hour I usually digest the future business of the day Yet Madam as sound as I sleep I dream often You know Madam Thought must be active but I take little heed in the Morning what the Visions of the Night have been unless that Night when I dream of D ne'â— appearing to me and much less care to remember them but my Experience teaches me that the over-night Thoughts come fresh upon me the next day and how to digest and settle them was the Morning business the main whereof next after my Mornings Devotion was to answer those Letters I had receiv'd from England My Custom always is to begin with that of my Wife 's and then to proceed to D ne's and then to my other Relations and 〈◊〉 as near as I can in due order oâ— Place and Affection I seal them in the same manner only I retain that of my Wife 's to be the first perused and last closed Thus Madam I have given you a brief but true Account of my general Method of Living And by such Steps as these through the help of Divine Grace I strive to climb to Heaven and sometimes find my Soul upon the Wing thither before I am aware There is methinks no Object in the World that 's more delightful than when in a Star-light-night I survey the spangled Canopy of Heaven for if my Mind happen to be o'ercast with Melancholy when I look up and view the glittering Firmament and hope in a short time to soar above those starry Regions methinks I breath already the Air of a New World and all those black Vapors that o'erwhelm'd my Soul are fled in an instant I then scorn this Transitory World and all its fading Pleasures considering the Vanity of the one and the Emptiness of the other Tâ—us still my Soul moves upwards as all the heavenly Bodies do But yet as those Bodies are often snatcht away to the West by the rapid motion of the Primum Mobile so by those Epidemical Infirmities incident to human Nature I am often turn'd a clean contrary course though my Soul still persists in her proper Motion And I have oft occasion to be angry with my self when I consider That whereas my bountiful Creator intended my Body tho'a lump of Clay shou'd be a Temple of his Holy Spirit my corrupt Affections shouâ—d turn it so often to a Bedlam and my Excesses to an Hospital But as my Sin troubles me so my trouble for Sin comforts me And I believe there is less danger in committing the Sin I delight in than in delighting in the Sin I have committed In a word Madam I have experienc'd that the way to God is by my self and the way to my self is by my own Corruptions If I baulk this way I err If I travel by the Creatures I wander For the Motion of the Heavens will give my Soul no Rest nor will the Vertue of Herbs increase mine the height of all Philosophy both Natuâ—â—â—â— and Moral being to know my self and the end of this Knowledge is to know God the knowledge of whom is the Perfection of Love God being our chiefest good and the Enjoyment of him our highest Happiness And now Madam having given you a Specimen of my way of Living in Dublin both on the Sabbath and on the Week days I come in the next place to give you a Iournal of my Conversation with respect to the Occurrences I met with here by which you may see what little occasion I gave for the Dubliâ— Scuffle or to the false Dorinda to tempt me to her lewd Embraces It was in April when I came to Dublin and near Eleven a Clock at Night when I landed so that it was with some difficulty that I got a Lodging for that Night for which I own my self beholding to Mrs. Lisle the Widow at the Dukes-head Tavern in Castle-street the first Place I drank at in Ireland I have always the Vnhappiness of being sick at Sea which though it be very irksome to bear yet I find this good in 't that it endears the sence of God's Goodness to me when I come to Land and makes me the more thankful for my Preservation Which having perform'd as well as the Fatigue I had been under would permit I betook my self to my Chamber and slept that Night without Rocking though in the Morning both my Bed and Chamber seem'd to me to have the same motion that my fluctuating Cabin had the day before Being got up the next Morning I again renew'd my Thanks to God for my Preservation at Sea and safe arrival at Dublin And now being drest as it were in Print for my business now was to see and be seen I marched very methodically out of my Lodgings with two I can't say a pair of Gloves in one hand and a Cane in t'other and 't is not long since I had done sowing my wild Oats and now I am earnestly hunting after Gaup-seed You wou'd smile Madam if you had the Picture of your quondam friend at the black Raven like an over-grown Oaf newly come to Town staring and gazing at all the Signs and every thing else in the Strâ—ets pacing out their length and enquiring ever and anon What call ye this Street Who dwells in you great House Whose fine Coach is that For thus I rambled through every Street Alley and corner of this spacious Town as you 'll find at large in my Summer Travels where 200 Persons will see their Pictures that at present little expect it but I leave 'em here to tell ye the first visit I made in Dublin was to Nat. Gun a Bookseller in â—ssex-street to whom I was directed by my Friend Mr. Richard Wild whom I had left behind me in London This Son of a Gun gave me a hearty Welcome and to do him Justice he 's as honest a Man as the World affords and is so esteemed by all that know him He is a firm adherer to the established Government and a declared Enemy to Popery and Slavery So far from dissembling that he knows not how to go about it and will speak his Mind how much soever it may be to his Prejudice He understands Stenography as well as Bookbinding and he himself is a sort of a Short-hand Character for he is a little Fellow but one that contains a great deal And as he is a most incomparable Writer of Short-hand so he speaks it as well as writes it and to compleat his Character He is a constant Shop-keeper without earnest Business calls him to the Drumcondrah This Gun was a constant and generous bidder at my Auctions where he bought a great quantity of Books which he as honestly paid for At Mr. Gun 's Shop I met with Mr. 〈◊〉 another Bookseller but his principal Business is Binding whom I afterwards employed considerably He is a very honest Man but has met with Misfortunes in the World by thinking some others as honest as himself who did not prove so I ask'd Mr.
am all the Members of the Mystical Body of Christ have Fellowship with the Father and Son by one Holy Spirit with Aâ—gels in their Love Care and Ministries with the Saints in Heaven in their Love and Prayers and with one another in the same Faith Hope Word and Sacrament and therefore shou'd often confer about Heavenly things holding the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace The Operations of the Mind being in their own Nature much more fatigueing than the Labours of the Body it 's my usual Custom on Sunday Night to go somewhat sooner to Bed than ordinary However I durst not adventure to go and compose my self to such a rest as so much resembles Death it self and from which many have awaked in Eternity without recommending my self to the Care and Protection of the Almighty and to this I have endeavoured always to have the greater regard since bâ—sides the Divine Authority which plainly injoyns it it 's a Duty so clearly manifested even by the light of Nature that 't is a wonder almost that any should neglect it I hope you do not Madam take this as either Dictating or Reproving when 't is never meant so by me who have justly entertained quite other Conceptions of you and am so far from supposing my self Pattern in any respect for your Imitation that I should think my self in danger of running into the notion of a Perfectionist if I could but come near you This Madam is the Method in which I wou'd spend the Sabbath and is what I have endeavour'd to practise tho' I must own to my shame with so much weakness and so many Infirmitâ—es that it seems rather an Account of what I ought to do than of what I have done For tho' 't is my Duty to watch narrowly over my Heart Affections and Thoughts and all my Outward Actions and in a more particular manner shouâ—d look upon the Sanctifying of the Lord's Day to be a Principal part of Religion yet I must own I have not been so careful as I ought to Sanctifie the Lord in my Heart on that Day or perform some Duties that were incumbent upon me I have not made 〈◊〉 my Fear and my Dread as I ought but have indulg'd my self in Sloth spoken my own Words and thought my own Thoughts contrary to God's Holy Will and Commandment I must also accuse my self of being too negligent 〈◊〉 Preparing my self to attend upon God in his Solemn and Publick Appointments rushing often into his Presence without that due Preparation which he requires Neither have I behav'd my self in his House with that Fear and Reverence as I ought nor heard God's Word with that Attention which so Awful a Message call'd for nor improv'd it to my Spiritual Nourishment as I ought to have done I am also sensible that I have been more ready to â—ind fault with the Minister than to obey the Message he has brought and have not spoken of other Men and their Affairs with that Care Charity and Aâ—â—ection as I should have done but rather have discover'd their Defects I likewise acknowledge That in singing of Psalms I have not sung with that Grace in my Heart which God's Word requires and have had my Ears more tickled with the Harmony of the Musick than my Soul inflam'd with Zeal to sing the Praises of God I do also confess I have not had such Sorrow and Repentance for my Sins past as I ouâ—â—t nor have used such Diligence in the daily Examining of my Conscience and Amendment of my Life as I should have done I have also reason to be humbled that I han't offer'd up my Prayers unto God with alaâ—â—ity and fervour of Spirit as I shou'd have done but have been often Distracted Slothful and Cold in my Devotions I also acknowledge I have been Proud and Vain-glorious in my Words and Actions I have not thought so humbly of my self as I shouâ—d have done nor kept my Senses in the House of God with that care as became a Christian especially my Eyes and my Ears For all which and many more Errors of my Life which through Neglect and Inadvertency may have escap'd my Cognizance I humbly beg Pardon and Forgiveness of the Father of Mercies Thus Madam with the Pelican have I dissected my Heart to shew you where the Defects of Humanity reside I have here as I told you before made the whole World but principally your self my Confessor I will only add as to this Point That if my Tongue and Heart agree not in this Confession my Confession will be of no value he that confesses with his Tongue and wants Confession in his Heart is either a vain Man or an Hypocrite and he that confesâ—es with his Heart and wants it in his Tongue is either Proud or Timorous Madam having given you some Account how I endeavour'd to spend the Sabbath in Dublin I shall 〈◊〉 inform yâ— how I spent my time on the Week-Days I have told you in the Account I gave you of spending Sunday that 't was my Practice to go to Bed sooner on those Nights than at other times I shall further add That I am no sooner lain down on Sunday Night but I compose my self to rest being so far from being terrified with Apparitions Spectrums and the like as I have heard some have been who for that very Reason durst never lie alone that I humbly Adore thâ— Majesty of Heaven for it I fear nothing but God and Sin When I awake I am transported to find my self so sprightly every way which made me often wonder what an excellent thing Sleep was considering it as an inestimable Jewel for an hour of which if a Tyrant laid down his Crown he should not be able to purchase it That it was that Golden Chain which tyed Health and our Bodies together and that while sleeping none complained of Pains Wants Cares or Captivities And that though the Story of Endymion's Nap for Threescore and Fifteen Years and then awaking as lively as if he had slept but six hours be in it self but a meer Fable yet the Moral is good and plainly indicates the Necessity and Usefulness of Rest to our Natures as instituted by the God of Nature Himself But to proceed in my Journal In the Morning as soon as the Cinque-Ports are open I send up some Private Ejaculations to Heaven giving God thanks that my Eyes are open to see the Light of another Day After this I get up and make my most Solemn Addresses to the Divine Majesty remembrinâ— Randolph's Words First Worship God He that forgets to Pray Bids not himself Good Morrow nor Good Day In these sorts of Duties it has been my conâ—â—ant Practice to be rather short and fervent than long and indifferent And as we ought to make use of every Just and Proper Motive to excite us to 〈◊〉 Duty I will humbly say I have been the moâ—â— constant in my practicâ— of this Morning-Duty as principally out of a
find 'em ineffectual for I 'd fain have you a true Penitent then Fifthly Mortifâ—e your Body in order to the subduing of your Flesh and to this Purpose Fast often and that a considerable Time take away Diet and Drink the fuel of Lâ—st and the heat of it will abate and the Fire of it goeth out In the Fasâ—s we read of kept by the Saints in Scripture they did neither Eat nor Drink that is hot until Night and that which they took then was very little and of mean quality a bit of Bread and a draught of Water In this Case take Meat like Medicines no more then needs must to keep you alive and preserve ye in Health Thus Dorinda by often forbearing to Eat at all and a mean Diet when you do Eat you 'll have little mind to be Writing of Billet Douâ—es for thin ordinary Food will starve your Lust and bring the Flesh that Enemy of yours like a Town pâ—ned out with a long Seige to your own Terms But Dorinda if the Rebel Lust still haunts your Mind then use some sharpness to him cause him to smart either by Praying in painful Postures as on hard Stones with bare Knees or else by wearing Sackcloth or Hair S cks upon your Flesh or by Scourging your Body with the Rod or Whip This is a Course Saint Paul took with himself 1 Cor. 9. 27. I keep under my Body and bring into Subjection One for this end tumbled himself among Thorns another burned his Face and Hands a third run sharp Prickles up his Fingers between the Flesh and the Nails and Dorinda 't is much better to Afflict your self for a while than be lash'd by Satan forever in Hell Sixthly Meditate on those Things as may by poring on them curb your Lust and here Dorinda First Consider the falls of those who have miscarried in this way as of Iane Shore Creswel Nel G n c. Women famous in their Generations for Wit and Beauty and yet see Dorinda to what weakness of Body and poorness of Spirit they were brought to by this Sin Secondly Consider the Constancy of others that have continued Chaste notwithstanding their Temptations to Uncleanness the most remarkable one that I can think-of is that of Ioseph Recorded in Gen. 39. 7 to 13. He was tempted to it by his Mistress who had some Power to command him and many ways to oblige him yet he consented not He was tempted to it not by Looks and Glances Hints and Intimations any of which were enough with too many in these our Days to draw them to it but with downright Words she plainly and boldly said to him Lie with me and yet he consented not He was tempted to it by her not once or twice only for Tryal of him as might be thought but many times to shew she was in earnest she was often at it with him tempting him she spake to Joseph day by day and yet he consented not He was tempted to it by her not at unseasonable times only while Company was at home whereby they might be discovered and descryed but at a time of greatest seasonableness and opportunity when he might act the thing with greatest Secrecy and Security when he had business to do within the House and there was none of the Men of the House there within and yet he consented not He was tempted to it by her not only by winning Speech but by enforcing Action she not only used Speech to him but laid hands on him she caught him by his Garment saying Lie with me and yet he consented not Here Dorinda is an Example of Constancy and Chastity worthy of your Imitation Not much unlike was that which St. Hieroâ—e Reports of a Son of a King of Nicomedia who being tempted upon Flowers and a perfumed Bed whereon he was tied by an impure Curtesan with all the Arts and Circumstances of Luxury lest the ease of his posture should abuse him to a yielding to her Temptations bit off his Tongue and spit it in her Face Dorinda if such Chaste Examples as these be made familiar to your Mind by frequenâ— Meditation on them they will help you toward the Victory over Uncleanness Thirdly Bethink with thy self a while Dorinda when thou art under Temptation to Vncleanness what a business that Face is which thou so doatest upon and the Consideration thereof will very much allay thy heat and cool thy desire and even dash thee out of Countenance For there is nothing certainly that so much mastereth the desire of the Flâ—sh as to think what that which one loveth is after once it be dead And the Experience hereof we have in that Hermit who understanding that a Woman whom he was too too much enamoured on was Dead went by Night to her Grave and having opened it with the Lap of his Mantle wiped away some of the filth of the dead Corps being half rotten and when afterwards he found himself possess'd with any unlawful desires he laid abroad his foul and stinking Mantle and said thus to himself Go to now see what it is that thou dost desire and take thy fill of it By which means his heat was cooled and his Lust quenched Then Seventhly Dorinda consider that you cannot Act this Sin but there will be Eyes upon you First The Eye of God is upon you The Eyes of the Lord are in every Place as Solomon tells us Prov. 15. 3. beholding the Evil and the Good â— no possibility of escaping his sight if ye should attempt the committing of any such Fact And who that hath seriously considered of this could ever have the Confidence to do any such thing In a Fury or for some politick Purpose such a like thing as this may be acted in the presence of a Man as it once happened in Alexandria where a Tarlaquin transported with beastly Fury ran at a Woman as she came out of the Stove threw her on the ground and notwithstanding all the Resistance she made had carnal Knowledge of her in the presence of many Spectators Aâ—d so we read in a Sam. 16. 22. how to make the breach irreparable between Absalom and his Father David Absalom spread a Tent upon the Top of the House and went in unto his Fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel Yet generally in Men that have not utterly defaced all the common Notices of God which Nature's hand hath written in the Heart of Man Secrecy for Time and for Place is sought out for the acting of this Sin Nay Dorinda her self as Leud as she is would scarce commit Adultery in the view even of those Pimps and Bâ—llies who are the most instrumental to her Debaucheries Now surely Dorinda if the Eye of Man be not to be endured in the Commission of this Sin much less should you be able to endure the Eye of God upon you This Consideration was effectual to Preserve Paphnutius who being wearied with the Sollicitations of a tempting Daliâ—ah at