not another though my reins be consumed within me Though thou art sown in dishonour thou shalt be raiâ—ed in glory though thou art sown in weakness thou shalt be raised in power though thou art sown a natural body thou shalt be raised a spiritual body and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ himself Thy dust shall live and thou shalt arise and be joyned to this soul and both joyn with the great assembly of the sirst-born in singing the praises of thy Master and Husband The Souldier is glad when he is called to receive his pay though the ways be deep and dirty through which he travelleth to the the place of Muster The Husbandman rejoyceth when his Fields are white to Harvest and with piping and shouting accompanieth his last load 〈◊〉 the barn O that my life might be so sanctified 〈◊〉 devoted to my God that at my death he may be my solace Ah Lord it matters not who be failing to visit me on my sick bed so thou be present with me Nay though mine enemies come and say When shall he dye and his name perish An evil disease cleaveth to him now that he lyeth down he shall rise up no more If thou pleasest to visit me with thy saving health I shall not be afraid when I walk in the valley of the â—hadow of death O when the Sun of my life shall be setting let the Sun of righteousness so arise upon me that I may be delivered from the power curse and sting of death and may find it through his merits to be my haven of rest after all my foul weather a bed of ease after my sore labour a release out of prison and my Iubilee to give me possession of an inheritance undefiled incorruptible that fadeth not away which is reserved in heaven for me Amen CHAP. IX Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness A good Foundation Lâ—ving by Faith Setting God always before our eyes I Come now to the second thing promised namely to lay down the Means whereby Christians may come to make Religion their business First If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness be sure that thou layest a good foundation in a renewed heart and nature I begin with this because it is the chiefest requisite and the baâ—is of all Godliness must first spring up in the heart before it can overflow in the life Other means are like those parts of the body the want of which may be supplied by others but this is like the heart which if wanting nothing can make up its want A dead man will as soon arise and walk as an unsanctified person make Religion his business Every thing will act according to that principle which is predominant in it Though for a time it may by violence work contrary to its natural inclination yet it will endeavour the removal of that force and return to its old course Fire moveth upwards and earth downwards both strâ—ving to overturn what standeth in their way because the place of fire is above of earth beneath A river may be stopped and hindred in its current but it will never cease till it hath overborn the dam and attained its former passage Water that is naturally sweet may be made brackish by the over-flowing of salt water but it will not leave till it hath workt out that saltness and returneth to his natural sweetness so every man whether good or bad will act according to his nature whether gracious or vicious A good man may be hindred in his holy course by temptations and the violence of the flesh but because his nature is gracious he will never be at rest till he hath forcibly broke through those impediments and got into his former way of Godliness An evil man may step into the path of piety through the example of others or good education or some slender convictions of a natural conscience but he will quickly be weary he will not hold out in it he will break through those obstacles because his nature the stream of his heart runs another way The Heart of man is like the Spring of the Clock which causeth the wheels to move right or wrong well or ill Hence it is that Gods precept is to this Make you a new heart and a new spirit and his promise of this I will put my fear into their hearts and they shall never depart away from me The fear of God in the heart will bind thee fast to God in thy life If the heart be throughly drawn to him the tongue and hand will not depart from him If the heart once set forward for God all the members will follow after the mouth will praise the ears will attend to him the eye will watch him the seet will go after him all the parts like dutiful handmaids in their places will wait on their Mistris There was a great Master among the Jews which bid his Schollars to consider and tell him What was the best thing or the best way in which a man should always keep One said A good Companion was the best thing in the world another said A good Neighbour was the best thing he could wish A third said A wise man or one that could for esee future things A fourth said A good eye that is a liberal disposition At last came one Eleazer and he said A good heart is better then them all True said the Master thou hast comprehended in two words all that the rest have said For a good heart will make a man both contented and a good companion and a good neighbour and help him to foresee things that are to come that he may know what is on his part to be done Indeed without this there can be no godliness all professions and performances are but a shew a shadow and where there is this there is all godliness in all manner of conversation As the King of France said of Dover that it was the key of England and if his son who then invaded the Britains had not that he had nothing So it may be said of the heart It is the key of the whole man it opens and shuts the door to Godliness and Wickedness and if grace hath not this it hath nothing The Philosopher when he would perswade the King to settle his residence in the midst of his Dominions and thereby keep all his people the better in subjection took a Bulls hide ready tanned upon which when he stood on any side of it still it rose up on the other but when he stood on the middle he kept down all alike The onely way to subdue sin is to do it in the heart that commands all otherwise though one unruly passion may be kept down another will rise up The Heart is the great Work-house where all sin is wrought before it s exposed to open view It s the Mint where evil thoughts are coyned before they are currant in our words or actions Out of the heart proceed
are unable to flie to their Hives by reason of the weakness of their wings then stir from them or forsake them The Swine are so sensible of their fellows sufferings that if one of the Company be lugd all the rest will after their manner condole it If a Beast be slain and its blood spilt others of that sort will â—hew their love and pity by scraping earth on the blood burying their fellow and solemnizing his funeral with a kind of lamentation Grace doth much more enjoyn me to be sick in others sickness poor in others poverty and to remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them that suffer adversity as being my self also in the body David speaking of his enemies that sought his destruction saith But as for me when they were sick my cloathing was sack-cloth I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into mine own bosome I behaved my self as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his Mother Psa. 35. 11 to 15. My God hath said To him that is afflicted pity should be shewn Sickness is one of the greatest outward afflictions it renders all the comforts of this life uncomfortable The largest Houses Revenues Honours the most loving Acquaintants Friends Relations are all unsavoury to them that are under great sickness To visit the prosperous and healthy is courtesie but to visit the distressed and sick is charity The sweetest showres should fall on the lower grounds Lord thou art the Father of mercies and art afflicted in all the afflictions of thy Children thy soul is greived for the miseries of Israel How sutable is it for them who expect mercy another day to shew mercy at this day Make me a follower of thee as a dear child to put on bowels of compassion and to be merciful in heart tongue and hand as thou my Father in Heaven art merciful I Wish that as a wise Merchant I may make the use of this price which is put into my hand for the furtherance of my own and my neighbours peace Sickness is a special opportunity wherein I may advantage others souls The most poisonous Viper is at such a season benummed with cold and so may be handled without much danger The strength of the body of sin is much abated at least in regard of act and exercise by the weakness of the natural body They who counted holiness a fancy and holy ones Phanaticks in their health and power will beg hard for purity and desire the Saints prayers in their sickness The waters of those passions which in a Summer of prosperity did overflow their bounds and threatned to over-whelm and over-throw all that was near are frozen up in a Winter of adversity and kept within their banks There are many nicks in time as we see in a Clock which if they hit the work goeth on well The hardened hearts of sinners are often melted when their persons are confined to their warm Chambers As Tinder when dry easily takes fire by the least spark that falls on it so when the souls of ungodly men are made soft by sickness and their thoughts of the evil of sin in the pain it brings on their bodies makes their affections combustible it will be much the easier to kindle the fire of repentance in them Affliction boareth or openeth the ear and then its seasonable to drop some wholsom counsel into it Though a load on the ground be hard to be stirred yet a load on the wheels is easie to be drawn The illness and aches and distempers of sinners bodies do as it were set the work of conversion and minding the good of their souls upon the wheel and therefore such opportunities ought to be diligently improved Sickness is a good time when charity is in season T is a grace to have an opportunity for the service of my God but a greater to improve it The Eastern people do Plow and sow their grounds when the former Rain hath softned it and why should not I endeavour to Plow up the fallow ground of my Neighbours heart and to sow in it the seeds of savoury instructions when it is made tender by sickness Lord thou layest hold of every opportunity to bless me with mercy answerable to my necessities make me both wise to discern time and judgement and faithful to make use of all such seasons to do thee service I Wish that the opportunity I have thereby of doing good to my own soul may move me to be the more careful and consciencious in visiting the sick It is the wise mans speech It is better to go into the house of mourning then to go to the house of feasting for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to heart It is better as it is most sutable to my present state T is not proper for Pilgrims to spend their time in Pleasure Sorrow is becoming in a valley of tears An house of mourning agrees well with the mourners in Sion This world is a Sea I am a Mariner and Mariners rejoyce in the Haven not in the Tempestuous Ocean This life is a warfare I am a Souldier T is too soon to be joyful whilst I am fighting it will be time enough when all my Enemies are foyld O how harsh is it for a child to be jocond when he is far from home Weeping is good language for them that sit down by the River of Babylon How can I sing the Lords songs in a strange Land Again It is better to go into the house of mourning as it is most profitable to my precious soul. Grace thrives best in a wet soyl By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better The inner man is best when clad in mourning Trees planted by the water-side hang with clusters and bring forth fruit in due season The sick bed is a Pulpit and though there be a wicked man in it he may teach me rare instructions If he be wholly silent his condition Preacheth to me that sin is the greatest evil that the world is a cheat and impostour and that grace is the most desireable created good His dark chamber weeping friends watered couch aking head trembling heart pale lips quivering loyns all call aloud to me to consider of and prepare for such an hour Abel being dead yet speaketh My sick my dead Neighbour speaketh Prepared be to follow me Some have been raised to life by beholding the dead O that I were wise to observe and improve the opportunities which free grace affordeth me for my own and others welfare If I lose a good Market for the furtherance of my outward estate I befool and bewail my self Ah why should I not be as much affected with the loss of opportunities for my inner man Sinners observe their seasons for the gratifying their Loves and the satisfying their lusts The Thief waiteth for the full Purse till the Market is
of thy glorious Majesty and the place where thine honour dwelleth There thou makest the largest discoveries of thy self and grantest the fullest communications of thy grace O let me take sweet counsel with thy people and go to serve and honour thee in their company I Wish that the Confederacy of the wicked in sin may provoke me to a league with the Israel of God for a free trade and commerce in holiness Shall they whose lusts are often contrary and set them at variance unite against God and his holy ways and shall not we whose graces are ever alike and of a cementing nature not joyn together for God and his Worship Do they conspire to defile and destroy each others souls as if vitiated nature did not lead them fast enough to sin or as if they could not run singly quick enough to Hell and shall not we encourage one another in the Worship of the living God and provoke one another to love and to good works O how much do the servants of Satan by their conjunctions in evil shame the Children of God for their backwardness in good Their Master is the Prince of darkness a cruel Tyrant a roaring Lyon that goeth about seeking whom he may devour Their work is far worse then any Turkish slavery its bondage to corruptionâ— the service of unrighteousness the diversity and contrariety of their Lords their lusts tearing them as it were in peâ—â—es for the promoting of their particular interests Their wages is the vengeance of the eternal fire the worm that never dieth and the fire that never goeth out after all their vassallage to their barbarous Masters and hardships which they have been put to in making provision for and gratifying such opposite furies they are recompenced with extremity and eternity of torments yet they can unite their hearts and hands and heads for the advancement of so hellish a Lord about the prosecution of so base and divelish a work and to earn so miserable a reward when the Souldiers of Christ whose Captain is the Lord of Hosts the most courteous and compassionate General whose combats and contests which they are called to are Noble and Heroick and whose Crown and Garland will be beyond all comparison and apprehension blessed and glorious do rather fight against themselves then against their enemies or for their endless happineâ— Ah foolish Christians who hath bewitched us May we not well blush that Satan should even out-boast the living God in the unity of his Subjects that the children of this world should be wiser in their generation then the children of light Alas is it a time for Mariners to be quarreling when their enemies are joyned in discharging their Cannons against them and the Bullets flie thick amongst them Is it a time for Christians to be wrangling when their Adversaries are united in a confederacy to destroy them all Lord thou hast promised that thy people in the days of the Gospel shall no more envy one another that the Wolf and the Laâ—b shall feed together and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock and dust shall be the Serpents meat that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all thy holy mountain Thy dear Son when leaving an ungrateful World left Peace as one legacy to his Children not onely peace with thee but also among themselves thou knowest how much his heart was set upon it when he begd so hard so earnestly so affectionately of thee this blessing a little before he went to lay down the price of it Let it please thee for thy Promise sake to make all thine of one heart and one way for because thou hast spoken it therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer before thee this day Let it please thee for thy Sons sake whom thou hearest always to take away all envyings and wrath and emulation and strife out of the hearts of thy people and heal thy Sion in its breaches for thou seest it shaketh I Wish that the injury I do my self by unnecessary solitariness may make me the more in love with good society My God hath told me Wo to him that is alone David was alone when Satan drew him to defile his Neighbours Wife Whilst the Sheep flock together they are safe as being under the Shepherds eye but if one stragle from the rest it s quickly a prey to the ravenous Wolf It s no hard matter to rob that house that stands far from Neighbours The cruel Pyrate Satan watcheth for those Vessels that sail without a convoy The order is observable in the narration of Demas his Apostacy Demas hath left us and hath embraced this present World He first left the Company of the faithful and then openly denyed the faith Christian conference is a good help to perseverance but they that forsake the communion of Saints will quickly disown the profession of sanctity If Rabbits keep within the Pales amongst their fellows there is Law to secure them against the violence of strangers but if any wander from the Warren they are a lawful prize for any man and prey to any Dog What an ill case is he in that travelling in a dark night falls and hath none to help him up that wanders and hath none to shew him the right way that is set upon by Theives and Murderers and hath none near him to defend and secure him Such is the condition of those that neglect the communion of Saints Hence it is that our great and sworn enemy raiseth the dust of dissention and strife amongst Christians to make them keep aloof from each other knowing that much of their welfare and safety doth depend upon their keeping together He knoweth its best fishing in troubled waters O my soul Now thou beholdest in these wicked days the high winds of divisions and passions amongst the Children of God how ready they are to Martyr one anothers names and it s to be feared to Murther one anothers bodies if infinite power did not over-rule and prevent it thou mayst gather assuredly that Satan was the Conjurer to raise them I have read of a Tree that if some of the boughs of it be cast into a Ship they cause a mutiny betwixt the Passengers and Mariners to the ruine of both Dost thou not think that Satan hath cast some such branches into the Vessel of the Church at this day that instead of uniting their strength against him and his Kingdom and instead of joyning their power to improve every gale for their furtherance towards their blissful Haven they might fall together by the ears destroy one another and save their enemies a labour O that for the divisions of Sion I could have great searchings great sorrows of heart Lord thy Saints in the Primitive times were famous for their love to each other Their very enemies would with admiration cry out See how the Christians love one another Thy Jerusalem heretofore was a City compact together at unity within
it self Why is it now divided and the walls broken down and the inhabitants all in all in an uprore that all that go by waste it and laugh at it saying Is this the beautiful City Is this the Church of Christ Aha! so would we have it O look down from Heaven and pity mount Sion where thou wast wont to dwell Should thy children fall out by the way to the gratifying thine enemies dishonouring thy name and wounding their own souls Should the members of the same body cut and lance and tear each other Though Dogs and Wolves the wicked of the world tear out one anothers bowels yet the Sheep of Christ should live together in love How long shall it be before thou biddest with a word of power thy people return from pursuing their brethren Shall the Sword devour for ever Thou knowest it will be bitterness in the end For thy names sake unite the hearts of all thy chosen not onely by faith to thy dear Son but also by unfaigned and forbearing love each to other I Wish that my great coldness and backwardness to what is good may invite me to associate with them who will warm and quicken me How averse is my flesh to every work of Christianity how weak is my spirit in their performance how untowardly doth it enter upon them how formally doth it go through with them my carriage in them is wholly unsutable to their weight and worth and what need then do I stand in of help from others As in a material house the walls need support from the strong timber and the timber needs even the nails and spikes to fasten it together So in the Spiritual Temple the weak Christians need the strong to support and uphold them and the strong need the weak if for nothing else yet to call forth those gifts of counselling and that grace of pity and compassion which they owe to them If the strongest want each other that the eye the most knowing Christian cannot say to the hand the most active I have no need of thee much more do those that are weak want supply and support from others Nature teacheth me this lesson The weakest creatures amongst Fish or Fowls or Beasts go usually in flocks and Companies The Ivy and Vine and Hop not being able to bear up themselves will by a natural instinct â—ling about the Tree or Pole or Hedge or Wall that is near them Were I but as sensible of my own weakness as I ought to be I should both earnestly desire and heartily accept the assistance of others It is the Wisdom of my God to let none of his Children have all things about them or a sufficiency to live of themselves without being beholden to their Neighbours to invite and necessitate them to mutual commerce Those that are very able to advise others do yet in their own cases take advice from others The Lawyer will not trust himself in a case of his own estate nor the Physitian in a distemper in his own body but will both desire counsel and direction from their friends A stander by doth many times see more then an actor and is more fit to judge the action then the Agent We are too near our selves to see our own doings and to be right in our judgements of our selves Those that stand at a due distance from us see more clearly and judge more truly Self-love so blinds us that we judge those diseases not unpleasing in our selves which we loath in others O that I might be so affected both with my ignorance of the right way and my proneness to allow my self in my wandrings that I may make use of those Guides which free grace affordeth me Lord give me such sense of my unskilfulness in the wiles and devices of Satan of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of my own heart and of my inability to steer the vessel of my soul aright amongst those shelves and sands and storms which I am sure to encounter that I may take up those Pilots which thou providest for me at every Port and so at last arrive in safety at thy glorious City I Wish that I may watch my self amongst the godly as well as amongst the wicked lest Satan do me that injury by a friend which he could not by an enemy Davids familiar friâ—nd conspired his ruine the Son of David was betrayed with a kiss from his friend and though my charity to my friends forâ—ids me to think them as bad as either yet my charity to my self commands me to stand upon my guard Anglers for Fish do frequently catch one fish with another as the greater with the smaller Sure I am Satan is subtile enough to bait his hook with that which is most likely to take and hath too often caught one Christian with another The best friends are but men and have flesh in them as well as Spirit and what know I but the wicked one may tempt them to tempt me as not ignorant of their prevalency over me None was so likely to deceive the Prophet of the Lord as the Old Prophet that pretended a commission from the same power and himself a Servant of the same Master Who can so probably perswade me to a work of darkness as he that is or at least transformes himself into an Angel of light Besides I am apt to be the more careless when I am amongst them that I judge true Christians In a crowd where Cheats usually resort and execute their hellish Trade I look to my money but when I am amongst them whom I suppose to be honest I think that care needless and so may the easier be deceived Lord thou hast commanded me to keep my heart with all diligence I acknowledge I have been too secure when amongst thy Saints as beleiving their work to be onely to advance thine not Satans interest in the World O give me to Consider that when the Sons of God gather together Satan is also amongst them and he is both policick and active to defile me that he may destroy me that I may even amongst them watch and pray and so not enter into temptation I Wish that I may never spend my precious time amongst Christians as the Athenians who never understood the worth of that commodity used to waste it onely in telling and hearing of nâ—ws but as Christ amongst his Disciples in discoursing of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God O what pity is it that a thing of such infinite value should be spoiled and laid out to little purpose I sâ—ould befool him that should throw down pails of Bezerwater to wash common sinks or gutturs which would serve for such excellent use as to comfort our vitals and to refresh and revive drooping and fainting Spirits Who would not abhor that vanity of Nero in shooing his Horses with precious gold and causing that costly mettal to be trampled under foot in the dirt which was worthy to be the materials
not to judge presently of the Plague of Leprosie but to shut the person suspected up seven days and then to view him and if the case were not clear to shut him up seven days more and after that seven days more before he was condemned and what is the Gospel of this but to condemn rash censuring of any much more of the godly Hath not my God told me He that answereth a matter before he heareth it it is a folly and shame to him Prov. 18. 13. Lord thou understandeth what an unruly member my tongue is how hard to be kept within the bounds of sobriety towards my self or charity towards others O be pleased to undertake for me and keep thou the door of my lips It is not good to speak evil of those whom I know bad but it s much worse to speak evil of those who may prove good Should I declare others failings upon certain knowledge it sheweth some want of charity but should I publish their faults upon a bare supposition it would argue a want of honesty O let me rather erre on the right hand in my charitable thoughts of those that are bad then on the left in my censorious opinion of those that are good For though he may be evil that speaks good of others upon knowledge yet he can never be good himself that speaks evil of others upon suspicion I Wish that I may be so far from speaking ill of them that are good that I may rather be silent then without a just cause and call speak ill of them that are evil Though the wicked like Dogs fall upon the Sheep of Christ with open mouth and strive to bury their good names in the open Sepulchre of their wide throats yet the Sheep of Christ do rather suffer their rage with patience then render reviling for reviling My God hath commanded me to bless them that curse me and to pray for them that despitefully use me and how contrary am I to his Precept if I pay them in their own coin and open my mouth in backbiting them because they are forward to slander me It is enough for them that have not a God to undertake their cause and revenge their quarrels to do it themselves If I be one of Christs members he reckoneth all the wrongs offered to me as done to himself and he will one day vindicate his own honour and mine to the full when the sinner shall answer for all his treasonable expressions with Hell flames about his ears The tongue that now is blistered with blasphemies against God and his people at that day will be in a light flame and beg in vain with Dives for a little water to cool it I may therefore be quiet in all such cases and commit my cause to him that judgeth righteously He that is robbed may not seek for reparation from the Country if the Felon at the Assizes be Convicted and Executed I need not fear but the Iudge of the whole earth will at the general Assize do justice upon those Thieves that steal away my credit and good name and so in the mean time may well be contented He that is sure of double interest hereafter may with the more comfort forbear his money at present Besides by declaring his faults onely to fill up a void space of time I injure both him and my self whether my report be true or false if my report be false I wrong him by slandering and murdering his name undeservedly and I wrong my self by contracting the guilt of so great a sin If the report be true I walk contrary to Gods comâ—mand speak evil of no man and so deâ—ile my own soul and set him at a further distance from Religion hardening his heart against any future reproof as judging it to proceed from malice and so I do what lyeth in my power to destroy his soul. Besides all this I may injure my hearers and make them accessary to my sin Lord thou hast given me my tongue that it might be a trumpet to sound thine honour and that therewith I might speak good of thy name and not to speak evil of others O let my glory sing of thee and not be silent open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise but let me prefer an unprofitable silence before sinful speaking Help me to take heed to my ways that I offend not with my tongue and to keep my mouth with a bridle that I may not wander from thy Commandments I Wish that I may to the utmost of my power be serviceable to the souls of my fellow-members The members of the natural body are not idle or unprofitable but give and receive nourishment for the increase of the whole body They do not seek themselves or their particular interests apart but the good of the whole and their own profit in relation thereunto Nay the eye watcheth for all the members and helpeth to adorn them and not it self the hands work to maintain and cover the whole remaining themselves naked Why should it not be thus in my Saviours mystical body My God hath given me and others graces and gifts for that purpose and commanded me Occupy till I come and should I suffer them to rust for want of use I should be found at last but an unprofitable servant The several creatures whether superiour or inferiour do all instruct me by their patterns in this lesson of improving my talents and forbid me to bury them in the grave of idleness If I look up to the highest heavens I may see with an eye of faith those Sons of God Angels his diligent Servants and putting forth those abilities which they have received both for the glory of their Creatour and the good of their fellow-creatures Though they are the eldest house and compared with us the first born of the creation yet they do not as the eldest sons of some men plead that priviledge to patronage and cloak sloth and idleness but as they have higher and more noble natures so they are more active and industrious then others as appears both by bearing their parts in the celestial quire and in being ministring spirits for the good of them that are heirs of salvation If I look to the natural Heavens there with an eye of sense I may see the great Candle and Luminary of the World not folding up those rayes and cherishing vertues which he hath received but communicating them freely for the warming and refreshing terrestrial bodies though he gains nothing by it but is many times requited with the darkning his glory by earthly vapours If I look lower I may observe the earth even wasting and wearing out her self to nourish and inrich others She hath received a power of fructifying and giving sap to that which groweth upon her and loe like a tender Nurse how liberally doth she give that milk to all that hang on her breasts though it tend to her own weakening The various inanimate and
independence on thee he beareth with thee and forbeareth thee oughtest thou not to forbear and forgive others Again Thou mayst put this question to thy self Have not I wronged others Doth not the righteous God now pay me in my own coin May I not say as Adonibezek As I have done to others so God hath requited me Nay possibly others offend me ignorantly unawares or through some violent temptation but I have offended others knowingly wilfully and upon weaker inducements O what cause have I to forgive who am so prone to offend Lord teach me to obey thy precept in forbearing my brethren that offend me and so to imitate that blessed pattern of thy Majesty who art pleased daily to requite evil with good that I may be able comfortably to pray Forgive me my trespasses as I forgive them that trespass against me I Wish that I may according to my poor ability be helpful to the weak and tender members of Christ by administring Cordials sutable to their conditions My duty is not onely to counsel the doubtful but also to comfort the sorrowful If I saw a body fainting and drooping I were bound to afford it what assistance I could and not to hide mine eyes from mine own flesh Doth not my Neighbours soul as far more precious call for more pity and command my help to my power If one Sheep be sick many others will flock about him and in an hot day after their manner refresh him by keeping the scorching Sun from him The Sheep of Christ should have more sense of others misery and more knowledge of the means relating to their recovery and shall they be less diligent for others health To him that is afflicted pity should be shewn if I deny this I forsake the fear of the Almighty How tender was my Redeemer of broken bones and sorrowful Saints When he arose from the dead he appeared first to mournful Mary and then takes special care that penitent Peter have speedy notice of that blessed news Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am risen They that have smarted with inward wounds themselves have the more reason to compassionate others in their sorrows Lord the time hath been that thou didst cast me into the deep into the midst of the Seas thy Floods compassed me about all thy Billows and thy Waves passed over me I roared by reason of the anguish of my Spirit under the sense of thy wrath and the curse of thy Law The weight of my sins lay heavy upon my conscience and I was even sinking under them into the bottomless pit The sorrows of death compassed me about the pains of Hell gaâ— hold of me I found trouble and sorrow I knew not which way to turn nor whither to go for any ease or releif If I said My Friends should help me or my Possessions abate my grief I soon found them all miserable comforters and Physitians of no value If I said My bed should comfort me and my Couch ease my complaint then thou didst scare me with Dreams and terrifie me with Visions All the creatures were unable to afford me any succour When I lay thus half dead they all as the Priest and Levite passed by on the other side they had neither pity enough for such dreadful wounds nor power enough to work their cure Then called I upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul out of the belly of Hell cried I unto thee and â—hou didst hear my voice For thou hast delivered my Soul from Death mine Eyes from Tears and my Feet from falling Thou wast the good Samaritan that hadst compassion on me that didst bind up my wounds pouring in Oyl and Wine and undertake my cure Thou didst send a Barnabas a Son of Consolation to me to proclaim liberty to me a poor captive and the opening of the Prison to me that was bound How beautiful were his feet that brought the glad ridings of peace to my poor soul O that I might be able to support the weak and comfort the feeble-minded God I Wish that I may be both faithful and wise to recover a fallen Brother out of his sin and error Jonathan a true friend of David promised to tell him if there were any danger and accordingly warned him whereby he saved his life I profess my self a lover of my Christian Companions but I am false in my profession if I suffer sin to lye upon them Yet I confess it is a difficult work to perform this duty in a right manner The best plaister may be ineffectual if it be not fitly applied I can seldom with Moses seek to unitâ— quarrelling Christians but one of them with the Hebrew is ready to quarrel with me and say Who made thee a Ruler or a Judge over us Men are seldom more touchy then when their sores are searched and therefore he that would not have their wounds to bring them into a Fever or Fury must handle them with much wariness I desire that Wisdom Courage and Love may be the ingredients of which all my medicines may be compounded Wisdom that I may observe the quality and temper of the Offendour the nature of his offence and the sittest season and manner of administring the reproof the quality of the person if he be my Superiour that I may do it with reverence rather exhorting and beseeching the plainly rebuking The temper of the offendour if he be of a fierce nature that I may so manage my work with meekness as when I am endeavouring to heal his distemper I may not increase it The nature of the offence If the sin be small that I may not make it great by giving stronger medicines then the disease requires The season of reproving that I may not give open rebuke for private offences but observe my Saviours râ—le If thy Brother offend thee tell him his fault between him and thee The presence of many may make him take up an unjust defence who in private would have taken upon him a just shame The open air makes sores to wrankle the more publique rebukes are for Magistrates and Courts of Justice to give Possibly it may be my suspicion more then any real fault as in the case of the Blessed Virgin and Joseph and then what wrong should I do him to accuse innocency before a multitude The manner of delivering it that I may give him his due praise as well us his deserved reproof This will somewhat allay his passion and make my reproof the more prevalent The Iron when heated red hot in the fire is bent and beaten afterwards without breaking which way the Smith pleaseth When I have heated him hot with the fire of commendation I may then beat upon him with reproof in greater hopes of success I would desire courage also that I may deal faithfully and not skin over a wound that hath dead flesh at the bottom Should I dally I destroy the Patient If the Ofâ—endour be so
course will be hindered Indeed as God could preserve our bodies without food or any sustenance by his omnipotent power as he did Moses and Elijah forty days together but he will not where he affordeth ordinary means So he could preserve our souls in life without ordinances but he will not where his providence giveth us opportunity to enjoy them Reader I must say to thee as Iacob to the Patriarchs Behold I have heard that there is Corn in Egypt get you down thither and buy for us that we may live and not dye Behold thou hast heard there is spiritual food in Heaven the Son of Ioseph hath his granaries full of Corn go thou thither daily by sacred duties that thy soul may live and not dye There is a sensible decay of the strength in Husbandmen whose work is great upon one days abstinence If tradesmen grow careless of their business and neglect their Shops they quickly decay in their estates When Christians grow careless of duties and neglect their Closets t is no wonder that they decline in their spiritual stocks When the Moon hath her open side downward she decreaseth but when her open side is upwards towards Heaven she increaseth in light There is no growing in grace and holiness but by conversing with Heaven Grace like Armour may easily be kept bright if it be daily used but if it hang by the wall it will quickly rust and cost much time and pains to scoure Much fasting takes away the stomach and omission of Closet duties at one time makes a man more backward to them and dead about them another time When a Scholar hath plaid the Truant one day its difficult to bring him to School the next day Fear and Shame both keep him back when he comes thither he is the more untoward about his book Our deceitful hearts after they have discontinued holy exercises and are broken loose are like horses gotten out of their bounds not found or brought back without much trouble When an instrument is daily plaid on it s kept in order but if it be but a while neglected and cast into a corner the strings are apt to break the frets to crack the bridge to flye off and no small trouble and stir is requisite to bring it into order again We read of the Iews daily sacrifice which was Morning and Evening Exod. 29. 38. and 30. 7 8. David was for Morning and Eveningâ— and Noon-tide Psa. 55. 17. Daniel was three times a day upon his knees Dan. 6. 10. In the Morning the Saints were at their devotion which is thought to be the third hour when the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles Act. 2. 15. This is deemed to be our ninth hour The midle or mid day prayer was termed the sixth hour which is our twelfth Ioh. 4. 6. At this time Peter went up to the house top to pray Act. 10. 9. The evening Prayer was at the ninth hour which is our three a clock in the After-noon Now Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour Act. 3. 1. So Cornelius Act. 10. 30. At the ninth hour I prayed in my house Some think the Primitive Christians had these three hours in such regard and use that thence they were termed Canonical hours David tells us Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psa. 119. 164. The more frequent a Christian is at holy duties supposing he doth not make the commands of God to interfere and neglect his calling and family when his presence is required in them the more thriving he shall be in his spiritual trade The oftener we go to the Fountain or River the more water we bring thence As Runners in a Race do daily diet their bodies and use exercise to keep themselves in breath that they may be more able and active when they run for the wager whereas if they should neglect it they would grow pursie and shortwinded and unlikely to hold out when they run for the Garland So Christians who would hold out to the end and so run as to obtain must be daily feeding and dieting their souls and renewing their strength by these means which God hath appointed As the Sun is the cause of life and groweth in vegetables so is the Son of God the efficient cause of motion and growth in Christians where the Son is present in any soul there is spiritual moâ—ion and growth budding and blossoming and bearing fruit but when the Sun with-holds and with-draws when this Sun departs the soul is at a stand Now Ordinances are the means whereby the Mediatour conveys heat and life and growth to men CHAP. XI Means whereby Christians may exercise themselves to Godliness Frequent Meditation of the day of judgement A daily Examination of our hearts Avoiding the Occasions and Suppressing the beginnings of Sin SEvently If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness Meditate much upon the day of Iudgement They will prepare themselves best to the battel who always hear the sound of the last trump in their ears Zisea that valiant Captain of the Bohemians commanded his Country-men to flea off his skin when he was dead and to make a Drum of it Which use saith he when ye go to battel and the sound of it will drive away the Hungarians or any of your enemies Could the Christian but with Ierom hear the sound of the last trumpet in his ears at all times it would encourage him in his spiritual warfare and enable him to fight manfully and to cause the enemies of his salvation to flee before him He who can frequently by faith view the Judge sitting on his Throne of Glory hear the last trumpet sounding behold the dead raised the books opened the godly examined by the Covenant of grace all their duties graces services sufferings publiquely declared approved and rewarded the wicked tried by the Law of works all their natural defilements actual transgressions in thought word and deed which ever they were guilty of with their crimson bloody circumstances openly revealed their persons righteously sentenced to the vengeance of the eternal fire and that sentence speedily without the least favour or delay executed on them will surely loath sin as that which brings him certain shame and torment and follow after holiness which will be his undoubted credit and comfort at that day The Apostle writing to the Iews concerning the terror of that day how the Heavens must pass away with a great noise and the Elements melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein burnt up makes this use of it Seeing then that all those things shall be dissolved What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness And again Wherefore beloved seeing ye look for these things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameness He had need to be exact in his conversation who must
home when thou art neither Master of thy time nor reason nor of thy natural abilities much less of supernatural grace which is indispensably requisite to this great work O that since I must dye once for sin I might dye daily to sin and as the Philistines that they might the better deal with Sampson cut off his Hair wherein his great strength lay so that I may the better deal with death I may by faith and repentance daily cut off and destroy sin wherein the strength of death lieth May I not say to thee O my soul as Joshua to Israel Prepare ye victuals for within three days ye shall pass over this Iordan to go to possess the Land which the Lord your God giveth you Prepare the spiritual food the flesh of Christ which is meat indeed and the blood of Christ which is drink indeed an heart weaned from the world longing to be with God for within a few days thou shalt go in to possess the land of promise Lord I know nothing more certain then death Sin hath deserved it my brittle body inforceth it thou hast decreed it and none can prevent it I know nothing more uncertain then the time when or the manner how Thou hast many ways and means to bring me to my grave not onely ordinary distempers of my body but thousands of casual dangers I cannot promise my self freedom from it in any place or condition Death may seise me abroad at home in company in solitude at bed at board Why should I not always provide for that extremity that enemy which I cannot avoid Why should I not ever be ready for that which may come at any time and will come at some time or other Surely I do not hasten my death by preparing for it but sweeten it exceedingly I â—hall not dye a moment the sooner but infinitely the better Should death overtake me in my sins alas where am I what will become of me for ever I may well salute it as Ahab Elijah with Hast thou found me O mine enemy for t will come to me as the Prophet to that King with doleful dreadful tidings T will bring me news of a dismal dungeon of darkness to be my habitation of Lyons and Scorpions and Dragons to be my companions of a never dying worm an unquenchable fire pure wrath without mixture full torments without measure to be my portion for ever and ever O teach me so to live above this vain empty life so to be crucified to this world so to make my peace with thy Majesty through the great peace-maker and Prince of Peace my Lord Iesus so to set my heart and house my spiritual and temporal concernments in order that I may be delivered from the paw of the Lyon from the teeth of this monster from the sting of this Serpent and though my body be destroyed yet my soul may escape as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler and mount up to thy self to enjoy that happy life which shall know no death I Wish that all the days of my appointed time I may exercise my self herein to keep a conscience void of offence towards God and towards all men There are but two which can afford me real comfort in a dying hour which always take the same side and joyn together God and my conscience Humane friends often stand afar off when they should be most near and I have most need Some of them are loth to come to a sick mans chamber Mournful objects must not disturb their jollity and mirth They are sworn enemies to sorrowful occasions and baniâ—h such foes their quarters or themselves from such coasts Others if they come to visit me love not to see my gastly countenance like not to hear my deep and deadly groans But be they never so full of pity they can onely sympathize with me they cannot relieve refresh me The most they can do is to accompany me to my grave and there they leave me But O the comfort which a loving God and a conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works will afford me in a dying hour The smiles of a God and chearings of a good conscience will be musick indeed to welcom me to the shoar after all my tumblings and tossings in this tempestuous Ocean They will make my bed in my sickness help me to lye easie hearten me in my sighs and groans be my feast at my funeral bid me Be of good chear for my sins are forgiven me tell me that my Redeemer liveth and because he liveth I shall live also lodge my body in a grave as in a Bed of Spices and convey my soul into my Saviours Bosome and Embraces when my Houses Lands Honours Friends Wife Children leave me they will cleave to me nay when my breath life heart flesh forsake me they will not fail me yea when faith hope patience repentance shall bid me farewel weeping as Orpah did Ruth these like Naomi will stick to me go with me and seek rest for me O that my heart may be so upright in the service of my God that when I â—hall receive the sentence of death I may be able to say with good Hezekiah Remember now I beseech thee O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight O my soul what a friend shouldst thou be to thy God thy conscience how faithful to their warnings now in life if thou wouldst have them thy friends at death Hereby thou mayst be able to triumph in that hour of temptation to defie death it self and bid it do its worst Though it be the common gate through which the sinner goeth into prison where he meets with Chains and Fetters and cold and all sorts of miseries yet thou shalt go through it into the Kings Pallace where thou shalt have rivers of pleasures and 〈◊〉 entertainment If Jacob went down so joyfully 〈◊〉 Egypt when God had said to him fear not to go down for I will go down with thee and I will bring thee up again What needest thou fear to go down into the Grave when thy God hath undertaken to go down with thee thither and to bring thee up again Thy body may be turned into dust but thy God is in Covenant with thy dust and thy head the blessed Redeemer will not suffer one muscle or nerve or artery or vein of any of his members to be lost With what chearfulness mayst thou take thy leave of thy body Farewel sweet body thou hast been in some measure faithful to thy soul in the service of thy Lord Farewel I must bid thee goodâ—night till the morning of the resurrection Be thou content to go to bed and sleep in the dust and rest in hope for though after the skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh â—hall I see God Whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold him and