shews and needless Superstitions and yet have not one spark of Fire from above to set their Offerings on fire It is not a body of Sin that will make a pleasing Sacrifice unto God but a Body and Soul washed by the Blood of Christ Therefore you to whom God hath thus given you must offer up your selves to him as our Saviour saith to his Disciples To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given So I say To you it is given to pray to you it is given to reade the Scriptures and to hear the Word of God To you it is given to meditate on the Word To you it is given to see and conceive aright of Heavenly Things Ye have tasted of Love and Mercy and therefore to you it is given to shew Love and Mercy Think ye of your Talents and of your Receipts unto whom God hath given much look what ye have received mind your Account tender his Glory whose Love in all Eternity was so tender to your Souls above many thousand others SECT XXX Of the Improvement of all Means Gifts and Abilities inward and outward bestowed upon us LEt every one labour to improve all inward Gifts Means and Abilities bestowed upon them 1. Whosoever hath a larger Understanding and a more searching Head than others God requires the more of such an one his Brains should not be busied in hatching crafty and mischievous Plots against God and his Service against the Church of God or against his Neighbour God did not allow that great Politician Achitophel to use that wit he had given him to invent nor his Tongue which was an as Oracle to deliver a pestilent Counsel against his Anointed a Man after God's own Heart not to teach the Son how to kill his Father This is the height of Satan's wickedness that whereas the Lord made him a glorious Angel of Light and endued him with an admirable understanding and knowledg he on the other side abuseth it most wickedly to the Dishonour of God his Maker to oppose his Glory to ensnare his Servants and weaken his Kingdom Some Men have notable Heads and great Apprehensions but they fill them meerly with Earth the World possesseth them altogether they are wholly busied in laying plots for Gain or in compassing and grasping more of the World than they can well rule when they have it as if God had given them more Wit than others that they may be greater Drudges and Slaves to Mammon than others Some again do abuse their Wits in frothy Jesting and Scoffing at others in wanton and licentious Rhimes and Poems A witty Poem of one Licentius a young Noble Man coming into the hands of St. August Epist 39. ad Licen Augustine whose Scholar he had sometime been the said Father perceiving he had wickedly abused his Wit therein writes to him in this manner I have read this Poem of thine and I know not with what Verses to lament and mourn over it because I see a pregnant Wit in every Line but such an one as I cannot dedicate unto God Then he exhorteth him Da te Domino meo c. Give thy self unto my Lord who hath given thee this excellent Wit If thou hadst found a Golden Cup wouldst thou not have given it to some publique use God hath given thee a Golden Wit thy Vnderstanding is a Golden Cup and wilt thou let thy Lusts drink out of it Or wilt thou drink thy self to the Devil in it Know thou that Satan seeks to make thy Wit an ornament to him and thy Parts the credit of his Court and Cause The best Wits are fittest for the best and highest Employments It is pity that Men of excellent understandings should be set to dig in the mines of base Employments They should use them in searching the Scriptures and in gathering Knowledg out of the Word of God who doth not require of the unreasonable Creature that it should know his Will in his Word but of Man to whom he hath given a more excellent Spirit But this is to be lamented that Men that naturally have notable Understandings quick Wits and solid Judgments are very blind and shallow in the knowledg of God's Word How will these stand before the Lord at the last Day when he shall say unto them I gave thee a great Understanding but thou knewest any thing rather than me whom thou shouldst have laboured to know above all things How hast thou busied thy Wits Didst thou not think me worth thy knowledg and acquaintance Thou knewest the way to thrive and get Wealth to please and get the good will of Men but didst not care to know the way to please Me to find out the way which I had ordained for thee to walk in Thou knewest how to speak unto Men but didst not care how to call upon my Name Then wilt thou cry out Oh! that I had had a saving knowledg of God and his Will although all that had known Me had derided me for a Fool and contemned me for want of Worldly Wisdom Oh that I had known Jesus Christ and him Crucified though I had known nothing else Oh that I had throughly and spiritually known the Scriptures which would have made me wise unto Salvation though I had not known my right Hand from my left Wo is me that I busied my Head about Trifles and cared not to know the Way of Life and everlasting Peace Alas all my Wit my Craft my Policy now faileth me it will not serve to help me with one excuse whereby to shift off the Wrath and Justice of God it doth me no good now that I am to appear before my Judg. Labour then for such knowledg as may tend some way or other to your furtherance in Godliness and use your Understandings also to bring things about as well as ye can for the promoting of God's Glory For as the Lord doth by his infinite Wisdom defeat and bring to nought the crafty malicious plots of Satan so also he would have his Children to whom he hath given better Understandings and more Wisdom than to others to oppose their Wits against the Craft of wicked Men and use their best skill to uphold Religion and to overthrow the strong-holds of Satan Thus was Hushai among all David's followers chosen out to match Achitophel and to be a means to defeat his crafty Counsel and turn it into Foolishness And as for those that have not so good Natural Understandings as these yet according to their measure they must use their Talent for which they are accountable to the Lord Even weak natural Parts may be excellently perfected and bettered by Grace and raised to an higher degree than could be expected therefore none must give over exercising their Gifts although they cannot match some that are more excellent II. In the second place as to the Memory some Men have a great Gift this way They can remember things even
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
and a means to prevent it and hereby thou shalt be fitted for a more free Communion with the Lord and the more able shalt thou be to feel the Power of God in his Ordinances and shalt abound in every good Work and shalt find great delight in the Service of God SECT IX When thou art putting on thy Clothes 1. Consider that our first Parents in Innocency had no Garments A Garment is both the Cover and the Witness of Man's Perfidiousness and Treachery against God his Creator Vestimentum est primae hominis contrae Deum perfidiae tegumentum testimonium cum anteà homo nudus fuerit Buxtorf The Innocency of our first Parents was then a Garment to them as they were without cloathing so they wanted no cloathing they were naked and knew not that they were naked but after they had sinned their Sin made them sensible of their Nakedness and they made them Aprons of Leaves seeking to hide that from their Eyes which did displease their Souls and not being able to shun themselves they endeavoured to cover themselves But God himself who was indulgent to them cut out their first Sute and cloathed them with the Skins of Beasts This is one use of Apparel namely to cover our Nakedness and to hide our Body which began to be shameful when it ceased to be innocent The second Use of Apparel is to shelter us from the Injury of the Seasons and to free our Bodies from the rigour of the Elements for Man no sooner violated God's Commandment but all the Creatures rebelled against him and those four Bodies whereof all our Bodies are composed declared War one against another to afflict us and breaking the Bounds which Nature had prescribed them intrencht one upon another to the end their Division might be our Punishment Now Man was bound to make him clothes he hunted wild Beasts and clothed himself with their Skins and robbed his Subjects that he might defend himself against his Enemies and learn'd to his cost that no Apparel is proof for all seasons but that of Innocency Here then let every Man see his own Fault in his Apparel which is a sensible Token of his Disobedience and would he govern himself by Reason he would as it were chastise his Body as oft as he puts on his Clothes And yet many now seem to have a design to outbrave Divine Justice to glory in its Punishments to make that serve for their Glory which ought to serve for their shame Adam was never so ashamed as when he was forced to cloath himself the Skins he wore were the Apparel of a Penitent he never cloathed himself but he bewailed his Innocency and when cold Weather made him put on more Clothes he considered how the Irregularity of the Seasons was the Punishment of his Sin In sordibus agebat Eva ipsam se circumferens lugentem panitentem ignominiam primi delicti Invidiam perditionis humanae omni satisfactionis habitu expiabat Tertul. de habitu Mulier His Wife knew not as yet the Art of trimming and decking her self all her Daughters Eloquence could not perswade her that that which was a Punishment of her Disobedience should add unto her Beauty If thy Clothes or Ornaments are commendable the Praise is rather due to those that made them than to those that wear them Whosoever prides himself in a Sute of Apparel intrencheth upon his Tailor's right and who values himself the more for the Stuff or Silk that he wears injures the Worms that spun it or the Workmen that wrought it Our Glory ought to be within us In homine laudandum quod ipsius est Seneca saith Seneca and we ought not to be proud of a thing which we forgo as oft as we put off our Clothes 2. When you are putting on your Clothes upon your Bodies let this put you in mind of putting on Christ as St. Paul exhorteth Rom. 13. ult Put on Christ by Faith in Justification for Righteousness for he is made unto us of God wisdom and Righteousness As many as have been baptized into Christ they have thus put on Christ Gal. 3.27 This is our best Clothing even our Wedding-Garment Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my Soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the Garment of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robes of Righteousness as a Bridegroom decks himself with Ornaments and as a Bride arrayeth her self with her Jewels Happy are they who are thus cloathed for they shall never be found Naked 3. When you are putting off your old Clothes see that ye put off the Old Man with all his Works Col. 3.9 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the Old Man Ephes 4.22 24. which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts Look as it is in Apparel we must first put off an old Sute before we can draw on a New so here we must put off the Old Man that is the old quality of our whole Nature Here meditate That you are covered with Sin as with a Garment As a Garment covers us so Sin covers us But it is not this or that Garment not like an Hat that doth only cover the Head nor like a Glove that doth cover the Hand only or like a Boot that doth cover the Leg only or like a Skirt that doth only cover the Loyns but it is like a Garment that covereth us allover Head and Hands Loyns and Legs As Children are swadled and lapt over in Clouts so are we in Sin and that from the Crown of the Head to the Soles of the Feet as the Prophet speaketh Now seeing we are covered with Sin as with a Garment as we would cast off a Garment so must we cast off Sin The Prophet Isaiah speaking of our Righteousnesses calleth them filthy Rags how filthy then be our Sins We must strip our selves of them and instead of them get to have fair Robes put upon us as Joshua the â—igh Priest came out first in filthy Garments but those being taken off fair Robes were put upon him We must not lay our Sins aside as we use to lay our Garments aside we lay our Garments off at Night and put them on usually in the Morning We have our Sabbath-Day Garments and our Working-day Garments those we wear one day in the Week these all the Week long we must not do thus by our Sins And yet I would there were not those that did thus they lay off their Sins as they lay off their Garments Indeed they go off at Night so long as they are asleep they think not of them but in the Morning they go on again and walk familiarly in them or they shall off upon the Sabbath-day perhaps When their Sabbath-day Clothes are on then they go as if they were covered with Zeal and Devotion but with their Week-day Sutes they put on their Week-day sins and then day after day they as commonly
1.7 to note the place whence they return and go St. Bernard hath a Meditation upon it That God is as the Sea and we should be as the Rivers All Blessings come from God as Rivers from the Sea and as Rivers to the Sea so we should return our praises to him Indeed that is as much as we can do and so much we should do This Act as one noteth consisteth in three things 1. In the Memory which representeth to the understanding the benefit received and this Understanding considers the Hand that gives them and to whom and how and by what ways and means and in what measure Thereupon an affectionate acknowledgment is made in the Will which not able to continue idle spreads it self into outward Acts to testifie the fervour of its affection Now to practise this well it is requisite that we should make and keep a Catalogue of all the Benefits of God Bless God especially for the benefits of Creation Preservation Redemption Vocation and for all other secret Benefits particularly received 1. For the benefits of Creation consider what thou wast before thou wast Created even no more than very nothing and that from the very beginning thou wast nothing and that nothing could not make it self any thing Now he that drew this great Universe out of the Chaos and Darkness of nothing to the light of Being and Life it pleased him out of his meer Grace to shew upon thee his Almighty Power to bring thee to a being and make thee something And as St. Augustine saith not every somewhat not a Stone not a Bird not a Toad not a Serpent but even a Man one of the most noble Creatures in the World he made thee as a little Miracle of Nature with the adornments of so many pieces well compacted together to bear in thine aspect the Beams of his own Majesty He framed this thy Body and beautified it in all parts both with Members and Senses and that with such curious Art and wonderful Providence that every one of them if they be well considered is of it self a great Wonder and a great Benefit This Job humbly and thankfully acknowledgeth Thine Hands have made me and fashioned me together round about c. Job 10.8 9 10 11. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the Clay c. Hast thou not poured me out as Milk and crudled me like Cheese Thou hast clothed me with Skin and Flesh and hast fenced me with Bones and Sinews c. Our making and natural constitution are to be reckoned among the great Benefits received from God I will praise thee saith David for I am fearfully and wonderfully made The greatest wonders of Man's Creation are unseen God hath packt many Rarities Mysteries Wonders in Man's Chest All the vital Instruments and Wheels whereby the watch of our Life is in perpetual motion from the first Hour to the last are locked up in a curious internal Cabinet where God himself prepared the Pulleys hung on the Weights and wound up the Chime by the Hand of his Infinite Power without opening of any part As a learned Anatomist of ours hath elegantly instructed us in the Preface to his sixth Book Consider what usefulness and commodiousness Beauty and Convenience do meet together in every part What Beauty is stampt on the Face What majesty in the Eye What strength is put into the Arms and Back What activity into the Hands What Musick and Melody is in the Tongue Nothing in this whole Fabrick could be well left out or better placed either for Ornament or for Use But the excellency of Man consisteth in his Soul And as Man was the principal part of the Creation so the Soul is the principal part of Man God by a Divine Breathing communicated this fountain of Life which heavenly form without noise or delay diffused it self entire into the Body remaining nevertheless whole in every part The frame of the Body is an exquisite frame but the frame of the Soul the faculties and powers motions and operations of the Soul are far more exquisite The Inhabitant is more noble than the House and the Jewel than the Cabinet And so great is the capacity of the Soul that all the things of the World put together are not able to satisfie it Besides there is no ability no perfection in any Creature here below but that a Man hath the same in him in a higher and far greater perfection and by the capacity of his Soul he is able to attain unto it whereby it is manifest that God by giving us this thing alone viz. our Soul hath given us therewith at once all things together The consideration hereof should ever make thee thankful to thy most Gracious and Bountiful Lord for this surpassing great Benefit 2. Be thankful to him for thy Preservation and the Benefits thereof Consider that God hath not only created thee in so great Glory and Dignity but it is He also that preserveth thee for thou art not able to live one moment nor to move one step without him Consider also how he hath created all things in the World for thy use and service yea he hath appointted the very Angels in Heaven to be thy guard and defence They are all Officers in this great House and Family of God unto whom is committed the defence and safeguard of Men. Here consider the particular favours received from God in your Birth Nourishment Education Instruction in gifts of Soul and Body in Means and Conveniences in Health Strength Life Sustenance and all other Temporal Helps and Succours in Friends Allies Kindred in thy Calling Profession and estate of Life in a continued Protection in deliverance from so many Dangers and freedom from manifold Miseries into which thou seest others to fall every Day and thou thy self mightst also have fallen into the same had not Almighty God of his great Mercy preserved thee In guiding thee through the degrees of Ages wherein every one in his own particular may acknowledg infinite passages of the Divine Providence How should the consideration hereof together with the Circumstances of each Benefit make thee to cry out with the Prophet David Who am I O Lord God and what is my House that thou hast brought me hitherto 2 Sam. 7.18 3. Be exceeding thankful for thy Redemption We are all by Nature in miserable bondage to Sin and Satan and we have all sold our selves for nought Isa 52.3 and by this felling our selves to Sin and Satan we have put our selves out of our own into their Dominion and during that estate abide wholly to be disposed at their pleasure They are now become our Lords and no drudgery must we refuse be it never so irksome or burdensome whereabout they shall list to employ us Now how should all God's Redeemed Ones ascribe Honour and Glory to their God acknowledging the infinite Love and abundant Grace of God in procuring Redemption for poor Bond-slaves Captives Prisoners that he
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
beyond this bound so if we do it is dangerous it is but as a Man that steps out of a Way and falls into a Pit or one that steps from his House and falls into a Prison For this very thing God threatens Israel because they had withdrawn from him that he would feed them as a Lamb in a strange Place Hos 4.16 That is like a Lamb not kept within its Fold and appointed Pastures under the care of a watchful Shepherd but left to ramble at its own Will And as to have the Will of God your Bounds is to do nothing but what agreeth with his Will so it is to do all that he requireth This is that which the Lord thy God requireth of thee to do all these things that he hath commanded thee saith Moses When you give your selves to God to be commanded and governed by him it is to a Subjection that is absolute and not conditional Moreover to be under his Command and Government is for you to make the Will of God your Rule and Pattern Namely not only to do the things that are commanded but to do it in that manner as they are commanded You must also be willing to be disposed by him according to his Will To be contented in every Condition wherein God sets you and though your Case seem hard and there is much in it that is grievous to Nature yet lie down quietly under the Hand and Will of God That 's one branch of our Willingness to be disposed by God to be contented in every Condition wherein God sets us A second Branch of being willing to be at God's disposing is an indifferency of Mind in respect of any possible Change whereunto you are called according to the Wisdom and Will of God as a holy Man well noteth 2 Sam. 15.25 26. When Zadok was by the Ark King David said unto him Carry back the Ark of God into the City If I shall find favour in the Eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his Habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him Let this be thy Language O Christian if thou ownest God as thy Soveraign and daily resignest up thy self to be disposed by him in all things Consider That thou art as a Sheep before the Shepherd that must change thy Pasture at the Shepherd's pleasure and as a Souldier that must March hither and thither at the Command of thy Captain or General Or as a Vessel in the House that stands to be filled or emptied at discretion or as a Servant that must come and go as he is bidden and not to go to or stay in any place at his own will Let it be your care every Morning to consecrate all your Affections and Actions unto God to offer up all your Faculties Senses Thoughts Words and Works and all that you are remembring that saying of Chrysostom That it is the most wicked Avarice to defraud God of the Oblation of our selves You may offer your selves to God in this or the like manner The manner of Offering our selves to God O Lord I am not mine own but Thine I have engaged my self unto Thee I have felt thy Power conquering and subduing me and I yield my self to be Thine for ever I should account it high Injustice in me to arrogate any Liberty to my self seeing I have so solemnly parted with it into thy Hands I think it best to resign up my self to Thee and esteem it a great Mercy Thou wilt enter into a new Contract with me I recommend the small Service which I shall do this day to Thy merciful Conduct and Assistance O Blessed Saviour Oh set it from henceforward before thine Eyes to Direct Correct and Perfect it I offer it and all that I am to thee with my whole Affection both for my self and all the Faithful in the union of that most perfect Intention which Thou hadst when Thou prayedst on Earth to Thy Father in Heaven SECT XX. Of Contrition WHen thou comest into the Presence of God in the Morning having considered the multitude of thy Sins and seen thy self over-charged with the burden of them see that thou humble thy self and let thy Heart be pierced with Godly Sorrow Contrition and Compunction of Spirit For the furtherance whereof thou mayst help thy self with a very devout consideration of an Ancient Father which I shall set down with some little Variation Behold I a vile Wretch have greatly offended thy Divine Majesty I am afraid to lift up mine Eyes to Heaven I desire to strike my self with that Publican in the Gospel that God may be merciful to me a Sinner I desire to enforce my self and to take Arms against mine own Wickedness and to judg my self that I may not be judged of the Lord. If my Blessed Lord and Saviour hath been so reproachfully handled for my sake If he hath suffered such grievous Pains and Torments for the Sins that I have committed why should not I abase and abhor my self being the very Person that hath sinned I am he that hath despised Almighty God I am he that hath endeavoured to crucifie afresh the Son of God And me-thinks that the whole frame of this World crieth out against me with open Mouth saying This is he that hath offended and despised our Common Lord This is that wicked Wretch that hath rather been moved with the guileful Baits of the Devil than with the great Benefits of Almighty God This is he that could never be induced to Vertue and Goodness with the Cords of Love and sweet entertainments of Almighty God nor ever be afrighted with his terrible Threatnings and dreadful Judgments This is he that so much as lieth in him hath defaced the Power Wisdom and Goodness of the Lord and cast Contempt upon them This is he that hath been more afraid to offend a weak mortal Man than that God that can cast both Soul and Body into Hell This is he that hath been more ashamed to commit a filthy Act before a rude Country Peasant than before the Presence of the All-seeing God This is he that hath preferred the Dung and Dross of the Earth before Heavenly Treasures Wherefore all Creatures do cry out against me after this manner and say This is that lewd Caitiff that hath abused us all For whereas he ought to have employed us in the Service and to the Glory of our Creator he hath made us to serve his Lusts and the will and pleasure of the Devil perverting all such things to the Injury and Reproach of the Creator which he had created for his Service His Soul was adorned with the Image of God and he hath disfigured this Divine Image and clothed it with our vile Image and Likeness he hath been more earthy than the Earth it self more unstable than the Water more mutable than the Wind more enflamed in his appetite
than the Fire more hardned than the Stone more cruel to himself than the wild Beasts more spiteful and venemous against others than the Cockatrice He hath neither feared God nor regarded Man He hath not been contented alone himself to be injurious to God but would have many others to be partakers with him in sinful Practices Now what shall be said of his other abominable Practices Such hath his Pride been that he refused to be in subjection unto God he would not submit his Neck under the sweet yoke of his Obedience but would rather live as he listed and fulfil his own Will in every point rebelling against the Lord vexing his holy Spirit How exceedingly was he enraged if God did not grant him all his desires or if he sent any Crosses or Troubles for his Trial and Exercise He loved to be applauded in all his doings whether good or bad And now consider O my Soul whether all Creatures may not justly cry out against thee and say Come let us destroy this wicked Wretch from off the face of the Earth that hath done so much wrong to our Creator May not the Earth say Why do I bear such a cumbersome Wretch May not the Water say Why do I not drown him May not the Fire say Why do I not burn and consume him May not Hell say Why do I not swallow him up and torment him Alas miserable Wretch that I am What shall I do Whither shall I go seeing all Creatures are in Arms against me Where shall I hide my Head Who will receive me who have offended all Creatures The great God I have despised the Angels I have grieved the Saints I have dishonoured Men I have offended and scandalized and all Creatures have I most wickedly abused Whither then shall Iflie for shelter for as much as I have made all things to become mine Enemies I look round about me and can see nothing that will take my part yea even mine own Conscience barketh against me and all my Bowels do accuse me and rent me in pieces Wherefore weep continually O my Soul lament thy wretchedness like a poor miserable Creature never cease weeping so long as thou livest in this Vale of misery be still in expectation when thy merciful Saviour will vouchsafe to turn the Eyes of his Compassion towards thee and with all possible humility and shame cast thy self down at his Feet and cry out Oh! where can I find Punishment enough to be avenged on my self and Tears enough to wash away mine offences O Lord I am that great Enemy of thine which hath committed most wicked and abominable Offences before thy Face I acknowledg my self guilty before thee I beseech thee O Lord to cast the Mantle of thy Mercy over me thy poor wretched miserable Creature and let the greatness of thy Goodness overcome and cover my wickedness Let the most sweet loving Father rejoyce at the coming home again of his Prodigal Son Let the good Shepherd rejoyce at the recovery of his lost Sheep Oh! how happy and joyful shall that Day be when thou shalt cast thine Arms about my Neck and give me the sweet embraces and kisses of Peace I will now take Arms against my self therefore and be more cruel and rigorous against my self than any other I will loath and despise my self and from henceforth the face of Sin shall be more hideous to me than Hell and I shall desire to be despised and punished of all Creatures for as much as I have despised the Creator of them all I am contented that all Dishonours Reproaches and Punishments do run upon me on every side so that by them I may be brought to my most Sweet and Merciful Lord. And as for all Honour Pleasure and Worldly Delights they shall be quite banished away from me in so much as the very Names of them shall be heard no more in my House I will seek nothing else but the Honour of my Lord God and the Contempt and Confusion of my self Hitherto or almost to this effect are the words of that Devout and Ancient Father SECT XXI Of Family-Worship HEre I shall commend unto you the advice of a Reverend Divine of ours Let Family-Worship be performed constantly and seasonably twice a Day at that Hour which is freest from Interruptions not delaying it without just cause But whensoever it is performed be sure it be Reverently Seriously and Spiritually done If greater Duty hinder not begin with a brief Invocation of God's Name and craving of his Help and Blessing through Christ and then reade some part of the holy Scripture in order and either help the Hearers to understand and apply it Or if you are unable for that then read some profitable Book to them for such ends and earnestly pour out your Souls in Prayer c. Pretend not necessity against any Duty for it is but unwillingness or negligence that makes Men remiss in Family-Worship The lively and constant performance of Family-Duties is a principal means to keep up the power and interest of Godliness in the World all which decayeth when these grow dead slight and formal Those Families wherein this Service of God is performed are as it were little Churches yea even a kind of Paradise upon Earth And for this purpose Philem. 1 2. St. Paul writing to Philemon Greeteth the Church that is in his House And in like manner he sendeth Salutations to the Church of Corinth from Aquila to Priscilla and the Church that was in their House 1 Cor. 16.19 On the other side where Family-Worship is not used but either for the most part or altogether neglected those Families may be termed no better than Companies of prophane and graceless Atheists who as they deny God in their Hearts so they are described by this Note That they do not call upon the Name of the Lord Psal 14.4 And the Prophet prayeth thus unto God Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the Families that call not upon thy Name Jer. 10.25 Many Parents take care only to enrich their Children to make them great and honourable in the World to leave them large Portions and Estates to provide rich Matches for them but take no care to bring them up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Nay many Parents are afraid their Children should prove Religious Some Parents cannot abide their Children whom they see to look a little towards Sion Such Parents as one saith are the Devil's Children But every Parent ought to say of his Natural Children as St. John doth of his Spiritual Children Epist 3.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my Children walk in the Truth SECT XXII A Calling and Business of what Importance IT becometh every one to be truly Diligent and well employed in some lawful Calling God himself both Father and Son are said to Work John 5.17 and will admit of no Loiterers or Idle Persons He that will have his Penny
certain Prince of whom it is said That he seemed always vacant in his most serious Employments Care and Diligence may be accompanied with Tranquility of Spirit but not so with Carking Vexation Be careful then in all Affairs committed to thee by the Lord but vex not thy self about them for that will cloud thy Reason disturb thy Judgment and hinder thy doing of any thing well The Wasps and Droans make more noise than the Bees yet make no Honey but Wax only So they that perplex themselves too much about Worldly Business perform not any thing well And in all thy Affairs rest thy self chiefly upon God whence all our Business should begin commit all thine Affairs unto God trust in him and have an eye still unto him As those that sail at Sea who that they may attain to the Land they desire to come unto do look more up to Heaven than down to the Sea then God will go along with you and bless and prosper you that you shall not only get Provision for your own Families but be able also to minister to them that are in need SECT XXIII Considerations for those that have the Preeminence above others in the Body Politique THat Man hath no small Business who hath many under his charge It is an high point of Honour to be Head and Lord over others it is also a high point of Service Here it may not be impertinent to set down the words of a Grave Divine and Devout Spaniard to his great Lord Avila's spirit Ep. 15. p. 130. which are these Look saith he upon the Lord of Men and Angels whose Person you represent It is but reason that he that sits in the place of another should have the Properties of him whose place he represents A Lord of Vassals is a Lieutenant of God There is nothing to which great Lords ought to attend so much as truly and cordially and like Men who live in the Presence of God to remain ever faithful and firm to him without enclining either this way or that And this will be easily performed by that great Man who shall attentively consider that he is but the Minister of God as one who but meerly executes and must not exceed the Commission which is given to him God placeth not great Lords in the World to the end that they may do and undo what they list but to execute the Laws of his holy Will And though they may account themselves Lords yet are they still under the Universal Lord of all in comparision of whom they are more truly Vassals then their Vassals are theirs And their Power is as truly limited as their Vassals power is for as much as concerns the dispensing with what he ought to do Your Lordship must consider Ibid. pag. 131. that as you are set as an Eye in the Body so hath he placed you in the Eyes of many who take that to be a Rule of their Lives which they see you do make account that you are seated in an high Place and that your Speech and Fashions are seen by all and followed by the most Men. Take it for a point of Greatness to obey the Laws of Christ our Lord doubtless inferiour Men would hold it an Honour to do that which they saw practised by great Persons c. I beseech your Lordship that as you are a particular Man you will look into your self with an hundred Eyes and that you will look into your self with an hundred thousand Eyes as you are a Person upon whom many look and whom many follow And take care to govern both your Person and your House so orderly as the Law of Christ requireth that he who shall imitate your Lordship may also imitate Christ our Lord therein and may meet with nothing to stumble at The Vulgar is without doubt but a kind of Ape Let great Men consider what they do for in fine that will be followed either to their Salvation if they give good Example or for their Condemnation if it be evil I will add one thing more namely the Speech of Sarpedon to his Brother Glaueus which is worthy to be observed by all Great Men. Come on Brother we are Lords over others accounted Gods upon Earth let us shew that we are so in Deed and not in Name Our Work must evidence our Worth They who are the highest Lords must in point of good Service to their Country be the lowest Servants They that are above others in Place must shine before others in Vertue They that eat of the fattest and drink of the sweetest and so have the best Wages must by the Rule of Proportion do the best Work And the rather that our Underlings such who are inferiour unto us may have cause to say These are honourable Persons and they walk Honourably they are prime and principal Men among us and they are as their Preeminence in place imports the first and formest in every good and honourable Action So Sarpedon encourageth his Brother That as two worthy Persons they might do worthily which is worthy every Man's knowledg that hath Preeminence above others SECT XXIV Of the Government of a Family THe Master of the Family is a Person in whom resteth the private and proper Government of the whole Houshold and he comes not to it by Election as it falleth out in other States but by the Ordinance of God setled in the order of Nature As one hath well observed To the Paterfamilias the Father and Chief-head of the Family the true right and power over all Matters domestical do belong And to this purpose if thou art in that Place 1. See that thou set up and further the Worship of God in thy Family It was the resolution of Joshua I and my Houshold will serve the Lord Josh 24.15 And to this end do thou both pray for and with thy Houshold and also instruct them in the holy Scriptures and catechise them in the grounds of Religion that they may grow in Knowledg and may profit by the publique Ministry Thus God commanded the Children of Israel to walk in their Families Deut. 6.7 Thou shalt rehearse these things continually unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine House c. And ver 20. When thy Son shall ask thee What mean these Testimonies and Ordinances and Laws which the Lord our God commanded you Then shalt thou say unto thy Son We were Pharaoh 's Bondmen in Egypt but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty Hand This Testimony God gave of Abraham before the Law was given Gen. 18.19 For I know Abraham that he will command his Sons and his Houshold after him that they may keep the Way of the Lord. To this purpose August in Joan. Tract 51. St. Augustine saith That the Master of the Family doth after a sort and in his measure perform the Office of a Bishop within his own House 2. See that thou makest Provision for thy
toward Men speaking and doing every thing with much Consideration and never slighting or despising the Counsel of those that are able to advise you Keep the thoughts of God's Presence always in your thoughts and testifie it by the desire you have to please him in all Places Occasions and Actions Dedicate all your Works to him before you begin them and having finished them remember always to set upon them the seal of Thansgiving due to his Divine Majesty SECT XXV Rules about Eating and Drinking IN Eating and Drinking beware of Excess either in reference to the Quality or Quantity of Meats and Drinks As to the Quality or kinds of Meats and Drinks be content with those that are necessary and useful for the preservation of the Health and Strength of your Bodies and do not insatiably desire those Meats which do not befit your Calling The Children of Israel in the Wilderness lusted after the Flesh-pots the Leeks the Onyons and Garlick of Egypt saying Now our Soul is dried away and there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our Eyes Num. 11.4 5 6. See how contemptibly they speak of that Manna which God had in a miraculous way rained down from Heaven among them which is called the Corn of Heaven and Angels Food Psal 78.24 25. but this was not good enough for their Palates they must have more rare and choice Provision Thus saith Tertullian Primus populus primi Hominis resculpsit crimen pronior ventri quam Deo deprehensus Tert. contra Psychieos The Men whom God owned as his first People did if it may be so rendred re-print the Sin of our first Parents and set it forth in a new Edition complying more with their Bellies than their God The Lord satisfied their inordinate Appetite but it was with the execution of Vengeance on them For whilst the Flesh was between their Teeth exe it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord came upon them and slew the fattest of them and smote down the chosen Men of Israel Psal 78.31 Seneca tells us That he is the Wisest Man not who hath a faculty of making Rooms to feast in with the greatest Artifice and is skilful in adorning them with the most luxurious variety of Dishes but he who teacheth himself and others that Men may have such Provisions as are necessary for them Senec. Ep. 90. if they are content with the things quae Terra posuit in summo which the Earth doth with an open and ready hand afford unto them such as required but little Cost or Toil to procure or Art to dress them Quae si audire humanum genus voluerit tam supervacuum sciet sibi coquum esse quam militem Which Doctrine saith he if Mankind would hearken and give good credit unto a Cook would be as needless a thing in the World as a Souldier who certainly would be a very useless and superfluous Creature if the World were as Wise as Good and Peaceable as it should be Solomon adviseth us not to be desirous of Dainties for they are a deceitful Meat Prov. 23.3 Pythagorus enjoyn'd his followers to abstain from all sweet and costly Meats Epictetus would have Men take so much care for the things of the Body Meat Drink Clothing c. as is necessary to make it serviceable to the Soul and saith he Whatsoever serveth for Ostentation only or Deliciousness he would have Men to abandon Plutarch complained That Men kept such ado about seasoning the Flesh of living Creatures which they killed for Food with Oyl Wine and Hony Plutar. Xeno apud A heneum lib. 3. with Syrian and Arabian Sauces and Spices as if they meant to embalm them in order to an honourable Burial in their own Bodies And Xenophon tells us Such fare is longed for only by Wanton Diseased Effeminate Persons and that they who eat their Meat most heartily need no such Sophistications To feed upon variety of Dishes is very prejudicial to our Bodily Health There is not so much harm proceeding from the substance in it self of Meat and quality of it in ill Dressing and Preparing as there is from the quantity disorder of Time and Place unseasonable Use of it Intemperance and overmuch taking it That of Pliny is most true Simple Diet is the best heaping up of several Meats is pernitious Homini cibus â—utilissimus simplex acervatio ciborum pestifera multos morbos multa fereula ferunt Plin. lib. 11. cap. 52. Avicen dec 31. cap. 2. and Sauces worse Many Dishes bring many Diseases And Avicen saith That nothing is worse than to feed on many Dishes or to protract the time of Meats longer than ordinary From thence proceed our Infirmities and 't is the foundation of all Diseases which arise out of the repugnancy of gross Humours Thence saith Fernelius come Crudities Fernel path lib. 1. ca. 14 Wind Oppilations sudden Death and what not As a Lamp is choaked with too much Oyl or a little Fire with overmuch Wood quite extinquished so is the natural heat with immoderate eating of variety of Meats strangled in the Body Hippocrates himself tells us That impure Bodies the more they are nourished the more they are hurt for the nourishment is putrified with vitious Humours 2. As for the quantity of Meats we should be very sparing and moderate It was the complaint of Cardan in his time Cardan l. 2. de Com. Man alone saith he eats and drinks without Appetite and useth all his Pleasure without necessity animae vitio and thence come many Inconveniencies to him for there is no Meat whatsoever though otherwise wholesome and good but if unseasonably taken or immoderately used more than the Stomach will well bear it will engender Crudity and do much hurt Therefore Crato adviseth his Patient to eat but twice a Day and that at his set Meals by no means to eat without an Appetite or upon a full Stomach and to put seven Hours difference between Dinner and Supper Which rule did we observe it would be much better for our Healths than it is Temperance is a Bridle of Gold as one calleth it and he that will preserve his Health and avoid those Inflations Obstructions Crudities Distentions that proceed from full Feeding must feed sparingly of one or two Dishes at most and have ventrem benè moratum as Seneea calls it for by overmuch eating or feeding on variety of Meats we choke up our selves and stifle Nature Hilberius writing the Life of Berengarius Hilber in vit Barengar saith of him Cui non fuit unquam Ante sitim potus nec cibus ante famem That he never drank till he was athirst nor eat till he was hungry But now it is otherwise Men wear their Brains in their Bellies and their Guts in their Heads as Cornelius Agrippa taxed some in his time who are ingeniosi ad gulam if they are witty in any thing it is to seek ways to please the Palat and satisfie
more specially bound to it than some others So sometimes a Man shall have a special opportunity given him to admonish another of his Sin He may meet him alone he may perhaps have some advantage of him in some kind and may make him beholden to him some way or other and so have occasion to deal the more boldly with him As Moses when Pharaoh stood in need of him and his Prayer to remove the Plagues which came so thick upon him made use thereof and amonished him of his unfaithful dealing and hardness of Heart I have read that when a great Persecutor of the Protestants in France was smitten with a most grievous Disease and was forced to make use of a Protestant Physician that feared God the said Physician took this as an opportunity to tell him closely of the great Sin in shedding the Blood of his Saints and that this Disease was God's revenging Hand upon him And when our Saviour had made the Blind Man especially beholden to him for the cure of his Blindness he took the opportunity to give him a seasonable Admonition Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Thus when another hath need of thine Alms thy Counsel thine Help any way and Opportunity is given thee to deal plainly with him for any special Sin that thou seest him lying in so perhaps thou findest him in a better temper than he useth to be Thou mayst then think the Lord hath fitted and made him ready to thine Hand and given thee an opportunity to work upon him and thou must think thy self bound to take it There are many Cases and great variety of this kind which a Man shall ordinarily meet with and which every one must watchfully observe and take for the Glory of God and his own furtherance in the Ways and Work of God Finally All Christians truly sanctified are enabled with heavenly Means and Graces far above those that are in their Natural Estate The wise Man saith A living Dog is better than a dead Lion The meanest Christian of the weakest Capacity and ordinary Natural Parts being raised to the new Life of Grace is better able to do the Service of God than he that is dead in Sin though enriched with higher natural Endowments Russin Eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 3. Ruffinus in his Ecclesiastical History tells us a memorable story That when the Emperour Constantine the Great had caused the Clergy to come together to dispute about the Opinion of Arius there came unto the Assembly divers Philosophers and Logicians that were exquisite in their Faculty and were highly conceited of themselves Among the rest there was one that was very famous for a Logician and every day he disputed with the Bishops that were good Logicians also Many very learned Men came to see and hear those Conflicts nor could the Philosopher be put to silence Nay so cunning he was that when he was thought most of all to be caught and taken like a slippery Eel he would slide away from them But that God might shew that his Kingdom is not in Word but in Power there was among the Bishops one of the Confessors standing by a Man knowing little save Jesus Christ and him crucified who when he saw the Philosopher insulting over the Bishops and boasting himself upon the skill that he had in Arguing and Reasoning desired of all that stood by to give him room that he might talk with that Philosopher The Bishops and their Party that knew the simplicity of the Man and his unskilfulness in that kind were afraid and blushed lest that Holy Simplicity of his should perhaps be exposed to the Scorns of those crafty Companions But the Old Man persisted in his purpose and thus began O Philosopher saith he in the Name of Jesus Christ hear thou those things which are true God that made the Heavens and the Earth and gave Man a Spirit whom he framed of the Dust of the Earth is One He hath by the Virtue of his Word created all things both Visible and Invisible and strengthened them by the Sanctification of his Spirit This Word and Wisdom whom we call the Son taking pity upon humane Errours was born of a Virgin and by the passion of his Death hath delivered us from everlasting Death and by his Resurrection hath given us everlasting Life whom we look for to be the Judg of all we do O Philosopher said he believest thou this Whereupon the Philosopher as if he had never learnt the Art of Contradiction was so astonished at the words which were spoken that being mute to all that was alledged only this he was able to answer That what the Old Man had said seemed so to himself indeed and that there was no other Truth than that which was delivered by him Whereupon the Old Man then replied Why then faith he if thou believest these things to be true arise and follow me to the Church and take thy Baptism the Seal of this Faith Hereupon the Philosopher turning to his Disciples or to those that were present and came to hear said O ye learned Men hearken unto me Whilst this Matter in hand was performed by Words I also opposed Words unto Words and those things which were spoken able I was to confute by the Art of Speaking But now that instead of Words Power is proceeded from the Mouth of him that speaketh neither can Words resist that Power neither can Man withstand God Therefore if any of you here present can believe those things that have been spoken as I do believe them let him believe in Christ and follow this Old Man in whom God hath thus spoken And so at length the Philosopher becoming a Christian was glad that he was thus vanquished Now then all ye that are made alive to God consider ye what the Lord requireth at your Hands is it enough for you to keep pace in the Ways of God with those that are asleep yet dead in Sin As if a Man should not arise from his Bed nor set upon his Work until he seeth the dead Corpses in the Church-Yard rise out of their Graves and walk abroad It is you that have wherewithal to serve the Lord It is you that have your Eyes opened to see the Ways and Works which he hath ordained that ye should walk in them It is you that have Faith to rest upon him whereby to receive an encouragement from him in his Services upon the apprehension of the Crown of Glory It is you that have the Spirit of Prayer it is you that have cast Anchor within the Vail it is you that can see an open passage for your Prayers and Services to the Throne of Grace It is you that have felt the Fire of God to fall upon your Hearts whereby ye might offer up an acceptable Sacrifice unto God like Elijah whilst Carnal Men like the Priests of Baal may beat cut and force themselves as divers of the Papists do beyond others in outward
the Emperour's rewards had been far greater than his Merits and that his Service to the Emperour was far below those Riches and Preferments he had received and told him withal That whilst he had Life and continued in that Bishoprick he should neither have the chief Church nor any other in that City wherein to blaspheme his Lord and Master Jesus Christ and to deny his eternal Godhead consubstantial with the Father Courage in a Christian taketh its rise and wing from Faith Witness Gideon Barak Sampson Jephtab Samuel David Heb. 11.33 34. Who through Faith subdued Kingdoms stopped the Mouths of Lions out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in Fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Much Faith and much Courage and Men of little Faith ever shake hands with the Pusillanimous Courage is a goodly Grace wherein God greatly delighteth and whom can it so well become as a Believer who hath more reason and better ground to be Valiant than the greatest Spirit in the World that wanteth Faith Those falshearted Spies and cowardly Israelites at the sight or news of Giants in Canaan notwithstanding God's Promise and Presence counted themselves but Grashoppers in comparison of the Anakims Numb 13.33 And all the Congregation fell a howling as if God and Moses had betrayed them Whereas Joshua and Caleb Numb 14.9 looked on the Giants but as Bread for one Breakfast for the People of God So great is the odds between Faith and Infidelity in cases of difficulty IV. Quickness and Liveliness is another gift of the Mind wherein there is much difference between Men and Men. Some are even naturally of lively stirring Dispositions whereas others are more slow by Nature more heavy and not so ready and present for any thing they go about Now if God hath given thee this quickness of Spirit thou must use it to his Glory As John was more nimble than Peter so he used this Agility of Body and came sooner to our Saviour's Sepulchre than Peter did So if thou hast a more quick and active Spirit thou must use it in out-running others in the Ways of God's Commandments If a Master have a Servant whom he knoweth to be quick and can travel well he looketh that he should make more haste when he sendeth him in Business than one that is Lame or Sickly So if thou art of a quick and lively Disposition the Lord requireth thou shouldst every Day shew it in his Service and be more forward and affectionate than those which are of slower Spirits But we see that many who boast of the quickness of their Wits and Spirits and do despise others Dulness are themselves Dull yea altogether dead in the Service of God Many that go most nimbly about their Profits and Pleasures that are full of Mettle as they say bring them to the Service of God and put them upon any thing tending to the Glory of God set them in a course of Holiness and how slow-paced are they They are as if they had no Life in them the Services of God are a deadning to their Spirits Natural quickness is of good use when it is seasoned by the quickning Grace of the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of a Man becometh fervent serving God when the Heart is lively and full of feeling in Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing c. otherwise it will be a means to encrease such a Man's Condemnation if being naturally quick and stirring he remain spiritually Dull and Dead But where activeness of Spirit is put forth in God's Service such a Man will not let the Fire go out but blows up the Coals it makes a Man put on Zeal as a Cloak and not only to wear this Livery of Christ and go in his Errand but to mend his pace and not only do his Work but do it with all his might Of the improvement of External Gifts Means c. Not onely in regard of inward Abilities but also in respect of outward gifts of Body or Estate Men ought to serve the Lord. 1. First of all Health is a great Blessing and a special means to enable you for the Service of God and accordingly as the Lord hath given you Health so he requireth Health to be given up to his Service Assure your selves the more Health ye have the more Work ye are to do for God and God requireth more of you that are Healthy than of those that are sickly and Diseased When a Master knows his Servant to be in Health he suffers him not to lie long in Bed in a Morning but calls him up to his Business whereas he that is Sick sitteth or lieth still without a Check though his Master looketh upon him Ye that are Healthy be wise and careful for the preservation of your Health do not throw away your Health upon your Lusts do not expose your selves to lasting Pains and pining Sicknesses for the satisfying a wanton sensual Appetite The health of the whole Body is more worth than thousands of those vanishing Delights Yet how many are there that run themselves to the Graves Mouth and into the thickest throngs of destroying Diseases for the taking up of such poor and perishing Pleasures Who to please their Flesh for a few moments in Surfeiting and Drunkenness in Chambering and Wantonness bring many Days yea Months and Years pain and torment upon their Flesh and shorten the number of their Days as to what they might probably have had by the course of Nature There are many others who make their Health even a priviledg unto them to neglect the Service of God thinking the thorow performance of God's Service never in Season till they are on their Sick-beds and see Death at hand Such are all those without exception who put off their serious and sound Repentance until the time of Sickness Health is one of the best outward Abilities for the Service of God now when this is bestowed on the service of Sin it is not without much robbery against God To give unto God only the services of our Sick-beds when he requireth the best performances of our Health is as if Abraham should have offered the worst Lamb in his Fold when God called for his beloved Son Isaac Ye have no assurance if ye neglect God in your Health that he will accept your sickly Devotions But on the other side if whilst ye have Health ye dedicate that to God then when Sickness shall come ye may be assured that the Lord will accept your weak because sincere endeavours God will then say such a Man served me in his best Health when there were no apparent signs of Death near him he remembred me his Creator before the evil Days came therefore now I receive him as mine own and I will make his Bed in his sickness I will support and strengthen him I will cherish him now in his Sickness as well as I accepted him heretofore in his Health They also that are Sick must think of the Service of God
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
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
the like opportunity This shall be laid to the Charge of many who being in favour with great Princes and seeing many things amiss will not make use of this their Interest nor glorifie God according to those Means Advantages and Opportunities which they have Many such might be heard if they would speak and have many fit times to speak which others have not So many a Man hath some special relation to some inferiour Magistrate suppose a Justice of Peace or some other he might prevail with him perhaps for Reformation of some Abuse for punishing of some scandalous Sins which are committed and continued in despight of the World he might speak in some poor Man's case and speed too He might prevail in the behalf of some innocent and faithful Person that is like to be trodden under foot by one that is mightier than he Such Advantages should be improved So even the Favour of the Multitude is many times an help to a Man in some cases for the furtherance of God's Glory A Man being gracious with them may sometimes draw them from some sinful Custom over-ruling them in some sort and perswading them against some ungodly Course But commonly Men that are thus in favour with the Multitude as they got their Love by fawning upon them humouring them and saying as they say so they will seek to keep it by the same means and rather let God lose his Honour for them than they will adventure to lose the good will of the People by crossing them in any degree How may you see those Men that can do any thing with the People to make use of them for their own ends they can carry any Business and it is their glory But if it cometh to a matter that concerneth the Glory of God the reforming of some sinful Abuses c. wherein God is dishonoured These great minions of the Multitude stand still with their hands in their Bosoms like Gallio they care for none of these things Yea it were the more tollerable if that were all But themselves many times are the most dangerous Engines of the mischiefs done by the Multitude they either set them on work or else countenance them in their wickedness and let them know so much of their mind that they find them pleased with their doings That Town-Clerk of Ephesus shall rise up in judgment against many such who though he were an Idolater and subscribed to their Cry Great is Diana of the Ephesians yet he used his best endeavours to stay their Rage and to still the Uproar which they made against St. Paul and his Fellows So Gamaliel though a Master Pharisee yet shall condemn many others who wisely and peaceably prevented the danger of the Apostles being one that had great Authority among the People And to him saith the Scripture they hearkened SECT XXXI Of Holy Watchfulness against Temptations MAN is the only Creature whom Satan hunts and pursues of all Creatures It concerns us then every day to have an eye unto Satan that although he pursue us he do not make a Prey of us Ye will think it strange perhaps that seeing God would redeem his People from the hands of Satan he would notwithstanding give so much liberty to Satan in the pursuing and tempting of them But let no Christian think strange of it He did not only permit it for the exercise of his Children that with the more Conflicts they might have the greater Glory and Satan the greater Foil Our condition in the World is much like the condition of the Israelites When they came first into Canaan it is said When God had brought them thither he suffered divers of the Jebusites to remain still in the Land and would not drive them out all at once because he would keep his People in Exercise and not have them live there Slavishly and Slothfully And it is certain that they were often Prickles in their Eyes and Thorns in their Sides God deales so by us He hath redeemed his Israel out of Satan's hands brought them out of a state of Sin into a state of Grace as out of the Land of Egypt into the Land of Canaan yet still he suffereth the Jebusite to dwell in our Coasts He suffers Satan the enemy of our Peace by his assaults and temptations to vex and trouble us because he would have us held in Exercise and be ever careful to do as they did to keep our Weapons by our Sides that when we meet with any Affronts we may be prepared for resistance How much doth it concern every Christian with all the Policy and Prudence that he can to avoid the Oppugnations of Satan and to get rescue from the danger of his Assaults He is in a desperate Estate that knoweth he hath an Enemy yet is careless to prepare for him It concerns you then to be at no time secure but to be very watchful over your selves in all Places in all Companies at all Times Ye are in the midst of Devils that watch all opportunities to draw you to Sin that endeavour your Destruction When Sampson was lull'd asleep in the lap of Dalilah then the Philistines came upon him Whilst Men slept the envious Man sowed Tares Watch and pray saith out Saviour that ye enter not into Temptation Whilst we are praying we had need to be watching for whilst we are praying we may be tempted I may say too Watch and hear the Word of God watch and Meditate watch in thy Study and Closet watch and work in thy Shop watch and walk in the Field keep a Watch when thou art alone watch over thy self in all Companies Times Places Duties expect Temptations be watchful that ye stumble not and fall The Devil is watchful to tempt diligent in tempting subtil in his Temptations thy Corruptions are strong thy Heart prone to be ensnared with the Charm of the Charmer and thou knowest not at what time he will come to tempt thee Be watchful over these four things 1. Over thy Thoughts In all keeping keep thy Heart Prov. 4.23 Sin most of all begins with Thoughts Cleanse thy Heart from evil Thoughts kill these Conceptions before thy Thoughts bring delight And then delight brings in desire to commit and thy desires will put thee upon the practice of Sin 2. Watch most where thy greatest Weakness is The greatest Watch is kept where the Enemy is most likely to make Invasion The strongest Watch must be set at the weakest part of the Walls of a besieged City Be ye watchful over that Lust to which you are prone whether Pride Passion Revenge c. set your Watch there Remember that Satan is most of all busie with your beloved Corruptions he loveth to cast his Angle into such waters where the Fish bite most 3. Be watchful over your selves after the vanquishing of Temptations for then thou art apt to grow secure Although ye may by resisting put the Devil to flight yet he returns again and will as violently assault you