must work in his Vineyard Mat. 20.6 And he that worketh receiveth Wages and gathereth Fruit unto Life Eternal John 4.36 No Man therefore must be idle or ill employed He must work the Works of God that is such as God sets him about and approveth without picking and choosing his own Work He must work while it is Day before the Night cometh wherein no Man can work Let me advise thee O Christian to improve Time and Business that even thine Idleness if I may so call thy vacant Hours that is thy necessary rest thy leisure may not be without some Diligence because it tendeth to fit thee for Business When thou liest down to sleep let it be to this end that thou mayst rise and go about thy Work not to pamper Sloth If thou eatest do it to the same end as Elias did to walk in the strength of thy Food the way that God sends thee not to gratifie thy Belly or thine Appetite And when God puts thee at any time upon doing his Will be thou never better pleased than when God gives thee thy Hands full of work nor more restless than when God doth not employ thee It is the diligent Hand that maketh rich Prov. 10.4 cap. 13.4 And the Soul of the Diligent shall be made fat If thou walkest in God's Way thou art in God's keeping But if thou stragglest from the way of Duty thou art like enough to meet with a Lion 1 Kings 13.24 as the disobedient Prophet Or with a Storm a Wrack a Whale as Fugitive Jonas Jonas 1.17 to swallow not to save But if thou walkest diligently in thy Calling thou art within the Hedg and Pale of Providence Psal 34.7 and under the Guard of the holy Angels Idleness is the enemy of Health the consumption of Thrist the foil of Vertue the hindrance of Wisdom and the hatred of God as a Reverend Divine of ours termeth it No Man ever had larger Possessions than Adam who was the only absolute Monarch of the whole World nor was any meer Man more Noble for he is stiled the Son of God Luke 3.38 If any exceeded him herein it was only Jesus Christ the Natural Son of God and Heir of all Things Yet God would not that either Adam in Paradise in the state of Innocence or his own Son appearing in our Flesh should be without a Calling or idle in it How many are there of the Gentry that are possessed with this Opinion that they must live at the height of their Estates and spend all their time in Pleasures and Idleness no way conducing to the Common Good but much to the Prejudice of it as if God like Augustus had built an Apragopolis a City void of Business and a Nursery of Idleness and Prophaneness Multitudes there are in the City that like the Athenians find little to do but to busie themselves to hear and tell News Others spend most of their time in Plays and in Visits in the study of the Times Fashions Modes and Compliments c. erecting as it were an Academy of Idleness to busie all vain Persons like that Office set up at Rome by Tiberius stiled A Voluptatibus But this will be the Doom of all Idle Persons Cast the unprofitable Servant into utter Darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth Mat. 25.30 Every one though never so Great and Honourable standeth in God's Family as a Servant as David professeth himself to be Psal 116.16 Moses was faithful in all God's House as a Servant and Servants are not idle Every one must serve in some particular Calling wherein he must abide with God whether it be in the Magistracy ruling with God 1 Cor. 7.21 that is for God and being faithful with the Saints Hos 11.12 and so he must be a Servant unto all Thus as David he may serve his Generation by the Will of God Acts 13.36 Or whether it be in the Ministry so he is to be a Servant of Jesus Christ Thus St. Paul in the behalf of all faithful Ministers We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our selves your Servants for Jesus sake 2 Cor. 4.5 Yea the Master of the Family must be a Servant to the Family else the Family will not abide in good Estate and Order He that is idle and neglecteth the care of his Family is worse than an Infidel See that you do not only labour but that the thing you are diligent in be worth your Labour joyn Choice with Diligence and see that you guide all your Affairs with Discretion Meddle with nothing till you are able to answer your selves that Question Cui bono What is it good for Is it my Calling or within it or in the way to it Doth it prepare me for it or quicken me in it Doth it make me work more cheerfully or fruitfully See that ye do your own Business as St. Paul adviseth 1 Thess 4.11 I do not mean that ye should refuse to do Business for others if they desire it and that it may be for their Good but look that what ye do for your selves or others be confined within the limits of your Duty Place and Calling Meddle not with things beside your Calling God furnisheth every Man with Abilities suitable to his Calling because therein he works for God but not with sufficiencies for another Calling because therein he works for himself or rather indeed against himself as a Reverend Divine notes For he that steps out of his Calling offendeth God and so runs himself into danger He is as a Souldier who having his Station appointed him by his General goes to another Or as a Bird wandring from her Nest where she is safe becometh liable to be caught in Nets to be shot or made a prey to other ravenous Fowls As Christians ye must seek the Kingdom of God in the first place and do God's Work before your own but in business of your own particular Calling see that ye not only abide with God as not starting from him or it but labour for God that so ye may please him that hath called you Among all Businesses set upon that which most concerneth you to look after having an eye to God's Command and the good of Humane Society And in the midst of outward Employments labour to have your Conversation in Heaven and to do your earthly Business with an heavenly frame of Heart Let not your Hearts be taken up nor taken away with the things of the World but set your Affections on things above and not on things on the Earth And when ye are most diligent in the works of your Callings aim at the gaining of Time and Liberty for vacancy to holy Duties In your working-Working-days Labour prepare for the Sabbath's rest and daily so endeavour that you may gain time to solace your selves with the Lord in Reading Meditation or Prayer See that ye manage all Businesses without overmuch Carking and Vexation I have read of a
hanging on How great a task to escape the Corruption that is in the World and to escape so many Snares as are set in all places How great a work to get a free and enlarged Heart How hard to walk constantly in the Spirit How hard to do the Work and perform the Service of God in the Power of the Spirit How difficult to walk in a constant communion with the Lord What diligence then ought we to use in the Service of God being so much straightned with time and having so much to do and so great a task laid upon us Moreover the shortness of Life compared with the greatness of the Account that is to be given up at the end of this Life should move us with great diligence to hasten in the Work and Service of God A great account is to be given up to God after a short Life and therefore great diligence must be used that it may be an happy and joyful Account and that we may be sure to have all our Sins crossed out of the Account and to have many works of Obedience many pleasing Services acceptable to God through Jesus Christ put upon the Reckoning Every Master calls his Servants to account for what they put into their hands as to the improvement thereof And God will call every Man to a reckoning for every Talent they have in their hands how they have improved them what they have done for the Glory of God for the Interest of Christ and for the good of their own and others Souls All our Talents are written down our using our abusing them our spending our mispending them All the times of God's Patience Forbearance and Long-sufferance are registred in God's Account-Book All the Mercies and Blessings we have received all the Ordinances of God and means of Grace we have enjoyed all the powerful Sermons we have heard all these are written down in the Book of God's Remembrance and in the Book of our Consciences We shall all be called to give an account Mat. 25.15 16 17 18 19. Let us all mind the day of Account and not put it far from us in hope that our Master will defer his Coming But let every one labour so to do as he desireth to be found at his Coming Furthermore Consider that everlasting Estate which followeth upon so short a Life and which shall be according to this short Life and suitable unto it Now when everlasting Life followeth upon a short Life well spent to the Glory of God and everlasting Woe and Misery upon a Life spent according to the course of this World by those that live in the Flesh Oh what Speed Industry and Diligence should Men use in improving their short lives in the Service of God that they may inherit everlasting Life and escape everlasting Torment Finally After this short Life we shall have no more such opportunities as now to glorifie God here on Earth we shall hear no more Sermons enjoy no more Sabbaths his Spirit shall strive with us no longer Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no Work nor Device nor Knowledg nor Wisdom in the Grave where thou goest Eccles 9.10 Death will take away those opportunities which the life of Man affordeth therefore every Man ought to put forth his might and best strength in improving his short life to the Glory of God How may this reprove our prodigal and lavish mispending of our short Lives Men that have but a little store of such and such things are sparing and thrifty in dispensing and disposing them Scarcity of any sort of Provision moveth Men to make spare of it What is more scanty than time What hath a Man less store of than of Life No Man knoweth how little he hath and he that hath most hath but little Many reckon upon many Years of Life to come who perhaps have not so may Days it may be not so many Hours as they reckon Years The truth is no Man is sure of any more than the present time of his Life All the time past which was ill-spent is lost and whether any be yet remaining to thee thou art uncertain And if any be it is as like to slide away from thee without profit as that which is past if now thou be lavish and careless in losing and casting away the present time How easily may Satan lead thee on step by step to Hell whilst thou pleasest thy self with thoughts afar off for Heaven with remote purposes for Heaven and newness of Life Hast thou not passed over many Weeks and Days already when thou hadst a purpose to have turn'd unto the Lord and to have broken off thy Sins by Repentance Thou hast the same deceitful Heart still to flatter thee with hopes and purposes of Repentance for time to come The same Devil there is still to draw thee on from Day to Day from Week to Week to perswade thee from time to time to take longer Day until the days of thy short Life waste away and thou perish in thy Sin and find no place for Repentance Oh how should this make Men tremble Thy whole Life is but as an Hand-breadth Psal 39. a short space of time Oh then think how wretchedly lavish thou hast been already of this short precious time It may be thou hast not so many Weeks behind as thou hast lost Years already and all the Daies of thy Life which thou hast spent in a state of Impenitency and Vnregeneration are lost and thou hast no fruit of them in respect of Salvation The longer thou hast lived in the Flesh and hast not been led by the Spirit thou art the nearer Hell and Condemnation and all this while thou hast been heaping up Wrath against the Day of Wrath. And is not this time wofully cast away Howsoever thou hast thrived in the World encreased thine outward Estate gotten Things about thee c. yet all thy time is lost and it were better for thee never to have seen those Days if thou hast lived an Impenitent and Vnregenerate Life Oh then waste no more of this precious time of this short Life There is so much of this precious Oyl spilt on the Ground there are but a few drops left to nourish the flame and to keep light in the Lamp Take heed lest that also be spent and consumed and thy life go out like a Candle with a stinking Snuff and end in perpetual Shame and Misery If yet thou art not turned unto the Lord by sound Repentance and hast not yet begun to do the Work of God then now whilst it is called to Day hearken to the Voice of God and speedily turn unto him defer not thy setting about this Work till to morrow Lose not so many precious hours about the World spend not so many in carnal Delights and vain Pleasures in idle Talk or in doing nothing so many in Eating Drinking and Sleeping more than thy weakness requireth redeem time
sweetly refreshed by the manifestation of Christ as a glorious Day-spring and a most blessed Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in his Wings whereby they saw the way of Peace and the means of Reconciliation with God and everlasting Salvation by the Remission of their Sins in the Blood of Christ 5. Consider that the Day-spring or Sun rising is a Cause of Health The Night is cold and moist and for want of heat to purge the Air is the Cause of many thick Fogs and Vapours but the Sun arising cleanseth the Air and overcometh those foggy Vapours So consider what is said of Christ that he being the Sun of Righteousness should arise with healing in his Wings dispelling those unwholsom Vapours which the Devil the Prince of Darkness had raised to poison the Souls of Men and Women This Sun of Righteousness did by the Sovereign Balm of his most precious Blood cure the Wounds of Guiltiness which were upon their Consciences and by the precious Sun-beams of his Spirit did heal them of those Corruptions and Soul-sicknesses giving them Spiritual Health even the Spirit of Love and Power and of a sound Mind 6. The Day-spring or Sun-rising calleth Men out of their Beds and rouzeth them from their Sleep so Christ by his manifestation unto the World doth call Men from sleeping in Sin to awake unto Repentance unto Righteousness This St. Paul sheweth plainly Acts 17.30 c. The times of this Ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all Men every where to repent That Night-time which was before the Day-spring and coming of Christ God winked at but now commandeth all Men every where to repent It was the time of Sleep and God suffered the World to lie sleeping and snorting in Sin and Wickedness he winked at them and awaked them not but now he calleth upon to awake that is to repent now it is Day the Night is past yea saith he he commandeth all men every where The Lord sent his Messengers from Nation to Nation from City to City to awake the World at the Day-spring and at the rising of the Sun of Righteousness 7. The Day-spring or Sun-rising giveth Men light and sheweth them both how to walk and work He is that Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World John 12.35 36. Then Jesus said unto them Yet a little while is the Light with you walk while ye have the Light lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth While ye have the Light believe in the Light that you may be Children of the Light Christ's coming sheweth the way wherein we must go if we will be saved The World for want of this Light groped and lost the way to true Happiness 8. The Day-spring and Sun-rising doth cause those things that are harmful to hide themselves The wild ravening Beasts that prey upon others use to get to their Caves and Coverts at the Sun-rising shunning the light Thieves and Murtherers which in the Night use to break through and steal do retire themselves and refrain at the rising of the Sun So at the coming of Christ Herod and his company were troubled and all Jerusalem with him The Scribes and Pharisees were troubled and the Devil himself especially that Prince of Darkness and that great Worker of the works of darkness was troubled and cried out Art thou come to Torment us before the time 9. The Day-spring or Sun-rising is welcome to those who are well busied and diligently walk in an honest Course of Life So the coming of Christ as a Day-spring and Sun of Righteousness was very welcome to those that walked uprightly before the Lord it was the time which they had long looked for more than they that watch for the Morning Therefore their Eyes were upon this Day-spring So Zechary Elizabeth Joseph Simeon Anna the Godly Shepherds and the rest flocked about our Saviour like a company in the dark about a Torch or Candle Yea the Wise Men of the East by a lesser light were brought to this great Light by the light of a little Star were conducted to Christ the great Light of the World John 8.12 I am saith he the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the light of Life II. Meditate how his second and glorious Coming shall be like the Day-spring or Sun-rising 1. Meditate on the brightness and glory of that Day which shall spring as it were out of Darkness What darkness possesseth the World at this Day in comparison of the Light of that great and glorious Day How great and gross is the Ignorance of Men in comparison of the knowledg which then shall be revealed How many things now lie hidden like things covered in Darkness How many things concerning the Mystery of Christ are yet unknown and many things imperfectly known How many reasons of things that fall out in the World are now hidden from Men How many secrets are there in the ways of God's Providence and his dealings with the World and with his Church which in this Night-time of blindness and darkness we cannot see Yea how little do we see of the Excellency of Christ of the beauty of Heavenly Things and of the Glory of his Kingdom These are dark Times and little of these things is discovered Yea how little do Men see into the Vanity Vileness of Earthly things Who seeth the exceeding sinfulness of Sin and odiousness of it How many secret sins are now committed every hour which are hid in darkness These are Times of darkness which now we live in before the last coming of Christ 2. Consider That Christ's last coming like a Day-spring shall remove this darkness of the World and lay open things that were hidden and dispel all the dark Clouds that now hide the Light from us It shall remove the Ignorance of heavenly things from the minds of Men Christ himself shall be the Light of that Day Then the things which are now imperfectly shall then be perfectly known then shall the Saints put away childish things imperfect beginnings of Heavenly Knowledg and shall have the understandings of Men in them a perfection of Light not seeing through a Glass darkly but Face to Face How clearly shall the light of that Day shew unto the Saints the Beauty and Glory of Christ and represent him to his Church as a most glorious Bridegroom Consider how that Day shall declare the equity of all the Lord's proceedings in dealing with his Creatures How shall it cause all doubting and objections against it to vanish as a Mist How shall it lay open the folly and vanity of Men in cleaving to the things of this World and in following their Lusts How evidently shall it make it appear that the Godly have chosen the better part that they were truly wise that preferred the Gospel of Christ the Glory of Christ yea the Reproach of Christ above the pleasures of Sin or
asleep to keep his Sheep from the Wolf God is the Keeper of his Flock he is always vigilant to defend them Behold He that is the Keeper of Israel shall never slumber nor sleep the Lord is thy Keeper Psal 121.4 5. St. Peter feared not to sleep in Prison Acts 12.6 Mr. Rogers our Proto-Martyr in Queen Maries dayes could scarce be waked when the Keeper came to warn him to prepare for the Fire having been condemned to be Burnt alive When the Lord undertakes our Protection we may sleep as our Saviour did in the midst of a Storm and Tempest As a good Nights rest is the Gift of God so it deserves daily acknowledgments by us SECT XLI When you compose your selves to Sleep HAving Prayed immediately before you go to Rest offer your Rest it self to God in this or the like manner My God! I desire as often as I shall draw breath this Night so often all my Respirations may praise thee Drexel de rect intent lib. 2. Drexelius adviseth a Christian to suppose that he heareth Christ speaking to him in these words When any one will repose himself to Sleep let him meditate somewhat of Me or confer with Me For so although he sleep in Body yet he shall watch in Mind unto Me Yea let every one which is ready to close his Eyes desire that I would receive every breath which he shall fetch that Night as it were to my exceeding Praise and I who cannot be wanting to the holy Wishes of a pious and loving Soul will fulfil his desires in Truth It is of great advantage to a Christian to reduce all things in this manner to the Honour of God and there is no moment of time but we might be on the getting hand It is good to empty your selves before you sleep of all that troubles you It was Pythagoras his rule to his Scholar Non te prius somno tradideris quam diurna opera ter mente revolveris Betake not thy self to sleep till thou hast in thy Mind gone thrice over the works of the Day The sleep of a Godly Man is sweet but the sleep of many wicked Men is very troublesome Richard the Third King of England after the murder of his two Nephews had fearful Dreams and would leap off of his Bed and take his Sword in his hand as if he had been seeking an Enemy And Charles IX King of France after the French Massacre was laid to sleep every Night and wakened by Musicians But good Men sometimes through Grief and Pain may find little ease or refreshing from their Beds Thus Job amplifies his Sorrows instancing in those ordinary Ways which give sick and distempered Bodies some abatement or intermission of their Pain lying down upon their Bed or Couch When I say my Bed shall comfort me Job 7.13 14. my Couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarest me with Dreams and terrifiest me with Visions As if he had said Whilst I was all Day conflicting with my Sorrows I yet had some hope to find comfort at Night that I should find rest on my Bed Or whilst in the Day my Spirit is overwhelmed within me I think sometimes to deceive my Pains a little by taking a Nap on my Couch Consider here That the most probable and proper Means are unable of themselves to minister any Ease or Comfort to us A Man may go to his Bed and lie down upon his Couch in vain unless God command a Bed to comfort us it shall yield us no Comfort and unless he say to a Couch Ease such a Man's Complaint it shall not do it But if God will say to an hard Stone give such a Man rest he shall rest and sleep sweetly upon it as Jacob did when he journeyed from Beer-sheba towards Haran making Stones his Pillows in the place where he lay down to sleep Gen. 28.11 12 13 14. there dreaming of a Ladder set upon the Earth the top whereof reached to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it and the Lord standing above it promising to give the Land whereon he lay to him and his Seed and to multiply his Seed exceedingly and that in his Seed all the Families of the Earth should be blessed How often doth God scare some Men with Dreams and terrifie them with Visions as Job speaks concerning himself Sometimes Satan causeth sinful and filthy Dreams August Confess lib. 10. cap. 30. as St. Augustine bewails in the tenth Book of his Confessions Sometimes treacherous and deluding Dreams Some conceive that the Dream of Pilat's Wife Mat. 27.19 was from the Devil because Satan would thereby have hindred the work of Man's Redemption She comes to Pilat and desires him to have nothing to do with that Just Man For saith she I have suffered many things this Night in a Dream because of him As our waking times are in God's Hand so our sleeping times Sometimes God makes sleep an Affliction to us Job's Dreams were Terrifying and Scaring to him Some Dreams are for Warning and Admonition The Lord warned Joseph in a Dream the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a Dream whilst he thought on those things and gave him Counsel what to do Mat. 1.20 Holy Meditations even upon our Beds do many times meet with the Lord's Messages The Angels are at God's Service to assist his Saints as here of Joseph he helps him out of his perplexed Thoughts He was contriving how to please God in that Business of so great Importance and God sends an Angel to assist him No time is unseasonable for God to help his Children No time but he watcheth over them When they are sleeping when they think neither harm nor good then doth the Lord watch over them for good God can give us better direction sleeping than we can find out waking Many a one hath tasted more of Heaven in a Night-dream than in many Days attendance on holy Ordinances Yet this is no Pillow for Laziness If we do our best while we are waking God will relieve us sleeping Let us go to God and not distract our selves nor be careless Joseph thought what to do yet his thoughts were not so distracting as to break his sleep God helps him sleeping God will have us be doing and yet it may be he will do his own Work without us Let every Christian labour to be well employed in the Day-time for as Aristotle speaks it is possible that our Fancy in the Night may hold some conformity with the Days employment Fâ—â— Four Mind in the Day-time be intent upon good Employment and well fixed thereon our sleep may relish of the same Employment also and our Fancy may make return of something whereof we so fastened on in the Day as well as it will do in other Vanities The Wise Man saith In the multitude of Dreams and many Words there are also divers Vanities but fear thou God Eccles 5.7 If thou fearest God thou needest not fear thy Fancy nor thy Dreams I shall Conclude with the Advice of Chrysostom Chryfost in Gen. Serm. 6. Close thine Eyes with the thoughts of God and his Goodness and thou shalt have sweet Dreams thy Fancy shall not be troubled FINIS Some Books lately Printed for and Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard FOLIO JOsephus's History of the Jews with Cuts Bishop Vsher's Body of Divinity with his Life and an Alphabetical Table the seventh Edirion Parthanissa a Romance In QUARTO Dr. Dillingham's Sermon at the Lady Alstons Funeral Dr. Bate's Harmony of the Divine Attributes Dr. Jacomb on the 8th of the Romans Dr. Tuckney 40 Sermons on several Occasions His Praelectiones Determinationes Lat. now in the Press Mr. Haworth's several Pieces against the Quakers In OCTAVO Mr. Tho. Gale his Philosophy Anatomy of Infidelity Mr. Baxter more Proofs for Infant-Baptism His Treatise of Justification Mr. Whiston his 4 Books in Defence of Infant-Baptism Mr. Wills his 3 Books in Defence of Infant-Baptism against Mr. Danvers A Contest for Christianity or A Account of two great Disputes between the Anabaptists and the Quakers Mr. Barret The Christian Temper or A Discourse on the Nature and Properties of the Graees of Sanctification Mr. Shelton's Discourse of Superstition with respect to the present Times A Catechism according to the Doctrine of the Church of England with Scripture Proofs at large together with Directions for plain Christians to pray on most occasions and to receive the Lord's Supper by the use and knowledg of the said Catechism A Catechism or the Church-Catechism inlarged and the Doctrine proved by Scripture for the use of such as were not Baptized in their Infancy or had no God-Fathers and God-Mothers Mr. Ranew on Divine Meditation In TWELVES Mr. Pearse's Great Concern or Directions for a timely preparation for Death recommended as proper to be given at Funerals The best Match or the Souls espousal to Christ Mr. Case his Treatise of Afflictions useful for these Times Mr. Hook's Doubting Christian drawn to Christ The Barren Fig-Tree or the Fruitless Professors Doom By John Bunyon The Epitome of the Bible briefly explaining the Contents of the Old and New Testament penned in Metre for better remembrance useful for Children
Liber cui Titulus The Sacred Diary c. Imprimatur George Thorp Rev mo in Christo P. D. Dom. Gulielmo Archiep. Can. a Sacris Domesticis Ex aedibus Lambethanis Julii 29. 1678. THE Sacred Diary OR SELECT MEDITATIONS FOR Every part of the Day and the Employments thereof WITH Directions to Persons of all Ranks for the holy spending every ordinary Day of the Week Propounded as Means to Facilitate a Pious Life and for the Spiritual Improvement of every Christian London Printed by J.D. for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1679. THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the Right Worshipful Sir JOHN HOBART of Brickling in the County of NORFOLK Baronet AND TO WILLIAM WINDHAM of Felbridg in the same County Esq AND To the Vertuous Ladies their Wives Right Worshipful PLato accounted him not worthy the name of a Philosopher that studies not to know God Divines go farther and account him not worthy the Name of a Man that studies not to fear and serve him To do this is totum Hominis the whole of Man Parisiens totum Officii totum Conatus totum Faelicitatis In Scripture this Fear of the Lord is often called the beginning of Wisdom because an awful Reverence of the Divine Majesty in our Hearts makes us industriously careful to know his Will and to do it And these Phrases are frequently coupled together To fear the Lord and walk in his Ways Deut. 8.6 and Chap. 10.12 This holy Fear of God will make Men meek and humble and careful in all things to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing It will command our Thoughts bridle and govern our Tongues and regulate all our Actions This will quicken us to holy Devotion and reduce all our devotion to Practice In all Actions St. Bernard would have us put these three Queries An liceat an deceat an expediat Whether it be lawful whether it be that which becometh us to do whether it be expedient to be done All our actions in passing pass not away for every good Work is a grain of Seed for Eternal Life We should say with Xeuxes that famous Painter Aeternitati Pingo I Paint for Eternity It is very necessary for us to follow the Counsel of our Saviour and work whilst it is Day A long Night will shortly cover us with its shadow in which we shall neither have ability nor opportunity to Work Much Honoured in the Lord We have at this present many Books which eccho one another This Age is as fruitful in Words as barren in Works enclining to speak much to do nothing Yet in matters of Devotion one cannot say too much of that which we can never do enough I present you with this Sacred Diary I hope it may be useful to you to carry it in your Hands as the Clock which a great Prince wore in a Ring It strikes every Hour of the Day and agreeth with holy Scripture and Reason as Dials with the Sun By frequent reading it and doing what it directeth you shall the better know what this Treatise is For my part I should not have been so bold as to make an offering hereof unto you did I not perswade my self that you would have less regard to the Hand that presents it than to the Affection which renders me Sept. 18. 1679. Your Worships most Humble and Affectionate Servant in the Gospel W. Gearing TO THE READER THe Scripture calleth upon us to redeem Time Now to redeem Time is 1. To see that we cast none of it away in vain but use every minute of it as a most precious Thing and spend it wholly in the way of Duty 2. That we be not only doing good but doing the best good we are able c. 3. That we do the best things in the best manner and in the greatest measure and do as much good as possibly we can 4. That we watch for special Opportunities 5. That we presently take them when they fall and improve them when we take them 6. That we part with all that is to be parted with to save our Time 7. That we forecast the preventing of Impediments and the removal of our Clogs and the obtaining of all helps to expedition in Duty This is the true redemption of Time according to the judgment of a Reverend Divine And indeed the consideration of the shortness of our time in this World should hasten us in the Work and Service of God I must work the Works of him that sent me saith our Saviour whilst it is Day the Night cometh when no Man can work John 9.4 I have but a short Day the time of this Life to do the Work which my Father hath sent me to finish here upon the Earth and now I must hasten it for the time is at hand I shall shortly be delivered into the hands of Sinners to be Crucified When the Master of the Vineyard saw some standing idle at the eleventh hour he checketh them for it Why stand ye here all the day idle Do ye not know that it is but one hour to Night eleven parts of your Life are already gone there is but one of twelve remaining Is it not a shame for you yet to be idle How ought ye now to hasten when but the twelfth part of your short Life yet remaineth A great part of this short Life is taken up in that manner that little of it is well spent All the time of our Life till the time of our Conversion may be laid by as no Time or Life to us And after our effectual calling sleeping takes a large part of our time eating and drinking another part and far more of it is spent in doing nothing or in doing that which is evil Let a Man be as frugal and as thrifty of his Time as he can yet much of his Life will go this way In our old Age many weaknesses draw on and when we would do good we are disabled by Age and Sickness We are long ere we begin to do the Work of God and are soon weary of well-doing Our Glass is almost run before we begin to live indeed and at the entry of our Spiritual Life we begin to die by Infirmity So that by a just survey of our time we shall easily find that God who craveth the Tithe of our Substance scarcely getteth the hundredth part of our Time and that of those who best spend their time Consider we the greatness of the Work that every Christian hath to do in this short time How great a work is it to get a broken Heart our Hearts being naturally hearts of Stone How great a task to get an established assurance of the Love of God we having such evil Hearts of unbelief How great a work to get forward and grow in Grace our Hearts being so full of corruption eating out and wasting the strength of Grace so inclined to Back-sliding and Declining having so many things to press down so many weights
then cannot a Man forget God Who lives under a continual sence of the want of God his Soul is still breathing and panting after God Love causeth an emission of the Thoughts it will not suffer him to dwell at home but to be where it is best of all to be There 's a Necessity a Man should mind what he most affecteth and a Man that loveth God cannot live in a Course of Forgetfulness of God either as an holy Man noteth Want brings him or Love constrains him or Christ draws him and Christ will not be long from his if their Hearts come not up to him he will come into them and if he be there all is taken up with attending upon him SECT II. A Soliloquy at Waking HOw pretious are thy thoughts unto me O God! how great is the Sum of them c. When I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.17 18. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my Flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no Water is To see thy Power and thy Glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Because thy Loving-kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name My Soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips when I remember thee upon my Bed and meditate on thee in the Night-watches Because thou hast been my Help therefore in the shadow of thy Wings will I rejoice My Soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me Psal 63.1 to 9. O God my Heart is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my Glory Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early or in the Morning I will be up first and raise the Morning out of its Bed that I may come to the Celebration of thy Praises Psal 108.1 2. My Soul waiteth for thee O Lord more than they that watch for the Morning I say more than they that watch for the Morning Psal 130 6. He waited for the Lord more than they that watch for the Morning either as one Expositor saith more than they who in the Sanctuary of the Lord heedfully observ'd the Morning watch that they might offer the Morning Sacrifice in due season or more than they that are appointed to keep watch all Night do watch and long for the Morning as another Expositor hath it SECT III. Directions how to begin the Day GIve GOD your first waking Thoughts Suffer no Wordly Thought to enter till God first come in The First-fruits of the Mouth and of the Heart are to be offered unto God Primitiae oris cordis Deo offerendae Ambros in Psal 119. saith St. Ambrose So all evil and vain thoughts either will not dare to intrude or shall more easily be kept out The Mind of Man is never idle it will be always active either about God or the World Christ or Vanity Good or Evil. It is always busied in thinking devising pondering on somewhat or other Therefore it is necessary that first of all in the Morning we set our Minds to the Meditation of Divine and Heavenly Objects How will the Devil busy himself in injecting Multitudes of other thoughts into your Minds to divert your Minds from the sweet Meditation of God if you give not God your waking thoughts Multitudes of thoughts will run into your Minds like People running to a Bull-baiting or to see some strange Sight but you must watch against them and drive them away as Ahraham did the Fowls from his Sacrifice 2. Lift up your Hearts to God in a reverent manner and give him thanks for the rest of the Night past that his Compassions have not failed you but are renued every Morning that even in the Night you have received an apparent Evidence of his Love and whereas for your Sins committed the day before God might even in the dead of Sleep have taken your Souls from you and so have suddenly brought you to your account bless him that it hath been his good pleasure yet to spare you 3. If God's Glory be dear unto you you will or ought to begin every Day in this manner before you do any thing by offering to God's Glory what ye are about to do setting before him premeditately the Actions of the ensuing Day in this or the like manner My God whatsoever I shall this day speak or do yea whatsoever I shall think I offer wholly to thee these Prayers these Meditations these Alms these Devotions this Fasting these Works these Businesses these Actions these my Affairs I dedicate and consecrate unto thee nor desire I any thing else than what I shall perform this day may turn to thine Honour How sweet is it in the beginning of the day before a Man takes any new Matter in hand to lift up his Heart to God and to say thus within himself Lord I will undertake this or that Action by thy help and for thee this day for thee will I labour I will think this for thee for thee now will I hold my peace and now I will speak for thy Honour and Glory I will cast my self on thee for the following Day Use your selves constantly to this Course that your Consciences may check you when you neglect it Such a constant Course will keep off divers Temptations that may otherwise surprize you and engage your Hearts to God for all the day following SECT IV. At the Dawning of the Day and Rising of the Day-Star MEditate how the Gospel is tanquam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Day-Star and the Work of the Spirit enlightning the Mind is as the dawning of the Day or rising of the Day-star in the Heart of a Christian So St. Peter commends those to whom he writeth for making use of the Old Testament of the Truth whereof they were assured in the mean time 2 Pet. 1.19 until by a further Work of the Spirit of Illumination their Hearts and Minds are more effectually instructed and more strongly assured of the Truth of the Gospel of Christ The Old Testament is as a Torch-light in a dark Room the New Testament revealed by the Spirit is as the Dawning of the Day or Rising of the Day-Star in comparison of that Light which shall appear at Christ's second Coming which shall be as the bright Rising of the Sun of Righteousness Consider that as the Dawning of the Day is in respect of the Night so is a Soul enlightned with the saving Knowledg of the Gospel to one in his natural Blindness And First If we compare such a Soul to those poor Creatures that want the outward Means of Knowledg it is manifest for these have no Light offered them whereby to come to know God in a saving way therefore in respect of this Knowledg there is a meer Night of Ignorance among them The
Condition of those that want the Means of Knowledge is plainly expressed by the Apostle Eph. 4.17 18. where he sheweth that the Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their minds having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart Where you may consider that they are so far from having such knowledge as doth guide them unto Life and Salvation that they are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them 1 Cor. 1.21 It is said that the World by wisdom knew not God They had a kind of Wisdom wherein many of them excelled whereby they knew many Secrets of Nature many Affairs of State and Government c. But all their Wisdom for want of the Word did not teach them the right Knowledg of God in a saving way Consider also that as the Heathens that wanted the Word so the Unregenerate that live under the Ministery of the Word do remain in darkness the Day doth not dawn unto them nor doth the Day-Star arise in their Hearts or elss if the Day do dawn in their Brains it is dark Night in their Hearts if they do get some knowledg of the Gospel and Mysteries of Salvation yet this Light doth not pierce so as to win them to the Love of that Truth and Light which appeareth unto them and to subject their Hearts unto the Power of it Now in the Regenerate the Gospel being revealed to them by the Spirit is as the dawning of the Day and the rising of the Day-Star in their Hearts in comparison of that Night of Blindness which was in themselves before Regeneration and is yet in others that are unregenerate for first the Day dawns in their Understandings and then the Day-Star ariseth in their Hearts then the Night begins to wear away and the Day breaks and dawns upon them then they begin to see what they could not see before and to see that far more clearly and effectually which they saw in some imperfect measure before Now the Spirit having caused the Day to dawn in their Understandings he proceedeth also to enlighten the lower Region and to cause the Day-Star to arise in their Hearts as in the Night time when the Sun is on the other side of the Earth it shineth brightly and enlightneth the Stars as we see yet the Body of the Earth being between the Sun and us maketh it dark here below so when the Spirit enlightens the Understanding of an unregenerate Man with the knowledge of the Gospel even at the same time there is a Body of Death in his heart and a Mass of sinful Corruptions which casts a Shadow and keeps the Heart and Affections in miserable darkness Now as every Coruption is a degree of Darkness so every Grace is a Beam of heavenly Light for God is Light and every Grace is a Part of the Image and Likeness of God and so is Lumen de Lumine Light issuing from the Fountain of Light Consider what St. Paul saith to the faithful Ephesians Ephes 3.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness but now ye are Light in the Lord their present Condition Ye were Darkness dark all over dark Understandings dark Judgments dark Hearts and Affections they had a dark Vail of natural Blindness upon their Judgments a dark Cloud of worldly and fleshly Lusts and Corruptions upon their Hearts but now they are Light in the Lord lightfom Understandings and lightsom Hearts and Affections SECT V. At the Breaking forth of the Light COnsider with thy self that there is a fourfold Light spoken of in Scripture and that God is called Pater Luminum the Father of Lights James 1.17 1. There is Lux materialis a material Light that which God created in the beginning and of which he made the Sun and Moon to be as Fountains and Vessels that with the Beams proceeding from them the World might be illuminated Consider how God was the Father of this in the first place Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light He commanded Light to shine out of Darkness saith the Apostle And it is said Gen. 1.15 He set two Lights in the Firmament of Heaven a greater Light to rule the Day and a lesser Light to rule the Night 2. There is Lux naturalis that which we commonly call the Light of Nature and it is that same knowledg and Conscience that was at first planted in the Mind of Man by which he was made able to distinguish between Good and Evil. Of this also God is the Father it is he that hath created in us Understanding to discern and Conscience to bear witness of Good and Evil. 3. There is Lux supernaturalis or spiritualis that which we commonly call the Light of Grace and from this there arise two Beams 1. That which shines into our Hearts to dispel the darkness of Sin in us of which I have spoken before It is in this sence that the Children of God are called the Children of Light and the holy Conversation that they lead is said to be a walking in the Light Now of this also God is the Father it is he that by his Spirit enlightens our Hearts with Grace as I spake before 2. There is a Light that shineth in our hearts to chear us with the assurance of God's Love and Favour Light is sown to the Righteous and joy to the upright in Heart Psal 27.11 Light and Joy are sown together in the same Furrow Of this also God is the Father it is he only that can make us to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness So David prayeth Lord do thou lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me The light of his Countenance is the light of his Favour where the light of his Favour shineth no clouds of Affliction can darken our Joy it will make our Hearts merrier than Corn and Wine 4. There is Lux immortalis or Coelestis we may call it the Light of Glory It is that same Light which God dwells in the Light inaccessible the Light that none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 Yet that Light that God's Children shall one day dwell in also Light we may call it for it is where Darkness never made his Pavilion a Light more glorious than the Sun or Moon For it is where though no Sun shall be yet where no Night shall be The Glory of God lightens that place and the Lamb is the Light of it Rev. 21.23 Now of this Light likewise God is the Father He that Inhabits it he Created it and he hath prepared it to be an Habitation for his Saints that as many as shall be Citizens of the New Jerusalem may rest under the Glory of it The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day saith the Prophet nor for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee the everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Isa
the greatest things in the World How shall this Day set forth all secrets in the clear Light How shall all Sins not washt away by true Repentance be set before the eye of the World How then shall the Righteousness of the Upright be brought forth after it hath been many years hidden by Slanders and false Accusations How shall all their works of Faith all their labours of Love and all the fruits of the Spirit be laid open and manifested There are no false lights that can have any place at that Day to make bad Wares seem better every thing shall then appear as it is O my Soul how shouldst thou labour in thy most secret places and in thy most secret thoughts to bear in mind the light of that great Day when Christ shall appear as a Day-spring unto the World Will these thoughts which I cherish in my Heart these Affections these Words these Deeds be able to abide the great light of that Day when Christ shall come Are they such as may be presented with boldness before the Face of Christ and offered to the view of the holiest Angels and Saints in Heaven and be brought to the open Light when the Son of Righteousness shall shine in his Strength 3. Consider That Christ's second coming shall be in Power and great Glory Matth. 24.30 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thess 4.16 He shall sit on the right Hand of Power and come in the Clouds of Heaven Mat. 26.63 He shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels Mat. 16.27 The glory of the Sun Moon and Stars when they shine most gloriously is nothing to this Glory of Christ which at that Day he shall shew forth to the World O my Soul labour now to behold his Beauty and Glory in the Spirit by Faith and by that glimpse raise thy thoughts to consider of that height and brightness of Glory wherein Christ shall shew himself at that Day and how thine Eye and thy Soul shall be filled with a most sweet delight in his perfect Beauty and Glory Could our Hearts be throughly taken up with Christ's Glory at that great Day it would be a means to mortifie our fond desires towards these things wherewith our fleshly Eyes or Hearts are apt to be ensnared It would greatly support us under Afflictions What should not I suffer with patience who look to see the Beauty and Glory of Christ at the last Day Yea to see the glorious Face of Christ turned to me in love might I not pass through Troubles Prisons Famine Nakedness Banishment Fire Sword any thing in hope to behold the Beauty and Glory of Christ and to enjoy the light of his Countenance for ever when he shall come as a Day-spring from on High 4. Consider how Christ at his second coming shall most sweetly refresh all those which â—â—roughout the World belong unto him he shall give them everlasting rest from all their Labours which here they have undergone everlasting peace from all Cares and Conflicts with the World the Flesh and the Devil freedom from all Troubles deliverance from all Persecutions when many millions of Souls shall throng about him and appear in his sight being such as have believed him and cleaved to him in sincerity Some of them having been sawn asunder burnt to ashes some slain with the Sword some kept in Bonds and Irons some mocked some scourged some driven out of House and Home and spoiled of their Goods tossed to and fro persecuted from City to City some destitute afflicted tormented for his Name-sake he shall sweetly ease and refresh them as a Day-spring when they shall appear before him And for those of his Saints that have been burdened with much Sickness painful Diseases with Poverty and outward Wants not having whereon to lay their Heads nor wherewith to fill their Bellies to them shall he give to drink of the full River of his Pleasures yea he himself shall be their Refreshment and they shall so fully enjoy him that they shall need nothing which may make them truly and perfectly happy 5. Consider That Christ as a Day-spring at his second coming shall Cure all the Sicknesses both of the Souls and Bodies of his He shall deliver the very brute Creatures from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God for the Creature it self was made subject unto Vanity c. Ver. 21. The Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain until now Where you see that the whole World is sick and diseased by reason of the Sin of Man it is pained and groaneth as a Woman in Travel longing for the time of Deliverance and that is the time of Christ's coming when this Day-spring shall appear from on high An universal Corruption and as it were Contagion hath overspread and seized upon the whole body of Nature and all the Limbs the whole World and all its parts and all the Creatures in it and that by reason of the Sin of Man Now Christ's coming shall refine all the Creation and shall set up a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness The Beasts Birds Fishes the Corn the Fruit of the Vine c. shall no longer be abused to Gluttony Drunkenness and Epicurism and to be as Fuel to cherish the flame of unclean Lusts The wedg of Gold or bag of Silver shall no longer be defiled so as to be made an Idol to the dishonour of its Maker to carry away the Heart from him Other Metals and Minerals shall be no longer defiled so as to be turned into Instruments of Death and Cruelty and to be stained with Innocent Blood Other Creatures shall not be abused so as to set forth the Pride of Vain Men and Women Christ shall heal the Sickness and Corruptions of the World and free it from the bondage of Corruption his coming shall heal the World much more shall it heal all the Infirmities of his Members At the last Day the Lord at his coming will heal the Sick and Diseased give sight to the Blind strength to the Lame and Weak hearing to the Deaf beauty to the Deformed yea he shall cure them of Death and Mortality it self Death shall no more hang about them nor have to do with them Much more shall his second coming bring perfect and perpetual health to their Souls Sin shall then be fully Cured and the Soul shall be made altogether sound and no Sin shall pain the Soul with the remembrance of it nor afflict it with fear of Punishment And sence of Guiltiness shall be taken away as if Man had continued as holy as the Angels and had always kept his first Estate 6. Consider That
this Day-spring at his second coming shall awaken all that sleep in the Graves and in the Sea and in all places whatsoever all the Dead from Adam to the last Day all that lie sleeping in their Graves from one end of the World to the other shall be awakned All Kings and Princes and other great Men who shall be found sleeping in their sumptuous Tombs and Monuments and all that are buried any where The Trump shall sound and the Dead of all sorts degrees Ages Nations shall awake live arise and come before the Son of God coming in his Glory O the wonderful Change that shall be at that Day-spring When those Eyes that have been shut up so many hundred Years shall be opened and those Bodies that have been long buried in a silent Grave and covered with the darkness of death shall be brought forth into the Light of the great and glorious Day O my Soul awake thou beforehand that then I may awake full of Joy and Comfort and be satisfied with the Image of my dearest Saviour and lift up my Head to behold my most glorious Redeemer and the bright and blessed Day of my full Redemption The Angels Trumpet shall then awaken the most secure Conscience that ever composed it self to sleep in Sin yea then all their sins will awake with their awakened Conscience and rage fiercely against their Souls Awake then O Sinner to Repentance awake to Holiness and Righteousness that thy Conscience may be at peace with him and thy sins may be abolished for ever that Christ may not find thee sleeping at his coming 7. As the Sun at his rising causeth harmful Creatures to hide their Heads so this last coming of Christ is grievous to the Wicked it will make them to call to the Mountains to fall upon them and upon the Hills to cover them from the Wrath of the Lamb and from the Presence of him that sitteth upon the Throne then they would be glad to hide their Heads in the center of the Earth when the Light of this Day-spring shall appear O my Soul do thou now cast off the works of darkness and then the Light of that Glorious day shall not be grievous unto thee which none of the Children of darkness can behold without confusion of Face 8. Consider how welcome the second coming of Christ will be to the Godly The Faithful are described by this Property that they love his Appearing It is said That every one is a Friend to him that giveth Gifts Oh! how welcome shall Christ be to all the Faithful when he cometh with both his Hands full of rich and precious Gifts such as surpass the thoughts and understanding of Man When Christ cometh to bestow a Crown of Immortal Glory an everlasting Kingdom Oh! what Heir of the Kingdom would not with a glad Heart bid him welcome But chiefly Christ shall be welcome to them in respect of himself for then they shall see him as he is Consider what a blessed sight will this be O my Soul to see thy dear Saviour who hath died for thee loved thee and washed thee with his own Blood to see him now so Glorious To see him on the Throne who was nailed to the Cross to see him Reigning and Judging who was Judged and Condemned to see him most Blessed who was made a Curse to see his Righteousness shine forth to all the World who was numbred among Transgressors to see him in such excellent Majesty and fulness of Glory this will be most welcome Oh! how blessed is the condition of that Soul who being fitted for Christ hath a longing desire of his coming and can from his Heart say Come Lord Jesus come quickly 9. As the Day-spring sheweth Man his work and his way so the glorious coming of Christ shall shew unto the World which way they have gone and to what issue their way and works are come Many now do imagine that they go the way of Salvation and the way of Life and that they shall have Peace and will not be convinced otherwise by the Word But this Day shall declare it it shall shew that many such have trodden the Path of destruction and have been going down to the Chambers of death yea now the end and issue of all will appear to be Death and Condemnation on this Day the Lord will shew who is Righteous and who is Wicked he will shew by the Light of that Day who are Wheat and who are Tares which are for the Fire and which are for the Gardner which are for the right Hand and which for the left SECT VII Whilst thou art yet lying in thy Bed REmember that Almighty God is about thy Bed and that he observes all the secret thoughts and workings of thy Heart Commune with thy Heart upon thy Bed Psal 4.4 Consider That we lie in our Beds as it were within our Graves and the Sheets between which we lie may put us in mind of our Winding-sheet It is good to remember God upon our Beds as David's practice was and the Law of God was his Meditation by night as well as by day When he meditated on God in the night Watches he was as one satisfied with Marrow and Fatness Psal 63.5 Meditation and Prayer may best be practised Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 3. when we are freest from disturbance in the Night or upon our Beds after we awake no Body then is troublesome to us then we have a greater freedom and tranquillity of our Thoughts when we are not molested with Business when there is none that can hinder us from having access to God when our mind knitting it self together is able diligently to make reference of all to the Physician of Souls At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang Praises unto God being thrust into an inner Prison having their Feet made fast in the Stocks Acts 16.24 25. Behold the Doctor of the World saith Chrysostom fast in Prison praying notwithstanding at midnight with Silas Neither the renting of their Clothes nor their Stripes and Bonds could hinder them from it nay they did so much the more shew their fervency toward the Lord. I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night saith David Psal 119.55 The Night presents us with many opportunities of deeper Meditation Ambros de bono Mortis p. 245. We more sincerely in the Night-time and upon our Beds do bethink our selves saith St. Ambrose Beware of plotting ill designs upon your Beds It is said of the Wicked man that he deviseth mischief upon his Bed Psal 36.4 he there employs his time of rest and freedom from business to devise wicked acts to execute the next day Take heed of abusing your Beds to satisfie your Lusts and to draw others unto Adultery and Wantonness Remember that the Bed undefiled is honourable but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg SECT VIII When thou risest out of thy Bed in the Morning THink then how Almighty God can as easily raise
practise the one as they wear the other As we are exhorted to put on Christ so having put him on we must keep him on and not when we list put him off again we are not so to put off Sin as when we list to put it on again rather put on Shame than put on Sin In a word Though you are to cast off Sin like a Garment yet not like a wearing Garment for then you will one time or other get it about you again but like a rotten Garment like a menstruous Garment like a leprous Garment like a diseased Garment like a Prison-Garment as Joseph left his Prison Garments when he was brought before Pharaoh and when they were once put off never put them on again So should we leave off our Sins not only seponere but deponere not only lay them apart but quite cast them away never to resume them any more SECT X. When you are going to dress your selves THink with your selves how Pride and the vain Fashions of the Times do draw many into such a garb of Attire as makes them long in dressing them in the Morning and this do you resolve against and do you wear such Habits as may be soon put on Our first Parents were clad in Beasts Skins the Prophets wore rough Garments and John Baptist was clothed in Camels Hair and many of the Ancients say That the Blessed Virgin had a mean Habit only to cover her Nakedness not to adorn her Body The Lacedemonians had a Law that none but Harlots might wear rich Apparel that honest Women might be brought out of love with Bravery and not spend much time in decking themselves It is a piece of great folly to spend so much time in the Morning in decking and adorning the Body that must ere long be a dish for Worms and pass away many Days Weeks Months and Years altogether neglecting the Soul that must live for ever If Saint Paul durst not glory but in the Cross of Christ how darest thou to pride thy self and spend much time about these Vanities Consider with thy self what is the design of those who delight in sumptuous Apparel and spend so many Hours in trimming themselves is it not to please those who look upon them to entangle Souls in their Nets Indeed Women do not care to Dress themselves when they are alone Solitariness is an enemy to Pomp as Peacocks close up their Plumes when no body beholds them so these do neglect their Dressing when no body admires them And when they have neither Spectators to observe them nor any to flatter them Self-love is not of force enough to make them long or curious in Dressing themselves It is better to go in our Habits as the wild Indians than have those precious hours of the Morning especially on the Lord's Daies to answer for as too many Ladies and other Gallants have yea and those that affect to wear fantastical Habits above their degree It is dear-bought Bravery that must every day take up an hour or half an hour of our precious time extraordinary as one noteth SECT XI When you are beholding your Faces in a Glass and Dressing your selves by it 1. COnsider That the first use of Glasses was that thereby Men and Women might the better know themselves that the most amiable Persons might learn to shun all infamous things and not defile the dignity of their Persons with the deformity of their Manners But our Glasses now have lost their primary Institution and make many Persons to forget themselves and like Narcissus to dote upon their Faces thinking that every one that sees them wrongs them that doth not admire them 2. Consider also That there are divers Glasses that we may look our selves in to observe and see what manner of Persons we are or ought to be The Glass of Nature The Glass of Example The Glass of Conscience The Glass of God's Word 1. The Glass of Nature That is a Glass which the Heavens and the â—arth and every Creature do hold up unto us There is never a Creature that we can look upon but we may behold in it as in a Glass either the Face of God's Glory of his Wisdom of the eternal Power and Godhead or may see the Image of that Obedience and Duty which we owe to God 2. There is the Glass of Example For what are the Examples of those Saints that we see before us and those which are recorded in Sacred Scripture and in the Acts and Monuments of the Church but so many Looking-Glasses by which we may learn to fashion and compose our Lives according to the holy Patterns which they do give us How many lively Examples and Clouds of Witnesses are set before us in whom as in so many Glasses we may behold the admirable Graces and ready Obedience of the Saints in those things whereat the Flesh and Nature do stagger and draw back yea Obedience in those things which might seem Ridiculous unto Men and in such things as seemed contrary to Natural Affection contrary to their Profit and in such things as made against their Safety The sight of those holy Examples should make us cry out Oh Lord our God! How wonderful are thy Works which thou dost by the hands of thy Servants How wonderful are thy Graces which thou causest to shine in their Lives 3. There is the Glass of Conscience Though we wanted other directions yet if we would but daily look into this Glass if we would but reflect upon our selves and turn our Eyes inward to view our own Consciences then should we find a Glass of Good and Evil in their right forms and colours represented to us If a Man look frequently into this Glass he may cry out with the Psalmist Who can understand his Errours Who can count and number up the blemishes of his Soul and the errours of his Life 4. There is the Glass of the Word of God That which of all other is the clearest and perfectest Mirrour both to shew us what indeed we are and what we should be to discover our Spots and Blemishes to us that we may see them and also to direct us how we may amend them The Glass of Nature hath a power of Conviction whosoever looks not into it and therein observes not God's Power and Wisdom is an Atheist The Glass of Example hath the power of Direction whoso looks not into it is negligent and perverse The Glass of Conscience hath the power of Accusation whoso looks not into it so as to discover and bewail his Sins is an Hypocrite The Glass of God's Word hath the power of Conversion whoso looks not into it to learn the Will of God and to reform himself by it is an Infidel In a Glass we behold the Lineaments of our natural Faces and the outward form of our bodily Structure So in the Glass of God's Word we may behold the Spiritual Face as it were of our Hearts and Lives and whatever inward corruption
doth cast any stain upon us we may thereby discern it and judg of it By the Law cometh the knowledg of sin saith the Apostle Rom. 3.20 viz. 1. Generally because it makes us to know what Sin is 2. Particularly because it makes us to know how far forth we are guilty of it But when the eye of our Judgment or the eye of our Affection is blinded or dimmed though we stare at our Spots and Blemishes yet we do not espie them Therefore we must earnestly beg of God that the veil that lieth upon our Minds may be taken away that when we come to look into this Glass we may clearly see what it will shew us and represent unto us Whosoever looks into this Glass it will represent unto him the true Image that he carrieth and not delude his Eye with any false shadow We must not labour to see our Corruptions by the Glass of the Word but when we see them to reform them In Exod. 38.8 We read of a Laver that Moses made of the Looking-glasses that the Israelitish Women brought unto him to be set into the Tabernacle Devout and Religious Women were content to bestow those Glasses by which they were wont to dress their Bodies toward the making of an Instrument whereby through Faith they might sanctifie their Souls This Laver served the Priests both to look in and to wash in It was clear that they might see themselves in it and if they had nay Foulness about them they might also wash themselves with the Water that ran out of it Such a Vessel is God's Word it is a Looking-Glass wherein we may see our Selves and our own Corruptions in it but a Laver too to wash our selves in it Wherewithal shall a young Man cleanse his way The answer is By taking heed thereunto according to thy Word If you are Persons of Quality you may employ some one about you to read a Chapter in the Bible whilst you are dâ—essing you Or the time may be employed by you in some profitable Meditation or godly Conference with those about you as far as your necessary occasions do permit And when you Deck your selves with Jewels and rich Ornaments take heed of being proud of them or setting your Hearts upon them beware of vain Affectation in wearing them and of wasting your Estates upon them For no Persons are to bring Poverty upon themselves and their Children to make themselves fine All your Ornaments are but as marks of your Sin and Misery And as a Footman who wears a gaudy Livery makes but his Servility more visible so those that trim themselves finest make but their Shame more publique Let Men and Women use what Art they can to excuse their Vanity they cannot deny but that their most gaudy Apparel are the spoils of Beasts that their Ornaments are sought for in the bottom of the Sea or in the bowels of the Earth What is the matter whereof so many different Silks are made but the Drivel of Worms and the Sepulchre which those little Animals make unto themselves when they die What is Purple which was wont to be the Badg of Soveraignty but the Blood of certain Fishes What are Pearls but the Warts of certain Shell-fish and the thickest part of the Fome of the Sea which could not be turned into its substance What are Diamonds and Rubies but Water congealed within Rocks And what is Gold which Men disguise into so many Shapes which is sought for with so much Labour gotten many times so Unjustly and kept with so much Care but the Excrement of the most barren Soyl to which the Fire gives Lustre and humane errour Valuation And what is the finest Linnen wherewith multitudes of People are so much covered and wherein the greatest part of their Vanity consists but a kind of Herb and Grass which grows up and flourisheth in the Fields withereth and dieth in a short time which passeth through Womens hands which is wetted with their Spittle turned with the Spindle stretcht upon the Loom wrought with the Shuttle whitened in the Dew and at last cut out into several sorts of things wherewith the Bodies of Men and Women are adorned Must not that Man or Woman have lost their judgment that shall be proud of such Trifles I deny not but it is lawful for some Persons to wear Ornaments for we may not only wear that which serves for a covering to the Body but also that which may adorn it For as all may wear Clothes to hide their Shame and Nakedness so some may wear Robes and Ornaments to shew their State and Greatness But their Adorning must not be so much that outward adorning of plaiting the Hair and of wearing of Gold and of putting on of Apparrel as the hidden Man of the Heart Yet in times of great Calamity and Afflictions even great Persons must lay aside their Ornaments when the Wrath and Displeasure of God is broken out against a Land or People So the Lord said unto the People of Israel Put off now your Ornaments that I may know what to do with you Exod. 33.5 At such times we should rather appear in Rags than in Silks with Dust upon our Heads and Sackcloth about our Loins than with Ornaments upon our Backs and Chains of Pearl about our Necks SECT XII Of our Dedicating the Morning unto God GOD commanded the Children of Israel Exod. 23.19 The first of the First-fruits of the Land thou shalt bring into the House of the Lord. God would not only have the First-fruits but the first of the First-fruits if there were any ripe sooner than other God called for them Which instructeth us that we must not only give God the First-fruits of the Day but the earliest time in the Morning which is the First of the First-fruits of the Day This was the practice of holy Job in the behalf of his Children He sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the Morning and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all Job 1.5 6. As it is God's due so it is our Duty to dedicate the Morning the first and best of every Day to God Psal 5.3 David saith unto God My voice shalt thou hear in the Morning in the Morning will I direct my Prayer to thee and will look up As the Morning is a good friend to the Muses so it is a great friend to the Graces as the Morning is the best studying time so I judg the Morning to be the best Praying time So Bildad speaks unto Job Chap. 8.5 If thou wouldst seek unto God betimes In strictness of Translation it may thus be rendred If thou wouldst seek unto God in the Morning or If thou wouldst morning God be with him early in the Morning which is the first part or beginning of the Day then pour out thy Heart unto God in Prayer It was an ancient Course to seek God early in the Morning And the very Heathens by the light of Nature took
this Course in their Profane and Superstitious worship Herodot lib. 10. Plin. ep 57. ad Trajan Tertul Apolog Herodotus relateth that the Persian Magi addressed themselves early in the Morning to pray unto their false Gods And the Primitive Christians were wondered at by the Heathen for their early Devotions Pliny in an Epistle of his unto the Emperour Trajan and Tertullian in his Apologeticks for the Christians do report of the Assemblies of the Christians before Day-break to pray and call upon the Name of God And there hath been and still â—s a superstitious abuse of this among â—he Papists who call their Morningâ—rayers their Maitins because they begin early in the Morning Seek first the Kingdom of God saith our Saviour Mat. 5.33 First in Time notonly principally but in the first place seek it early â—n the Morning put it not behind to the latter end of the Day or in the latter end of your Employments It is best every Day to begin with God It is the advice of a Reverend Man If more necessary Duties call you not away let secret Prayer by your self alone or with your Chamber-fellow or both go before the Common Prayers of the Family and delay it not causelesly but if it may be let it be first before any other work of the Day Yet be not formal and superstitious to your Hours as if God had absolutely tied you to such a time c. That hour is best for one that may not be fit for another Private Prayer is most seasonable unto most as soon as they are up and cloathed To others some other Hour may be freer and fitter And those that have not more necessary Duties may do well to pray at all convenient opportunities Thus he SECT XIII Of retiring our selves in the Morning to Pray and to give Thanks IT is good to retire our selves into our Closets every Morning betimes to Pray and give Thanks unto the Lord. Here you may give thanks unto God for all Benefits received in general and particularly for those you have received the Night past and at that instant which at that time you are to set before you that you may season the Action with some new relish But more especially when the Lord hath vouchsafed you any special and perhaps unexpected Favour it doth not beseem you as vain Worldlings to look big scorn every one to whom the Lord hath not opened the Hand of his Bounty so wide as to your selves but rather in an humble sence of your unworthiness and admiration of God's Goodness to retire your selves early and pour out your Hearts in Prayer and Thanksgiving before the Lord. So when the Lord hath given you special Testimonies of his Presence and Favour and revealed his Love unto you more fully then ordinarily it is a fit time for you to enter into your Closets there privately and so the more freely to open your Hearts unto the Lord and to confirm your acquaintance with your Beloved to endear your self unto Jesus Christ and to cast your selves into his embracements The Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel speaking to the Church of Israel saith I passed by thee and thy time was a time of Love So a Christian should be watchful to observe the Lord passing by and presenting himself and take notice of the times of Love and then it will be his wisdom to spend some time in private Prayer Meditation and Thanksgiving and so to take his fill of Love and to that end I commend the Morning as the fittest time for this purpose If we are frequent in this Course we shall grow more inward and entire with the Lord Wherea when the Lord daily expresseth Love and Kindness to us if we should shew our selves coy unkind and regardless of his Love this were the way to make him more strange unto us And indeed the reason why we have no more communion with Christ for the most part is because we give him no better entertainment when he cometh A Man of place and quality if he shall come to visit a Friend at his House in the Morning and shall hear that he is yet in his Bed and will not rise to keep him company or perceive that every small trifle will keep him out of sight he will not be an ordinary Guest at that House Now God is said to visit us every Morning that is as soon as the Day breaks or the Sun is up God is visiting What is Man that thou shouldst magnifie him and set thine Heart upon him and visit him every Morning c. Job 7.17 18. Our visits are usually in the Afternoon it is an extraordinary thing to visit one in the Forenoon especially very early in the Morning God's visits are extraordinary he visits in a Morning and visits every Morning as often as the Morning returneth so often doth he come and visit us God visits us as one saith in a Morning as a Shepherd visits his Flock lest any should be hurt or strayed away As sure as the Sun riseth or the Morning cometh so God visiteth us with Mercies Therefore his Mercies are said to be renewed every Morning Lamen 3.23 Or fresh every Morning SECT XIV Of Thanksgiving THis is very necessary to be performed every Morning considering the benefits we receive continually from the Hand of God We should not be like the Clouds that obscure the Sun that raised them but as one saith let us rather imitate the Looking-Glass which returns the Image as soon as the Face is represented to it In the time of the Law it was commanded that the Fire on the Altar should never go out but be always kept burning By that same Fire Philâ— saith Thankfulness was fignified for as the Fire still ascendeth upwards so Thankfulness lifteth up our Hearts and makes them ascend unto God And it is fit that the Divine Benefits should never be forgotten as the Fire of the Altar was never to be extinguished It well becometh the Righteous to be thankful Psal 33.1 That which becometh us well we are apt to like well Any Habit any Dressing any Fashion or Gesture that makes us graceful and comely in the places where we are Now Thank fulness saith the Prophet is a comely thing It renders us lovely and amiable both in the Eyes of God and Man whereas Unthankfulness on the other side like some sordid Disguise or like some ugly Blemish upon the Body makes us Monstrous and Deformed in the eyes of the Beholders The Creatures teach us the retribution of Thankfulness The Air draws us up vapours out of the Earth When it hath turned the vapours into Showres it poureth them into the Earth again and moisteneth the dry Womb of it The Earth hath Seed cast into her Bosom she keeps it not long but she returns it back again with Profit to the Husbandman Interest with the Principal thirty sixty an hundred fold You know what Solomon saith of the Sea All Rivers go into the Sea Eccles
hath appointed and anointed a Redeemer to preach Glad-tidings unto the Meek to bind up the Broken-hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable Year of the Lord to proclaim a Jubilee a Year of release to Prisoners and Bond-men Isa 61.1 2. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his Mercy endureth for ever Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the Enemy It was a custom among the Romans when any of their Commanders had gotten a great Victory and obtained the honour of Publique Triumph if he had delivered any of his Country-men by this Victory who before were Captives among the Enemies these redeemed ones used to attend the triumphant Chariot of the Conquerour when he entred the City thereby to do him Homage and to set forth the glory of his Victory In this case it becometh those whom the Lord hath redeemed from Sin from Satan from the Curse of the Law and from everlasting Destruction to wait upon their Triumphant Redeemer and do him all possible Honour and give him all Praises and thankful Acknowledgments for their Redemption procured by his Victory over all those Enemies and Evils 4. Bless the Lord for thy Vocation that he hath called thee out of Darkness into his marvellous Light by his Word and Spirit that he hath taken thy Soul to be his Spouse and decked it with the Gifts and Graces of his Spirit What had become of thee if thou hadst been born among Infidels who are without Christ being A liens from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 and strangers from the Covenant of Promises having no hope and without God in the World who wanting the knowledg of the true Living God worshipped Stocks and Stones for God And among many that perish in Ignorance and Prophaneness that are under the found of the Word To whom the Gospel is hid whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded 2 Cor. 4.4 lest the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them Bless the Lord that it pleased him that thou shouldst be born in the lap of the True Church and be nourished there with the sincere Milk of the Word and with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ Consider how long God did wait for thy Conversion giving thee space to Repent and how he suffered thee so long to continue in that state of Sin and Wickedness and did not cut down such an unfruitful and unprofitable Tree that cumbred the Earth and received the influence of Heaven so long in vain Consider likewise how many good Inspirations and holy purposes he breathed into thy Heart even in the midst of thy very Sins and wicked Life and that he persisted in calling thee so long a time and at length to bring thy great stubbornness and obstinate resistance so long continued to an end and to call thee with such a mighty loud and effectual Voice that thereby thou mightst rise from Death to Life and come forth as it were another Lazarus out of the dark and obscure Grave of thy wicked and sinful Life and not with thine Hands and Feet bound but loosed and set at liberty out of the stinking Prison and Thraldom of the enemy of Mankind Praise the Lord for granting thee not only pardon for thy Sins past but also Grace from that time forward not to return to thy former Bondage and likewise that he hath given thee a sweet taste and savour of the things of his Spirit which before seemed very unsavoury to thee and withal a loathsomness and misliking of the things of the Flesh and of the World which before were very delightful to thee Then think with thy self unto how many hath God denied this Benefit which he hath so freely granted unto thee And whereas thou being as unworthy of this Calling as they yet it hath pleased God to suffer them to continue in their Impenitency and Obstinacy and to call thee unto the state of Grace and Salvation Oh what thanks and service dost thou owe unto him for this inestimable Benefit 5. There be other Benefits that are given to particular Persons which none other knoweth but he hath hath received them for which we are bound to give thanks unto the Lord as for the more general for as much as they are more certain Tokens of the special and particular Love and Providence that the Lord beareth toward us Such Benefits as these cannot be written in Books but every one is to write them in his Heart and so to joyn them with the other general Benefits and to give most humble thanks unto the Lord for them There are also other Benefits more secret which are unknown or scarce observed by the party which doth receive them These are certain Snares and privy Dangers which the Lord doth often prevent and disappoint by his Providence he knowing what great prejudice they might do unto us did not he prevent them and disappoint them Who is able to recount how many Dangers he hath escaped from how many Temptations God hath preserved him from how many occasions of Sin he hath delivered him how often he hath stopt the passages and taken out of the way the subtile and deceitful Snares of the Devil our vigilant Adversary that we should not fall into them Likewise a Man may have many secret Sins which the Person that committeth them knoweth not Wherefore as touching these secret Sins we ought daily to pray with the Psalmist Cleanse me O Lord from my secret sins Psal 19.12 Even so it is requisite every day to yield him most hearty thanks for this kind of Benefit SECT XV. Of Preparation to Prayer BEfore we enter upon Prayer or Thansgiving it is very requisite that there be first a Preparation of our Hearts to this holy Exercise doing herein as Musicians who use to temper and tune their Lute Viol or other Instrument before they play upon it Before thou prayest prepare thy self Ecclus. 18.23 lest thou be as one that tempteth God saith the Son of Syrach In our Saviour's platform of Prayer the Petitions are not set down abruptly but a solemn Preface is prefixed like a fair Porch to a beautiful House to teach us to set our Affections in due order before we draw nigh to speak unto the Lord. God hath also expresly commanded Be not rash with thy Mouth nor let thine Heart be hasty to utter a thing before God Eccles 5.2 It is a dangerous thing to babble out unadvised and undigested words in his Ears Prayer and other holy Duties call for holy Preparation I will wash mine Hands in Innocency and so will I compass thine Altar O Lord was David's resolution Psal 26.6 Joh sent and sanctified his Children that is he sent solemnly to his Children to prepare themselves warning them not to come to the Sacrifice except they were
fanctified So Samuel said to the Elders of Bethlehem Sanctifie your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice 1 Sam. 16.5 This Sanctifying was a preparing of themselves was a fitting of themselves that they might be ready for the Sacrifice The very Heathen had this Notion they would not admit any to come to their Religious Services unless they were prepared therefore they had one that cried out to the People when they came to Sacrifice All ye that are unclean and prophane go far away from these Sacrifices Prepare your felves unto Prayer by considering the Greatness and Majesty of that God to whom you go to speak in Prayer For this Consideration will teach you with what great Humility and Reverence it behoveth such miserable Creatures to speak unto a Lord of so great Majesty as Almighty God is concerning a matter of so great importance as is your own Salvation How close shut ought ye to have the gates of your Understanding and Will at the time of Prayer from the cares and thoughts of the World and open unto God alone that in case he come to enter therein he be not driven back again finding the Gates shut against him or the Lodging-Chambers taken up and pestered with other Guests And to this end you may pray to be prepared and enabled to Pray in this or the like manner Almighty God I beseech thee be pleased to prepare my Heart and quicken mine Affections in this holy service of calling upon Thy Name Make me to consider that Thou into whose Presence I am come and have to do art a God clothed with Glory and Majesty and that I am Dust and Ashes and a most vile and unworthy Sinner I beseech Thee possess me with an amfal reverence of Thy Glorious Majesty that I may watch over my Thoughts and have regard to my good behaviour before Thee lest my presumption and want of due respect to Thy Majesty should turn my Prayers into Sin Give me a lively sence of my own Wants and a clear apprehension of those Blessings I have received from Thee and of those Mercies which in Thy Word Thou hast promised to bestow that I may be furnished with matter both for Request and Thankfulness and may be able to pour out my Soul abundantly before Thee Let Thy Spirit of Supplication sanctifie my Thoughts guide my Tongue and help mine Infirmities Give me faith in Thy Promises that I may come boldly unto the Throne of Thy Grace and let me find it is good to draw near to Thee my God in Prayer Let the end of my praying be Thy Glory and make me as ready to give thanks for Blessings obtained as to be earnest for Mercies I stand in need of With this Preparation mayest thou draw near to God in the Morning imploring God for the assistance and succour of his Grace whereby thou mayst the better bestow the day following in his Service And be earnest with God in thy Preparation to instruct thee how to do thy Duty therein and to direct thee to speak unto him in Prayer with such Attention and Devotion with such recollection and closeness of Mind and with such A we and Reverence as is to be used before so great a Majesty and withal entreat him that thou mayst so spend that portion of time in this exercise of Prayer that in the end thou mayst arise from the same with new force and strength to do all such things as appertain to his Service And that thou mayst the better fit thy self for thy Morning-prayer go to Bed with the thoughts of it over Night like those that intend to bake Unleavened Bread the next Day do use to lay the Leaven over Night So may a Christian over Night think on what he will recommend unto God the next Morning and assoon as he awaketh busie his Mind about it before any other thing do enter therein that so his Heart having endited a good Matter his Tongue may be as the Pen of a ready Writer And for as much as the Prayers of the Righteous are acceptable with God you shall do well to consider in your Prayers both Morning and Evening what a number of God's faithful People both Men and Women in this World be at this time at the Throne of Grace humbly confessing their Sins to the Lord and craving Pardon for them and begging such Graces and Blessings as are needful for them with which Persons you ought to joyn your selves that the present sweet remembrance of them may be a Spur to your Devotion causing you to persevere in this holy exercise of Prayer Moreover whensoever you shall find your selves cold and remiss in this Duty you may be ashamed and check your selves by the example of so many Pious and Devout Persons which with so good carefulness and diligence have continued so long a time in this exercise of Prayer without ceasing dayly offering up their Bodies and Souls unto God in Sacrifice SECT XVI Of Reading the holy Scriptures AFter Preparation followeth Reading which ought not to be done lightly nor passed over in haste but with great deliberation and attention applying thereunto your Understanding to conceive such things as you reade and chiefly your Affections to taste those things which you understand Before you pray in the Morning first reade a Chapter or some select portion of Scripture out of the Word of God and when thou comest to any place that may enflame thine Affections and raise thy Devotion thou shalt do well to stay and pause a little upon it and to make there as it were a station in thinking upon that matter which thou hast read and in making some short Prayer upon it according to the Counsel of St. Bernard saying It is requisite oftentimes to gather and procure a little Spirit and Devotion out of the matters that we reade and to break off the course of our reading with some kind of Prayer by means whereof we may lift up our Hearts unto the Lord and talk with him according as the sence and matter of such things as we reade do require Here let me Advertise Let not thy Reading be very long lest it take up too much time which ought otherwise to be employed For as St. Augustine saith It is good both to reade and pray if we can doth both the one and the other After thou hast read a while think with thy self how many choice things thou canst pick out of it Consider what holy Counsels and Exhortations to a godly Life What Threatnings against such Sins What dreadful examples of God's Judgments upon such and such Sinners What Blessings and Rewards God promiseth to such Graces and Vertues What wonderful Deliverances God hath wrought for his Church in Times past and what singular Blessings he hath bestowed upon his faithful Servants Bring home these things to thine Heart and do not reade them as matters of Historical Discourse but as so many Epistles sent down to thee from God out of Heaven and
Family both Food and Rayment If any provide not for his own and especially for those of his own House he hath denied the Faith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 The Lambs are for thy Clothing and the Goats are the price of thy Field and thou shalt have Goats Milk enough for thy Food for the Food of thy Houshold and for the maintenance of thy Maidens Prov. 27.26 27. 3. Look that ye keep good Order and exercise good Discipline in the Family If Children be stubborn and Servants disobedient you are to correct them and chastise them according to the nature of their Offence and the state and condition of the Person having first admonished them 4. See that you perform all Duty about your Servants conscionably Which consisteth in two things I. In respect of your Choosing them II. In respect of your Carriage toward them In the Choice of Servants have regard to these things 1. As to the number of Servants see that it be proportionable to your Estate Revenues Calling and Employments It is great folly to make Ostentation of many Servants meerly through Vanity A Man is no way the happier by having many Servants 2. As to the quality of Servants you must either take good Servants or labour to make them such If one Achan troubleth a Land how may one irreligious Servant trouble an House God blessed Potiphar and Laban for Joseph's and Jacob's sakes You should beware of entertaining such Servants who have neither Conscience nor the fear of God and by whose wicked Conversation your Children may be soon corrupted 3. For Capacity It is necessary that in a Servant there should be Ability to discharge his Office for every one that is Honest hath not Ability to undergo all kinds of Business Our Abilities are limited as well as our Minds and every one hath his particular Talent which must be known by those that will make use of him To this end enquire where they have lived get good Testimony concerning them and try before you trust 4. See that you take such Servants as are faithful Faithfulness is one of the Qualities which the Gospel gives of a good Servant You have reason to require it and discreetly to make trial of it not by suspicions and jealousies which only serve to provoke such as have a disposition to do well A Man is oftentimes made Faithful by being thought Faithful and many through continual fear to be Cozened have taught others to Cheat and Cozen justifying their Deceit by their own Distrust As the Roman Philosopher saith You must allow your Officers what command and freedom their Charges do require not quarrelling with them every minute for Trifles Notwithstanding you must carefully reserve the state of your Affairs for your private knowledg for it is an equal Fault indifferently to trust all or to distrust all II. As to your Carriage towards them When you have made a good choice the government of them is not hard For St. Augustine saith Nothing is so easie as to perswade those unto Good who have a great desire to put it in practice 1. Banish all Vice and Scandal from your House let not Wantonness and Uncleanness come near it Let not Surfeiting Drunkenness or Excess know so much as the gate thereof suffer not proud Persons Liars Slanderers and workers of Deceit to dwell with you cause froward and wicked Persons to depart from you This was David's practice Psal 101. For as Nebuchadnezzar made the Pages that attended on him learn his Language so the Devil teacheth those of his acquaintance his Dialect 2. And having exiled Vice accustom your Family to some Devotion cause them diligently to hear the Word on the Lord's Day and on other occasions offered bring them to the Church or publique Congregation and see that they do there both religiously and reverently behave themselves during the time of the publique Worship And that being ended and the Congregation dismissed examine them touching what they have heard that they may profit both in Knowledg and Obedience Invite them also to frequent the holy Sacrament according to their Condition and Capacity Assemble them at the Evening or some convenient time in the Day to some Devout and Pious Exercise see likewise how they are instructed in the Articles of Faith 3. Behave your selves Wisely and Sincerely before your Children and Servants for your Example will do more than all your Words the Life and Conversation of a good Master and Mistress is a good Monitor in a House We live in an Age wherein we have more need of Patterns than Precepts Servants adhere to the Pillars of an House as Ivy to great Trees It is good that ye be liberal according to your Means in ordering your Family be honourable in such Expences as are requisite both for Necessity and Decorum For if Nets be useful to take Fishes Liberality is a Golden Hook to take Men. Manage your Dignity and Place in such a way as is neither Harsh Imperious nor Arrogant But let your Carriage be Mild Affable and Communicative Shew Love and Tenderness to your Servants A Christian Servant must be in the place of a beloved Brother or Sister and so to be received Philem. v. 16. Think also how you may do them good as well as how to be benefited by their Service God required the Israelites that they should not rule over their Servants with Rigour Levit. 25.43 Ye must temper your Power with Mercy laying aside threatning to your Servants Ephes 6.9 that is Huckster-like menacing of them for every Trifle For many severe Masters and Mistresses can scarce speak to their Servants but they must call them Knave Rascal Quean Drab c. threatning to throw something at their Heads to give them that which will stick by them c. This kind of threatning their Servants the Apostle doth forbid But on the other hand take heed lest through Indiscretion ye run out of one extream into another for he that bringeth up a Servant daintily shall have enough of it Let me advise you also to retain a decent and moderate Gravity in your Deportment that the Stamp which God sets on those he calleth to Offices and Places of Government may not be debased Finally In all your Affairs invoke God's Assistance and to give you Wisdom to know what is pleasing to Him and that you may put it in Execution If your Project or Enterprise have good Issue give the praise unto God and an example of Modesty unto your Neighbour But if Business keep not time to your Will learn you to keep time to the Divine Providence which maketh all Harmony in the World as one adviseth Though you may have power over your Designs yet ye have no power over their Events But above all look into your Self as the first piece of your Government let your Conscience be pure and peaceable and herein do you exercise your selves to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and
when Health is gone The want of Health and vigour of Spirits must needs be a great disadvantage where-ever it lighteth yet where Grace is and ruleth the Heart is lifted up to God the Soul breaths after him and his bodily Infirmities are an help to Mortification to Patience to the neglect of Worldly Things and a provocation to long for his Salvation as old Jacob did upon his Death-bed David attained to the best temper and measure of Spiritual Health when he was most overlaid with Bodily Sickness 2. To Health we may joyn Bodily Strength which is a great help to Spiritual Assaults which work more upon Weakness Age c. than upon others in whom Nature sanctified can afford more helps to the inner Man assaulted by Frowardness Timerousness or the like as one well noteth Young Men have more strength than others over-worn by Age and if they have the Word of God abiding in them they are strong indeed to overcome the evil one Many Men out of their strength of Body might spare more time from their sleep to spend in Religious Duties which others of weaker and feebler Bodies cannot spare who if they should miss of sufficient refreshment in this kind would be unfit for any holy performance Many occasions also may the strong take in travel for the doing of many good Services which cannot be so well performed by the weaker sort Yea such Men may wrestle the more earnestly with God in Prayer and in performing other holy Exercises may be the more vehement which weak Bodies are unable to perform But it is sad to see wicked Men notwithstanding their bodily weakness to be never the weaker Servants of Sin The Adulterer rolls over his sin in his Heart though disabled by his own Wickedness as well as by Age from the actual committing of that Sin he is a filthy person still as in his greatest bodily vigour and a greater teacher and provoker of others to the same Wickedness So Witches and other envious Persons Malice in them supplieth the defects of natural abilities or want of power or opportunity And rather than fail they summon in Satan to assist them in their hellish designs So others in time of their Weakness grow more cross and froward to all about them and being more impatient do murmur against God and are ready to Curse and Blaspheme because they have not Health Limbs Strength as well as others These are not unlike the Vassals of Antichrist justly suffering extraordinary Plagues for their voluntary Slavery That gnawed their Tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds Rev. 16.10 11. But the weakest Body must labour to be strong in Spirit that the power of God's Spirit may be manifested in its Weakness whilst the inner Man is renewed day by day though the outward Man decayeth 3. Youth also is an advantage in the Service of God Young Men have more abilities and helps than Old Persons their Wits being fresh their Affections lively all the powers of Nature are then in their prime and God requireth more of them in regard of outward performances Let young Men now remember their Creator in the days of their Youth and the prime of their Days while the evil days come not The days of Old-age are evil Days but thou must serve God in thy best Days give him not the dregs of thy time let him have the principal and choicest of thine Age think thy best days not good enough The Years will approach wherein thou wilt say I have no pleasure in them Dost thou think God will delight and take pleasure in that Age of thine if thou then begin to serve him when as thou thy self canst find no pleasure in it The Lord is to be served with gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things and wilt thou hope to serve him and be accepted of him if thou begin not till then when thou thy self shall take contentment in nothing when Old Age shall take away the joy of thine Heart and comfort of thy Life Yet must the Aged labour to excel in a settled Constancy in Gravity in holy Examples in ripeness of every Grace and holy Affection But the Younger sort must do more than the Aged can do in regard of the exercises of Religion and that in many respects 4. So also in respect of outward Estate and therein in regard of Wealth Honour the Lord with thy Substance and with the first-fruits of thine Increase Prov. 3.9 St. Paul bids Timothy Charge them that be rich in this World c. that they do good that they be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come Where ye see the Lord requireth an open Hand and Heart in them who are enriched with outward Blessings Every one is to lay by him as the Lord hath enabled him There be many things here required of the Rich which the Poor cannot do as to maintain the preaching of the Gospel where Means are wanting to relieve the Poor and Needy to strive against the danger and deceitfulness of Riches in the possessing and enjoying these outward things to be as if you possessed them not being as ready to leave all for Christ as they that have least and to be ready according to your portion of Wealth to set forth the Glory of Christ to make Riches the fuel of your Graces and the instruments of your Duty towards God and Man To have the House full of Riches and the Heart full of Grace this is an happy Conjunction and causeth matter of great admiration It is an evidence of much Grace when a Man is very holy in the midst of abundance of outward Riches As Pineda speaks of Job That the holiness of Job Exingentibus Jobi divitiis valdè locupletatur ejus sanctitas Pineda was enriched by his great Riches But usually Riches do impoverish the Soul and devour all care of Heaven they make Men to forget God yea to kick and spurn against him as it is said of Jesurun They are often made the Bellows of Pride the fuel of Luxury and Wantonness the instrument of Revenge and cause their owners to contemn despise and oppress their poor Brethren and to make no other use of them but to satisfie their Lusts and clog their Souls fastening them to the things below 5. Hereunto we may add Respect and Esteem from the World wherein some Men have a greater part than others and if they would rightly use it a greater advantage to glorifie God and so accordingly the Lord requireth more at their hands than can well be performed by others First of all Some have favour with great Men So Nehemiah had with the Persian King and he might be bold to speak for Jerusalem the City of the Lord when it lay desolate and so he did An ordinary Israelite had not
Christ to your Souls in calling upon him for the accomplishment of his Promises and he on the other side meeteth with you and speaketh to you then shall ye be sanctified by the Glory of the Lord ye shall see the light of his loving Countenance graciously and gloriously shining upon your Souls This hath a Sanctifying Virtue and Power in it As the Sun shining brightly and gloriously from time to time on Trees and Fruits doth give growing sweetness and ripeness to these Fruits So Christ by meeting us and shining on our Souls with the light of his Counteance when we present our selves before him aright in the due and daily performance of his Service and offering of this Sacrifice he doth sanctifie us by his Glory he doth alter the temper of our Souls he doth change and fashion us unto his likeness in Righteousness and true Holiness from Glory to Glory by his Spirit SECT XXXVII Of a Man's taking a review in the Evening of the Actions and Mercies of the Day past IT is good before you lie down to Sleep to take a review of all the Actions and Mercies of the past Day If thou wouldst know the Sins thou hast committed the Day past or the Week past or thy whole Life past thou mayst briefly run over all the Commandments of God and thou mayst easily see what Commandments thou hast Transgressed and so mayst be humbled for thy Sins and mayst renew thy Repentance and resolutions for better Obedience Look diligently into the whole state of thy Life consider what progress thou hast made in Godliness or how thou hast declined What Words thou hast spoken what Works thou hast done and to what end and in what manner they were performed Consider thine Apparel thy Service thine Attendance thy Table thy Conversation thy Entertainment and all thy Dealings and Demeanour whether they have not savoured of Pride and Vanity and let this be matter of Humiliation to thee Take a strict examen of thy Conscience every Evening For if Conscience condemn God doth much more Condemn And if Conscience acquit and justifie by the evidence of the Word and Spirit God doth Acquit and Justifie and we shall have confidence toward God What can more nearly concern us than daily to make a thorow and careful search of our own Consciences Shall Men be so careful to examine their Evidences by which they hold Lands and Annuities their Leases whereby they hold Farms and shall we be so careless as to let our Hearts and Conscienccs lie unexamined and unsearched I have read a Story of a certain King who after a long time of Bloody Wars which caused a great confusion in Men's outward Estates in a publick Assembly called upon his Subjects to shew their Evidences by which they held their Lands whereupon the Nobles being loth to have their Writings examined drew their Swords and said By these they held their Lands So there are many that cannot endure to search their Hearts and Consciences because they have no sound hope to find their Evidence good and clear to the Kingdom of Heaven Unless ye be justified by Faith in Christ your Consciences when they be indeed awakened and enlightned will condemn you Guilty in the sight of God and will condemn the best of your Actions as not wrought in God nor done in the Name of Christ not proceeding from the Love of God nor intended for his Glory Now ere ye can find your selves justified by Faith in Christ through the Gospel ye must find your Consciences condemning you for Sin and therefore daily yield them to be searched and convinced by the Word of God Take a review every Evening likewise of all the Gifts Graces Blessings Benefits God hath bestowed upon thee and consider after what sort thou hast employed them the Day past and examine whether all these things wherewith thou shouldst have done the more Service unto him who gave them thou hast not made Weapons and Instruments wherewith to offend him the more Examine how thou hast used thy Strength thy Health thy Riches thy Substance thy Life thy Understanding thy Memory thy Will thy Affections thy Sight thy Tongue thine Ears thy Hands and all the rest of thy Members and Faculties And then let the consideration of God's Benefits make thee to acknowledg him and his Goodness to love him As we are not to slight common Mercies yet extraordinary Mercies must be more specially and particularly observed by us SECT XXXVIII Of providing in the Evening for the Day to come IT is good Advice that one giveth that a Christian should begin from the Evening the purpose of good Works which he is to perform the next Day what points he ought to meditate upon what Vice he should resist what Vertue he should exercise what Affairs he is to take in hand to make all appear in its proper time with a well matured Providence It is the Thred of Ariadne which guideth our Actions in the great labyrinth of Time otherwise all runneth to Confusion Some commend the Evening as a fit time for Meditation viz. from the Sun-setting to the Twi-light It is said of Isaac that he went forth into the Field in the Evening to meditate and to pray The Original Word signifies both Duties It is conceived by some Interpreters that David penned the eighth Psalm in the Night occasioned by his meditation on the Works of God In the Evening consider that every Morning hath its Evening and the longest Day hath its Night So every Man's day of Life will have its night of Death The longest day of Life will have its night of Death Think upon that speech of our Saviour John 9.4 I must Work while it is Day for the Night cometh wherein no Man can Work There is no working out your Salvation when the night of Death is come If thou O Man hast spent the Day in vain delights and pleasures ask thy self in the Evening what satisfaction thou hast found in those Vanities which thou hast so eagerly pursued all the Day before and what comfort they now afford unto thee Ah! they are now gone and passed and they have left but a sad relish behind But if yet thou resolvest to tread the same paths of Sin and Destruction again be thou well assured that a Night will come which shall never have Morning When being covered with the shadow of Death thou shalt lie down in everlasting Sorrow Then wilt thou cry out in the anguish of thy Soul O what an unfortunate Wretch am I that had time and opportunity to gain that blessed State which Angels and Saints do enjoy in the Kingdom of Heaven and would not use the benefit thereof O how idly and wickedly hath the time of my Life passed away which shall never return again And now for a few momentany Pleasures on Earth I must suffer intollerable and everlasting Torments in Hell O unhappy Pleasures O cursed Change O unfortunate Hour and Moment wherein I thus blinded