not their hearts touched They hear and do not vers 33. Such go to Church just as they who go to a noise of Musitions onely for the pleasant sound for nothing but to hear Reader take heed of these and other finful ends least God answer thee according to the Idols of thine heart Children go to Fayrs for babies and rattles but men go for some serviceable commodities for the supply of their own and their Relations necessities Though foolish men go to Church to quarrel with the Person teaching or to admire at some fine cadencies or allusions in the Doctrine taught do thou go to the word for the releif of thy spiritual wants As a new born babe defire the sincere milk of the word that thou mayst grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 Here is a good end of a good action not to gaze upon the people or Pastor but to grow by his Preaching Some men go to Gardens to gather Gilly-flowers or Roses meerly to smell to them or look on them and in a short time throw them away when a good house-wife goeth to her garden for a better end she gathereth them to make a precious conserve or syrrup of them which she keeps constantly by her to comfort her in a time of sickness Though too many go to a Sermon meerly to look on the gaudiness of its dress or to sente the wit and fancy of the preacher which sight and sente are quickly gone do thou gather those flowers which grow in Eden the garden of the Lord that thou mayst by faith make such a cordial of them as may be ever ready at hand to revive thy spirit in each fainting fit whether of death or any civil or spiritual danger whilst thou livest Lastly If thou would prepare thy self to hear or read the word rightly leave thy Worldly thoughts behind thee It is written of Bernard that when he came to the Church-door he would say Stay there all my earthly thoughts Say to the cares of this life when thou art about reading or hearing as Abraham to his Servant Abide you here and I will go yonder and Worship Gen. 22.5 If thou shouldst suffer those weeds they would hinder the springing up of the good seed the word They are like Theeves never dogging thee at this duty but to do thee a mischief either to steal thy comforts or to wound thy conscience Christ sharply reproveth the Jews for turning his Fathers house which should be called an house of prayer into a Den of Theeves but how did they do this By buying and selling and changing Mony in the Temple If thou Reader shouldst in thine heart be buying in thy provision or selling out thy commodities or hankering after thine hoards and heaps of Corn or Wares or Money when thou art in Gods House thou turnest the House of prayer into a Den of Theeves therefore thy best way is to keep them out and if they come in afterwards as Christ did to whip them out When men hear with their Harvest ears meditating and musing on their flocks or shops or fields no wonder if the word be ineffectual to them If the wits of men be a wool-gathering the Word of God will be like water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again Some Garden Seeds are mingled with Ashes when they are sown and thereby they spring up the better but this Seed must not be mixt with Dust and Ashes if it be it will not spring up at all It is reported of one of Englands Lord Treasurers some say Cecil others say Burleigh that though by reason of his Office he was crouded with business all day yet when he was going to rest at Night he would throw off his Gown and say Lie there Lord Treasurer What he did going to Bed we must do when we go to this heavenly Banquet though the concernments of our families and callings throng us at other times yet when we go to hear or read the uncomparable word we must lay them by with Lye here all my thoughts of this lower beggerly World Thus I have dispatched the first particular Preparation for the Word CHAP. XVI Of the Christians duty in hearing SEcondly I come now to the second which is thy carriage at the word in reference to which I shall commend to thee these three things 1. When thou art hearing or reading set thy self seriously as in the presence of God God setteth before thee in his word and offereth to thee life or death blessing or cursing his infinite favour or fury Heaven or Hell and friend are these things to be jested with Imitate Cornelius in his carriage when he was to hear Peter We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God Act. 10.33 The piety of this Centurion appeareth in the ground and motive of his hearing he came not to hear men but God to hear all things which are commanded thee of God 2. In the gracious manner of his hearing he doth not say we are all here present before thee but we are all here present before God When the heart is awed with the apprehension of a Divine presence the iron gates of the ears will fly open of their own accord and give the Word a free passage The Creature dares not but hearken diligently to the speech of that God on whose breath depends his life and death when he seeth him immediately before his eyes I can speak it by experience saith Erasmus that there is little good to be got by the Scriptures if a man read or hear it cursorily and carelesly but if a man do it out of conscience and as in Gods presence he shall finde such an efficacy in it as is not to be found in any other Book This setting thy self seriously as in Gods presence is like the Masters eye to his servant which will make him ply his work whether he would or not or rather like the fire to the Smiths bar of iron which doth so mollifie it that he striking whilst it is hot may beat it into what form and mould he pleaseth This temper of soul in the Thessalonicans was so great a favour that Paul thought he could never praise the Author of it sufficiently For this cause thank we God without ceasing that when ye heard the word of God ye heard it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 The Apostle knew his children could not but thrive when they received their meat in such a manner as the Word of God It is the speech of Seniclaeus concerning Diarius the Martyr Methought when I heard him speak I heard the Holy Ghost himself preaching to me Truly the want of this is one main cause why the Word of God doth so little good The Devil is very diligent at duties he is every Lords Day the first at Church The Children of God never gather together but Satan is amongst them His great design is to
so dreadful but its certain and therefore calls for the more caution 2. By the season of it In the latter times When the world groweth old it will dore and decline when it comes to the bottom it will run dregs Its last days which should be best will be its worst days 3. By the causes procuring it Seducing spirits and Doctrine of devils Satan and his Emissaries will like Sampsons Foxes carry firebrands abroad to set the world in a hellish flame Secondly The Remedy is prescribed in reference to himself Something he must forbear Refuse prophane and old wives fables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rejice Piscat Beza Excommunica alii If thou wouldst not swim down with the tide of those apostatising times take heed of steering thy course by prophane though ancient customs Refuse them with scorn reject them with anger let thy spirit rise and thy stomack turn at the very sight of such sins One way to prevent Apostacy is to refuse ungrounded antiquity The will of the Father of spirits not the ways of the fathers of our flesh is to be the rule of our walking It is well observed that God in no command but the second which forbids his Worship in any way not appointed by his Word threatneth to visit the sins of the fathers upon the children because superstitious Worshippers are of all men most strengthned by the Traditions of their Fathers They will tell us Shall we be wiser then our Fathers Now because they are resolved to sin with their Fathers God is resolved they shall suffer for their Fathers They that will follow their forefathers in sin for ought I know must follow their forefathers to hell If Timothy would not share in others declensions he must forbear others traditions Refuse prophane and old wives fables Something he must also follow after Exercise thy self unto godliness This is the special help which the skilful physician appointeth his beloved patient in those infectious times to preserve his soul in health As a pestiferous air is very dangerous to the body yet for a man to get and make it his work to keep a sound constitution will be an excellent means to prevent infection So an Apostatizing place or people is very dangerous to the soul spiritual diseases are more catching and killing then corporal but a spiritual habit of a real sanctity with a constant care to continue and increase it will be a soveraign means to preserve it in safety Bodies without life quickly corrupt and become unsavory not so living creatures Running waters are sweet and clean when standing ponds putrifie and abound in vermine He that is ever trading and thriving in godliness need not fear that he shall prove a bankrupt Carts overthrow not going up hill Timothy is considerable in his twofold capacity 1. As a Minister of Christ or in his particular calling in this respect he must exercise himself to godliness Non tan tum sana doctrina sed etiâ—m pia religâ—ola vita mâ—â—iâ—ri verbo opus â—st Beza in loc A Pastor must not onely some days give precepts but every day give a pattern to his people he must not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely divide the word rightly but also order his conversation aright He must as Nazianzen said of Basil thunder in his doctrine and lighten in his life Singular holiness is required of those that minister about holy things as Painters they must teach by their hands by their lives as well as by their lips Ministers must exercise themselves to godliness that is do their duties with the greatest diligence They are sometimes called the Salt of the earth Matt. 5 13 14 because they must waste themselves to prevent corruption in others Sometime the light of the world they must consume themselves to direct others in the way to heaven Greg in 1. cap. lob Gregory observeth that the Spirit of God appeared in two shapes in the shape of a Dove signifying innocency in the shape of Fire signifying activity The zeal of Gods house not the rust of idleness must eat the Minister up he must be a burning shining light if ever he would thaw the frozen hearts of his hearers Quic quid dâ—cit Lutherus quicquid scribit id in aâ—in as peâ—etrat mirificos relinquit aculâ—os in cordibus â—o minum Melch. Adam in vit Luther our Chappels must not be turned into Chappels of ease Christ neglected his food spent his strength wrought so hard that he was thought to be beside himself We are called Fishers Labourers Souldiers Watchmen all which are laborious callings We are compared to clouds the clods of the earth lye still but the clouds of heaven are ever in motion and dissolve themselves to refresh others But alas how many fleece their flocks Sacerdotum nomiâ—a acceâ—imus non ad quietâ—nâ— sed ad laboreâ—â— ut inver amuâ— in operâ— qâ—od sigâ—amur in no mine Greg. l. 4. ep 8. but never feed them as if their Benesices were Sine cures The Green-sickness is the maids and laziness many Ministers disease Who is instant in season and out of season It was a notable speech of Boniface the Martyr to one that asked him whether it was lawful to give the Sacramental wine in a wooden cup. Time was when we had wooden cups and golden Priests but now we have golden cups and wooden priests CHAP. II. The opening of the Text and the Doctrine 2. TImothy is to be considered as a member of Christ or in his general calling and so this Exhortation belongs to every Christian In it we may observe these three parts 1. The act Exercise 2. The subject of that act Thy self 3. The object about which it was to be conversant Vnto godliness Exercise thy self unto godliness I shall briefly open the terms in the Text and then lay down the Doctrinal truth Exercise The word signifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exercei semetiâ—sem ad pietatem qui diligerter intambit action bus qui bus deus servitur Est in loc strip thy self naked it s a metaphor from Runners or Wrestlers who being to contend for the prize and resolved to put forth all their strength and power lay aside their cloaths which may hinder them and then bestir themselves to purpose as if Paul had said O Timothy let godliness be the object of all thy care and cost Follow thy general calling with the greatest industry pursue it diligently do not loiter but labour about it lay aside what may hinder lay hold of what may further and mind it as the main and principal work which thou hast to do in this world Thy self A Christians first care must be about his own spiritual welfare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion commands us to be mindful of and helpful to our neighbours and relations The Sun rayeth out his refreshing beams and the Spring bubleth up her purling streams for the
advantage I thank your Holiness but my souls health is dearer to me then all the things in the world Hist Counc Trent The Apostle calls the body a vile body Phil. 3. ult in regard of its original production it was made not of heavenly materials as Sun or Stars nor of precious materials as pearls or jewels but ex pulvere limoso lutoso of dust mingled with water and in regard of its ultimate resolution it becomes first an ugly gastly carkass and then moulders into earth but the Holy ghost calls the Soul The breath of the Almighty Job 33.4 It was not as the body framed of the dust but immediately breathed by God himself it was not the fruit of some praeexistent matter but the immediate effect of Divine power The soul is in a spiritual as well as in a natural sense the life of the body especially if you take vivere for valere to live for to be lusty and to be in health for what the Sun is to the greater that the Soul is to the lesser World When the sun shineth comfortably how chearfully do all things look how well do they thrive and prosper the birds sing merrily the beasts play wantonly the trees and hearbs put forth their buds and fruits the whole Creation enjoyeth a day of light and joy But when the Sun departeth what a night of horror followeth how are all things wrapt up in the sable mantle of darkness nay let but the heat of its beams abate how do all faces gather paleness the creatures are buried as it were in the winding sheet of Winters frost and snow so when the soul shineth pleasantly on the body refreshing it with its beams of holiness with its rays of grace the body cannot but enjoy a Summer of health and strength Such a soul in such a body is like a pure wax candle in a chrystal lanthorn refreshing with its sent directing by its light and comforting with its heat but if the soul be weak and full of spiritual wants the body must needs wither The soul is the ship in which the body sails if that be safe the body is safe if that sinks the body sinks for ever From all this it appeareth that Soul-work is a weighty work not to be dallied or trifled with bâ—t to be made the business of every man Godliness must therefore be followed with care and conscience because of soul consequence It was our deprivation of godliness which was the souls greatest loss and therefore for the regaining of it ought to be our greatest labour God sent his Son into the world for this very purpose that he might by his bloody passion restore man to his primitive purity and perfection Godliness is the souls food which nourisheth it who would feast his horse â—orpus est jumentum animae and starve himself The souls rayment both for its defence and warmth nay the life of its life The life of the soul as Jacobs in Benjamin is bound up in godliness Take godliness away and the soul goeth down into the grave of the other world with unspeakable sorrow Godliness as it is Soul-work so it is God-work as the excellency of the subject in which so also the excellency of the object about which it is conversant speaks it to be weighty Actiones specificantur à fine objecto circumstantiis Eustath de mor. Philos The Moralists tell us That actions are specified not onely from their ends and circumstances but likewise from their objects And the Divines assure us that the cheifest source of mans sin and sorrow is his causing the bent and stream of his inward man to run after wrong objects If objects then can vary the species they may much more add to the degree to the weight of an action Where the object is great no slip can be small Evil words spoken or blows given to an ordinary man bear but a common action at Law but in case they relate to the King they are Treason The higher the person is with whom we converse the holier and more exact should our carriage be If we walk with our equals we toy and trifle by the way and possibly if occasion be wander from them but if we wait upon a Prince especially about our own near concernments we are serious and sedulous watching his words and working with the greatest diligence for the performance of his pleasure A Lawyer will mind the Countrymans cause when he is at leisure when greater affairs will give him leave and then it may be do it but coldly and carelesly But if he have business committed to him by his Soveraign which concerns the prerogative he will make other causes stay crowd out of the Press to salute this attend it with all his parts and power and ability and industry and never take his leave of it till it be finished I need not explain my meaning in this it is obvious to every eye that godliness is the worshipping the infinite and ever blessed God surely his service is neither to be delayd nor dallied with it is not to be slighted or slubberd over Cursed is he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently When we deal with our equals with them that stand upon the same level with us we may deal as men our affections may be like Scales that are evenly poized in regard of indifferency but when we have to do with a God so great that in comparison of him the vast Ocean the broad Earth and the highest Heavens are all less then nothing and so glorious that the great lights of the World though every Star were a Sun yet in respect of him are perfect darkness we must be like Angels our affections should be all in a flame in regard of fervency and activity The very Turks though they build their own houses low and homely Turk Hist Fol. 342. yet they take much pains about their Moschees their Temples they build them high and stately David considered about a Temple for God The work is great for the palace is not for man but for the Lord God Now saith he I have prepared with all my might for the House of my God Upon this foundation that it was God-work David raiseth this building to make it his business to prepare for it with all his might as if he had said Had it been for man the work had been mean it had wanted exceedingly of that weight which now it hath but the work is great for the palace is not for man but for God and because it is a work of such infinite weight therefore I have prepared for it with all my might I can think no pains great enough for so great a Prince It was provided in the Old Law that the weights and measures of the Sanctuary should be double to the weights and measures of the Commonwealth Godw. Iew. Antiq. l. 6. c. 9. 10. The shekel of the Sanctuary was half a Crown of our money
render this Engine of the Word fruitless whereby the Strong-holds of his Kingdom have been battered and broken down Therefore as a Jaylor will sometimes let his prisoners have their hands and feet at liberty so long as the doors of the Prison are barred and bolted that they cannot run away So he will let thee have thy hand at liberty for some acts of charity and thy feet at liberty to walk in some path of civility so long as he can but have the doors of thine ear and heart lockt fast that thou canst not get from him He knoweth Christ waiteth at the outward door of the ear that he might thereby come to the inward door of thy heart and deliver thee a poor Captive out of his hands For this cause if it be possible he will keep the street door shut he will hinder thee from hearing as in Gods presence he will finde thee other work to do then to hear it may be he will get thee to play and toy as he doth many great ones or if not to be talking to thy pew-fellows or to be reading possibly somewhat finful at least somewhat unseasonable or to have thy heart in thine own house whilest thy body is in Gods house or as a childe though thou art at thy book he will make thee look off if but a Butter-fly come by he will set thee about some business or other unless thou art serious as in Gods sight that thou shalt never have so much leisure as to hear even when thou art in the Church It is reported of Henry the third King of France that in a solemn Procession at Paris hecould not be without his Jester who walking between the King and the Cardinal made mirth to them both in the mean time there was brave devotion Alas they that hear in jest will finde Hell to be hot in earnest Were not men Indians and Infidels in English habits did they but believe the invaluable worth of their souls the consequence and weight of their unchangeable estates what a searching trying time the hour of death will be and what dreadful terrible things will be seen at the day of Judgement Good Lord how would they hear The Minister need not call to them to attend to the Word of God they would of themselves give it their ears and mindes and hearts and think all too little for it 2. Apply the Word to thine own soul The Word is a salve of soveraign vertue Some talk of the Weapon-salve that it heals at a distance but the Word will not it must be applied to the sore or it will never cure The Word is seed preaching is the sowing of this soed application of it to thy heart is the harrowing of this seed into the earth If the seed be thrown on the ground and not harrowed in we can expect no harvest A good hearer is said to eat the Word Thy words were found by me and I did eat them Jer. 15.16 Eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I have mingled Prov. 9.5 It is not the bread in the cupboard of the Bible or on the table of a Sermon which will nourish thy soul unless it be by application of it to thy self eaten and taken down into thy stomack The glass of wine in thine hand will not make thy heart glad the precious promises in thine ears will not rejoyce thee they must by application be drunk down then they will refresh and comfort thy Conscience Faith is both the mouth to receive in and the stomack to digest this spiritual food It is worthy thy observation how frequently the Holy Ghost attributeth the famous effects and heroick acts of the Word to this Commander in chief under whose couragious and wise conduct it warreth The Word fighteth boldly and worketh miraculously under Faiths banner The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation to them that believe Rom. 1.16 It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 so also 2 Tim. 3.15 Application is the life both of preaching and hearing If the Threatnings and Curses of the Law are preached faith is to them as the powder to the bullet causing them to make grievous havock and to do great execution upon the lusts of a man Faith turneth those stones as I may speak into bread and helpeth the Christian like Sampson to fetch meat out of the eater If the Precepts and Commands of the Law are preached Faith is the eye to see the Equity in them and the Excellency of them and Faith is the hand to put them into practice If the Promises and Comforts of the Gospel are preached Faith is to them as Induction to a Minister it gives him actual possession of them it makes them his own Faith in the Threatnings causeth Humiliation Faith in the Precepts causeth Subjection and Faith in the Promises worketh Consolation If at any time thou goest from hearing dead and undone thou mayest say to Faith as Martha to Christ If thou hadst been here my soul had not dyed The unbeliever like a man in a swoon shuts his mouth against those life-recalling Cordials which are before him in the Gospel Other sins wound the soul but Unbelief like Joab strikes under the fifth rib and kills outright Unbelief spoileth all An Unbeliever is dead he cannot hear Christ in his Word he is blind he cannot see God in the Gospel like Hagar though a Fountain be before him he beholdeth it not Unbelief makes the Word like rain upon Rocks wholly useless and fruitless What is said of the Essential Word is true of the Revealed Word It can do no mighty works because of their unbelief Unbelief is a Bulwark whereby sin secureth it self against all the darts and shot which the Word dischargeth at it What was the reason that the Word was not helpful to the Jews Heb. 4.2 The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Unbelief was the crack in the Glass through which this inestimable Water of Life did leak out and so was lost Nay What made the Word hurtful to them This leaven of Unbelief sowred all 1 Pet. 2.8 That Rock on which Faith builds an house which reacheth up to Heaven Unbelief stumbleth at and tumbleth the soul into Hell 3. Let the Word come with Authority and Power to thy Conscience This is one of the chiefest ingredients that goeth to the composition of a Preacher that he speak as Paul did in demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 By this force wherewith he spake and execution which he did that incomparable pattern of Preachers the Captain of our Salvation was distinguished from the Pharisees who in discharge of this holy Ordinance onely made false fire He taught as one having Authority and not as the Scribes And the people were astonished at his Doctrine Matth. 7.2 ult ver He is the best Souldier who in this Warfare makes
of curious colours delight the eyes variety of dainties are acceptable to the taste Nero promises rewards to them that invented new pleasures God hath for that purpose disht out his worship into several and various duties that it might be more pleasant to us Sometimes we speak to God sometimes we hear from God sometimes we are praying for supply of our necessities sometimes we are praysing him for his infinite excellencies sometimes our mouthes are open to sing sometimes our ears are open to hear the Sermon sometimes our eyes are open to see the Sacrament The same meat is drest several ways to make it the more welcome and so the more strengthning to us Hippocrates observes that that food which nature receives with delight though not so good in it self affords better nourishment then that which is more wholesome against which nature hath a reluctancy Reader thy delight and pleasure in the sacred Ordinances of the Lords day will help to make them more profitable to thee Some colours which do delight do also strengthen the sight Sixthly if thou wouldst make godliness thy business on a Lords day Let no duty satisfie without communion with God in it Ordinances are the Galleries and Gardens and for that end appointed wherein God and thy soul may walk together For this cause they are called a glass because therein the Christian beholds the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 As Zacheus climbed up to the Sycamore Tree to see Jesus and when he once had a sight of him he came down joyfully so go thou up into the Trees of duties for this purpose that thou mayst see God in Christ and unless this be granted thee come down sorrowfully When men go to meet a friend at a certain place and they miss him how discontentedly do they go away Alas what are the Ordinances without God but as a Table without meat from which a living soul must needs depart thirsty and hungry David loved the habitation of Gods house but it was because it was the place where Gods honour dwelt Psa 27. David longed for the courts of God more then for his Crown relations or possessions or any outward comforts but it was because God afforded there his gracious presence Gods glorious presence is in his Church Triumphant but he is graciously present in his Church Militant My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh eryeth out for the living God Psa 84.2 His desire was as eager and earnest as of a longing woman with child who is ready to faint away and dye if she be not satisfied Sometimes he compares his desire to thirst of which creatures are more impatient then hunger Psa 63.1 Sometimes to the thirst of an Hart after the water-brooks which creature being naturally hot and dry in a very great degree is exceeding thirsty but the object of his desire of his thirst was God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God O when shall I come and appear before him Psa 42.1 2. To see thy beauty and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary It was communion with God in his life and love in his graces and comforts which the Psalmist so much longed for The sweet smiles of Gods face the honey dews of his Spirit were Davids Paradise of pleasure his heaven upon earth They that come to duty meerly for duty know not what it meanes to meet with God and therefore though they neither see his face nor hear his voice yet are contented like those that were born in some dark Dungeon and never yet saw the Sun they are well enough satisfied without it but those who have seen it and know that that light is pleasant if they look up to the heaven of Ordinances see not the Sun of righteousness it s no longer day with them The true Disciples met together the first day of the week and enjoying Jesus among them rejoyced indeed but they are onely glad in duties when they had seen the Lord John 20.20 They were glad when they had seen the Lord. Reader when thou goest to the Ordinances of God go to meet God in the Ordinances As Moses go up into the Mount of duties to converse with thy Maker Go to view the beauty of his face when thou enquirest into his holy Temple When thou goest to prayer let it be in hope to get thy heart nearer to heaven When thou goest to hear mind communion with him that speaks from heaven and then onely rejoyce in the word when as the star to the wise men leads thee to the place where Christ is It is God in the Word which causeth efficacy it is God in prayer who causeth prevalency it is God in the Sacrament who causeth alacrity it is God in a Sabbath who causeth complacency When thou goest to the waters of the Sanctuary say as Elisha at the waters of Jordan Where is the Lord God of Elijah Where is the God and Father of my Lord Jesus Christ Why is thy Chariot O Son of righteousness so long a comming Why tarry what clogs the wheels of thy Chariot O when wilt thou come unto me Psa 101.2 When thou comest from the Ordinances and hast not met God in them though thou hast shewed never so great parts or gifts or outward devotion say as Absolom All this avails me nothing so long as I may not see the Kings face 1 Sam. 28 15. Saul himself was sad and sorrowful when he enquired of the Lord and the Lord answered him not and canst thou O Saint be joyful when thy beloved hath withdrawn himself Look upon performances as boats to ferry thy soul over and give it a passage to God and take heed of going contentedly from God without God Psa 43.3 4. let thy prayer be O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me to thy holy hill to thy Tabernacle then will I go unto the Altar of God unto God my exceeding joy Seventhly Sanctifie the whole day to Gods service Be early up in the morning and as late as thy body will permit at night The Israelites when they were to batter down the strong holds of Jericho rose up early in the morning Judg. 6.15 Upon the Lords day thy work must be to batter down the strong holds of sin rise early lose no time Do not lose the least moment if it be possible of this sacred day The very filings of Gold are of worth The smallest part of this holy day is of great price The word Shamur to keep the Sabbath Lev. 19.30 signifieth to keep with care and diligence as a great treasure of which a man would lose none When men beat Ginger they will if good Husbands be careful that little fly out of the Mortar but if they beat pearl they are extraordinary watchful that not the least of that be lost because a little of that is of great value Reader if thou
the whole earth Thou hast spent a whole day idly and thou hast much cause to sigh out with the Roman Emperour at night when he had neither done norreceived any good all day Hodie diem perdidi Today I have lost a day Fourthly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in thy particular calling look up to God for a blessing upon thy labours therein Creatures may be the object of thy diligence but God alone the object of thy confidence Thy supplication must be to God and thy expectation from God Thou canst as soon by thine own power add a cubit to thy stature as a penny to thy purse Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8.18 All thy endeavours without Gods blessing are but as Cesar said of Senecas works arena sine calce Sand without Lime they will not hang together if God bless them they prosper if he blast them they perish The Devil himself was so far Orthodox Job 1.10 Thou hast blessed the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land Alas the whole course of nature turneth onely as it is moved by the hand of God It is not in the frame of nature as in frames of Art when a watch is made it may go though the workman be many miles off or though he be dead but there is not the least wheel in the frame of nature which doth not depend upon God for its motion every moment As the vapours exhaled by the Sun depend so much upon it that if that withdraw its influence they fall to the earth so do the Creatures depend on God if he withdraw his influence from them they presently come to nothing Take notice Reader to instance but in one calling how the genealogie of Corn and Wine by a Concatenation of causes is resolved into Jehovah I will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and Wine and Oyl and they shall hear Jezreel Hos 2.21 22. God hath the key of food under his own girdle Psal 145.16 Hence some call the Earth Gods great Purse which he openeth for mans profit and shutteth for mans punishment The Jewish Rabbies call the Earth Alma Parens A kinde Mother and the rain her Husband because the showers do foecundate and make that great Mother of plenty fruitful But as likely a Mother as the Earth is to bring forth she is barren unless God open her womb 1. The plowing and sowing of the ground is from God the hands of men cannot do it without his protection and providence and the heads of men would not have thought of it without his direction and assistance Isa 28.24 25 26. to the end 2. When the ground is plowed and sowed it must be watered or the grain will quite dye this also is from God alone The Monarch of Mexico was wont to take an Oath at his Coronation that it should be what weather he pleased but Can any of the vanities of the Heathen cause rain Jer. 14.22 God alone can unstop those bottles of Heaven they are all above mans reach The most spungy clouds distil not one drop no more then a rock till God give the Word of command He decreeth rain Job 28.26 He prepareth rain Psal 135.7 and he poureth down the former and latter rain Deut. 28.12 Joel 2.21 Job 5.10 He also covereth the body of the Earth with the white mantle of snow whereby the corn is warmed and the ground mellowed Psal 147.16 3. The Stars those purses of gold as one calleth them out of which God throweth down riches which good men gather and bad men scramble for are all at Gods beck and bidding Psal 19.4 5. Mat. 5.45 Job 38.32 4. The fruitfulness of the earth after it is ploughed sowed watered with the clouds and warmed with the influence of the Sun and Stars is wholly from God Thou crownest the year with thy goodness and thy pathes drop fatness Weems Cerem Law Psal 65.11 Heb. 6.7 This some of the Heathen acknowledged by the light of Nature and therefore when they went to plough in the morning they did lay one hand upon the plow to speak their own part to be painfulness and hold the other hand up to Ceres the Goddess of Corn to testifie their expectation of plenty to be from their supposed Deity How easily can God blast all the corn in the field or blow upon it in the barn if he do but will it it is done The whole Creation indeed is but a glass without a bottom which cannot stand of it self but as God is pleased to hold it up The Philosophers tell us the Sun and man beget a man the Sun and the earth bring forth corn and speak of the Sun in every thing as a principal efficient But the Divines tell us more truly God and the Heavens God and the Earth cause harvest God by the Creatures doth all things God is the onely principal efficient the Sun it self and all other Creatures are but liveless instruments moved and acted by God according to his purpose and pleasure Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it It is in vain for you to rise up early to sit up late and to eat the bread of sorrows Psal 127.1 2. Apricock trees that depend upon their own strength leaning on nothing as experience teacheth us bring forth little or no fruit when they that lean on the wall abound in clusters The way to thrive in thy trade is not to trust to thy own head or hands but to trust in the Lord for a blessing on thy endeavors Fifthly If thou dost prosper in thy Calling let God alone have the praise Do not Sacrifice to thy own net Hab. 1.10 as the Jews did as though by thy skill and wisdom thou hadst met with such a draught but consider the providence of God hath brought in all thy profit Beware when thy herds and thy flocks multiply and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied lest thine heart be lifted up and thou say in thine heart My power and the might of my hands hath gotten me this wealth Deut. 8.14 to 18. Man is apt to make himself his Idol and to attribute all to his own pains and prudence Men boast saith Luther Hoc ego feci Luther in Psal 1.7 hoc ego feri and shew themselves to be meer feces They brag This I have done and this I have done and thereby appear to be nothing but dregs God took it ill that Tyrus should say By my traffick and my wisdom I have encreased my wealth and telleth her That she had set her heart as the heart of God Ezek. 28.3 4 5. The Israelites were commanded to bring their first ripe fruits to God whereby they acknowledged him the owner and author of all their encrease Exod. 23.16 19 Levit. 23.10 The very Heathen were somewhat sensible of
times a day At six in the morning eight at night and before dinner and Supper in his Chappel David returned to bless his house 2 Sam. 6.21 that is say Expositors to bless God with his Family and to beg Gods blessing on his family He ster prayed and fasted with her Maidens Hest 4.16 The holy Ghost enjoyneth Husband and wife to dwell together as fellow-heirs of the grace of life that their prayers be not hindered 1 Pet. 3.7 Our blessed Saviour is to be our pattern now he prayed with his family of Disciples And it came to pass as he was alone praying his Disciples were with him Luk. 9.18 He was alone not secretly to exclude all society but privately to include onely his own family Our Houses are Gods Houses and in Gods House there must every day be morning and evening Sacrifice I will that men pray every where surely then in private as well as in secret and in publique 1 Tim. 2.8 Families need direction in the day and protection in the night and truely either of them is worth a prayer Thy family sins must be pardoned thy family wants must be supplied and if they do not deserve a prayer they deserve nothing Horses kneel before they lye down at night and when they rise up in the morning and shall thy house be worse then a stable of beasts They that will not beg family supplies and blesse God for family mercies may well be branded for ungodly and ungrateful wrethces Prayer and prayse are like the double motion of the lungs what we suck in by petition we breath out in thanksgiving and without this Religion cannot live in a family What dangers are thy family liable to every day and without prayer thou hast no guide no guard Origen going once to comfort a Martyr was himself apprehended and constrained either to have his body abused by a Blackamore or to offer to the Idol which latter he did but bewailing it saith I went out that morning without prayer which I know was the cause of that evil It s said of the Egyptians that there was a great cry at midnight for in every house there was one dead Reader are there not dead souls in thy family Children and servants dead in sins and trespasses and shall there be no cry no complaining to God there I must tell thee thy house is worse then a Pest-house for thou hast infected and dangerously diseased souls in it and not so much as Lord have mercy upon us written on thy door Heathens and families without prayer are fitly joyned together Jerem. 10. ult The truth is such persons are English in their language but Indian in their Athiestical carriage They feed and cloath their bodies like English men but they starve and go naked in their souls like Indians Onely herein they differ that they cannot be prayerless in their Houses at so cheap a rate but must expect an hotter Hell because they sin against a clearer light Many families are the picture of Hell one may hear twenty Oaths for one prayer the Master will often curse but seldom or never bless his family he loveth cursing so it will come to him and as he delighted not in blessing so it will be far from him Do not say thou canst not pray Had the father of spirits ever any dumb children Every begger at thy door who is pinched with hunger will tell thee that sence of misery will teach thee to be earnest for mercy If thou wert condemned to be hanged thou wouldst not want words to pâ—en for a pardon Surely eternal death to which thou art liable is far more lamentable and if ever God make thee sensible of it which must be done or thou art lost for ever thou will quickly follow him with prayers and tears for grace and life Thy affections in prayer if right will abundantly make up thy want of expressions A sanctified Heart is better then a silver Tongue Though thou hast not the gift of prayer yet if if thou canst act grace in prayer all will be well Pray much in secret and thou wilt quickly learn to pray well in private Use at any Trade will make me prompt and perfect Rather use a form out of a Book then omit the duty They who cannot dress their meat themselves must be beholden to their Neighbours to do it for them Set upon it presently it is thy honor thy priviledge and use crutches till thou art able to go alone onely do not content thy self with them Alas who ever was proud of stilts but labour to gain knowledge in spiritual things by reading secret praying and conference that thou mayest throw them away 2. The Word of God must be read in thy Family and thy Houshold instructed there As by prayer thy duty is to acquaint God with thy family-wants so by reading some portion of Scripture daily thy duty is to acquaint thy family with Gods will An house without light is in a dreadful lamentable condition Thy houshold without the Word sit in darkness and thereby in the shadow of death The Commandment is a lamp and the Law is Light Prov. 6.23 Alas how can thy servants or children do their heavenly Masters and Fathers work when they are wholly ignorant of his will The weeds of sin grow of themselves but the ground must be ploughed and sown and harrowed and watered before good Corn will spring up God expecteth that thou shouldst be both a Priest to offer up Sacrifice for and a Prophet to instruct and teach thy Family A good House-keeper is like that Nobleman who had for his impress two boundles of ripe Millet with this Motto Servare servari meum est for the nature of Millet is say some to guard it self from corruption and that which lieth nearest to it The Word of God and holy instructions to a Family are as salt which is helpful against putrifaction Mat. 5. Ye are the salt of the earth Masters must be sure to have salt in themselves and for their families It s said that the Hammanients in Cyrene made their houses of salt hewn out of their hills in maner of stone Hierom counselled Leta Let thy children daily give thee some account of some choice flowers gathered out of thy Bible Teach thy children to remember their creatour in the days of their youths It is too late to season flesh when it crawleth with wormes Do it therefore betimes Bishop Rider read and expounded the Psalm 101. which treateth the good Government of Families often to his houshould and hired them with mony to learn it Abraham had letters testimonial from Heaven of his sincerity and the favour to be trusted with Arcana imperii Gods secrets because of his faithfulness in this particular And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham the things which I do For I know him that he will command his Children and his House hold after him and they shall keep the Way of the Lord Gen. 18.17
purpose Sins is a subtle Sophister it will bring Arguments and Reasons for all it doth as is plain in Sauls sparing Agag and the best of the flock The beasts were to be Sacrificed to God and in Jeroboams Calves they were set up to save the Jews those tiresome journeys to Jerusalem but take heed that thy heart be not hardened through the delightfulness of sin Remember Piety is the best path to outward prosperity Aristotle though a blind heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arist Poli. lib. 7. cap. 8. could see and say Make Religion thy first and chief care that thou mayst prosper The Mahometans are so sensible of this that what occasion soever they have they will pray five times a day Because the Jews suffered Gods house to lie wast therefore God blew upon their heaps and wasted their wealth He that stealeth away time from his general for his particular calling like a thief in the Candle wasteth all our work on earth is done best when our work in heaven is done first Religious duties in reference to our Worldly occasions is like sharpening the tools which helpeth our work forward with more speed and ease Mass and Meat hinder no mans thirst was a truth visible in the dark night of Popery He that neglecteth the service of his God for the following his trade may put what he getteth into his eye as our proverb is and never see the worse nay like the gold of Tholouse or the Vineyard of Naboth to Ahab the profit will be the perdition and ruine of the possessor They who want time to do Gods Work must want an eternity to receive Gods reward If men are so busie as not to attend their souls God will be so busie as not to bestow salvation I know Farmes and Oxen and Wives do hinder many from holiness and I know also that they will hinder many from Heaven Luk. 14.24 Mat. 22.5 That German Prince who would not part with his silver to pay his Souldiers lost thereby his Empire and treasure too He that will not spare time from his present business for his future blessedness is like to lose both How much time dost thou squander away in long meales in vain sports inidle discourse in superfluous sleep and yet hast thou the face to tell God that thou hast no time in a whole day to seek his favour and to mind thine eternal felicity The truth is thou dost not so much want time as waste time Do not think that it will be a sufficient excuse at the last day to tell God that thy devotion was neglected because thy earthly occasions abounded and pressed upon thee If thy servant should tell thee when he hath neglected thy business of concernment that he could not help it because he had business of his own to look after a Friend called him to the Ale-house wouldst thou think that a sufficient plea Beleive it thy defence is far worse when thou omittest the service of God for thy particular calling The Philosopher could say Aristippus apud Plot. de tranq a nimae that he would rather neglect his means then his mind and his farm then his soul The very Turks though they work their Slaves hard will yet allow them time every day for food and rest Wilt thou Reader deal worse with thy precious soul then the Turks do with their Gally-slaves For shame man be not so cruel to thy best part A Good Christian if business crowd in upon him so much that he cannot wait on them and Worship God daily in his Closet and Family as he ought will rather like a wise Marriner when the ship is overburdened cast some overboard then endanger the loss of all and himself too Times of earing and harvest were very busie times with the Israelites yet then God would not allow them to make bold with him Exod. 32.21 He that is a faithful and wise Steward will give every one their portion their meat in due season as he will give his body and his family their portion every day so he will give his God and his soul their portion every day surely he is not faithful who atteneth the lacquey all day and neglecteth his Lord much worse is he who feedeth his flesh and starveth his spirit Reader take notice that there is a time for all things as there are plowing times so there are praying times every day as there is daily time for thy shop so also for thy Closet When the Jewish daily sacrifice was intermitted as in the days of Antiochus it was the abomination of desolation I am the larger in this particular as observing that professours are exceeding faulty in suffering the Canker of their particular callings to devour and eat up the gold and silver of their general callings Sometimes they will wholly omit family duties because the world will not permit them to be at leisure but too too often when they perform them they turn them off with a short cut in a hudling manner as a Physitian his poor patients though their business with him concern their lives when rich men stand without expecting to be called in because the World stayeth at their doors to speak with them Friend as a special help against this soul-hinerance let me perswade thee to be early in the morning at thy Religious duties Some men must be spoke to betimes in the morning or not at all their publique affairs take up the whole day and would if it were twice as long The Devil hath a thousand divices to make him an Athiest all day who neglecteth morning duties Be not so hasty about thy calling in the morning as to forget to take God along with thee Remember this one note If the World gets the start of Religion in the morning religion seldom overtaketh it all day Something warm in the morning before men go to work is very wholesom A warm prayer warm communion with the blessed God in meditating or reading will help thee to work with more comfort and courage and may prevent infections from ill fumes and vapours in the day time Job had a large family much Cattel he had besides his domestical much civil business for he was a Magistrate Job 1.5 yet Job rose up early in the morning to offer up Sacrifice and thus did Job continually In the day time also or at evening let nothing put by the concernments of thy God and thine everlasting estate what company soever thou art in say as a devout soul I have read of when his hour of prayer was come you must excuse me I must be gone a friend meaning his God stayeth to speake with me Cato repented of three things one of which was Plut. in vit That he had spent a whole day idly Truely friend if thou neglectest thy general calling how busie soever thou hast been all day long about thy particular I must tell thee though an hour cannot be bought with the revenues of