A Guide to Godliness, Book 3 · Chapter 26
CAP. XXVI.
Of the duties which wee ought to performe, when we are ſolitary and alone.
§. Sect. 1 That when we are alone, we muſt not be idle and vnfruitfull.
BEſides thoſe Chriſtian duties which are ordinarily and conſtantly to be done in ſome part of eueryevery day; there are others which are more accidentall, vntounto which wee are not tyed eueryevery day or any certaine time of the weeke, but to be done when as we ſhall hauehave fitteſt occaſions and beſt opportunitie offered vntounto vsus. And which belong not to all perſons, or to the ſame perſons at all times, but waite vponupon vncertaine occurrents, variety of eſtates, and ſuch like circumſtances. As for example, wee are ſometimes by our ſelues alone, and ſometimes in company with others, ſometimes in proſperity and ioy, and ſometime in aduerſitie and trouble, and vncertaine it is in what day or what part of the day any of theſe ſhall happen; notwithſtanding there are diuers duties which belong to theſe ſeueral conditions, which with no leſſe conſcience & conſtancy are to be performed then the other, of which we are now come to intreate. And firſt, wee will ſhew what are thoſe Chriſtian duties which belong vntounto vsus when wee are alone, and then what thoſe are which wee ought to performe in the company of others. Concerning the former, wee muſt, when we are ſolitary and alone, keepe a narrow watch ouer our ſelues, that wee be neither idle and vnfruitfull, nor ill imployed and taken vp with bad exerciſes. We muſt not ſuffer our mindes to be ſlothfull and ſluggiſh, and ſo to languiſh for want of ſpirituall exerciſe; nor our hearts to remaine in vsus dull and dead, barraine and empty of all good deſires and holy reſolutions; neither yet muſt we in reſpect of action and bodily imployment, giuegive our ſelues ouer vntounto eaſe and ſloth; for if we thus (as it were) lye fallow without any ſeede of grace ſowne in vsus, the diuell knowing vsus to be fit grounds for his husbandry, will ſow in vsus the cockle and tares of all ſinne and wickedneſſe; if hee finde vsus thus ſwept and empty of all good, wee ſhall bee fitly garniſhed for his dwelling, as our Sauiour hath taught vsus. If wee be not imployed in ſome good dutie of Matth. 12. 45.Gods ſeruice, the deuill will take vsus vp like maſterleſſe men, and allure vsus with the pay of worldly vanities, to ſerue him in the workes of darkeneſſe. As wee ſee in the example of Dauid, who ſpending his time 2. Sam. 11. 1, 2.in ſloth when Kings went out to warre, and the Armie of God was in the field, the deuill taking him at this aduantage, put his preſſe-money of carnall pleaſure into his hand, and ſo imployed him for the time to fight his battailes, euen to the ſhedding of the blood of innocent Vriah and other of his faithfull ſeruants.
§. Sect. 2 That we muſt ſpend our ſolitary houres in good exerciſes, ſhunning vaine thoughts and intertaining Chriſtian meditations.
And as our care muſt bee, that we be not idle, ſo much more that wee do not ſpend our ſolitary houres in doing that which is ill, the which notwithſtanding inſeparably accompanieth the other. For no ſooner doe we ceaſe to doe good, but we begin to doe euill; no ſooner doe we leaue the Oare, as we are rowing towards the hauen of reſt, but the winde and tide of our corruption carrieth vsus downe the ſtreame towards the dead ſea of death and deſtruction. And therefore if we would not be drawne vntounto ill, we muſt ſtill be imployed in good exerciſes; keeping alwayes a narrow watch ouer our minds, hearts, and actions, that on the one ſide they be not ouertaken with any euill, nor proſtituted vntounto any ſinne; and on the other ſide, that they be wholly taken vp and exerciſed in all Chriſtian and holy duties. Firſt, aboue all obſeruations wee muſt looke to our deceitfull minds and hearts, that they bee not ſtolne from vsus by the ſubtilty of the deuill when we are alone; and that they doe not (as naturally they are apt) wander in this ſolitarineſſe, and goe aſtray from the way of Gods commandements, and ſo loſing themſelues (like Lambes in the Deſart) in the by-wayes of ſinne, become an eaſie prey to the rauening Wolfe. In which regard we muſt keepe a carefull watch ouer our mindes and cogitations, that they doe not take their liberty when we are alone, to roue and range after worldly vanities, the pleaſures of ſinne, and things that being vtterly vnprofitable doe vsus no good, though we ſpend many houres in thinking on them. For what ſinne and pitty is it, that ſuch excellent faculties of the ſoule, the minde, imagination, and diſcourſe of reaſon, ſhould be ſo vainely imployed, either about things euill and hurtful, or fruitleſſe and impertinent, that if, after much time thus ſpent, we ſhould call our ſelues to account, and ſay; Soule, what good haſt thou reaped by ſo many houres ſtudy and Meditation, either for the ſubduing of thy corruption, or thine inriching with grace, and inabling vntounto any holy duty; either for thy better ſecuring from ſinne and death, or further aſſurance of life and happineſſe; it would be ſtricken dumbe, and not able to anſwere any word? Contrariwiſe our care muſt be, that in our ſolitarineſſe our mindes and imaginations be exerciſed in good Meditations, as in the conſideration of Gods nature and ſauing attributes, his Wiſedome and power, his Iuſtice and mercy, his infinite Goodnes in himſelfe and graciouſneſſe towards vsus, the excellency and perfection of his Law, and his admirable workes of creation and prouidence; the great myſtery of our Redemption by Ieſus Chriſt, and of the meanes whereby we may be aſſured of the fruit and benefit of it; of the ineſtimable priuiledges, which belong to all true Chriſtians, and of the innumerable miſeries which are incident vntounto them who liue ſtill in the ſtate of infidelity and corruption; of the excellency of ſpirituall graces, and of thoſe heauenly ioyes, wherewith they ſhall be eternally crowned in the life to come; or of the meanes wherby we may attaine vntounto them, and bee more and more aſſured of them; of the fouleneſſe and odiouſneſſe of vice and ſinne, and of the fearefull condemnation, and horrible torments of the wicked, who liue & die in them without repentance. So alſo wee are to meditate of mans miſery through the fall, and of the meanes wherby we may be freed from it; & more particularly, of thoſe ſpeciall ſins, vntounto which by nature we are moſt inclined, and wherewith we are moſt often ouertaken; and of the meanes whereby we may be ſtrengthned againſt them, and inabled to mortifie and ſubdue them; and contrariwiſe, in what vertues and graces wee are moſt defectiue, and of the meanes whereby they may bee increaſed in vsus; with what tentations wee are moſt often and dangerouſly aſſaulted; what part of Chriſtian Armour is moſt wanting, and what place in body or ſoule being weakeſt, is likely to giuegive aduantage vntounto our ſpirituall enemies in their aſſaults of tentation, and to indanger vsus to be ſurprized and ouercome. Or if our minds bee not thus taken vp in things appertaining to the good of our ſoules, yet at leaſt, they muſt be exerciſed about matters that concerne our temporall eſtate and the workes of our callings; and how wee may ſo well contriue our worldly buſineſſes, as that they may by our care and prouidence ſucceed the better when we vndertake them. But heere our care muſt bee, that our mindes be ſo exerciſed about theſe worldly things, as that they bee not wholly ſwallowed vp of them, and that like Eagles they ſtoope downe to them as vntounto their prey, for the relieuing of our preſent neceſſities, but that they doe not wholly dwell vponupon them, but, according to their diuine and excellent nature, they doe againe raiſe themſelues vponupon the wings of faith, and ſoare aloft in diuine contemplations; ſpending ſome part of our ſolitary houres, in our holy ſoli-loquies and conferences with God, diuine Meditations, Prayer at leaſt by ſhort eiaculations, and thankeſgiuing vntounto God for all his benefits, reading of the Scriptures, and other holy and religious bookes, for the increaſing of our knowledge, and ſtrengthening of our faith, and the directing and reforming of our liues, with ſuch other religious exerciſes.
§. Sect. 3 That in our ſolitarineſſe we muſt auoyde carnall concupiſcence and the pleaſures of ſinne.
With like care we muſt in our ſolitarineſſe watch ouer our hearts, that they be not poyſoned with carnall concupiſcence, nor inueagled and inamoured with the pleaſures of ſinne, and that they doe not affect and faſten themſelues vponupon worldly vanities, nor dote vponupon vncertaine riches, voluptuous delights, and vaine honours, vntounto which naturally they are ſo much inclined, and ſo commit with them a kinde of contemplatiue idolatry, when as they are debarred of actuall fruition, and cannot, in this ſolitary abſence, performe vntounto them any reall worſhip. But ſeeing God requireth to hauehave them as his owne peculiar and chiefe poſſeſſion, we muſt keepe Pro. 23. 26.them faſt linked vntounto him, and ſo faſten them vponupon ſpirituall and heauenly excellencies, that no worldly thing may cauſe a ſeparation. And becauſe we hauehave no bond ſtrong enough to tye them together in this inſeparable vnion, we muſt often pray with Dauid, that the Lord will knit our hearts Pſal. 86. 11. Ier. 31. 33. & 32. 40.vntounto him with his holy Spirit, and ſo ingraue his Law, and put his feare in them, that they may neuer depart from him. And that they may not bee fixed and faſt glewed vntounto earthly things, we muſt with an holy violence pull them often aſunder, and lift them vp with holy deſires, affecting, yea Pſal. 42. 1, 2. & 84. 1, 2. Pſ. 119. 97, 103. & 17. 15. Pſal. 131. 2.hungring and thirſting after ſuch things as are ſpirituall and heauenly, as after the food of our ſoules, and Gods preſence in the Sanctuary, after Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, and the meanes of our ſaluation, after the perfect and full fruition of God, when as beholding his face in righteouſneſſe, 1. Pet. 2. 1.we ſhall be ſatisfied with his Image. The which our deſires and affections muſt be feruent and earneſt, like thoſe of little children after their mothers breſt, when as they are newly weaned, or of women with child, which are Mat. 5. 6.ſo ſicke with longing, that they are ready to miſcarry, if their deſires bee not ſatisfied, or of men neere famiſhed with hunger and thirſt after their meates and drinkes.
§. Sect. 4 That we muſt in our ſolitarineſſe beware of ſinfull actions and ſecret ſinnes.
Finally, though our mindes and hearts doe ſometimes breake thorow the watch at vnawares, yet at leaſt let vsus not ſo negligently keepe it, as to be ouertaken in our actions with any groſſe ſinne, as either by ſpending our time in idleneſſe without any imployment, becauſe there is none to take notice of our ſloth, or by committing any ſinne which wee would bee loth to doe if wee were in company, and had the eyes of men to looke vponupon vsus. And to this end let vsus conſider, that in the greateſt ſolitude wee hauehave God preſent to beare vsus company, who beholdeth our moſt ſecret actions, not as an idle ſpectatour, but as a righteous Iudge, who will call all our workes to account, to reward them if they be good, 1. Cor. 5. 10.or to puniſh them if they be euill; and what extreme folly and madneſſe is it, to make no ſcruple of committing thoſe ſinnes in the preſence of our Iudge, which with all care wee hide from our fellowes, who, it may be, are guilty of the ſame or like crimes? Let vsus alſo conſider, that we carry our owne conſciences euer about vsus, which are ſuch witneſſes as will not bee bribed and corrupted, but will one day giuegive in true euidence before Gods Tribunall, either to acquit or condemne vsus; beſides all thoſe preſent accuſations wherewith they are alwayes ready to vpbraide vsus after our illdoing, and thoſe horrours and terrours wherewith they affright vsus, after we hauehave wounded them with knowne, wilfull, and haynous ſinnes; if at leaſt by impudencie in ſinning and cuſtomable wickedneſſe, they be not for the time ſeared and ſenſeleſſe. Let vsus remember, that there is nothing hid which ſhall not bee made manifeſt, and that all our workes and actions which are done in the moſt ſecret corners, ſhall, as our Sauiour ſpeaketh, Mat. 10. 26, 27.be proclaimed vponupon the houſe tops; yea ſhall one day come to be viewed and ſcanned before all the holy Saints and Angels, and be either applauded and commended, or elſe derided and condemned. Finally, that it is groſſe hypocriſie to ſeeme more carefull and conſcionable of our workes and wayes, when we are in company and in the ſight of men, then when we are alone and in the preſence of God; the which abuſe of his Maieſty hee will not indure, but will, vnleſſe wee repent of it, pull off the vayle and vizard of hypocriſie, and lay open our nakedneſſe and filthineſſe to the view of the world. Or if he forbeare vsus ſo long, yet will hee not faile to vncaſe and vnmaske vsus at the day of Iudgement, and giuegive vsus our portion Mat. 24. 51.with the reſt of our fellow hypocrites, where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.
§. Sect. 5 That it is pleaſant, profitable, and neceſſary to ſpend our ſolitary houres in Chriſtian duties.
And thus are we in our ſolitarineſſe to watch ouer our minds and imaginations, our hearts and affections, our workes and actions, that they may be preſerued from all ſinne, and wholly taken vp and exerciſed in religious and honeſt duties; which that we may obſerue with more vigilancy and diligence, let vsus conſider that it is a courſe, pleaſant, profitable, and neceſſary. For what can be more pleaſant, then ſo to carry our ſelues in our ſolitarineſſe, as that we may conuerſe with God, & feele within vsus the beames of his fauour warming our hearts, and the ſweet communion and gracious influences of his holy Spirit directing, comforting, and incouraging vsus in theſe good courſes? what greater ioy in this life, then thus to inioy God in ſome firſt fruits and ſmall beginnings, which ſhall be the perfection of our happineſſe, when we come to full fruition? We ſhall find it alſo moſt profitable both for our ſelues and others. For if wee make this vſe of our ſolitarineſſe, our minds will be the better fitted for diuine contemplation, when as they are ſequeſtred for the time from the world, as our bodies are from company, and ſo freed from all thoſe diſtractions and interruptions, which when we are in company, doe hinder vsus in this exerciſe. And this benefit of ſolitude for holy Meditations the Pſalmiſt noteth; Stand in awe Pſal. 4. 4.(ſaith he) and ſinne not; commune with your owne heart vponupon your bed, and be ſtill. And our Sauiour Chriſt inioyneth it as a notable helpe to fit vsus the better for prayer; When thou prayeſt (ſaith he) enter into thy Chamber, and when thou hast ſhut to the doore, pray to thy Father which is in ſecret. And as we are hereby made more fit to conuerſe with God, ſo alſo with men; ſeeing if we keepe our mindes and hearts thus well ſeaſoned in our ſolitarineſſe, all our words and actions will hold the ſame taſte when we come into company; and if when we are alone, our hearts be the inditers of good matter, Pſal. 45. 1.when wee come among others, our tongues will bee as the pen of a ready writer, to diſcouer and lay open for the good of others, the things which we priuately hauehave conceiued. If when we are alone, wee thus furniſh and inrich our ſelues with theſe prouiſions of ſpirituall and heauenly treaſures, we ſhall be able out of our ſtore to ſpend liberally when we come into company, & to inrich others alſo with our plenty. Finally, it is neceſſary that we keepe this watch ouer our thoughts, hearts, and actions, when we are ſolitary, becauſe then we are more in danger to fall into ſinne, and to become ſlothfull and negligent in all good duties; for then the bond of feare and worldly ſhame, that reſtraineth the fleſh from many diſorders, which otherwiſe it would willingly ruſh into, being taken away, it will eagerly deſire more liberty to ſinne, and then alſo we want the incouragement of fame and commendation, which is due vntounto well-doing, and is a notable ſpurre to pricke vsus forward in vertuous actions; the which mooued our Sauiour to incourage vsus in our priuate prayers, by telling vsus, that howſoeuer by performing this holy duty in ſecret, we ſhould want the applauſe and praiſes of men, yet there is ſufficient cauſe to make vsus perſeuere in it, ſeeing our heauenly Father would aboundantly ſupply this defect, who ſeeing vsus in ſecret, would reward vsus openly. Againe, when we are ſolitary Mat. 6. 6.and alone, we are deſtitute of the helpe of our religious friends, who by their counſell, exhortations, and incouragements, make vsus more ready to vndertake, and more able to performe Chriſtian duties, and by their admonitions and reprehenſions, doe raiſe vsus vp by repentance when as wee are falne into any ſinne. In which regard the Wiſe man ſaith, that two are better then one, becauſe if they fall, the one will helpe vp his fellow; and denounceth Eccl. 4. 9, 10.a woe against him that is alone when he falleth, becauſe hee hath not another to helpe him vp. And therefore in this reſpect alſo we neede to double our care, in watching ouer our ſelues when we are alone, becauſe wee hauehave no other to watch ouer vsus, who might ſupply thoſe defects in which we are wanting. Adde hereunto, that when we are alone, we are more expoſed to the danger of tentations, ſeeing Satan our ſpirituall enemy is ready to take the aduantage of our ſolitude, and to aſſault vsus in ſingle combate, when we hauehave no ſeconds nor ſuccours to aſſiſt vsus in our foyles. And this made him to tempt Eue when ſhe was alone, that ſhe might not Gen. 3. 1.hauehave the counſell and helpe of her husband to make reſiſtance. And Ioſeph, when there was none with him but his vnchaſte miſtreſſe, whom hee vſed Gen. 39. 11.duplicate page duplicate page as his wicked inſtrument to aſſault his chaſtity. And thus hee aſſaulted righteous Lot vntounto inceſtuous luſt, not in Abrahams company, nor yet in Gen. 19. 30, 31.Sodom it ſelfe, though in reſpect of their profeſſed filthineſſe, it was a fit Theater for ſuch a fearefull Tragedy; but when hee liued ſolitarily in the mountaine, and had none but his daughters to beare him company, who were to prouoke him vntounto this vncleanneſſe. And thus when hee would tempt Dauid vntounto luſt, he chooſeth his time when hee walked alone vponupon the roofe of his houſe, and then allured him, by preſenting vntounto his ſight a fit obiect of vncleanneſſe. The which he found by often experience to be ſo great an aduantage, that when he was to combate with our Sauiour Chriſt, he made choyce to ſet vp his liſts in the wilderneſſe, that hauing in this Matth. 4.ſolitary place, none of the former helpes, hee might hauehave full liberty to bend againſt him all his engines of battery, and vſe without any interruption the vttermoſt of his power and skill to giuegive him a foyle. Finally, as ſolitary places are fitteſt for Satans filthy imbracements, and to pollute Iam. 1. 12, 13.the ſoule with ſinne, ſo alſo for the vnlawfull conceptions of our wicked luſts, which afterwards are brought to the birth, and grow to their full maturity in outward actions, when wee come into company, as the Apoſtle Iames implyeth in the like Allegory. Thus alſo the Prophet Micah denounced a woe againſt them who deuiſed iniquity, and in their meditations Micah 2. 1.plotted the worke of wickedneſſe vponupon their beds, and when the morning is light, practiſed it, becauſe it was in the power of their hands. And when they had by themſelues coueted their neighbours fields, they did afterwards ſeaze vponupon them with open violence, &c. In which regard, wee are in our ſolitarineſſe to watch moſt carefully ouer the purity of our ſoules, becauſe they are then moſt indangered to theſe ſpirituall rapes; and in vaine ſhall wee labour to hinder the birth and growth of ſinne when wee come into company, if when vvee are alone, we be not as carefull to ſhunne Satans imbracements, and ſo to preuent its firſt conception.