Time Well Spent in Sacred Meditations, Part 109 – Part 118
A Good Name.
THeſe be two effects of Favour and a good name tvvo effects of godlineſſe.godlineſſe, and notably maintaine one another, favour and a good name, which bee better then riches, as at all times, and in all perſons may be ſeen, without which all gifts helpe little.
2. Wee ought in no caſe to hurt the good Our brethrens good name not to bee empaired.name of our brethren, as whereby he is more wronged then by the loſſe of Note.goods.
3. Wee ought to bee moſt carefull by all good Wee muſt be carefull to maintaine our good names.meanes to maintaine our owne good name, and therefore learne how it may be gotten and preſerved, as alſo if we be diſcredited what profit to make thereof.
4. Seeing a good name ariſeth of a good life, without Whence a good name ariſeth.this to be well reported of, is a fierce puniſhment of God, being a great Hurtfull to be vvell reported of undeſervedly.hardening of the heart in ſinne and hinderance from repentance.
5. The firſt ſtep to a good name is to avoide The firſt ſtep to a good name.carefully and continually all evill outward and inward, and eſpecially wherunto wee bee by nature moſt inclineable: for as one Simil.dead flie corrupteth an whole boxe of oyntment, ſo doth ſome one ſinne often crack the credit of a man of good report before. Gods children are eſpecially Why the godly muſt carefully avoid evill.to be carefull herein, becauſe of the hatred of the world, who will commend their owne though never ſo prophane, if there be but any naturall gift, but contrariwiſe if any of Note.Gods children be never ſo full of grace, if hee have but one infirmitie or bee once overtaken with ſome ſinne, the world will count him a wicked man, and thereby take occaſion to ſpeake evill of their profeſſion. As open, ſo ſecret Even the corruptions of the heart doe bring us out of Gods favour.ſinnes and corruptions of the heart doe bring out of favour with God, who will ſoone detect us, and make our ſecret ſinnes come to light, as he often hath, for hee can make his dumbe creatures reveale them: or our friends to fall out with us, and ſo reveale them, to whom before we made them knowne: or our owne mouth to confeſſe them, either at unawares, or in ſleepe by dreames, or in ſickneſſe by raving, or in frenfie to vomit out thine owne ſhame, or elſe the torment of thy evil conſcience ſhall wring it out, yea if all theſe ſhould, faile the Lord is able to raiſe a ſtrong ſuſpition in the hearts of others that thou art ſuch a one, and therby diſcredit thee: as this is a good meanes to provide for a good name, ſo is it a good rule of all godlineſſe to be affraid of ſecret evills, yea in heart and thought. A ſecond ſtep of procuring and keeping The ſecond ſtep to a good name.a good name is to have a godly jealouſie over all our doings that they give no occaſion of ſuſpicion of evill, though we doe not that which is ſimply evill, procuring things honeſt, following and ſeeking after things of good report, ſo alſo to be plentifull in good workes, one or two being inſufficient, our light muſt ſhine before men. Mat. 5.
6. In doing good, wee muſt looke that it be with In doing good what is to bee lookt untoa ſincere affection, and 2. with diſcretion: the want of eithertakes away the credit of well-doing by Gods juſt puniſhment; ſo that a ſimple ſoule ſhall ſee the ſhifts wherewith the wiſe worldlings bleare mens eyes.
7. When we are ill reported What vvee are to doe when vvee are ill reported of for well doing.of for well doing its good firſt before wee cleare our ſelves, to examine our hearts in what manner we did it, and finding wickedneſſe therein, to be humbled for it before the Lord, and receive it as Gods correction to amend us: if we finde our heart upright, then let us learne that God tryeth us whether we will leave doing well for ill report, and therefore with patience to endure this triall, and commend our innocencie unto him who maintaines good and honeſt hearts.
8. They which are ſo paſt ſhame that they care Who do… little profit by the magiſtrate.not for the Church diſcipline for their open ſinnes, little profit by the Magiſtrate.
9 Many that are put to Why men are ſorrowfull being put to openſhameopen ſhame are ſorowfull therefore, but not aright, for it is not becauſe they ſinne againſt God: others are ſorrowfull for their ſin which wrought them ſhame, but the devill bewitcheth them that their ſinne is not ſo great, and many doe worſe; and this ſhame will not continue long, prove a wonder but of nine dayes continuance, whereby they be hindered from repentance, and though at the firſt they without diſſembling promiſed amendment, yet neglecting the meanes to further their repentance, thus bewitched they fall to their ſinnes againe. They that will profit by What they are to doe vvho vvould profit by open diſcredit.ſuch diſcredit, are to labour that as their faces bluſh before men, ſo their ſoules may be confounded before the Lord, that being humbled by▪ godly ſorrow, it may pleaſe God to raiſe them up. Now to try godly ſorrow theſe be two rules, 1. If we can with contented mindes take the puniſhment Tvvo rules vvhereby to try godly ſorrow.as correction from the Lord, and yet mourne for our ſinne, and that in ſuch manner, as giving place to Gods juſtice in puniſhing, we can labour for forgiveneſſe of ſinnes. And 2. if when we can conceale our ſinne, yet wee freely with David confeſſe it: when a ſin is committed, yet ſo cloſely as none can probably ſuſpect him, the offendant may conceale his ſinne, if it can be done without another ſinne, but if an oath be lawfully required, the truth muſt be told.
Nurcerie for the Church.
It were an happy nurcerie A miniſter to traine up ſome tovvard Scholar in his houſe.for the Church if every grounded Paſtor would traine up in life, learning, doctrine, diſcipline, ſome toward Scholar to make him more fit for the Church as Moſes did Ioſhua, Elias Eliſha, Ieremie Baruch, Chriſt his diſciples, Paul Timothie.
Offences.
IN private offences a Private offences muſt not hinder private pray…s.man may goe to his private prayers before he be reconciled, till opportunitie be had.
Parents.
1. WHen children have What Parents are to doe about their childrens infirmitiesinfirmities their parents are to ſee whether they have not received ſuch ſinnes from them, if they have, they are rather to pray for their children, then too much to correct them, leſt they perſecute their owne ſinnes in their children.
2. The Lord often in The immoderate love of parents to their children puniſhed.his children correcteth the immoderate love of parents to their children, for naturall cauſes, as Abraham with Iſmael, Iſaac with Eſau, David with Abſolom and Adoniah; ſo of huſbands to their wives.
3. If a maide may not Contracts not to be vvithout the parents conſent.performe her vow to the Lord without her fathers conſent, much leſſe her contract to man.
Patience.
1. In greateſt troubles there is no greater eaſe Patience an eaſe in trouble.then patience and ſufferance: as a great cauſe of madneſſe is impatiency of minde, or Gods ſudden wrath for ſinne againſt conſcience.
2. Patience then poſſeſſeth the ſoule when our When patience poſſeſſeth the ſoule.outward wants are thereby ſupplyed.
Peace and Ioy.
1. Its not to bee marvelled though ſo few attaine Why ſo fevv rejoyc… in Gods loveto the joy in the holy Ghoſt, and to ſuch ſweet rejoycings in Gods love which is the height of our happineſſe here, ſo that the more this is felt and kept, the more heavenly is the life and death. 1. The worſer ſort have no knowledge nor care whether God like or diſlike their wayes, but blindlie hope all is well till evill come; and ſome of theſe though they feare, God is angry with them, yet ſhake it off and forget it, at leaſt flightly appeaſe him. 2. A ſecond ſort be grieved hereat, and this takes away their joy as it ought, but ſeldome come they to ſound comfort and leſſe rejoycing, though fearefull to offend. 3. A better ſort be warned by their harmes, and ſo more wiſely keepe their peace, not willingly angering God by leaving undone their duty or preſuming to doe contrary, but indeede to pleaſe God, thoſe uſually walke with much peace, and can come boldly in Gods preſence, and ſo ſometimes finde a glorying in the Lord, and exultation in the Spirit, beſt of all. The way then to maintaine our peace and How to maintaine our peace and ſo rejoyce.ſo rejoyce, is to conſider how we pleaſe God: if not, then 1. not to be quiet, but mourne, 2. not to languiſh in ſorrow, but ſeeke reconciliation. 3. to be chary in maintaining peace, which in time will breede rejoycing, for which labour we by due meditation on Gods love: for infirmities ought not to breake our peace, ſo as there be a true bewailing and ſtriving againſt them, but preſumptuous ſinnes; and God much more will beare with many faults where there is a care to to doe better.
2. Although the love Gods love the originall of our ſalvation, yet the grace of Chriſt doth firſt aſſure us thereof.of God bee the originall cauſe of our ſalvation, yet in reſpect of us the grace of Chriſt is the firſt to worke aſſurance thereof in our hearts; for this cauſe in bleſſing the people that is ſet in the firſt place (The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt,) which they firſt conceive to be the beginning of their bleſſing.
To Pleaſe God.
1. Its a common and a ſore evill, that there is ſo Little care or labour to pleaſe God.little care whether God be pleaſed or not, and therefore ſo little labour to pleaſe him, without which there is no fruit or comfort of prayer.
2. That we may pleaſe God, there muſt bee firſt Three things required in thoſe that vvould pleaſe Godan endeavour to pray according to his will. 2. when we doe beſt, yet to diſlike our workes as unworthy the Lord. 3. a beleefe that God wil pardon our wants and accept us in Chriſts worthineſſe; not one of many thus pleaſe God, moſt few in prayer.
3. The true meanes to What things joyne us to God.pleaſe God, is true religion, & a true heart in religiō which joyne us to God, for if either our heart bee uncleane, which is abominable before God, or religion be corrupted, which is loathſome in his ſight, we cannot pleaſe the Lord, how glorious ſoever wee bee in the ſight of the world.
4. Who ſo would pleaſe Obedience required in thoſe that would pleaſe GodGod muſt both in deede, and manner of doing endeavour to obey him.
5. The chiefeſt thing that God is pleaſed with, is What thing God is moſt pleaſed vvith.to be truly religious, to love the truth with ſingleneſſe of heart and a prepared minde, to be obedient to it: without the which though a man could live an Angels life in outward ſhew, yet by how much the more it is praiſed of the world, by ſo much it is the more abominable in the ſight of God.
Poore.
1. For releeving beggars at the doore or by the Hovv farre and vvhat ſort of beggars are to be releeved.high way ſide, I iudge this a good courſe, ſeeing the law hath well provided who ſhould bee releeved and who not, for many great damages to the land by releeving ſuch, and therefore hath ſet a penaltie on ſuch releevers, therfore to releeve ſuch as bee allowed by law in a godly diſcretion according to their neceſſitie, unleſſe we can on ſome good ground avouch them to be counterfeits, and then as wee may to ſee them puniſhed: as for the other not licenced, not to releeve them, except wee bee aſſured of their preſent neceſſitie, which is alſo by law excepted.
2. In our lawfull labours The tenth to be given to the poore.whatſoever wee get, its good to give the tenth to the poore.
Poperie.
1. Many thinke it religion Not enough to leave poperie and ſtand on faith vvithout f…uits.enough to leave poperie, and ſtand on faith without fruits, ſo hard is it for fleſh and blood to admit a continuall ſtrugling, a going on forward.
2. The myſterie of iniquity The ground of Popery.began even ſtreight upon the Apoſtles times; by this meanes, that holy men and the fathers of the Church were not ſo wary in deliverie of the truth, but gave advantage to Satan, ſome one way, ſome another, whereby out of all their errours joyned together was at length raiſed up the Kingdome of Antichriſt.
Praiſe and diſpraiſe.
Its our corruption as well to praiſe ſome too Wee are neither to praiſe nor diſpraiſe too much.much, eſpecially ſuch of whom we have received ſome good things, as to diſpraiſe ſome too much, eſpecially of whom wee have beene ſome way hurt.