In particular 1 Taking all in the best part 2 Passing by offences 3 Rejoycing at others weifare 4 Contentation with his estate 5 Humility 6 Trust in God according to his nature and promises 7 To cast his care on God 8 Inward peace joy and assurance 2 In his house to avoid 1 In words 1 In generall all prophane talke 2 In particular 1 Hastinesse to mine 2 Medling in others matters In his house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 In words 1 In generall all edifying talk 2 In particular 1 Sobernesse to mine 2 Speaking the best of others 2 To eschew in behaviour 1 All loosnesse 2 Unseemlinesse 3 Filthinesse 2 To imbrace in behaviour 1 Stayednesse 2 Comlinesse 3 Purity 3 In company to eschew 1 In heart 1 Evill surmises of the words or carriage of others towards him 2 Partiality 3 Self-conceitednesse 2 In words 1 Unadvisednesse 2 Superfluousnesse 3 Unseasonablenesse 4 Uncharitablenesse 5 Contentiousnesse 3 In carriage 1 Lightnesse or familiatity 2 Strangenesse 3 Loftinesse 4 Uncomlinesse 4 In actions 1 Society with prophane persons 2 Excesse or tipling 3 Giving any evill example to any 4 Shewing any liking of sin 5 Seeking to humour men in ill In company to embrace 1 In heart 1 Taking all in good part 2 Directnesse 3 Lowlinesse 2 In words 1 Pre-consideration 2 Paucity 3 To the purpose 4 Charitablenesse 5 Friendlinesse 3 In behaviour 1 Gravity or reservednesse 2 Affability 3 Humility 4 Seemlinesse 4 In action 1 Good company 2 Following good example 3 Giving good example 4 Wisely reproving sinne 5 By all meanes honouring God 4 Concerning Gods publike family or private worship 1 To eschew 1 All will worship 2 Superstition 3 Unpreparednesse 4 Negligence 5 Customarinesse 6 Habituall distractions 7 Relying too much on the meanes And to embrace 1 The warrant of Gods word for the duties 2 For the manner of performing them 3 Preparation 4 Attention 5 Conscionablenesse 6 Setlednesse 7 Resting on Gods blessing Amen Amen Considerations to move to Christian watchfulnesse 1 In seeking thus Gods glory he will honour us againe 1 Sam. 2.30 2 That we are every where in the sight of God who knoweth the heart Jeremiah 17.9 10. heareth our words Ps 139.4 beholdeth all our wayes ver 1 2 3. to reward every one according to their doings Jerem. 17.10 3 We shall hereby enjoy sweet communion with our God in Christ John 14.21 Rev. 3.20 4 And be most blessed here and for evermore in every thing Ps 144.15 84.11 Rom. 8.28 For the moouth of the Lord hath spoken it therefore it shall be performed and nothing shall let it Amens All by Gods grace onely From henceforth constantly Every day seasonably With Christian conveniency In the Morning To awake with God To shake off sloath To arise timely To pray for himselfe solemnly To read in Gods Word reverendly To call to mind some of his Vowes seriously And some of the promises deliberately To sing part of a Psalme understandingly In the Afternoon To pray for his Family affectionately To read in Gods Word advisedly And in his holy Advices observantly And somewhat in the Oracles of God distinctly In the Evening To pray for Gods Church humbly To read in Gods Word holily And somewhat in the Practice of Piety carefully And in the true watch for Examination impartially To lye downe to rest with prayer to avoyd all occasions of impurity And so to sleep securely Every Sabbath Besides accustomed publike Family and private duties on that day Three severall times to caâ—â— to mind some of Gods especiall and recorded mercies By the Lords most seasonable mercifull powerfull faithfully promised constant assistance which to this end I crave rest on and look for onely without which instead of doing better I shall doe worse then formerly yea every way most hainously I resolve and shall endeavour watchfully and constantly to avoyd all intemperance immoderate taking Tobacco vaine talking unseemly carriage pride lust passion and discord and all occasions of each and to embrace the contrary graces and all meanes thereto As thou art a God of mercy power and truth show it herein unto me and let thy grace my God in Christ be alwales sufficient for me Concerning decay in Prayer A Lwayes when he found himselfe so decay in zeale and care to pray his conscience checkt him for unthankfulnesse for former assistance in praying or for depending too much upon his prayers whereupon he felt a deadnesse to all other good duties a yeelding to the motions and occasions of sinne an inward puffing up a carelesnesse and self-presuming yea a miserable distemper in all things and then he conceived himselfe to be neare some sore temptation foule fall grievous inward dejection or great outward calamity therefore he held it his instantly to fall to prayer that the Lord would please to restore unto him the spirit of prayer to work in him a willingnesse to all other holy exercises to give him strength to resist and overcome the provocations to evill to humble him deeply in the sense of his former faults and present corruptions to make him truly thankfull and watchfull and in the strength of the Almighty onely out of conscience to doe his duty to bring all into good order and to keep all so constantly and most graciously powerfull and faithfully to prevent the sinnes perplexities and troubles he feares merits and hath cause to expect to be left unto and which he else by no means can escape so awaiting the Lords leasure and submitting to his good pleasure goe all how it will all shall goe well Amen my Father in Christ of thine owne meere mercy be I never so unworthy as thou hast promised whatsoever opposeth Amen Amen even so be it Amen Some most especiall choice places of sacred Scripture that concerne my self in most especiall manner reduced to these heads 1 COncerning government of the mind page 349 2 Of the tongue p. 351 3 Of the conversation page 361 4 Of passion and sobriety p. 368 5 Of pride and humility p. 374 6 Of strise and peace 7 Of envy and charity 8 Of discontent and quiet 9 Of medling and reservednesse 10 Of sullennesse and chearfulnesse 1 Concerning government of the mind In the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom Exod 31.6 Give therefore thy servant an under standing heart that I may discerne between good and bad 1 King 3.9 Keepe thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life Pro. 4 23. The preparations of the heart in man is from the Lord Pro. 16.1 The wise in heart shall be called prudent Pro. 16.21 A wise mans heart discerneth both time and iudgement Eccl. 8.5 A wise mans heart is at his right hand but a fools heart is at his left Eccl. 10.2 How weak is thine heart saith the Lord God seeing thou doest all these things Ezek. 16.30 Set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee Ezek. 40.4 If our heart condemnes us God is
expect all mercy grace peace comfort strength health safety succour help deliverance and salvation onely from thee oh grant each seasonably and effectually unto me Lord work all thy works iâ— me that I may serve thee as â— ought and work all my work for me that I may prosper a thou hast promised Lord make me as thou would dest have me and require whâ—â— thou wilt of me give me which thou seest best for me and dâ—â— what thou wilt with me Lord be my strength refuge and ready help at hand mâ— sufficiency safety and good successe and when where and how thou pleasest imploy me Lord cleare my innocency stop the mouth of injury faithfully worthily and in-offensively make me to discharge each part of my duty Lord make me wise warned watchfull and well governed by my former folly rashnesse weaknesse and misgovernment Lord let me no more be conformable to the sinfull and unseemly fashions of the world but reforme my whole man according to thy will Lord forgive and keep me from those sinnes whereby I have most dishonoured thee disgraced my Christian profession injured others clog'd my conscience terrified my souse or any way procured my selfe shame or harme Lord make me to make and let me find each part of thy Word my guide and comfort Lord direct governe restore comfort support establish inable protect provide for and blesse me as every one of my especiall occasions doe or may require of thee Lord at one time or other by one meanes or other ere we do part hence work for the effectuall conversion and everlasting salvation of every one of mine and I desire no more for them of thee Lord prepare me to meet the ere thy wrath come upon me in the day of calamity hide me under thine hand till thy indignation be over past Lord in wisdome love and faithfulnesse visit me and deale as thou pleasest with me Lord when all is past hope thou canst most easily help my case is fully knowne and wholy commended to thee thou hast helped remarkably thy hand is not shortned thy mercy never faileth thy truth endureth for ever towards me Lord let not my hope deceive nor thy help faile me oh cause me to make and let me find thy providence my portion continually so shall I be supplied seasonably and never want any thing thou seest good for me Lord prepare me to suffer to dye let every thing draw me neerer to thee let death bring me to life eternall with thee doe then what thou wilt with me call then when where and how thou pleasest for me Lord from sin shame harme in thy feare in a good repute and peace preserve me Lord how shall I behave my selfe in my present distressed estate and how wilt thou therein deale with me oh that thou wouldest dispose and dispatch all my businesse for me Lord all help faileth me none cares for me every thing seemâ— to crosse me yet help thou and all shall goe well with me Lord cause me to goe the right way to work and to submit to thy disposing wholy Lord let it appeare the right way is the best way never of never faile forsake or forget me let them that now for wel-doing scorn me see thou fovourest and releevest me Lord cause me secretly and sensibly to sorrow for my owne sinnes and to mourne for the abominations of the times and this uncessantly Lord affect me with the affections of Joseph rightly dispose me to pray for the peace of Zion seriously in all reforme and pardon me Lord give me feeling feeling feeling of all the good things I know and utter before thee thou knowest and I acknowledge the same to be extreamly wanting in me Lord let no thought of my heart nor word of my mouth be in vain for me but thou that art my strength and my Redeemer accept all my Meditations and expressions continually Lord carry me with wisdome patience comfort and good successe through all my great occasions Lord change my disposition reform my conversation speedily and powerfully wherein I am most averse from good and prone to evill especially Lord that thou wouldest instruct and inable me sincerely and circumspectly to order my lawfull affaires substantially whatsoever others may thinke speake or worke against me and that thine owne seasonablâ— and effectuall working to afforâ—â—n happy issue might according to thy mercy and truth appeare towards me Lord put me not off with outward mercies but vouchsafe me a portion of thy best blessings From sloath lust and carelesnesse from tatling tipling and trifling away time from putting off my private devotions from discontent and discord Good Lord deliver me Grounds of comfort against the nick-name of Puritane and Round-head It is nothing in respect of what hath been objected against Christ and the godly for there hath been objected against them grieuous things (a) Acts 25.7 gluttony (b) Mat. 11.18.19 madnesse (c) Joh. 10.20 blasphemy (d) Mat. 26.65 Mark 9.3 Acts 6.11 13 14. murder (e) Acts 28.4 deceiving (f) Joh. 7.12 2 Cor. 6.8 rebellion (g) Acts 17.6 7. rayling (h) Acts 23.4 babling idolatry (i) Acts 17.18 bringers of strange things (k) Acts 17.20 scisme (l) Acts 28.22 wickednesse of life (m) 1 Pet. 2.12 the abjects abused them (n) Psa 35.15 drankards sang of them (o) Psal 69.12 the basest derided them (p) Job 30.1 they were a reproach of men (q) Psal 22.12 a by-word (r) Psal 44.14 a proverbe (s) Psal 69.11 a wonder (t) Psal 17.7 Isa 8.18 gazing-stocks (u) 1 Cor. 4.9 fools (w) 1 Cor. 4.10 insufficient despised (x) Idem defamed made as filth and off-scowring (y) 1 Cor. 4.13 great men rayle at them (z) Psa 31.13 godly men censure them (a) Jobs friends 1 Cor. 4.4.10 and by slander excommunicate them (b) Isa 66.5 are most fouly scandalized (c) Ps 69.7 44.15 condemned by a whole Counsell (d) Mat. 27.1 Joh. 11.47 48. Acts 6.12 4.6.15 5.27 23.1 yea to suffer as evill doers (e) 2 Tim. 2.9 Psal 37.32 33. Psal 41.8 Isa 53.4 well if God condemnes us not what matters the censures and reproachfull nick-names of others (f) 1 Pet. 3.16 If good bad men both should judge amisse Keep conscience cleare tâ—ou needst not care I wisse Alas this is not to resist unto blood h Heb. 12.4 my Saviour sayes Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and shall say all manner of evill falsly for my sake reioyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets that were before you i Mat. 5.11 12. yea my most blessed Redeemer so have they abused thee and all thy dearest Servants oh then why should I that am not worthy the name of a Servant or Disciple think to be above my Lord and Master and better
that this way have suffered in their persons and reputation better fall into yea perish by an honourable enemy then to be called to account and censured by your owne party your businesse being well done and over be then at rest and let another take his turne if I might advise others as I doe my selfe let this be our constant course Lord my God govern and watch for and over me Feare and backwardnesse secures not from the perils that cause them but often layes more open to them howsoever they disable exceedingly and procure shame and harme inevitably Selfe Meditations and seasonable Exhortations being ready to goe upon dangerous services viz. with our soules let us now seek and trust God promise and performe sincere obedience to him if he please to grant help and deliverance be of good courage in the strength of the Lord let us doe worthily follow my example let the Lord doe what seemeth good unto him we fight for the Cause of God for our lives safety honour and victory Lord sight thou for us encourage strengithen preserve and prosper us of thy mercy as thou hast promised Psal 46.1 2. through Christ Jesus be we never so unworthy and whatsoever opposeth us Amen Observe this Lord let such as shame scorne or wilfully neglect to seek help of thee or that trust to their own wisdome worth or sufficiency or to any other meanes of help besides thee never have help from thee but as for me who am most sinfull weak and unworthy who deny my selfe and all other meanes of help without thee utterly who by thy grace doe seek for depend upon and await for thy help only afford thy wonted needfull most gracious mighty seasonable and faithfully promised help unto me (a) Prov. 2 6 Isa 40 13 14. Acknowledge and direction (b) Psal 59 10. Prov. 3 9. prevention and government (c) Isa 28 5. Isa 40.29 31 courage and sufficiency (d) 2 Cor. 3 5. 1 Sam. 8 6 14. strength and safety (e) Ps 18.2 Jos 1 8. deliverance and prosperity (f) 1 Chron. 29.10 11 12. Ps 121.2 come from thee O Lord onely (g) Jer. 21.33 Ephes 1.5 Therefore my God in Christ (h) Psa 120.1 1. Psal 136. all I beseech thee in mercy (i) Psal 71 20. Psal 119.49 as thou hast done and promised (k) Isa 41 14. Ezek. 36 22. be I never so weak and unworthy (l) Psal 9 9. Psa 46 1 2 3. in due season and greatest extremity (m) Psal 32 8 Prov. 3 6 to instruct and direct (n) Psal 79.8 Exod. 4 15. to prevent and governe (o) Isa 51 12. Is 41.10 to encourage and strengthen (p) Neb. 6.9 1 Tim. 1.12 every way to enable (q) Psal 68.12 Psal 68.35 to doe well and worthily (r) Job 15 20 2 Sam. 22.2 preserve and deliver (s) Deut. 31.8 Deut. 28.8.11 be with and prosper me (t) Psal 71.16 Ephes 6.20 I will goe forward â—n thy strength onely (u) Numb 24.18 Psal 108 13 through thee I shall doe valiantly (x) Psal 18.2 Psal 140 7 In the day of battle thou hast covered me (y) Pro. 3 6 Psal 37.5 I referre all alwayes to thee (z) 2 Sam. 15 26 Mat. 6.10 as thou pleasest deale thou with me (a) 2 Chron. 14.11 2 Chr. 20.12 help thou and all shall goe well (b) Psal 33.16 17 Ps 128 1 2. else nothing can avail me (c) Exod. 22 27 Ps 69.30 31. oh hear me graciously (d) Psal 34.1 Psal 103.1 2 my soul for all help blesseth thee (e) Mic. 7.7 Psal 72 12. and looks for all good onely from thee (f) Psal 62.1 Hos 13.9 for any help thou shalt vouchsafe me (g) Isa 63 7 Ps 56.12 my soule shall alwayes praise thee (h) Ps 41.18 Psal 31.9 Amen Amen I beg of thee Love is an honest faithfull thiefe stealing from us and yet letting us keep the graces God hath given us a most strange yet most certaine manner of curing the diseased when the Physician drinks the potion and the Patient is thereby cured so deales our Saviour by us The Jewes say there are 72 Members in a mans body and understand the curse Deutre 27. ult to be 72 plagues denounced thereunto Let all endeavours be done out of conscience or the best are bootlesse Things done in greatest shew of sanctity and not to Gods glory chiefly deceives us miserably and is but painted iniquity Better a good work laden with weaknesse if done in sincerity then glorious shewes from a false heart let thy heart be right with God approve it to him and care not what others speak or think of thee This I find and expect when his offend him the Lord will visit their transgressions with the rods of men and this I know and beleeve his everlasting mercies he will never take from me Better want the good we have had and would have to humble us then to abound and forget our Maker Oh most miserable and accursed prosperity where wickednesse gets wealth Oh rich and happy poverty that hath a good conscience though with never so little Afflictions of body or mind must turne to our good if they move us to seek God Feare not God for feare of a punishment onely yea feare him least he should punish thee for not fearing him Love not meerly in hope of good yet love him in hope he will doe thee good Sorrow for sinne not for feare of wrath simply yet sorrow for sinne least wrath over-whelme thee Practice as thou prayest or they prevaile not We pray rightly when we practice conscionably Sathan seeks to hinder one good work by moving to another lesse seasonable at the same time therefore divide the times aright and preferre the best first He that would meditate well must give his mind but to one good point at one time and beat that out throughly with prayer and application Better to have troubles in the flesh with a quiet conscience then the pleasures of sinne with horrour of heart Better to live in misery then sinne The worst of suffering is to be chosen before the best of sisning Soule lost all lost soule well all well Some while they think to free themselves from sorrowes by living in sinne thereby bring the same evils upon themselves and so are doubly wretched That which thou thinkst shall be thy comfort shall prove thy crosse yea thy curse except thou lookest chiefly to God in seeking it and he please to sanctifie it In reading labour for knowledge but chiefly for affection Miraculous help is not ordinary yet may and must we build upon the power of God for help be our distresse never so great and meanes of reliefe never so small By encrease of inward and outward troubles finding encrease of comfort and help why should I not willingly suffer Though we often strive against an evill without prevailing let us not
matter seem it never so much precisenesse especially of such duties to which thou art most indisposed or in which thou hast been most carelesse or the which stesh and blood thinketh least necessary for the Lord will have sincere and seasonable obedience in every particular 4 Think it not enough to doe one good thing and then to follow some other evill as to make conscience of sanctifying the Sabath and yet to take leave to take Gods Name in vaine or to apply thy selfe diligently to Gods publike worship yet not to stick to lye sweare deceive forsweare extort in thy particular calling or to be strict in thy outward conversation and yet dare to harbour discontent envy hatred malice discord revenge or to seeme friendly abroad or yet be currish at home or to be temperate in some places and companies and yet to tipple drink healths and be drunk in some other or to be modest in behaviour and yet abound in filthy conceits or to seem religious and yet want government of the tongue or to be just in outward dealings and yet be uncharitable and the like as also on the contrary for every sinne as well as any sinne must be conscionably avoided or none is sincerely eschewed 5 Neither rest contented in straining at a Gnat if thou darest to swallow a Camell or though thou escapest grosse and open sinnes if thou allowest thy selfe in some lesser and secret evils these are most deceitfull dangerous devillish and without repentance damnable conceits and are sure signes of an huge hypocrite and must unsound soule But O my soule who is sufficient for these things well endeavour uprightly watchfully constantly in every particular that the Lord hath revealed to thee and it is in Gods estimation perfect obedience onely give not thy selfe the least freedome in the least matter against conscience to transgresse then beleeve and thou mayest be assured the Lord Jesus Christ his alsufficient satisfaction both in his absolute obedience and infinite sufferings is imputed unto thee and thou in him hast fully obeyed and suffered all that the Lord can in his exactest justice require of thee we may keep all though we cannot fulfill any one of Gods Commandements we may often break and yet not forsake his holy Covenant Thus farre of this His Verses on the Bible P leasure and profit piety and peace H ealth for the soule all happinesse encrease I n each estate within this golden Mine L yes couched close yet of pe to all mens eyne L ets then delves search and curiously pry I nto the same and mark what we can spy P repare good instruments the ground is hard P romise is made we shall find rich reward S oare first in faith with prayer above the Sunne K eep constant courses carelesnesse still shunne I oyne with your reading reverence be attent P ractice with knowledge from on high are sent P ray more and more such graces to attaine O n Sacred Writ to meditate take paine N eglect not application of the same N o doubt so striving we shall win the Game His Verses on his Hour-Glasse AS this Glasse runs so runs thy Glasse of life Each houre one houre neerer thy lives end Ere sand be out Death with his fatall knife Cats short thy dayes perhaps repent amend Delay no time see how away he hyes Once past past calling backe with loudest cryes Behold this Glasse and then take heedfull view What 's thy estate more brittle then the same Soon broke as sand in wind in hast oh rue Thy sinnes forepast with sorrow and with shame Henceforth aye runne of godlinesse the race While thy Glasse runs and daies fleet hence apace Let thy oft turning of this running Glasse Cause in thy mind to run that thou still turne To great Jehovah let no houre passe While God vouchsafe thou in this world sojourne Without some worke of grace oh spend no time In plotting following any sinfull crime So though this Glasse and life at once run out Time past mispent bewaild to come redeemd Of dying well thou needst not stand in doubt Ill having hated done what best beseemd Were every houre the latest of thy breath The happiest houre shall be the houre of death Morning Thoughts BEthink performe each morning thou survivest Thy duty to thy God while here thou livest Arake with him in humble chearfull wise Open thine heart as early as thine eyes Who holy thoughts his Majesty salute Of a true godly life what is the fruit Of rising from thy sinnes to wayes of grace The resurrection set before thy face Eke unto judgement thy most sure arising By light of day be with thy self devising Of that most glorious armour of pure light And of thy naturall darknesse take in sight And works of darknesse labour off to cast Bidding thy God good morrow thus make hast Upon his holy Name to invocate Confessing and bewailing thine estate By nature actuall offendings too Labour for feeling though with much adoe Weigh to thy sinnes all judgement are most due Thy just desert whereof take paines to rue With deprecation then will fervency To thy good God in Christ for pardon cry Resolving by his grace which beg henceforth In heart word deed to esteem of highest worth His holy feare and service every way Beleeve for these in faith will reeling pray In and from danger preservation Strength to resist Satans temptation Comfort in griefe help in adversity Reliefe in any kind of misery For deaths preparing dying to the world That it's and flesh his lusts may be controld Heaven hungred after in each thing content To please the Lord in all that heart be bent To walke uprightly in thy lawfull calling In others matters not thy selfe inthralling For companies and privaties right use Against thoughts words deeds behaviours abuse Concerning all in each alwaies to watch That thou nor others harme thereby to catch Briefly to thy most blessed God commend Whatsoever any way thou dost intend That better and not worse they still mayest grow By all thou hearest seest or else doest know Labouring to keep sweet peace with thy sweet God Which being even no maner what is odde In every thing submitting to his will Then from thy heart thy mouth with praises fill For all his blessings great and manifold Past present and to come both new and old In speciall for protection in the night Judgements prevented now with morning light Sweet motions grant every gift firme fading For this or better life thy selfe perswading Thy Gods rich mercy is the ground of all Thou didst before doest now or ever shall Enjoy and entire thanks to manifest Let soule and body all thou hast be prest To doe his will in all his Word requireth That thou mayest be such as his heart desireth To live and dye in happy state of grace And so in mercy aye behold his face Thus as thine owne thinke on the Churches peace To attend thy prayers with practice doe not cease And thou wilt