The Whole Duty of Divine Meditation, Part 2 · Meditation 6
MED. VI. General Rules for a Godly Life.
Ephes. xv. 16.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
EVERY Day Death approaches thee, and then follows Judgment and Eternity. Therefore, think often how thou may'st be able to Answer, in that most strict and severe Judgment: Look circumspectly unto thy Thoughts, Words, and Actions; for at that great Tribunal thou must render up an exact Account, Eccles. 12. 14. Every Evening and Morning entertain thy Thoughts of the pale Messenger, and deferr not thy Repentance till the next Day; for the Morrow is uncertain; but Death is certain, and waits no Person's leisure.
II. NOTHING is more opposite to Piety than Procrastination. If thou contemnest the inward Voice of the Holy Spirit, thou will never attain to a sincere Repentance. Make it thy business and study to walk in the Law of the Lord. In thy Conversation be Affable and Courteous to all, Perplexing to none, and Familiar with few: To God live Piously, to thy self Continently, and to thy Neighbour Justly: Shew Favour to thy Friend, Patience to thy Enemy, thy Good-Will towards all, and thy Bounty to whom thou art able. Always call to mind Three things past, the Evil committed, the Good omitted, and the Time pretermitted: And ever bear in mind Three things present, the Brevity of this present Life, the Difficulty of being saved, and the Paucity of them that shall be saved.
III. LET thy Evening Prayers ascend, and humbly confess the Sins of the Day past, and think how many are in danger of Hell-fire. Let the last Day of the Seven correct and amend what Enormities thou hast committed the whole Week: Shew Obedience to thy Superiours, give Counsel and Aid to thy Equals, and Defend and Instruct thy Inferiours: Subdue thy Body to thy Mind, and thy Mind to the Will of God: Heartily bewail thy past Evils, and set not thy Affections on Temporal Enjoyments, but fix them on that which is Eternal: Mourn for Sins, upon remembrance of them; and often remember Death, that thou may'st cease from Sin: Let the Justice of the Almighty keep thee in Fear, and his Mercy preserve thee from Despair.
IV. WITHDRAW thy self, as much as thou can'st, from the World, and addict thy self wholly to God's Service: In Pleasures and Delights, be vigilant of thy Chastity; in Riches, exercise thy Humility; and in worldly Affairs, neglect not Piety: Be studious in pleasing none but thy Saviour, neither fear to displease any but Him: Deprecate Him always, that his Will may be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven; and beseech Him to forgive thee what is past, and to guide and govern what he has wrought in thee, for the future.
V. ABANDON all Hypocrisie; for God judgeth not according to external appearance, but according to the Heart. In thy Words, take heed of vain repetitions, Mat. 6. 7. because for every idle word thou must give an account in the day of judgment, Mat. 12. 36. Let thy Words, Works, and Actions, be good or evil, they pass not away, but remain as Seeds of Eternity. And the Apostle assures us, If thou sowest to thy flesh, of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption; but if thou sowest to the spirit, of the spirit thou shalt reap life everlasting, Gal. 6. 8. Neither Honours, Riches, Pleasures, or Vanities of this Life, can attend thee, after thy Glass is run out. Set a low value upon what thou possesseth, but esteem highly what thou wantest.
VI. LET Holy Meditation produce in thee Knowledge; and Knowledge, Compunction; and Compunction, sincere Devotion. The Silence of the Mouth creates Peace in the Heart; and, and the more thou separates thy self from the World, the more acceptable thou art to the Almighty. Whatsoever thou requestest, ask it of God; and whatsoever thou enjoyest, resign up freely unto him: for he that is unthankful for what he has received, is unworthy of receiving more; and the Gifts of Heaven cease to descend, when the Incense of our Thanks leave off ascending.
VII. WHATEVER happeneth to thee, convert it to a good use; as in Prosperity, bless and praise God, and exercise Charity according to thy Ability. So in Adversity, exercise thy Repentance for what Enormities thou hast committed, which thou can'st not but imagine to be the Efficient Cause of what thou sufferest. Let Humility keep thy Heart in Subjection, that Arrogancy may get no possession of thee. Judge God to be a Father, for his Clemency, Power, and Gentleness; a Lord, for his Discipline, Severity, and Justice. Love him piously, as a Father, for his Mercy; and fear him, and trust in him, who abhors Sin in the least degree. Ever humbly acknowledge thy own Misery, but loudly proclaim his Mercy.