintance with Christ he admireth and loveth him but when he groweth more inwardly acquainted with him he seeth much more cause to admire and love him Such is the inward Excellency Sweetness and Perfection of Christ that the nearer any one approacheth to Him the more Admirable and Lovely he appeareth The more ye grow in the Knowledg of Christ the more will your love of the World of your Selves of your Sins wear away and die in you If ye find your Souls to increase in the Knowledg of Christ ye will find your Beloved so far to surpass all other Lovers that ye will grow more and more out of love with them Labour ye daily more and more to partake of the comforts of his Spirit for Christ will shine forth brightly in these to your Souls This Comfort is called The Light of his Countenance Psal 4. and therefore as the Light of the Sun sheweth the Sun unto us so that we see it by its own Light So the Joys and Comforts of Christ's Spirit which are the Light of his Countenance do discover Christ in a clear and excellent manner to Believers These shew Christ in his Beauty and make the Soul to admire him and cleave unto him The darkness of Hell it self cannot hide Christ from you when he doth thus discover himself unto you by his own immediate Light Labour also daily to grow in Grace Creseens is a fit name for a Christian because he ever is or ought to be in a growing state Grace having the same efficacy upon the Soul as the Soul hath upon the Body Whilst the Body is in a growing condition the Soul enlargeth the Body in all the parts and dimensions that the Members may not only fill more Clothes but take in more Nourishment and so become stronger and more serviceable In like manner labour ye that your inner Man may truly grow up in Christ in all things by the working of the Spirit of Christ as the soul of that new Life that is within you that ye may be meet Instruments of Righteousness to bring forth Fruit unto God Be still advancing still ascending always going forward unto Perfection not only in Knowledg but growing in solid Grace not in external Profession and Formalities but in all good Works which are more and better at the latter end than at the first Endeasour to be still on the thriving hand that ye may bring forth more fruit in old Age than at the beginning that ye wither not nor decay but still be fat and flourishing And this may be your comfort although the outward Man decay yet your inner Man is renewed day by day And when ye cannot perform so much outward service as when younger and stronger in Body yet your thriving Soul will glory more and more in your God even to see others to stand up in your stead whom by holy Counsel and fervent Prayers ye may further in the Work of the Lord. Labour every Day to grow more Spiritual see that your Knowledg become more judicious your Zeal more discreet your Love more active and substantial grow more to God and less to your Selves and the World settle your selves more and more in a good Course and although ye seem not so fair