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
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
the greatest things in the World How shall this Day set forth all secrets in the clear Light How shall all Sins not washt away by true Repentance be set before the eye of the World How then shall the Righteousness of the Upright be brought forth after it hath been many years hidden by Slanders and false Accusations How shall all their works of Faith all their labours of Love and all the fruits of the Spirit be laid open and manifested There are no false lights that can have any place at that Day to make bad Wares seem better every thing shall then appear as it is O my Soul how shouldst thou labour in thy most secret places and in thy most secret thoughts to bear in mind the light of that great Day when Christ shall appear as a Day-spring unto the World Will these thoughts which I cherish in my Heart these Affections these Words these Deeds be able to abide the great light of that Day when Christ shall come Are they such as may be presented with boldness before the Face of Christ and offered to the view of the holiest Angels and Saints in Heaven and be brought to the open Light when the Son of Righteousness shall shine in his Strength 3. Consider That Christ's second coming shall be in Power and great Glory Matth. 24.30 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thess 4.16 He shall sit on the right Hand of Power and come in the Clouds of Heaven Mat. 26.63 He shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels Mat. 16.27 The glory of the Sun Moon and Stars when they shine most gloriously is nothing to this Glory of Christ which at that Day he shall shew forth to the World O my Soul labour now to behold his Beauty and Glory in the Spirit by Faith and by that glimpse raise thy thoughts to consider of that height and brightness of Glory wherein Christ shall shew himself at that Day and how thine Eye and thy Soul shall be filled with a most sweet delight in his perfect Beauty and Glory Could our Hearts be throughly taken up with Christ's Glory at that great Day it would be a means to mortifie our fond desires towards these things wherewith our fleshly Eyes or Hearts are apt to be ensnared It would greatly support us under Afflictions What should not I suffer with patience who look to see the Beauty and Glory of Christ at the last Day Yea to see the glorious Face of Christ turned to me in love might I not pass through Troubles Prisons Famine Nakedness Banishment Fire Sword any thing in hope to behold the Beauty and Glory of Christ and to enjoy the light of his Countenance for ever when he shall come as a Day-spring from on High 4. Consider how Christ at his second coming shall most sweetly refresh all those which â—â—roughout the World belong unto him he shall give them everlasting rest from all their Labours which here they have undergone everlasting peace from all Cares and Conflicts with the World the Flesh and the Devil freedom from all Troubles deliverance from all Persecutions when many millions of Souls shall throng about him and appear in his sight being such as have believed him and cleaved to him in sincerity Some of them having been sawn asunder burnt to ashes some slain with the Sword some kept in Bonds and Irons some mocked some scourged some driven out of House and Home and spoiled of their Goods tossed to and fro persecuted from City to City some destitute afflicted tormented for his Name-sake he shall sweetly ease and refresh them as a Day-spring when they shall appear before him And for those of his Saints that have been burdened with much Sickness painful Diseases with Poverty and outward Wants not having whereon to lay their Heads nor wherewith to fill their Bellies to them shall he give to drink of the full River of his Pleasures yea he himself shall be their Refreshment and they shall so fully enjoy him that they shall need nothing which may make them truly and perfectly happy 5. Consider That Christ as a Day-spring at his second coming shall Cure all the Sicknesses both of the Souls and Bodies of his He shall deliver the very brute Creatures from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God for the Creature it self was made subject unto Vanity c. Ver. 21. The Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain until now Where you see that the whole World is sick and diseased by reason of the Sin of Man it is pained and groaneth as a Woman in Travel longing for the time of Deliverance and that is the time of Christ's coming when this Day-spring shall appear from on high An universal Corruption and as it were Contagion hath overspread and seized upon the whole body of Nature and all the Limbs the whole World and all its parts and all the Creatures in it and that by reason of the Sin of Man Now Christ's coming shall refine all the Creation and shall set up a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness The Beasts Birds Fishes the Corn the Fruit of the Vine c. shall no longer be abused to Gluttony Drunkenness and Epicurism and to be as Fuel to cherish the flame of unclean Lusts The wedg of Gold or bag of Silver shall no longer be defiled so as to be made an Idol to the dishonour of its Maker to carry away the Heart from him Other Metals and Minerals shall be no longer defiled so as to be turned into Instruments of Death and Cruelty and to be stained with Innocent Blood Other Creatures shall not be abused so as to set forth the Pride of Vain Men and Women Christ shall heal the Sickness and Corruptions of the World and free it from the bondage of Corruption his coming shall heal the World much more shall it heal all the Infirmities of his Members At the last Day the Lord at his coming will heal the Sick and Diseased give sight to the Blind strength to the Lame and Weak hearing to the Deaf beauty to the Deformed yea he shall cure them of Death and Mortality it self Death shall no more hang about them nor have to do with them Much more shall his second coming bring perfect and perpetual health to their Souls Sin shall then be fully Cured and the Soul shall be made altogether sound and no Sin shall pain the Soul with the remembrance of it nor afflict it with fear of Punishment And sence of Guiltiness shall be taken away as if Man had continued as holy as the Angels and had always kept his first Estate 6. Consider That
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
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
when Health is gone The want of Health and vigour of Spirits must needs be a great disadvantage where-ever it lighteth yet where Grace is and ruleth the Heart is lifted up to God the Soul breaths after him and his bodily Infirmities are an help to Mortification to Patience to the neglect of Worldly Things and a provocation to long for his Salvation as old Jacob did upon his Death-bed David attained to the best temper and measure of Spiritual Health when he was most overlaid with Bodily Sickness 2. To Health we may joyn Bodily Strength which is a great help to Spiritual Assaults which work more upon Weakness Age c. than upon others in whom Nature sanctified can afford more helps to the inner Man assaulted by Frowardness Timerousness or the like as one well noteth Young Men have more strength than others over-worn by Age and if they have the Word of God abiding in them they are strong indeed to overcome the evil one Many Men out of their strength of Body might spare more time from their sleep to spend in Religious Duties which others of weaker and feebler Bodies cannot spare who if they should miss of sufficient refreshment in this kind would be unfit for any holy performance Many occasions also may the strong take in travel for the doing of many good Services which cannot be so well performed by the weaker sort Yea such Men may wrestle the more earnestly with God in Prayer and in performing other holy Exercises may be the more vehement which weak Bodies are unable to perform But it is sad to see wicked Men notwithstanding their bodily weakness to be never the weaker Servants of Sin The Adulterer rolls over his sin in his Heart though disabled by his own Wickedness as well as by Age from the actual committing of that Sin he is a filthy person still as in his greatest bodily vigour and a greater teacher and provoker of others to the same Wickedness So Witches and other envious Persons Malice in them supplieth the defects of natural abilities or want of power or opportunity And rather than fail they summon in Satan to assist them in their hellish designs So others in time of their Weakness grow more cross and froward to all about them and being more impatient do murmur against God and are ready to Curse and Blaspheme because they have not Health Limbs Strength as well as others These are not unlike the Vassals of Antichrist justly suffering extraordinary Plagues for their voluntary Slavery That gnawed their Tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds Rev. 16.10 11. But the weakest Body must labour to be strong in Spirit that the power of God's Spirit may be manifested in its Weakness whilst the inner Man is renewed day by day though the outward Man decayeth 3. Youth also is an advantage in the Service of God Young Men have more abilities and helps than Old Persons their Wits being fresh their Affections lively all the powers of Nature are then in their prime and God requireth more of them in regard of outward performances Let young Men now remember their Creator in the days of their Youth and the prime of their Days while the evil days come not The days of Old-age are evil Days but thou must serve God in thy best Days give him not the dregs of thy time let him have the principal and choicest of thine Age think thy best days not good enough The Years will approach wherein thou wilt say I have no pleasure in them Dost thou think God will delight and take pleasure in that Age of thine if thou then begin to serve him when as thou thy self canst find no pleasure in it The Lord is to be served with gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things and wilt thou hope to serve him and be accepted of him if thou begin not till then when thou thy self shall take contentment in nothing when Old Age shall take away the joy of thine Heart and comfort of thy Life Yet must the Aged labour to excel in a settled Constancy in Gravity in holy Examples in ripeness of every Grace and holy Affection But the Younger sort must do more than the Aged can do in regard of the exercises of Religion and that in many respects 4. So also in respect of outward Estate and therein in regard of Wealth Honour the Lord with thy Substance and with the first-fruits of thine Increase Prov. 3.9 St. Paul bids Timothy Charge them that be rich in this World c. that they do good that they be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come Where ye see the Lord requireth an open Hand and Heart in them who are enriched with outward Blessings Every one is to lay by him as the Lord hath enabled him There be many things here required of the Rich which the Poor cannot do as to maintain the preaching of the Gospel where Means are wanting to relieve the Poor and Needy to strive against the danger and deceitfulness of Riches in the possessing and enjoying these outward things to be as if you possessed them not being as ready to leave all for Christ as they that have least and to be ready according to your portion of Wealth to set forth the Glory of Christ to make Riches the fuel of your Graces and the instruments of your Duty towards God and Man To have the House full of Riches and the Heart full of Grace this is an happy Conjunction and causeth matter of great admiration It is an evidence of much Grace when a Man is very holy in the midst of abundance of outward Riches As Pineda speaks of Job That the holiness of Job Exingentibus Jobi divitiis valdè locupletatur ejus sanctitas Pineda was enriched by his great Riches But usually Riches do impoverish the Soul and devour all care of Heaven they make Men to forget God yea to kick and spurn against him as it is said of Jesurun They are often made the Bellows of Pride the fuel of Luxury and Wantonness the instrument of Revenge and cause their owners to contemn despise and oppress their poor Brethren and to make no other use of them but to satisfie their Lusts and clog their Souls fastening them to the things below 5. Hereunto we may add Respect and Esteem from the World wherein some Men have a greater part than others and if they would rightly use it a greater advantage to glorifie God and so accordingly the Lord requireth more at their hands than can well be performed by others First of all Some have favour with great Men So Nehemiah had with the Persian King and he might be bold to speak for Jerusalem the City of the Lord when it lay desolate and so he did An ordinary Israelite had not
as before The Lord will shortly tread Satan under your feet but he stands his ground for the present 4. Be watchful after thy Falls lest a worse Temptation than a former befal thee If Satan seeth a Man stumble and fall he will keep him down if he can When he had drawn David to commit Adultery he put him upon Murder When he had made Peter to deny Christ once he proceeded in his Temptations Here let me propound divers Preservations against Temptations that ye may not be overcome by them 1. Preserve in thy Heart settled thoughts of God's Omnipresence Seneca would have Men to think upon grave Cato that he was always beholding them to keep them from Looseness If the presence of a Man then much more the Presence of God will keep a Man from Sin Wicked Men take liberty to Sin because they say Tush Thou God seest us not But God looks upon you not only when you are Fasting but Feasting not only when you are Praying but Playing not only in the Fields but in the House not only in the Parlour but in the Bed-chamber yea in the Closet Were this Consideration still in you God seeth us what Temptation could prevail against us It is said of an holy and reverend Man that he had this written before his Eyes in his Study Sin not thou though never so secret God seeth thee and the Angels stand by thee the Devil is ready to accuse thee thine own Conscience to give evidence against thee and Hell-fire to torment thee Be thou in the fear of God all the day long Prov. 23.17 2. Maintain in your Hearts thoughts of the strict account which ye shall one Day make of every Sin Answer all Temptations thus Oh I cannot answer for the Sins I have committed already And shall I now make work for the great Day Is not mine account great enough already Oh! How can I answer God for one of a thousand Sins that I have already committed 3. Let the Word of God dwell plenteously in your Hearts To hide the Word in your Hearts is the way to be kept from Sin Psal 119.9 Christ by Scripture vanquished the Devil Avoid Satan It is written Thou shalt not do thus or thus Set home the Commands of God the Threatnings of God the Curse of the Law upon thy Soul whensoever thou art tempted to Sin 4. Oppose Eternity of Torment to thy sinful Pleasures and say What advantage is it to win the whole World and lose my Soul for ever What! shall I adventure to lie under the Wrath of Almighty God for ever for a few momentany Pleasures Profits and Pleasures are the guilded Baits of all Temptations 5. Lodg holy thoughts in your Hearts and obey all motions of God's Spirit A Mind fraught with holy thoughts will not admit vain thoughts Intus existens prohibit alienum When Satan finds the heart void and swept of good thoughts then he enters with evil Suggestions So whilst thou art following the motions of God's Spirit this will quench diabolical motions 6. Pray fervently and frequently that God will be thy Guard Complain often to God that thou art in the midst of Enemies always vexing and enticing thee Thou canst go no where but the Devil is at thy right Hand Beseech the Lord that he will rebuke Satan If God be thy Shepherd he will rescue thee out of the Paw of the Bear and out of the Paw of the roaring Lion Finally Let me advise you to take heed of throwing your selves into the Lion's Mouth and into the Paws of the Bear It is a provoking tempting of God to give us over If Children will be medling with Fire it is wisdom in the Parent to let them burn their Fingers to prevent greater mischief No Man hath need to tempt the Devil to tempt him to Sin He is watchful enough to devour when a Man rusheth upon Temptations he tempts the Devil to tempt him when a Man will adventure upon keeping company with the Wicked he tempteth the Devil to tempt him SECT XXXII Of Mortification and the daily Exercising our selves therein DAily exercise your selves in the work of Mortification of Sin As the Poets write of that many-headed-Monster Hydra that Hercules encounter'd with that still the more Heads he cut off the more did repullulate and spring up in their rooms So we shall find it true of that uncouth monster of Sin that is bred in our Natures the more Corruptions and Temptations we vanquish and subdue the more will multiply upon us still and re-inforce their Assaults It will be every Days-work and all our Lives-work to mortifie all our Sins We must take all our Spiritual Enemies that we can light on and give Quarter to none that we take in Battel putting them all to the Sword as God commanded Saul to destroy All the Amalekites And so careful ought every Christian to be to rid the Field of All that he must stand armed in the Field after he hath beaten and vanquished all that appeared and prepare for such as are undiscovered As David that endeavoured not only to subdue all his known Sins and to be kept from presumptuous Sins but prayed also to be cleansed from his secret Sins Not from those which he cherished knowingly for of this sort he had none but which he had not yet discovered in himself or not understood to be Errours Labour ye by the power of Grace to charge through and through the whole body of Sin that ye may cast down not only the Actings but the very Imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the Knowledg of God and bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ Leave no Member unmortified no Sin unsubdued even when the reliques and remains of Sin be not wholly grubbed up Let every Christian every day endeavour to mortifie all his Corruptions By endeavouring to do it ye shall obtain thus much that though Corruption doth grow in your Nature yet it shall not overflow in your Nature A quick-springing Well that hath Water continually bubling and rising up in it yet being continually laded out and emptied still as fast as it fills the Current of it though it be not kept dry yet it shall be kept shallow and not suffered to swell above the Banks So it is with our Nature it is a Well that hath a quick Spring there is filthy Water that ever bubbles out of it but let us ever be pumping at it and lading it out now some and then some that as fast as it fills we may empty it this will be a means to keep it shallow though we cannot keep it dry that it shall with no great danger swell above the Banks St Paul's Lesson is plain Rom. 6.12 Let not Sin reign in your mortal Bodies Though Sin remain there yet let it not reign there at least not reign like a King though it reign like a Tyrant that we should be obedient to the Lusts of it