and him who hath had the proofe of this knowledge how it hath beene effectuall in him Hee considereth observeth and applieth the things which he heareth seeth and doth to his owne use and by things past thus duly regarded hee learneth and getteth wisdome to advise and guide him for the present and for the time to come This is experience which maketh us wise in all things that are profitable to godlinesse and eternall life The observation of the reward of evill will make us avoyd it and experience of the fruit of a godly life is the best meane to continue it our owne triall how afflâ—ctions may be easeliest borne and come to best end is our best rule for ever after The example wee have in David Psalm 120.1 1 Sam. 17. 34. Psalm 77.10 Psalm 37.37 In summe as in all Trades the beginning is hardest and experience bringeth facility so it is in the practice of Christianity Woefull therefore it is that in this of all other men will not labour for experience 4. The fourth generall fruit is the benefit of this armour which is not small for hee that putteth it on and goeth cloathed with it thorow the day though the Divell and his instruments doe assault by craft and deceit or by force and might hee shall mightily prevaile against them and preserve himselfe he shall be able to live with comfort in all estates that God shall set him in and in all places which hee shall bring him to and change by no occasions but hold out untill an end be made of all difficulties and uncertainties Object We may serve God well enough without putting on this armour after so strict a manner It is true indeed Answ that a Christian serving God may be ignorant of this armour but hee cannot then say he serveth God well enough because that kind of life must needs be wandring unsettled and not to be rested in At least it is not expedient to impose so heavie a burthen upon weake Christians Obiect The childe of God is no sooner borne Answ but he desireth to continue in that estate of life and salvation to please God in all things and to maintaine peace and joy within himselfe all which is effected by the use of this armour NOw to come to those helpes either by our selves alone or others also for the other kinde shall have another place these are prayer and reading First of Praier Prayer is a calâ—ing upon God accordling to his will it hath two parts Thankesgiving and Request whereunto is added the Confession of sinnes Thankesgiving is that part of Prayer in which we being comforted by some benefit which in favour God bestoweth upon us are drawne to love and praise him and shew forth the fruits thereof In this direction there are to be observed three things and three motives unto them 1. The first motive is knowledge and due consideration of some particular benefit received or promised us 1 Sam. 25.32 Gen. 24.27 Luk. 17.15 Without these three can be no true and heartie thankesgiving howsoever in words there be a protestation for fashion sake 2. The second is joy and gladnesse of heart for the benefit which wee thinke of or call to minde Psalm 126.1.2 Except wee finde this sweetnesse in the mercies no duty of thankes câ—n in good sort be performed by them 3. The third is a perswasion that the benefit for which we give thankes commeth to us from God his fatherly love This is a farre greater cause of gladnesse than the benefit it selfe Psal 116.5 1. The first duty is a continuâ—nce of our love to God Ps 126.1 2. The second is a desire to set â—orth his glory and in words to â—rofesse and confesse his goodâ—â—sse for if wee love the Lord we â—annot but be carried with this â—ervent desire to advance and magâ—ifie him Psal 116.12 and 111. 3. The third is a further proâ—eeding in obedience and walking worthy his kindnesse this one if it be wanting from the rest maketh them all lame and maimed and as odious to God as the mortlings which were offered to him in sacrifices Deut. 6.10.11 Psal 50.16 If in this manner wee should frame our selves to thankefulnesse it must needes be a mighty and forcible meanes to mollifie the hard heart and to hold under the strudy corruptions of it so that they may be subjâ—ct to God yea even when strong provocations doe draw to the contrary Thus much of Thankesgiving Now for Confession Confâ—ssion is an acknowledgâ—ment of our selves to be guilty and worthily to have deserved Gods wrath for our grievous offences together with a free and humble bewailing of them before the Lord such as are unknowne to us in a generall manner but those which we do know according to the nature of them particularly To the right practice of this there are foure things required 1 The first that wee feele our sinnes odious and burthensome to us 2 Secondly that we accuse our selves of them to God 3 Thirdly that we stand at his mercy having deserved condemnation 4 Fourthly that wee abase our selves thereby and so are weakned and our pride abated All these are in the confession of David Psal 51. of Daniel 9. of the Prodigall son Luk. 15.17 Now this confession being from time to time often made unto God will not suffer us to goe farre and lie long in any sinne but hunt it out before it be warme and nestled in us and therefore it must needes be of great force to strengthen us in a godly life The last part of Prayer is Request it is that part of Prayer wherein wee earnestly poure out our sutes unto God in contrition of heart according to his will with comfortable hope that through Christ we shall be heard and therefore forsaking the sinne which might hinder our sute In this duty also there are foure things to be observed 1 First that wee shew this contrition of heart by being pressed with feeling our wants unworthinesse miserable estate and manifold miseries earnestly desiring to be pardoned and eased 1 Sam. 1.15 Luk. 18.13 Iâ— this be so as will soone follow upon right confession wee shall nâ—ither pray in lip-labour which God abhorreth nor thinke our selves too good to wait Gods leasure if at fiâ—st hee grant not our requests but continue them as he commandeth 2 That wee aske onely those things as wee have a word for and in such sort as hee hath promised them 1 Ioh. 5.14 3 That wee quicken our selves to come in faith and confidence and oft-times to come chearefully to this duty Jam. 6.1 Ioh. 16.24 Now to the end we may come with chearefull delight unto this duty let us consider the fruites which are especially three 1 First that by prayer wee are made in a sort acquainted and familiar with God and know his mind and will and how he is affected to us being admitted to speak unto him Iam. 4.8 Ioh. 16.26 Rev. 3.10 2 Secondly that it giveth life to God his graces
all worldly wisedome that we may be wise to the Lord and keepe our faith as we would our life THe like malice doth Satan shew in hindering believers from godlinesse of life For as he laboureth to keepe the unregenerate altogether from practâ—sing godlinesse viz. by keeping in them a heart so accustomed to evill that it cannot submit it selfe to the will of God in one thing as well as aâ—other by holding them in presumption by keeping them from serious consideration of their estate and actions by disswading them from counting the godly life best and finally by snaring them in dangerous opinions sottish ignorance or else in hollow loose and wilfull mindes so doth hee prevaile so farre even with Gods people as to hinder them from proceeding in godlinesse and that chiefely by these meanes 1. By keeping them in want of some good things without which they cannot constantâ—y proceed in a godly life 2 By pressing them with some evill 3 By unsettling them through occasion of things lawfull Of the first kinde are three maine letts 1 First when Christians are holden from a constant course of godlinesse 2 When they fall from their first estate or fi st love 3 Wheâ— they want a sufficient ministery Of the first sort there are many which thinke it not meet to tie themselves to any direction of leading their life but are content with some generall care and good meaning than whom these are not better which for a season keepe some good order but by little and little they fall to doe it slâ—ightly even for fashion in a great part and rather through custome than with delight and comfort and all because their hearts goe not with their actions constantly neither doe they regard or looke to their consciences in one thing as in another that they might be kept in peace The Remedy against this is faithfully to endeavour every day to be well settled according to the rules formerly mentioned We must especially labour by faith even to feede upon the promises which God hath made for the preservation and protection of his children heartie prayer must oft be used and watchfulnesse against our especiall infirmities it must be continuall together with oft and due consideration what a precious treasure this kinde of life is And if through negligence we doe fall we must not lie still in hardnesse of heart but returne to him as to our Father and hee will heale us and though wee cannot presently have that confidence which sometimes wee have had yet let us returne though with some shamefastnesse even standing afarre off with the Israelites Exod. 33.8.10 THe second speciall Let arising from want is the leaving of our first love for at our first conversion when the exceeding love of God in Christ is shed abroad in our hearts so as it maketh our selves admire this constraineth us to love him againe most fervently and dearely his Word and Ministers with all our brethren most sensibly and heartily and this in Scripture is called our first love Rev. 2.4 Now when this shall wax cold through dulnesse slothfulnesse and forgetfulnesse it must need be a hainous thing in the sight of God who looketh that our works should be more at the last than at the first as our knowledge is more and experience greater Rev 2.21 Yet this commeth oft to passe both in Ministers and people to their great shame though otherwise they keepe some course in serving God Rev. 2.2 which they shew by wearinesse or at least wise little pleasure taking in the publike Mâ—nistery neglect of private prayer conference Mutuall exhortation c. untowardnesse in good workes abating of their love to the brethren imbracing the world entertaining of ill-companiship with heart-burning against the Ministers that tell them the truth By these and such like signes many doe shew how much they have lost their first love whereby they give great occasion of discouragement to the weake and of lamenting to the best This was fore-told by our Saviour Christ Matth. 24.12 where also hee shewed how hard it is to keepe and harder to recover our first love Thirdly admonishing all sound hearted Christians to looke heedfully and carefully to nourish and preserve that holy pure and first spark of grace kindled in them against all that may come in the way to quench and pâ—t out the same And although the worke be hard yet wee have the Commandement of God for our warrant and his promise for our encouragement therefore ought we not to faint or slâ—cke for any impediment but set our hearts daily to count it our greatest worke to keepe our first love THe third let of this kinde is the want of an ordinary and sound Ministery of the Word of God whereby the way to salvation and godlinesse is plainly anâ— in good order with love and diligence taught so oft in the weeke as the people can conveniently attend upon the same This is the light of the world and the Sunne which warmeth all the creatures of the earth with his influence so that those which enjoy it not must needes be as the shadowed places which either bring forth nothing or that which is sowre and unsavory How the Divell hath laboured in all ages and Nations to hinder the passage of this Gospell may easily be perceived if wee peruse well the Acts of the Apostles and other Histories of the Church how he doth prevaile our owne eyes and eares can witnesse The remedy therefore is for such as want to relieve themselves with it where they may with most conveniency enjoy it and to sue earnestly that they may live under it which should be more generally granted of God if by fervent prayers and other Christian indeavours it were sought for When they doe enjoy it then must they prize it above all that they have or ever can enjoy in this world for those which esteeme lightly of it must heare what the Scripture speaketh of them Matth. 8.11.12 Amos 8.11.12 These are the chiefe letts that men have by wants whereunto may be added those troubles which some good Christians have through feare of their owne wants though without cause For remedy whereof that they be not swallowed up through deadly heavinesse they must take unto them godly boldnesse to consider that there is great cause of rejoycing even in that for which they are heavie viz. in their feare care hungring and thiâ—sting Pro. 28.14 Matth. 5.3 and therefore they ought rather to be thankefull for that they have than utterly to be discouraged for that they want Of small beginnings come great proceedings of one little sparke a mighty flame and the tall Okes were sometimes but small Akorns hee hath well begunne that hath in truth begunne and hee hath much who feeleth that hee wanteth much THe second kinde of generall Le ts are the unmortified affections wherewith believers are oppressed Concerning which in generall it will be profitable for every one to marke with what hee is most incumbred
shall give an account as of all other things so especially of our getting using and forgoing of our goods and commodities Matth. 25.14 Luk. 6.2 THere is a third kinde of lets whereby many beleevers are hindred from going on in a godly course viz. All kindes of outward things which of themselves are not evill but are made by Satan occasions to hurt and wound our soules 1 Afflictions though sent of God for our great good as is to bee seene Heb. 12.7.11 Psal 119.71 1 Cor. 11.13 Iam. 1.2 Yet are by Satan and our owne corruptions made occasions of impatience fretting pensivenesse and many other evils against which we must arme our selves before they come that then our unruly passions may not break out so impatiently Iohn 16.33 2 So in prosperity he subtilly maketh drunken our hearts with love of our good puffes them up with pride and high mindednesse c To these dangerous evils shall the godly themselves bee drawne except they carefully prevent them It is therefore a speciall point of wisedome in time of peace that we beware that wee leane not upon outward things for then wee shall easily bee cast downe with every blast of adversity 3 Another occasion of unsetling our hearts are houshold affaires and things that concerne our maintenance by the unwarie use wherof men become unquiet wayward distracted and unlike Christians A wise man therefore will unburden himselfe of these multitude of worldly dealings which wil not suffer the minde to bee freed and will so subdue his affections that he may have them in order as well in one thing as in another 4 By change of company dwelling and acquaintance men receive much hurt Gen. 19.30 5 The sight of godlinesse to be contemned and licentious courses to be maintained is a great scandall Psal 73. 6 Familiarity with the wicked is of great force Many other occasions there are by our senses conveied unto us against which wee must daily strive by keeping on our Armour standing on our watch following that direction which God hath given and depending on that grace which hee hath promisâ—d ever remembring that we doe not cast off feare of danger for occasions of sinne shall never bee wanting no not in things lawfull and good nor Satan waiting upon them with secret extenuations of sinne and hiding the punishment NOW because there being so many lets in the waies of godlinesse and those so hardly passed and difficult enterprises are alwaies commended by the good that followeth them it is necessary that the great priviledges which belong to a godly life should bee explained that so the godly may know their owne happinessâ— and strive to enjoy it the wicked may see what great good things they deprive themselves of and to all men the Christian life may bee in better account which now of all sorts is too much underprised and so neglected and of some contemned and scorned To omit therefore all those benefits which are common to them with the wicked although these also are farre more sweete and savory to the godly than to others and those also which are proper to some of the faithfull in respect of their callings those onely shall bee named in which the wicked have no part nor portion and yet all the faithfull may possesse one as well though not so much as another These are either such as are given us in this life to be enjoyed for our encouragement or else those which God hath in store for us in the life to come THe first and chiefest of them which are given us in this life is that all true Christians may know themselves to bee beloved of God and that they shall bee saved 1 Ioh. 3.1 5.13 Ioh. 1.12 and that by better evidence than any man can have of the things hee holdeth in this life This is not so well knowne at the first but after experience gathered of the unchangeable love of God towards us our confidence is increased yea the longer wee enjoy this priviledge the better wee know it neither can it be lost wholly or finally Ob. Some of Gods Children after they have beene thus perswaded have fallen to doubting againe Answ True Christians are renewed but in part and therefore some are by the subtilty and malice of Sathan brought to the neglect or carelesse using of the meanes whereby faith is confirmed and so to doubting and many not so offending doe too too easily give place unto distrust thereby depriving themselves of this great priviledge This priviledge is the greater because of the unspeakeable glory and everlasting joy which it bringeth with it whereas other delights are but fleeting and momentarie Which greatnesse will easily appeare if wee well consider the unspeakeable woe and horror of such desperate persons as feele the want of this happinesse either here or in hell AFter God hath vouchsafed the faithfull this honour that they may know themselves to bee beloved of him here and that they shall be saved hereafter hee doth not then leave them but is alwaies with them and haâ—h a speciall care of them above others nay when he is angry with others Rom. 5.5 Psa 30.6 7. Luk. 13.34 Deu. 32.10 1 Tim. 4.10 Matth. 10.30 Psal 1.3 23.1 Rom. 8.31 23. 1 Sa. 2.3 Psal 1.1 He esteemeth them not onely as his houshold servants but as his friends Ioh. 15.15 his Sonnes and heires Rom. 8.17 his precious treasure Exod. 19.5 yea he honâ—reth them so farre as hee calleth them and maketh them kings Exo. 19.5 All which is both certaine and constant unto the faithfull but it is not so with the wicked so that by this it appeareth that the estate of the poorest child of God is farre better than the best of the ungodly yea better than themselves sometimes would have asked or thought of THose who are thus cared for of God receive grace from him to live according to his Will that at death they mâ—y enter into his glory for he teacheth them to be fruitfull in good life and also to avoide the foule offences As for the first viz. a holy life whereunto God enableth his by his owne power it is a great prerogatiue in that they need not account the Christian life combersome unsavory heavie and tedious as many do but an easie yoake light burthen and pleasant race this is in the Scripture called blessednesse as Psalm 1.2 84.2 Luk. 11.14 Many indeed there are even good people which in great part goe without this priviledge but the cause is that they draw not by faith daily strength from Iesus Christ to subdue their lusts but trust either to their owne strength or in other meanes untill being frustrated of their desire they either fall into great vexation or else plaine sâ—curity and loosenesse For the remedy whereof they must labour to be stedfast in faith not yeelding unto distrust but learne to know that God who hath taken care of his will not leave them in their infirmities but according
they have in them they watch their hearts diligently they pray against them oft and earnestly they are alwaies in feare lest they should be overcome and casting how they may avoid the occasions of sinne so that sinne becomes odious unto them yet not ever over-come of them but often unsetled and distempered and as often renuing the covenant with the Lord to please him better sometime discouraged but rise againe glad to use all good helps both publike and private and having prevailed against greater corruptions are earnestly set against the smaller and such as seeme lesse dangerous as the idle rovings of their braine which do not directly so much carry them after evill as hinder them from good they are holden under some infirmities that they may be more humble and not forget what they were in times past so that this second age and growth in Christianity is a striving rather betwixt feare and hope sorrow and joy than a superiority over unruly affections an estate standing in neede of counsell and help rather than fitted and experienced to counsell direct settle others but the more sure they be of their salvation the more expert they should be in the battell The third sort compared to little Children who hang upon the brest and doe labour for knowledge of their Father in Christ and desire the meanes of their spirituall nourishment 1 Pet. 2.2 their thoughts are taken up in these things and their keeping themselves that they may not offend or displease their father they are cheerfull while their small faith is upholden by cleaving to the promise and as uncheerfull when as faith faileth moaning and pining if it be long wanting where they must take heede of two perills The first is lest upon pretence of seeking continuance of comfort they neglect their lawfull businesse for Satan appeareth as an Angell of light The second lest in want of comfort they be driven to any distrustfull or desperate feare for so the Divell appeareth as a roaring Lyon These must grow daily out of their childishnesse mislâ—king all such faults as they spy in themselves and purge themselves from them With these the Lord dealeth most kindly not shewing them all their corruptions at once which were enough to dismay them nor how many afflictions abide them which were like to confound them Thus we may see in these three degrees how for the most part the purged hearts of Gods children are taken up the weakest of which doe farre differ from the secret'st hypocrite which of all unreformed ours come neerest them THus having spoken of inward lusts and sinnes of the heart and shewed how they are disliked and renounced of all the believers The like is to be shewed of outward sinnes of the life that they be abhorred and shunned also which is the rather to be considered because many boast they have true hearts to God when their lives are wicked but to rejoyce either about their salvation or the goodnesse of their heart if their behaviour be stained with outward wickednesse and their holy profession blemished with open and shamefull sins is vaine for none can be truly godly that doth not indeavour to walke free from offensive evills if hee doe know them to be sinnes which may be shewed abundantly in the Scriptures by Doctrine 1 Samuel 7.4 Hos 14.9 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 2.20 Iam. 1.25 Rom. 6.2 By example Ioseph Gen. 39.10 Moses Heb. 11.24 Zacheus Luk. 19.2 of the sinfull woman Luk. 7.37 These forsaking those sinnes which by nature they loved and by custome they had long lien in doe plainely shew that they believed in Christ forsaking their old sinnes though they were never so pleasant unto them NOtwithstanding the former Doctrine be most plaine for Scripture and reason yet there are many that hope for salvation and yet renounce not open sinnes and outward offences These are referred to foure sorts The first are grosse offenders whom every vile person doth scorne because hee doth see their hypocrisie by open and often committed evills and hath Christian Religion it selfe in meane account for their cause for prophane men when they see any walke sincerely indeed without just cause of rebuke are little moved at their example neither greatly reverence them or take any good by theÌ„ but reproach them rather but that is because they see so many who besides some outward appearance of zeale were little better in their lives than themselves and therfore they are hardned to thinke so of all the rest which wilfull blindnesse and hardnesse of heart though it be a fearefull signe of God his vengeance to them yet this in great part may be justly ascribed to the lives of those who professing godlines in their deeds deny the same 2 Tim. 5 6. for whom it had beene better they had never made any profession at all such as Saul 1 Sam. 22.18 The second sort are such as being rude and ignorant are altogether carelesse flattring themselves in that grosse and brutish estate who have many speaches also sutable to their lives which lay open their hearts to all A third sort are such as because they keepe within some civill course of honesty and are free from grosse crimes thinke themselves to be in very good estate though their open faults be many some of these as also of the former are sometimes pricked in conscience for sinne or rather for the punishment of it Exod. 9.27 and some kind of change Mark 6.19 Hos 6.4 Mich. 6.6 they will sometimes make vowes and covenants to doe well Psal 78.36 they wil sharply reprove others Ps 50.16 they have some sudden flashes of grace yet do want true godlinesse and therefore have their sentence pronounced by our Saviour Matth. 21.31 and 5.20 A fourth sort of professers are such as for their seeming zeale doe thinke so well of themselves that they cannot brooke or abide any other that differ from them in judgement they are taunters raylers and slâ—nderers of their Brethren yea most sharp and uncharitable and proud censurers of their brethren and betters who are so soone ripe in their owne conceit that none is meete enough or sufficient to teach them some also inordinate livers Tit. 3. worse in their dealings than men who professe no Religion earthly unquiet and such like The life thus led is not the life which God requireth neither are those works which faith affordeth so that howsoever God gathereth his Elect out of all these kinds yet are none of them to be accounted as his while their hearts abide stained with such corruptions or their lives defiled with such treachery AGainst this that hath beene said some will be objecting and asking why such difference is made of men have the godly no faults are they without infirmities are they not like unto other men in sinning if it be so why should they be shoaled from the others I answer that as for differences of men they are put by the Lord himselfe both in name conversation
of this world and of the manifold privileges which wee with the rest of Gods children enjoy but especially of those things which wee have most especiall neede of The great and necessary use of this duty may well appeare even in the heart of good Christians in which there is much naughtinesse so many rebellions and loathsome filthinesse that it maketh some despaire of râ—forming it and therefore they cease to endeavâ—ur it yet if such noisome poisons be suffered to lurk and remaine in them they will not only as sower weeds choake the plants of grace within us but also grow up themselves and bring forth most noisome and dangerous fruit as by wofull experience men feele and try Now for the weeding of these out of the ground of our hearts there is no meanes so availeable as the considering oft and deepe meditating viz. to finde out what swarmes of them doe lodge in our hearts also to bring them into a vile account to be weary and ashamed of them and so to entertaine better in their roome for although by the Word wee know our corruption by conference we revive the remembrance of them and by reading we doe both yet all this will be but of small force except they be joyned seasoned with meditation For our hearts are so deceitfull that if once wee can but commend that which is good and speake against evill we are ready to thinke that our estate is right marvellous good whereas yet if there be not in the heart a hatred of the one and love of the other we doe but deceive our selves Now when wee doe often gage these hearts of ours and sift our thoughts and deale truly in accusing or excusing as wee love our soules though wee finde sinne to sit neere and fast glued yet by Gods assistance and blessing we shall breake off and chase away these cursed swarmes of prophane thoughts and desires we shall become better armed against them afterwards and our heart being thus mollified and relenting wee shall furnish them more graciously with holy thoughts and heavenly desires and draw them into more neere and heavenly communion with our God taking heede of the sugred baites of earthly delights and transitory pleasures of this world In summe the fruit and benefit which by our meditation and private prayer wee reape is so great the Spirit of God changing our hearts thereby from their daily course and custome more and more and bringing the heavenly life into more liking with us and making it more easie and sweete which with the men of this world is so irkesome and unsavoury that none can expresse and conceive it but hee which hath felt the same Therefore it is that the men of God who are most commended for their piety both of old as Moses David Paul c. and in our times also are most taken up of this exercise and others that are strangers to it though they be good Christians want much fruit which by it they may reape The lets which are enemies to this duty they are of two sorts for either they are such which hinder men altogether from going about it or else such as keepe them from taking any good thereby when they enter into it Of the former sort there are three 1. The first is when a Christian knowing this duty to be required of him goeth about it but hee is so empty and barren that he hath no matter to bestow the time and his cogitations about Now for the remedy of this there shall be rules and examples set downe hereafter but in generall it shall be expedient for him to propound unto this his meditation these foure things 1. First of his unworthinesse vilenesse sinnes and corruptions 2. Secondly the greatnesse of Gods bounty in his deliverance 3. Thirdly how he may be guided throughout that present day according to the rules of direction especially in the hardest points 4. Fourthly of the severall parts of the Christian armor which God hath appointed for his strengthening 2. The second impediment of this sort is an unfit mind unto spirituall and heavenly duties through some unsetlednesse slothfulnesse or other corruptions Now the best remedy for such a one is to meditate of his present unfitnesse loosenesse of heart and earthly-mindednesse to count it an heavie burden to accuse his heart and so to bring it to relenting by considering how farre off it is presently from that mildnesse humblenesse heavenlinesse and readinsse unto duties which have beene in him at some other times but let no man give any liberty in any sort to his evill heart when it is turned away from cheerefulnesse and willingnesse in any part of Gods service to goe forward therein for that were to bring him to utter bondage 3. The third let is want of opportunity by reason of necessary businesse taking up the time or for want of convenient place as it falleth out to sea-men and those that have small and poore houses concerning which it is not to be denied but that there may sometime fall out such businesse as may excuse us in the omission of this duty and this must be remembred that the ordinary duties of our callings must not put this dutie out of place for if they doe it is through unskilfulnsse or untowardnesse of them who commit this fault one of them is appointed of God to goe with the other and both of them stand together in upholding of their inward peace If any man be rich hee hath the lesse cause to be holden from it by worldly care if they be poore they have the more need of it to moderate their care that it exceed not nor carry them to unbeliefe but if any intend or pretend extraordinary businesse they must take heede that they seeke not cloakes for their sloth yet if any have necessary lets indeed hereby they shall appeare to be fruitlesse if at any time God be remembred some other way as shall be most convenient and this duty supplyed when the hinderance is past Of the second sort of lets which may be called abuses there be especially two 1. The first is to use it sleightly and so to make a ceremony of it the remedy whereof is to hold our mindes with taking delight in it for this and all other good helpes will be unsavoury unto us except wee should fasten a love and liking on them 2. The second is when although we be desirous to use meditation yet our heads are so full of trifling and wandring fantasies or worldly matters that we cannot mind heavenly things the cause of this is the letting loose of our hearts all the day disorderly without watching over them or keeping them within an holy compasse For the remedying of it wee must therefore carefully set our selves against the corruptions of our hearts labouring to dry up those swimming toies with the flame of heavenly and fervent affections wee must tie up our loose hearts throughout the day from their deadly custome of ranging