The Believers Daily Exercise, Sermon

The Believers Daily Exercise · Sermon

p. 1The Believers Daily Exerciſe.

Prov. ch. xxiii. v. 17.

Let not thine heart envy ſinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

THE firmeſt Believers have their fits of Ʋnbelief, and the ſtrongeſt Faith has ſome intermiſſions and abatings of its vigorous exerciſe. Peter that had Faith to leave the Ship, and ſet his feet on the Waves, to give his Lord the meeting; yet when the Winds grew boiſterous his unbelief had ſunk him, had not Jeſus lent him a hand, and by one word of his mouth ſtilled a double Tempeſt, that of the Winds and Waves without, and that of his Diſciples Fear within, Matth. ch xiv. from v. 22, to 33.

The People of God are a thinking People: They are apt to take notice of, and obſerve thoſe paſſages of Providence which an unthinking World let ſlip unregarded. And in their firſt thoughts of the Ways of God they are ſometimes miſtaken, and often at a ſtand: And in nothing are they more ordinarily at a loſs, or ſooner ſurprized, than in the conſideration p. 2of the ſtate of good and bad men here in this World. They believe a juſt and holy Providence governs the Affairs of this lower World; and this puts them ſometimes to wonder how it comes to paſs that the Righteous ſhould be ſo often perſecuted and perplexed, while the wicked are in peace and ſafety, flouriſhing like a green Bay-tree, having more than heart can wiſh, Pſal. xxxvii. 1. & Pſal. Lxxiii. 3.

And while they are thus intent upon the conſideration of the preſent glory of the wicked, and the poor and dejected ſtate of the godly, no wonder if the Tempter purſue his advanta…es againſt them, and they feel in their hearts ſome motions of envy and emulation; thinking the wicked's proſperity too much, and inordinately wiſhing themſelves a ſhare of it. This the wiſe men here warns us againſt; Let not thine heart envy ſinners; q d. Let not their Proſperity ſeem a great matter in thine Eye; entertain no thought of wiſhing to change places with them; remember in whoſe choice and appointment both their and thine own Lot is: Fear God, and thou wilt not fret at, or envy ſinners. The great Preſervative againſt this, as well as all other vices is, to have the fear of God always before our Eyes.

p. 3Envying ſinners is a diſeaſe the Godly are ſometimes apt to fall into; the Antidote, preſcribed by the beſt Phyſician, is, to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long: This indeed is a Panpharmacon, an All-heal; the fear of God is an effectual remedy as againſt Envy, ſo againſt Pride, Covetouſneſs, Senſuality, Hypocriſie and whatever diſtempers elſe our Souls are Subject and Liable to: It is meet therefore that we ſhould always be provided of it, and carry it about with us continually.

Be thou.] This neceſſary Precept is directed to every one in particular; Be we Young or Old, Rich or Poor, Learned or Ʋnlearned, Superiours or Inferiours, Bond or Free; of whatever Rank or Condition we be, this Precept belongs to us, and we ought every one to take it to our ſelves.

In the fear of the Lord.] Have a lively ſ…nce of the Being, Attributes, Preſence and Providence of God; that he beholds all thy actions, and that he will render to thee according to thy works. Fear in this place implies Reverence, Love, and Obedience: Let a Principle of Religion poſſeſs thy Soul, and be the Governor and Director of thy Life and Actions. Walk p. 4with God. Live by Rule, order thy Converſation aright; this is to be in the fear of the Lord.

All the day long.] Continually, throughout thy whole life, every day and in every part of the day. Religion is to be our whole employment; we are not to own or allow our ſelves in any one action that is not Religious: From our waking in the morning, to our lying down it night, we are to ſee that we be in the fear of the Lord. I do not ſay that we muſt turn Euchites, and ſpend all our time in acts of immediate Worſhip, Praying, Hearing, Meditation, &c. But we muſt do no deliberate act that for its principle and end does not deſerve to be denominated a Religious action. Our very Eating, Drinking, Sleeping, Buying, Selling, Viſiting, Recreating of our ſelves, muſt be a walking according to the Goſpel Rule, if we would have peace, and a bleſſing from Heaven upon us.

The Doctrine I ſhall give you from the words is this:

Doct. That it ſhould be the continual ſtudy and endeavour of every one of us to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long: Or, The Religious ſpending of our whole time ſhould be our daily exerciſe.

p. 5The Method of handling this important truth ſhall be,

1. To ſhew you what the nature of this exerciſe is, to open to you this being in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

2. Why we muſt be daily taken up and exerciſed in the religious employment of our whole time; And here I ſhall lay down the Reaſons and Motives that are proper to enforce this Practice upon us, and perſwade us to it.

3. I ſhall conclude with ſome Inferences and Practical Remarks upon the whole.

1. To open to you this being in the Fear of the Lord all the day long: And this I ſhall do by laying before you the ſeveral parts of your daily duty, that ſo you may be directed in the orderly performance of it. Many neglect the great buſineſs of Chriſtianity becauſe they do not well underſtand what it is; or if they know ſomething of it in general, yet their notions are but confuſed, and they know not how to place and order their duties. For your help in this, I ſhall lay before you the following Scheme of good employments for every day; which whoſoever Prudently, Sincerely, Cheerfully and p. 6Conſtantly obſerves, does (in ſome good meaſure) come up to this Divine Rule, of being in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

1. If you will be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, you muſt ſee that the fear of the Lord be in you: Look well that a principle of Grace and Regeneration be wrought in your Soul. A dead man cannot work or walk; you muſt make the tree good, or the fruit will be naught. A graceleſs Soul cannot do a gracious action; much leſs is it to be expected that he ſhould engage and perſiſt in a courſe of holineſs. How many in a pang of Conviction, and under preſent fears of Death and Hell, reſolve that they will lead new lives, they will be drunk no more, they will leave their looſe Companions, they will Pray, and Read, and Hear, and do no body knows what? But their goodneſs is but like a morning Cloud, and early Dew that ſoon paſſeth away, they dream of leading new lives, without getting new hearts: Whereas if you will to purpoſe reform your lives, you muſt begin with your hearts: Get a deep ſenſe of ſin, ſee your need of Chriſt, cry to God for Pardon and Grace, be reſtleſs till you feel your p. 7Souls poſſeſt with the Spirit of a holy Life, Light and Love, till you be made partakers of a Divine Nature, new creatures in whom all old things are paſſed away, and all things are become new. A new heart is virtually a new life, inaſmuch as it will certainly produce it; whereas a ſeeming new Life, while the old unſanctified heart, with its unmortified Luſis, remains, is but a dead Image, a painted carkaſs, a thing that as it does not live, ſo it cannot laſt.

2. Begin every day with God. When I awake (ſaith the holy Pſalmiſt) I am ſtill with thee, Pſal. 139. 18. Labour that your firſt thoughts may be of God, and Chriſt, and Heaven. Uſe your Souls, upon their firſt releaſe, from the Fetters of ſleep, to work towards God in thankful acknowledgments, and deep admirations of his goodneſs, with very humbling reflections on your own frailty and vileneſs; Say, Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of Man that thou viſiteſt him? Pſal. viii. 4. Lift up a Prayer for protection from ſin and danger throughout the new day God is pleaſed to give you. Think how many have paſſed the night in Pain and Miſery, and p. 8how many Souls may be this night gone into Eternity, while you have ſlept ſweetly and ſafely, and bleſs God for his mercy to you, and labour to make a wiſe and holy improvement of it. Good thoughts at our firſt waking, ſeaſon our hearts for all day.

3. Waſte no time in needleſs ſleep or waking ſloth. How many that are horribly afraid to die, yet make no matter of giving away a vaſt proportion, and that of the very beſt, the flower of their time, to deaths Image and Brother Sleep? O think how many are ſuing out & obtaining their pardon, and making ſure their Salvation, while you lie Sleeping and Snoring; and have not you Souls as well as they? Have not you as much need of Chriſt and Grace and Heaven as they? Remember exceſſive Sleep is neither good for Body nor Soul. All cannot do with the like meaſure of Sleep, but there are very few but might do with a great deal leſs than they do: And of thoſe that are not guilty of indulging the Body in this reſpect, how many more are there that abridge themſelves for the World, than that do it for God and their Souls? And is the World a better Maſter, think you, than God and p. 9Christ? And is Gold a better purchaſe than Grace? And then when you are awake, ſlugg not as many do, turning upon their beds like a door upon its hinges; much leſs contrive not miſchief upon your Beds, let not contemplative wickedneſs find that time to ſteal into your hearts. But ſhake off ſloath, and as ſoon as true neceſſity will give leave, be ſtirring; Remember morning hours are the cream of time, more precious than the filings of Gold or duſt of Pearl, therefore throw them not away.

4. Be not long in dreſſing, and loſe not even that time, but think of ſome apparel for the Soul. Be not like the gaudy Butter-flies, and gay Peacocks of our days, that ſpend their beſt hours between the Comb and the Glaſs; and ſo their Bodies be but fine, care not how filthy their Souls are. Remember Cloaths came in to cover that nakedneſs of which ſin had made us aſhamed, and therefore they ſhould be a conſtant memorial to us of the fall of our firſt Parents, and ours in them; and to be proud of them, or to make a great deal of ſtir and do about them, is very fooliſh and abſurd, as well as wicked. Count that faſhion of apparel the beſt, that being ſufficient p. 10for Warmth and Decency truly ſo called, requires leaſt time in putting on. To ſpend an hour every morning in Tricking and Trimming the Body, and to think half an hour for Reading and Prayer too much, is to me no very good ſign than he or ſhe whoſe ordinary practice is ſuch, is a real hearty Christian. And you whoſe apparel is really Grave and Decent, the time that is ſpent in putting it on, let it not be wholly taken up in that, but let your minds be employed in ſuitable Meditations: Think of putting o… the Lord Jeſus Christ, he is the only cloathing for your Souls, that the ſhame of your nakedneſs may not appear: You would be aſhamed to go naked into the Company of your Neighbours; O be aſhamed of ſin which is the Souls nakedneſs! While you are dreſſing, think what Temptations you are like to meet with in the day, and labour to fence againſt them; forelay the employments of the day, meditate on ſome Scripture promiſe or the like.

5. Go not out of your Chamber, or Lodging Room (without urgent neceſſity) till you have offered up your morning Sacrifice of Prayer and Praiſe unto God. He that is to travel among Thieves had need go armed. p. 11Origen Complains that that day he burnt Incenſe to the Idol, he went out without Prayer. It's ill going into infectious places faſting, and it's dangerous going into an infectious World prayerleſs. Truly, I cannot but look upon him, as an unreaſonably bold man, that dares go out into the World without Prayer: Doſt thou know but Death may meet thee before thou comeſt in again? Doſt thou know but God may leave thee to do that, that ſhall bring upon thee an infamous death and everlaſting damnation?

Take heed to thy ſelf therefore, and go not out till thou haſt prayed: But then, ſee alſo that thou pray in Faith, and with Fervency: Do not content thy ſelf to have ſaid a few words by rote, that thou calleſt a Prayer; but pray with underſtanding, and pray with Feeling and Affection: Confeſs thy ſins both of Nature and Life, and beg of God the Pardon of them for Chriſt's ſake; be earneſt for Grace and Sanctification, for guidance and direction to lead a holy Life, and Support and Comfort, that thou maiſt die in Peace: Pray for the Church of Chriſt, yea for the Heathen World, for the Land of thy Nativity, p. 12eſpecially for the Continuance and Succeſs of the Goſpel therein: Pray alſo for thy Relations, for thy Friends, yea and for thy Enemies. And remember with thy Confeſſions and Prayers, to join Praiſes and Thankſgivings; adore the Divine Excellencies and Perfections, and acknowledge thankfully the Favours and Benefits you receive from his hand: Expreſs an hearty ſenſe of Creating, Preſerving and Redeeming Love: Recount the perſonal, family and publick mercies you have received or ſhared in; and as you have the Uſe and Comfort, ſo let God have the Praiſe and Glory of them. If thou be Weak and Ignorant, get ſome one that is able and willing to inſtruct thee: Pray as thou canſt; make uſe of ſome good form till thou canſt do better; but take heed of formality, and reſting in the work done; narrowly watch and obſerve thy heart; thou giveſt God nothing, if thou giveſt him, not thy Heart.

6. Join reading of the holy Scriptures, and (when time will permit, eſpecially on the Lords days) the choicest practical Books, with your morning Devotions. For daily reading the Scriptures, it is of abſolute neceſſity, p. 13and no more to be omitted than Prayer it ſelf: It is the Word of God; you have Chriſt's command to ſearch the Scriptures, Joh. v. 39. It is the Godly man's Character, that his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night, Pſal. i. 2. It is the food of your Souls, without daily ſupplies whereof you will famiſh. Read with deliberation, with intention of mind, labour to underſtand what you read, and to feel it; read it as God's Word, and above all, bring to it a ſerious▪ reſolution of practiſing what you read.

Obj. But I cannot read?

Sol. The more ſhame for you, if you be grown up, and have your Eye-ſight.

If you cannot read, do your beſt to learn, and that ſpeedily. If there were Lands to be ſettled upon all that could read the Conveyances of them, we ſhould ſee people learn apace; will you do more for Pelf than for your Souls?

However, till you can read, or ſuch of you as having been able to read, may now be diſabled through blindneſs or weakneſs of ſight, &c. Get others to read to you, and attend to the Word read with p. 14your utmoſt diligence, as for your Life. If you refuſe this Counſel, Remember when you come to die, or when your ignorance and folly ſhall have thruſt you into Hell, that you were warned of the time when you would cry out, Oh! how have I hated inſtruction, and refuſed to be reformed? For good Books, I ſhall only ſay, we have great choice of them, and you will do well to redeem what time you can for the reading of them, eſpecially, where there is ſeldom or ſorry Preaching, and age or ſickneſs keeps any from the Publick Aſſemblies; God is pleaſed to bleſs theſe to be the means of much good to many Souls. Only take heed of erroneous Books of Antinomians, Quakers, Papiſts, &c. And of oppoſing private reading to hearing of the Word publickly Preached: For my part, I would hear the weakeſt Miniſter (ſuppoſing him a true Miniſter) that ever ſpake with a Tongue, rather than ſtay at home to read the beſt Book that ever was written; For God ſays, Faith cometh by hearing, Rom. x. 17. And though he can work Faith by reading, and it may be hoped will do, where people are deprived of opportunities of hearing, yet p. 15that is not to be expected where they are ſlighted.

And here for the ſake of beginners in Religion, who are oft impoſed upon, to the loſs of their time, and the danger of their Souls, by ill choſen Books, I will venture to name a very few, and thoſe not bulky, which I take to be exceeding ſound, and I will add a few hints, how you may read them to beſt purpoſe: I will name but theſe eight.

1. The Aſſemblies Confeſſion and Catechiſms with the proofs at large; lately reprinted, in Octavo.

2. Mr. Daniel Burgeſs's four little Tracts, Call to ſinners, Questions, &c. Twelves.

3. Showers Reflections on Time and Eternity. Twelves.

4. Joſeph Alleins Alarm to the Ʋnconverted. Octavo.

5. Richard Alleins Vindication of Godlineſs, three parts. Octavo.

6. Steel's Trades-mans Calling. Octavo.

7. Ford's Practical uſe of Infant Baptiſm. Octavo.

8. Doolittel on the Lord's Supper, two parts. Twelves.

p. 16I would have you read theſe Books in the order I have named them one at once, (always continuing the joint reading of the Scriptures with and before all Books of humane compoſure;) read one thorow, yea I would adviſe thrice over, before you begin another; with a Pen or Pencil mark weighty and affecting paſſages, and at leiſure write ſome of them out, if you can write; elſe read them the oftner over.

Now to ſuch as are grown Chriſtians, I commend to you,

A Diſcourſe concerning Old Age, tending to the Inſtruction, Caution, and Comfort of aged People; By Rich. Steel, Miniſter of the Goſpel: And,

A Word to the Aged, by Will. Bridge, Miniſter of the Goſpel.

Begin and end every reading with Prayer to God for his bleſſing, and interline what you read with frequent pauſes of Prayer and Meditation; ſet your ſelf heartily and ſpeedily to the practice of every Duty and Direction you meet with, and depend on God by Faith for Aſſistance and Acceptance thorow Chriſt. Theſe few Books thus read will yield you more p. 17comfort in a dying hour, than Kings will then be able to fetch from their Crowns, Miſers from their Bags, or hypocritical dogmatists from all their aiery ſpeculations, contentious wranglings, or haughty and confident (tho' empty and groundleſs) pretenſions and expectations.

7. When you go out into tht World, be watchful againſt it. Remember, you walk among ſnares; conſider what variety of Temptations you are daily expoſed unto, and be upon your guard; eſpecially look well,

1. When you are alone, to your Thoughts, O what a World of Time do vain Thoughts that lodge within us rob us of! how many covetous, proud, ſenſual thoughts crawl in our Hearts in a day? How do we act over again our former Sins by Contemplation? How many ſtudy and project wickedneſs, and contrive in their thoughts how to bring wicked devices to paſs? Remember, God ſees thy heart, and will reckon with thee for thy thoughts: See therefore that they be pure, holy, charitable, humble: Do not look upon thy ſelf as at liberty to think what thou wilt; He is a Chriſtian indeed that governs his Thoughts.

p. 182. When you are in Company, look to your Tongues; conſider your ſpeech: Weigh what you are a going to ſay, before you ſpeak it. Do not throw about fire brands, arrows and death, and ſay, Am I not in ſport? Prov. xxvi. 18, 19. Remember Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue, Prov. xviii. 21. The prodigious licentiouſneſs of the Profeſſors of this Age in this matter, makes it needful to uſe more than ordinary Caution, that we catch not the infection. How common is it in all places, to hear people ſpeaking evil of the things and perſons that they know not? Jude ver. 10. Sure we do not underſtand the genius, ſpirit, and temper of the Chriſtian Religion, whereof we make profeſſion: Does not Chriſt ſay, By thy words thou ſhalt be justified, and by thy words thou ſh…lt be condemned? Mat. xii. 37. Doth not the Apoſtle James ſay, If any man among you ſeem to be Religious, and bridieth not his Tongue, but deceiveth his own Heart, this mans Religion is v…in: Jam. i. 26. Alas, alas! that ſo few that are called Chriſtians do indeed believe their Bibles to be the Word of God, or take any care to frame their Lives by the Rules of it. Let your Speech be alway… p. 19with grace, ſeaſoned with ſalt, that ye may know how ye ought to anſwer every man, Col. iv. 6. O Sirs, where ſhall one find the company that converſes by this Rule? If talking of faſhions, if telling t…les of our Neighbours, if aſperſing the Gov…nment be this gracious ſavory ſpeech, we have a great deal of it every where; beſides the lying, ſwearing, ribaldry, &c. of the openly prophane: Theſe things are a Lamentation, and ſhould be for a Lamentation! O let us be more wiſe; conſider Sirs, you may do more miſchief by your tattling of things that you underſtand not, and that do not concern you, in a few minutes, than the b…ſt endeavours of your whole life may ever be able to repair. Remember, your Tongues are your glory, turn them not into ſhame; but glorifie God with them. Go and viſit your ſick Neighbours, or ſuch as are troubled in mind, and inſtruct and comfort them; Go and reprove plainly thoſe that are prophane and wicked, and beſeech them to have ſome mercy on their own Souls; ſtir up ſuch as are able to relieve them that are in want and diſtreſs; Conſider one another to provoke to love and to good works, Heb. x. 24. p. 20And of this you will have joy in the day of accounts.

8. Let the main part of every day be ſpent in the labours of your particular Calling; unleſs (as now and then it may happen, but cannot ordinarily) there be very good reaſon to the contrary. Look upon your Calling as a main part of the ſervice of your Generation, which God and your Countrey expects from you, and of which you are to be accountable. Diligent labour is a Duty, and there is a bleſſing belongs to it: It keeps the Mind from ruſt, the Body from diſeaſes. Idleneſs is the ſource of wickedneſs. Quem otioſum invenit Diabolus occupat. Little do men think what miſeries and miſchiefs they expoſe themſelves to, when they grow remiſs and negligent in their particular Callings. The Apoſtle bids us study to be quiet, and do our own buſineſs, 1 Theſ. iv. 11. They that neglect their own buſineſs, often grow pragmatical, and muſt be medling with other folks, the conſequences whereof are dreadful. No man fouls his fingers with doing his own Work, is an Out-landiſh Proverb that has its weight, and is worth our thinking of, when we are idle or ill employed. p. 21Adam, where art thou? is a queſtion we ſhould think we hear God asking us every day.

Obj. It may be thy Calling is mean.

Sol. Be content, it is that which the Providence of God hath choſen for thee, and he knows beſt what is good for every one of us; and he will accept a day-labourer that is diligent in his Calling, as well as a Knight or a Lord.

Obj. Aye, but mine is the toilingeſt, drudging, ſlaviſh Life in the World.

Sol. The harder labour thy Calling puts thee upon (ſo it be conſiſtent with thy health, and proportionate to thy ſtrength) the better it is for thee; the Body is an unruly masterly Servant, that needs taming; Labour kills Luſt. But if indeed thy Calling be above thy strength, or endangering to thy health, (as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, 1 Cor. 7. 21.) If thou mais… be free, uſe it rather.

And then, in your Calling ſee that you ſincerely aim at Gods glory and publick ſervice, and not meerly and chiefly at your own wealth and gain, or the raiſing of your Selves and Families in the World. That is all loſt labour that terminates ultimately in ſelf.

p. 229. Look to the exerciſe of Juſtice and Charity in buying and ſelling. And here our Saviours Golden Rule may ſerve inſtead of all particular Rules, Mat. vii. 12. All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould d… unto you, do ye even ſo to them. Therefore, Draw not immoderately from them to your ſelves; make no advantage of their ignorance or neceſſity; count not every man you deal with a Knave, (which is a Rule in Commerce, that ſome people value themſelves much upon, who yet, I ſuppoſe, would think it very hard to have the ſame meaſure meted unto them.) Lie not at catch for an advantage; impoſe not ill wares for good; break not your day for delivery of goods, or payment of moneys; ſtrive not to make a great figure in the World, when you know you have not wherewith to ſupport it, (which is indeed to ſet up for a common Cheat;) exact not upon your poor Brethren in caſes of Forfeitures, Mortgages, &c. Conſider the equity of Gods Laws to the Jews in ſuch caſes, and remember that Chriſtianity requires of us a more large and extenſive Charity. In a word, digeſt the above-mentioned p. 23Precept of our Lord, and ever and anon quicken Conſcience to attend to it, and take your meaſures of acting thence.

10. Maintain Sobriety, Temperance, and a ſerious thankful frame of ſpirit in eating and drinking. Take direction not from appetite, but from reaſon, both for the quantity and quality of your Food. Do not ſtudy too much to pleaſe, and do not at all pamper the fleſh. Make not proviſion for the fleſh, to fulfil the lust thereof, Rom. xiii. v. 14. Conſider the end of the rich glutton, that fared ſumptuouſly every day, Luke xvi. 19 24. Think how many want what you waste. Remember, their end is deſtruction, whoſe God is their Belly, Phil. iii. 19. Take heed of being bewitched with the love of strong drink: Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, whoſoever is deceived thereby, is not wiſe, Prov. xx. 1. Remember what it did to Noah, Gen. ix. 21.

And then be not content with meer Temperance, in which it may be when you have done all you can, ſome Heathens have out-stripped you, but mix your meals with good diſcourſe; own God in bodily proviſions; beg his bleſſing on them and ſeriouſly bleſs him for them. Whether p. 24you eat, or drink, or whatſoever you do, let all be done to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 31.

11. Be moderate in Recreations, ſubordinate them to the great ends of your Life, and ſee they be lawful and ſ…aſonable. Two Rules **Mr. Whate…y Redemption of Time.an Eminent Divine gives about Recreations among others, ſpecially worth our notice.

1. Never allow your ſelves any Recreation, till you be come to ſome degree of wearineſs in ſome pious or honeſt employment. Begin not the day with Recreation.

2. Spend no more time in Recreation any day, than you ſpend in the private or ſecret duties of Religion. And this Rule, though to ſome it may ſeem ſevere, he thinks ſufficiently warranted by that of our Saviour, Mat. vi. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteouſneſs. I add, Take heed of paſſion, and the l…ſs of Time; Remember, Recreation is no Mans buſineſs: God hath not placed us in the World, as Leviathan in the Sea, to play therein: We muſt but ſip, not drink of theſe dangerous ſweets; tanquam canis ad nilum, a lap and away: Take them as p. 25that we need, not as that we love. When once Recreations begin to inveigle our affections, though in themſelves they be never ſo lawful▪ it is time to lay them aſide.

12. Every day rejoice with trembling. Mix a humbling ſenſe of our own ſins, with a thankful ſenſe of Gods mercies. Indulge not a ſullen ſorrow, neither let our Joy degenerate into frothineſs and levity. Maintain an evenneſs of ſpirit between the immoderate carefulneſs of ſuch as are ſwallowed up of over-much ſorrow, and the carnal j…llity of ſuch as on light occaſions are tranſported into raviſhment, or on greater ones, forget the cauſes they have not to be puffed up, but to be humbled rather. When God gives you the greateſt mercies, think how little you deſerve; and when he exerciſeth you with the greateſt afflictions, think he is before hand with you, both in what he hath beſtowed upon you, what he offers to you, and what he hath laid up for you.

13. Let no day paſs without ſome ſerious heart-affecting thoughts of your laſt day. Pray, Lord, teach me ſo to number my days, as to apply my heart unto wiſdom, Pſal. xc. v. 12. One being asked what Philoſophy was, gave it this definition; Philoſophia p. 26eſt meditatio mortis; and undoubtedly, the thorow conſideration of Death, has a large place in the Christian Philoſophy. The Goſpel Doctrine is Ars moriendi, the Art of Dying; viz. in and to the Lord. And how unpleaſant ſoever this ſtudy may ſeem to corrupt nature, there is none more neceſſary for us than it. Serious thoughts of Death are very powerful to convince of the evil of ſin, of the vanity of the World, of the excellency of Grace, and the wiſdom of laying up Treaſure in Heaven. O! did men think, as they ought, of their latter end, they would not raiſe ſuch a duſt as they do in the World, for applauſe and preferment, there would not be ſuch pride and pomp, ſuch bribery and oppreſſion, ſuch luxury and ſenſuality among profeſſed Chriſtians as there is. Serious thoughts of Death would be one of the moſt effectual cures of Hypocriſie in the World; for who would very much care what men ſay or think of him, that conſiders how ſoon he muſt lye buried out of their ſight, and forgotten by them as if he had never been? When Hypocrites ſee they muſt die, it makes them in earnest, and if they had been ſo in time, they had been ſincere. Who would trifle with God p. 27that knows and conſiders how ſoon he muſt be at his Bar? It were impoſſible for men to live as they do, did they but once every day ſeriouſly think they muſt die; this thought would either reform them, or torment them: And that ſinners ſeem to be aware of, whence, becauſe they have no mind of either, they do all they can to put Death out of their thoughts.

14 Obſerve and improve the Methods of Providence and Grace every day, and record your Experiences for future guidance and encouragement. It is a great point of ſpiritual wiſdom, to notice aright Gods dealings in his Providence with our ſelves and others, ſo as to make juſt Inferences therefrom, and none but ſuch: And alſo to obſerve the ſecret approaches of the Divine goodneſs to our Souls, in the way of gracious influence, from the Spirit of Holineſs. Whatever God does in the ways of common providence, or ſpecial grace, he expects we ſhould regard and conſider, and improve it; when ſin finds our ſelves or others out, we ſhould lye thereby warned how we meddle with that which Experience aſſures us, will cost us dear; when Obedience is rewarded, we are to obſerve it for our encouragement, to walk in ſuch p. 28ways as God owns; and in what ways we have found God approaching our Souls with the influences of ſpecial grace, and ſpiritual conſolation, we are to be excited ſtill to wait on him therein.

15. Let no ſpecial opportunity of furthering your Salvation, glorifying God, or benefiting your Neighbour, ſlip you unobſerved or unimproved. This is to redeem time. Every hour of every day is to be made the beſt of, but ſome are capable of a ſpecial improvement; like a fair Wind to a Mariner, or a fair day when we are at harveſtwork; if we let this ſlip, ſuch another may not come. Post est occaſio calva. It may be now Chriſt ſtands at thy door in the perſon of a poor Beggar, ſend him not away without an Alms; ſee Mat. xxv. at the latter end. Perhaps a poor ignorant ſinner is by providence caſt into thy Family, or thou meeteſt with ſuch a one upon the Road, or thou haſt him upon a ſick-bed, willing to hearken to inſtruction; O do thy utmoſt to ſave a Soul from Death, and cover the multitude of ſins! Jam. v. 20. It may be thou art light into the Company of debauched Senſualiſts, profane Ranters, Infidel Scoffers; now give a proof of p. 29thy loyalty and fidelity to thy great Lord and Maſter. Perhaps thou art under a Croſs, and thou feeleſt thy heart ſenſible and tender; now ſet to confeſſing thy ſins, and making ſupplication for the Life of thy Soul; now thou haſt a Sabbath, a Market-day for Heaven, ſtore thy ſelf with Soul-proviſion; & ſic de caeteris.

18. Share in the ſufferings of the whole Body of Chriſt, and of all the Members of it, by ſuch a ſympathy as may prove you a living Member thereof. This is the news that a right Christian is inquiſitive after, how it fares with the Churches of Chriſt, what becomes of the Intereſt of true Religion in the World, what hopes there is that the Kingdoms of the Earth may become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Chriſt? If he meets with good tydings as to theſe matters, it glads him at the heart: But if he hears of the prevailing of wicked Errors, and abominable Idolatries, of the Diviſions and Scandals of the Profeſſors of Chriſtianity, of violent Perſecutions againſt the Saints and Servants of the moſt High God; this wounds him at the very Soul, he is ſo affected, as if he ſaw one killing his Father, forcing his Wife, or butchering the p. 30fruit of his own Loins. If Sion ſit in the duſt, he puts on Sackcloth: And in the particular afflictions of Gods Children that are known to him, he reſents them deeply, cries to God for their deliverance, and he is willing to be both at coſt and pains that they may want no help that he is capable of affording them. He is not one of the glib-tongu'd, gouty-ſiſted Profeſſors, whom the Apoſtle James characteriſeth, James ii. 15, 16. of which ſort there are abundance in our days, that if a Brother or Siſter be naked, or deſtitute of daily Food, ſay unto them, Depart in peace, be you clothed and filled, notwithſtanding they give them not thoſe things that are needful for the Body. If others ſufferings do not make us ſmart, ſo that for our own eaſe beſides a great many better conſiderations, we would do what in us lies to help them out of them: I will not ſay we are ſtark naught, leſt I too much diſcourage you, but I will ſay, we are far from what we ſhould be, and it concerns us to ſtrive hard to become better.

17. Let Heads of Families ſee they defraud not God of his honour, nor the Souls of theirs of the means of their Spiritual Life; but keep up Family Religion with ſeriouſneſs, p. 31life, and conſtancy. He that provideth not for his own, eſpecially for them of his own houſhold, hath denied the Faith, and is worſe than an Infidel, 1 Tim. v. 8. He is a Murderer that provides not bread for his Family, unleſs the Providence of God debar him of all opportunity to do it; what is he then, that never breaks the Bread of Life to them, but leaves them to ſtarve and pine away in their iniquities? Prayerleſs Families are Types of Hell. O Sirs! let no day paſs without calling yours together, morning and evening, and praying & praiſing God with them, reading the Scriptures to them, exhorting them ſeriouſly to remember their Creator, and to work out their Salvation, and to make their Calling and Election ſure. How can you think God ſhould bleſs your Society or your Labours, while you call not upon his Name? Whence come ſuch quarrellings and diſcontents, ſuch croſſes and diſappointments, ſuch outragious wickedneſſes and diſorders in Families, but from this neglect of daily worſh…p? Oh therefore take heed how you let the World juſtle out the daily exerciſes of Religion, that ought to be in your Families! For let me tell p. 32you, All that the World can do for you, when you have got the moſt of it, cannot make up the loſs of one hours Communion with God. What will you ſay and think then, when for it, you have ſhut your ſelves and yours out from the everlaſting enjoyment of God in Heaven?

18. Look upon Relative duties as a main part of your daily buſineſs as Chriſtians: Be well verſed therefore in the Scripture-directory for the diſcharge of them, and be ſure you make conſcience of yielding obedience to it. See Eph. v. 22. to chap. vi. 6. Col. iii. 18. to iv. 2. Let yoke-fellows live together in mutual love and helpfulneſs: Let the Husband excel in Love, and walk with his Wife as a man of Knowledge: Let the Wife ſee that there be a Law of kindneſs in her Lips, that ſhe adorn her ſelf with the ornament of a meek and quiet ſpirit, that ſhe be not querulous nor imperious, but content with the ſtation Providence has aſſigned her, and the place wherein both the Light of Nature, and the written Law of Scripture ſets her. Let Parents take care for the Children they have been the Inſtruments of bringing into the World, eſpecially for their Souls, p. 33and to give them Christian Education. Let Children honour their Parents, reverencing them, loving them, obeying them, requiting them, and not deſpiſe them when they grow old, and their parts decay, or they have had what they can hope for from them. Let Maſters carry to their Servants with a due mixture of love and awe, provide them what is needful for the Body, and eſpecially be tender of their Souls, as knowing they muſt account to God for the Soul of every Servant that cometh under their Roof. And let Servants be humble, diligent, faithful; and let me add, ſilent, not carrying tales about from one houſe to another, diſcovering the ſecrets of the Family in which they live; this is a baſe property, and they that are ſo glib of their Tongues, are ſeldom fit for any buſineſs that requires either skill or induſtry.

19. Take heed of Formality, and labour to be ſincere in all you do. Let not a courſe of ſerious Religion ſeem a drudgery to you, but labour to maintain a holy delight in duties. All this that I have been telling you, will ſeem to moſt (eſpecially to them that have never been uſed to any ſuch thing, and are wholly ſtrangers to it) a great deal.

p. 34Obj. So much reading and praying, ſo much labouring ſuch exact watching of our ſelves, ſuch inſpection into ours; what all this ado for Salvation! Cannot we get to Heaven at cheaper rates than ſo? This is a hard ſaying, who can hear it?

Sol. But I pray Sirs, do not think any of this needleſs, till you know better what work is fit to be appointed you, than he that has ſet you this; nor do not condemn this as intolerably hard work, till you have tried it; Some that have tried it have ſaid, they never knew what a pleaſant Life meant till then. Is it ſuch a terrible hard task for a hungry man to be ſet to a full Table, and be bid eat heartily? Or for a man that is dropping into his Grave, to be bid drink this pleaſant potion and be whole? Or for a Condemned Malefactor to be bid thankfully accept his pardon, and be ſet at Liberty? Or for a baniſhed man to have leave to return home, if he will but converſe an hour or two every day with his neareſt Relation, or his deareſt Friend? Why, ſuch is the task that Senſualiſts and Hypocrites ſhrink back ſo from: If men knew what practical Religion were, they would equally avoid the oppoſites, and p. 35the Counterfeits of it; Love would caſt out ſlaviſh fear: And God would be worſhipped with ſincerity and alacrity, inſtead of thoſe forced ſhews and that feigned Devotion that now alas too generally corrupts, yea even nullifies the Christian Worſhip.

20. Laſtly; Cloſe the day, as you began it, with God. Retire, e're you be too ſleepy, and examine your ſelves how you have ſpent the day; Look over the foregoing Rules, and think how you have complied with them, or wherein you have come ſhort. Thus ask, what State and Condition is my Soul in? Am I truly regenerate or no? Did I this day awake with God? What were my firſt Thoughts upon? Have I not waſted morning hours, or even minutes, in needleſs ſleep or ſloth, in vain imaginations or contemplative wickedneſs? Have I not been too long in dreſſing my body, too curious in my apparel, proud of it? Have I not loſt that time, or have I redeemed it by holy Meditations, Spiritual Projects and wiſe fore-caſting how I might beſt ſerve God the enſuing day? Have I ſolemnly ſought God in fervent and believing Prayer, and diligent ſtudy of p. 36his holy Word? And has not Spiritual Life been wanting in my cloſet-duties? Was it as much and more to me that God was by, than if all the World had ſeen me? Have I looked ſtrictly this day whatever Company I have been in, both to my Thoughts and Speeches, that neither were Light, Vain, or Wicked? but Serious, Spiritual, Heavenly, becoming my high calling, and honourable profeſſion of Chriſtianity? Eſpecially have I carefully avoided that common and hateful ſin of Tale-bearing and Pragmatical medling with other mens matters? Have I been diligent in my particular calling, and that not for Covetouſneſs, but Conſcience towards God? Have I done to others as I would be done by? Have I defrauded nor over-reached none? Have I been ſober and temperate in the uſe of bodily refreſhments? Have I referred them to Gods glory, and ſeaſoned my uſe of them with the reverent mention of his name? Have I medled with no recreations but what were certainly lawful, and have I uſed them lawfully? Have I neither been caſt down with cauſeleſs or exceſſive p. 37grief, nor lifted up with carnal jollity and frothy merriment? Have I this day very ſeriouſly thought of my laſt day, and how have thoſe thoughts affected me? Have I duly noticed and improved the Occurrence, of Providence and the influences of Grace this day? What ſpecial ſeaſons of doing or receiving good have I had this day and how have I laid hold of them or let them ſlip? What ſenſe have I had of Sions ſufferings, what Sympathy with afflicted brethren? Have I done my utmoſt to relieve and help thoſe that are in want and diſtreſs? Have I been careful to keep up Family Religion, and conſcionable in the diſcharge of relative duties this day? Has ſincerity and cheerfulneſs rendred Chriſt's Yoak eaſie, and his burden light in all the variety of employments wherein I have this day ſerved him? Thus take Conſcience to task, about your daily behaviour, and labour to be rightly affected with all the diſcoveries you make of your State, Frame and Way. Further examine what temper and diſpoſition of Soul you ar… …ow in, whether fit in ſome meaſure to draw nigh to God or not: Read the p. 38Scriptures, meditate on what you read, or on ſome other heart-affecting Subject, and leave not till you feel your heart ſuitably moved therewith; then pour out your Souls again to God in Prayer, and commit your Souls and Bodies, with Faith and Confidence, to his Love and Care. As you undreſs you, think, As I now put off my Cloaths, ſo I muſt ere long this Body; As I now lie down in my bed, ſo ſhortly muſt I in the Grave: Think what an Image ſleep is of death, and how eaſie (if God give the word) the paſſage is from the Image to the reality; and how ſure the ſleep of death is to be followed with the morning of the Reſurrection, when we ſhall awake never to ſleep again. With ſuch Meditations cloſe your …yes, and lock out vanity from your hearts; and let your beloved Jeſus Chriſt lie all night as a bundle of Myrrh betwixt your Breaſts, Cant. i. 13. Thus will there be a ſetled correſpondence betwixt your Souls and Heaven, you will be its care, and it will be your hope; and days ſo ſpent will not be to be repented of at laſt.

2. Having thus opened to you what it is to be in the fear of the Lord all the p. 39day long, and how Chriſtians are to be daily taken up in the Religious employment of their whole time; I now proceed to ſhew you, Why they are ſo to do, and what are the reaſons and motives enforcing this Practice upon us.

We are to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, and every day to make Religion our buſineſs.

Reaſ. 1. Becauſe this is to anſwer the Ends and Purpoſes for which God hath given us Life and Time. Wiſe agents propound to themſelves valuable ends in all they do; the infinite wiſdom, therefore, cannot be thought to have made this lower World, and to have placed man (made after his own Image) therein, but upon very valuable conſiderations; not thoſe indeed of profit to himſelf: (the abſolute and compleat perfection of his nature barring all Impotency or defect to be aſſiſted or ſupplied; Job xxxv. 6. 7. If thou ſinneſt, what doſt thou againſt him? or if thy tranſgreſſions be multiplied, what doſt thou unto him? If thou be righteous, what giveſt thou him, or what receiveth he of thine hand?) But the complacency of his own Will in the Communications of his Beneficence to his Creatures, p. 40in proportion to their capacities of receiving: To enlarge therefore our receptive capacities, that ſo we may reflect more of the luſtre of the divine goodneſs, is the great end of our being; and likewiſe of our continuance and ſupport therein: Now by nothing are our capacities more enlarged, than by ſuch a continual being in the fear of the Lord as I have before deſcribed. For by doing Gods W…ll we become enlarged in Divine and Spiritual Knowledge, and our underſtanding, will and active Powers receive a joint improvement. He that doth the will of my Father (ſaith our Saviour) ſhall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I ſpeak it of my ſelf, Joh vii. 17. and this is Life Eternal to know the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent, Joh. xvii 3. Knowledge is the ground-work of Holineſs, and Holineſs advanceth Knowledge; and to be thus daily improving in holy Light, Life and Love is that very end for which God made us at firſt, again new made us, redeeming us when we were loſt and undone; and for which his providential care ſtill continues and ſupports us in the World. Why were we not ſwallowed p. 41up of Death and Damnation when we had ſinned, but that the dead praiſe not God? (Pſal. cxv. 17.) Wherefore are we redeemed by the blood of Chriſt, but that we ſhould be a peculiar people zealous of good works? (Tit. ii. 14.) Why are we made partakers of a Divine Nature, but that we ſhould cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs of Fleſh and Spirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God, and ſhewing forth the virtues and praiſes of him who hath called us out of darkneſs into his marvellous Light? (2 Pet i. 4. 2 Cor. vii. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 9.) All which we can never do but by denying Ungodlineſs and Worldly Luſts, and living Righteouſly, Soberly and Godly in this preſent World, Tit. ii. 12. So that while we live not to God we live beſide the end of our being, we loſe our time, and provoke God to ſtrip us of a bleſſing we no better know how to value.

R. 2. This is the way to ſecure our preſent peace, and future happineſs. There is no way to a ſetled grounded tranquillity of mind, but by a holy Life. Sin is the great make-bate in Kingdoms, Churches, Families; and it will never let that Soul p. 42enjoy peace in which it reſides unpandoned and unmortified: And theſe two always go together; unmortified ſin is ever unpardoned ſin, and guilt ſtill makes the Soul uneaſie. He muſt be an Atheist or a Brute, that can be ſecure and jolly while ſin lieth at the door, (Gen. iv. 7.) like a Bailiff ready to drag him before the Supreme Judge, at whoſe Bar being condemned, he muſt be forth with abandoned to Eternal Torments. What comfort can Pleaſures, Honours or Profits yield to that man who is awake, and knows not but he muſt be in Hell to morrow?

Beſides, it is eaſie to demonſtrate that the happineſs of rational Creatures conſiſts in Communion with God, of which we are altogether uncapable whilſt we lie wallowing in the mire of ſin. God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity (ſcil. with approbation) Evil ſhall not dwell with him, Hab. i. 13. The conviction ſinners have of this appears in their ſhineſs to approach the Sovereign Majeſty, eſpecially in ſecret acts of Worſhip, after the commiſſion of any groſſer ſin: And if we be in ſuch a caſe that we dare not come to God, our Life muſt p. 43needs be very uncomfortable. Hence the Prophet Iſa. Lvii. 21. There is no peace (ſaith my God) to the wicked. And the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. Lxxiii. 27, 28. All they that are far from thee ſhall periſh; but it is good for me to draw nigh to God. Many complain of their preſent reſtleſs uncomfortable condition, but they neglect the true Method of cure; they would have peace, but they will not crucifie the fleſh with its affections and luſts. Sinner, thou muſt either leave thy ſinful courſes, or be a continual torment and vexation to thy ſelf; unleſs for a while thou ſhouldeſt in Judgment be given over to a ſpirit of ſlumber, and then thou wilt ſhortly awake in unſufferable terrours. But the way to peace is to walk humbly with God, to be conſtant in the daily practice of true Piety. See Pſal. cxix. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them, Gal. vi. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule, peace be on them, and on the Iſrael of God. And as this is the wav to preſent peace; ſo it is alſo to future everlaſting Glory. To them who by patient continuance in well doing, ſeek for glory, honour and immortality, God will p. 44render Eternal Life, Rom. ii. 7. There remains a Reſt for the people of God, Heb. iv. 9. Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. They only who live to God here are capable of living with him for ever hereafter. As ever therefore you value peace here, or glory hereafter, let it be your conſtant care to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.

R. 3. Ʋnleſs we thus make Religion our daily delightful Employment, we are ungrateful to God who daily loadeth us with his Benefits. Who gave thee thy Being? Who redeemed thy Life from Deſtruction, and thy Soul from Damnation? By whom are all the hairs of thy head numbred, that not one of them fall to the ground without his will? To whoſe care and kindneſs doſt thou owe thy health, liberty, peace, plenty, quiet habitation, comfortable Relations, Goſpel opportunities; thy ſhare in Publick, National and Church Deliverances? Is it not God that holds thy Soul in Life, and ſuffers not thy feet to be moved? Pſal. Lxvi. 9. Is it not the Father of mercies that crowneth thee with loving kindneſs and tender mercies? Pſal. ciii. 4 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diſeaſes; p. 45v. 3. Is it not his hand that holdeth thee out of Hell, and ſupporteth thee from ſinking into the bottomleſs Pit? Is it not he that hath reſcued thee as well as others of late from the devouring Jaws of bloody Papiſts; from an horrible ſlavery of Body, Soul and Conſcience, to ſuch as worſhip graven Images; from being compelled firſt to worſhip, and then to chew and ſwallow a bit of Bread, or a thin Wafer under the title and denomination of thy Lord God, Maker and Redeemer? And what return, thinkeſt thou, is due to God for ſuch Mercies as theſe? Can any leſs ſuffice than that which the Apoſtle exhorts unto? Rom. xii. 1. I beſeech you therefore, Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye preſent your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice. And if we have once ſincerely given up our ſelves to God, we ſhall then walk with him, and be in his fear all the day long; and if we refuſe this, we are the moſt ungrateful wretches breathing. What Monſters of Ingratitude are we, if when God hath made us, and redeemed us, and ſtill preſerveth us, we deny him our ſervice? eſpecially when his ſervice is perfect freedom, and in p. 46keeping his Commandments there is great Reward, Pſal. xix. 11. God hath made nothing our Duty, but what is equally our Priviledge: And when as an acknowledgment of former kindneſſes, God only requires that we ſhould receive more at his hands, and yet we will not; we thereby render our ſelves ſuch a compoſition of folly and ingratitude as is beyond parallel. Among Heathens Ingratitude to Benefactors is eſteemed one of the moſt hainous crimes a man can be guilty of: So that it's become a common Proverb among them, Ingratum dixeris & omnia; when you have called a man ungrateful, you have ſaid your worſt of him. And if Ingratitude to fellow-creatures deſerve ſo black a brand, what ſhall we think then of Ingratitude againſt our Sovereign Lord, the great Creator, and common Parent of Mankind? Shun therefore this foul blot by diligence and conſtancy in a holy walk.

R. 4. By walking thus with God we ſet others a good Example, and recommend Religion to the World. Thus we become the Salt of the Earth, the Lights of the World, a City ſet on an Hill, which cannot be hid; our Light ſo ſhines before p. 47men, that they ſee our good converſations and glorifie our Heavenly Father. Mat. v. 13, 14, 16. A holy Life is a continual Sermon. Thus you may all be Preachers, without invading that Office, which it is the will of God ſhould be peculiar to thoſe whom he hath ſpecially qualified for it, and viſibly ſeparated to it. When you are conſtantly and delightfully buſied in the duties of Holineſs, you manifeſt to others that Religion is not an impracticable notion, a meer pleaſing ſpeculation, but that the Rules of it may be complied with. Our Sermons here in the Pulpit would be much more effectual, if you would but live them over in your Cloſets, Shops, Fields, Families, and mutual converſes in the World. O what a joy is it to Miniſters, & what a glory to the Goſpel of Chriſt, when we can point with our Fingers (as it were) and ſay, There, and there, and there are the Seals of our Miniſtry: There an ignorant man or woman inſtructed; a drunkard, or ſwearer, or ſabbath-breaker, or unclean perſon reformed; a covetous muck-worm made free-hearted and open-handed; a hypocritical Formaliſt awakened to thorow ſeriouſneſs in Religion; one that was formerly prayer-leſs, p. 48of whom we can now ſay, Behold he prayeth; a Family of the Devils Slaves and Servants, and the Worlds Drudges, that is now become a Church of Chriſt, having ſtated, orderly Worſhip, and ringing with the praiſes of God in emulation, as it were, of Heaven it ſelf; God's will being done in it as there it is done.

The holy Converſation of the Profeſſors of Religion, is an Inſtituted Means of the converſion of the Atheiſtical, Infidel, Impenitent World: And if we deny them the benefit of this Means, we little know what we have to anſwer for, the Blood of how many Souls may be found in our Skirts: Whereas on the other hand, if by our holy Life, and good Example we turn many to righteouſneſs, we ſhall ſhine as Stars, or as the Sun in the Kingdom of our Father, Dan. xii. 3. Mat. xiii. 43. By converting ſinners thus from the evil of their ways, we ſhall ſave Souls from death, and cover the multitude of ſins, James v. 20. This going before others with the light of a good Example, is a cheap, yea a gainful way of promoting their Salvation; which is certainly the beſt work we can do in the World, and will yield us the moſt ſolid p. 49comfort in a dying hour. Oh! be not content to give others a verbal commendation of Religion, but let your lives tell them what an excellent thing it is.

R. 5. We had need thus to improve every day, becauſe we know not which ſhall be our laſt day: Therefore if we would not loſe our laſt day, let us take heed that we do not loſe any day. We always carry (as it were) our lives in our hands, (Pſal. cxix. v. 109.) Our breath is in our noſtrils, and God can eaſily change our countenances, and ſend us away, (Iſa. ii. 22. Job xiv. 20.) We all know we muſt die, but none of us knoweth the particular time, the year, month, week, day or hour when. Our Lord's coming, in this reſpect, is uncertain; whether at evening, or at midnight, or at the Cock-crowing; we ought therefore always to watch, that we may be in readineſs, Mark xiii. 35. How would we ſpend that day which we knew before hand would be our dying day? Would we not be very ſerious? Would we not labour to keep our minds very compoſed? our hearts fixed? our thoughts and affections heavenly? I do not ſay we ſhould ſpend the ſame time every day in immediate acts of Devotion p. 50as we would do if we knew it to be our dying day; nor that we ſhould converſe always with the ſame ſolemnity, as if we were under that apprehenſion: But we ſhould every day take as much care to keep our ſelves from all known ſin, and to be diligent in every poſitive inſtance of our duty, as if we knew we muſt end the day and our life together; for we do not know but it may be ſo. Now, tell me, ſinner, couldſt thou be content to die a drunken Beaſt, ſo totally deprived of the uſe of thy reaſon, as not to be able to utter, with ſenſe and ſeriouſneſs, but ſo much as, Lord have mercy upon me? Would it not be a terrible thing to go into Eternity (as ſome have done) with an Oath or Curſe in thy Mouth? What a caſe ſhouldſt thou be in, thinkeſt thou, if the Dart of Vengeance ſhould ſtrike thorow thy Liver, whilſt thou art in the very act of filthy Luſt, and wallowing in impure Embraces? If thy Breath ſhould be ſtopped as thou art uttering a Lie, or a dead Palſie ſhould benum thy Limbs while thou art driving a cheating or oppreſſive Bargain? Surely there is no man ſo brutiſh but he would moſt earneſtly deprecate ſo ſad a doom; and yet ſinners p. 51boldly venture on theſe courſes daily, notwithſtanding they know not but they may thereby expoſe themſelves to ſo diſmal a calamity: Whereas, if Death find us in the way of our duty, whatever that duty be, let it lye in never ſo ordinary or mean an Employment, we have cauſe of rejoicing, and not of fear or ſorrow. When we have been moſt diligent in ſpending a day for God, we ſhall then be moſt willing (if the good pleaſure of the Lord ſo be) to die at night: The weary Labourer haſtens to receive his Wages, and cheerfully lyes down to reſt.

R. 6. The time is coming when we ſhall wiſh we had ſpent our days thus. How irkſom ſoever a Life of Strict Godlineſs may now ſeem to our carnal hearts, and corrupted natures, yet there is never a one of us but we ſhall ſhortly wiſh we had been as holy as the holieſt, that we had made Religion our buſineſs, and been every day of our lives in the fear of the Lord all the day long. You that are now ſtrong and healthful, and through the pride of your hearts forget God, ſo that God is not in all your thoughts; Who ſay to God, depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy ways, (Pſal. p. 52x. 4. Job xxi. 14.) Who eſteem fervent praying, no better than whining and canting; and conſcientious ſtrictneſs in the Government of our ſelves but needleſs preciſeneſs, and vain ſcrupuloſity: Who count him that feareth an Oath, or refuſeth an impoſed Health, a moroſe Melancholiſt, an arrand Fanatick, a ſilly Sneaksby: Who pride your ſelves in the vainly aſſumed Titles of the Wits, as being got above the fear of power inviſible, and diſentangled from the Fetters wherewith Religion binds her Votaries: Who can pleaſe your ſenſes, and gratifie your appetites in defiance of Almighty Juſtice, the threatned Everlaſting Torments and all the Jargon (as with a ſneering ſmile they are wont to call it) of the man in black; that as they would fain flatter themſelves (and glad are they at heart when they can meet with any one ſo vile as to give them a colour for it) doth but talk vehemently againſt ſin, for an hour or two in the Week, becauſe it is his trade: There is not one of all theſe, I ſay, but will ſhortly change his note, and turn his tune: When Death knocks at the doors, and looks in at the Windows, and out at the Eyes of theſe p. 53brisk merry Blades, theſe boon Companions; when nature fails; and their ſtrength is gone, and their departing Soul preſageth irreſiſtibly it's everlaſting duration: Oh how will they then befool themſelves? How will their Conſciences reproach them? How freely will they give themſelves the Lie? How heartily will they retract their cenſures of the Godly, and with that they were not only almoſt, but altogether ſuch as they? (Acts xxvi. 29.) And that they might die the death of the righteous, and their laſt end be like his, (Numb. xxiii. 10.) Aſſure your ſelves, Sirs, there is none of you that when you come to die, will repent that he hath praiſed ſo much, or lived ſo exactly, or mortified his fleſh, and ſubjected his appetite to his reaſon with ſo much diligence; none repenteth then of the ſufferings and ſcorns he hath undergone for Chriſt and a good Conſcience. Men then cry out of their Gluttony, and Swearing, and Sabbath-breaking, and Hypocriſie; and not of their holineſs, and circumſpection, and ſincerity; but wiſh it had been a thouſand times more than it was: And what thou wilt ſhortly wiſh p. 54thou hadſt been, methinks if thou art wiſe, it ſhould be thy hearty ſtudy, and chiefeſt care now to be.

R. 7. We ſhall thus make evil days good to us: Days of abounding iniquity in the World; days of ſharp ſufferings to our ſelves, whether from perſecuting malice, or from the immediate hand of God; (as in one kind or other ſufficient unto every day is the evil thereof, Mat. vi. 34.) Yet whatever be the evil of the day, it will be a good day to us, if we be in the fear of the Lord all the day long; for then we ſhall avoid much of the evil of the day, and what of it is unavoidable God will turn it to our good; for he hath ſaid, All things ſhall work together for good to them that love him, Rom. viii 28. There is no Antidote againſt daily temptations like being in the fear of God; nor no ſupport or comfort under great troubles like this, that they find us in the way of our duty. Nothing ſtilleth murmuring and complaining under our ſharpeſt trials like a holy awe of God, and a ſenſe of his preſence and governing Providence. He that is in the fear of God will not uſe ſinful ſhifts to eſcape ſufferings, than which nothing ſooner fills the p. 55Soul of any man, that is not of an utterly ſeared Conſcience, with trouble and perplexity. The fear of God will wean us from the Love of the World, and will ſubdue thoſe inordinate deſires in us, which (ſince nothing that we can here compaſs can ever ſatisfie) muſt neceſſarily make us a torment to our ſelves: It will prick the bladder of pride, quench our covetous thirſt after the Mammon of Unrighteouſneſs, and blunt the Edge of our ſenſual Inclinations, that we ſhall be ſo far from eſteeming any of theſe our happineſs, that we ſhall count our ſelves much more happy in having grace to deny the immoderate gratifications of the animal Life, than in being never ſo fully poſſeſſed of whatſoever might conduce to our compliance with them. In a word, the fear of God powerfully prevailing in our hearts, would make proſperity ſafe, and adverſity eaſie to us, it would make our worſt days good, and our beſt days better; whereas he that lives and dies a ſtranger to this being in the fear of the Lord all the day long, though he live an hundred years in proſperity, yet it may be truly ſaid, he hath not had one good day.

p. 56R. 8. This will ſecure a bleſſing unto us and ours. Religion entails a bleſſing upon Families; upon Perſons, and their Poſterity. Bleſſed is every one that feareth God, and that walketh in his ways, Pſal. cxxviii. 1. God bleſſed the houſe of Potiphar for Joſeph's ſake, Gen. xxxix. 5. It is a promiſe to the truly godly man, that whatſoever he doth ſhall proſper, Pſal i. 3. Happy is the man that feareth always, Prov. xxviii. 14. The curſe of the Lord is in the houſe of the wicked: But he bleſſeth the habitation of the juſt, Prov. iii. 33: Read the 28th Chapter of Deuteronomy; what bleſſings are there promiſed to the careful obſervers of God's Law? Thoſe that are truly Godly, God will pour out his Spirit upon their Seed, and his bleſſing upon their Off-ſpring, Iſa. xliv. 3. If we ſincerely conſecrate and devote our ſelves in the beginning of every day to God, we thereby entitle him to our Perſons, Poſſeſſions, and Performances, and thereupon all of ours doth immediately become his care: He is as it were in equity bound to take care of his own. He never yet caſt off any, that ſincerely caſt themſelves upon him: And when we conſider p. 57how needful his bleſſing is to the Succeſs of any thing that we go about; We cannot but think them happy that by taking God along with them continually, are ſecured of that, without which all humane forecaſt and induſtry is in vain and to no purpoſe, Pſal. Cxxvii. 1, 2. Whence come the Croſſes, Loſſes, Vexations, and Ruines that are in many Families, but from mens neglect or diſtruſt of God? When we caſt him out of our thoughts, it is juſt with him to caſt us out of his care.

R. 9. If we live thus, though we die young, we ſhall have lived long enough, and if we die Old, we ſhall not have lived too long. What an excellent thing now is Holineſs and the fear of God, which reduceth ſhort Life and long to an equality? He that in the time of his Life hath learned to know God and Jeſus Chriſt, to Worſhip God in Spirit and in Truth, to ſecure to himſelf an happy being for Eternity, and to ſerve his Generation while he is in this World, hath lived much, though, it be in a little time: Such a Child hath lived longer, than he that is as Old as Methuſalem, and yet remains ignorant of theſe things; I mean, as to the great p. 58ends …nd purpoſes of living: For there are thoſe of whom we may ſay, as Seneca, non di… vixit, ſed diu fuit: Many have been long, that have lived but a little while. And further, if he whoſe walk and courſe we have been at large deſcribing to you, if ſuch a one I ſay live long, he hath no cauſe to repent of the time he hath ſojourned here; though he have met with many Temptations and Afflictions, he hath thereby only had an opportunity of exerciſing and confirming his Faith, Hope, Love and other Graces, his patience hath had it's perfect work, and he hath brought forth fruit abounding to his account: A long Life well ſpent is a reſemblance of, as well as a preparative to, Eternal Life. Gray-hairs found in the way of righteouſneſs, are a Type and Emblem of an happy Eternity: Whereas the ſinner of an hundred years old is accurſed, and hath cauſe Iſa. 65. 20.Isa 65:20to lament that ever he had a being; he hath cauſe (were it poſſible) to cancel and blot our every day of his Life, each day having been only ſpent in treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and revelation of God's righteous Judgment, Rom. ii. 5.

p. 59R. 10. By ſuch a holy improvement of the ſhort and troubleſom days of time, we ſhall ſecure to our ſelves an happy being thorowout the long and endleſs days o… Eternity. If we ſow to the Spirit, we ſhall of the Spirit reap Life Everlaſting, Gal. vi. 7, 8. If we ſuffer with Chriſt, we ſhall reign with him, 2 Tim. ii. 12. The good and faithful Servant ſhall enter into the joy of his Lord, Mat. xxv. 21. Wherefore, my beloved Brethren, be ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foraſmuch as ye know that your labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. xv. 58. God ſuffereth none of his faithful Servants to be loſers by him, or any thing they do for his honour and glory. Our light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory; while we look not at the things that are ſeen, but at the things that are not ſeen; for the things that are ſeen are Temporal, but the things that are not ſeen are Eternal, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. Surely if we believe an eternity of happineſs for holy Souls, we ſhall not think any pains in duty, or any patience in ſuffering, too much for it: Our diſcouraging apprehenſions of p. 60the difficulty of duty, proceed much from the Wavering and Weakneſs of our Faith concerning the Reality and Excellency of the heavenly glory. If we lived as ſeeing him who is inviſible, (Heb. xi. 27.) And as foreſeeing that glory which is eternal; we ſhould lead other manner of lives, both in reſpect of grace and comfort, than now we do. Who would not Watch and Pray, Toil and Labour, Suffer and Wait, that did ſoundly apprehend, and firmly believe, that the reſult of all would be, the Souls being for ever with the Lord? (1 Theſ. iv. 17.) Oh the glory purchaſed with the redeemers blood, and which he hath as our forerunner taken poſſeſſion of, what will it not excite and enable us to undertake and perform? Did we believe that the fervent, effectual Prayer of a righteous man availeth much (Jam. v. 16.) to the gaining of Eternal bleſſedneſs, we ſhould not ſo often omit, nor ſo lazily perform that duty as we do. Did Faith enliven our Meditations of Heaven, we ſhould be oftner in them, and continue at them longer, and with more delight. Did we look upon every alms given by us to the poor as a laying p. 61up treaſure in Heaven, we ſhould labour to be rich in good Works. Did we reckon that the more of the ſufferings of Chriſt are fulfilled in us now, the more of the glory of Chriſt ſhall be revealed in us hereafter, we ſhould even be ambitious of Martyrdom, and eſteem the reproach of Chriſt greater riches than the treaſures of Egypt, Heb. xi. 26. But alas, we think Heaven may be had with leſs ado, or elſe we think ſo poorly of it as if it were ſcarce worth having. So that there is too much cauſe to take up concerning us the complaint of one of the Ancients, Aut hoc non est Evangelium, aut nos non ſumus Evangelici, either this (that we have in our Bibles) is not the Goſpel, or we are not the Goſpellers; ſo wide is the difference between the Goſpel of Chriſt and the Lives of Christians. But be aſſured, my friends, we muſt bring our hearts and lives to the Goſpel, and make that the Rule of them, if ever we will be happy; For Chriſt will never bring down his Goſpel to our hearts and lives. If we will be ſaved it muſt be in his way, and on his Terms, and he hath ſaid. Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. And the p. 62unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. vi. 9. For without are Dogs, &c. Rev. xxii. 15. Conſider therefore, whether you will live a life of preſent eaſe, and be hereafter caſt out into eternal Torments; or you will now painfully exerciſe your ſelves unto godlineſs, and approve your ſelves Chriſt's Servants, that you may hereafter be for ever with him, and behold his glory, John xvii. 24. and ſhare in that Reſt that remaineth for the People of God, Heb. iv. 9.

Having now ſhewn you what it is to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long, and given you the Reaſons which oblige every one of us to take care that we daily be ſo;

III. It remains that I point out to you thoſe Inferences, and practical Concluſions that follow upon, and flow from the Truths we have hitherto been diſcourſing.

Inference I. Muſt we (as you have heard) be in the fear of the Lord all the day long? What then ſhall we think of them that have no fear of God before their eyes? that are ſo far from making Religion p. 63their daily buſineſs, that they live every day as without God in the World? Eph. ii. 12. They ſay unto God, Depart from us, we deſire not the knowledge of thy ways, Job. xxi. 14. If it be ſo neceſſary to our preſent peace and future happineſs (as hath been ſhewn) to walk with God continually, what a condition are they in that never took one ſtep in Heavens way, or ſo much as once ſet their faces Sionward? Jer. L. 5. What ſhall we think of the Atheiſtical Crew, that call in queſtion God's Being, and boldly deny his Providence? The Infidel-ſcoffers that deny Jeſus to be the Son of God, and ridicule the ſacred Records of Eternal Life, that deride all pretenſions to the aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit, and hold the intercourſe and communion of Souls with the Father of Spirits, to be no better than meer fancy and deluſion? How are we to account of the Hypocritical Race of pretenders to that Religion they never felt the power of upon their hearts, who oft turn Infidels themſelves, and draw others into the ſame condemnation? The malignant Enemies of practical Religion, who profeſs to love God, while they hate their Brethren to the very death, p. 64for no other reaſon, but becauſe they indeed love him? The lovers of this World, Mammons Idolatrous Worſhippers, who know no godlineſs but gain, (1 Tim. vi. 5.) and who have no end of living, but to be rich, and to compaſs that will deny God, damn themſelves, and deſtroy their Brethren? The ſond admirers of eaſe and pleaſure, that are dead while they live, (1 Tim. v. 6.) and are willing to purchaſe a dying Life with eternal Death, and exchange Angels fare for that of Swine, lovers of Pleaſures more than lovers of God? 2 Tim. iii. 4. The eager hunters after applauſe, that value themſelves by what others think of them, without ſtaying to conſider what they ought to think of themſelves? Thoſe who ſeldom worſhip God ſo much as in outward appearance, and never in ſpirit and truth, who make no conſcience of Relative duties, of diligence in their Callings, or of juſtice in their dealings; who know not how to govern either their Souls or their Bodies by the Rules of Religion, or the Laws of Sobriety; what can we think of all theſe but that they are evidently the Sons of Death? They are in a ſad and miſerable condition, they live at random, p. 65and muſt die at a venture; for there can be no grounded aſſurance to ſuch of an eternal well-being. Such as theſe make a hard ſhift to pleaſe themſelves in the courſe, but will undoubtedly fool themſelves in the iſſue of their Life; they will one day wiſh they had not lived at all, rather than to have lived thus. A Life void of care, commonly ends in a Death void of hope. As ever therefore you would die the death of the righteous, ſee that you live the life of the righteous; and then, and not otherwiſe, your laſt end ſhall be like his, Numb. xxiii. 10.

Infer. II. If we muſt be in the fear of the Lord every day, much more on the Lords day. We have ſhewn you how you muſt in a ſound ſenſe make every day a Sabbath, by working for God, and reſting in him, and diligent preparing for an eternal Sabbatiſm with him; but you are not to pretend this in excuſe for your neglect of ſanctifying ſtrictly the Chriſtian Sabbath, the firſt day of the week, the day which the Lord hath made, (Pſal. cxviii. 24.) in which he calleth us to rejoyce and be glad: In which we celebrate the memorial of our Lord's Reſurrection, p. 66and conſequently of the whole work of our Redemption by him. If we muſt walk with God every day, much more on this day; to which a ſpecial bleſſing is annexed, and on which we have ſpecial advantages for the ſervice of God, and the ſalvation of our Souls. The cavils of any againſt the ſtrict obſervation of the Lord's day, are eaſily anſwered by any one that obſerveth the dependence of the Life of practical Religion hereupon. I will be bold to ſay it, The power of Religion lives or dies according as Sabbath-ſanctification is kept up, or let fall in Churches, Families or Souls. Of other days you are to conſecrate a part to Religious exerciſes, Acts of Devotion and Worſhip; but this day is wholly to be taken up therein: Only God indulgeth us in works of true neceſſity, and obligeth us to acts of Charity thereon, giving mercy the preference even to Sacrifice.

I will here briefly heap together a few Directions for Sabbath-ſanctification.

1. Diſcern your obligntion to it in point of duty, and value it as your Priviledge. That God have a ſeventh part of our time for his Solemn Worſhip, is the kernel p. 67of the fourth Commandment, and of perpetual obligation, and ſeems to have been a part of Gods Law to Adam, even in the ſtate of Innocence. God appointed and bleſſed the ſeventh day of the week, before Chriſt's coming in the fleſh, for a weekly Sabbath, in commemoration of the worldly Creation; and added a Law of Ceremonious Reſt to the Jews, as a part of their Paedagogy, and a ſhadow of things to come, now done away. Chriſt roſe from the dead on the firſt day of the week, and after his Aſcenſion on that day, poured forth his Spirit on his Apoſtles, to qualifie them to declare his Will to Man-kind in all things concerning Salvation. They held and ſetled Church Aſſemblies on the firſt day of the week, and called it, by way of approbation, The Lords day, Rev. i. 10. And the Ʋniverſal Church (as far as appears from Church Hiſtory, without the leaſt contradiction till our times; ſee Dr. Young's Dies Dominica, and Mr. Baxter's Divine Appointment of the Lords-day) kept this day, and no other, as the day of stated weekly Solemnities; and God was with them, and owned and honoured their Aſſemblies with his gracious p. 68preſence: And therefore it ſeems the effect of strange weakneſs, or intolerable perverſeneſs, for any now in theſe laſt days, to queſtion what the Univerſal Church hath ſo long, on ſo good reaſon, practiſed. The Lords-day as the Christian-Sabbath, I take to have been inſtituted by Chriſt, if not while perſonally on Earth, yet by his Spirit in his Apostles: And as an attentive Reader of the Scriptures, may there diſcern clear intimations of this, ſo the current practice of the Chriſtian Church in all times and places, doth fully confirm it. Nor ought we to eſteem it any other than a very great Priviledge, that we may have a day in ſeven, to ſtudy the Works and Word of God, to praiſe his holy Name, to worſhip him in the Aſſemblies of his Saints, to learn his Will for our Salvation. A holy Soul muſt needs reckon it ſelf in the Confines of Heaven while thus employed, and bleſs himſelf that he may ſometimes retire thus from the World, and enjoy a holy freedom for ſpiritual delights, and gladſome preparations for Eternal Joy.

2. Prepare for this bleſſed day before it come: Think of it, and long for it, every p. 69day, but eſpecially the Evening before; rid your hands in good time of worldly buſineſs, and your hearts of worldly cares: Read, pray, meditate, catechiſe your Families; call your ſelves and yours to an account of what you and they heard the Lords-day before; and, if it may be, get to bed ſooner that night than you uſe to do of other nights, that ſo you may be under no temptation to ſnore away that precious morning, on which our Lord (in teſtimony of the accompliſhment of our Redemption) roſe ſo very early.

3. Be ſure to be up as early on the Lords-day morning, as is conſiſtent with your fitneſs for the bleſſed Employments of it: And let the thoughts of Redeeming Love ſeaſon your hearts at firſt awaking.

4. Redeem time, that you may add ſomething to your daily Devotions, both in Family and Cloſet, and not be put to cut them ſhort.

5. Go with the firſt to Publick Aſſemblies; but go with hearts prepared, and behave your ſelves there with Reverence, Attention, and Affection. Pray in prayer; hear as for the Life of your Souls, and praiſe God with joy and p. 70alacrity; ſtay the Bleſſing, and ruſh not into, or out of Church Aſſemblies in a rude and haſty manner: Conſider God's Angels are there (1 Cor. xi. 10.) and view your behaviour; nay, the God of Angels he looks on.

6. After Publick Worſhip, retire to examine how you have behaved your ſelves there: Call to mind what you have heard, digeſt it by prayer and meditation, and when you have opportunity, fix it on your hearts and memories by conferring of it, eſpecially with your inferiours, Children and Servants, whom you may command thereto.

7. Watch Sabbath time in the Intervals of it, eſpecially at Meals, that they run not waſte. Quicken your ſelves and others, to thankfulneſs and joy, with the ſerious mention of Redeeming Love. Take heed of vain talk, and idle unprofitable muſings. Let the variety of holy employments maintain your delight in them.

8. Cloſe the day in God's fear. Reckon your Sabbaths gains; conſider your actions, and the frame of your Souls in them; fix the Word of the day upon your hearts, and reſolve by the Grace of God to be found in the ſincere and p. 71ſpeedy practice of it. He who thus regardeth a day unto the Lord, (Rom. xiv. 6.) ſhall comfortably experience that the Lords-day hath the ſeventh days bleſſing transferred unto it, and an additional bleſſing of its own conferred upon it.

Infer. III. Seriouſneſs in Religion is not more ado than needs. Strictneſs is not Fanaticiſm, Religion, in all its parts, is our reaſonable ſervice, Rom. xii. 1. We do not ſerve God for nought: (that true enough, though once ſaid by the Father of Lies, Job i. 9.) In keeping Gods Commandments there is great reward, Pſal. xix. 11. All this work you have heard laid open, is of God's ſetting us, and we may be ſure he will not ſuffer us to be loſers by our care to pleaſe him. And beſides, the variety of Employments allotted to us (which ſinners count their burden, and their cumber) is indeed that which ſweetens Religion unto holy Souls. It is not the hardneſs of the work in it ſelf, but the unſuitableneſs of it to our Spirits, that maketh it ſo uneaſie to the moſt; and when Grace hath removed that, the Soul goes on with p. 72chearfulneſs in thoſe ways which ſinners cannot endure to tread, and do all they can to diſcourage others from walking in. When therefore ſinners entice thee from the ways of godlineſs, and tell thee, What needeth ſo much ado? ſure God is more merciful than to damn men for neglect of ſecret prayer, for vain thoughts, for fooliſh ſpeeches for taking now and then a Cup of Nimis, for making the beſt of their own, &c. Sure God won't ſhut all out of Heaven but a few Puritans and Preciſians; ſo much reading and praying, &c. will but mope you, or make you melancholy, or mad; take care of thy Body, and make ſure of thy Eſtate, and truſt God with thy Soul: When, I ſay, ſinners do thus entice thee, conſent thou not, Prov. i. 10. Let no man deceive you with vain words, Eph. v. 6. Tell them, God knows better who he will ſave, and who he will damn, than any of they; and he hath ſaid, Without holineſs no man ſhall ſee the Lord; He will pour out his fury upon the Families that call not upon his Name: Life and Death are in the power of the Tongue: Drunkards (among others) ſhall not inherit the Kingdom p. 73of God: Covetouſneſs is Idolatry: It is a little Flock our Heavenly Father will give his Kingdom to: The Righteous are ſcarcely ſaved: The Kingdom of God conſiſts in Righteouſneſs, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt. What is a man profited if he gain the whole World, and loſe himſelf, or be caſt away? Tell them, theſe are the true ſayings of God; (ſee Heb. xii. 14. Jer. x. 25. Prov. xviii. 21. 1 Cor. vi. 10. Col. iii. 5. Luke xii. 32. 1 Pet. iv. v. 18. Rom. xiv. 17. Luke ix. 25.) And you ſhould be a Fool indeed if you ſhould believe the ſilly ſayings of blind Earth-worms, and prejudiced unexperienced Sots, before the Word of the Living and True God, the Infinite and Eternal Wiſdom.

Infer. IV. What cauſe have we to lament the Fall of our Firſt Parents, by which we are diſabled for this excellent Life? God Created Man holy and happy, with wiſdom to know his Duty, and power to do it, and holy Love to encline him to the performance of it. It was eaſie for Adam to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long; though p. 74it was poſſible for him, by a faulty omiſſion of Reaſons government over the inferiour powers of the Soul, to depart there-from. And ſuch was the mutability of his Will, that, being aſſaulted by Temptation, he wretchedly yielded, and ſo betrayed himſelf and his Poſterity into a forlorn ſtate of wretchedneſs and impotency; ſo that now we have none of us by nature light enough to diſcern, nor ability to perform aright our Duty, in the moſt ordinary inſtances of Life. Certain it is, we have loſt that Moral Liberty of Will which was the glory of Innocent Adam, and had been our glory, had he ſtood and remained in his Integrity. But now the Crown is fallen from our Heads; woe unto us that we have ſinned! Lam. v. 16. We may well name ours Ichabod, for the glory is departed from us, 1 Sam. iv. 21. We are all ſhapen in iniquity, and conceived in ſin, Pſal. Li. 5. In our fleſh dwelleth no good thing; when we would do good, evil is preſent with us: O wretched ones that we are, who ſhall deliver us from the body of this death! Rom. vii. 18, 21, 24. By one man ſin entred into p. 75the World, and death by ſin, and ſo death paſſed upon all men, for that all have ſinned, Rom. v. 12. We have cauſe to look our hearts and lives in the glaſs of God's Law, and cry out as once a good Man did after a long Sickneſs, looking his Face in a Glaſs, and beholding his pale Cheeks and meager Viſage, Ah! Adam (ſaith he) Adam, what haſt thou done? Oh! what a condition are we who ſinned in Adam fallen from? and what a ſad eſtate are we fallen into? our Minds are dark, our Wills perverſe, our Affections froward, &c. we cannot of our ſelves think one good thought, if we might have Heaven and Eternal happineſs for our pains, 2 Cor. iii. 5. We cannot pray, nor read, nor hear, nor do any ſpiritual Duty aright. We have an hereditary Sickneſs that threatens us with death, in that it makes us loath the means of Life. Oh what a averſeneſs to, and unfitneſs for ſecret prayer, and meditation, and examining themſelves do even awakened ſinners find and feel, till ſpecial Grace come in to their aid? What ſhifting, what ſhufling, what excuſes, what ſlightneſs, what ſlubbering over of Duties is p. 76there? In a word, Adam's Fall hath rendered us all utterly unable of our ſelves to do aright any duty to God, our Neighbour, or our ſelves.

Infer. V. What cauſe have we all to lament our paſt days, becauſe they have been in too great a meaſure loſt days? If you look back upon the deſcription that hath been laid before you of the everyday work and walk of a ſerious practical Chriſtian, and conſider how every day of your Life hath been ſpent ſince you came to the uſe of reaſon, I fear you will moſt of you have cauſe to cry out, not only with the Emperour Auguſtus, Hem, amici, diem perdidi! Alas, my Friends, I have loſt a day! But Heu, vitam perdidi! Alas, I have loſt my whole Life! Alas, How have our days been ſquandered away, and our time laviſhed out upon unprofitable vanities? Ask one man what he hath been doing ever ſince he came into the World? And he muſt (if he ſay true) tell you he hath been labouring for the meat that periſheth, he hath been toiling and drudging to add houſe to houſe, and lay field to field, he hath been loading himſelf with thick p. 77Clay, he hath been very throng a getting that together that he knoweth not how ſoon he muſt leave behind him, he cannot tell but before to morrow: Ask another, he will tell you he hath been at the Butterflies work, painting his wings. tricking and trimming, and making himſelf fine, and ſmooth, and brisk, and gay, with a world of art and coſt, ſetting himſelf out to the view of beholders; and to be thought handſom he was willing to wave all the real accompliſhments of humanity; and little thinks the poor ſpark how ſoon all his trimming muſt be laid aſide, and how courfly a fit of ſickneſs, and much more two or three days Lodging in the Grave will make him look: Another, (or perhaps the ſame) if you queſtion him when he is in the right mood to give you an anſwer, will tell you he has been Drinking, Dancing, Singing, Feaſting, dallying all his days; Ranſacking all the avenues of pleaſure, and racking nature to make her confeſs ſome ſecret ſource of delight, and trying untrodden Paths of Luxury, that if it were poſſible ſome new mode of ſenſual gratification might be found, on which the Preacher had p. 76duplicate page p. 77duplicate page p. 76duplicate page p. 77duplicate page p. 78not written, Vanity of Vanities; but know, O fleſhly wretch, that for all theſe things God will bring thee into Judgment, Eccl. xi. 9. Another hath been climbing hard to reach the topmoſt Pinacle of Honour, Cringing, Bribing, Flattering to get an opportunity to wrong others, and ruine himſelf; for man being in honour abideth not, he is like the Beaſts that periſh, Pſal. Lix. 12. Now alas, what poor employments are theſe for that time on which Eternity depends! And yet how few (even among Chriſtians) lay out their time to any better purpoſes? Well, Sirs, all your time that is not laid out for God's glory, the good of others, and the Salvation of your Souls, is loſt time, you had as good, nay better, all that time have been out of Being. Oh what a World of time do the moſt give away to Death? People complain of the ſhortneſs of Life, and yet act as if they thought it too long. What cauſe have moſt of us to ſit down and ſadly ſay, What have I been doing hitherto? Am I not even a dying, before I have begun to live? And Oh that men would ſit down and think ſeriouſly of it, there might be then ſome hope p. 79that they would at laſt in earneſt begin to do that, which they ſhould have been doing all this while.

Infer. VI. What need have we to implore the Grace and Spirit of Christ, to encline and enable us, to direct and aſſist us in this neceſſary work? We have a great deal of work to do, and it muſt be done, and we cannot do it of our ſelves; what more reaſonable then, than that we ſhould ſpeedily and carefully look out for help? The great Goſpel promiſe is the Promiſe of the Spirit, we ought therefore to plead it in Chriſt's name with God the Father, ſince he hath ſaid he will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him, Luke xi. 13. If we have not the Spirit of Chriſt, we are none of his, Rom. viii. 9. And without ſpecial relation to him, and intereſt in him, we cannot groundedly hope for aſſiſtance from him, without whom yet we can do nothing, Joh. xv. 5. We are dark, we therefore need the Spirit to enlighten us; we are weak, we need him to ſtrengthen us; we are wavering, we need him to ſettle and fix us; we are oft dejected and diſcouraged, we then need him to comfort and p. 80confirm us. Since then we ſo greatly need this bleſſing on all accounts, how earneſt and importunate ſhould we be for it? How obſervant of all the bleſſed Spirits acceſſes to, and receſſes from our Souls? How careful to cheriſh his bleſſed motions? How loath to grieve our guide? If our Baptiſm in his name were not a nullity (which many at leaſt of our ſcoffers are not yet arrived at the impudence to aſſert) our pretenſions to his aſſiſtance cannot be juſtly charged to be Enthuſiaſtical; provided our claims be proportioned to the ends of our Baptiſmal Covenant relation to the Holy Ghoſt, and our holineſs of Life and Converſation manifeſt their reality. As Enthuſiaſm (though it ſeem to look another way) leads to Infidelity; ſo Infidelity too often, and never more than of late, masks it ſelf under the veil of a vehement zeal againſt Enthuſiaſm: But a good underſtanding of our Baptiſm, and a practical experience of the main vital principles of Chriſtianity therein contained, would be an effectual cure of both. When we know what it is to have the Spirit of Life, living and working in our Souls, as our Souls p. 81in our Bodies, then, and not till then, ſhall we know what it is to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long: Some forced motions in the externals of Religion we may have before, but it is the Spirit that quickeneth, Joh. vi. 23. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there, and there only is true Liberty, (2 Cor. iii. 17.) Even ſuch as whereby we run the ways of God's Commandments with enlarged hearts, Pſal. Cxix. 32.

Infer. VII. What care ſhould Parents take to begin, in a way of holy Education, with their Children betimes; that the best courſe in the World may not ſeem difficult and uneaſie to them by diſuſe? The wiſe man bids, train up a Child in the way he ſhould go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, Prov. xxii. 6. And undoubtedly one great reaſon why many frame ſo aukwardly, in the matters of Religion, is becauſe they were ſo long ſuffered to be utterly unacquainted with them. O what a difference do Miniſters uſually find, as to the Succeſs of their Preaching, between catechiſed and uncatechiſed youth? Oh how hard is it to get people in years, that have p. 82been left in ignorance till then, to learn to underſtand but the most plain and common principles of Religion, through want of early inſtruction, when we tell men of being in the fear of the Lord continually, the moſt know nothing what we mean; tell them of the neceſſity of Repentance, Faith and Holineſs in order to Eternal Life, and they underſtand not what they hear; ſpeak to them of the bleſſed Trinity, in whoſe name they were baptized, of the neceſſity of the Spirits help, and of regeneration; and it is all one as if we ſpoke to them in Greek or Arabick; their minds have never been uſed to ſuch matters. O you that deſire it ſhould be otherwiſe with yours, take care of their early inſtruction, tell them betimes of their duty in order to Salvation and Eternal happineſs, and acquaint them with the holy Scriptures, teach them to pray, ſet before them briefly and plainly the order of their daily duty to God, their Neighbours and themſelves, help them to govern their appetites and paſſions by reaſon and the Word of God, tell them what Chriſt hath ſuffered in their ſtead, what benefits he hath purchaſed p. 83for them by his death, and how thoſe benefits come to be applyed to the Souls of his choſen: Labour to work things down into their hearts, and get them to feel what they know: This is Gods work but it is to be expected in Conjunction with your endeavour, and Children thus initiated betimes rarely do amiſs, whereas a Child left to himſelf cauſeth ſhame, (Prov. xxix. 15.) Diſhonours God, grieves his Parents, and damns himſelf.

Infer. VIII. What great need there is for us to keep the Christian hopes in conſtant believing view, that by them we may be encouraged to ſo great and difficult work. The Juſt ſhall live by his Faith, Hab. ii. 4. Now Faith is the Subſtance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not ſeen, Heb. xi. 1. Moſes had reſpect unto the recompence of reward, Heb. xi. 26. And our Lord himſelf endured the Croſs and deſpiſed the ſhame, for the joy that was ſet before him, Heb. xii. 2. Chriſtianity were not the best Religion, if it did not propound to us the best Reward, and that with the fulleſt and cleareſt evidence; and we are not p. 84Chriſtians if the hope of that reward act us not in our endeavours of conformity to its bleſſed Precepts: So widely are they out, that cry down diligence in the Chriſtian Work and Race, in expectation of the Rewards of Eternal Glory, as mercenary, and that talk of quenching Hell, and burning Heaven, to prove the ſincerity of their obedience. God help me to obey and ſuffer for the joy ſet before me, and I doubt not but I ſhall be for ever in that Heaven where Jeſus Chriſt, now is, and let thoſe that hope to fare better in new-fangled ways of their own deviſing, let them I ſay, at long run bragg as they ſpeed. Man is a creature the very frame and conſtitution of whoſe Soul ſhews him made to be governed by Hopes and Fears; And no hopes like thoſe of a happineſs compleat and everlaſting. The Apoſtolical Canon therefore is, Heb. vi. 11, 12. And we deſire that every one of you do ſhew the ſame diligence to the full aſſurance of hope unto the end; that ye be not ſlothful, but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promiſes. He that will p. 85be an Active, Uſeful, Exemplary, Perſevering Chriſtian, muſt clear and ſettle well his hope of Everlaſting Life, as that which God who cannot lye hath promiſed, and often review it by believing Meditation; nothing quickens, nothing ſupports like this: Am I lazing and ſlugging, and moving heavily in the ways of God? What a Spur is ſuch a thought as this? Do I now act as becomes a Candidate for Eternal Glory, an Expectant of Heavenly Felicity? Would this pace content me if I now ſaw Heaven open to my bodily Eyes? And is it not equally certain as if I did? So when ſinking into diſcouragement, when drooping and deſponding, when horribly afraid of ſuffering or the like; ſay, O my Soul, doth this become a Chriſtian, a Child of God, an Heir, a Coheir with Chriſt? What, a Kings Son, the King of Heavens Son, the Heir of a Kingdom, and ſuch a Kingdom! And thus lean from day to day? (alluſion to 2 Sam. xiii. 4.) Oh Sirs, little do we think what a vigorous Inſtrument of an holy Life, the Chriſtian hope in our Souls would prove, were we more careful to get it p. 86firmly rooted there, and then to maintain it in its lively act and powerful exerciſe.

Infer. IX. How much is it the concernment of all that would be Chriſtians indeed, to get right notions of Religion? That our Duty is our Intereſt, a real pleaſure and advancement to our Souls? 'Tis wrong conceits of Religion, and the nature of the work it puts us upon, that ſcareth ſo many from it. Men will not hear of becoming Religious, becauſe they take it to be what it really is not, and have no right underſtanding what indeed it is. Men think Religion ties them up from all that is grateful, and fills them continually with fear and ſorrow, and unhinges them for buſineſs, unfits them for action, and calls them to part with all that they at preſent count valuable, and giveth them nothing, or next to nothing in exchange. This is the notion the World hath commonly of Religion; and no wonder if in this dreſs it appear very terrible, and be ſo far from alluring Lovers, that it affright Spectators. But I pray you, Sirs, you p. 87that labour under theſe prejudices, come a little nearer, and take a better proſpect of Religion before you renounce her utterly: It may be ſhe is not what you take her for, perhaps ſhe hath charms you never yet diſcovered; I hope you will not think it impoſſible, but Solomon might be in the right, when he ſaid of Wiſdom, or true Religion, All her ways are ways of pleaſantneſs, and all her paths are peace, Prov. iii. 17. What if upon enquiry all your Objections againſt Religion prove calumnies? What if upon a true opening of the caſe, your Scruples all vaniſh, and a little light of ſober Reaſon diſpel the miſts you have endeavoured to benight her with? I hope you will then come over to that ſide which hitherto you have ſo violently oppoſed, and ſo malignantly derided: Come then, and let us reaſon together: If Religion debar you of no true pleaſure, but call you to exchange ſordid and periſhing ones, for thoſe that are noble and durable, will you then become her Votary? Why, ſo it is; Religion teaches you Temperance in the uſe of bodily Pleaſures, which alone p. 88gives them their true reliſh, and renders them ſafe to be enjoyed; and (which is of more important conſideration) makes their uſe conſiſtent with the obtaining of thoſe better Pleaſures, whereof ſhe allows and offers you, freer and fuller draughts, and whereof you can never have too much, and ſhall not finally want enough. The pleaſures of Knowledge and Love are ever perfecting till we come to glory, immediately upon our entrance whereunto they are perfected to ſatisfaction, though according to ſome, (ſee the ingenious diſcourſe of a nameleſs Author, called, The Future State) even there they are in a ſtate of perpetual progreſs and advance.

Obj. But it may be you will ſay, Surely Religion cannot be a ſtate of Joy, when men paſs into it thorow ſo many fears and ſorrows, and when the great Author of it hath clad it in mourning; ſaying, Bleſſed are they that mourn, Matth. v. 4.

Sol. I anſwer, Religion only calleth for ſo much ſorrow as is conſiſtent with, or conducive to the greateſt joy; and debarreth us only of ſuch joys as will end in everlaſting ſorrows. For Religion's p. 89taking men off from buſineſs, or unfitting them for it, it is a vain cavil, and contradicted by the Experience of all Ages; For in every Age, ſome of the moſt active and eminent have been jointly noted for Religion, and for Wiſdom, Courage and Succeſs in the management of Publick Affairs, both in War and Peace; as Abraham, David, Nehemiah, and others. The truth is, Religion, in theſe things, changeth not mens natural Tempers and Endowments, but taking them as it findeth them, improves and perfects them. And for what Religion obligeth us to forego, it is demonſtrable that it calleth us to quit nothing but what may well be ſpared; and for what is not conſiſtent with our happineſs, giveth us in exchange what is alone conſtituent of it. And if its worſt Enemies have no more to ſay againſt it, but that which is ſo eaſily refutable, who can wonder if (notwithſtanding all the ſcorns of profane wits) heavenly Wiſdom be ſtill juſtified of her Children? (Matth. xi. 19.) as ſhe will ſhortly more fully be by her great Author, who is able to defend her againſt all her profane contemners, and malignant oppoſers.

p. 90Infer. X. Great cauſe there is for all ſuch as know by experience how ſweet and comfortable a thing it is to be daily taken up in the lively, ſpiritual performance of Religious Exerciſes to pity, and by counſel, prayer and example, do all they can to help the reſt (who are the moſt) of Mankind, yea of profeſſed Christians, that live as without God in the World, having neither skill nor will to holy Employments, or the due improvement of their Time. It is a doleful thing to take a conſiderate view of the world, and think what God made man, and placed him upon the Earth for, and what we are redeemed for, and what large proviſion of help there is in the Goſpel for loſt Mankind, and yet how few do in any meaſure anſwer the end of their Beings, or act like perſons that have any hope of ſaving benefit by Jeſus Chriſt. Not only the Heathen and Mahometan World, and the obſtinate Infidel Jews, and the Idolatrous perſecuting Papiſts; but alas, the generality of the Reformed Churches, are a ſight fit to make a ſenſible heart bleed; abounding ſo with ignorance, profaneneſs, worldlineſs, ſenſuality, corruption in VVorſhip, Church-tyranny, Hereſies, Schiſms, Diviſions, p. 91Envyings, and bitter Zeal, that the Tares do in a manner hide the Wheat; and the Faith even of good men is ſometimes put to ſtagger at the Promiſe, That the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail, Mat. xvi. 18. But oh that we did rather in our places all do our utmoſt to promote its accompliſhment! by perſonal Reformation, by fervent Prayer, by due inſtructing and calling upon others, and ſetting them a good Example, by mourning for the ſins of the Times, and pleading with God his Promiſes for the Remnant of his People. If we thus hope, and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord, (Lam. iii. 26.) we may yet live to ſee the eminent returns of Prayer, and the glorious accompliſhment of Prophecies and Promiſes, when Salvation ſhall be to God's Iſrael for VValls and Bulwarks, Iſa. xxvi. 1. and when Jeruſalem's VValls ſhall be Salvation, and her Gates praiſe, Iſa. Lx. 18. Even ſo come Lord Jeſus, come quickly. Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Billingsley, The Believers Daily Exercise (1690)