LAbour to improve your acknowledged princi­ples concerning God. I mean such princi­ples as are generally without dispute, or hesitancy as­sented to: unless you think the Word of God to be a cunningly devised fable, 2 Pet. 1.16. or that the Kingdom of God is in word only, and not in power, 1 Cor. 4.20. that Religion is but an empty sound, of no use or vertue, let your faith as the Apostle faith of pa­tience, Jam. 1.4. have its perfect work, use it as far as it will go, and [Page 25]you shall find what an influence it will have upon your whole Conver­sation. True knowledg is the foun­dation of all Religion, Jer. 22.16. Eph, 4.18. and that knowledg is not right which is not operative and ef­ectuall, 1 Joh. 2.3, 4. Now there are three things more especially, a fixed apprehension and serious considera­tion whereof, will be of singular use to us in all the passages of our lives.

First, The alsufficiency of God, Gen. 17.1. This makes him the chief good, for this we choose him as our portion, and chief happiness. Now this is the first step which the soul takes towards Heaven, this goes in order before Faith, and Faith is but subordinate hereto, this being the act of the soul about our chief end; Faith respecting the means leading to this end. Why do we beleeve on Jesus Christ? but that we may by him be brought unto God, 1 Pet. 3.18, these two acts are the brief a­bridgment [Page 26]of the Gospel, Acts 20.21. so that we see this is essentiall to Christianity to take God for our chief happiness. Now if this were but setled in our hearts, how would it ballast them and keep them sted­dy, that they would not be tossed up and down with the various oc­currences of this life, neither lift up with prosperity, nor cast down with adversitys for whether we have more of these things they make no consi­derable addition to us, God is our happiness and not the Creature; or whether we have less of these things, it is no diminution of our happiness, we still have our portion; we are but as a man that hath turn­ed his estate into money, though he have not houses, nor lands, nor flocks, nor herds; yet he hath that which answers all things, Eccles. 10.19. so it is with one that hath God for his portion, whose is the earth, and the fullness thereof, Hab. 3.17, [Page 27]18.1 Cor. 10.28.2 Cor. 6.10. Give twenty pounds to a poor man, and you make him, take so much from him and you undoe him; but it is nothing in a rich mans purse that hath thousands coming in yearly: let an unbeliever lose the world and he loses all, he complains with La­ban that his gods are gone; let him have these things in abundance, and he is transported like Haman, Esth. 5.11, 12. but these are small things with him, whose portion the Lord is.

2. A second thing which we should alwayes labour for a ferious apprehension of, is Gods omnipre­sence: by his essence and common providence, he is in all places, Psal. 139.6, &c. and he beholds all things that are done by the sons of men, Heb. 4.13. but he is graciously present in a speciall manner with his own peo­ple, Isa. 43.2, 5. Now to walk before God, to set his presence before our eyes, doth briefly comprehend all [Page 28]Religion, Gen. 17.1. Chap. 14.40.

1. This will awe us when we have opportunities and temptations to secret sins, Gen. 39.9. The story is known of Paphnutius who convert­ed an Harlot by this means.

2. This would possess us with more reverence and godly fear in du­ties of Gods worship, 1 Cor. 11.10. If the presence of Angels should do this, much more the presence of God.

3. This will comfort us in afflict­ons, Psal. 23.4, 25, 14. Encourage us against fears, Psal. 16.8. yea, pro­voke us to diligence in every good work, The eye of the master makes a diligent seruant, Col. 3.22. The A­postle supposes, that those who o­therwise are sloathfull and negli­gent, will yet be diligent while their masters eye is upon them.

3. A third thing which we should alwayes settle in our hearts, is the universall providence of God, ex­tending [Page 29]it self to every thing which comes to pass here below, to that which is good, Gen. 31.16, 33, 5, 11. that which is evil, Isa. 42.25. Amos 3.6. to the least things, Mat. 10.28. to those things which are produced by a long series of second causes, Hos. 2.22. Gen. 45.5. to the meerest contingencies, Pro. 16.33. Now be­sides the occasion which we shall have hereby given us to adore the perfections of God in all his works, Psal. 8. Joh 37.14. Psal. 107.43. we shall have this advantage here­by, in the enjoyment of mercies.

First, It will teach us thankfulness for them, Psal. 40.5.

2. Prevent our abuse of them and teach us to use them for God, Hos. 2.8. Ezek. 16.19. In afflictions this will teach us first to submit patient­ly to them, as being inflicted by his authority, ordered by his wife provi­dence, 1 Sam. 3.18. Job 1.21. Joh. 19.11. Psal. 46. throughout.

[Page 30]3. Teach us to make a right use of them, Mic. 6.9. Isa. 42.25. By these instances which I have set down, you muy likewise be directed how to improve other articles of your faith.

Direct. 2. What ever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of Je­sus Christ. This direction is in the very words of the Apostle, Col. 3.17. and though it be a brief dire­ction, yet there is none that is of more generall and constant use: it is like the Carpenters rule, which he makes use of upon all occasions, there is not an action of our lives wherein we have not some use here­of Now to do a thing in the name of Christ, imports these three things;

1. To do it by the authority of Christ, Mat. 21.23. Joh. 5.43. 1 Cor. 5.4.

2. In the power and strength of Christ, Mark 16.17. Acts 3.12, 16. Psal. 20.5.

[Page 31]3. For the sake of Christ, or for his honour, Luk. 9.48. Mat. 18.20. So the Dutch Annotations on the place, and the learned Daillè in his excellent Sermon on the same. 1. Then let us make God of our counsell in whatever we take in hand, (This was a common practice amongst the heathen, vatibus solen­ne fuit nihil serium numine incon­sulto aggredi. Herbert de veritate.) Isa. 30.1. Hos. 8.4. 1. Because of the absolute authority that he hath o­ver us, 1 Cor. 6.21. 1 King. 18.21. 2. The dependance we have on his providence, 'tis wisdom to make a vertue of necessity; if we will ven­ture to do a thing without his mo­rall permission, or allowance: we cannot do it without his naturall permission or sufferance, Isa. 54.15. Jer. 42.15. Hos. 4.10. 3. We must give an account to him of our a­ctions, he is our Judg, as well as our Lawgiver, Jam. 4.12. 2 Cor. 5.10. [Page 32]4. When we have Gods leave, we may go on with comfort, and con­fidence, Prov. 10.29. We are under his speciall care and providence, Psal. 84.11. M^r Dod would say, he cared not where he was, if he could but answer these two questions well, Who am I? and what do I here? am I a Child of God? and am I in my way? if we were carefull of the discharge of our duty, we might free our selves from all other care; but as it is the humour of every man naturally, to look more after other mens affairs then his own; so we deal after the same manner with God, we busie our selves about his work, the event and success of our affairs, which belong to his provi­dence to order and direct: and in the mean while neglect our own du­ty, leaving that to God, usually up­on pretence of the necessity of his determining grace, which doth no more make void our endeavours in [Page 33] spirituall actions, then the necessity of the concurrence of his generall providence in our naturall actions.

Now for knowing the mind of God in what we go about, we have his Word to direct us. In particular cases where we have no express rule for our direction, our end must di­rect us, the edification of souls, 1 Cor. 10.23. and the glory of God, (of which more afterwards;) besides God doth by his providence some­times, and sometimes by making strong impressions upon the will, Acts 20.22. give some hints of his mind, vide Valdesso Consid. 25. but to be sure we must make the former our chief rules to guid us, and fol­low these last, only when the Word is not clear, and where neither of those mentioned ends which we should propound to our selves, do turn the ballance, but it remains still equally poysed: otherwise we may take the violent inclinations of our [Page 34]own lusts, for an impression of the spirit, and a temptation for a lead­ing providence, Deut. 13.3. See 1 Sam. 24.5, 6, 7.

II. What we do we should do in the strength of Christ, waiting upon him for the concurrence of his ge­nerall providence in our ordinary, naturall, and civil actions, James 4.15. of his more speciall providence in extraordinary actions, 1 Sam. 17.45. 2 Chron. 14.11. and of his spe­ciall grace in spirituall actions, Eph. 6.10. Phil 4.13. 2 Tim. 2.1. So that we should commit all our wayes unto the Lord, Prov. 16.3. venturing up­on nothing in our practises, which we dare not commend to God, for a blessing in our prayers; our ordi­nary affairs, we may commit to him by a generall recommendation in our daily prayers: extraordinary af­fairs by a more particular solemn addressing our selves to him, Gen. 32.10. Neh. 1.4. Esth. 4.16. sudden [Page 35]emergencies, by short secret eja­culations, Neh. 2.4. This practice would make us desist from many rash undertakings: we many times unadvisedly rushing upon those things which we should not have a face to own before God in prayer: as the poor man when he had stol­len a Lamb for the necessities of his family, when having made it ready, he came (as his manner was) to pray for a blessing upon it, his heart smote him, so that he could have no peace till he went and acknowledg­ed his sin, and made a promise of re­stitution.

III. We should do all for the glo­ry of Christ, 1 Cor. 10.32. 1. This is the ultimate end of all things, Pro. 16.4. Rom. 11.36. 2. Though the purity of the end will not correct they ciousness of the means, as the popish Casuists teach; yet it will sanctifie all our naturall and civill actions, adopting them as it were [Page 36]into the number of religious acti­ons, and inscribing them with holi­ness to the Lord, Zach. 14.21. Col. 3.23, 24.

The poorest servant by discharg­ing his duty in a right manner, and directing his intention aright, may in the meanest employment serve Jesus Christ, and with confidence expect his reward from him. Of the universall influence that a right di­rection of our intentions hath upon our whole practice, See Bacons Es­sayes 57. and Richeomes Adieu de l' Ame devote Devis 59.

3. Without this our spirituall actions are not good, Zach. 7.7.

4. This will prescribe a right manner and measure to all our law­full actions. I mean such as are in themselves lawfull, as eating, drink­ing, recreations, and such like: finis dat modum & mensuram medits. And herein Christians had need to be very circumspect, because they [Page 37]sin most frequently in such actions, licitis perimus omnes, it is said of the old world, Mat. 24.38. that they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage; there was no hurt in these actions, if they had ob­served a due season, manner, and measure in them. Christians startle at such things as swearing, lying, stealing, adultery, &c. but in the use of things lawfull, they are more se­cure, and so do more easily slide into a sinfull excess.

5. This will direct us (as was before hinted) where our way is doubtfull. Where we have express commands, or prohibitions in the Word of God, our way is plain, there is no question to be made, but in many cases our actions are not determined by any particular direct command, but are left to be guided by Christian prudence; now in such a case, our end will be of much use to guid us; as a man that is to draw a [Page 38]line, if he have no rule to make it by, he oft casts his eye upon that term, or point to which it is to be drawn; or if a man have a way to go, and there be no beaten path, if he can see the place which he is to go to, his way is to aime at that, and make straight over towards it: so when a case is doubtfull, we should fix our eye upon the glory of God, and see which way hath the most direct tendency thereto, and take that way. Now though we cannot alwayes have an actuall intention of the glory of God, yet we should ha­bitually intend it, and the more we can actually intend it the better; especially in such actions as are of moment in the course of our lives, we should renew our actuall inten­tion; and (as was said before) when a case is doubtfull, we should fix our eye upon this end; as a man that is travelling towards a place, suppose to London, he doth not actually [Page 39]think on the place which he goes to every step he takes, but if he come to a place where there are two wayes, then he bethinks himself of the place which he is going to, that he may take that way which is more likely to lead him thereto.

And if any ask now how our na­turall or civill actions conduce to the glory of God? I answer;

First, They may be done to the glory of God, in respect of the man­ner of them, when we use such mo­deration, holy fear, heavenly mind­edness in these actions, that every one may see holiness written upon them, 1 Tim. 6.1. Tit. 2.10. when we observe not a Christian decorum in our naturall and civill actions, it is a dishonour to our profession; Editur quantum esurientes cupiunt, &c. We eat (saith Tertullian of the Christians,) as much as is necessary to satisfie ones appetite; we drink as much as is permitted to Christians [Page 40]that have a care of their purity; they that sit there take their refreshment with such temperance, as they may remember they are obliged to worship God at night, Apol. cap. 39.

Secondly, In respect of their ul­timate tendency, they may be sub­servient to the glory of God, though they have not such an im­mediate connexion therewith, as when we use diligence in our par­ticular callings, that we may have wherewith to supply the necessities of others, Eph. 4.28. to provide for those belonging to our own charge, 1 Tim. 5.8. that we may with the more freedom wait upon God, be­ing exempted from perplexing cares, 1 Cor. 7.35. that we may be freed from the temptations of po­verty, and may not be burdensome to others, Prov. 30.9. 1 Thes. 4.11. So when we study for this end, that we may excell for the edifying of the Church, 1 Cor. 14.12. When we eat, [Page 41]drink, use recreations that our bo­dies may be strengthened, Eccles. 10.17. that so they may be the more fit to serve the soul in its operations, that we may by both soul and body be more fit to honour God in our places; so in our civil visits, we should consider what they will con­tribute to our chief end, what op­portunity we may have of doing or receiving good; how far our Chri­stian profession requires this of us, that we may shew all gentleness to­wards all men, Tit. 3.2. and add to brotherly kindness charity, 2 Pet. 1.7.

Direct. 3. Prize all oportunities of communion with God in his Ordi­nances; such as Prayer, reading and hearing the Word, Christian pru­dence must alot the time for these, according to our occasions, oppor­tuni [...]ies, necessities, Psal. 42.1, 2. & 63.1, 2. & 84.1, 2. & 122.1.

First, They are our duty, part of that homage which we owe to God, [Page 42]as our Lord and Lawgiver, by pray­er to acknowledg our dependance on him, Psal. 65.2. and our subje­ction to him by sitting down at his feet to receive the Law from his mouth, to take our instruction from him, Deut. 33.3.

Secondly, They are our privi­ledges, which cost two of the great­est gifts which Heaven could afford, Eph. 2.17. The Son of God, that we might have acceptance, the Spirit of God that we might have assistance; what greater priviledg are we ca­pable of, then at any time to go and reveal our cause to God, Ier. 20.21. to case our complaints before him, to have leave to beg any thing of him, Ioh. 15.8. Luk. 11.13. to ask sounsell of him, Psal. 119.24. especially when his Word is the ministration of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.6. Gal. 3.2. there be­ing in our communion with God a transfusion of spirits, he communi­cating his Spirit or divine nature to [Page 43]us therein, 2 Cor. 3.18. besides our own pressing necessities which should daily provoke us hereto: the oftner we come to God the more welcome, Cant. 2.14. Jer. 2.32. and the more boldness and liberty of access we shall have, disuse and in­frequency breeding a strangeness betwixt God and the soul, and deading the heart to communion with him.

Direct. 4. Be very serious in the performance of holy duties; be care­full to joyn therein attention of mind. Ezek. 33.32. sincerity of heart, Psal. 145.18. intension of affictions, Rom. 12.11. Acts 27.7. and holy fear and reverence, Heb. 12.28. Chri­stians are very faulty in this parti­cular; for besides their rude irreve­rent behaviour in holy duties, when the best supply that we can make to the defect of our prayers, (after our hearts have been roving and wan­dering therein, notwithstanding the [Page 44]strictest hand that we can keep over them,) is by recollection of all the strength of our souls to enforce them by an hearty Amen. You shall have men off their knees, (if ever they were on them) or ready to run away from the duty when it grows towards an end, as if they were glad that such a task were done. Verily I have oft wondered how such pro­phaness in divine worship should be consistent with the fear of God, and yet been loath to condemn those that are guilty of it. I can scarce think of this but I am in Pauls case, Acts 17.16. for (as Mirandula saith in another case, That its a wonder that any should doubt of the truth of the Gospel after so ma­ny proofs of it, but a greater won­der that any should believe it and live as if it were not true, Ep. 1. ad Nepot. So it is a wonder that any should be so bruitish as to worship a false god, but a greater wonder, [Page 45]that any worshiping the true God, should worship him as if he were no God. We ought to give the more diligent heed herein, because there is the same time spent in the slight performance of duties, which is spent in a right performance of them; and a man had better sow his ground with good seed though it cost him dear, then with darnell or cockle, though he can have it for nothing: and as we lose the fruit of our duties, and answer of our pray­ers when we are slight in them, so we lose the sweetness that is to be had in communion with God in them, and that is the reason we come with such dead hearts to du­ties; and we had need be watchfull herein, because Satan is very busie to interrupt us in holy duties, Luk. 8.12. Zach. 3.1. and our own hearts are very apt to wander therein. Ben­nard sadly complains of this in his Meditations, cap. 8. and de demo in­teriori, [Page 46]cap. 29, & 33. how he scarce could attend to his own prayers, or mind what he said in them himself, and so lost the fruit of them: See Dike on the Heart, cap. 21. Cyprian de Orat. Dom.

Now for our help therein, let us first consider the nature of God with whom we have to do; he is a great King, and his Name is dread­full, Mal. 1.14. read that Chapter throughout, he will not bear it to be put off with slight services, he will have none of his work done negligently, Jer. 48.10. he will be sanctified of all such as draw nigh to him Lev. 10.3. he will be served with fear and trembling, Psal. 2.11. trem­bling at the Word of God is the Character of a godly man, Isa. 66.2, 4. Ezra 10.3.

Secondly, Let us consider the na­ture of the services wherein we have to do with him, and we may consi­der them under a threefold notion: [Page 47]First, as duties; this will lay an awe upon our consciences, and keep us to a due constant observance of them; it is dangerous to free our consciences from this obligation, by laying aside the opinion of duty, for we see by experience how easily men are tempted to a neglect of those things which they look upon as only matter of liberty, and not as necessary duty. 2. Let us consi­der them as priviledges: this will keep us from that weariness which is ready to grow upon us in them, while we consider them only as bur­densome tasks, Mal. 1.13.

And from resting in the work done, which we shall be apt to do if we look upon them only as duties.

3. Let us consider them as Ta­lents which we must give an account of, for so they are if we look upon them as means of grace, Luk. 12.48. this will quicken us up to more earnest diligence in the improve­ment [Page 48]of them. And for prayer in particular let me add this one word, whenever we draw nigh to God in it, let us but consider what it is, or what we are about, viz The making our requests known to God, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, Phil. 4.6. that so we may be furnish­ed with expressions, not from our heads, but from our hearts; that our words may not be fetched from our memories or inventions, but from our reall desires and inward affe­ctions.

Direct. 5. Be very carefull net to neglect known duties: We use to ob­serve in polemicall Divinity, that the plainest truths are least studied, because they are taken for granted, and so men think they need not bu­sie themselvts about them. I wish we could not make the like observa­tion in practicall Divinity, though there is not the like reason for the neglect of the practice that there is [Page 49]of the study of those things which we know, the end of knowledg is pra­ctice, Deut. 29.29. But so it is usual­ly, that men are very inquisitive into those things which are doubtfull, as if they wanted matter for the exer­cise of their zeal, or as if they would complement with God as they sometimes do with men, telling him in effect that they do but wait for an opportunity to serve him, when they overlook ordinary acknow­ledged duties; like the Jews, which were very forward to enquire whe­ther they should fast as they had done formerly, and in the mean while they neglected the duties of morality, Mic. 6.7. the greatest questionists are many times the least doers, but as Luther would say, God loves not Quaeristas, but Curristas, not such as will be alwayes enqui­ring, but such as will be active or doing: if you would know more of the mind of God in things that are [Page 50]doubtfull, do more of what you al­ready know, Joh. 7.17. Mind what is your present duty, what is the next step you are to take in the way to Heaven, as the evil of the day, so the duty of the day is sufficient for it.

Direct. 6. Labour to know the true bounds of your Christian liberty. Not that you may walk to the ut­most extent of it, for the satisfying of your naturall desires, nor that you may for any carnall interest basely comply with mens humours; but yet there may be great use of this, both in respect of our selves and others: men do oft lay unneces­sary burdens upon themselves, binding themselves (where God hath loosed them) to their own great prejudice, like those 1 Cor. 8.7. instances whereof are very obvi­ous. I would not interpret that place Eccles. 7.16. in favour of luke­warmness, or to allay mens zeal with the base mixture of carnall policy: [Page 51]yet doubtless men do sometimes de­stroy themselves by too much opi­nionativeness and self-conceit, or over-rigidly insisting on some things where God allows them a greater latitude. See D^r Reynolds on this place, in his most excellent Commentary on Ecclesiastes in the larger English Annotations.

But Christians do usually most wrong others hereby: First, In judg­ing them, and casting them out of their charity for those things which they have liberty in, or which they may lawfully do: strong Christians are not more ready to despise the weak, then the weak are to judg the strong, Rom. 14.3. and I know not which is the greater sin; the former for the most part is worse in respect of its principle from whence it proceeds, but the latter in respect of the ef­fects of it. But secondly, We further wrong others, in that we do not leave our selves a liberty where God [Page 52]hath left it us, for accommodating our selves to them, and pleasing them for their good to edification; or as others have it, in that which is good; where we have the true bounds set to man-pleasing, for the matter it must be in that which is good, we must not please their sinfull humours, or comply with their cor­rupt lusts. Then there must be a right end, it must be for their edifi­cation, Rom. 15.2. and this rule the Apostle himself put in practice, 1 Cor. 9.19. Chap. 10.33.

Direct. 7. Labour to make the best improvement of your time. The Apo­stle indeed exhorts to redeem time, Eph. 5.16. which is an expression of doubtfull signification, and capable of various interpretations; but in propriety of speech, time that is lost is not to be redeemed; we cannot possibly recover mispent time; re­deeming time is alike impossible as merit, Luk. 17.10. because all that [Page 53]we can do in our time is our duty; and it is not in morals as in natu­rals, where by resting one hour we are able to work more vigorously another, but the more remiss we are, the greater indisposition we bring upon our selves. If a man suffer weeds to grow in his field; though he pluck them up before they seed, or spoyl his corn, yet he loses so much ground as they grow upon: so though God should par­don the mispending of our time, yet we shall lose the fruit of what we might have (in that time) sown to the Spirit: and as good husbands will lose none of their ground, but have every parcell bring them forth something, so we should endeavour that every parcell of our time may be sown with some seed of righte­ousness; yea, we should make some improvement of that time in which we do the works of our particular callings to some spirituall advan­tage, [Page 54](if our imployments be such as exercise the hand and not the head) by some usefull meditations; as some will plant their hedg-rowes with fruit trees, reckoning that what they get thereby is clear gain, because they take up no room which might be put to any other use; so what we get by such medi­tations is clearly gained, because it doth not hinder any other imploy­ment. But as it is not enough for the husbandman to sow all his ground, but he must observe what agrees best with this or that grain, and as it is not sufficient that he be alwayes employed, unless he observe the due season for his severall affairs, so it is not sufficient that we be alwayes doing that which is materially good, but there must be a prudent choice of the fittest season for every action, for there is for every purpose a time and judgment, therefore is the misery of man great upon him, be­cause [Page 55]some few men have the wis­dome to know time and judgment. Eccl. 8.5, 6. but he is the blessed man, that brings forth fruit in its season, Psal. 1.3. Yet let not your souls enter into the secrets of those, who seeming to themselves to have a perfect understanding of the times and seasons wherein the things foretold in Scripture shall have their accomplishment, think themselves bound to attempt such things as they suppose may be help­full to the bringing forth of that which divine providence seems to be travelling with, calling this the work of the day, or of their genera­tion. The good man Moses ran into this mistake, but he was glad to flee for it, and keep sheep fourty years, till he had a more cleer call from God, to undertake that work which he before knew God had designed him for, Acts 7.23, &c. More parti­cularly let us endeavour to improve [Page 56]our time well when we are in com­pany, and when we are alone, for so­ciety and solitude share our time. First, In company, let us labour to do good or to get good, at least that we do no hurt nor receive any: and to that end, avoid (as much as may be) the society of those with whom we are like neither to do or receive good, and those are such as are pro­phane scorners, and such as are meerly carnall, and are much our superiours. And when you are in company, make conscience of your words; 1. Because we are very apt to offend in them, Jam. 3.2, 6. We may complain of most mens dis­courses as Bernard Apolog. ad Guil. Abbat. Nihil de Scripturis nihil de salute agitur animarum, sed nugae & risus & verbae proferuntur in ven­tum; they are all froth and vanity, there is nothing in them of the Scripture, or of the salvation of mens souls. Ita fabulantur ut qui [Page 57]sciant Dominum audire, saith Ter­tullian of the ancient Christians, Apol. cap. 39. they so talk as those who know that God hears them. So Psal. 139.4. Remember the story of him that heard a pen writing be­hind the curtain while he was under examination, which made him look more narrowly to his words. 2. There is speciall notice taken of them, Mal. 3.16. And 3. We must give an account of them, Mat. 12.36, 37. and that we may never want matter of usefull discourse, let us alwayes be furnished with some profitable questions to propound, 1 King. 10.1, &c. which we may be supplied with, either from what we hear or read daily of the Word of God, or some passages of Gods Pro­vidence, or our own experience, and this will be usefull both to our selves and others, we may hereby increase our own knowledg, and give others occasion for imploying [Page 58]their Talents, which many times lye wrapped up useless, either through too much reservedness or slowness of speech, or an over-awing mode­sty, or because men know not so well how to suit their discourses to the conditions and capacities of o­thers: and it will not be altogether in vain to propound questions to those that are our equals or below us in understanding. We may like­wise take occasion from ordinary occurrences to raise spirituall dis­courses, which was Christs usuall practice, Joh. 4.10, 6, 26. but it is e­ver necessary that we observe the tempers, faculties, abilities, capaci­ties, conditions of those with whom we have to do? that we may accom­modate our selves (as far as may be) thereunto; this will render our so­ciety more acceptable to others, more profitable both to others and our selves. By observing mens tem­pers we may the more easily insi­nuate [Page 59]what we please into them: by observing their faculties and abili­ties, we may both please them and profit our selves: because men love to discourse of things belonging to their own faculties, or wherein their abilities chiefly lye, and about those things we may expect the most sa­tisfying answers from them, if they be such things as may be any ad­vantage to us to know: if we suit our discourses to mens conditions, it will add much grace and comeli­ness to our speech, Prov. 15.23. & 25.11. but if we do not in all things ap­ply our selves to mens capacities, we shall but weary them, and what we labour to pour into them will run beside, Joh. 16.12. Rom. 14.1. But re­member still to be swift to hear, slow to speak, Jam. 1.19. to shew all meek­ness towards all men, to speak evil of none, unless you be called thereto, Tit. 3.2. to be sparing of your pro­mises, and as sparing of your secrets, [Page 60]unles to such, whose faithfullness you have good experience of, or un­les they leave as much in pawn with you as you trust with them: for by imparting our secrets to others, we oft put our selves into their power, so that they have a check upon us, according to that, Scire volunt se­creta domus atque inde timeri, Ju­ven. Sat. 13.

And lastly, Joyn prudence with innocence, that you may neither do wrong nor receive any, Mat 10.16. Psal. 101.2.

2. Labour to spend your time well when you are alone; Take heed to your spirits, Mal. 2.17. there is the beginning of all mischief, Mat. 15.19. then is the season for Satan to come and deal with us about his works of darkness, which he hath to put us upon, therefore we should prevent him by some good and profitable exercise; if David had taken this course, 2 Sam. 11. how much evill [Page 61]might it have prevented? how much work have we lying upon our hands to take up every spare minute of our lives? how many things are we ignorant of, which we may imploy our solitary time about, in inform­ing our selves by reading the Word of God, or using the help of others, which we have ready at hand in su [...]h abundance? or if we cannot read the Scriptures, or some other good books, as in a journey, or in our beds in the night, how much work have we to do upon our hearts? How many affections to quicken by holy meditation? how many doubts to resolve, and questi­ons to answer concerning our own spiritual condition by self-examina­tion? And for your help in these ex­ercises,

1. Labour to have the Word of God dwelling richly in you, Prov. 6.12. Mat. 12.35.

2. Have this good treasure in [Page 62]your heart disposed into some or­der, when our thoughts lie on a con­fused heap, we cannot so easily find out what we have occasion to use, let us sometimes look upward to God, consider his Nature, his Attributes, Psal. 104.34. his Wisdom, Goodnes, Power, Faithfulness, which he hath proclaimed in his Word, manifested in his Works, especially in that work of his manifold Wisdom, which is the subject of Angels meditation, Eph. 3.10.1 Pet. 1.11. Sometimes he looking backward on the wayes of Gods providence toward you, Ps. 139.8, &c. 2 Sam. 22.1, &c. or your ways towards God, 1 Tim. 1.13. Sometimes look downwards into your own hearts, see what work of God you can find there, what remainders of sin are stil there. Sometimes look forward to­wards your end, Meditate on Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell. So there are other usefull Subjects, as the love of God, the excellency of [Page 63]Christ, the vanity of the World, the sinfulness of sin, the deceit fulness of the heart, which Christians of ordi­nary capacities that are acquainted with the Scriptures, and use to hear Sermons, may easily improve by Meditation to the quickning of their affections, and strengthening their resolutions, and make your choice of these Subjects to meditate on according to your present state; as in prosperity oft be thinking of such things as may keep your hearts low, as your former condition, and Gods gracious providence in raising you up, if your condition have for­merly been worse, Gen. 32.10.2 Sa. 7.18. however of the vanity of the creature, the brevity of life, the joys of Heaven, &c. in adversity choose such matter of Meditation, as may be most fit to work you to patience and contentedness, Mic. 7.9. Ezr. 9.13. and then also make diligent search into your own hearts and ways, [Page 64]to find out what may probably be the cause of Gods contending with you, Ps. 77.6. Job 10.2. & 34.31, 32.

3. Raise up matter of holy Me­ditation from earthly things; God hath done much for our help in this exercise, by holding forth heavenly mysteries in his Word, in similitudes taken from earthly things, so, that almost every creature, every action may suggest some useful Meditation to us; if we be travelling, if we see a pleasant way, and much company, we do not consider these things, but what way it is that leads to the place we go to; so though the way of sin be pleasant to the flesh, and most walk in it, Mat. 7.13, 14. that should be no temptation to us, because that doth not lead to Heaven whither we go. If we meet with bad lodging or mean entertainment at our Inn, we know it is but for a night, and we shall have better when we come to our journeys end, so though we [Page 65]have but bad entertainment in this world, we are but strangers, this is but our Inne, we shall be better ac­commodated when we come to those Mansions which Christ is gone before to prepare for us, Joh. 14.2. The like Meditations may be raised from most occurrences of our life.

Direct. 8. Let us continually set before us the perfect patern of our Lord Jesus. We are more easily led by examples than precepts, and Christ is the only perfect patern; o­thers are to be followed so far only as they follow him, 1 Cor. 11.1.

Not that all the actions of Christ are imitable; he was not meer man, but God also, and Mediatour be­twixt God and Man; and what he did as God, or as Mediator we can­not imitate him in; but there are di­vers things wherein the Scripture propounds his examples to us for imitation, as

1. Love, Eph. 5.1, 2. 1 Joh. 3.16.

[Page 66]2. Meekness and Humility, Mat. 11.29. Joh. 13.14. Rom. 15.3.

3. Self-denial, Mat. 16.24. Phil. 2.3, &c. 2 Cor. 8.9.

4. Patience, 1 Pet. 2.21.

5. Making it his work to do good, Act. 10.38. And these are graces which carry a great stroak in all the passages of our lives.

Now the example of Christ doth not only serve for our direction, so as we should oft think with our selves in the conduct and manage­ment of the affairs of our life, what Christ himself would do, or how he would carry himself in such a case, were he upon earth again as former­ly, that we may behave our selves after the same manner. But 2. It may be for our encouragement; he is of a mean, base spirit, that will not follow where his General leads; Malus miles est qui imperatorem ge­mens sequitur. Sen. Ep. 107. There­fore Cato when he was to lead his [Page 67]souldiers through a place of danger and difficulty, told them he would go before them, and they should not see him drink while they were thir­sty, nor take his ease while they were weary, nor see any thing in him which should difference him at all from a common souldier, Lucan. l. 9. So Christ may say to us, He took upon him the meanest condition, Phil. 2.6. there is nothing which he calls us to suffer, but he hath suffered worse for us, why should not we then take up our cross and go after him? Yea, 2. after his suffering he was crown­ed with glory, Heb. 12.2, 3. So, If we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him, Rom. 8.17. Mat. 19.28.

Direct. 9. Every night take an ac­count of the passages of the day past. Vid. Bald. de cons [...]ient. l. 4. c. 2. cas. 2. Examine your selves, how you have observed the fore-mentioned rules, what the constant frame of your [Page 68]heart hath been, what you have done, upon what grounds, whether it have been with the warrant of Gods Word, for what end, whether it hath had any tendency to the glory of God, and subserviency to your chief end; whether that hath been in your intention; what op­portunities you have neglected of communion with God, what hath been the carriage of your heart in holy duties, how you have behaved your selves in company, what good you have done, whether any have been the better for you, or you for them, what you have taken into the good treasure of your hearts, and what you have laid out, Mat. 12.35. what temper your heart hath been in when alone: and so you may go over the several passages of the day. Hereby you will always be in some good preparation for death, it will not surprize you wholly unready, when you daily cast up your ac­counts, [Page 69]you will be better acquaint­ed with your own spiritual estate, you will see what progress you make in the way towards Heaven, what ground you gain of your cor­ruptions, where Satan hath most advantage against you, what sinne you are most frequently overtaken with, what is the weakest place of your soul; you will likewise be kept hereby from lying long in any sinne unrepented of: if David had con­stantly observed this course, he had never lien so long as he did in carnal security; you may likewise do well to take special notice of the passages of Gods providence towards you. And to keep a record or journal of the more remarkable passages of your lives, is a practice commended by divers godly men from their own experience. For direction wherein, see M^r White in his Treatise of the Power of Godliness, and M^r Bedle in his Diary of a thankefull Christian. [Page 70]And further this review of Gods dealings with you, and your carri­age towards him, will furnish you with matter of confession, petition, thanksgiving, and put you upon the fresh exercise of your faith, and renewing your hold on Jesus Christ in your Evening Prayers.

Direct. 10. Awake with God in the Morning. I have disposed of this Rule here, because of the de­pendance which it hath on that which goeth before: This was Da­vids practice, Psal. 139.17 18. How precious are thy thoughts, i.e. the thoughts which I have of thee; the affix in the Hebrew Notes oft the Object, and not the Subject, as Gen. 16.5. Jer. 32.40.

1. God visits us every morning, Job 7.18. Lam. 3.23.

2. Then our hearts are fittest for heavenly Meditation, when our spi­rits are refreshed, and our hearts have not yet been intangled with [Page 71]the things of the world.

3. If holy thoughts do not first take place, Satan will soon thrust in. Our hearts are (as Bernard saith) like a mill that grinds every thing that is put upon it, whether good or bad, Med. devot. eap. 10. See there how he complains of the sad effect of giving way to evil thoughts, how his heart was thereby estranged from the love of heavenly things.

4. This is necessary for getting our hearts into a right frame, for walking with God all the day: if we would have our watch go right all the day, we must wind it up in the morning; so we had need to wind up our hearts every morning, if we would order our conversation aright. 1. Then let us meditate on the goodness of God towards us particularly the night past, our pro­tection, preservation, refreshment that God should think of us, when we cannot think of him, take care of [Page 72]us, when we can take none of our selves, watch over us while we sleep, keep us from sleeping the sleep of death; and bethink your selves, what thanks you should render to the Lord for his gracious dealings with you; and how you may return the use of that life to him, which he restores to you every Morning. And to this end. 2. Review the ac­count which you took of your selvs the night before: See wherein it was that you was most easily over­taken, where Satan got an advan­tage against you, whether you were not ready to offend with your tongue in company, whether your heart did not steal from you in holy duties, whether vain thoughts did not devour the time of your soli­tude, what baits you found your hearts most ready to rise to, what are the usual out-goings of your hearts, what evil haunts they have; whether pride and vain-glory, sen­suality, [Page 73]rash anger, peevishness, impatience, or what other sin hath the greatest advantage against you: and consider, what temptations you are lik to meet with that day, which may most endanger you; and ha­ving found out the plague of your own hearts, 3. Furnish your selves with the strongestarguments against such a sin, (which you may gather up as you meet with them in your hearing or reading) and inforce them upon your own souls, by com­muning with your hearts, till you have brought your selves to some fixed resolutions of cleaving to the Lord, Act. 11.23. Psal. 119.106. Some advise us for the confirming our resolutions, to lay some penal­ty upon our selves every time we fail of making them good. Of which you may see several instances in Drexelius his Trismegistus Christi­anus, lib. 1. cap. 6. But although some of them savour too much of [Page 74]Popish Superstition, yet godly sor­row doth work an holy revenge, 2 Cor. 7.11. which we may take up­on our selves, by denying our selves the use of our lawfull liberty in those things wherein we have abu­sed it, or wherein we are in danger again to abuse it, if we should take it: and watching our own hearts, as we would watch a thief, when we are cast upon such temptations, as we have formerly been easily en­snared by, Prov. 23.1, 2. 4. Ha­ving by the fore-mentioned Medi­tations brought our hearts to some fixed resolutions; let us not trust to our own purposes, but in the next place, go to God, in whom we have both strength and righteousness, Isa. 45.24. and commit the keeping of our souls to him in well-doing, 1 Pet. 4.19. And as we may be furnished with matter for our prayers in the evening, from the account which we take of our selves, so in the [Page 75]morning from our early Meditati­ons, and that is the reason why I have not (as many others that write exercises of devotion) either set down any form of Prayer, or dire­cted you to any, he will not need any form of Prayer that practices these duties, to lead his affections, or teach him to express his desires before God in secret; and for fami­ly-duties, it is not my purpose here to treat of them. And if any shall object, That this exercise in the Morning, requires more time than they can spare, being forced to arise to their labour assoon as they awake. I answer, Christians may abound in these things, as their oc­casions will allow them. Some, I know, cannot spend so much time in them as others, but they may be the briefer; and if they should have no more time to spare, than while they are putting on their cloaths, they may briefly run over some such [Page 76]things in their thoughts, as I have directed them to, and make a supply to the want of time, by a more earn­est intention of their minds, to what they are exercised in.