willing to spend and be spent like a Taper that consumes it self by giving Light to others A good Minister is a Light and his Motto must be Lucendo pereo or that of the Phoenix Dum pario pereo Qui sibi nequam cui bonus Heb. 13 4. Be a good Minister for the good of others and a good Man for your own Marriage is honourable in all and Parentage Parts and Portion are good Ingredients in a Match but not the principals to guide your choice let not therefore your Affections so far bribe your Judgment as to put you upon the choice of a Wife for Money or Beauty only but for Religion the best and strongest Marriage-knot so strong that it cannot be cut asunder for they that are thus joyned together neither Life nor Death can part Never pawn your Honesty to please your Fancy If you marry and live to have Children and have any thing to give them give them what you can spare while you are alive or at last they will thank Death for it and not you If you have nothing to give them or whether you have or have not leave them under God's Blessing and you will leave them rich A Table though never so richly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adorn'd and furnish'd with Food differs according to the Greek Proverb nothing from a Manger therefore how meanly soever your Table is furnish'd with Food let it be furnish'd with good Discourse that all that come there may fare as of old they did at Plato's Banquets the better for it afterwards The Ear trys Words as the Job 12. 11. Mouth tasts Meat In two things the Philosopher Pythag. says we are like to God viz. in speaking the Truth and in bestowing Benefits God is a God of Truth he cannot lye and they that are like to Titus 1. 2. him will not God is good and does good Isa 63. 8. Ps 25. 8. Exo. 34. 6. he is abundant in it and the more any exceed in Bounty which is Goodness enlarged the more like to him they are Therefore When God enlarges his hand in Bounty to you do you enlarge yours in Bounty to others Charity may begin at home but it must not end there Dr. Taylor 's Advice to his Son was that if God did bless him with the things of this World he should count it his chiefest Riches to be rich in Alms and it will be your Wisdom to believe so some indeed think it is the next way to be undone for what is thus given they conclude is thrown away but they are mistaken that think so for it is a way not only to secure what you have but to encrease it in that whatever you thus give you lend and that not Prov. 28. 27. to a Bankrupt but to God who has all the Riches of Heaven and Prov. 19. 17. Earth and stands Principal in that Bond which secures the payment back again of what you thus lend in this Life and of something better in the Life to come I had rather you should want an Estate than a heart to be charitable a Capacity this way to do good than a Will or an Inclination to it The holy Scriptures contain'd in the old and new Testament are the Word of God the Statute-book 2 Tim. 3. 16. of Heaven the Will of your heavenly Father the Advice of Christ your heavenly Physician the Counsel of him your Advocate Phil. 2. 16. Act. 13. 26 Rom 10. 8. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Eph 1. 13. the Word of Life and Salvation the Word of Faith and Truth therefore Believe it firmly Here let the Ark of your Faith rest Read it daily and diligently That you may find Christ the rich Treasure in this Field Hear it attentively The more heed you give to Act 16. 14. Heb. 2. 1. what you hear the more you will remember Love it sincerely There is no Love like that to God and his Word and such as your Love is to his Word such is your Love to him Meditate on it constantly Psal 1. 2. The Blessing is entail'd upon them that meditate on it day and night Contend for it earnestly It is the Word of Faith and Jude 3. you must be a Defender of it Obey it faithfully You neither read hear understand nor believe aright any more than what you practice Action is the best part of Jam. 1. 22 23. a Christian and there is no doing like to that of the Word The Work of Creation being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 2. 3. He sanctify'd it or set it apart and appointed it to be a holy rest for his Worship ended on the seventh day God rested on that day from all his Work which he had made and blessed the seventh day and sanctified it He sanctified it by Institution that the Jews might sanctifie it by Observation he by setting it apart to a holy use that they might by keeping it so Now as the first day on which the work of Creation was finish'd was consecrated and set apart for a holy Sabbath to God so the first day on which the work of Redemption was perfected was set apart as a holy rest unto him that was as Athanasius says the end of the first Creation and this the beginning of the second Creation and as that was kept holy to God so this as appears by the Act. 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 12. Rev. 1. 10. practice of the Apostles and by the universal Practice of the Christian Church has ever since for many hundred Years been kept holy to him in the Christian Church both by converted Jews and gentile Christians And I can assure you from my own Observation I never yet knew any but the more strict they were in the profession of Religion the more strict they were in the Observation of this day Besides there are two reasons to oblige you to the keeping of this day that the Jews had not to oblige them to the keeping of their Sabbath viz. The Resurrection of Christ John 20. Luke 24. from the dead on this day and The Descension of the Holy Ghost Since then there are such Reasons to enforce the practice of it let it be your great care to sanctifie this day and that 1. By ceasing From all evil Works which are Sins on other days and double Sabbatum Satana Sins on this From all Works of Recreation Sabbatum Aurei Vituli or Pleasure viz. such as are not natural and necessary but voluntary and needless From all Works of Labour that Sabbatum Tyri are not Works of Necessity Piety or Mercy nor tending thereunto 2. By doing all the Works of Piety both publick and private which are the proper Works of this day and not barely doing of them but by doing of them with Exactness Constancy and Delight The Sacrifices of old were double Num. 28. 9 on the Sabbath-day and God requires more Service
2. As to Honour Piety in Youth will give you Honour with God and Men. 1. With God 1 Sam. 2. 30. Luke 13. 6 7. You are Planted in a Vineyard and God expects Fruit from you as soon as you are Planted he looks for it in the Spring and when he finds it takes notice of it as he did of the kindness of Israels Jer. 2. 2. Youth and is greatly pleased with it as Christ with the Rich Mark 10. 20 21. Man in the Gospel that from his Youth observed the Commandments for he loves to magnifie Psal 8. 2. his praise out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings The Almond-tree that blossom'd Numb 17. 8. soonest was put into the Ark and John the youngest Disciple was most beloved 2. With Men. It was the Glory of Alexander not so much that he Conquer'd the World as that he did it in his Youth A Crown better than one of Gold on Josiah's Head that he was Religious in his tender 2 Chron. 34. 1. 2. Years The Honour of Moses and Samuel they lived and died in Honour and of Daniel therefore Dan. 9. 23. a Man of desires because Religious in Youth and so it will be of all the Children of Wisdom when found walking early as well as late in the ways of Wisdom Fruits early ripe are by all greatly priz'd 3. As to Service The most eminent in God's Service were as is to be seen upon Record most early at it Joseph a Religious Child in his Fathers House was afterwards a Religious Senator in Pharaoh's Court. Samuel a Religious Child was an eminent Prophet Recorded by David and by God himself Psal 99. 6. Jo◠15. 1. as one that if any he could prevail with God by Prayer Josiah a Religious Child at 2 King 23. 25. eight years old and a Renowned King for there was none like to him Timothy a Religious Child was 2 Tim. 3. 15. afterwards eminent in the Service of the Gospel And Christ more eminent than Luke 2. 12 9. all went early about his Fathers business So that if you would be useful in Life you must be Religious in Youth The sooner Weeds are pull'd up the better the Corn will grow and the sooner you are good the more good you will do Therefore if you would have your Age be the Harvest your Youth must be the Seed-time The good Figs were soonest Jer. 24. 2. ripe 4. As to Comfort Timothy that was Godly from 2 Tim. 2 22. his Youth was bid to flee Youthful Lusts and surely then it concerns you and all that are young to do so that you may not lay a Foundation for sin or sorrow or for both in Old Age. 1. For Sin Youth of all the Ages of Life is most subject as to Infection in Body so to Corruption in Soul Solomon beheld a Young Man Prov. 7. 7. void of Understanding and it was the younger Brother not the elder that was the Prodigal Luke 15. 12 13. Youth is to this Life as this Life is to that to come as this Life is well or ill ordered so it is like to be with you for ever in that and as your Youth is so the sequel of your Life is like to Maturè fias senex utdiu senex Levit. 23. 10 11. be and therefore it concerns you to be good then that it may like the first-fruits to the Harvest Sanctifie the remainder of your Life All Habits are by so much the more firmly radicated in their Subjects by how much the Actions from whence they come are the more frequently and timely used 2. For Sorrow Impiety in Youth will increase sin in Age for by Custom it will become Natural and that will increase sorrow for as bruises in Youth bring aches in Old Age so sins in Youth will bring sorrow then and therefore give God now the possession of your Youth that you may not then with Job 13. 26. Psal 25. 7. Jer. 31. 19. Job David and Ephraim possess the sins of it 5. As to Safety in that 1. Your time is uncertain 2. The work by delay will be more difficult 1. Your time is uncertain It is true Old Age will not come presently nor may not perhaps to you at all you are not sure you shall live to be Old but Death will come sooner or later the longer your Glass has been running the less there is to run and it may be out before you are aware for it is ever running and there are no stops in it There are young Skulls as well as old ones in Golgotha and there is a dying in Youth as certainly Job 36. 14. as in Old Age. 2. The work by delay will be more difficult The longer you defer the work like the deferring to buy the Sybil's Prophesies the dearer as one observes every day it will cost you Dr. Reynolds on Hos 14. 2. the more Tears the harder Repentance the deeper sorrows and the stronger cries and thereby become Morally though not absolutely impossible you will not have less work to do by delay Jer. 13. 23. but more work and less time The first Cripple onely that John 5. 4. went into the Pool of Bethesda after the troubling of the Waters was healed I have read of a Temple in Spain Dedicated to Old Age I wish your Young Age may be Dedicated Exod. 33. 11. as Joshua's to Gods Temple and the Service of it The glory of Young Men as Solomon Prov. 20. 29. says is their strength and the glory of that glory is to give that strength the excellency of that Power as Jacob said of his first-born Reuben to Gods Service If you begin early the Gen. 49. 3. Progress will be happy and the end comfortable You cannot begin too soon nor hold out too late 2. Make Religion the great business Luke 16. 11. Luke 10. 42. Non reprehendit sed distinguit of your Life Religion is the true riches the good eminenter part Martha's work was good but Mary's was better the whole Duty of Man his Form Being and Essence Eccles 12. 13. Ps 111. ult Totus est perfectus animo homo omne hominis bonum finis homin is 1 Sam. 15. 22. Semper ad semper Prov 28. 14. Deut. 32. 47. Prov 4. 7. Eph. 4. 1. Phil. 2. 12. Jer. 7. 22 23. his Wisdom and principal thing his Happiness his Calling and Work a Work most sutable to him most useful and advantageous his Interest as well as his Duty his chief work above all Natural Political Moral and Ceremonial work the one thing needful never out of season but as Seneca says of Philosophy at all times necessary his Life and principal end of his Life other things are but means to this end and therefore this must be preferred and set before it The end is more excellent than the means Since then it is so in it self Sapiens
beyond measure if prais'd nor enrag'd if revil'd and reproach'd but meekly receive both as not much concern'd for either for you cannot be too vile in your own Eyes nor too much humbled under it A Heathen when revil'd told the Reviler that all he said against him was true and much more and so he would say if he knew that which he did of himself and all that are truly humble either do or should think better Rom. 12. 10. Phil. 2. 3. of others than of themselves 3. With your self 1. By being content with your condition whatever it is 2. By having a low and mean opinion of your self under all that you possess and enjoy 1. By being content with your condition Some cannot live unless they abound and therefore murmur and complain when they do not Proud Beggars will have the best or nothing but be you content with what you have looking upon Aliud est undè vivas aliud undè superbias every little thing received as great and every great thing as too much You cannot have so little as you deserve and therefore how low soever your condition is let your mind be lower 2. By having a low and mean opinion of your self under all that you possess and enjoy Indeed there is nothing you can have that can reasonably afford any matter for Pride Not Riches Not Silks and Furrs the cast Clothes of Worms and dead Beasts for as they are badges of Spiritual Nakedness and coverings of shame the fruit of sin they afford greater matter of Humility than Pride Not Gold and Silver the more Niâ—idius luâ—um refined Dirt and Garbage of the Earth these are the food of Moths and Rust and therefore no food for Pride Not Knowledge for Scio quod nescio Socrates Nesciendo scire sciendo nescire Gregory it is but imperfect in any the greatest part of what you know is the least part of what you know not and therefore you should by not knowing know and by knowing not know the gift that is in you It will be from Ignorance of your Ignorance if you become proud of your Knowledge Not Grace for it is given to teach Humility God gives Grace to the humble and Grace gives Humility and the more any have of it the more humble they will be Moses acknowledges that he was but dust and ashes the weakest and vilest part of the Earth Jacob that he was unworthy Gen. 18. 27. 32. 10. 1 Tim. 1. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 9. Eph. 3. 8. Mat. 11. 29. Exod. 44. 29. of the least of all those Mercies received Paul that he was the greatest of sinners the least of the Apostles and less than the least of all Saints Christ the Lord of Glory was meek and lowly and the more real worth any have the less they will see it like Moses who when his face did shine knew it not or the higher they are in the esteem of others the lower they will be in their own as the Sun when highest casts the least shadow or a Taper whilest it gives light to others casts a shadow before its own station A Cypher in Arithmetick though of no worth in it self yet gives value to all that is added to it and so will Humility Of Time Death and Judgment I Have a Treatise by me of these that I intend to publish and therefore shall onely briefly give you my Advice here as to Time Death and Judgment 1. As to Time If you would seriously consider how precious a thing Time is how much it is sooner or later prized by all how high they are in God's esteem that improve their time for they are highest in his esteem that make most account of his Soveraignty how happy some are while living in the Comfort they receive by it How many when dying would give all the World if they had it to give and it would be taken as a price to redeem the time that in Life they vainly spent and trifled away How many are tormented in Hell and will be eternally so for the neglect and abuse of it How infinitely short the whole time of Life well spent will fall of the Reward that attends it How much mispent time there is and will be in your best spent time How short and uncertain your time is and how strict an account you must give of it you would see great reason to take care that no part of it be spent either in sin or idleness 1. Not in sin Sin is an evil of the greatest Malignity and all time spent in it is lost for If it is not bewail'd and repented of it will ruine you and if it is yet the time so spent is lost in that it might have been better employ'd cannot be recalled for though Repentance will bring sorrow for sin yet it can never bring back the time lost by it nor ever by you be answer'd for You can never give a good account of a bad matter 2. Not in Idleness for Idleness is both a sin and an inlet to any or all sin 1. It is a sin Idleness was not allowed in Innocency Gen. 2. 15. Then labor now labor ad sudorem for Adam was put into the Garden of Eden to work much less then is it allowed in a state of Degeneracy but forbid there are no feriae no idle days nor hours as one says in the Kalendar of Heaven but as to every purpose there is a time so to every time a purpose God having appointed Eccles 3 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every day and hour to be filled up with something that is either work or tends to it Maxima pars debitur studio minor cibo minima somno nulla otio And yet how many are there who call themselves Christians and cannot but say they have work to do that trifle away their time as much as Domitian did in catching Flies Sardanapalus in Spinning Caligula in gathering Cockles Nero with his Souldiers in picking up Pebbles and are scarce ever so well employ'd as Protogenes who was seven Years Painting a Man and his Dog 2. It is an in-let to sin Empty Stomacks gather Wind standing Waters putrifie Weeds grow most in a fallow and out of Idleness comes not onely no good but all evil for by doing nothing you will easily be led to do that which is worse than nothing Christ called his Disciples Mat. 18. 19. Mark 1. 16 17. 2 Sam. 11. 2 3 4. James and John Simon and Andrew when busie at their Calling but the Devil will call you as he did David when idle and not employ'd and therefore be never so that you may not be at leisure to hearken to him if you do not set your self on work the Devil will and therefore at all times do it that he at any time may not The rolling stone gathers no Moss Quantò magìs occupatum Diabolus invenit tantò minùs occupat Idleness will render you displeasing to