doth cast any stain upon us we may thereby discern it and judg of it By the Law cometh the knowledg of sin saith the Apostle Rom. 3.20 viz. 1. Generally because it makes us to know what Sin is 2. Particularly because it makes us to know how far forth we are guilty of it But when the eye of our Judgment or the eye of our Affection is blinded or dimmed though we stare at our Spots and Blemishes yet we do not espie them Therefore we must earnestly beg of God that the veil that lieth upon our Minds may be taken away that when we come to look into this Glass we may clearly see what it will shew us and represent unto us Whosoever looks into this Glass it will represent unto him the true Image that he carrieth and not delude his Eye with any false shadow We must not labour to see our Corruptions by the Glass of the Word but when we see them to reform them In Exod. 38.8 We read of a Laver that Moses made of the Looking-glasses that the Israelitish Women brought unto him to be set into the Tabernacle Devout and Religious Women were content to bestow those Glasses by which they were wont to dress their Bodies toward the making of an Instrument whereby through Faith they might sanctifie their Souls This Laver served the Priests both to look in and to wash in It was clear that they might see themselves in it and if they had nay Foulness about them they might also wash themselves with the Water that ran out of it Such a Vessel is God's Word it is a Looking-Glass wherein we may see our Selves and our own Corruptions in it but a Laver too to wash our selves in it Wherewithal shall a young Man cleanse his way The answer is By taking heed thereunto according to thy Word If you are Persons of Quality you may employ some one about you to read a Chapter in the Bible whilst you are dâ—essing you Or the time may be employed by you in some profitable Meditation or godly Conference with those about you as far as your necessary occasions do permit And when you Deck your selves with Jewels and rich Ornaments take heed of being proud of them or setting your Hearts upon them beware of vain Affectation in wearing them and of wasting your Estates upon them For no Persons are to bring Poverty upon themselves and their Children to make themselves fine All your Ornaments are but as marks of your Sin and Misery And as a Footman who wears a gaudy Livery makes but his Servility more visible so those that trim themselves finest make but their Shame more publique Let Men and Women use what Art they can to excuse their Vanity they cannot deny but that their most gaudy Apparel are the spoils of Beasts that their Ornaments are sought for in the bottom of the Sea or in the bowels of the Earth What is the matter whereof so many different Silks are made but the Drivel of Worms and the Sepulchre which those little Animals make unto themselves when they die What is Purple which was wont to be the Badg of Soveraignty but the Blood of certain Fishes What are Pearls but the Warts of certain Shell-fish and the thickest part of the Fome of the Sea which could not be turned into its substance What are Diamonds and Rubies but Water congealed within Rocks And what is Gold which Men disguise into so many Shapes which is sought for with so much Labour gotten many times so Unjustly and kept with so much Care but the Excrement of the most barren Soyl to which the Fire gives Lustre and humane errour Valuation And what is the finest Linnen wherewith multitudes of People are so much covered and wherein the greatest part of their Vanity consists but a kind of Herb and Grass which grows up and flourisheth in the Fields withereth and dieth in a short time which passeth through Womens hands which is wetted with their Spittle turned with the Spindle stretcht upon the Loom wrought with the Shuttle whitened in the Dew and at last cut out into several sorts of things wherewith the Bodies of Men and Women are adorned Must not that Man or Woman have lost their judgment that shall be proud of such Trifles I deny not but it is lawful for some Persons to wear Ornaments for we may not only wear that which serves for a covering to the Body but also that which may adorn it For as all may wear Clothes to hide their Shame and Nakedness so some may wear Robes and Ornaments to shew their State and Greatness But their Adorning must not be so much that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold and of putting on of Apparrel as the hidden Man of the Heart Yet in times of great Calamity and Afflictions even great Persons must lay aside their Ornaments when the Wrath and Displeasure of God is broken out against a Land or People So the Lord said unto the People of Israel Put off now your Ornaments that I may know what to do with you Exod. 33.5 At such times we should rather appear in Rags than in Silks with Dust upon our Heads and Sackcloth about our Loins than with Ornaments upon our Backs and Chains of Pearl about our Necks SECT XII Of our Dedicating the Morning unto God GOD commanded the Children of Israel Exod. 23.19 The first of the First-fruits of the Land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord. God would not only have the First-fruits but the first of the First-fruits if there were any ripe sooner than other God called for them Which instructeth us that we must not only give God the First-fruits of the Day but the earliest time in the Morning which is the First of the First-fruits of the Day This was the practice of holy Job in the behalf of his Children He sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and offered burnt-Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all Job 1.5 6. As it is God's due so it is our Duty to dedicate the Morning the first and best of every Day to God Psal 5.3 David saith unto God My voice shalt thou hear in the Morning in the Morning will I direct my Prayer to thee and will look up As the Morning is a good friend to the Muses so it is a great friend to the Graces as the Morning is the best studying time so I judg the Morning to be the best Praying time So Bildad speaks unto Job Chap. 8.5 If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes In strictness of Translation it may thus be rendred If thou wouldst seek unto God in the Morning or If thou wouldst morning God be with him early in the Morning which is the first part or beginning of the Day then pour out thy Heart unto God in Prayer It was an ancient Course to seek God early in the Morning And the very Heathens by the light of Nature took
hath appointed and anointed a Redeemer to preach Glad-tidings unto the Meek to bind up the Broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord to proclaim a Jubilee a Year of release to Prisoners and Bond-men Isa 61.1 2. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his Mercy endureth for ever Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the Enemy It was a custom among the Romans when any of their Commanders had gotten a great Victory and obtained the honour of Publique Triumph if he had delivered any of his Country-men by this Victory who before were Captives among the Enemies these redeemed ones used to attend the triumphant Chariot of the Conquerour when he entred the City thereby to do him Homage and to set forth the glory of his Victory In this case it becometh those whom the Lord hath redeemed from Sin from Satan from the Curse of the Law and from everlasting Destruction to wait upon their Triumphant Redeemer and do him all possible Honour and give him all Praises and thankful Acknowledgments for their Redemption procured by his Victory over all those Enemies and Evils 4. Bless the Lord for thy Vocation that he hath called thee out of Darkness into his marvellous Light by his Word and Spirit that he hath taken thy Soul to be his Spouse and decked it with the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit What had become of thee if thou hadst been born among Infidels who are without Christ being A liens from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 and strangers from the Covenant of Promises having no hope and without God in the World who wanting the knowledg of the true Living God worshipped Stocks and Stones for God And among many that perish in Ignorance and Prophaneness that are under the found of the Word To whom the Gospel is hid whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded 2 Cor. 4.4 lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Bless the Lord that it pleased him that thou shouldst be born in the lap of the True Church and be nourished there with the sincere Milk of the Word and with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ Consider how long God did wait for thy Conversion giving thee space to Repent and how he suffered thee so long to continue in that state of Sin and Wickedness and did not cut down such an unfruitful and unprofitable Tree that cumbred the Earth and received the influence of Heaven so long in vain Consider likewise how many good Inspirations and holy purposes he breathed into thy Heart even in the midst of thy very Sins and wicked Life and that he persisted in calling thee so long a time and at length to bring thy great stubbornness and obstinate resistance so long continued to an end and to call thee with such a mighty loud and effectual Voice that thereby thou mightst rise from Death to Life and come forth as it were another Lazarus out of the dark and obscure Grave of thy wicked and sinful Life and not with thine Hands and Feet bound but loosed and set at liberty out of the stinking Prison and Thraldom of the enemy of Mankind Praise the Lord for granting thee not only pardon for thy Sins past but also Grace from that time forward not to return to thy former Bondage and likewise that he hath given thee a sweet taste and savour of the things of his Spirit which before seemed very unsavoury to thee and withal a loathsomness and misliking of the things of the Flesh and of the World which before were very delightful to thee Then think with thy self unto how many hath God denied this Benefit which he hath so freely granted unto thee And whereas thou being as unworthy of this Calling as they yet it hath pleased God to suffer them to continue in their Impenitency and Obstinacy and to call thee unto the state of Grace and Salvation Oh what thanks and service dost thou owe unto him for this inestimable Benefit 5. There be other Benefits that are given to particular Persons which none other knoweth but he hath hath received them for which we are bound to give thanks unto the Lord as for the more general for as much as they are more certain Tokens of the special and particular Love and Providence that the Lord beareth toward us Such Benefits as these cannot be written in Books but every one is to write them in his Heart and so to joyn them with the other general Benefits and to give most humble thanks unto the Lord for them There are also other Benefits more secret which are unknown or scarce observed by the party which doth receive them These are certain Snares and privy Dangers which the Lord doth often prevent and disappoint by his Providence he knowing what great prejudice they might do unto us did not he prevent them and disappoint them Who is able to recount how many Dangers he hath escaped from how many Temptations God hath preserved him from how many occasions of Sin he hath delivered him how often he hath stopt the passages and taken out of the way the subtile and deceitful Snares of the Devil our vigilant Adversary that we should not fall into them Likewise a Man may have many secret Sins which the Person that committeth them knoweth not Wherefore as touching these secret Sins we ought daily to pray with the Psalmist Cleanse me O Lord from my secret sins Psal 19.12 Even so it is requisite every day to yield him most hearty thanks for this kind of Benefit SECT XV. Of Preparation to Prayer BEfore we enter upon Prayer or Thansgiving it is very requisite that there be first a Preparation of our Hearts to this holy Exercise doing herein as Musicians who use to temper and tune their Lute Viol or other Instrument before they play upon it Before thou prayest prepare thy self Ecclus. 18.23 lest thou be as one that tempteth God saith the Son of Syrach In our Saviour's platform of Prayer the Petitions are not set down abruptly but a solemn Preface is prefixed like a fair Porch to a beautiful House to teach us to set our Affections in due order before we draw nigh to speak unto the Lord. God hath also expresly commanded Be not rash with thy Mouth nor let thine Heart be hasty to utter a thing before God Eccles 5.2 It is a dangerous thing to babble out unadvised and undigested words in his Ears Prayer and other holy Duties call for holy Preparation I will wash mine Hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord was David's resolution Psal 26.6 Joh sent and sanctified his Children that is he sent solemnly to his Children to prepare themselves warning them not to come to the Sacrifice except they were
than the Fire more hardned than the Stone more cruel to himself than the wild Beasts more spiteful and venemous against others than the Cockatrice He hath neither feared God nor regarded Man He hath not been contented alone himself to be injurious to God but would have many others to be partakers with him in sinful Practices Now what shall be said of his other abominable Practices Such hath his Pride been that he refused to be in subjection unto God he would not submit his Neck under the sweet yoke of his Obedience but would rather live as he listed and fulfil his own Will in every point rebelling against the Lord vexing his holy Spirit How exceedingly was he enraged if God did not grant him all his desires or if he sent any Crosses or Troubles for his Trial and Exercise He loved to be applauded in all his doings whether good or bad And now consider O my Soul whether all Creatures may not justly cry out against thee and say Come let us destroy this wicked Wretch from off the face of the Earth that hath done so much wrong to our Creator May not the Earth say Why do I bear such a cumbersome Wretch May not the Water say Why do I not drown him May not the Fire say Why do I not burn and consume him May not Hell say Why do I not swallow him up and torment him Alas miserable Wretch that I am What shall I do Whither shall I go seeing all Creatures are in Arms against me Where shall I hide my Head Who will receive me who have offended all Creatures The great God I have despised the Angels I have grieved the Saints I have dishonoured Men I have offended and scandalized and all Creatures have I most wickedly abused Whither then shall Iflie for shelter for as much as I have made all things to become mine Enemies I look round about me and can see nothing that will take my part yea even mine own Conscience barketh against me and all my Bowels do accuse me and rent me in pieces Wherefore weep continually O my Soul lament thy wretchedness like a poor miserable Creature never cease weeping so long as thou livest in this Vale of misery be still in expectation when thy merciful Saviour will vouchsafe to turn the Eyes of his Compassion towards thee and with all possible humility and shame cast thy self down at his Feet and cry out Oh! where can I find Punishment enough to be avenged on my self and Tears enough to wash away mine offences O Lord I am that great Enemy of thine which hath committed most wicked and abominable Offences before thy Face I acknowledg my self guilty before thee I beseech thee O Lord to cast the Mantle of thy Mercy over me thy poor wretched miserable Creature and let the greatness of thy Goodness overcome and cover my wickedness Let the most sweet loving Father rejoyce at the coming home again of his Prodigal Son Let the good Shepherd rejoyce at the recovery of his lost Sheep Oh! how happy and joyful shall that Day be when thou shalt cast thine Arms about my Neck and give me the sweet embraces and kisses of Peace I will now take Arms against my self therefore and be more cruel and rigorous against my self than any other I will loath and despise my self and from henceforth the face of Sin shall be more hideous to me than Hell and I shall desire to be despised and punished of all Creatures for as much as I have despised the Creator of them all I am contented that all Dishonours Reproaches and Punishments do run upon me on every side so that by them I may be brought to my most Sweet and Merciful Lord. And as for all Honour Pleasure and Worldly Delights they shall be quite banished away from me in so much as the very Names of them shall be heard no more in my House I will seek nothing else but the Honour of my Lord God and the Contempt and Confusion of my self Hitherto or almost to this effect are the words of that Devout and Ancient Father SECT XXI Of Family-Worship HEre I shall commend unto you the advice of a Reverend Divine of ours Let Family-Worship be performed constantly and seasonably twice a Day at that Hour which is freest from Interruptions not delaying it without just cause But whensoever it is performed be sure it be Reverently Seriously and Spiritually done If greater Duty hinder not begin with a brief Invocation of God's Name and craving of his Help and Blessing through Christ and then reade some part of the holy Scripture in order and either help the Hearers to understand and apply it Or if you are unable for that then read some profitable Book to them for such ends and earnestly pour out your Souls in Prayer c. Pretend not necessity against any Duty for it is but unwillingness or negligence that makes Men remiss in Family-Worship The lively and constant performance of Family-Duties is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of Godliness in the World all which decayeth when these grow dead slight and formal Those Families wherein this Service of God is performed are as it were little Churches yea even a kind of Paradise upon Earth And for this purpose Philem. 1 2. St. Paul writing to Philemon Greeteth the Church that is in his House And in like manner he sendeth Salutations to the Church of Corinth from Aquila to Priscilla and the Church that was in their House 1 Cor. 16.19 On the other side where Family-Worship is not used but either for the most part or altogether neglected those Families may be termed no better than Companies of prophane and graceless Atheists who as they deny God in their Hearts so they are described by this Note That they do not call upon the Name of the Lord Psal 14.4 And the Prophet prayeth thus unto God Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name Jer. 10.25 Many Parents take care only to enrich their Children to make them great and honourable in the World to leave them large Portions and Estates to provide rich Matches for them but take no care to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Nay many Parents are afraid their Children should prove Religious Some Parents cannot abide their Children whom they see to look a little towards Sion Such Parents as one saith are the Devil's Children But every Parent ought to say of his Natural Children as St. John doth of his Spiritual Children Epist 3.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth SECT XXII A Calling and Business of what Importance IT becometh every one to be truly Diligent and well employed in some lawful Calling God himself both Father and Son are said to Work John 5.17 and will admit of no Loiterers or Idle Persons He that will have his Penny
certain Prince of whom it is said That he seemed always vacant in his most serious Employments Care and Diligence may be accompanied with Tranquility of Spirit but not so with Carking Vexation Be careful then in all Affairs committed to thee by the Lord but vex not thy self about them for that will cloud thy Reason disturb thy Judgment and hinder thy doing of any thing well The Wasps and Droans make more noise than the Bees yet make no Honey but Wax only So they that perplex themselves too much about Worldly Business perform not any thing well And in all thy Affairs rest thy self chiefly upon God whence all our Business should begin commit all thine Affairs unto God trust in him and have an eye still unto him As those that sail at Sea who that they may attain to the Land they desire to come unto do look more up to Heaven than down to the Sea then God will go along with you and bless and prosper you that you shall not only get Provision for your own Families but be able also to minister to them that are in need SECT XXIII Considerations for those that have the Preeminence above others in the Body Politique THat Man hath no small Business who hath many under his charge It is an high point of Honour to be Head and Lord over others it is also a high point of Service Here it may not be impertinent to set down the words of a Grave Divine and Devout Spaniard to his great Lord Avila's spirit Ep. 15. p. 130. which are these Look saith he upon the Lord of Men and Angels whose Person you represent It is but reason that he that sits in the place of another should have the Properties of him whose place he represents A Lord of Vassals is a Lieutenant of God There is nothing to which great Lords ought to attend so much as truly and cordially and like Men who live in the Presence of God to remain ever faithful and firm to him without enclining either this way or that And this will be easily performed by that great Man who shall attentively consider that he is but the Minister of God as one who but meerly executes and must not exceed the Commission which is given to him God placeth not great Lords in the World to the end that they may do and undo what they list but to execute the Laws of his holy Will And though they may account themselves Lords yet are they still under the Universal Lord of all in comparision of whom they are more truly Vassals then their Vassals are theirs And their Power is as truly limited as their Vassals power is for as much as concerns the dispensing with what he ought to do Your Lordship must consider Ibid. pag. 131. that as you are set as an Eye in the Body so hath he placed you in the Eyes of many who take that to be a Rule of their Lives which they see you do make account that you are seated in an high Place and that your Speech and Fashions are seen by all and followed by the most Men. Take it for a point of Greatness to obey the Laws of Christ our Lord doubtless inferiour Men would hold it an Honour to do that which they saw practised by great Persons c. I beseech your Lordship that as you are a particular Man you will look into your self with an hundred Eyes and that you will look into your self with an hundred thousand Eyes as you are a Person upon whom many look and whom many follow And take care to govern both your Person and your House so orderly as the Law of Christ requireth that he who shall imitate your Lordship may also imitate Christ our Lord therein and may meet with nothing to stumble at The Vulgar is without doubt but a kind of Ape Let great Men consider what they do for in fine that will be followed either to their Salvation if they give good Example or for their Condemnation if it be evil I will add one thing more namely the Speech of Sarpedon to his Brother Glaueus which is worthy to be observed by all Great Men. Come on Brother we are Lords over others accounted Gods upon Earth let us shew that we are so in Deed and not in Name Our Work must evidence our Worth They who are the highest Lords must in point of good Service to their Country be the lowest Servants They that are above others in Place must shine before others in Vertue They that eat of the fattest and drink of the sweetest and so have the best Wages must by the Rule of Proportion do the best Work And the rather that our Underlings such who are inferiour unto us may have cause to say These are honourable Persons and they walk Honourably they are prime and principal Men among us and they are as their Preeminence in place imports the first and formest in every good and honourable Action So Sarpedon encourageth his Brother That as two worthy Persons they might do worthily which is worthy every Man's knowledg that hath Preeminence above others SECT XXIV Of the Government of a Family THe Master of the Family is a Person in whom resteth the private and proper Government of the whole Houshold and he comes not to it by Election as it falleth out in other States but by the Ordinance of God setled in the order of Nature As one hath well observed To the Paterfamilias the Father and Chief-head of the Family the true right and power over all Matters domestical do belong And to this purpose if thou art in that Place 1. See that thou set up and further the Worship of God in thy Family It was the resolution of Joshua I and my Houshold will serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And to this end do thou both pray for and with thy Houshold and also instruct them in the holy Scriptures and catechise them in the grounds of Religion that they may grow in Knowledg and may profit by the publique Ministry Thus God commanded the Children of Israel to walk in their Families Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt rehearse these things continually unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine House c. And ver 20. When thy Son shall ask thee What mean these Testimonies and Ordinances and Laws which the Lord our God commanded you Then shalt thou say unto thy Son We were Pharaoh 's Bondmen in Egypt but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty Hand This Testimony God gave of Abraham before the Law was given Gen. 18.19 For I know Abraham that he will command his Sons and his Houshold after him that they may keep the Way of the Lord. To this purpose August in Joan. Tract 51. St. Augustine saith That the Master of the Family doth after a sort and in his measure perform the Office of a Bishop within his own House 2. See that thou makest Provision for thy
by embracing him in love to take into their Hearts and Affections their Sin and Wickedness also whereby he and his Actions are poisoned 4. The evil Examples of those are most dangerous on whom we depend most Now upon whom on Farth doth Children most depend so much as on their Parents They look for Meat Drink Clothes Protection Portions from them therefore their Examples are even a Law unto them Therefore Parents should walk unblameably before their Children that their Sins may not be Stumbling-blocks and occasions of falling to them 5. Those Examples are most dangerous which are of such Persons as have a special nearness and likeness to us in Natural Dispositions Now whose Natural Tempers are commonly more like than the Child 's to the Father's and Mother's And when they being of like temper to the Children shall walk before them in a vain Conversation this will be a dangerous means to draw them after them Therefore ye that are Parents take heed let not your Children learn of you to Lye Swear to be Drunk to Cheat to prophane the Sabbath to scoff at Piety to speak Filthily to be Malicious to be Revengeful to be greedy on the World to be Proud to be Wanton to be Obstinate to be Idle to contemn the Word of God to neglect the Worship of God or to perform it carelesly It is little thought what mischief Fathers and Mothers do to their Children in this regard When the poor Child not yet knowing the right Hand from the left in matters of Religion nor what belongs to Salvation and Damnation shall see the print of his Father's foot in the way of Sin and Death will he not be apt to make his Father's footsteps his Direction Ezek. 20.15 16. Fathers by giving evil Examples to their Children give evil Statutes to their Children The Lord saith Walk ye not in the Statutes of your Fathers This he spake unto the Children Their Fathers gave them Statutes viz. They gave them their evil Example as a Law and Rule unto them The Lord chargeth them to walk in his Laws and keep his Statutes and not to make the evil Ways and Examples of their Fathers a Rule unto them Therefore ye Parents be ye very careful of your Conversation even in regard of your Children for be you sure of this that if you perish in your Sins and by your Example bring your Children to the same place of Torment every one of them shall add exceedingly to your Woe and Misery On the other side in tender pity towards them and your own Souls labour all ye can by Exhortation Example and by all good Means to set your Children in the way of Life that they may be a Crown unto you at the last Day Blessed are those Parents which so walk before their Children and blessed are those Children which so follow such Parents as they follow Christ SECT XXVIII Of the Carriage of Children Servants and Inferiours Children and Servants and Inferiours must not slack their pace if they should perceive much backwardness to do that which is good by those that are above them but they must stir up the gift that is in them and labour to go as far before others in the Ways of God as they are behind them in place and dignity For although their Superiours should out-run them in Zeal and Holiness yet they have no Warrant to tarry for them when they see them to loiter Ahab should have been more careful than his Servant Obadiah in saving those hundred Prophets from Jezehel's rage Yet though Obadiah see his Master rather yield to his Wife than fear the Lord he will not learn to stand still by his example but hides them by fifty in a Cave and feeds them with Bread and Water Nabal should have been more ready to have relieved David's wants and more provident in saving his Family from danger than his Wife the weaker Vessel But when Abigail seeth him fail in both she doth not sit still and put all to the hazard but supplieth in both that wherein her Husband was defective The zeal of an Inferiour Person ought to be attended with Humility and comliness of Behaviour yet must he not under colour of Humility Modesty or keeping distance neglect his Duty Young Elihu Job 32.18 ver 6 7. though he was so full of Matter that he was ready to burst yet would not speak before his Elders had said what they could Yet when he saw the Ancients silent he thought their unseasonable silence a warrant for his younger years to speak those things which they ought to have delivered SECT XXIX How every one is every day to embrace all Opportunities of doing Good OPportunity is many times a special means which a Man of Gifts and Place hath to do good above others and above himself at other times Sometimes things fall out so fitly to a Man that they even put him upon some Service tending to the Glory of God whereas others have not the like In such cases the Rule is that which is given to one in the holy Story Do as thine Hand shalt find Do as occasion shall serve do as opportunity shall inuite thee Many are called by the Lord's Providence giving them opportunity to do somewhat for his Glory whereunto others have not the like occasion And when Men fail herein they shew some neglect or disobedience towards the Lord's Calling and therefore when God offers an opportunity we must not stand a questioning or muttering Why do not such or such go before us Why do not such do it rather As Moses in his weakness told the Lord Send him whom thou shouldest send But every one should think thus with himself This is my Work the Lord puts it upon me and I must do it This falls out in many Cases for which there is not a full Direction to be looked for Thus it may happen that a Man may sometime by opportunity be put upon a work of Mercy to relieve one in Wants when we meet him through God's Providence in case of Extremity and we have something at hand whereby to help him This was the Samaritan's case who found in his Journey the poor helpless Man Robbed and Wounded and so as occasion was given he menifully relieved him Now this Opportunity that he came by him in this Extremity and had something about him to help him withal did both enable him to relieve him and was a calling to the Work which others had not that came not that way So again When Mens cases are more clearly made known to us than to others by familiar conversing with them or by some other means and thereupon special suit is also made unto us So David's case was specially made known to Nabal by the familiarity passing between him and Nabal's Servants in the Wilderness and special suit was also made unto him by all the Rich Men thereabout and therefore he had a special opportunity and calling to have relieved David and was
shews and needless Superstitions and yet have not one spark of Fire from above to set their Offerings on fire It is not a body of Sin that will make a pleasing Sacrifice unto God but a Body and Soul washed by the Blood of Christ Therefore you to whom God hath thus given you must offer up your selves to him as our Saviour saith to his Disciples To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given So I say To you it is given to pray to you it is given to reade the Scriptures and to hear the Word of God To you it is given to meditate on the Word To you it is given to see and conceive aright of Heavenly Things Ye have tasted of Love and Mercy and therefore to you it is given to shew Love and Mercy Think ye of your Talents and of your Receipts unto whom God hath given much look what ye have received mind your Account tender his Glory whose Love in all Eternity was so tender to your Souls above many thousand others SECT XXX Of the Improvement of all Means Gifts and Abilities inward and outward bestowed upon us LEt every one labour to improve all inward Gifts Means and Abilities bestowed upon them 1. Whosoever hath a larger Understanding and a more searching Head than others God requires the more of such an one his Brains should not be busied in hatching crafty and mischievous Plots against God and his Service against the Church of God or against his Neighbour God did not allow that great Politician Achitophel to use that wit he had given him to invent nor his Tongue which was an as Oracle to deliver a pestilent Counsel against his Anointed a Man after God's own Heart not to teach the Son how to kill his Father This is the height of Satan's wickedness that whereas the Lord made him a glorious Angel of Light and endued him with an admirable understanding and knowledg he on the other side abuseth it most wickedly to the Dishonour of God his Maker to oppose his Glory to ensnare his Servants and weaken his Kingdom Some Men have notable Heads and great Apprehensions but they fill them meerly with Earth the World possesseth them altogether they are wholly busied in laying plots for Gain or in compassing and grasping more of the World than they can well rule when they have it as if God had given them more Wit than others that they may be greater Drudges and Slaves to Mammon than others Some again do abuse their Wits in frothy Jesting and Scoffing at others in wanton and licentious Rhimes and Poems A witty Poem of one Licentius a young Noble Man coming into the hands of St. August Epist 39. ad Licen Augustine whose Scholar he had sometime been the said Father perceiving he had wickedly abused his Wit therein writes to him in this manner I have read this Poem of thine and I know not with what Verses to lament and mourn over it because I see a pregnant Wit in every Line but such an one as I cannot dedicate unto God Then he exhorteth him Da te Domino meo c. Give thy self unto my Lord who hath given thee this excellent Wit If thou hadst found a Golden Cup wouldst thou not have given it to some publique use God hath given thee a Golden Wit thy Vnderstanding is a Golden Cup and wilt thou let thy Lusts drink out of it Or wilt thou drink thy self to the Devil in it Know thou that Satan seeks to make thy Wit an ornament to him and thy Parts the credit of his Court and Cause The best Wits are fittest for the best and highest Employments It is pity that Men of excellent understandings should be set to dig in the mines of base Employments They should use them in searching the Scriptures and in gathering Knowledg out of the Word of God who doth not require of the unreasonable Creature that it should know his Will in his Word but of Man to whom he hath given a more excellent Spirit But this is to be lamented that Men that naturally have notable Understandings quick Wits and solid Judgments are very blind and shallow in the knowledg of God's Word How will these stand before the Lord at the last Day when he shall say unto them I gave thee a great Understanding but thou knewest any thing rather than me whom thou shouldst have laboured to know above all things How hast thou busied thy Wits Didst thou not think me worth thy knowledg and acquaintance Thou knewest the way to thrive and get Wealth to please and get the good will of Men but didst not care to know the way to please Me to find out the way which I had ordained for thee to walk in Thou knewest how to speak unto Men but didst not care how to call upon my Name Then wilt thou cry out Oh! that I had had a saving knowledg of God and his Will although all that had known Me had derided me for a Fool and contemned me for want of Worldly Wisdom Oh that I had known Jesus Christ and him Crucified though I had known nothing else Oh that I had throughly and spiritually known the Scriptures which would have made me wise unto Salvation though I had not known my right Hand from my left Wo is me that I busied my Head about Trifles and cared not to know the Way of Life and everlasting Peace Alas all my Wit my Craft my Policy now faileth me it will not serve to help me with one excuse whereby to shift off the Wrath and Justice of God it doth me no good now that I am to appear before my Judg. Labour then for such knowledg as may tend some way or other to your furtherance in Godliness and use your Understandings also to bring things about as well as ye can for the promoting of God's Glory For as the Lord doth by his infinite Wisdom defeat and bring to nought the crafty malicious plots of Satan so also he would have his Children to whom he hath given better Understandings and more Wisdom than to others to oppose their Wits against the Craft of wicked Men and use their best skill to uphold Religion and to overthrow the strong-holds of Satan Thus was Hushai among all David's followers chosen out to match Achitophel and to be a means to defeat his crafty Counsel and turn it into Foolishness And as for those that have not so good Natural Understandings as these yet according to their measure they must use their Talent for which they are accountable to the Lord Even weak natural Parts may be excellently perfected and bettered by Grace and raised to an higher degree than could be expected therefore none must give over exercising their Gifts although they cannot match some that are more excellent II. In the second place as to the Memory some Men have a great Gift this way They can remember things even