they say and a book of remembrance shal be written of it before the Lord. Cornelius was a most devout benefactor and the Angel tell him that his prayers and alms were come up in remembrance before God It is a mercy that God will remember us though it be with a rod to correct us but it is a rich favour indeed if he remember us with a staffe to support and comfort us As our remembrance of God or men is the summe of all we do for them Remember me saith Joseph to Phaaroh's Butler that is speak a good word for me do me the favour as work out my deliverance But the chief Butler did not remember Joseph but forgat him that is he did nothing for him Even so Gods remembrance is the summa totalis of his goodnesse to us He remembers us indeed for he pities us and spares us and pardons us supplyes us in all our necessities and supports us in all our extremities he will not leave us in our straights nor leave us in our sins and if we do or suffer any thing for him he hath a book of remembrance and it shall be written down At the last day it is said the books shall be opened and is not this one of those books and the dead shall be judged out of those things which were written in those books according to their works Jesus Christ will read to all the world the good works of his people out of that book I was anhungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in â—â—ked and ye clothed me You never did anything for God but he hath put it down in his book it is very just and equall then that what he hath done for you should be written down in your book Thirdly it is very necessary you should keep such a Journall and that in three regards 1. In regard of the badnesse of your memory Memoriaprimùm senescit say Physicians The memory decayes first old men and dying men will tell you so but the memory of a benefit sooner the memory of divine favours soonest of all Some things we can hardly forget as our sorrows and our pleasures It was about 20 yeers ere Esau could forget the sorrow he conceived for the losse of the blessing and the injury Jacob did him in getting it away from him And he was so mindfull of his pleasures that he forgat his bread And there be some things we can hardly remember â—as our faults and our friends It was two full years saith the story ere Pharaoh's Butler could remember Joseph or call his faults to minde for which he suffered imprisonment Many O Lord my God saith David are thy wonderfull works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to 〈◊〉 ward they cannot be reckoned up in order to thee if I should declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred Then certainly many of these mercies that God hath vouchsafed to us would quite be forgotten did we not keep such a Diary by us 2. It is necessary that thereby we prevent the great fin of forgetfulnesse To forget God is a mother fin a root-fin What will not that man be what will not he doe that forgets God He is a very wicked man The wicked shall be turned into hell saith the Psalmist and all the nations that forget God He is a proud man and I am sure a proud man is a wicked man Through the pride of his countenance he will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts his thoughts are not of him or his thoughts are not of him or his thoughts are that there is no God He that forgets God forgets that God is He that forgets God is an hypocrite and an hypocrite is a very wicked man Consider this ye that forget God But who were they Such as took Gods name into their mouths and yet hated instruction and cast Gods words behinde them He that forgets God is a most unthankfull person and an unthankfull man is a most wicked man Dixeris ingratum dixeâ—is omnia Call a man an unthankfull man and call him any thing There was a little City saith Solomon besieged by a great King and a poor wise man delivered that City by his wisdome yet no man remembred that poor wise man It was a wicked part to forget that man but most wicked it is to forget God When Tamerlane that victorious Emperor had beaten Bajazet in battle and taken him prisoner he sent for him and amongst other questions asked him Whether ever he were thankfull to God for making him so great a King he answered that he never so much as thought of him which was a most wicked speech of a wicked man 3. It is necessary to prevent the great danger of forgetting God To forget God is a provoking sin He that forgets God sins not at an ordinary rate and therefore shal be punished not after an ordinary manner Consider this ye that forget God saith the Lord lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you Eli forgat God and so did Saul and Jeroboam they forgat the great things God had done for them and did not God plague them and their posterity Forgetfulnesse of God makes him rage not onely against the work of his hands but the sheep of his pasture David forgat God and so did Solomon and how severely were they punished The one by his Son who rebelled against him the other by his Servant that pluckt the greatest part of the Kingdome from his posterity A Souldier of Philip King of Macedonia having begg'd the lands of one that had entertained him kindly was branded with Ingratus hospes on the forehead to his perpetual shame It is reported of Caesar and Alexander two of the most valiant Souldiers that ever the world had that the one would never give to and the other forgive an unthankful man Because saith the Lord Pharaoh King of Aegypt saith the river that is Nilus is mine owne I have made it for my self therefore will I dry up the river and cause the fish to stink What became of Herod the proud who after his oration and the peoples acclamation The voyce of a god and not of a man gave not the glory to God the Angel of the Lord â—mote him and he was eaten of worms and gave up the Ghost He that forgets God is unthankful to God and he that is unthankful forfeits all mercies as the not paying of Custome forfeits all a Merchants goods It is written of one Timotheus the Son of Conon a noble Citizen of Athens that after he had proudly said in a great assembly Haec ego feci non fortuna These things I have done and not Fortune which that people adored as God he never prospered but lost all the glory he had gotten A poor
of all the world Now that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath abounded toward you both not only in the outward comforts of Honor and Wealth in the eyes of men but that which is far better in the knowledge of God and practise of holinesse before his Saints would make you perfect to do his will and work in you an encrease of all those graces of his Spirit that do undoubtedly accompany salvation that you may live in his fear die in his favour rest in his peace and rise to his glory is and shall be the prayer of Your HONORS Much obliged And Most humble Servant John Beadle TO THE READER Christian Reader OUR blessed Saviours caveat about what and how we hear of the things written by God as how to hear and read also Books written by men is now most seasonably needfull when many soul-sick stomachs are so childishly weak they know not how to rufuse the evill and choose the sound and good food for souls To quicken then thy appetite to this savory meat held forth in this Pious Tract that thy soul may eat walk in its strength blesse God and the dresser of it let me walk with thee a while in the withdrawing room of a Preface about some few things concerning the Author and work it self I presume not my single testimony to add to the credit or value of either the Surety should be of more note and worth then the Principall yet my duty of honour and love to him my zeal and desire to advance such a designe emboldens me beyond my ability with a learned pious Ancient in a subject not unlike this Of the ungratefull enemies of Grace in his time the Pelagians Concerning the Author of this Journall of a Thankfull Christian my knowledge hath been above twenty years standing we were of an intimate society and vicinity for many years we took sweet counsell together and walked unto the house of God in company He was my guide and my acquaintance as David hath it We oft breathed and powred out our souls together in Prayer Fasting and conferences When walking after the Lord in a wildernesse we had lesse allowed liberty but more inward enlargednesse of Spirit At which time he had the happinesse of a younger Elisha not to powre water on the hands but to be watered by the droppings of that great Elijah that renowned man of God in his generation Reverend Mr. Thomas Hooker and hath had ever since the blessing and savour of much of his spirit resting on him as was said of Elisha And having mentioned that Name of pretious memory Worthy Mr. Hooker now at rest with the Lord Saint Hooker I may call him as Latimer Saint Bilney it is a reall practise of this Christian Diurnall to acknowledge with all hearty thankfulnesse to God in Christ before the world that great mercy and unspeakable blessing which Essex Chelmsford this Author my self and many others then enjoyed in the labours of that Powerfull Soul-saving Heart-searching Minister of Jesus Christ for which rich grace and compassion towards us we hope some of us shall blesse and praise his glorious Name in a better world to all eternity As for this Authors painfulnesse and faithfulnesse it 's well known to all that know him how greatly they shined forth in him whilst in a very small place and how since advanced by the bounty of his truly Noble and Honorable Patron to a higher and but necessary subsistence they have continued and increased In Catechizing Preaching on the Lords dayes and working dayes holding up the use of those soul-feasting Sacraments even unto these our dayes wherein these Wels have been either stopt up or lesse drawn at these choice dishes either set off the table quite or seldome fed on to the leannesse of many souls Neither is he only a Practicall but in life and practise a Preacher as in other particulars so in the subject of this Treatise Thankfulnesse which as he hath put forth a monument and memoriall of herein to God and Man so I hope his name shall live in it and I heartily desire thy soul and mine might live more thankfully by it As David towards the end of his Book of Psalms so this finger of Israel towards the end of his dayes summons a consort of all to blesse the Lord for which thankfulnesse in so many gratulatory Psalms some have thought the former and we may in charity hope the latter a man after Gods own heart Which sacrifice of Thanksgiving and Praise exciting others also and calling them to it is now the more signally exemplary in him as his outward estate is not overmuch he being rich especially in Ashers blessing many children and whilest he with many other burning and shining lights once rejoyced in yet now are become Lamps despised by many at ease and troden out as snuffes before God put on the extinguisher of death I say now to set himself over the Thanksgiving and set out such a Psalm of praise is thankfulnesse in deed and worthy of an Higgaâ—on Selah Psal 9. 16. For the work it self as Solomon of the virtuous woman Let it praise it self in the gates its subject being Praise and Thankfulnesse it will carry its commendation in its Name and Title as some Emperours Commodus Pius did a work worthy of thanks and praise Besides the ground or plain song as I may phrase it and matter of it the forme and descanting about it set off with many Historicall applications and Scripture allusions yea minding us of some duties obsolete and quite out of fashion all these as graces may render this a new song and so not only profitable but more pleasurable and acceptable to the Reader In a word the whole is a Pillar of Praise an Eben-ezer set up to the name of the most high God an Ed a Stone of witnesse both of Gods goodnesse to us and of our evill and unthankfulnesse against him Praise and thanksgiving is a service becoming the upright proper to the Saints a work of pure grace when purely offered Confessions petitions nature outward wants may excite to but as they say of vain swearing cursing it 's all Devill no profit pleasure tempts to it and as one of murmuring called it the Devils mouth so contrarily blessing praising is all God such a mouth is the mouth of God it 's the service of triumphing Saints and spirits of men made perfect Angelicall Heavenly most spirituall and of highest divine extract The fire must come from above that kindles this Sacrifice Christ alone is the Master and teacher of this musick who only can teach it and tune our hearts for it Psal 51. 17. 119. 7. 2. Yea t is a better blessing a thankfull praising heart then the blessings for which we commonly blesse God these are earthly temporall mostly this is a gift of especiall grace an unspeakable gift Praise compared with
others have exceeded against God in their transgressions as Job hath it and the judgements both spirituall and temporall of our times else we may be equally destroyed and sure shall not keep a faithfull Journall There is a book of three leaves thou shouldest read dayly to make up this Diary the black leaf of thy own and others sins with shame and sorrow the white leaf of Gods goodnesse mercies with joy and thankfulnesse the red leaf of Gods judgments felt feared threatned with fear and trembling But what needs this waste may some say of time and paines it's too strict and precise a practice a hard saying at least a duty too legall for Gopel liberty Answ 1. Gods law is a law of liberty to a gracious heart None of his commands grievous yea and each command requires not only the duty it self but the help and means to that duty to be observed as Divines generally hold Now this Diary is a Directory and help to praise and thankfulnesse yea indeed to the whole practicall part of Religion The Pharisee was thankfull for spirituall mercy and our righteousnesse by Christ must exceed Scribes and Pharisees upon the penalty of the losse of heaven Luk. 18. Mat. 5. 20. 2. Nor is this imposed on all upon pain of damnation or so exacted as the totall of all mercies providences must be registred Who can number the stars or sands Gods blessings or our sins the most eminent of the first magnitude are to be noted down as all our sins are to be laid to heart but especially the most hainous 3. If thou fearest to be overstrict in practicall godlinesse sure without fear thou wilt be soon over loose and carelesse thou fearest not to be strict for thy estate and outward concernments why art thou lesse carefull for thy soul many not exact in casting up their books they have cast them up thy Audit will be strict so should thy accounts be 4. Lastly the ingenuity of grace in the soul cals for thus much not only to endevour what may safely carry thee to heaven but that which may most advance Gods glory and thy souls prosperity and happinesse God kept a Diary in the Creation of the world Gen. 1. to president this practise to us Yea he keeps a Book of Remembrance for us that think upon his name he numbers our hairs bottles our tears writes us upon the palms of his hands forgets not any of our works of love to his name Registers our names in heaven and shall we write down his name works love in water in the dust on earth Shall he lay up our drosse and not we his gold Shall he remembring us blesse curses to us and shall we by ingratitude and forgetfulnesse of him curse his blessings to us He hath called us to inherit a blessing and to blesse them that curse us and shall not we blesse our blessed God that blesses us So much the more now as we expect and desire some settlement of truth and peace Bring in your tallies of old if you look for new mercies to be put upon your account But why do I detain thee so long without in the portall of a Preface go in set thee close to this divine Arithmemetick sums are best cast up in solitarinesse retire into thy self set thy heart on Gods wayes to thee and on thine own wayes to him I heartily desire thy thriving in this spirituall soul-trade Study not only the notionall Numeration Addition and Multiplication of particulars recited and set down in this Christian Journall but above all look to the rule of Practise which in this is the true Golden rule indeed I may say to conclude of this Book as one of the Scripture They are words to be lived and practised not read only And as another of the 119 Psalm They are good and true Catholicks indeed who follow both sound faith and good manners This musicall lesson of Praise and Thankfulnesse must be well practised Which that thou mayest do both make thy Journall and thy life and journey to heaven answerable to such a Journall go to him and set out in his strength Who is the wonderfull numberer as Daniel styles him who can teach thee to number thy dayes sins Gods dispensations to thee and others yea and how to profit by all even the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Way Truth and Life without whom we can do nothing and by whom we can do all things In whom craving thy prayers and praises for him that is lesse then then the least of all his servants and mercies yet is and rests Ironmonger-lane London Octob. 12. 1655. thy soul-friend and servant in him our common Saviour John Fuller In Reverendi viri Mr. Johannis Bedle Tractatum pium eruditum viz. Grati erga Deum animi AStronomi populo colllecta Diaria vulgant Theiologi haec reliquas vincit Ephemeridas Dat chartis loca visa suis spontaneus exul Alter ut incertos dirigat inde pedes Ad superas Coeli namque hîc via lactea sedes Hinc pia mens foelix carpere discat iter Scribitur heu nimiùm vitiatur casta papyrus Nugarum levium pondere praela gemunt Quas bis tinctorum vel quas lymphata Trementûm Secta parit libros jurgia dura replent At pietas candorque nitent hâ—c Codice pectus Exhibet authoris pagina quaeque sui Quicunque inspicies è nato nosce parentem Ore refert patrem Quod docet ipse facit C. G. Books lately Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the signe of the Three Crowns over against the great Conduit at the lower end of Cheapside DR Richard Sibbs his Commentary upon the Second Epistle to the Corinthians published for publick good by Tho. Manton in Folio Mr. John Cotton his Exposition on the First Epistle of John with Doctrines Reasons and Uses in Folio There will be shortly extant a Book Entituled Cathechizing Gods Ordinance or A short Treatise concerning that Ancient approved and soul-edifying Ordinance of Catechisme by Mr. Zach. Crofton Minister of the word at Buttolphs without Algate London in Octavo Curteous Reader THou mayest expect within a short time to see published some new Pieces of Mr. William Fenners who was so famous when living and his works though he is dead hath such a sweet though silent voice T. P. ERRATA PAge 3. l. 27. though r. thought p. 5. l. 22. favour r. favours p. 9. l. 6. put out all after the word Journies l. 7. r. in the second verse p. 16. l. 4. for huge r. whose l. 6. for are r. if p. 18. l. 10. and a reall p. 26. l. 1. for praise r. paines p. 44. l. 17. for lanes r. caves p. 45. l. 3. r. from strength to strength THE JOURNALL OR DIARY Of a Thankfull Christian NUMB. 33. 2. And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandement of the Lord. CHAP. I.
Aegypt so we at the administration of the other might remember Christ by whom we are saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us This Supper is not onely a representing a sealing and a conveying signe but a commemorative signe Do this in remembrance of me saith Christ There is no Gospell-ordinance whether prayer reading or hearing of the Word but there is such mention made of Christ as we ought to remember him But this ordinance of the Supper hath this signall note of excellency stamped upon it above all a speciall charge from Christ to remember him when that is administred Do this in remembrance of me for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye shew that is ye make a commenoration of the Lords death till he come Sometimes that we may come to the subject matter intended God appointed Records and Registers of his mercies Histories and Journalls of the noble acts and loving kindnesses of the Lord to his people to be kept and conveyed to posterity that the generations to come might know them even the children that should be born who should arise and declare them to their children Thus the Lord commanded that the History of Amalek should be written in a Book their malice and Gods mercy their war and overthrow and it must be rehearsed to posterity that it might never be forgotten What this Book was we shall not much enquire Some say it was the Book of Jasher mentioned Josh chap. 10. which was a Chronicle of the acts of the people of the Lord which is lost Some say it was the Book of the Judges Some say it was a Book of the Battails of the Lord mentioned Numb 21. 14. Others and that most probably that it was no other but this Book of Exodus Junius and Calvin But why this History must be written in a Book is more worthy of our inquiry and more sutable to our purpose And the reasons may be these two 1. That a thankfull remembrance of so great a deliverance from so malicious an enemy might be continued in the generations following 2. That the people of God knowing what sentence was denounced against Amalek which should be executed in due time as it was in the Reign of Saul might be the better encouraged to fight against them and through faith expect the victory over them And thus in this Chapter God would have the Journals of the people of Israel from Aegypt to the Land of Canaan recorded that the great things God had done for them by the way might not be forgotten for so it is said in the Text. Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandement of the Lord. In this Chapter two parts are observable 1. An Israelitish Journall is recorded from vers 1 to v. 50. 2. A direction is given them concerning their proceedings in and with the Land of Canaan Which is threefold 1. That they should cast out the inhabitants v. 52 53. 2. That they should destroy their idols v. 52. 3. That they should divide the Land amongst them by lot v. 54. The two former whereof are seconded with a most sharp threatning that if they did not punctually observe Gods command therein 1. For the present that people should prove a continuall snare unto them 2. For the future what God had intended to these their enemies should fall upon their own heads all this to the end of the ch In the Israelitish Journall two things are to be considered 1. The duty is in generall propounded v. 1 2. 2. You have an Historicall enumeration of their severall Journeys in v. 2. In which three things are to be noted 1. The matter that stands upon record and that is their journeys according to their goings out 2. The Scribe that recorded them and that was Moses Moses wrote c. 3. The authority by which he did it and that was the commandement of the Lord he had very good warrant for what he did The first of these namely the matter that stands upon record their journeys is that which I shall principally take notice of In which Journall this is observable That there is not onely a particular relation of the place from which and the place to which they journeyed as from Rameses to Succoth c. but also a singular mention is made of all the great passages of Gods good hand of providence over them together with their murmurings and rebellions by which they provoked him All which are in this ch implyed and some particulars are expressed as you may finde v. 9 14 38 40. This ch being but a short Epitome or abridgement of the whole History So that in the Israelitish Journall you shall finde how here God gave them bread from heaven there water out of the rock in one place he delivered them from the violence of the mighty waters in another from the fury of their potent enemies Now he saved them from the cruelty of the Aegyptians at another time from the malice of the Amalekites and soon after from the sting of the fiery Serpents To day he gives them Manna and Quails good food for their hungry bodies to morrow he delivers them his Law with many divine ordinances and statutes for the good of their souls In all their goings out he afforded them plentifull pledges of his care of them bounty to them and patience towards them Who notwithstanding the many grievous sins by which they provoked him being full of compassion forgave their iniquities and destroyed them not yea many a time he turned away his anger and did not stir up all his wrath for he remembred that they were but flesh c. By this time we are come to the Observation that is intended and may hence be collected and that is this To keep a Journall or Diary by us especially of all Gods gracious dealings with us is a work for a Christian of singular use I say of Gods gracious dealings with us in a more especiall manner because it is good also to observe and keep a good account of the severall occurrences of the Times we meet with as they have reference to the Countrey and Nation we live in It is good to keep an History a Register a Diary an Annales not onely of the places in which we have lived but of the mercies that have been bestowed on us continued to us all our dayes This was the practice of David the Servant of the Lord who made a Psalm and Song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul Moses writes his Book called Deuteronomy which is nothing else but a repetition of the Journeys of the people of Israel and the great things God had done for them in their goings out to that day There was scarce any thing in Israel but was typicall their Meats their Drinks their Mannâ— their water out of
these things in upon you if he see them good for you and as many wayes to take them from you if he perceive they prove hurtfull to you He that can blesse a little can blast a great deal He can raise you up on high and bring you downe again Job one while was the greatest man in all the East and in a short time stript of all and again the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more then his beginning who gave him twice as much as he had before You are but Tenants at will to the great Landlord of all the earth and all you have are but moveables To be ble to bear extremities of heat and cold â—iscovers a strong constitution such were â—â—r Henry the fifth King of England and 〈◊〉 Adolphus King of Sweden of whom 〈◊〉 is reported in the History of their Lives â—nd Wars that no weather of heat or â—old or wind or storms came amisse to â—hem I am sure it is an argument of a â—ery gracious heart that is strong in the Lord and in the power of his might to be able to bear comfortably severall conâ—itions even in their extremes This may be seen in Joseph who of all the twelve Patriarchs is only mentioned with honour amongst those famous believers in Heb. 11. To day he is his Fathers darling the Son of his love and none greater in that family then he to morrow he is sold for a slave by his owne Brethren and carried into Aegypt Now he is advanced by Potiphar one of the prime Peers of that Kingdome and none greater in that house then he By and by a jealous Husband at the complaint of his beastly Mistris casts him into prison where the irons entred into his soul Not long after that he is advanced by King Pharaoh to great honour even as high as Subjection could permit or Soverâ—ignty endure for onely in the throne the King would be above him And in all these turns and changes Joseph kept his integrity In the Countrey and in the Court in the Prison and at the Palace Joseph was sincere and faithfull neither did his low estate deject him nor the high sail of honor and greatnesse overwhelme him but he kept upright in both Now as affliction cometh not forth of the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground as Eliphas told Job but from on high So promotions come neither from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another CHAP. V. The manner how a Journall or Diary is to be used according to the rules of Practise AND thus far of the rules of Observation We come now to the rules of Practice which are to be followed for the better improvement of such a Journall or Diary and they are these twelve 1. Look often into this Journall and read it over Of all imployments in the world a studious is the most ingenuous wherein the understanding judgement and memory the most noble faculties of the soul are principally imployed Of all studies he â—tudy of History seems to be most excelent Hence even the Scripture it self is for great part Historicall that the hearts of â—eople might be the better taken with it and â—elight in it Of all Histories the History of mens Lives is the most pleasant Such History amongst many commendations that may be given to it this is not the least that it can call back Times and give life to those â—hat are dead like a Landskip give a lively discovery of the actions of the Grandees in former ages But of all Histories of Lives should think the History of a mans owne Life even out of common principles of self-love must needs be most acceptable To be able to read our Lives even from the wombe to this present moment from the cradle within some few dayes of the grave would surely be a study as profitable as delightfull It seems that Jacob had some skil in the art of memory though he wrote not such a story who when he prayed unto God that he might be delivered from the hands of his Brother Esau that he might the better prevail with God he argues from the experience he had of his former goodnesse and gives him a brief narrative of his life in some particular passages of providence With my staffe I came over this flood Jordan and now I am become two bands And questionlesse this duty was taught every Israelite who when they came yeerly to offer their basket of first-fruits to the Lord did use to run over a short history of their Fathers lives wherein their condition had been wrapped up in these words A Syriâ—n ready to perish was my Father and he went downe into Aegypt and so journed there with a few and became there a Nation great mighty and populouâ— And the Aegyptians evill intreated us and laid upon us hard bondage and when we cryed unto the Lord God of our Fathers the Lord heard our voyce and brought us out of Aegypt into this Land c. It is reported of Aâ—ashuerosh that one night when he could not sleep he sent for the Book of the Chronicles of his owne Kingdome and they were read before him Now of all the parts of that History that which concerns things done in the time of his Reign was principally chosen wherein was written what good service Mordecai did him in discovering the treason of Bigthan and Teresh against him which probably was most acceptable to him as may appear in the sequel in that History Tamerlane the most victorious Emperour of the Tartars the night before he sought that fatall battle with Bajazet the Turkish King having cast himself upon a rich carpet in his pavillion called for a Book wherein was contained a history of the Lives of his Ancestors which he used often to read for this end that he might the better imitate that which was worthily done by them and learn also to decline such dangers as they by their over fight had faln into And surely such Histories of our Fathers are but next dore to our owne and may provoke us to look into our owne lives with more care and caution And I am assured to read a story of our owne lives would be a study next that of the holy Scripture as pleasant and profitable as any 2. When you have read over this Journall and seen what you have cast up also all your wants and see what at present you stand in need of When Israel and his family went down into Aegypt it was fair weather all the way they had rich provision for their journey Joseph his Son came out to meet him in great state and they were received into Goshen the best of all the Land of Aegypt But when Israel went out of Aegypt towards Canaan they met with many storâ—â—â— their wants were great their enemies mighty their dangers grievous a red Sea a howling Wildernesse
a most excellent duty and practised by many whose example we may follow As 1. It hath been the practice even of the very Heathens even from a principle of common reason who made use of white and black stones for these two ends One was They gave them to persons at their arraignment before the Judges If any were condemned to death they gave him a black stone but if absolved and set free a white stone To which custome the holy Ghost seems to allude in that Epistle to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus in these words To him that overcometh wil I give a white stone c. A second use of those was That by them they might keep an account of all the good dayes or evill they had met withall in their lives Hence Persius advised his friend Macrinus to remember a good day so Hunc Macrine diem numer a meliore lapillo Count this day Macrine with a better stone 2. Persons of good quality have a long time practised this duty How many noble Theophilus's and Elect Ladies have such Diaries by them But if any men of worth be imployed in the service of the State either by Sea or Land it is their common practise They that go to Sea will tell you of their Journall book that on such a day they went aboard the Bonaventure and on such a day they weighed anchor and fell downe to Gravesend on such a day they met with the whole Fleet on another day they had stormy weather or fought with the enemy c. How exactly doth S. Luke set down S. Paul's shipping towards Rome how a perfect a Journall of that dangerous voyage even day by day If they be employed by Land and do either besiege a Town or are besieged not a a sally undertaken not a mine sprung not a breach made not a man of note slain not a tyre of Ordnance discharged but is is every day recorded as you may see in that famous siege of Ostende But in the 3. place God himself seems to keep a Journall by him of all the care he hath of us the cost he bestows upon us and the good things he gives to us He hath a book of remembrance of every passage of providence that concerns us And indeed the Scripture for a great part is little else but a history of his goodnesse to his people And that you may see that God is very punctuall in keeping accompt of his mercies bestowed on us you shall find that in the Gospel of St. John when Christ turned the water into wine it is said This is the beginning of miracles that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory And when he healed the noble mans Son This is again the second miracle that Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee Thus God doth keep an account of his mercies bestowed on us This is the first Magistrate and this is the second Minister and this is the third affliction and that is the fourth deliverance you have had And if we remember them not to Gods glory he will remember them to our shame as he did to Eli I did plainly appear unto the house of thy Father when they were in Aegypt in Pharaohs house and I did choose him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be my Priest to offer upon mine Altar and to burn incense c. The like he said to Saul by Samuel When theu wast little in thine owne fight wast thou not made head of the Tribes of Israel and the Lord anointed thee King over Israel And how doth God reckon up the many 〈◊〉 fâ—vors vouchsafed to David especially in that great advancement of him to the throne and delivering him from the hand of Saul All these things are repeated to Eli Saul David for the greater aggravation of their sins nay Gods very judgements executed are particularly recorded by him as you may see in divers places especially that of Amos ch 4. â— 6. to the end of that ch his several judgements and their incorrigiblenesse Doth God keep a book of Remembrance and shall we â—e without our Journall God forbid Secondly it is very just and equall that we should thus remember God who remembers us daily and that not only for the supplying our wants or delivering us in our extremity but also in the accepting of our persons and our sincere performances 1. For the first God remembred Noah when he was in the Ark and sent him forth God remembred Abraham in that great overthrow of the Cities in the Plain and sent Lot to him to warn him to comfort him God remembred Rachel and gave her a Joseph God remembred Hannah and made her fruitfull God remembers our wants and supplyes them our friends and requites them our enemies and plagues them nay our very cattle and preserves them God did not only remember Noah in the Ark but he remembred every living thing and all the cattle God chides Jonah for being angry for the losse of his gourd upon this account Thou hadst pity on the gourd c. and should not I spare Nineveâ— that great City wherein there are so many children and also much cattle Doth God remember and take care for oxen and will he not much more remember his people No saith the Lord I cannot Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the Son of her wombe Yea they may forget Yet will not I forget thee saith the Lord of his people A Mother may break the bonds of Nature but I cannot break the bonds of my Covenant Why so Because I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands I may as soon forget my self as forget thee thy walls are ever before me Now that which is continually before us we well remember Will not God forget us And shall not we use all means that we may remember him Rather then fail chalk up his loving kindnesses 2. We never shewed any love to God in our lives but he remembers it I remember saith God to Israel the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousals Sarah spake but one good word in that foolish fit of her unbelief when she laught and slighted the promise of a Son she call'd her Husband Lord After I am waxen old shall I have pleasure my Lord being old also This one good word is not forgotten but set down in a book by the hand of Peter Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord. Not a prayer made nor a tear shed but he hath a book for the one and a bottle for the other rather then they should be lost Put thou my tears into thy bottle O Lord saith the Psalmist are they not in thy book If Gods people meet together and pray and speak often one to another he hearkens and hears that is he doth most diligently attend to all