my self What a miserable Wretch am I A thousand yea ten thousand times unhappy that have so fondly deceived my self Oh it had been well if I had never been Born SECT XXXIX A Meditation in putting off our Clothes to go to Bed 1. HEre consider that Clothes do not make nor mar a Man The Body ceaseth not to be a Body when the Clothes are put off that the Body may take its rest in a warm Bed So it is not the Body that makes a Man Animus cujusque quisque it is the Mind or Soul of Man that is the Man When the Body is laid aside in the Grave a Man doth not then cease to be but his Soul is then taking its rest in Heaven or tormented in Hell Death is not an Annihilation of a Man but only a Dissolution 2. Consider That as a Man unclothes himself before he goes to take his rest in his Bed so Death to a Godly Man is but an unclothing of him for Sleep and Rest And here meditate on the resemblances between Death and the unclothing of our selves for Sleep and Rest 1. Before a Man lays off his Clothes he doth ungirt himself he unbuttons and untieth his Garments that he may put them off Thus ordinarily before the Soul is unclothed of the Body God sendeth Sickness one Disease or other to ungirt and let loose the Body so nearly united to the Soul of Man Therefore St. Paul calls it a Dissolution I desire saith he to be dissolved Nisi se vinctum putaverat non optaverat dissolvi If he had not thought his Soul bound and girt to his Body he would not have desired to been dissolved Every Ach Pain and Sickness that God lays upon the Body is and ought to be a forewarning to thee that it is almost Bed-time It is death's Harbinger and God's Servant sent it may be to fetch and carry thee to thy Bed to thy place of Rest 2. A Man cannot take such sweet refreshment in his Clothes as when he is Unclothed So a Godly Man can never rest from his Labours whilst he is in the Body but he will be always burdened wearied and groaning in this Earthly Tabernacle he is born to Labour as the Sparks flie upward There is no hope of resting from Sin from Temptation from Trouble from Labours without and from Fears within till a Christian lays aside his Body the Garment of the Soul Death makes him to rest from all his Labours While the Soul is in the Body it is absent from the Lord the proper Rest of the Soul the Saints everlasting Habitation But Death carries Lazarus into Abraham's Bosom 3. When a Man puts off all his Clothes to go to his Bed he lies not down naked and uncovered but takes a Covering upon him Thus when the Soul leaves the Body it lays aside his Clothes yet lies not he without a Covering Man's Bed is his Grave and the Earth is his Covering A Pious Man may think upon his Burial in a Grave as a Chest or Coffer wherein his Body the Apparel of his Soul is laid up till the Morning of the Resurrection But a Wicked Man may think on it as a dark Prison reserving his Body as his Soul is reserved in Hell in chains of darkness until the Judgment of the great Day 4. When a Man puts off his Clothes he lays aside all his rich Ornaments with them Thus when the Soul lays aside the Body it lays aside also all a Man's Honours Preferments Riches Pleasures and whatsoever the vain Heart of Man prides himself in We came forth naked into the World and naked we shall return out of the World We came forth Naked which sheweth Men were not born to great Matters and Naked we shall return to shew the vanity of Men in looking after great Matters for when the Rich and the Honourable Man die they shall carry nothing away with them and their Glory shall not descend after them Psal 49.17 Oh consider what a lamentable thing it is for Men to lay aside these things at Death and to have no Ornament but the ugliness of Sin to appear before God in 5. Men put off their Clothes in hope after they have refreshed themselves with Sleep to put them on again So when the Soul lays aside her Body it is in hope of rising again of a Re-union of the Soul with the same Body which a Man did lay aside so to put off the Body as one that shall put it on again in a more glorious manner and never lay it aside more SECT XL. When you lie down in your Beds at Night HAving recounted the Mercies of the Day think on the dangers of the Night It is said of Thieves and Robbers that in the dark they dig through Houses which they have marked for themselves in the Day-time Job 24.16 The Word in the Original signifies to mark with a Seal as if they did put their Seal upon other Mens Houses for their own use Thieves set their Mark upon such Houses in the Day-time which they intend to Rob at Night Or as some expound it they observe the strength of the House the ways to it what Company is in the House and where they may with most facility and advantage break into it Houses are marked out in the Day and broken open in the Night many Houses also are fired in the Night and how helpless is Man amidst these Casualties and Dangers If he be asleep the Thief finds him bound to his hand and if Fire take his Chamber how ready is the Fire to consume him in his Bed At midnight the Lord smote all the First-born in the Land of Egypt from the First-born of Pharaoh c. unto the First-born of the Captive that was in the Dungeon and all the First-born of Cattel Exod. 12.29 It was in the Night that the Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand 2 Kings 19.35 Ishbosheth was slain at Noon upon his Bed but the Night hath been fatal unto many Acknowledg it a mercy that God affordeth you rest after Labour Man goeth forth unto his Work and to his Labour until the Evening Psal 104.23 for so or rightly he giveth his Beloved sleep Life and Strength would fail for want of Rest as for want of Food A good Christian may go to Bed without fear You shall find many Promises in Scripture about this Blessing Prov. 3.24 When thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet Job 11.18 Thou shalt take thy rest in safety thou shalt lie down and none shall make thee afraid David saith Psal 3.5 I laid me down and slept I awaked for the Lord sustained me Psal 4.8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord makest me dwell in safety Every Member of Jesus Christ is secure through Faith in him The Shepherd wakes when others are
this Day-spring at his second coming shall awaken all that sleep in the Graves and in the Sea and in all places whatsoever all the Dead from Adam to the last Day all that lie sleeping in their Graves from one end of the World to the other shall be awakned All Kings and Princes and other great Men who shall be found sleeping in their sumptuous Tombs and Monuments and all that are buried any where The Trump shall sound and the Dead of all sorts degrees Ages Nations shall awake live arise and come before the Son of God coming in his Glory O the wonderful Change that shall be at that Day-spring When those Eyes that have been shut up so many hundred Years shall be opened and those Bodies that have been long buried in a silent Grave and covered with the darkness of death shall be brought forth into the Light of the great and glorious Day O my Soul awake thou beforehand that then I may awake full of Joy and Comfort and be satisfied with the Image of my dearest Saviour and lift up my Head to behold my most glorious Redeemer and the bright and blessed Day of my full Redemption The Angels Trumpet shall then awaken the most secure Conscience that ever composed it self to sleep in Sin yea then all their sins will awake with their awakened Conscience and rage fiercely against their Souls Awake then O Sinner to Repentance awake to Holiness and Righteousness that thy Conscience may be at peace with him and thy sins may be abolished for ever that Christ may not find thee sleeping at his coming 7. As the Sun at his rising causeth harmful Creatures to hide their Heads so this last coming of Christ is grievous to the Wicked it will make them to call to the Mountains to fall upon them and upon the Hills to cover them from the Wrath of the Lamb and from the Presence of him that sitteth upon the Throne then they would be glad to hide their Heads in the center of the Earth when the Light of this Day-spring shall appear O my Soul do thou now cast off the works of darkness and then the Light of that Glorious day shall not be grievous unto thee which none of the Children of darkness can behold without confusion of Face 8. Consider how welcome the second coming of Christ will be to the Godly The Faithful are described by this Property that they love his Appearing It is said That every one is a Friend to him that giveth Gifts Oh! how welcome shall Christ be to all the Faithful when he cometh with both his Hands full of rich and precious Gifts such as surpass the thoughts and understanding of Man When Christ cometh to bestow a Crown of Immortal Glory an everlasting Kingdom Oh! what Heir of the Kingdom would not with a glad Heart bid him welcome But chiefly Christ shall be welcome to them in respect of himself for then they shall see him as he is Consider what a blessed sight will this be O my Soul to see thy dear Saviour who hath died for thee loved thee and washed thee with his own Blood to see him now so Glorious To see him on the Throne who was nailed to the Cross to see him Reigning and Judging who was Judged and Condemned to see him most Blessed who was made a Curse to see his Righteousness shine forth to all the World who was numbred among Transgressors to see him in such excellent Majesty and fulness of Glory this will be most welcome Oh! how blessed is the condition of that Soul who being fitted for Christ hath a longing desire of his coming and can from his Heart say Come Lord Jesus come quickly 9. As the Day-spring sheweth Man his work and his way so the glorious coming of Christ shall shew unto the World which way they have gone and to what issue their way and works are come Many now do imagine that they go the way of Salvation and the way of Life and that they shall have Peace and will not be convinced otherwise by the Word But this Day shall declare it it shall shew that many such have trodden the Path of destruction and have been going down to the Chambers of death yea now the end and issue of all will appear to be Death and Condemnation on this Day the Lord will shew who is Righteous and who is Wicked he will shew by the Light of that Day who are Wheat and who are Tares which are for the Fire and which are for the Gardner which are for the right Hand and which for the left SECT VII Whilst thou art yet lying in thy Bed REmember that Almighty God is about thy Bed and that he observes all the secret thoughts and workings of thy Heart Commune with thy Heart upon thy Bed Psal 4.4 Consider That we lie in our Beds as it were within our Graves and the Sheets between which we lie may put us in mind of our Winding-sheet It is good to remember God upon our Beds as David's practice was and the Law of God was his Meditation by night as well as by day When he meditated on God in the night Watches he was as one satisfied with Marrow and Fatness Psal 63.5 Meditation and Prayer may best be practised Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 3. when we are freest from disturbance in the Night or upon our Beds after we awake no Body then is troublesome to us then we have a greater freedom and tranquillity of our Thoughts when we are not molested with Business when there is none that can hinder us from having access to God when our mind knitting it self together is able diligently to make reference of all to the Physician of Souls At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang Praises unto God being thrust into an inner Prison having their Feet made fast in the Stocks Acts 16.24 25. Behold the Doctor of the World saith Chrysostom fast in Prison praying notwithstanding at midnight with Silas Neither the renting of their Clothes nor their Stripes and Bonds could hinder them from it nay they did so much the more shew their fervency toward the Lord. I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night saith David Psal 119.55 The Night presents us with many opportunities of deeper Meditation Ambros de bono Mortis p. 245. We more sincerely in the Night-time and upon our Beds do bethink our selves saith St. Ambrose Beware of plotting ill designs upon your Beds It is said of the Wicked man that he deviseth mischief upon his Bed Psal 36.4 he there employs his time of rest and freedom from business to devise wicked acts to execute the next day Take heed of abusing your Beds to satisfie your Lusts and to draw others unto Adultery and Wantonness Remember that the Bed undefiled is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg SECT VIII When thou risest out of thy Bed in the Morning THink then how Almighty God can as easily raise
Christ to your Souls in calling upon him for the accomplishment of his Promises and he on the other side meeteth with you and speaketh to you then shall ye be sanctified by the Glory of the Lord ye shall see the light of his loving Countenance graciously and gloriously shining upon your Souls This hath a Sanctifying Virtue and Power in it As the Sun shining brightly and gloriously from time to time on Trees and Fruits doth give growing sweetness and ripeness to these Fruits So Christ by meeting us and shining on our Souls with the light of his Counteance when we present our selves before him aright in the due and daily performance of his Service and offering of this Sacrifice he doth sanctifie us by his Glory he doth alter the temper of our Souls he doth change and fashion us unto his likeness in Righteousness and true Holiness from Glory to Glory by his Spirit SECT XXXVII Of a Man's taking a review in the Evening of the Actions and Mercies of the Day past IT is good before you lie down to Sleep to take a review of all the Actions and Mercies of the past Day If thou wouldst know the Sins thou hast committed the Day past or the Week past or thy whole Life past thou mayst briefly run over all the Commandments of God and thou mayst easily see what Commandments thou hast Transgressed and so mayst be humbled for thy Sins and mayst renew thy Repentance and resolutions for better Obedience Look diligently into the whole state of thy Life consider what progress thou hast made in Godliness or how thou hast declined What Words thou hast spoken what Works thou hast done and to what end and in what manner they were performed Consider thine Apparel thy Service thine Attendance thy Table thy Conversation thy Entertainment and all thy Dealings and Demeanour whether they have not savoured of Pride and Vanity and let this be matter of Humiliation to thee Take a strict examen of thy Conscience every Evening For if Conscience condemn God doth much more Condemn And if Conscience acquit and justifie by the evidence of the Word and Spirit God doth Acquit and Justifie and we shall have confidence toward God What can more nearly concern us than daily to make a thorow and careful search of our own Consciences Shall Men be so careful to examine their Evidences by which they hold Lands and Annuities their Leases whereby they hold Farms and shall we be so careless as to let our Hearts and Conscienccs lie unexamined and unsearched I have read a Story of a certain King who after a long time of Bloody Wars which caused a great confusion in Men's outward Estates in a publick Assembly called upon his Subjects to shew their Evidences by which they held their Lands whereupon the Nobles being loth to have their Writings examined drew their Swords and said By these they held their Lands So there are many that cannot endure to search their Hearts and Consciences because they have no sound hope to find their Evidence good and clear to the Kingdom of Heaven Unless ye be justified by Faith in Christ your Consciences when they be indeed awakened and enlightned will condemn you Guilty in the sight of God and will condemn the best of your Actions as not wrought in God nor done in the Name of Christ not proceeding from the Love of God nor intended for his Glory Now ere ye can find your selves justified by Faith in Christ through the Gospel ye must find your Consciences condemning you for Sin and therefore daily yield them to be searched and convinced by the Word of God Take a review every Evening likewise of all the Gifts Graces Blessings Benefits God hath bestowed upon thee and consider after what sort thou hast employed them the Day past and examine whether all these things wherewith thou shouldst have done the more Service unto him who gave them thou hast not made Weapons and Instruments wherewith to offend him the more Examine how thou hast used thy Strength thy Health thy Riches thy Substance thy Life thy Understanding thy Memory thy Will thy Affections thy Sight thy Tongue thine Ears thy Hands and all the rest of thy Members and Faculties And then let the consideration of God's Benefits make thee to acknowledg him and his Goodness to love him As we are not to slight common Mercies yet extraordinary Mercies must be more specially and particularly observed by us SECT XXXVIII Of providing in the Evening for the Day to come IT is good Advice that one giveth that a Christian should begin from the Evening the purpose of good Works which he is to perform the next Day what points he ought to meditate upon what Vice he should resist what Vertue he should exercise what Affairs he is to take in hand to make all appear in its proper time with a well matured Providence It is the Thred of Ariadne which guideth our Actions in the great labyrinth of Time otherwise all runneth to Confusion Some commend the Evening as a fit time for Meditation viz. from the Sun-setting to the Twi-light It is said of Isaac that he went forth into the Field in the Evening to meditate and to pray The Original Word signifies both Duties It is conceived by some Interpreters that David penned the eighth Psalm in the Night occasioned by his meditation on the Works of God In the Evening consider that every Morning hath its Evening and the longest Day hath its Night So every Man's day of Life will have its night of Death The longest day of Life will have its night of Death Think upon that speech of our Saviour John 9.4 I must Work while it is Day for the Night cometh wherein no Man can Work There is no working out your Salvation when the night of Death is come If thou O Man hast spent the Day in vain delights and pleasures ask thy self in the Evening what satisfaction thou hast found in those Vanities which thou hast so eagerly pursued all the Day before and what comfort they now afford unto thee Ah! they are now gone and passed and they have left but a sad relish behind But if yet thou resolvest to tread the same paths of Sin and Destruction again be thou well assured that a Night will come which shall never have Morning When being covered with the shadow of Death thou shalt lie down in everlasting Sorrow Then wilt thou cry out in the anguish of thy Soul O what an unfortunate Wretch am I that had time and opportunity to gain that blessed State which Angels and Saints do enjoy in the Kingdom of Heaven and would not use the benefit thereof O how idly and wickedly hath the time of my Life passed away which shall never return again And now for a few momentany Pleasures on Earth I must suffer intollerable and everlasting Torments in Hell O unhappy Pleasures O cursed Change O unfortunate Hour and Moment wherein I thus blinded
from all these and the rather because ye know ye have but a few steps to your Grave Whosoever of us is appointed in the seeret Counsel of God to live longest here yet the Day is not long the night of Death is hastening upon us The longest Summer's Day is soon at an end and the longest Life upon Earth passeth away as a Tale that is told Let us then endeavour this short Life so that it may be lengthened out with everlasting Life and Blessedness God hath given us time to make our Peace with him and if that be neglected all is lost and we are undone for ever It is reported of Alexander the Great that when he marched against any City his manner was to set up a Lamp burning and made Proclamation That whosoever oame in and submitted whilst this Lamp was burning should find Favour and have his Life But whosoever staid till this Lamp was out he was but a dead Man and must expect no Mercy Know ye O Christians that God hath set up a Lamp and our life is this Lamp and God proclaims Whosoever comes in whilst this Lamp is burning shall find Mercy but if you stay till the Lamp is out till your life be consumed there is nothing but eternal Woe to be expected Now this Lamp of your lives may not only go out on the consumption of the Oyl but it may be put out by accidental means and if this Lamp be once out and your Work not done ye are lost and undone for ever Eccles 11.3 In the place where the Tree falleth there it lieth Which way thou fallest when thou diest that way thou shalt lie to Eternity if towards God then God is thine for ever if toward Sin the Misery and Destruction is thine for ever There can be no repenting nor believing after Death the Soul and Body being parted the whole Man is not capable of a Work of God upon it Index Rerum SECT 1. The Introduction to this Work Sect. 2. A Soliloquy at waking Sect. 3. Directions how to begin the Day Sect. 4. Meditations of the dawning of the Day and rising of the Day-star Sect. 5. Meditations at the breaking forth of the Light Sect. 6. Meditations of the springing of the Day or rising of the Sun shewing how the first and second Coming of Christ is compared to the Day-spring or Sun-rising in many Particulars Sect. 7. Meditations at a Man's rising out of his Bed in the Morning Sect. 8. Quickning Meditations for one that is sluggish and loth to rise out of his Bed in a morning Sect. 9. Meditations when you are putting on your Clothes and putting away your old Clothes Sect. 10. Meditations when you are about to dress your selves Sect. 11. Meditations when you are beholding your Face in a Glass dressing your selves by it Sect. 12. Of our Dedicating the Morning to God Sect. 13. Of retiring our selves in the morning to Pray and givâ— Thanks Sect. 14. Of Thanksgiving and for what we are more especially to be thankful Sect. 15. Of preparation to Prayer Sect. 16. Of reading the holy Scriptures Sect. 17. Of Meditation and the fittest Season for it Sect. 18. Of Petition Sect. 19. Of offering our selves to God every Morning Sect. 20. Of Contrition Sect. 21. Of Family-Worship Sect. 22. A Calling and Business of what Importance with divers directions concerning it Sect. 23. Considerations for the Nobility and Gentry and those that are in Preeminence above others in the Body Politique Sect. 24. Directions to a Master of a Family for the Government thereof for the choice of Servants and his Carriage towards them Sect. 25. Rules about Eating and Drinking Sect. 26. Of Recreations and how to use them Sect. 27. Of the Conversation of Parents and Elders Sect. 28. Of the Carriage of Children Servants and Inferiours Sect. 29. Sheweth how every one is every day to embrace all Opportunities of doing Good Sect. 30. Of the improvement of all Means Gifts and Abilities inward and outward and what they are Sect. 31. Of Holy Watchfulness against Temptations and divers Preservatives against them Sect. 32. Of Exercising our selves daily in the work of Mortification Sect. 33. Of daily growing in the Knowledg of Christ and in Grace Sect. 34. Rules about the Government of our Tongues Sect. 35. A Meditation on the Miseries of this Life Sect. 36. Of returning to Family-Worship in the Evening Sect. 37. Of ones taking a review in the Evening of the Actions and Mercies of the day past Sect. 38. Of providing in the Evening for the day following Sect. 39. A Meditation in putting off your Clothes to go to Bed Sect. 40. A Meditation when you lie down in your Bed at Night Sect. 41. A Meditation when you compose your selves to sleep THE Sacred Diary SECT I. The Introduction to this Work IT is good for Man to draw near to God as the Psalmist saith concerning himself Psal 73. ult This Gloss put upon any thing commends it unto Man for naturally since the Fall there is so much left in Man that he hath an inclination to that which is good but when he cometh to particulars here is the Mistake he seeks Light in the way of Darkness and Happiness in the way of Misery and Life in the way of Death being hurried the contrary way by the violence of his impetuous Lusts But yet there is a natural tendency in all Men to that which is good as some of the Heathen have observed from the Principles of Nature there remaining this general Foundation of Religion in all Men. Good hath a magnetick Force and is of a drawing Nature and answerable to the Discovery of Good or Evil in the Understanding there is an Embracing or Aversation in the Will of Man which is that part in the Soul of the Man that cleaveth unto Good discovered It is good to draw near to God who is summum Bonum the chiefest Good The Goodness of a thing is the Reason why we desire it It is the Philosophers Definition of Good That is Good which all things do desire Bonum est quod omnia appetunt Now then what is more desiâ—â—ble is more excelling in Goodness and what is chiefly desirable is the chiefest Good All Creatures do naturally desire their chief Good their Happiness their Perfection And it is the Happiness of Man to draw near to God his Creator The Mind of a Christian may sometimes slip from God and for a time be taken up with other things but it cannot long be kept from him because God is its Center and it is as natural for a Spiritual Mind to move towards God as for a Needle touched with the Loadstone to point towards the North Pole I have set the Lord always before me saith David Psal 16.8 Where God hath no place in our Minds we have no Interest in him A pious and devout Man must be continually with God If the hungry Man cannot forget to eat nor the thirsty Man to drink
Condition of those that want the Means of Knowledge is plainly expressed by the Apostle Eph. 4.17 18. where he sheweth that the Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their minds having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart Where you may consider that they are so far from having such knowledge as doth guide them unto Life and Salvation that they are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them 1 Cor. 1.21 It is said that the World by wisdom knew not God They had a kind of Wisdom wherein many of them excelled whereby they knew many Secrets of Nature many Affairs of State and Government c. But all their Wisdom for want of the Word did not teach them the right Knowledg of God in a saving way Consider also that as the Heathens that wanted the Word so the Unregenerate that live under the Ministery of the Word do remain in darkness the Day doth not dawn unto them nor doth the Day-Star arise in their Hearts or elss if the Day do dawn in their Brains it is dark Night in their Hearts if they do get some knowledg of the Gospel and Mysteries of Salvation yet this Light doth not pierce so as to win them to the Love of that Truth and Light which appeareth unto them and to subject their Hearts unto the Power of it Now in the Regenerate the Gospel being revealed to them by the Spirit is as the dawning of the Day and the rising of the Day-Star in their Hearts in comparison of that Night of Blindness which was in themselves before Regeneration and is yet in others that are unregenerate for first the Day dawns in their Understandings and then the Day-Star ariseth in their Hearts then the Night begins to wear away and the Day breaks and dawns upon them then they begin to see what they could not see before and to see that far more clearly and effectually which they saw in some imperfect measure before Now the Spirit having caused the Day to dawn in their Understandings he proceedeth also to enlighten the lower Region and to cause the Day-Star to arise in their Hearts as in the Night time when the Sun is on the other side of the Earth it shineth brightly and enlightneth the Stars as we see yet the Body of the Earth being between the Sun and us maketh it dark here below so when the Spirit enlightens the Understanding of an unregenerate Man with the knowledge of the Gospel even at the same time there is a Body of Death in his heart and a Mass of sinful Corruptions which casts a Shadow and keeps the Heart and Affections in miserable darkness Now as every Coruption is a degree of Darkness so every Grace is a Beam of heavenly Light for God is Light and every Grace is a Part of the Image and Likeness of God and so is Lumen de Lumine Light issuing from the Fountain of Light Consider what St. Paul saith to the faithful Ephesians Ephes 3.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness but now ye are Light in the Lord their present Condition Ye were Darkness dark all over dark Understandings dark Judgments dark Hearts and Affections they had a dark Vail of natural Blindness upon their Judgments a dark Cloud of worldly and fleshly Lusts and Corruptions upon their Hearts but now they are Light in the Lord lightfom Understandings and lightsom Hearts and Affections SECT V. At the Breaking forth of the Light COnsider with thy self that there is a fourfold Light spoken of in Scripture and that God is called Pater Luminum the Father of Lights James 1.17 1. There is Lux materialis a material Light that which God created in the beginning and of which he made the Sun and Moon to be as Fountains and Vessels that with the Beams proceeding from them the World might be illuminated Consider how God was the Father of this in the first place Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light He commanded Light to shine out of Darkness saith the Apostle And it is said Gen. 1.15 He set two Lights in the Firmament of Heaven a greater Light to rule the Day and a lesser Light to rule the Night 2. There is Lux naturalis that which we commonly call the Light of Nature and it is that same knowledg and Conscience that was at first planted in the Mind of Man by which he was made able to distinguish between Good and Evil. Of this also God is the Father it is he that hath created in us Understanding to discern and Conscience to bear witness of Good and Evil. 3. There is Lux supernaturalis or spiritualis that which we commonly call the Light of Grace and from this there arise two Beams 1. That which shines into our Hearts to dispel the darkness of Sin in us of which I have spoken before It is in this sence that the Children of God are called the Children of Light and the holy Conversation that they lead is said to be a walking in the Light Now of this also God is the Father it is he that by his Spirit enlightens our Hearts with Grace as I spake before 2. There is a Light that shineth in our hearts to chear us with the assurance of God's Love and Favour Light is sown to the Righteous and joy to the upright in Heart Psal 27.11 Light and Joy are sown together in the same Furrow Of this also God is the Father it is he only that can make us to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness So David prayeth Lord do thou lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me The light of his Countenance is the light of his Favour where the light of his Favour shineth no clouds of Affliction can darken our Joy it will make our Hearts merrier than Corn and Wine 4. There is Lux immortalis or Coelestis we may call it the Light of Glory It is that same Light which God dwells in the Light inaccessible the Light that none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 Yet that Light that God's Children shall one day dwell in also Light we may call it for it is where Darkness never made his Pavilion a Light more glorious than the Sun or Moon For it is where though no Sun shall be yet where no Night shall be The Glory of God lightens that place and the Lamb is the Light of it Rev. 21.23 Now of this Light likewise God is the Father He that Inhabits it he Created it and he hath prepared it to be an Habitation for his Saints that as many as shall be Citizens of the New Jerusalem may rest under the Glory of it The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day saith the Prophet nor for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee the everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Isa
the greatest things in the World How shall this Day set forth all secrets in the clear Light How shall all Sins not washt away by true Repentance be set before the eye of the World How then shall the Righteousness of the Upright be brought forth after it hath been many years hidden by Slanders and false Accusations How shall all their works of Faith all their labours of Love and all the fruits of the Spirit be laid open and manifested There are no false lights that can have any place at that Day to make bad Wares seem better every thing shall then appear as it is O my Soul how shouldst thou labour in thy most secret places and in thy most secret thoughts to bear in mind the light of that great Day when Christ shall appear as a Day-spring unto the World Will these thoughts which I cherish in my Heart these Affections these Words these Deeds be able to abide the great light of that Day when Christ shall come Are they such as may be presented with boldness before the Face of Christ and offered to the view of the holiest Angels and Saints in Heaven and be brought to the open Light when the Son of Righteousness shall shine in his Strength 3. Consider That Christ's second coming shall be in Power and great Glory Matth. 24.30 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thess 4.16 He shall sit on the right Hand of Power and come in the Clouds of Heaven Mat. 26.63 He shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels Mat. 16.27 The glory of the Sun Moon and Stars when they shine most gloriously is nothing to this Glory of Christ which at that Day he shall shew forth to the World O my Soul labour now to behold his Beauty and Glory in the Spirit by Faith and by that glimpse raise thy thoughts to consider of that height and brightness of Glory wherein Christ shall shew himself at that Day and how thine Eye and thy Soul shall be filled with a most sweet delight in his perfect Beauty and Glory Could our Hearts be throughly taken up with Christ's Glory at that great Day it would be a means to mortifie our fond desires towards these things wherewith our fleshly Eyes or Hearts are apt to be ensnared It would greatly support us under Afflictions What should not I suffer with patience who look to see the Beauty and Glory of Christ at the last Day Yea to see the glorious Face of Christ turned to me in love might I not pass through Troubles Prisons Famine Nakedness Banishment Fire Sword any thing in hope to behold the Beauty and Glory of Christ and to enjoy the light of his Countenance for ever when he shall come as a Day-spring from on High 4. Consider how Christ at his second coming shall most sweetly refresh all those which â—â—roughout the World belong unto him he shall give them everlasting rest from all their Labours which here they have undergone everlasting peace from all Cares and Conflicts with the World the Flesh and the Devil freedom from all Troubles deliverance from all Persecutions when many millions of Souls shall throng about him and appear in his sight being such as have believed him and cleaved to him in sincerity Some of them having been sawn asunder burnt to ashes some slain with the Sword some kept in Bonds and Irons some mocked some scourged some driven out of House and Home and spoiled of their Goods tossed to and fro persecuted from City to City some destitute afflicted tormented for his Name-sake he shall sweetly ease and refresh them as a Day-spring when they shall appear before him And for those of his Saints that have been burdened with much Sickness painful Diseases with Poverty and outward Wants not having whereon to lay their Heads nor wherewith to fill their Bellies to them shall he give to drink of the full River of his Pleasures yea he himself shall be their Refreshment and they shall so fully enjoy him that they shall need nothing which may make them truly and perfectly happy 5. Consider That Christ as a Day-spring at his second coming shall Cure all the Sicknesses both of the Souls and Bodies of his He shall deliver the very brute Creatures from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God for the Creature it self was made subject unto Vanity c. Ver. 21. The Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain until now Where you see that the whole World is sick and diseased by reason of the Sin of Man it is pained and groaneth as a Woman in Travel longing for the time of Deliverance and that is the time of Christ's coming when this Day-spring shall appear from on high An universal Corruption and as it were Contagion hath overspread and seized upon the whole body of Nature and all the Limbs the whole World and all its parts and all the Creatures in it and that by reason of the Sin of Man Now Christ's coming shall refine all the Creation and shall set up a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness The Beasts Birds Fishes the Corn the Fruit of the Vine c. shall no longer be abused to Gluttony Drunkenness and Epicurism and to be as Fuel to cherish the flame of unclean Lusts The wedg of Gold or bag of Silver shall no longer be defiled so as to be made an Idol to the dishonour of its Maker to carry away the Heart from him Other Metals and Minerals shall be no longer defiled so as to be turned into Instruments of Death and Cruelty and to be stained with Innocent Blood Other Creatures shall not be abused so as to set forth the Pride of Vain Men and Women Christ shall heal the Sickness and Corruptions of the World and free it from the bondage of Corruption his coming shall heal the World much more shall it heal all the Infirmities of his Members At the last Day the Lord at his coming will heal the Sick and Diseased give sight to the Blind strength to the Lame and Weak hearing to the Deaf beauty to the Deformed yea he shall cure them of Death and Mortality it self Death shall no more hang about them nor have to do with them Much more shall his second coming bring perfect and perpetual health to their Souls Sin shall then be fully Cured and the Soul shall be made altogether sound and no Sin shall pain the Soul with the remembrance of it nor afflict it with fear of Punishment And sence of Guiltiness shall be taken away as if Man had continued as holy as the Angels and had always kept his first Estate 6. Consider That
thee out of the Grave in the morning of the Resurrection from the sleep and bed of death as he hath awakened thee in thy Bed and raised thee up in health and safety this Morning When the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God the sound of this Trumpet shall be heard over all parts of the World and with this Trumpet shall he summon all Nations to come to the general Judgement This is that fearful Voice whereof Saint Hierom speaketh saying Whether I eat or drink or whatsoever I do I seem always to hear that Voice sounding in mine Ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment Oh! Who shall appeal from this Summons Who shall be able to avoid this Judgment Whose Heart shall not quake and tremble at the sound of this terrible Voice This Voice shall take from death all her Spoils and cause her to restore again all that she hath taken from the World The Sea shall give up the Dead which are in it and Death and Hell deliver up the Dead which are in them Rev. 20.13 Think with thy self O Christian when thou art rising out of thy Bed what a wonderful sight that shall be to see the Sea and the Earth bring forth in all parts such variety of Bodies and to behold so many huge Armies rising out of their Beds of death and darkness and so many sorts of diversities of Nations and People gathered and assembled together To see the most mighty Princes and most puissant Potentates of the Earth raised out of their Tombs and appearing with another manner of habit and behaviour and with other kind of thoughts much differing from those that they had in this Life Think then with thy self that all the Children of Adam shall meet together every one to give up an account of his own Life and to be judged according to his Works yet shall there be a great difference between the Just and the Unjust at the day of Resurrection Some shall rise to everlasting Life and Glory and some to Shame and everlasting Contempt Dan. 12.2 Consider what a joyful meeting there will be of the Souls and Bodies of the Just at the general Resurrection With what joy shall the Soul then embrace the Body And as it were say thus unto it O my Body and faithful Companion that hast holden me in obtaining this glorious Crown that hast so often Fasted Watched and Prayed that hast suffered with me the necessities of Poverty the cross of Afflictions the reproaches and contradictions of reviling Tongues How often hast thou stript thy self of thine own Raiment to cloth the Naked How often hast thou denied thy self renounced thine own right and title being unwilling to break Peace and be at Variance with thy Neighbour Wherefore it is meet that thou shouldst now be partaker with me of this my Glory as thou hast been my companion in all my Labours and Sufferings Think also with thy self of the grievous and woful meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked at the day of their Resurrection The Soul of such an one shall then say to his vile Body O cursed Body the cause of my woe and misery Now I take thee no more for my Companion but mine Enemy Now art thou no more my Helper but my Persecutor O cursed Taste how dearly now do I pay for thy delicates and delights O stinking Flesh how have I by yielding to thy Lusts and Pleasures plunged my self into these endless Torments Is this the Body that scarce must touch the Ground that would not endure the Wind to blow upon it that Body which I spent so much time in Dressing and Adorning it Is this the Flesh which I so often glutted and pampered Were these the delights of this Body for which I cast away my self Was it for this stinking Dung-hill that I have lost for ever the Kingdom of Heaven O ye infernal Furies rise up now against me and tear me in pieces Cursed be the day of my unfortunate Birth seeing for a few short Pleasures I must suffer everlasting Torments These and other more desperate words thou mayst think Christian Reader shall the miserable Soul speak unto that Body which she loved so exceedingly in this Transitory Life I will set down the words of a Devout Man in this kind Tell me O miserable Soul why dost thou now so much abhor that thing which heretofore thou lovedst so well Is not this Flesh thy dearly beloved Is not this thy Belly which thou madest thy God Is not this the Face which thou didst keep so charily from Wind and Sun Is not this the Visage which thou didst paint with so many Artificial Colours Are not these the Arms and Fingers which glistered with Rings of Gold Bracelets and Diamonds Is not this the Body for whose sake search was made both by Sea and Land to furnish a Table for it with all dilicate and dainty Dishes To have a soft and stately Bed to procure curious and sumptuous Garments Who hath now so changed thine Affections who hath now made thy Body to appear so horrible and deformed which before seemed so amiable and beautiful Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no power Rev. 20.6 SECT IX When thou art sluggish and loth to rise out of thy Bed in the Morning THink then with thy self O Christian that thou hearest the Voice of Christ calling to thee as sometimes to his Spoufe Cant. 2.10 Rise up my Love my fair One and come away Consider what Saint Paul saith to the Romans Rom. 13.11 It is high time to awake out of sleep Awake unto Righteousness and sin not 1 Cor. 15.34 It is not enough that ye affect Righteousness and to have the Heart bent toward it in some sort but you must awake to it as Mens Spirits are fresh and renewed and made more quick and active when they awake out of sleep awaken and quicken your Souls to Righteousness and Holiness as if you were to begin the work again that so your Spirits may be fresh and your Hearts active and lively in the Service of God See how David stirreth up himself Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early Awake Psaltery and Harp Doth David speak to these dead Instruments Doth he not rather speak to his own Affections that they might be awakned and quickned to make Melody to the Lord in his Heart whilst he played with his Hand upon the Psaltery and Harp He knew the Harp though never so well tuned and managed would make but dull and flat Musick in the Ears of the Living God if the Heart were not tuned and the Affections stirred up and quickned Raise up thy Heart to God and the love of the World will little prevail with it the more able shalt thou be to discern the excellency of Heavenly Things This is a special Help against Temptation
So Elihu saith That he was careful to do Thus he speaks to Job and his three Friends Behold I waited for your Words I gave ear to your Reasons whilst you searched out what to say c. Job 32.11 Indeed that is the way to get Wisdom to hear much and speak little He that hears much shall learn much he that talks much shall learn little If you desire to speak much Seneca saith you should do it by a Soliloquy Minimum cum aliis loqui plurimum vobiscum Speak little to others most to your selves It is the same the Apostle teacheth us We should be swift to hear slow to speak James 1.19 Yea we should be twice as swift to hear as to speak because Nature hath given us but one Organ to speak with two to hear with SECT XXXV A Meditation on the Miseries of this Life IT is good for a Christian every Day to Meditate seriously on the Miseries of this Life And here 1. Consider of the shortness of it Job saith Man's days are determined the number of his Months are with God and that he hath appointed his Bounds that he cannot pass Job 14.5 The days of our Years are threescore and ten And if by reason of Strength they be fourscore Years yet is their strength Labour and Sorrow for it is soon cut off and we flie away And hereof you cannot well reckon the time of your Infancy for any part of your Life for in that Age there is nothing either learnt or done that may well beseem the Dignity of a Man And as touching the time that is spent in Sleep I see not how that can well be called the time of Life seeing the principal part of our Life is to have the use of our Senses and Reason which then are as it were suspended in us and dead Therefore a Philosopher said that in the half of Man's Life there is no difference between the happy Man and unhappy for as much as during the time of Sleep all Men are equal because they then be as if they were dead For this cause a certain Poet termeth Sleep the Cousin-germane of Death And another called it the Brother of Death yea Death's Elder Brother For there is a near resemblance between the one and the other Multitudes of People do sleep the third part of the Day and Night which is eight whole Hours and some more whence it followeth that a third part of our Lives is consumed in sleep and so consequently that during that time we do not live That Philosopher had good reason to do as he did who being demanded what he thought of the Life of Man turn'd himself about before them that made the Demand and suddenly departed out of their sight giving them thereby to understand that our Life is very short and but as it were a turn-about And in a very short time after a Man's Death the very remembrance of him perisheth Some of the Ancients call Man's Life a Dream yea the dream of a Shadow But compare this small remnant of Life we live here with the Life to come and how little will it appear What is this Momentany Life compared with Life Everlasting but as it were a drop of Water compared with the whole Ocean If a thousand Years in the sight of God be no more but as it were Yesterday which is now past and gone what shall the Life of seventy or eighty Years seem to be but only a very nothing compared to Eternity Christian Reader Think then with thy self every Day what greater Folly and Madness can be imagined than that Men and Women for the enjoying of this short dream of such vain Delights and Pleasures should plunge themselves into everlasting Torments and what sottishness hath possessed Men that they should take so much Labour and Pains to provide so many things for so short a Life and not to make any provision at all for their Souls which shall live for ever II. Meditate also of the uncertainty of your Life As our Life is very short so it is also uncertain Eccles 9.12 Man knoweth not his time As the Fishes that are taken in an evil Net and as the Birds that are caught in the Snare so are the Sons of Men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them How often are Men surprized with sudden Changes as Birds in a Snare and Fishes in a Net Watch ye therefore and be always in readiness because ye know not the Hour when the Son of Man cometh because ye know not the Year be therefore always in readiness every Year And because ye know not the Month watch every Month and because ye know not the Hour watch every Hour I will give you a Comparison brought to my Hand by a Devout Man Suppose there were set before thee upon a Table thirty or 40 several Dishes of Meat and thou wert told by a special Friend that there was Poyson in one of them thou wouldest scarce adventure to eat of any one of them although thou wert much an hungred for fear peradventure lest thou shouldst light upon the Dish that was Poysoned Now perhaps thou mayst think that thou shalt live thirty or forty Years Well then If it be certain that in one of these Years thou shalt die and thou knowest not in which of them why art thou not then afraid in every one of them and dost not every Year yea every Day make preparation for Death Why do Souldiers keep a continual Watch in the Castle that standeth in the Frontiers upon an Enemies Country Is it for any other cause but only for that they know not when the Enemies will come to Assault it Surely for none other Oh then seeing you know not at what hour Death will assault you you had always need to be Watchful thy Soul is of greater value than all the Castles and Kingdoms of the World and thou hast greater Enemies that do endeavour Day and Night continually to assault it and thou art altogether ignorant of the Day and Hour of thine Assault and the whole matter of the Salvation or Damnation of thy Soul consisteth in this Point whether thou be taken provided or unprovided in that dreadful Hour III. Consider the frailty and brittleness of Man's Life no Glass is so subject to knocks and breaking as the Life of Man Some lose their Life by the vehement heat of the Sun the Eyes of some are able to bereave others of their Life Some die by drinking a draught of cold Drink in a Sweat or by Surfeiting at a Supper Some die of excessive Pleasure or Grief Some seem to go well to Bed and there are found dead in the Morning We may not wonder how soon Men end their Lives as how they endure so long the Workmanship of their Bodies being so tender and the Matter and Stuff whereof they be compounded so frail and weak God bids the Prophet cry All flesh is Grass and all the glory thereof
like the Flower of the Field The Grass withereth the Flower fadeth c. What is the Grass but the Earth's Summer Garment which is put off before Winter cometh To Day thou mayst see a young Gallant in the flower of his Age strong and lively jetting up and down in rich Attire and with a lofty Countenance and to Morrow a violent Disease surprizing may strangely disfigure and alter him Some are sore broken with Adversities others are pinched with Penury and Poverty Some are distempered with delicate Meats and sweet Wines others are debilitated with Age. Some mar their Complexions with Artificial Paintings and Riotous Behaviour so that their Flesh withereth like Grass and the Flower thereof fadeth away May ye not to Day see some descended of Noble Parentage of a very Ancient House and Family well Friended and keeping a great House attended with a great Train of Tenants and Servants and Commanding the whole Country where they live and within a few Days after ye may see the same Men forsaken of all their Friends despised by their Equals and little reguarded of all the World utterly disgraced and thrust into that Prison where perhaps they not long before had Imprisoned others and there to end their wretched and miserable Life O sinful Man thou that drinkest down Iniquity like Water that wallowest daily in sinful Delights and Pleasures dost thou not plainly see that whensoever the Thred of this frail and short Life of thine breaketh in sunder that if thou continuest still in this thy wicked Course thou shalt fall into the bottomless Pit of Destruction How then canst thou Sing Laugh Play or Sleep and take any Rest How is it that thou art so senseless of thy Peril and Danger who art ready every moment to drop into the Pit of Hell IV. Meditate on the variableness of this Life The Camelion changeth himself often into divers colours and the Moon into divers shapes But who is able to reckon up the alterations that are in Man Now he smiles anon he frowns now he is pleased but by and by displeased now he is merry anon he is sad and pensive now he is well by and by he is sick sometimes contented sometimes discontented sometimes full of Hope sometimes in Dispair sometimes pleased sometimes angry That which is past is irksome to him that which is present is troublesome and that which is to come disquiets him He is careful in getting Goods fearful of losing and sorrowful in parting with them And how doth Man's Life continually move and waste away for every minute he is going a step further towards his Death Job saith that his Days were swifter than a Post Job 9.25 He that rides Post though his Message require never so much haste yet sometimes necessity causeth him to stay but our Life never stayeth one moment St. Hierom saith Whatsoever I take in Hand whatsoever I write whatsoever I reade over again and correct each thing takes from me some part of my Life And look how many points and minims the Notary writeth so many are the losses and decreasings of my Life Insomuch that like as they that sail in a Ship whether they stand or sit are always going and sailing and do ever approach nearer to the end of their Navigation Even so all the time that we live here we walk and pass on forward still approaching nearer and nearer to Death the common Haven at which we must all Arrive V. Meditate on the Treacherousness of this Life it is full of Deceit and Guile O Man dost thou perceive saith the forementioned Father when thou wast made an Infant Canst thou tell when thou wast made a Stripling Or when thou camest to Man's Estate Or when thou didst begin to be Old We Die every day we are in Deaths often and yet vain Man would perswade himself he shall Live for ever This made the Megarenses raise such stately and sumptuous Buildings of whom a certain Philosopher saith That they builded as though they should live for ever and they lived as though they should die the next day Wherefore do Men labour so much in gathering Riches and in purchasing of Lands and make so little preparation for Death is it not because that they do perswade themselves that their Life shall long endure This false Conceit makes them believe that they shall have time enough for all things That they shall have time for their Pleasures Lusts Vanities and Worldly Businesses and that after all this they shall have time enough also before they Die to make their Account ready and to make their Atonement with God This vain perswasion is not grounded upon any Reason or true Foundation but only upon Self-love which as it naturally hateth the thoughts of Death so will it not believe that it will come soon to his House as to another Man's most Men are loth to believe a thing that may be an occasion of so great Pain and Grief unto them as the same would be VI. Meditate on the manifold Miseries of this Life So many are the Calamities and Miseries of Man's Body and Mind as that it deserves rather the name of Death than Life Were your Eyes opened to see your own case you would always lament and bewail your Estate as Men condemned by God Almighty to endure such Miseries Consider first the External Miseries of the Body Who is able to count them What pains and toil do Men take to get Food whereby to sustain their Lives either by the sweat of their Brows or the sweat of their Brains The Beasts of the Earth and Birds of the Air are fed without any Labour or Pain But Man is constrained to labour Day and Night and to turmoil by Sea and Land to get his Living And as the Spider laboureth Day and Night in spinning her Web wasting even her own Bowels and consuming her self to bring it to an end which serves only for a Net to catch Flies in even so all Man's Travel serves to no other end but only to catch Flies to procure Trifles and things of little Value Who is able to reckon up the infinite diversities of Diseases to which the Body of Man is subject Physicians in their Books write of abundance of Diseases and Remedies for the same and yet their Science is enlarged every Day by the eruption of new and strange Diseases which the Physicians of old were altogether ignorant of And even those Complexions that have been free from these Miseries yet are they not exempt from other Calamities and Mischances How many thousand Men hath the Sea swallowed up How many hath the Sword devoured How many hath the Fire consumed How many have been killed by the falling down of Houses Walls Towers How many with the strokes and stings of Venemous Beasts How many Women die in Travel of their Children and dearly purchase their Childrens Lives with their own painful Deaths The very brute Beasts that were made to serve us do rebel against us
asleep to keep his Sheep from the Wolf God is the Keeper of his Flock he is always vigilant to defend them Behold He that is the Keeper of Israel shall never slumber nor sleep the Lord is thy Keeper Psal 121.4 5. St. Peter feared not to sleep in Prison Acts 12.6 Mr. Rogers our Proto-Martyr in Queen Maries dayes could scarce be waked when the Keeper came to warn him to prepare for the Fire having been condemned to be Burnt alive When the Lord undertakes our Protection we may sleep as our Saviour did in the midst of a Storm and Tempest As a good Nights rest is the Gift of God so it deserves daily acknowledgments by us SECT XLI When you compose your selves to Sleep HAving Prayed immediately before you go to Rest offer your Rest it self to God in this or the like manner My God! I desire as often as I shall draw breath this Night so often all my Respirations may praise thee Drexel de rect intent lib. 2. Drexelius adviseth a Christian to suppose that he heareth Christ speaking to him in these words When any one will repose himself to Sleep let him meditate somewhat of Me or confer with Me For so although he sleep in Body yet he shall watch in Mind unto Me Yea let every one which is ready to close his Eyes desire that I would receive every breath which he shall fetch that Night as it were to my exceeding Praise and I who cannot be wanting to the holy Wishes of a pious and loving Soul will fulfil his desires in Truth It is of great advantage to a Christian to reduce all things in this manner to the Honour of God and there is no moment of time but we might be on the getting hand It is good to empty your selves before you sleep of all that troubles you It was Pythagoras his rule to his Scholar Non te prius somno tradideris quam diurna opera ter mente revolveris Betake not thy self to sleep till thou hast in thy Mind gone thrice over the works of the Day The sleep of a Godly Man is sweet but the sleep of many wicked Men is very troublesome Richard the Third King of England after the murder of his two Nephews had fearful Dreams and would leap off of his Bed and take his Sword in his hand as if he had been seeking an Enemy And Charles IX King of France after the French Massacre was laid to sleep every Night and wakened by Musicians But good Men sometimes through Grief and Pain may find little ease or refreshing from their Beds Thus Job amplifies his Sorrows instancing in those ordinary Ways which give sick and distempered Bodies some abatement or intermission of their Pain lying down upon their Bed or Couch When I say my Bed shall comfort me Job 7.13 14. my Couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarest me with Dreams and terrifiest me with Visions As if he had said Whilst I was all Day conflicting with my Sorrows I yet had some hope to find comfort at Night that I should find rest on my Bed Or whilst in the Day my Spirit is overwhelmed within me I think sometimes to deceive my Pains a little by taking a Nap on my Couch Consider here That the most probable and proper Means are unable of themselves to minister any Ease or Comfort to us A Man may go to his Bed and lie down upon his Couch in vain unless God command a Bed to comfort us it shall yield us no Comfort and unless he say to a Couch Ease such a Man's Complaint it shall not do it But if God will say to an hard Stone give such a Man rest he shall rest and sleep sweetly upon it as Jacob did when he journeyed from Beer-sheba towards Haran making Stones his Pillows in the place where he lay down to sleep Gen. 28.11 12 13 14. there dreaming of a Ladder set upon the Earth the top whereof reached to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it and the Lord standing above it promising to give the Land whereon he lay to him and his Seed and to multiply his Seed exceedingly and that in his Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed How often doth God scare some Men with Dreams and terrifie them with Visions as Job speaks concerning himself Sometimes Satan causeth sinful and filthy Dreams August Confess lib. 10. cap. 30. as St. Augustine bewails in the tenth Book of his Confessions Sometimes treacherous and deluding Dreams Some conceive that the Dream of Pilat's Wife Mat. 27.19 was from the Devil because Satan would thereby have hindred the work of Man's Redemption She comes to Pilat and desires him to have nothing to do with that Just Man For saith she I have suffered many things this Night in a Dream because of him As our waking times are in God's Hand so our sleeping times Sometimes God makes sleep an Affliction to us Job's Dreams were Terrifying and Scaring to him Some Dreams are for Warning and Admonition The Lord warned Joseph in a Dream the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a Dream whilst he thought on those things and gave him Counsel what to do Mat. 1.20 Holy Meditations even upon our Beds do many times meet with the Lord's Messages The Angels are at God's Service to assist his Saints as here of Joseph he helps him out of his perplexed Thoughts He was contriving how to please God in that Business of so great Importance and God sends an Angel to assist him No time is unseasonable for God to help his Children No time but he watcheth over them When they are sleeping when they think neither harm nor good then doth the Lord watch over them for good God can give us better direction sleeping than we can find out waking Many a one hath tasted more of Heaven in a Night-dream than in many Days attendance on holy Ordinances Yet this is no Pillow for Laziness If we do our best while we are waking God will relieve us sleeping Let us go to God and not distract our selves nor be careless Joseph thought what to do yet his thoughts were not so distracting as to break his sleep God helps him sleeping God will have us be doing and yet it may be he will do his own Work without us Let every Christian labour to be well employed in the Day-time for as Aristotle speaks it is possible that our Fancy in the Night may hold some conformity with the Days employment Fâ—â— Four Mind in the Day-time be intent upon good Employment and well fixed thereon our sleep may relish of the same Employment also and our Fancy may make return of something whereof we so fastened on in the Day as well as it will do in other Vanities The Wise Man saith In the multitude of Dreams and many Words there are also divers Vanities but fear thou God Eccles 5.7 If thou fearest God thou needest not fear thy Fancy nor thy Dreams I shall Conclude with the Advice of Chrysostom Chryfost in Gen. Serm. 6. Close thine Eyes with the thoughts of God and his Goodness and thou shalt have sweet Dreams thy Fancy shall not be troubled FINIS Some Books lately Printed for and Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard FOLIO JOsephus's History of the Jews with Cuts Bishop Vsher's Body of Divinity with his Life and an Alphabetical Table the seventh Edirion Parthanissa a Romance In QUARTO Dr. Dillingham's Sermon at the Lady Alstons Funeral Dr. Bate's Harmony of the Divine Attributes Dr. Jacomb on the 8th of the Romans Dr. Tuckney 40 Sermons on several Occasions His Praelectiones Determinationes Lat. now in the Press Mr. Haworth's several Pieces against the Quakers In OCTAVO Mr. Tho. Gale his Philosophy Anatomy of Infidelity Mr. Baxter more Proofs for Infant-Baptism His Treatise of Justification Mr. Whiston his 4 Books in Defence of Infant-Baptism Mr. Wills his 3 Books in Defence of Infant-Baptism against Mr. Danvers A Contest for Christianity or A Account of two great Disputes between the Anabaptists and the Quakers Mr. Barret The Christian Temper or A Discourse on the Nature and Properties of the Graees of Sanctification Mr. Shelton's Discourse of Superstition with respect to the present Times A Catechism according to the Doctrine of the Church of England with Scripture Proofs at large together with Directions for plain Christians to pray on most occasions and to receive the Lord's Supper by the use and knowledg of the said Catechism A Catechism or the Church-Catechism inlarged and the Doctrine proved by Scripture for the use of such as were not Baptized in their Infancy or had no God-Fathers and God-Mothers Mr. Ranew on Divine Meditation In TWELVES Mr. Pearse's Great Concern or Directions for a timely preparation for Death recommended as proper to be given at Funerals The best Match or the Souls espousal to Christ Mr. Case his Treatise of Afflictions useful for these Times Mr. Hook's Doubting Christian drawn to Christ The Barren Fig-Tree or the Fruitless Professors Doom By John Bunyon The Epitome of the Bible briefly explaining the Contents of the Old and New Testament penned in Metre for better remembrance useful for Children