days in the Kalender of their lives for Festivals and make them all Play-days as if there were never a working day among them that are as busie and tedious in dressing their worm-eaten bodies as Children in dressing Babies and are more troubled at the smallest disorder in their hairs then the greatest disorder in Church and State would give up all and much more if they had it for a little time Then the Nobles and Kings and Emperours of the world will disesteem their honours and height and trample upon their Robes and Scepters and â—rowns for a little time Then they who dally with their days of grace and delay the preparation of their souls for death and judgement as if time were at their command and they could force it to attend their leasure that live as if Death were their servant and must wait on them till they thought fit to come to their graves will find that time was time indeed O my soul of what worth will time be at that day and wilt thou waâ—te it at this day Alas how little is that time which thou hast to improve for thine unchangeable estate My life is but a shadow that is gone when the Sun hides his head A Bubble that vanisheth when a small breath of wind appeareth A day that is soon overtaken by a night a span nothing Thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth mine age is nothing unto thee Wert thou able to secure a long life though thou hâ—sâ— work enough of infinite weight to imploy it all yet thou mightest have more colour of reason for being lavish but when thy time is little and thy business of such consequence what unspeakable madness is it to be wasteful of it He that hath thousands of acres of Land will spare some for a Park some for a bowling-green some for a court-yard some for pleasure and pastimes but he that hath but a little land upon which himself and his family must live and by which they must be maintained can spare none at all for vain pleasures but must improve all to real profit Man that is born of a woman is but of few days He comes up as a Flower fleeth as a shadow and continueth not and wilt thou O my soul revel and riot away this poor pittance in which thou shouldst work out thy salvation O that I could value this jewel in some measure answerable to its worth and do the work of the day in the day allotted me for work Time rightly husbanded is acceptable time a day well imployed is a day of salvation Lord though my journey be great my time is little Nay how much of that little time have I lost A considerable part of it hath been taken up with my Infancy and Child-hood wherein I did little above a Beast My youth hath been squandred away in trifles and vanity and too much of it in lust and iniquity Much of what remains if thou shouldst add a few more days to my life must be spent in eating and drinking and sleeping and necessary natural actions and shall I not redeem it to my power for the service of my Saviour O affect my soul throughly how Eternity rides upon the back of time that I may prize time highly redeem it carefully and improve it so faithfully that eternity may be my friend and when time shall have an end I may enjoy that joy which hath no end I Wish that I may every day so cast up my accounts that I maybe always ready for the great audit-Audit-day Wise Stewards do not write down great sums in gross which they have disbursed for their Lords at several times but set down the particulars whereby they are prepared for a general reckonning and enabled to justifie their accounts My trust is more weighty then of any Princes Steward on earth my Master will be more exact then the severest humane Lord and am I not then concerned so to number my days as to reckon every day what I receiâ—e from my Lord what I disburse for my Lord and at the foot of every day to write the total sum How foolish is he that rejects his books till his bookâ— reject him 〈◊〉 is it not better for me to look over the book of my conscience and observe what blots and errors are there whilst I have licence and liberty to correct them then to neglect them till those eyes which are purer then to behold iniquity come to look it over and leave be denyed of ever amending what he finds amiss O my soul this evening now I am writing this page I must send to thee Amaziah's challenge of Joash Come let us see one another in the face Why should we that are so near together be such strangers to each other I must ask thee as Elisha did Gehezi Whence comest thou Where hast thou been What hast thou done this day for God and thy self Hast thou lived or onely been in the world this day Doth thy soul work thine eternity work go forward or backward Hast thou lived as if thou wâ—rt going to die and walked in the fear of the Lord all the day long Hath the awe and dread of the divine Majesty all along possessed thee Dost thou consider that thou hast one day less to live and one day more to account for Suppose God should come to thee this night as he did to Belshazer with a Mene Mene It is numbred It is numbred Thy days are told God hath counted them up and finished them thou shalt not live to see a morrow Thy days are extinct the grave is ready for thee Art thou ready for thy grave If God should say to thee as that Lord to his Servant Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou shalt be no longer Steward Are thy accounts and Gods even Dost thou reckon as he doth What do all the actions of this day stand for in thine account Figures or Ciphers somthing or nothing What were thy first thoughts in the morning Was he who came first to thee with his morning mercies first served by thee How didst thou pray in thy Closet and Family What sorrow accompanied thy confessions Was thy heart broken that thou hast broken his holy laws What faith and fervency did accompany thy requests Was the heat of thy affections answerable to the weight of thy petitions Didst thou present thy petition to the Master of Requests the Lord Iesus Christ by him to be delivered to the Father What spiritual joy and delight didst thou find in Thankesgiving Didst thou wonder at that infinite cost which the glorious God is at with such an unworthy wretch How didst thou râ—ad the word this day Did it come with power and authority to thy conscience was it mingled with faith Didst thou hide it in thy heart Hadst thou any resolution to make it thy rule and Counseller and Comforter and to order thy conversation according to it How didst thou eat and drink this day Didst thou feed
affections to them Who would esteem much of that flower which flourisheth and looks lovely in the morning but perisheth and is withered at night How little are those things worth which are to day mine and to morrow anothers which make themselves wings and as birds flye away are no sooner in sight but almost as soon out of sight Though all the works and creatures of God are excellent and admirable in their degrees and places yet some are of far more worth then others because of their nearer relation to our spiritual souls and their eternal duration When I look upon honours and applause and respect in the world methinks its worth is little for I can see through that air it is but a breath a blast that quickly passeth away When I look upon houses and lands and silver and gold I may well judge their price low for there is a worm that will eat out and consume the strongest timberd-dwelling and gold and silver are corruptable things Riches are not for ever When I look upon my Wife and Children in whom I have through mercy much comfort and contentment yet their value as natural relations is small for so they shall not be mine for ever and therefore they that have wives are commanded to be as though they had none But when I look upon grace upon godliness upon religion upon the Image of God O of what inâ—â—nite worth and price and value are they because they are lasting they are everlasting they are mine for ever When honours and crowns and robes and scepters are but for a few days when stately pallaces and costly mannors and treasures gold and pearl are but for a short time when the most lovely and loving wives and husbands and sons and daughters and friends are frail and fading The fear of the Lord is clean enduring for ever Godliness is the good part that when thy relations and possessions and all the good thing of this life shall be taken from thee shall never be taken from thee Reader what an argument is here to provoke thee to spend and be spent to imploy all thy time and strength and talents to sell all for this pearl when it is of so great price that when all other priviledges excellencies royal or noble births high breedings preferments favours with Great men riches pleasures will onely as brass of leathren money be currant in some Countries in this beggarly earth it will enrich thee and enliven thee refresh and rejoyce thee for ever 11. Is not that worthy to be made thy business which all men even the greatest enemies to it will sooner or later heartily and earnestly wish had been their business We have an usual saying that what one speaketh may be false and light and what two speak may be false and vain and what three speak may be so but what all speak and agree in must have something of truth and weight in it And again we say Vox populi est vox dei The voice of all the people is an oracle Though as Christ said of himself so I may say of Godliness God himself beareth witness of it and his witness is true and it needeth not testimony from man yet as he made use of the testimony of Iohn to convince the Jews of their desperate wickedness and inexcusableness in not submitting to his precepts and accepting him as a Saviour So may I improve the witness of the whole world on the behalf of Godliness to convince thee Reader of thy folly and sinfullness in neglecting it and to shew thee how inexcusable thou wilt be found at the day of Christ if thou dost not presently set upon it and make it thy business It s evident that many men whose hearts are full of opposition to the ways of God and whose lives are a flat contradiction to his Word and Will do yet in their extremity seek him early and cry to him earnestly and flie to Godliness as the only shelter in a storm and safest anchor in a tempest The most prophane and atheistical wretches who have in their works defied God himself and in their words blasphemously derided godly men and godliness when they have been brought low by sickness and entred within the borders of the King of terrours and have some apprehensions upon their spirits that they must go the way of all the earth then as Naturalists observe of the dying Cuckoe they change their note send for godly Ministers godly Christians desire them to pray with them to pray for them hearken diligently to their serious instructions wish with all their hearts and would give their highest honours and richest treasures and imperial diadems and kingdoms if they have any and all they are worth that they had made Godliness their business and promise if God will spare them and lengthen their lives but a few days upon earth that they will have no work no calling no employment no design but how to please God and obey his counsel and submit to his Spirit and follow after holiness and prepare their souls for heaven O then Godliness is godliness indeed and grace is grace indeed Then they call and cry as the foolish Virgins to the wise Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out O give us grace give us godliness in the power of it for all our formal out side lazy serving of God is come to nothing The Serpent that is crooked all her life time when dying stretcheth her self straight As Dionisius on his death when he heard Thales discoursing excellently about the nature and worth of Moral Philosophy Cursed his pastimes and sports and foolish pleasures that had taken him off and diverted him from the study of so worthy a subject So these lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God whose lives are little else then brutish delights in a circle or a diversion from one pleasure to another whose business now is to mock at piety and persecute the pious when they come to be thrown by a disease on their beds and their consciences begin to accuse them for their neglect of Godliness and to convince them of its absolute necessity and they have some fears to be overthroâ—n by death then they curse their hauks and hounds and games and cups and companions and sensual delights that hindered them from making religion their business Experience testifieth this frequently in many parts of the Nation where the consciences of dying sinners are not seared with a red hot iron Some wish this whilst they live either under some great affliction or on a dying bed nay I am perswaded that most wicked men that live under the Gospel in their prosperity even when they have the world at will in the midst of their sensual delights have inward conviction that the course they take will prove cursed in the end and have some velleities or weak desires though overruled by carnal head-strong affections that they could leave those vanities and make religion their business But
all wicked men after death when they come into the other world will wish in earnest with all their hearts and souls that they had minded nothing but the service of God and exercising themselves unto godliness There there it is that the whole world that now lyeth in wickedness and will not believe the word and wisdom of their Maker will all set their hands and seals to the truth of that which I am now endeavouring to evince When God sends his Officer death to arrest sinners for the vaste summs which they owe to his justice for their breach of his laws and this Serjeant according to command from the King of Kings executes his writ and delivers his prisoner to the Divels Gods Iaylors and they seize as so many roaring Lions on the poor trembling prey and hale them to their own den hell that dungeon of eternal darkness where sinners see and are assured that all their meat must be flakes of fire and brimstone and all their drink a cup of pure wrath without mixture and all their Musick howling and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and all their rest torments day and night for ever and ever and all their Companions frightful Devils and a cursed crew of damned wretches and all this to come upon them for not making religion their business whilst they were on earth Then O then they will wish with all their souls and strengths again and again that they had minded the Christian mans calling and made religion their business whilst they were in this world though they had been slaves or beggars or vagabonds and had lived in poverty and disgrace and prisons and fetters during their whole pilgrimage Now Reader if the witness of one enemy be a double testimony what is the witness of all the enemies of God and Godliness on the behalf of the Lord and his ways against themselves Shall it not prevail with thee to set speedily and diligently about the work of Christianity Ah how dumb wilt thou be struck another day if thou wilt not believe either God or good men or thy conscience or thy companions or all the world 12. and Lastly Is not that worthy to be made thy business upon which thine eternal life or death salvation or damnation doth depend Consider it friend here is salvation and damnation before thee eternal salvation and eternal damnation and they depend upon thy making religion thy business or neglect of it O what weight is there in these few words Make religion thy business and thou art eternally blessed be formal and careless about it and thou art cursed for ever upon the one and the other turneth thine eternal estate The Almighty God hath under his own hand set down this making religion thy business to be the onely terms upon which heaven shall be had and it is impossible to alter or abate his price Ioh. 6. 27. Mat. 6. 33. Philp. 2. 12. Canst thou be so foolish as to think that Christ and happiness and eternal life can be obtained upon easier conditions whea he must make God a liar and the Gospel a lie which the Divel himself is not so wicked as to think possible who arriveth at the port of bliss without exercising himself to Godliness The promises ever since the world was had the same conditions and ever will whilst the world shall endure The Gospel is therefore called the everlasting Gospel because it will continue without the least change or alteration the same for ever Thou mayst be confident that God doth not as some indiscret Citizens ask much more for his eternal glory and life men then he intendeth to take I say again ponder it for this argument hath more in it then thine understanding can possibly conceive or imagine Is not that worthy to become thy business and main work in this world upon which thine everlasting weal or wo thine endless estate in the other world doth depend Reader if that doth not deserve all thy time and pains and soul and heart and infinitely more upon which unchangable joy or eternal torments hang then I am sure nothing doth Alas all the things of this world whether about food or raiment or houses or lands or wives or children nay and life it self are but toys and trifles and shadows and nothings to an everlasting condition in the other world O that thou wert but able to conceive what it is to be eternally in fullness of pleasure or eternally in extremity of pain to be frying in flames for ever or bathing in rivers of delight for ever To enjoy God in his ordinances though it be but imperfectly and in a low degree one hour one day how sweet is it His tabernacles are highly amiable upon that account One day in thy Courts is better then a thousand elswhere But to enjoy God fully immediately and for ever too O how superlatively how infinitely pleasant and delightful will it be To be in Gods lower house though but a little time under some pious powerful Minister how reviving and refreshing is it But to dwell in his upper house for ever O blessed are they that dwell in that house they always praise thee The eternal presence of God will cause an eternal absence of all evil and an eternal confluence of all good O Reader who will not work hard labour much exercise himself to Godliness night and day do any thing that God commandeth suffer any thing that God inflicteth forbear any thing that God forbiddeth to be saved eternally to be infinitely blessed in the fruition of God for ever Surely its worth the while to obey the counsel of God in order to eteâ—nal salvation On the other side eternal damnatian how dreadful is it if it be but the scratch of a pin for ever or a little ach of the head for ever it woâ—ld be very doleful but a violent head-ach or tooth-ach or fits of the collick or stone for ever oh how intolerable would they be But ah how terrible is the wrath of God for ever darkness of darkness for ever the fire of hell for ever to which all the wracks and torments in this life are next to nothing Ah who can dwell in everlasting burnings I suppose thou woulst avoid thy wicked companions and forbear thy sinful courses do any thing thou couldst rather then to boyl in a furnace of scalding water for a thousand years nay one year and wilt thou not make religion thy business when otherwise God himself hath told thee thou shalt boil in a furnace of scalding wrath infinitely worse then scalding lead for ever ever ever Consider what thou hast read and the Lord give thee understanding that thou mayst be wise to eternal salvation Reader these twelve Questions being proposed I desire thee to answer them to him before whom thou shalt answer ere long for all the motions of thy heart and passages of thy whole life and I shall not detain thee longer in the passage though it be much
Christians a prey Neither men nor devils which God hath used as his Officers and Constables to punish them had ever had such power over them had they but kept the King of Heavens peace Surely for the divisions of Sion there ought to be great searchings of heart O when shall we see the day that those glorious Gospel-promises and Prophesies shall be accomplished The Wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them And the Cow and the Bear shall feed their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw with the Ox And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the Asp and the weaned child shall put his hand to the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain saith the Lord Isa. 11.6,7,8,9 Isa. 65. ult One would think that heart-sprung pathetical exhortation of the Apostle should sound a retreat and call Christians off from their violent and virulent pursuit of each other If there be therâ—fore any consolation in Christ if â—ny comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one minde Phil. 3. 1. 2. Reader I shall give thee two or three Motives to quicken thee to mind and frequent the Company of good men then acquaint thee wherein the exercising thy self to godliness in such Company consisteth SECT I. FIrst Consider the extraordinary good of Christian society The Children of God are like Ambergreece sweetest in composition When Flower is added to Flower and many tyed together the Posie is the more pleasant Company is in it self eligible Banishment is esteemed a civil death and counted a punishment but one remove from a natural death Hence how much hath it been bewailed not onely by a Cain Thou hast driven me this day from the face of the earth Gen. 4. 14. but even by a David I am like a Pellican of the Wilderness I am like an Owl of the Desart I watch and am as a Sparrow alone upon the house top Psa. 102. 6 7. But how much worth is the society of the Saints Christian society is like an Arch-building wherein every stone upholds its fellow which if it should not the whole would suddenly fall One hand saith Euripides can make but weak defence but as our Latine Proverb is Multorum manibus grande levatur onus Many hands make light work Several Horses may draw that weight with ease which one is not able to stir Saints help each other as the several parts of the building the Foundation bears up the Walls the Walls bear up the Roof the Rafters bear up the Laths the Laths bear up the Tiles Hence it is esteemed a priviledge to a Town or City to be made a Corporation And Merchants manage their callings not onely more orderly but also more successfully when they are once made a company Surely Paul would never have sent some hundred miles for Timothy if his company had not been of great value Dr. Taylor blessed God that ever he came into Prison to be acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford One sinner is a Devil to another tempting and provoking each other to wickedness Therefore the Philosopher seeing two vicious persons together cryed out See how the Viper is borrowing poison of the Asp But one Saint is an Angel to another perswading and encouraging one another to holiness They take sweet counsel together and go to the house of God in company The Patriarchs removed their Habitations for the benefit of water-springs Every Saint is in some sense a Well of living water and did men but know their worth they would delight more to be with them Sure I am he that hath such a good Neighbour shall never want a Good-morrow As a Pomander Ball cast into a Censer will fill the whole house with its pleasant savour so a Christian will endeavour to perfume all that come near him How pleasant then is the favour arising from many Christians in company together The society of the Prophets is able to make even a Saul to prophesie The Pleiades which are the seven stars joyned in one constellation Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades Job 38. 31. help one another in their work which is to bring on the Spring the best season of the year Christians in consort are an abridgement of Heaven shining like a Firmament of bright Stars not one malevolent aspect among them and they all conspire together to further a spring and new shoot of grace the best of blessings in each others hearts As Sincerity is the heart of Religion so society is the breath of Religion it helps to preserve it alive The spiritual life of the Philippians did upon their first quickening appear by this and t was also very helpful for their continuance and increase Phil. 1. 5. No Christians are so full but they stand in need of their fellows He that had as large a stock of grace as any since Christ yet could not live without commerce with others Rom. 15. 24. The goodliest house may want a shoar The Shunamite though she told the Prophet she dwelt among her own people and therefore needed not any to speak for her to the King was glad to receive that kindness by the hands of the Servant which she denyed to accept from his Master I shall mention the advantage of good Company in five particulars First By good Company sinful souls have been converted A crooked Bough joyned to a strait one groweth strait Latimer was converted from Popery by the good Company and Conference of Master Bilney The Daughters of Ierusalem came to be in love with the Bridegroom by being in company with his Bride by being acquainted with the Church they became enamoured with Christ. At first they wondered at her fondness of him that she was so impatient till she had found him Cant. 5. 8 9. but they had not been long with her before the heat of her love had warmed them with the same earnest desire and longings Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee Cant. 6.1 They that come where oyntments and sweet spices are stirring carry away some of the savour One live coal may set a whole stack on fire Evil Company like the River Melas in Baeotia makes all the sheep that drink of it black but Good Company rather like Clitumnus in Italy makes them that drink of it white Saul by being in Company with a wise Servant was brought to hear of a Kingdom He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Prov. 13. 20. This made Algerius the Italian Martyr say I had rather be in Prison with Cato a wise man of whom I might
Ears 3. The Person he speaketh of He that takes away a mans name leaves him little for this world worth keeping This evil tongue is fitly compared to an arrow for it wounds a man even afar off As secret poison works incurable effects many times before it is discerned so doth a back-biting tongue A man were better like him one of the Antients mentions carry a stone in his mouth three years to prevent much babling then be guilty one hour of back-biting SECT IV. SEcondly If Christians would exercise themselves to godliness they must be serviceable to the good of each other The Temple was built in Solomons time by men of all sorts There is not the meanest Christian but may do somewhat in his place towards the building of the Spiritual Temple The Communion of Saints consisteth in three things 1. In a mutual Communication of their graces and gifts Grace is given us not onely for our selves but also for the good of the Saints 1 Cor. 12. 5 6. There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit differences of administration but the same Lord diversities of operation but the same God which worketh all in all But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal The water of life is like a common stream for the benefit of many 2. In a mutual joyning in the ordinances of God Act. 2. 43. The Servants of the same Lord wait upon him sometimes singly sometimes in company There are set seasons wherein they all meet together to attend him though when they are parted they are all about his business And the same day there were added to the Church three thousand souls And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer 3. In mutual serviceableness each to other Every man is a Steward to manage his abilities for others good and to improve his Talents for his Masters glory Now if our stock were our own that we were the Proprietors to let it lie still would argue us guilty of much folly but when it is altogether anothers and we are but factours for him to neglect the improvement of it speaks us arrant theives and guilty of unfaithfulness As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. It s but an ill property of the Swan that she cannot endure the Goose should come neer her to take part of her food Though it might be a fault in the Church of Syracuse what Hilary mentions that by a Law there was a community of outward goods yet I am sure it is none that there should be a community of spiritual gifts Wicked men are said to be of the night but Saints of the day now as the day enlightens and warms all it shines on calls them to their work to their walk and helpeth to prevent their faâ—ls and wandring even so should the Saints In love serve one another Gal. 5. 13. Such a man is of the earth is right earth that standeth on its own center who is wholly for himself All things that have affinity with the Heavens move upon the Centre of another which they benefit The Bramble which receiveth all good and keepeth it to it self piercing instead of pleasuring those that come neer it will be cast ere long into the Fire It is said of one as all the encomium could justly be given him Sibi natus sibi vixit sibi mortuus sibi damnatus He was born to himself he lived to himself he died to himself and he was damned to himself We have a common saying He that is not good to himself is good to no body and it s as true again He that is good onely to himself is as good as no body It was the voice of a cursed Cain Am I my brothers Keeper The voice of the blessed Apostle Consider one another to provoke to love Exhort one another whilst its called to day Let no man seek his own but every one his brothers good to edification Phil. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 34. A Company of Christians like the Plants in Paradise should impart an aromatical savour each to other A friend must shew himself friendly saith Solomon Prov. 18. But how By endeavouring to make his friends better It was a commendable property which some mention in Socrates That he always studied how he might better the minds of his Familiars And Seneca when the Scholars of Theophrastus had shewed him two men that were intimate friends whereof the one was very rich and the other very poor he said to them If they be friends how comes it to pass that the one is so poor and the other so rich Intimating that had there been any true friendship the rich man would have imparted of his goods to the poor man As true love cannot stand without communicating of our temporal riches so neither without imparting of our spiritual for the supply of others necessities If there be love in feasting one anothers bodies there is much more in feeding each others souls And if to distribute and communicate of our earthly treasures we must not forget for with such sacrifice God is well pleased then to distribute and communicate of our heavenly treasures we must be more forward because with such Sacrifice God is better pleased Besides it is an encouragement to Christians that they do not diminish but increase their spiritual stocks by trading He were not a man that would not do another a courtesie when by doing it he should do himself no injury How bad is he then that will not benefit his Neighbour when thereby he doth a real kindness to himself Money laid up rather wasteth with rust then increaseth but Money laid out brings in considerable profit To him that hath shall be given When the Servant that had received five Talents traded and gained five more Take the Talent saith Christ from the unprofitable servant and give it to him that hath gained five our Communication to others is no diminution but an addition to our selves Live coals are made the hotter for those near them which they enlivened The truth is there is no Vsury so lawful as of spiritual riches nor is there any so profitable Our use upon use which almost doubleth the principal in seven years is nothing to this O Christians therefore lose not a tide a market an opportunity if possible hereby though your beginnings be small your latter end shall wonderfully increase Many that have begun with very little have by trading thus come to dye worth thousands Before I come to shew wherein Christians should be serviceable each to other I must a little explain my self lest I should seem to allow that which the Word of God forbids namely that every private Christian ought to be a Preacher Such a tenent would cut asunder the nerves and ligaments of this society which is
Scaffold may serve to rear up a goodly building and an ordinary creature may afford matter for excellent meditations God likens himself to many to shew that there is something of him in all He compares himself to a Builder to a Buckler to a Castle a Captain to a Fortress to a Fountain of living water to an helper to health to an Habitation to Light to Life to a rocke a refuge a reward to a shadow a shelter a shield to a Lion an Eagle a Leopard a Bear to fire dew a moth the Sun and why but to teach us to read him in his creatures In Heaven the Christian shall know God and all the creatures in him but on earth we must learn to know him by them God hath given us three Books which we ought to be studying whilst we are living The Booke of Conscience the Booke of Scripture and the Book of the Creature In the Book of Conscience we may read our selves in the Book of the creature we may read God in the Book of Scripture we may read both God and our selves The great God sets us excellent lectures in the volume of the creation Though this Book hath but three leaves in it Heaven Earth Sea yet it teacheth us many rare lessons If we think of the visible Heaven and behold those great lights of the world how swiftly they move in their proper orbes how unwearied they are in their perpetual courses how they fail not a minute of their appointed time nor wander an inch out of their designed way how they divide the day and night and the several seasons of the year how they bless the earth with their smiling aspects and keep the inhabitants of this lower world from finding it a Dungeon by their enlightning beams we may therein discover the wisdom and power of its maker and cry out with David Psa. 19. 1. and 8. 2 3. The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-works When I consider the heavens the work of thy singers the Moon and Stars which thou hast made What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou dost thus visit him O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth and thy glory above the heavens What rare fruit may a soul gather from these celestial trees if the porch of Heaven be such a curious piece the work of his fingers i. e. an elaborate piece of embroidery how curious is the Palace within If the outward Court be so glorious how glorious is the holy of holies If light be so sweet and it be so pleasant a thing to behold the Sun how sweet is the light of my Gods countenance and how pleasant is it to behold the Sun of righteousness O what a blessed day will that be when the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun as the light of seven days when all beleivers shall shine as the Sun in the firmament of their Father Lord thou speakest to the Sun and it riseth not to the Moon and it standeth still Why should not thy Servant be as obedient to thy command even when it is against my natural depraved course O speak but as powerfully to thy poor creature and he will as readily obey thy pleasure If we look a little lower to the clouds and meditate on them in their natural cause thin vapours exhaled by the Sun in their principal use to drop fatness on the earth in the tenuity and smalness of their bodies the weight and greatness of their burdens the waters in them being like lusty children encompassed onely with a tender film how they are tossed too and fro hurried hither and thither with tempestuous winds and yet burst not in pieces through lack of vent nor sink under the heaviness of their load nor leak out one drop till the hand of their Master unstop their bottles may well admire that infinite invisible power that upholds and governs them and say as Eliphaz of their author He doth great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number for he giveth rain upon the earth and sendeth water upon the fields Job 5. 9 10. What excellent water may I distil with the limbiks of the clouds If the favour of a Prince be as a cloud of the latter rain Prov. 16. 15. so refreshing and comforting what is the favour of the King of Kings As the clouds mask the Sun from the â—ight of Mortals so doth sin hide the smiling countenance of my God from the view of my poor soul. As the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away so he that goeth down to the grave shall come-up no more If showres from above make the earth soft and fruitful surely the showres of heavens grace would make my hard and barren heart both tender and abundant in holiness Lord whilst I am in my journey towards my heavenly Canaan let thy good spirit be my pillar of cloud to direct me Suffer me not to be as a cloud without water Do but say unto me I have blotted out thy transgressions as a thick cloud and I will bless thee for ever If we look to the earth and view her well though she hath been called and counted the vilest and grossest of the elements we shall finde her a glorious body and not in the least degree a disparagement or disgrace to her maker Take her inside and she is curiously and wonderfully made Her Center like the heart is seated in the most convenient place for the benefit of every part Her several channels under ground as so many veins do convey her pure though pale blood for the animating and actuating as it were every member Though her wealth lyeth deep and much of it was never discovered to any mortal yet what rare jewels and rich mettals have been seen in her very guts and garbage Take heâ— â—â—â—side and that cloathing will be found better then of wrought gold Her Garment is richer in any part of it then Solomon in all his royalty The fine linnen of Egypt silks of Persia and curious works of Turkey are exceedingly inferior to her daily attire She is covered with the costly curious Aâ—ras of Hearbs and Plants and Flowers embroydered with variety of all sorts of colours perfumed with the most fragrant and delightful odours She is attended by Birds and Beasts of several orders that all in their proper ranks move too and fro acknowledging their engagements to her O who is like that God that hath made himself such a foot-stool If his foot-stool be so glorious how glorious is his throne But besides all this he that shall ponder the fruitfulness and fecundity of her Womb her unweariedness in bringing forth her wonderful care of her off-spring in bringing them up providing them all though of different kinds food sutable to each of their natures whilst they live and receiving them kindly into her bosome and embraces when
whole world and lose his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul If the gaining a little silver or gold be worth so much time and pains how much is holiness and heaven worth surely ten thousand times more Art thou in the day to take a journey thou mayst consider I am but a Pilgrim and Stranger in this earth I am every day travelling towards my long home I have no abiding City here but look for one that is to come whose Builder and Maker is God O that I could prepare for it and daily make some progress towards it Art thou to spend the day in thy Shop or fields and about many businesses think on that of Christ Martha Martha Thou art careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful and Mary hath chosen the good part which shall never be taken from her This Reader were an excellent improvement of thy time in solitude by such occasional meditations which are obvious to ordinary understandings SECT V. THirdly If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in solitude Mind solemn and set meditation In the former head I advised thee to Occasional in this to Deliberate meditation Hereby thou wilt not onely prevent those covetous ambitious lascivious thoughts which otherwise might crowd in upon thee and pollute thee but also exceedingly further thy soul in holiness Occasional meditations do some good but these much more as making a greater impression upon the soul and abiding longer with it They differ as a taste and a full meal as a sip and a good draught Occasional meditations are like loving strangers that afford us a visit but are quickly gone Deliberate meditations are as inhabitants that dwell with us and are longer helpful to us The former as the morning dew do somewhat moysten and refresh the earth but quickly passeth away The latter as a good showre soaks deep and continueth long Because this is of great weight I shall acquaint thee what solemn meditation is and then give thee a pattern of it Solemn meditation is a serious applying the mind to some sacred subject till the affections be warmed and quickened and the resolution heightned and strengthned thereby against what is evil and for that which is good There are five things in this description 1. It is an application of the mind The understanding must be awake about this duty it is not a work to be done sleeping If the mind be not stirring the affections will be nodding The understanding in this is as it were the Master-workman if that be out of the way or missing the servants of the affections will be idle and stand still T is by this Sun that heat is conveyed to the lower world Darkness like the night is accompanied with damps and cold The Chariot of light is attended with warming and quickening beams 2. It is a serious applying the mind Too quick digestion breeds crudities in the mind as well as in the body and doth often more distemper then nourish There must be a retentive faculty to hold fast that which nature receiveth until a through concoction be wrought or little strength will be gotten by it Hereby it differeth from occasional meditation which is sudden and soon vanisheth this calls at the door salutes us and takes its leave that comes in and stays some time with us Occasional meditation is transient like the dogs of Nilus that lap and are gone set meditation is permanent it as the Spouse beg'd of Christ lodgeth all night between the breasts This duty cannot be done unless the mind be kept close to it the person that is negligent cannot do this work of the Lord. Things of importance are not to be hudled up in haste Loose thoughts as loose garments hinder us in our business We need as much our hearts united to think of God as to fear God Short glances do little good it is the abiding influence of the sun that turns the earth into silver and golden mettal It is not once dipping the stuff into the Dy-fat but frequent doing it that giveth the pure scarlet colour The true Mithridate which is so cordial and opening is long a making The yellow wax lyeth long in the beams of thâ— Sun before it changeth its colour and attaineth a virgin-like whitness and purity He that rides post though he wearies himself in travelling from place to place is less able to give an account of the Country through which he passeth then he that is more slow in his course but more constant in his abode Omnis festinatio caeca est saith Seneca T is much blowing that makes the green wood to flame 3. It is about some sacred subject As good meat and drink breed good blood so good subjects will breed good thoughts There is abundant matter for our meditation as the Nature or Attributes of God the States and Offices of Christ the three-fold state of man the four last things the vanity of the creature the sinfulness of sin and the love and fulness of the blessed Saviour the Divine Word and Works out of these we may chuse somtimes one thing sometimes another to be the particular subject of our thoughts Exo. 15.11 Ps. 1.1 and 119.148 Pro. 6.22 1 Tim. 4. 13. To undertake more then one at a time will deprive us of the benefit of all Too much food will rather destroy then encrease the natural heat A little wood may help that fire to burn which a great quaintity would smother Whilst the Dog runs after two Hares now after one and presently after the other he loseth both Many subjects as a press or crowd of people do but hinder one another Those streams are strongest which are most united Greediness of appetite and receiving too much food weakeneth digestion Simples are most operative mixtures and compositions are often used to allay their force When thou hast fixt upon the subject meditate if it may be on its causes properties effects titles comparisons testimonies contraries all will help to illustrate the subject and to quicken and advantage thee they do all as so many several windows let in those beams which both enlighten the mind and warm the affections but they must be considered in their places and methodically The parts of a Watch jumbled together serve for no use but each in their order make a rare and useful peice 4. It is that the affections may be warmed and quickned Our hearts and affections should answer out thoughts as the eccho the voyce and the wax the character in the seal If our meditations do not better our hearts they do nothing Whilst they swim in the mind as light things floating on the waters they are unprofitable but when they sink down into the affections as heavy and weighty things making sutable and real impressions there then they attain their end Our design in meditation must be rather to cleanse our hearts then to clear our heads Whilst I was musing the fire
through thy strength ponder all thy sayings in my heart and make them the rule of my life I will delight inâ—thy law and meditate therein day and night I will give diligence to reading be frequent in hearing and uniform and coustant in obedience to it I will teach it diligently my children and talk of it when I sit in mine house and when I walk by the way when I lye down and when I rise up I will bind it for a sign upon my hand it shall be as a frontlet between mine eyes I will make thy statutes my songs in the house of my pilgrimage I will rejoyce in thy testimonies more then they that find great spoils I will chuse thy statutes as my heritage for ever for they are the joy of my heart I will delight in the law of God after the inner man I will incline my heart to keep thy statutes always unto the end I have sworn and I will perform that I will keep thy righteous judgements But ah Lord what do I say I have even cast thy law behind my back I have broken thy bands asunder and cast thy cords from me My carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be I can of my self break thy law but onely through thy strength keep it I have gone astray like a lost sheep O seek thy servant and I will keep thy statutes Be surety for thy servant for good that I may observe thy precepts I am a stranger in this earth hide not thy commandments from me Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it unto the end Giâ—e me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall keep it with my whole heart Thou art good and dost good O teach me thy statutes Thy hands have made me and fashioned me O give me understanding that I may keep thy commandments I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill unto thy heavenly habitation Then will I go into the presence of God even of God my exceeding joy Yea upon the harp will I praise thee O God my God for ever Fourthly If thou woulst exercise thy self to godliness in Solitude Accustom thy self to soliloquies I mean to conference with thy self He needs never be idle that hath so much business to do with his own soul. It was a famous answer which Antistenes gave when he was asked what fruit he reaped by all his studies By them saith he I have learned both to live and talk with my self Soliloquies are the best disputes every good man is best company for himself of all the creatures Holy David enjoyneth this to others Commune with your own hearts upon your bed and be still Selah Psal. 4.4 Commune with your own hearts when ye have none to speak with talk to your selves Ask your selves for what end ye were made what lives ye have lead what times ye have lost what love ye have abused what wrath ye have deserved Call your selves to a reckoning how ye have improved your talents how true or false ye have been to your â—rust what provision ye have laid in for an hour of death what preparation ye have made for a great day of account Vpon your beds Secresie is the best opportunity for this duty The silent night is a good time for this speech When we have no outward objects to disturb us and to call our eyes as the fools eyes are always to the ends of the earth then our eyes as the eyes of the wise may be in our heads and then our minds like the windows in Solomons Temple may be broad inwards The most successful searches have been made in the night season the soul is then wholly shut up in the earthly house of the body and hath no visits from strangers to disquiet its thoughts Physicians have judged dreams a probable sign whereby they might find out the distempers of the body Surely then the bed is no bad place â—o examine and search into the state of the soul. And be still Self-communion will much help to curb your head-strong ungodly passions Serious consideration like the casting up of earth amongst Bees will allay inordinate affections when they are full of fury and make such an hideous noise Though sensual appetites and unruly desires are as the people of Ephesus in an uproar pleading for their former priviledge and expecting their wonted provision as in the days of their predominancy if conscience use its authority commanding them in Gods name whose officer it is to keep the Kings peace and argue it with them as the Town-Clark of Ephesus We are in danger to be called in question for this days uproar there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this days concourse all is frequently by this means husht and the tumult appeased without any further mischief Selah This signifieth elevation or lifting up either the mind or voyce or both For the matter of it it importeth 1. An Asseveration of a thing so to be Hence the Chaldee Paraphrast and some other Hebrews have turned it For ever The foregoing assertions are true and shall be so for ever 2. An Admiration at it Such truths call both for our assent and wonder Selah is affixed by way of Emphasis to note the excellency of the thing asserted and the impression it should make upon our spirits As David enjoyned this duty to others so he practised it himself Psa. 77. 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search He communed with his own heart was not a stranger at home Indeed an Hypocrite as the Philosopher speaks of a vicious person is not friends with himself but endeavours more to avoid himself then any others and is never in so bad company as when he is alone for then he is forced to keep company with himself Where conscience is an abused and incensed Judge t is no wonder that a guilty malefactour would flie from its presence The servant that hath rioted all day is unwilling his Master should reckon with him at night The Heathen persecutors would not hear the Christians because their cause would have appeared so just that nature it self would have justified them The ungodly will not for a contrary reason hear the indictments which conscience prefers against them because their cause will appear so bad that they cannot avoid condemning themselves It may be said of whorish hearts as of the Harlot Her feet abide not within her house But the sincere Christian that allows himself in no sin delights to commune with his own soul and when he is debating things with his own conscience
esteems himself in good company He had rather Gods deputy conscience should admonish him to contrition then that God himself should do it to his confusion According to the Apostles Doctrine Every one of us must give account of himself to God therefore every one of us must take account of himself befare-hand It will be but a sad account which some will give at the great Audit-day when conscience shall confess against them They made me keeper of others vineyards but my own vineyard have I not kept And it is but a poor trade that they drive at present who make little use of their Shop-books The greatest Merchants and the most thriving are much in their Counting-house 5. In solitude accustom thy self to secret ejaculations and converses with God Lovers cast many a glance at each other when they are at a distance and are deprived of set meetings A little Boat may do us some considerable service when we have not time to make ready a great Vessel The casting of our eyes and hearts up to Heaven will bring Heaven down to us My meditations of him shall be sweet Psa. 104. 34. Secret ejaculations have meat in their mouths and will abundantly requite such as entertain them If they be much in our bosomes as Abishag in Davids they will cherish us and put warmth into us They are sweet in the day like the Black-bird cheering us with their pleasant noats and do also afford us wiâ—h the Nightingale songs in the night A true Israelite may enjoy more of his God in a Wilderness then in an earthly Canaan Christians are nearest their heaven when farthest from the Earth What care I how much I am in solitude so I may but enjoy his desirable society Ah how foolish are those persons that neglect the improvement of this glorious priviledge They that like swine can look every way but upward may well lie rooting in the earth desiring no more then fleshly pleasures because they know no better Surely the company of my God is of such weighty consequence and universal influence that I need no other I can have none to equal it The society of my best friends for all their love to me and tenderness of me is but as the company of Snakes and Serpents to the company of my God They have not pity enough for the thousandth part of my misery nor power enough to answer in any degree my necessities Their hearts are infinitely short of my Gods his love to me like his being is boundless but their hands come far short of their hearts though they are not unwilling they are unable to relieve me How often have I told them of my doleful case and distressed condition in vain when thereby I have rather added to their afflictions then lessened my own But my God is all-sufficient both for pity and power he hath bowels and mercy enough for my greatest sufferings and sorrows and strength and might enough for my support and succour My best friends are waspish and upon a small cause are ready to snap asunder their friendship when my Gods good will everlasting and thongh he scourge me he will is never remove his loving kindness from me What need I those puddle streams whilst I have this Well of living water O let me enjoy him more though I never enjoy frâ—end more Because I shall have opportunity to speak more to soul conferences and also to converse with God in secret duties in other parts of this Treatise I shall speak no more in this place A Good Wish about the exercising our selves to Godliness in Solitude wherein the former particulars are applied THe blessed and infinite wise God who made my soul for himself and knoweth it will never be satisfied without himself commanding me in all company to converse with his sacred Majesty and calling me sometimes to solitude that being freed from worldly distractions I might have more of his society I Wish that my nature may be so sutable to his holy being and my love so great to his gracious presence that though his providence should cast me alone into a Prison yet enjoying his favour there I may esteem it sweeter and pleasanter then the stateliest Palace It is both his precept and my priviledge that in the greatest company I should be alone to him and in my greatest solitude in company with him There is not the most solitary place I can come into nor the least moment of my life but I have still business with my God and such as is neither easie nor of mean concernment All my transactions with men about House or Land or Food or Cloaths or the most necesâ—ary things of this present life are nothing to my businesse with God about my unchangeable being in the other world If they were all laid in the ballance with this they would be found infinitely lighter then vanity and nothing My understanding is ready to be overwhelmed with the apprehension of an endless eternal state All my business with meat or drink or sleep or family or friends or mercies or afflictions nay or the means of grace or ordinances themselves is no more worth or desireable then they tend to the furthering my everlasting good All other things are but as passengers to which I may afford a short salute but it is my home where I must abide for ever that my heart must be always set upon and it is my God upon whom this blissful endless life depends that I have most cause to be ever with O my soul by this thou mayst gather with whom to deal and about what to trade when thou art alone tell me not henceforward in the words of the lazy worldling I am idle for I have nothing to do Hast thou pardon of sin the Image of thy God an interest in thy Redeemer freedom from sin the Law the wrath to come a title to life and salvation to get and secure without which thou shalt be a firebrand of hell for ever and hast thou any while any time to be idle Hast thou that high that holy that weighty work of worshipping and glorifying the great God of Heaven and Earth and of working out thy own salvation and yet hast thou nothing to do O that I might never hear such language in thy thoughts much less read it in thy life when thou hast so much business of absolute necessity to be done lying upon thy hands that if all the Angels in Heaven should offer thee their help unless the Son of God himself do assist thou canst not dispatch it in many millions of ages Lord I am thine absolutely thine universally thine all I am is thine all I have is thine O when shall I live as thine I have no business but with thee and for thee O that I could live wholly to thee I confess it is thine infinite graâ—e to suffer such a worm as I am to converse with thy glorious Majesty that Heaven should thus stoop to earth
contrary to his being law and honour though he be so perfect a God that no sin can be hurtful to him yet he is so pure a God that every sin is hateful to him Therefore the Scripture speaking of God after the manner of men represents it as offensive to every of his senses It grates his ears and thence he complains of the cry of Sodom It provoketh his eyes and hence it is said Evil cannot stand in thy sight neither canst thou behold the workers of iniquity It oppresseth his feeling wherefore he â—s said to be pressed with â—in as a Cart is pressed with sheaves It displeaseth his smell and so he calleth sinners rotten carâ—â—sses open sepulchres that send forth noisom savours He proclaimes to the world the offensiveness of sin to his sacred Majesty by the names he gives it in his royal Law wherein â—e forbids it He calls it dung mire vomit filth superfluity of naughtiness filthiness a menstruous cloth a plague an issue an ulcer And yet though sin be thus infinitely loathsom and odious to him he bears with men that are all over infected with it in the highest degree 2. The condition of sinners His patience is much heightned by considering who they are that distaste and provoke him with their sins they are his creatures the work of his hands They rebel against him who were made and are every day maintained by him They forget him that formed them and fight against the fountain of their beings They are his obliged creatures such on whom he hath laid millions of engagements They cannot speak a word or think a thought or fetch their breath without him they live every moment wholly upon his mercy Hear O Heaven give ear O earth he hath nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against him He is daily multiplying mercies on them and yet they are daily multiplying iniquities against him they are creatures full of enmity against him they sin against him out of hatred of him The carnal mind is enmity against God If it could lay a plot to take away the life of God it hath malice enough to put it in execution Hence there appears little reason why he should pity or spare them If a man find his enemy will he let him go yet God is patient towards them 3. The multitude and greatness of sins and sinners He cannot look down from heaven but every moment he beholds millions of transgressors proclaiming war against him walking contrary to him and provoking him before his face The whole world is a field wherein the inhabitants are continually with drums beating and colours flying with brazen foreheads and stubborn hearts letting flie whole volleys of sins and impieties against heaven Their whole work is to stretch out their hands against God and strengthen themselves against the Almighty From the highest to the lowest they disown his authority deny his dominion deface his image dishonour his name despise his laws scorn his love and moâ—k at his threatnings All sin and come short of the glory of God The whole earth is a kind of hell in regard of blasphemy and pollutions and all manner of provoâ—ations His pure eyes behold the Devil-worship amongst Heathen the Imposter-worship amongst Turks the Idol-worship amongst Papists and the belly and flesh-worship amongst Protestants He seeth in the Rich oppression atheism swearing cursing pride persecution of others in the Poor envying murmuring carnal-mindedness drunkenness and ignorance in the Young head strong passions uncleaness youthful lusts in the Ancient impatience covetousness prophaness He understandeth the several hearts of men so many sinks of sin and the several lives of men so many treasons and conspiracies against his Being and Law and so many men in the world so many monsters of wickedness Though he enjoyn them his Precepts they cast them behind their backs though he would allure them by his Promises they scorn them as Babies to fool children withal though he would affright them with his comminations and threatnings they laugh at the shaking of those spears and look on all his words no better then wind Though he endeavours by his works to reclaim them from their wickedness sometimes loading them with his benefits that his goodness might lead them to repentance sometimes scourging them in measure that they might not be condemned with the world yet they slight his favour are not afraid of his fury and by their impenitency and continuance in sin dare him to his very face He sendeth his Ministers to tell them of their danger he sets up Conscience within them to mind them of their duty he hangs up others before them as spectacles of his wrath that they might take warning and escape destruction and yet they laugh at Ministers for their weeping over them check Conscience for its boldness to check them and think themselves wiser then to be frighted with the scarecrows of Gods judgements on others They sin against â—is Wisdom his Power his Goodness his Faithfulness his Patience his Providence his Ordinances his Son his Spirit his Law his Gospel their own Promises and engagements the voyce and cry of his Vicegerent within them and that day after day and this throughout the whole earth and yet notwithstanding all these high affronts and notorious indignities repeated and continued every moment he beareth with them The meekest man in the world no not all the men in the world have patience enough for one sinner what patience then hath God that beareth so much with a world of sinners It is the saying of one If but any tender-hearted man should sit one hour in the Throne of God Almighty and look down upon the earth as God doth continually and see what abominations are done in that hour he would undoubtedly the next set all the world on fire O how patient is that God that beareth with it so many years The meekest man upon earth could not endure the â—rowardness of one people and they the best people in the world the peevishness of the Jews drove him into that passion for which he was excluded the earthly Canaan How meek and patient then is God who beareth the evil manners of all the nations of the world the greatest part of which make it their work to spit their venome and malice and blasphemy in his face every day The whole world is a volume in every leaf and in every line of which Patience Meekness Gentleness Long-suffering Forbearance are written in broad letters 4. How he knoweth all their sins He doth not forbear sinners from ignorance of their sins he seeth and knoweth all things All the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondreth all his goings His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men Men bear with others because they know not their secret treasons and heart-rebellions but God knoweth all the wickedness that is committed in the world He telleth man his thoughts All secret sins are publick to
and serving his God and his soul as well as his family and body in those interjections The wheel of a chariot though it be in motion all the day and turning about on the ground yet it s but a small part of it that toucheth the earth at one time the greatest part of it is always above it so the true Christian though he be all the day busie about earthly affairs yet it s but his body his lesser part that is employed about them his soul his affections which are his greatest part are always about them SECT I. I Shall first offer thee two quickening Motives and then acquaint thee wherein thy daily exercise to Godliness consisteth First Consider Any day may be thy last day and therefore every day should be an holy day with thee I mean not an holy day for play or recreatâ—on but for the work of Religion He that knoweth not how soon his Master will come and reckon with him had need to be always employed about his Masters business Because there is no time of life in which thou art secure from death therefore every day of thy life thou oughtest to be about thy duty Prov. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow thou knowest not what a day may bring forth Every day is big-bellied and hath more in the womb of it then any man knoweth he that salutes the morning with a smiling aspect may bid the world good night for ever before the evening The candle of thy life may be blown out on a sudden before its half burnt out The Poets fable that Death and Cupid lodging together at an Inn exchanged arrows whereby it hath since come to pass that old men â—â—ote and young men die Death cometh up to the young and strong old and weak men go down to Death Thou mayst be called forth to that war in which there is no discharge and not have an hours warning to prepare thy self for a march Sturdy trees are overturned by an unexpected wind lusty men by violent feavers or outward accidents our enemies are strong our earthly houses weak the coming of our Landlord is unknown the lease of our lives is uncertain we are every moment liable to be ejected and shall we not be so employed that our Lord when he comes may find us well-doing I remember I have in some Author read that the invention of clocks was not primarily to mind us of the Suns posting in the heavens but of our Lives passing on earth It was Calvins reason for his unweariedness in his studies when his friends urged against it the injury it did his body Would ye have my Lord when he cometh find me idle It will be woful for that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find doing evil or doing nothing But and if that servant say in his heart My Lord delayeth his coming and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens and to eat and drink and be drunken The Lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him and in an hour when he is not aware and will cut him asunder and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers Luk. 12. 45 46. In which words we may observe 1. The sin of the unfaithful servant 2. The severity of his Lord. In the sin we may take notice 1. Of the nature of He bâ—ats his fellow-servants and eats and drinks and is drunken He gives himself up to all manner of wickedness He is unrighteous to his fellow-servants he beats them and unfaithful to his Master he abuseth his goods he eats and drinks and is drunken Sin doth not lie skulking in the â—ecret trenches of his heart but appeareth boldly in the open field of his life T is a sign an enemy hath great power when he sheweth himself openly 2. The occasion of it His Plea for it His Lord delayeth his coming Because he hath not a speedy reward he layeth aside all good works because of Gods gracious forbearance he argueth a general acquittance for all his evil works He makes bold to riot because he is not called to a speedy reckoning We tremble not at the noise of those Cannons which we fancy to be a great way off That which is lookt upon at a distance seems small and so is despised though the same beheld near appears great and terrifieth us In the severity of the Lord we may read 1. How sore his judgement is He shall cut him asunder and give him his portion among unbeleivers These two expressions speak the dreadfulness of his doom though no words can speak fully how woful it is He shall cut him asunder An allusion to some tortures then in use amongst the Heathen to shew the exquisite pain which his body shall suffer And give him his portion among unbeleivers Because the hottest Hell is reserved for such The wrath of God abideth on them Joh. 3. ult to note the extream punishment which his soul shall undergo 2. How sudden it is unexpected evils are most dreadful The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him Sudden frights overwhelm the spirits Those miseries which seen at some distance have been entertained with patience surprising men on a sudden have â—triken them into despair Death comes sometimes like a Thief up into our windows coming in at the door is ordinary but coming in at the window is unlookt for Ier. 19. 21. As the snare secretly and unexpectedly seiseth the silly Bird so doth a day of death the simple Children of men Luk. 21. 35. Our Saviour speaks of his coming in the second or third watch of the night which the Jews called Intempestum Gallietnium not in the first and fourth because saith Theophilact they are the dead time of the night when men are in their soundest sleep to shew us how suddenly and unexpectedly he shall surprise most men Luk. 12. 38. Reader This present days work may be the last act of thy life it behoveth thee therefore to do it well When thou art in thy Closet thou mayst think with thy self I may possibly never pray more never read the word of God more how reverently uprightly graciously should I therefore pray and read When thou art eating or drinking or refreshing nature thou mayst consider for ought I know this may be the last time that I may use these creatures of God how fearful should I be of abusing them how should I eat my bread as before the Lord. When thou art in thy Shop or about thy calling thou mayst ponder this Possibly my last sand is running and I must this day bid adieu for ever to Wares and Shops and Flocks and Fields and all civil commerce O how heavenly should I be about these earthly affairs How spiritual about these temporal things Who would not do his last work well Ah how holy should he be at all times who hath cause every moment to expect the coming of an holy and
savour of it So if godliness and the immediate worship of God do first in the morning possess my soul my natural and civil affairs will probably rellish of it Again Mens hearts are generally upon that in the morning which they esteem their happiness and portion The covetous Muck-worm no sooner openeth his eyes but his â—eart is tumbling in his heaps The voluptuous beast no sooner wakes but he is sporting in sensual waters The ambitious Peacock no sooner is able to think but his gay Feathers and gaudy dress for that day come into his mind and why should not my heart send its first thoughts into Heaven Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire in comparison of thee The Birds early in the morning salute the rising Sun with their sweet notes and shall not I the Sun of righteousness Further My wants my mercies call for morning duties I walk in the midst of deaths of dangers every day and shall I dare to travail without my defence Men cloath their bodies against the sharpness of the weather and why not their souls against the assaults of the flesh the world and the wicked one There is no safety without this breast-work If Satan take me out of my trenches and strong holds as Joshua did the men of Ai it will be no wonder if he roâ—t and ruine me If I do not bless God in the morning how can I expect that he should bless me in the day Is any earthly Prince so prodigal of his favours as to throw them away upon those that esteem them unworthy to be desired If I do not serve the Precepts of God I am presumptuous to look that his providence should serve meâ— Should I undertake my affairs on earth before I have dispatched my business with heaven I am a notorious Cheat and Theif I am a Theif to God by robbing him of his glory and that natural allegiance which I owe to my Maker I am a Theif to my self in robbing my self of that blessing which I might have on my callings and undertakings O that prayer might be the girdle to compass in the whole body of my natural and civil dealings and concernments And that I could every day of my life forestal the worlds market by setting early about closet and family duties Suitors find it fittest to wait upon and dispatch their business with great persons betimes in the morning Lord freedom of access to thy throne of grace is an unspeakable favour Access is hard to earthly Princes No worldly Court is so open as to admit all comers Those that with much difficulty present their Petitions are often against all reason denyed Thy gates are open night and day all that will may come and be welcome Thou invitest souls to come into thy presence and delightest to hear and grant their prayers Thine eares are more open and ready to hear then their mouths to ask Thou pressest upon many undesired blessings but denyest none who ask not stones instead of bread Importunity never angers thee the more fervent and frequent my soul is with thee the more prevalent Thou fillest the hungry with good things and dost not send any that desire thy grace empty away from thy gate What care I how little notice or knowledge the Nobles of the earth will take of me when I can speak so freely to their better their Soveraign and not fear a repulse O teach me the right art of begging and then I need not be afraid of poverty If I be but skilful to follow that trade my returns will be both â—â—re and large Thy mercies are renewed upon me every morning so are my necessities O let my prayses and prayers be as frequent and early I will bless the Lord at all times his praise â—hall be continually in my mouth O God my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee in a dry and barren Wilderness where no water is My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I Wiâ—h that having done with the more immediaâ—e service of my God in Praying and Reading both in my Closet and Family I may proceed to serve him in my Shop and Particular Calling When God saith Man is born to labour I must not sing with the fool Soul take thine ease An idle person is like Caterpillars and Mice that devour Gods creatures and do no good to others It s pity he ever lived the book of whose life is filled up with nothing but Cyphers Nature never intended men to be drones to feed on others labours nor bats to spend their lives in the company of sleep the brother of death My God my soul my family my country do all call upon me to be diligent in that calling whereto he hath called me My God is a pure act himself and hath capacitated all his creatures for action He created all men but never made a sluggard The idle person wholly degenerates from the end of his being and receiveth his faculties in vain The command for civil labour hath the same divine stamp as that for sacred rest I have also his pattern for my encouragement as well as his precept for my warrant Hitherto my father worketh and I work My soul also stands in as much need of exercise as my body Idleness is the door at which diseases enter into both Rust eats up vessels that are laid by and unused The mind is never more bright then when it is in imployment from doing nothing we proceed to do evil Idleness is not onely a vice it self but also hath this unhappiness to usher in all other This is the least advantage of industry that it gives the soul no leasure to play with sin or to entertain the wicked one Standing waters do not sooner putrifie then lazy souls T is action that preserves the â—oul in health As Gâ—ats dance up and down in the Sun and then sit down and sting the next hand they seize upon So they who have no time to work have much to imploy in slandering and backbiting others One sin never goeth alone Again my Family may well rouze me out of the bed of laziness If I expect supply of their wants it must come in with Gods blessing at the door of diligence I am stealing from my wife and children all the while I am loytering The Heavens may cause seed sown to ripen into a joyful Harvest but untilled land will afford no crop save of weeds or stones Once more My Country commands me to my calling I am but an ill member in the body Politique if as a diseased part I take of its nourishment but rather hinder its growth then contribute to its health A jarring string is not more prejudicial to the rarest Viol in the hands of a skilful artist then an idle person to the musick and composure of the universe The most venemous
Chaff that the Storm carrieth away I flie away as a dream and shall not be found my life is chased away as a vision of the night The eyes which have seen me shall see me no more neither shall my place any more behold me I must live now or never If I die I shall not live again O that all the days of my appointed time I could wait till my change cometh Were I to take my leave of the world this night and were my life to end with the day how then would I spend every hour every moment of it Should I lavish away my time about this or that vanity Would I play it away in vain company Would I neglect my spiritual watch or waste my talents upon trifles should I dally about secret or private duties or be careless of my carriage in my calling would I starve my immortal soul or cast off all care of eternity No but I should all the day long act by the square and rule of the word How serious should I be in praying in reading in working for my soul for my salvation how diligent to do all the good I could to receive all the good I might how watchful to catch at and embrace all opportunities of honouring and serving my Maker and Redeemer because my time is short and I must pray and read and work for eternity now or no more no more for ever And why should I not be as holy though I do not know that I shall die this night when I know not but I may die this night How foolish is he who neglects doing his work till his work is past doing Besides Other creatures are constant and unwearied in serving their maker they are every day all the day long in their stations obedient to his commands If I look to Heaven to Earth to inanimate to irrational creatures I behold them all as so many Souldiers in their several ranks exactly and continually subject to the orders which they receive from the Lord of hosts and shall I be shamed by them I am at present more indebted more intrusted by God I have a reward hereafter of joy to encourage me of pain to provoke me to unweariedness in well doing which they neither hope nor fear Lord I live every moment upon thee why should I not live every moment to thee My life is by thy providence O that it were according to thy precepts I would not be thine hireling to serve thee meerly for wages thou thy self art my exceeding great reward but I would be thy days-man to work for thee by the day every day all the day long O help me to live well in time that I may live well eternally Let every day be so devoted to thy praise and every part of it so imployed in thy service that I may be the more fitted to please and woâ—â—â—ip thee in that place where there is no night yet all rest no Sun yet all day all light all joy where I shall have no meat or drink or sleep or shop or flocks or family and which is best of all no unbeleiving selfish carnal heart to call me from or hinder me in thy work but I shall worship and enjoy thee without diversion without distraction without interruption without intermission both perfectly and perpetually Amen CHAP. VII How a Christian may exercise himself to Godliness in visiting the Sick FIfthly Thy duty is to exercise thy self in visiting the sick The Visitation of the sick is a work of as great weight as any injoyned us relating to others and as much neglected and slighted in its management as almost any duty commanded Sickness is so common and Death so ordinary that with most their frequency takes away the sense of them and charity in many sickens and dieth as fast as others bodies The generality of pretended Christians like the Priest and the Levite if they see a man wounded both in his body and soul though it be to death pass on the other side of the way not caring to meddle with any that are in misery They tell us they are true members of Christ but like a bag of suppurated blood they feel nothing neither have any communion with the body Many on their dying beds whose souls are worse and more dangerously sick then their bodies may speak to their Minister or Neighbour for the duty belongs to the People as well as the Pastor almost in the words of Martha to Christ Sir If thou hadst been here my soul had not dyed Some visite the sick but rather out of a complement then out of conscience or to profit themselves more then their Neighbours The Ingenuous Heathen Seneca will tell such If a man visit his sick friend and watch at his Pillow for charity sake and out of his old affection we approve it but if for a Legacy he is a Vulture and watcheth onely for the carcass The discourse of these is chiefly about worldly affairs and nothing about the great concernments of eternity Others sometimes go about the work but perform it so ill administring Cordials when there is need of Corrosives sowing Pillows under their sick friends heads that they may die easily or if they tell them of their danger they do it so coldly and carelesly and by halves that as he said there is diseaseâ— their soul-sickness is curable but the unsutable medicines they take make it incurable It may be said of many a soul as Adrians Counsellers said of him Multitudo medicorum c. Many Physitians have killed the Emperour Ah! How dreadful is it when unskilful and unfaithful Mountebanks undertake to tamper and trifle with immortal souls that are just entring into their eternal estates Father forgive them they know not what they do Galen saith in respect of bodily Medicines In medicina nihil exiguum There is nothing small in Physick Every thing in it is of great consequence A little mistake may cause death I may upon greater reason say There is nothing little in spiritual Physick A small error in our prescriptions to sick souls may cause dreadful mischief Instead of curing we may kill the patient Hazaels wet cloth was not more deadly to his Masters body then the discourse of most is to their sick neighbours souls Fear of displeasing and a natural propensity to flatter prevail with too many to sooth their dying friends into unquenchable flames But surely there is more love as well as more faithfulness in frighting a sick person out of his spiritual Lethargy then in fawning him into the eternal lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Some venemous creatures tickle a man till he laughs even when they sting him to death so doth the flattering Minister or Neighbour he raiseth a sick man void of grace to the Pinnacle of joy and highest hopes of Heaven and thereby throweth him down into the Culph of irrecoverable sorrows and leaves him to undeceive himself in hell I shall first lay down two or three
I love them how can I manifest it better then by commending them to God in prayer Should I leave them thousands of silver and gold if I were able it would not all amount to the price of one fervent prayer My riches might wrong them through the deceitfulness of their hearts and cause them to be contented short of Heaven but my prayers cannot prejudice them but may much further their eternal welfares Men whose natures are crabbed and cruel have granted the requests of their dying children when they have been contrary to their own humours How much more will God the Father of mercies whose nature is Love whose bowels are infinite satisfie the desire of his dying children when they fall in with his own design and desire If Joab had hopes to speed in his supplication for Absolom because he knew the Kings heart was more for it then his own may not I be confident to speed when I beg that he would pay my debts in spirituals with interest to those who have bestowed carnals on me for his sake when I ask that my Children and Relations may love and fear and worship his Majesty and be his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works and when I intreat that he would accomplish all the great and good things which he hath promised to his Church the purchase of his Christ knowing that his heart is infinitely more for these things then mine can be Lord when I dye I shall no more put up prayers for my self or other particular persons My natural obligations to my Kindred and Relations my civil ingagements to my Friends and Benefactours besides my spiritual bonds to them and thy whole Israel may well provoke me to be fervent and instant with thy Majesty at such an hour on their behalves My Redeemer before his death wrought hard at this duty He offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears Ah how should I pray for my self and others when I am taking my leave of prayer O let thy spirit of supplication be so poured down on me that I may poure out my spirit in supplication unto theeâ— for my own and others souls through thy Son with the greatest success I Wish that the night of my death may shine gloriously with the sparkling stars of divine and heavenly graces In particular I desire that when the time of my combat with my last enemy and my last combat with any enemy shall come I may above all take the shield of Faith whereby I shall be sheltered against the sting of death and quench the fiery darts of the wicked one The wise Mariner perceiving a storm approaching makes hast to fasten his Vessel with Anchors that it may be steady and not altogether at the mercy of the winds I must expect the greatest tempest when I am entering into my eternal Haven then all the powers of darkness will conjure up their strongest winds if possible to shipwrack the vessel of my soul Ah how much doth it concern me to put forth this grace the anchor of my soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the vail and thereby to fasten on the rock of Ages If I fail in this I fall I miscarry for ever God is a severe judge to condemn all guilty Malefactours Without his Son I am cloathed with guilt and so under his boundless wrath When Adam had disrobed himself of original righteousness by disobeying the law he fled from God and dreaded the summons of offended justice There is no appearing in the Fathers sight with acceptance but in the garments of his Son None can have boldness to enter into the holy of holies but by the blood of Iesus It s Faith onely that interesteth in this blood I know that through the red Sea of this blood I pass may safely though enemies pursue me hard into the Land of promise Lord I confess through an evil heart of unbeleif I have many a time departed away from the living God yet Lord I believe help mine unbeleif O Lord of life be not far from me when Devils and death are near me Help me with thy servant Stephen to see Heaven open by faith and the Son of man at thy right hand Enable me to disclaim whatsoever duties I have performed or graces I have exercised and to rely alone on a crucified Christ for pardon and life Though thou killest me let me dye trusting and clinging on and cleaving to Iesus Christ Let this Pilgrims staff of faith be never out of my hand till I come to my joâ—rneys end Thou art the Lord of Hosts and the Captain of my salvation O help me to put on the whole armour of God grant me such skill to use it that I may be able to stand in the evil day Teach thou my hands to war and my fingers to fight that through thee I may do valiantly and through thee may tread down mine enemies Grant me so to finish my course to fight the good fight of faith that at death I may receive the crown of righteousness which the righteous judge shall give to all that love his appearing I Wish that my faith may ripen into full assurance that thereby I may depart with joy and an abundant entrance may be ministred unto me into the Kingdom of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Moses and Simeon could sing at their own funerals The great Apostle could call to be put to Bed expecting thereby his sweetest eternal rest How many Martyrs have gone more joyfully to dye then ever Epicure did to dine and leaped when they drew near the Stake believing that they drew near their home their happiness their heaven What is it O my soul that makes thee start and flinch back at the sight of this bug-bear What is there in death that is so dreadful to thee Is it the sweetness of life or the pain of death or thy future estate after death Consider them all seriously and then judge rationally whether any of these should make the sigh so loath to depart First The love of life need not make thee so backward to obey the call of death If all thy time were made up of Holy-days death would bring thee greater advantage The Garlick and Onions of Egypt are nothing comparable to the Clusters of Canaan But alas its far otherwise thy whole life is a civil death Thou art born to sorrow as the sparks flye upward Thy days are few but full of trouble The earth to thee is a valley of tears the cross is thy daily companion which accompanieth thee where-ever thou goest The sufferings of thy flesh are neither few nor small How many diseases in thy body losses in thy estate how much disgrace ignominy slander oppression art thou liable to The sufferings of thy spirit are more and greater Thine own sins the provocations of others the dishonour of thy God the wants and weaknesses and oppression and persecution of the Church
course will be hindered Indeed as God could preserve our bodies without food or any sustenance by his omnipotent power as he did Moses and Elijah forty days together but he will not where he affordeth ordinary means So he could preserve our souls in life without ordinances but he will not where his providence giveth us opportunity to enjoy them Reader I must say to thee as Iacob to the Patriarchs Behold I have heard that there is Corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us that we may live and not dye Behold thou hast heard there is spiritual food in Heaven the Son of Ioseph hath his granaries full of Corn go thou thither daily by sacred duties that thy soul may live and not dye There is a sensible decay of the strength in Husbandmen whose work is great upon one days abstinence If tradesmen grow careless of their business and neglect their Shops they quickly decay in their estates When Christians grow careless of duties and neglect their Closets t is no wonder that they decline in their spiritual stocks When the Moon hath her open side downward she decreaseth but when her open side is upwards towards Heaven she increaseth in light There is no growing in grace and holiness but by conversing with Heaven Grace like Armour may easily be kept bright if it be daily used but if it hang by the wall it will quickly rust and cost much time and pains to scoure Much fasting takes away the stomach and omission of Closet duties at one time makes a man more backward to them and dead about them another time When a Scholar hath plaid the Truant one day its difficult to bring him to School the next day Fear and Shame both keep him back when he comes thither he is the more untoward about his book Our deceitful hearts after they have discontinued holy exercises and are broken loose are like horses gotten out of their bounds not found or brought back without much trouble When an instrument is daily plaid on it s kept in order but if it be but a while neglected and cast into a corner the strings are apt to break the frets to crack the bridge to flye off and no small trouble and stir is requisite to bring it into order again We read of the Iews daily sacrifice which was Morning and Evening Exod. 29. 38. and 30. 7 8. David was for Morning and Eveningâ— and Noon-tide Psa. 55. 17. Daniel was three times a day upon his knees Dan. 6. 10. In the Morning the Saints were at their devotion which is thought to be the third hour when the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles Act. 2. 15. This is deemed to be our ninth hour The midle or mid day prayer was termed the sixth hour which is our twelfth Ioh. 4. 6. At this time Peter went up to the house top to pray Act. 10. 9. The evening Prayer was at the ninth hour which is our three a clock in the After-noon Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour Act. 3. 1. So Cornelius Act. 10. 30. At the ninth hour I prayed in my house Some think the Primitive Christians had these three hours in such regard and use that thence they were termed Canonical hours David tells us Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psa. 119. 164. The more frequent a Christian is at holy duties supposing he doth not make the commands of God to interfere and neglect his calling and family when his presence is required in them the more thriving he shall be in his spiritual trade The oftener we go to the Fountain or River the more water we bring thence As Runners in a Race do daily diet their bodies and use exercise to keep themselves in breath that they may be more able and active when they run for the wager whereas if they should neglect it they would grow pursie and shortwinded and unlikely to hold out when they run for the Garland So Christians who would hold out to the end and so run as to obtain must be daily feeding and dieting their souls and renewing their strength by these means which God hath appointed As the Sun is the cause of life and groweth in vegetables so is the Son of God the efficient cause of motion and growth in Christians where the Son is present in any soul there is spiritual moâ—ion and growth budding and blossoming and bearing fruit but when the Sun with-holds and with-draws when this Sun departs the soul is at a stand Now Ordinances are the means whereby the Mediatour conveys heat and life and growth to men CHAP. XI Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness Frequent Meditation of the day of judgement A daily Examination of our hearts Avoiding the Occasions and Suppressing the beginnings of Sin SEvently If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness Meditate much upon the day of Iudgement They will prepare themselves best to the battel who always hear the sound of the last trump in their ears Zisea that valiant Captain of the Bohemians commanded his Country-men to flea off his skin when he was dead and to make a Drum of it Which use saith he when ye go to battel and the sound of it will drive away the Hungarians or any of your enemies Could the Christian but with Ierom hear the sound of the last trumpet in his ears at all times it would encourage him in his spiritual warfare and enable him to fight manfully and to cause the enemies of his salvation to flee before him He who can frequently by faith view the Judge sitting on his Throne of Glory hear the last trumpet sounding behold the dead raised the books opened the godly examined by the Covenant of grace all their duties graces services sufferings publiquely declared approved and rewarded the wicked tried by the Law of works all their natural defilements actual transgressions in thought word and deed which ever they were guilty of with their crimson bloody circumstances openly revealed their persons righteously sentenced to the vengeance of the eternal fire and that sentence speedily without the least favour or delay executed on them will surely loath sin as that which brings him certain shame and torment and follow after holiness which will be his undoubted credit and comfort at that day The Apostle writing to the Iews concerning the terror of that day how the Heavens must pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein burnt up makes this use of it Seeing then that all those things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness And again Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for these things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness He had need to be exact in his conversation who must
undergo so strict an examination Well may the time of judgement be called a day for it will declare and manifest the worth of grace and holiness which in the night of this life is not observed Ah who can conceive the value which the vilest wretch on earth will put upon holiness at that day then grace will be grace indeed and godliness will be godliness indeed Then they who mock at Saints for their purity and strictness and look upon Sanctity but as Hypocrisie and the acting of a part to cozen the world with and think it is enough to put God off with a few prayers now and then when their pastimes and lusts will give them leave will call to beleivers as the foolish to the wise Virgins Give us of your oyl for our lamps are gone out then the graceless Princes and Potentates of the world will throw their Crowns and Diadems at the feet of the meanest Christian for a dram of his grace and holiness The Apostle speaking of that day puts the question Where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1 Pet. 4. 18. Now indeed those that â—coff and deride and scorn at holiness and holy ones may appear before great men in many parts of the world with praise and applause Now they may appear in the Country and be respected of their Drunken Atheistical Brutish Neighbours and probably be the more honoured for their opposition to the Spirit of grace and holiness but then Where will the sinner and ungodly appear Not in Heaven for that is no Stie for Swine no Kennel for Dogs no Gaol for Malefactours no place for such unholy God-provoking persons Into it can in no wise enter that which is defiled or unclean Such a Pallace is not fit for Beasts Snakes and Serpents and Adders are more fit for the bosome and embraces of men then such men for the bosome and embraces of God Heaven cast out wicked Angels and will not take in wicked Men Where shall they then appear Not on Earth for that will be burnt up with fire Their Houses and places must know them no more for ever The earth groaned under their weight whilst it bare them but now is eased of such loads and shall not be pestered with such Plagues again But where shall they appear Not before Christ the Iudge with any comfort for him they have derided buffeted crucified they have rejected his Laws trampled on his blood told him to his face that they will not have him to raign over them But where will they appear Not before the Saints for they have maligned oppressed imprisoned persecuted them as a company of Cheats and Hypocrites O where shall the sinner and ungodly appear 1. Consider The holiness of the Iudge He is the holy Iesus He loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity Psa. 45. What will the ungodly sinner do when he shall be judged by the holy Saviour Who can stand before this holy God 1 Sam. 60. 20. His eyes are like a flame of fire and so he knoweth the most secret works of darkness His Law is very pure and observeth and condemneth the least spots the least defilement and how will unclean ones endure to be judged for their everlasting lives and deaths by such a Law His throne is a white throne and how will the black sinner do to stand before this white throne Reader Thou hadst need to be a faithful and loyal subject if thou wouldst then be owned and acknowledged by thy Soveraign How exact should he be in his life who must be tried by so holy a Law If thou callest him Father who without respect of persons will judge every man according to his works pass the time of thy sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1. 17. 2. Consider The strictness of his proceedings Every thought word and action shall be revealed examined and weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary There is nothing hid that shall not be revealed nor secret that shall not be made known The thoughts of thy heart shall then be as visible as the features of thy face When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts by my Gospel Rom. 2â— 16. All thy words will then be as audible as if thou hadst had a voice to reach every child of Adam both alive and dead Verily I say unto you that of every idle word ye shall give an account at the day of Christ Mat. 12. 36. Every action of thine will then be legible not onely to God as it is at this day but also to Angels and Men We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ to give an account of all things done in the body whether they be good or whether they be evil 2 Cor. 5. 10. All the works of darkness will then be brought to light We must all appear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely be present in person and not by a proxy but be laid open and manifest be transparent so the word signifieth to give an account of every thing done c. to render a reason of every individual thought word and deed what was the principle from which we acted what was the rule by which we acted what was the end for which we acted When Benjamins sack was opened the silver cup appeared On that Fair-day all mens packs will be opened and then it will be known what ware they carry about with them Hence some have conjectured that it will not be a short time nor the judgement soon passed over It is called a day but not in relation to our natural or artificial days for Christ judging as man in his humane nature by his divine power will probably employ a far greater time in searching into and publiquely revealing every mans condition and conversation Though I am not of their opinions who say it will be precisely a thousand yearsâ— because it s said A thousand years are in thy sight but as one day Yet I judge it to be taken indefinitely and as Aâ—stin saith That the day of judgement shall begin is certain but when it shall end is uncertain I find two Divines eminent both for grace and learning in their generations speaking One saith I humbly conceive that the day of judgement shall not be passed over in an instant but shall be of long continuance sor if Christ should judge onely as God he could dispatch it in a moment but he judging as man it must be after the manner of men that the creature may understand admire and approve what is done The other saith It must take up some large quantity of time to manifest all the secret sins of men and therefore it may be made evident both from Scripture and reason that the day of Christs kingly office in judging the world shall last happily longer then the day of Christs private administration now in governing the world 3. Consider The weight of the sentence It s called the eternal judgement because the sentence then pronounced shall never be
that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men Clemens Alexandrinus makes mention of a place in Persia where there were three Hills when people came to the first they heard a clashing of armour when they came to the second they heard a confused noise when to the third nothing but songs of triumph At the day of the Saints Conversion he comes to the first hill then he heareth a clashing of armour listing himself under the Captain of his salvation and proclaiming open war against the world flesh and wicked one At the day of death he comes to the second hill a confused noise his friends are weeping and grieving his wife and children are mourning and bemoaning their loss though his soul be rejoycing to think of the rest to which it's going yet the flesh sweateth panteth is pierced and pained At the day of judgement he comes to the third hill where he heareth nothing but songs of triumph Victoria Victoria Hallelujahs Salvation Honour Glory Praise to the Lord and to the Lamb for ever At that day of judgement the whole world shall see and say Verily there is a reward for the righteous Then shall the wicked return and discern a difference between them that fear God and them that fear him not Then Grace will appear in all its embroydery and glory on that day of its coronation when the worst in Hell shall admire and adore it Now holiness hath a wonderful disadvantage partly by the persecutions afflictions bonds and imprisonments that attend it and chiefly from the darkness of mens understanding and the weakness of their eyes they are not able to view the thousandth part of its comeliness but then Holiness shall be freed from that black Guard of Hell that dogs her to destroy her and then the eyes of all the world shall be strengthned so much as to behold her amiableness then she shall be owned honoured acknowledged by God Angels and all the Children of Adam then she shall be attended not with Mulcts and Penalties and Bonds and Fetters but Crowns and Scepters and Palms and Kingdoms and then O then how lovely how beautiful will she be indeed 5. To affrighten thee from sin Consider the misery of sinners at that day It s called the day of perdition of ungodly men Sin will be sin indeed at that day When sin shall be stripped naked of the favour and countenance of great men of the preferments and advantages and riches and honours and offices with which it is cloathed here below and instead thereof be invested with fire and flames and brimstone and blackness of darkness and whips and serpents and unconceivable and eternal torments what an ugly loathsom strumpet will she be even in the eyes of them that now dote on her commit whordome with her and sacrifice their strength and time and estates and souls and God and Christ and Heaven and all to her Then the Drunkard will find his liquor more bitter then wormwood when he shall have a cup of pure wrath without the least mixture of mercy brought to him and he forced to take it down though there be eternity to the bottom Then the Persecutor of Gods people shall find that it had been better to have been rotting in a ditch or boyling in a furnace of lead then to have spent his time in wronging the poorest meanest member of Christ when God shall recompence tribulation to them that persecute his people and to them that are persecuted rest and peace Then every sinner will believe and feel what now though God himself tell him he will be an infidel in that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart away from the living God The wicked is reserved as the Beast for the slaughter-day to the day of destruction he shall be brought forth as the condemned Malefactour on execution-day at the day of slaughter Ah how dreadful will the sinners doom be then The tribunal of the Judge will be a tribunal of fire He shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance c. The Law by which he will try them shall be a Law of fire or a fire of Law Deut. 33.2 The Judge himself to them will be a consuming fire Heb. 12. 28. And the judgement which he will denounce against them will be Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for ever Ah who can dwell in everlasting burnings who can abide devouring flames Who can imagine the shame that will cover their faces the horror that will fill their hearts the terrors and tortures and torments that must seize them for ever If Iudas was so ashamed when he saw Thamars signet and staff the remembrances of his sin how will they be confounded when all their revellings and roarings their chambering and wantonness their cursing and swearing and all their sins shall be opened before all the world If Herod was so afrighted when he supposed that John was risen from the dead that the Baptists ghost by walking in his conscience robbed him of all comfort what afrightment will possess them to see the Saints whom they have nick-named disgraced imprisoned and it may be murdered risen from the dead owned and honoured by the Judge and the chief Favourites in the Heavenly Court If Saul was so troubled when he did hear Christ call to him out of Heaven that he fell to the ground what trouble what tribulation will possess them whom he shall curse with a bitter curse and call to Devils to seize on and associate with and prey upon for ever and ever The Saint shall find mercy the sweetest mercy in that day of judgement but the Sinner shall have judgement the sorest the most cutting killing judgement without the least drop of mercy If the day when God gave the Law was so dreadful full of thundrings and lightnings and fearful noises that the people cryed out Let not God speak to us lest we die and Moses himself did exceedingly quake and fear and if the day were so dreadful when the Son of Gods infinite love bare the curse of the Law that the rocks were rent the earth trembled the Sun was darkned how dreadful will that day be when God shall make inquisition into and deal with the vessels of wrath for the breath of the Law Who can abide that day of his coming Who shall stand when he appeareth Well may it be called the great and terrible day of the Lord Iesus Well might the wise man when he had seemingly laid the reins on the young mans back and given him leave to run on in the way of his own heart and eyes pull him in with this Curb Remember that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement When Sapores King of Persia had raised a violent persecution againstâ— the Christians Vsthazanes an antient Nobleman and a Christian who in the Kings minority had the Governmenâ— of the People was so terrified that
banished his Country fick with melancholy The whole body of Rome after their disaster at Canna where their Consul was slain and the flower of their Gentry and Souldiery cut off by Hannibal when the whole world did ring their Passing-bell and judged their Fortune dying and desperate were even then Heroick in their carraiage and acted nothing unworthy their former greatness In their Asian enterprise they proposed before the battel conditions to Antiochus as if they had conquered him and after the â—ight and victory offered him the same terms as if they had not conquered Abdolomius a poor Gardineâ— though of the Kings stock when advanced by Alexander to be King of Zidon and asked by him how it was possible for him to endure his poverty with contentedness answered I pray the gods I may continue the government of this Kingdom with the like mind for those hands were sufficient for me to live by and as I had nothing so I wanted nothing 9. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works He doth thee no wrong he cannot do thee any wrong now why shouldst thou complain when not injured It s unreasonable to murmur when a man hath right done him 10. God is gracious and good in all his dealings with thee If thine estate be but little yet that little with the fear of the Lord is better then the possessions of many wicked men Psal. 37. A penny which is the earnest of some great bargain is another manner of thing then an ordinary penny and more worth then many pounds being given and received under another notion Thy little is an earnest of infiâ—itely more then thou canst imagine and therefore more precious then others thousands A dinner of hearbs with the love of thy God in infinitely more elegible then the stalled Oxen of the wicked and his wrath therewith Who would desire Eglons present with the dagger Siserahs milk with the nail and hammer and Hamans banquet with the gallows that trod upon the heels of it Truely such is the riches of every wicked man The smallness of thy temporal may increase thy spiritual estate If God recompence thy want of earthly with a supply of heavenly riches thou art no loser Nicepsorus tells us of one Cyrus a Courtier in the time of Theodosius the younger who through the envious occupation of some favourites being spoiled of his goods of a Pagan became a Christian and of a Christian a Minister of Christ. Endoxia the daughter of a Philosopher in Athens being cast out of her Fathers house by unkind brethren and coming to Constantinople to beseech Theodosius to right a poor Orphan found such favour in his eyes that he made her his Queen Affliction is the way to honour with men to more holiness from God when Prosperity causeth our fall both into sin and misery He holds the garments of his godliness fast in a boysterous wind who would lay it off in a Sunny day Lastly If thou woudst exercise thy self to godliness take heed of those things that will hinder thee therein As if a man would have his trees to thrive he must not onely open the earth sometimes and mind its watering but also lop off superfluous branches and as a Gardiner if he would have his hearbs and flowers to flourish must be sure to keep his Banks and Beds well weeded as well as dunged or watered so if thou wouldst thrive and flourish in godliness â—â—ere is a necessity of avoiding what is hurâ—ful to it as well as of using what is helpful There be several things which will keep a Christian from the exercise of his holy calling some of which I shall but briefly name having had occasion to speak of others and also to these in other Chapters 1. Avoid evil company Wicked persons delight to have or to make fellows Hence we find in Scripture that they go as the unclean beasts into the Arke in pairs Adam and Eve Simeon and Levi Ammon and Ionadab Hymeneus and Alexander Phygellus and Hermogenes Ananias and Saphira Can a man take fire in his bosome and not be burned Expect not that the flowers of thy graces should flourish unless these weeds be removed from them He that walketh in the rain must expect to be wet he that walketh in the Sun must expect to be tanned and he that walks among polluting persons must expect to be polluted 2. Take heed of idleness An idle man is like an heap of dry straw quickly fired by the sparkes of Satans temptations Prov. 28. 19. 1 Tim. 5. 13. 2 Thess. 3. 10 11. Whist the Oyster lieth gaping against the Sun he is devoured by the Crabfish Whilst the Christian lieth lazing on the bed of idleness he is a prey to Satan The purest river water if it stand still in a vessel will become unsavoury The best corn if not stird will be musty As the Caterpillar consumeth the leaf and the Canker the rose so will idleness thy godliness Ezek. â—6 49. Aâ— men in war lying in the field if they be slothful and lie lazing on the ground must expect to be a prey to their enemies The Amalekites found this by experience the sluggard will rather be kild then take the pains to defend himself A slothful man who will not imploy his stock cannot expect to improve his stock The diligent hand maketh rich in goods and in grace 3. Love not the World The thornes of the world hinder the growth of the good seed of grace This worlds best are the other worlds worst husbands It s hard for the Periwinckle in the Sea to swim because of the house on her back It s impossible for them to swim Heaven-ward who have the world not on their backs but in their hearts The more thou delightest in this world the more thou wilt neglect the other world He who is taken with and fond of an Harlot will quickly abate in his love to nay cast off his-honest wife The Palm tree is least at the bottom and the higher it groweth the thicker and greater it is contrary to all other trees The higher a Christian mounts in his affections and the more heavenly he is the more he wilâ— thrive in Christianity The Child cannot thrive that feedeth on Dirt the more a man loveâ—h the earth the lesse he will do or suffer for heaven Such Esaus will sell the birthrighâ— for a mess of pottage such Gehezies will dishonour and beâ—ie their Master for a talent of silver Such Achans will destroy themselves and families and trouble a whole Israel for a wedge of gold Such Iudasses will sell their Lord and Saviour for a goodly price Thirty pieces For a piece of a Bread such a one will transgresse The fire which breaks out of this bramble devours the Cedars of Lebanon The Athenians did set up a pillar wherein they published him to be an enemy to their City who should bring gold out of Media as an instrument to corrupt them Inordinate
with Mithridates they were so eager after their prey that thereby they missed taking the King who could not otherwise have escaped their hands Ah! how foolish art thou if through thy violent pursuit of a perishing world thou shouldst lose an eternal kingdom As Constantinople was lost through the covetousness of the Citizens so is the crown of life and glory the City that hath a foundation through mens eager endeavours after earthly things The beloved Disciple doth not unfitly represent all the beauties and glories and excellencies of this lower world under the name and notion of the Moon which is ever in changes and never looks upon us twice with the same face and when it is at the fullest is blemished with a dark spot and next door to declining Rev. 12. 1. An old man of Brasil discoursing with the Merchants of France and Portugal and perceiving the long and dangerous voyages which they took to get riches asked them If men did not dye with them as well as in other Countries They told him Yea. He asked them who should possess their riches after their deaths They said their Children if they had any if not their next kindred Now saith the old man I perceive ye are fools for what necessity is there for you to pass the troublesome Seas wherein so many perish and to run so many hazards Is not the earth that brought you up sufficient to bring up your children and kindred also We have children and kindred that are likewise dear to us but when we consider that the earth which nourisheth us is sufficient to nourish them we rest satisfied That busie Bee and great trouble-world Alexander had a tart yet wise reproof from Diogenes when being taken with the Philosophers witty answers he bade him ask what he would and he would give it him The Philosopher desired him to grant him the smallest portiou of immortality Alexander said that is not in my power to give Then saith the Philosopher Why doth Alexander take such pains and make such sâ—ir to conquer the world when he cannot assure himself of one moment to enjoy it Ah! why should thou neglect thy God and Christ and soul and eternal good and tyre and weary thy self night and day for these unsatisfying comforts which may leave thee to morrow and of which thou canst not secure the enjoyment of one moment If God complain of wicked men and threatens them with fierce wrath and fiery indignation for selling the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of shoes and would make them know that he valued his people at an higher price and would not suffer them to be sold at such a rate What will become of thee if thou shouldst sell thy soul thy salvation thy God thy Christ for silver for vain unsatisfying corruptible silver when their value is above millions of worlds O take heed that thou dost not cast away thy self for such transitory trifles Let not the Worlds venison cause thee to lose thy Fathers blessing T was a poor change of Glaucus to exchange gold for copper but O what a sad exchange wilt thou make to exchange heaven for earth the endless fruition of the blessed God for a moments enjoyment of creatures Thou wouldst condemn that Mariner of folly who seeing a Fish in the water should leap into the Sea to caâ—ch it which together with his life he loseth What a fool art thou for mortal comforts to lose an immortal crown The women of Corinth saith an ancient Father did set up Tapers at the birth of every child with proper names upon each of them and that Taper which lasted longest in burning had its proper name transferred to the Child God himself gives the highest and richest though conceited worldling his name Thou fool this night c. Nabal is his name and folly is with him The plain truth is the world is the ruine and destruction of men Its pleasures and honours make the sinner merry and jolly as the hearb Sardonia the eater who eating dyeth They that will be rich fall into temptations and snares and many hurtful lusts which drown men in perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. The world serveth its darlings as that tyrannous Emperor did his servants let them through a sliding floor into a Chamber â—ull of Roses that being smothered in them they might meet the bitterness of death in sweetness O do not spend thy strength for that which is not bread but hearken to Christ and thou shalt eat that which is good and thy soul shall delight it self in fatness Isa. 55.3,4 Secondly Consider the brevity of thy life He who hath but a little time and a great task must work hard or his work will not be done The Birds know their time and improve it in some Countries the shorter the days are the faster they flye Heathen have been sensible of this Theophrastus cryed out on his dying bed Ars longa vita brevis Time was short and not sufficient for humane arts and sciences Seneca saith of himself Nullus mihi per otium exiit dies partem noctis studiis devovi I lose no day through idleness but even devote part of the night to my studies The very Devils follow their cursed trade with the greater diligence knowing that their time is short Rev. 12. 12. Now Reader Consider how few thy days are What is your life even a vapour a coming and a going a flood and an ebbe and then thou art in the Ocean of eternity I have read of one that being asked What life was was answered answerless for the party of whom the question was demanded onely turned his back and went away We come into the world and take a turn or two about in it and God saith Return ye Children of men A little child may number the days of the oldest man We project high things and lay foundations for an earthly eternity but the longest life is less then a drop to that Ocean Yet alas the most are blown off in the spring and few continue to fall off in Autumn Plutarch compareth Galba Otho and Vitellius in regard of their short reign to Kings in Tragedies which last no longer then the time in which they are represented on the Stage The River Hypanis in Scythia bringeth forth every day little bladders out of which come certain Flies which are bred in the morning fledg'd at noon and dye at night Man cometh up like a flower and is cut down he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Job 14. 2. This short time posteth away with speed How soon do our days vanish Iob tells us that his little time made great haste to be gone My days are swifter then a Weavers shuttle Job 7. 6. The Weavers shuttle is an instrument of very swift motion and so swift that it is used for a Proverb for all things that are swift and speedy Radius Textoris dictum Proverbiale Radio velocius The Latines express it by a beam of the
Conclusion of the Treatise FOurthly Consider the excellency of this Calling As it is said of God in respect of beings Who is like thee O God! Among all the Gods none is to be compared to thee So I may say of godliness in respect of Callings What is like thee O Godliness amongst all callings none is comparable to thee 1. It is the most honourable Calling The Master that thou are bound to is King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Fountain of honour and Lord of glory One of whom the greatest Princes and Potentates of the world hold their Crowns and Scepters to whom they must kneel and do their homage One to whom the whole creation is lesse then nothing The work that thou art imployed in is not servile and mean but high and noble the worship of the great God walking and conversing with his blessed Majesty subduing brutish lusts living above this beggarly earth a conversation in heaven a conflict with and conquest over this dreggy flesh and drossy world and powers of hell to which the greatest battels and victories of the most valiant warriours that ever drew the sword are worse then childrens play To conquer our passions is more then to conquer kingdomes Thâ—mistocles is renowned by Cicero for telling some who disparaged him for his ignorance in playing on the Lute That he knew not how to play on the Lute yet he knew how to take a City To subdue one lust is more then to subdue a thousand Cities Thy fellow servants are the elect of God glorious Angels and Saints who are higher then the Kings of the earth Princes in all lands a crown of glory a royal diadem a chosen generation the excellent of the earth vessels of Gold the Children of the most high of whom the world is not worthy The Priviledges of this calling and company are eminent Adoption remission growth in grace divine love perseverance â—n holiness an eternal kingdom are all contained in the Charter granted to thiâ— Corporation The covenant of grace that hive of sweetness that mine of gold that cabinet of jewels to which all the world is but an heap of dust is their part and portion and contains more in iâ— for their comfort then heaven and earth is able to contain To serve God is one of the fairest flowers in the Saints garland of honour hence the Lords kinsman glorieth in being the Lords servant and the Lords Mother calleth her self his handmaid Iude ver 1. Luk. 1. 38. If the meanest offices about earthly Princes are esteemed honourable what an honour is it to wait on the King of heaven The Saints duty is their preferment and that service which is commanded them a priviledge The great Apostle boasteth of his Chain for God as his glory and credit and holdeth it up as a mark and badge of honour For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain Act. 28. 20. and begins one of his Epistles with this honourary Title Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ Philem. 1. It is not earthly riches that make a man honourable we mistake in calling and counting rich men the best men in the Parish Riches without godliness are but a gold ring in a swines snout for which the brute is nothing the better It is not aiery applause or worldly preferments that will make a man honourable Titles are but like feathers in the hat or glistering scarfes under the armes which adde not the least worth to the man that wears them A great letter makes no more to the sense of the word then a small one Worship Honourâ— Grace Highness Majesty make nothing to the real intrinsick value of any person The ungodly Monarchs of the world are but beasts in Gods account Antiâ—chus Epiphanes whose name signifieth Illustrious whom the Samaritans stiled the Mighty God is called by the Holy Ghost because of his ungodliness a vile person Dan. 11. 21. In his days shall stand up a vile person All honour without holiness is fading as well as fancied rather then real External nobility though it glister in the face of the world is but as Seneca saith vitrea brittle as glass and compounded of earth The Potentates of the world are often like Tennis-balls tossed up on high to fall down low Hence some of the wiser Heathen have called them Ludibria fortunae the scorn of fortune Haman honoured one day the next day hanged Gelimer the Puissant Prince of the Vandals Bellisarius Charles the fifth and Henry the fourth Emperours and many others experienced the brittleness of worldly glory But that honour which is from above is true and eternal Plutarch tells us the Roman nobles as a badge of their nobility wore the picture of the Moon upon their shoes signifying as their nobility did increase so it would decrease All priviledges all prerogatives all titles all dignities without godliness are vanishing shadows T is the new creation that rendreth the children of Abraham like the glorious stars in heaven The world looks on the Saint possibly he is poor and mean in the world as the Jews lookt on Christ As a root out of a dry ground and so saw no form nor comliness in him but they who could pierce into the inside of Christ could see that in him dwelt thee fullness of the godhead bodily and they who can see into the inside of Christians behold the Kings daughter all glorious within As the precious stone Sandastra hath nothing in outward appearance but that which seemeth black bâ—t being broken poureth forth beams like the Sun So the Church of Christ is outwardly black with affliction but inwardly more bright and glorious then the Sun with thriving vertues and celestial graces The power of godliness in a mean Christian is a rich treasure in a mean Cabinet but vice in robes in scarlet is poison in wine the more deadly and dangerous Tamberlain tomb was rifled by the Turks and his bones worn by them for Iewels though their enemy and one that had conquered them in divers combates and captivated their Emperour and carried him up and down in an Iron Cage for his foot-stool God makes his people honourable in the eyes of the wicked Since thou wast precious in my sight thou art honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life The sons of them that afflicted thee shall bow before thee and thine enemies shall lick the dust Isa. 43. 4. A wicked King Iohoram honoreth and waiteth on a Servant of God Elisha Herod reverenceth the Baptist. Grace is a powerful though silent Oratour to perswade all that see it to love and honour it What Diogenes spake of learning is truly applicable to grace or the knowledge of God in Christ It makes young men sober old men happy poor men rich and rich men honourable When Agesilaus was ready to dye he charged his friends that they should not make any picture or statue of him for saith he If I
defence Though others like the old world are drowned are destroyed in these waters yet thou shouldst ride safely in a well pitcht Ark and to free thee from any fear of miscarrying the Lord himself would shut thee in When others are in the open air on whom storms and tempests have their full force thou shouldst be housed in Gods presence-chamber and kept secret by his side As Gideons fleece thou shouldst be dry when all about thee are wet The whale of destruction may digest thousands of Mariners but one godly Ionah is too hard for him The torrent of fire that ran from AEtna and consumed the Country yet parted it self to safeguard them that releived their aged parents When the Grecians had taken Troy and given every man liberty to carry out his burden they were so taken with the devotion of AEneas in carrying out first his houshold gods and upon a second licence his old Father Anchises and his Son Ascanius instead of treasures which others carried out that they permitted him to carry what he would without any disturbance Ieremiah in the Babylonish captivity was tendered and regarded highly by the King of Babylon When Sodom was destroyed Lot was preserved It was storied of Troy that so long as the Image of Pallas stood safe in it that City should never be won It is true of godliness so long as the fear and love of thy God are within thee so long as thou makest religion thy business nothing shall hurt thee every thing shall help thee godliness will bring in all gain and at all times No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly A Child of God by adoption is in some sense like the Son of God by eternal generation heir of all things 1 Cor. 3.30 31. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's Nay the Christians riches are not onely unsearchable Ephes. 3. 8. but also durable Prov. 8. 15. When a wicked man dieth all his riches dye with him His treasue is laid up on earth therefore when he leaves the earth he leaves his treasure Psa. 49. 17. When a godly man dyeth his riches follow him Rev. 14. 13. His treasure is in heaven and so when he dyeth he goeth to his gains O Reader what an argument is here to provoke thee to piety godliness is profitable in all conditions in all relations in both worlds In prosperity t will be a sun to direct thee in adversity a shield to protect thee in life t will be thy comfort and which is infinitely more in death that hour of need 't will be thy enlivening cordial The smell of Trefoil is stronger in a cloudy dark season then in fair weather The refreshing savour of the sweet spices of grace is strongest in the Saints greatest necessities When Death the King of terrors comes to enter the list and fight with thee for thy soul and eternal salvation for thy God and Christ and Heaven and happiness when all thy Riches and Honours and Friends and Relations would leave thee in the lurch to shift for thy self as Dogs leave their Master when he comes to the water Godliness would be thy shield to secure thee against its shot and make thee more then a conquerour over it Thou mightest call thy dying bed as Iacob the place through which he travailed Mahanaim a Camp for there Angels would meet thee to convey thee safe through the Air the enemies country of which Satan is Lord and Prince to thy Fathers houses where thou shouldst be infinitely blessed in the vision and fruition of thy God and Saviour for ever Godliness would be the Pilot to steer the vessel of thy soul aright through those boysterous waters to an happy port The Arabick Fable mentions one that carried an Hog a Goat and a Sheep to the City the Hog roared hideously when the other two were still and quiet and being asked the reason gave this account of her crying The Sheep and Goat have no such cause to complain for they are carried to the City for their Milk but I am carried thither to be killed being good for nothing else The Ungodly person may well cry out sadly when sickness comes for then guilt flyeth in his face and conscience tells him death will kill him he is good for nothing but to be killed with death Rev. 2.25 he never honoured God in this world and God will force honour out of him in the other world He may well screech out dreadfully at the approach of death whose body death sends to the grave and his souls to intolerable and unquenchable flames but the godly man may bid death welcom knowing it will be his exceeding gain and advantage Reader When others like the Israelites are afraid and start back at the sight of this Goliah thou mightest like little David encounter him in the name of the Lord and overcome him Thou mightest triumphantly sing in the ears of death O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The Lord of life would sweeten death to thee and subdue it for thee nay make it at peace with thee that thou mightest say to death as Iacob to Esau I have seen thy face as if it had been the face of God who hath made thee to meet me with smiles instead of frowns Death would help thee to that sight to that knowledge to that state and degree of holiness for which thou hast prayed and wept and fasted and watched and laboured and waited many a day as it s said of Iob there was none like him in the earth so I may say of this calling there is none like it upon the face of the earth the very enemies of it in their hours of extremity being judges Ah who would not work for God with the greatest diligence and walk with God in the exactest obedience and wait upon God with the greatest patience when he is assured that in the doing of his commands there is such great reward and those that sow to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting The Conclusion Reader I have now ended this Treatise but whether thou if a stranger to this calling wilt put an end to thy carnal fleshly ways and begin this high and heavenly work or no I know not If thou art ambitious thou hast here encouragement sufficient godliness will ennoble thee and render thy blood not only honourable but royal If thou art voluptuous here is a bait which may take thee godliness will bring thee to a river of pleasures to such dainties and delights as take the hearts of perfect and glorious Angels If thou art covetous here is a golden weight to turn the scales of thy desires and endeavours godliness is profitable unto all things it hath the promise of this life and of that which is to come when thy house and lands and honours and neighbours and
with fear Didst thou receive thy meat as in Gods presence and hadst thou an eye therein at his praise How didst thou behave thy self in thy Particular calling Did it no way incroach upon thy general Was thy conversation in heaven whilst thy dealings were about earth Wast thou diligent in the exercise of it righteous in thy dealings in it depending on God for a blessing on it What was thy carriage in company was thy life holy spotless exemplary profitable to others Mightest thou not in such a place have done thy God more service and thy Brothers soul more good May I not say to thee as God to Jonah Didst thou well to be angry at such a time upon no cause what were thy thoughts in solitude how wast thou imployed Had God any true share in thy thoughts hast thou watched thy self this day and kept thy heart with all diligence Hath none of thy precious time been lavisht away on unnecessary things Answer me faithfully to all these particulars that I may be able to return an answer to him that sent me O that I could but imploy one half hour every day with seriousness and uprightness in such soliloquies Lord thou didst create the world in six days and thou wast pleased to loâ—k back on every days work and behold it was very good and then ensued thy Sabbath Cause thy â—ervant to be a follower of thee as a dear child in minding every day the work thou hast given me to do that I may every night review it with comfort finding it good in thy Christ at the end of all my days looking back upon all my works I may see them very good through the acceptation of thy grace and with joy enter into my eternal Sabbath I Wish that I may end every day with him who is the beginning and first born from the dead That I may every night go to bed as if I were going to my grave knowing that sleep is the shadow of death and when the shadow is so near the substance cannot be far off Though lovers cannot meet all day yet they will make hard shift but they will find an opportunity to meet at night Should my devotion set with the natural Sun I may fear a dreadful night of darkness to follow That bed may well be as uneasie as one stuft with thorns that is not made by prayer If the soul lye down under an heavy load of sin the body can have no true rest Jacob could sleep sweetly upon an hard stone having made his peace with God when Ahashuerus could not though on a bed of down I cannot sleep unless God wake for me and I cannot rationally expect his watchfulness over me unless I request it My corruptions in the day call for contrition in the night How many omissions commissions personal relative sins heart life wickedness am I daily guilty of and â—hould I lye down under their weight for ought I know they may sink me before morning into endless wo. Whilst blood is in my veins sin will be in my soul. The weed of sin may be cut broken pulled up yet it will spring again I shall as soon cease to live as cease to sin Though I should be free all the day long from presumptuous enormities and onely defiled with ordinary humane infirmities yet these if not bewailed are damning The smallest letters are most hurtful to the eyes and far worse then a large Character Those sins which are comparatively little if not lamented are far more dangerous then Davids Murther and Adultery which were repented of When the soul like Thamar hath notwithstanding its utmost endeavours to preserve its chastity been ravished and by force defiled it must with her lift up the voice and weep If the Sun may not go down upon my wrath against man much-less may I presume to lye down under the wrath of God Besides how can sin be mortified if it be not confessed and bewailed Arraignment and Conviction must go before Execution The favours of the day past are not to be forgotten but to be acknowledged with thankefulness I receive every day more considerable mercies then there are moments in the day and when I borrow such large sums the principal of which I am unable ever to satisfie shall I be so unworthy as to deny the payment of this small interest which is all my Creditour requireth Whatsoever gain I have got in my calling whatsoever strength I have received by my food whatsoever comfort I have had in my Relations or Friends whatsoever peace liberty protection I have enjoyed all the day long I must say of all 〈◊〉 Jacob of his Venison The Lord hath brought it to me Surely the hearer of my morning prayers may well be the object of my evening prayses Aâ— how unreasonable is it that I like a whirl-pool should suck in every good thing that comes near me and not so much as acknowledge it Should any one be the thousandth part so much indebted to me as I am to God how ill should I take it if he should not confess it If a Beggar at my door receive a small almes from God by my hands I look for his thanks How often have I complained of the baseness and unworthiness of some that are engaged to me O what tongue can express what heart can conceive how much I am indebted to my God every moment though I am less then the least of all his mercies and doth not all his goodness merit sincere thankefulness Lord I confess there is not a day of my life wherein I do not break thy Laws in thought word and deed Sin is too much the element in which I live and the trade that I drive I find continually a law in my members warring against the Law of my mind and captivating me to the Law of sin and death Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Since I am no day innocent make me every night penitent As my sins abound let my sorrow abound and thy grace much more abound Though I can never requite thy favours help me to admire and bless the fountain of them Suffer me never to go to bed till I have first asked thee my heavenly Father blessing Let the eyes of my soul be always open to thee in prayer and prayse before the eyes of my body be shut And O be thou always pleased so to accept my confessions petitions thanksgivings my person and performances in thy dear son that I may lay me down in peace and sleep because thou Lord makest me to dwell in safety Finally I Wish that every day of my life may be spent as if it were the day of my death and all my time employed in adorning my soul in trimming my lamp and in a serious preparation for eternity Whilst I am living I am dying every moment my sand is running and my Sun is declining I am as Stubble before the Wind and as