A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures, Dedication
To his much Honoured, and Worthily eſteemed Friend, Sir NATHANIEL HERNE, Kt. Sheriff of London, and Governour of the East-India Company.
Grace, Mercy and Peace be multiplyed upon you and yours. SIR,
MUch might be ſaid (were it neceſſary) for the Dedication of Books unto perſons of worth, intereſt, ſervice and honour; this having been the conſtant practiſe of the beſt and wiſeſt of men, in all the Ages of the world: And therefore, I need not make any farther Apology, for my preſent practice.
What is written is permanent, litera ſcripta manet, and ſpreads it ſelf farther by far, for time, place and perſons, than the voice can reach. Auguſtine, writing to Voluſian, Aug Epiſt. 1. ad V…s.ſaith, that which is written, is always at hand to be read, when the reader is at leyſure. There are thoſe that think (and as they conceive from Scripture grounds too) that the glory of the Saints in heaven, receives additions and encreaſes daily, as their holy walk, and faithful ſervice, when here on earth; doth after they are gone, bring forth fruit, to the praiſe of God, amongſt thoſe that are left behind them: If this be ſo, what greater encouragement can there be, to write, print, preach, and to walk holily in this world?
I muſt alſo confeſs, that, that general acceptation that my former labours have found, both in the Nation, and It was a ſaying of …, concerning his firſt portraicture: I… … liked, I will …raw … bei…e … this.in forreign parts; and that ſingular bleſſing, that has attended them from on high, hath been none of the leaſt encouragements to me, once more to caſt in my Mite into the common Treaſury. Beſides I am not unſenſible of your candid eſteem of ſome forme endeavours of mine in this kind; neither do I know any way, wherein I am more capacitated to ſerve the glory of God, the intereſt of Chriſt, the publick good, reproached truths, and the intereſt of the Churches in my Generation, than this, as my caſe and condition, is circumſtanced: And I am very well ſatisfied, that there is nothing in this Treatiſe, but what tends to the advantage, comfort, ſupport, ſettlement, and encouragement of thoſe, whoſe concernment lies in peace and truth, in holineſs and righteouſneſs, throughout the Nations.
Sir, The points here inſiſted on, are of the greateſt uſe, worth, weight, neceſſity, excellency, and utility imaginable; they are ſuch, wherein our preſent bleſſedneſs, and our future happineſs; yea, wherein our very all, both as to this, and that other world, is wrapped up. It will be D…u…. 30. 15, 19. cap. 32. 47.your life, honour and happineſs to read them, digeſt them, experience them, and to exemplifie them in a ſuitable converſation; which that you may, let your immortal ſoul lye always open to the warm, powerful and hourly influences 2 Cor. 5. 9. foreign We ambitiouſly labour we count it our higheſt honour and glory to … accepted of God.of heaven.
Let it be the top of your ambition, and the height of all your deſigns, to glorifie God, to ſecure your intereſt in Chriſt, to ſeve your Generation, to provide for Eternity, to walk with God, to be tender of all that have Aliquid Chriſti, any thing of Chriſt, ſhining in them, and ſo to ſteer your courſe in this world, as that you may give Mat. 25. 21.up your account at laſt with joy: All other ambition is baſe and low. Ambition (ſaith one) is a guilded miſery, B…rnard. Cardinal Burbon, would not loſe his part in Paris, for his part in Paradiſe: Act. and mon. Fol. 899.a ſecret poyſon, a hidden plague, the Engineer of deceipt, the mother of hypocriſie, the parent of envy, the original of vices, the moth of holineſs, the blinder of hearts, turning medicines into maladies, and remedies into diſeaſes. In the enthronization of the Pope, before he is ſet in his chair, and puts on his triple Crown, a piece of tow, or wad of ſtraw is ſet on fire before him, and one appointed to ſay, ſic tranſit gloria mundi, the glory of this Act 25. 23.world is but a blaze. St. Luke calls Agrippa's pomp foreign, a phantaſie or vain ſhew; and indeed, all worldly pomp and ſtate is but a phantaſie, or vain ſhew. St. Matthew calls all the world's glory, foreign, Mat. 4. 8.an opinion: and St. Paul calls it, foreign, a Mathematical 1 Cor. 7. 31.figure; which is a mere notion, and nothing in ſubſtance: The word here uſed, intimateth that there is nothing of any firmneſs, or ſolid conſiſtency in the creature; it is but a ſurface, out-ſide, empty thing: all the beauty of it, is but skin-deep. Mollerus, upon that Pſal. The Roman… built Virtue's & honours Temples cloſe together, to ſhew, that the way to true honour, was by Virtue, Aug.73. 20. concludeth, that men's earthly dignities are but as idle dreams; their ſplendid braveries, but lucid fantaſies. High ſeats are never but uneaſie, and Crowns are always ſtuffed with Thorns; which made one ſay of his Crown, Oh Crown, more noble than happy: ſhall the ſpirit of God, the grace of God, the power of God, the preſence of God, arm you againſt all other ſins, evils, ſnares, and temptations, as you are by a good hand of heaven, armed againſt worldly ambition, and worldly glory:
Sir, you know he was a Saul that ſaid, honour me before 1 Sam. 15, 30. 2 King. 10 16.the people; and he was a Jehu that ſaid, come, ſee my zeal for the Lord of hoſts: and they were three Iriſh Kings, that rebelled in Henry the ſecond's days; being derided for their rude habits and faſhions: and they were ſome of the worſt of Cardinals, that, when they were like to die, would give great ſumms of money for a Cardinal's E…aſmus writes that he knew ſome ſuch Cardinals.hat, that they might be ſo ſtiled upon their tombs: And they were the Romans, and other barbarous nations, that were moſt ambitions of worldly honour and glory: And he was a Julius Caeſar, whoſe exceſſive deſire of honour, made him to be mortally hated by the Senators, and all others. God grants no man a pattent for honour, durante vita, but durante bene-placito (as the Lawyers ſpeak) during his life, but during his own good pleaſure. All worldly honour and glory is ſubject to mutability: Honours, Riches and Pleaſures, are the three Deities, that in theſe days, a world of men adore, and to whom they ſacrifice, morning and evening, their beſt thoughts; and theſe, for their unparallel'd vanity, may well be called the vanity of vanities: Worldly honours Ec…l…ſ. 1. 2.are but a more conceit, a ſhadow, a vapour, a feather in the cap, without ſubſtance or ſubſiſtence, and yet the moſt powerful charm of Satan, whereby he Iulls men to ſleep, in the Paradiſe of fools; to caſt them, when they are awake, into the bottomleſs pit of eternal woe: For had not Satan hold them to be the ſtrongeſt of all his temptations, he had not reſerved them for his laſt battery, againſt Mat. 4. 8, 9.the conſtancy of our bleſſed Saviour, as he did: And although this roaring Cannon of his could not prevail againſt Chriſt, the Rock of Ages; yet, how many cap. 16. 18.thouſands in theſe days, are captivated and deluded, by the glorious gliſtering of worldly honours: Men of great honour and worldly glory, ſtand but in ſlippery places: Adonibezek, a mighty Prince, was made fellow-commonner Judg. 1. 7. Dan. 4. 28.with the Dogs: And Nebuchadnezzar, a mighty Conquerour, was turned a grazing among the Oxen: and Herod was reduced from a conceited God, to the moſt Act. 12. 23.loathſome of men, a living carrion, arreſted by the vileſt creatures, upon the ſuit of his affronted Creator; the lice did fully confute his Auditory, and triumph over his Throne. A great Haman is feaſted with the King one Heſt. 7. 10.day, and made a feaſt for Crows the next, In all the Iſa. 23. 9.Ages of the world, God hath taken a delight to ſtain the pride of all the glory of this lower world: ſee it in a few inſtances.
Valerian, The Roman Emperour, fell from being an Emperour, to be a foot-ſtool to Sapor, King of Perſia, as often as he took horſe.
Bibulus the Conſul, riding in his triumphant Charriot; by the fall of a Tyle-ſtone from a houſe, was made a Sacrifice, before he could reach the Capitol, to offer up there the Bulls and Garlands he had prepared.
Aurelianus, The Roman Emperour, brought Tetricus his oppoſite, and the brave Queen Zenobia of Palmerina in Triumph to Rome in Golden chains.
Sejanus, That podigious favourite, on the ſame day that he was attended by the Senate, on the ſame day he was torn in pieces by the people: Seneca, ſpeaking of him, ſaith, that he who, in the morning, was ſwollen with Titles, …ere night there remained not ſo much as a mammock of fleſh for the hang man to faſten his hook in.
Beliſarius, a moſt famous General under Juſtinian the Emperour, after all the great and famous ſervices that he had done, he had his eyes put out in his old age, by the See Decad. pag. 649, 650.Empreſs Theodora; and at the Temple of St. Sophy, forced to beg: Date panem Beliſario, &c. Give a cruſt to old blind Beliſarius, whom virtue advanced, but envy hath brought into this great miſery.
Henry the fourth, Emperour, in ſixty two Battels, for the moſt part, he became victorious; yet he was depoſed, and driven to that miſery, that he deſired only a Clerk's place in a houſe at Spire, of his own building, which the Biſhop of that place denied him: whereupon, he brake forth into that ſpeech of Job; Miſeremini Job 19. 21.mei amici, quia manus dei tetigit me: have pity upon me, oh my friends, for the hand of God hath touched me, he died of grief and want.
Bajazet, a proud Emperour of the Turks, whom Tamberlain a Tartarian took priſoner, and bound him in chains of Gold, and uſed him for a foot-ſtool, when he took horſe; when he was at table, he made him gather crums and ſcraps under his table, and eat them for his food.
Dyoniſus King of Sicily, was ſuch a cruel Tyrant, that his people baniſhed him; after his baniſhment, he went to Corinth, whee he lived a baſe and contemptible life: At laſt he became a School-maſter; ſo that, when he could not tyrannize any longer over men, he might over boys.
Pythias was pined to death for want of bread, who, 9. Turk. Hiſt…ry, pag. 220.once was able to entertain and maintain Xerxes his mighty army.
Great Pompey had not ſo much as room to be buried in, and William the Conqueour's Corps lay three days unburied, his interment being hindred by one that claimed the ground to be his.
Caeſar having bathed his ſword in the blood of the Senate, and his own Countrey-men; is after a while, miſerably murdered in the Senate, by his own friends, Caſſius and Brutus.
King Guillimer, a potent King of the Vandals, was 12. Pr…ptus reports this of him.brought ſo low, as to enteat his friend to ſend him a ſpunge, a loaf of bread, and a harp; a ſpunge to dry up his tears, a loaf of bread to maintain bis life, and a harp to ſolace himſelf in his miſery.
A Duke of Exeter, who, though he had married Edward 13. Philip…le C…mines ſaw him thus beg.the fourths ſiſter, yet was ſeen begging bare foot in the Low-countreys.
The Emperour Nero promoted Tygelenus to the greateſt 14. See Tac…us in Otho's Life.dignities of the Roman Empire, but it was becauſe he had been the private Agent to his baſe and laſcivious delights, for which he was juſtly deprived of his honours and life, by Otho the Emperour.
By all theſe inſtances (and many more that might be produced) it is moſt evident; that worldly glory is but a breath, a vapour, a …roth, a phant…ſm, a …adow, a reflection, an apparition, a very nothing: Like the Incub…s or night mare in a dream, you imagine it a ſubſtance a weight; you graſp at it, and awake, and 'tis nothing. Pleaſue and wealth will abide a ſenſe or two; the one a touch or taſte, the other a ſight of the eyes; but this of glory can neither be felt, ſeen or underſtood. The Philoſophers are at ſtrife among themſelves, where to fix it in any being or exiſtence, whether in Honorante, or in Honorato, the giver or the taker; the inconſtancy and ſlipperineſs of it, is diſcernable in the inſtances laſt cited. It hath raiſed ſome, but hath ruined more; and thoſe (commonly) whom it hath moſt raiſed, it hath moſt ruined: Sir, if there be any thing glorious in the world, 'tis a mind that divinely contemns that glory; and ſuch a mind I judge and hope God hath given you. I have hinted a little at the vanity of worldly glory, becauſe, happily this Treatiſe, paſſing up and down the world, may fall into the hands of ſuch as may be troubled with that Itch; and if ſo, who can tell but that that little that I have ſaid, may prove a ſoveraign ſalve to cure that Egyptian Botch, and if ſo, I have my end.
Sir, Let nothing lye ſo near your heart in all the world, as theſe eight things: 1. Your ſins, to humble you, and abaſe you at the foot of God: 2. Free, and rich, and ſoveraign grace, to ſoften and m…lt you down Col. 1. 10, 11, 12, 13. Phil. 4. 12, 13, 14. …al. 2. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 10. Pſal. 119. 105. Amos 6. 3, 4, 5, 6. …. 1. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.into the will of God: 3. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to aſſiſt, help, ſtrengthen, and influence you to all the duties and ſervices, that are incumbent upon you: 4. The bleſſed Scriptues, to guide you, and lead you, and o be a lamp unto you feet, and a light unto your paths: 5. The afflictions of Joſeph, to draw out your charity, mercy, pity, ſympathy, and campaſſion, to men in miſery: 6. The glory and happineſs of another world, to arm you, and ſteel you againſt all the ſins, ſnares, and temptations; that your high places, offices, and circumſtances may lye you open to: 7. The grand points in this Treatiſe, which, being laid upon your heart by the warm hand of the ſpirit, are able to make you wiſe unto ſalvation; and to ſecure your precious and immortal ſoul, againſt thoſe pernicious and moſt dangerous (may I not ſay damnable) errours and opinions, 2 Pet. 2. 1.that are preached, printed, and cryed up in the vain world: 8. The intereſt of Chriſt and his people, which will be your honour whilſt you live, your joy and comfort, when you come to die, and your Crown of 1 Theſs. 1. 19. 20.rejoycing in the great day of our Lord.
Sir, I ſhall not ſo far diſguſt you, as to tell the world how many ſeveral ſcore pounds of your money hath paſſed through my hands, towards the relief, refreſhment, ſupport and preſervation of ſuch; who, for their piety, and extreme poverty and neceſſity, were proper objects of your charity; but ſhall take this opportunity to tell you (and all others, into whoſe hands this Treatiſe may fall) that of all the duties of Religion, there are none, 1. More commanded, than this of charity, pity, compaſſion Prov. 3. 9, 10. Eccleſ. 11. 1, 2. Gal. 6. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 3, 4, 5. cap. 9. 1, 2. Iſa. 58. 7. to the 13. ponder upon it. Mat. 25. 34, to verſ. 41.and mercy to men in miſery, eſpecially to thoſe of the houſhold of faith: 2. There is no one duty more highly commended and extolled, than this: 3. There is no one duty, that hath more choice and precious promiſes annexed to it than this: 4. There is no one duty, that hath greater rewards attending it, than this: Evagrius a rich man, being importuned by Sineſius a Biſhop, to give ſomething to charitable uſes, he yielded at laſt, to give three hundred pounds; but firſt took bond of the Biſhop, that it ſhould be repayed him, in another world, (according to the promiſe of our Saviour, Mat. 19. 29.with a hundred-fold advantage:) Before he had been one day dead, he is ſaid to have appeared to the Biſhop, delivering in the bond cancelled, as thereby acknowledging that what was promiſed, was made good. It is certain, that one days being in heaven, will make a ſufficient recompence, for whatſoever a man has given on earth.
Neither ſhall I acquaint the world with thoſe particular favours and reſpects, which you have ſhewed to my ſelf; but treaſure them up in an awakened breaſt, and be your remembrancer at the throne of grace. Only, I muſt let the world know, that I owe you more than an Epiſtle; and if you pleaſe to accept of this mite in part of payment, and improve it for your ſouls advantage, you will put a farther obligation upon me, to ſtudy, how I may farther ſerve the intereſt of your immortal ſoul.
Let the luſtre of your prudence, wiſdom, charity, fidelity, generoſity, and humility of ſpirit, ſhine gloriouſly, through all your places, offices, abilities, riches, employments and enjoyments; for this is the height of all true excellency: and that it may be ſo, remember, for ever, that the eyes of God, of Chriſt, of Angels, of Jer. 16. 17. Job 34 21. Prov. 5. 21. Jer. 32. 19. Heb. 4. 13. 'Tis a ſaying of the School-men, quic quid eſt in deo eſt in deo eſt ipſe deus.Devils, of Sinners, of Saints, of Good, of Bad, are always fixed upon you; God is all ear to hear, all hand to puniſh, all power to protect, all wiſdom to direct, all goodneſs to relieve, all grace to pardon, and he is Totus Oculus, all eye to obſerve the thoughts, hearts, words, ways and walkings of the children of men. As the eyes of a well drawn picture are faſtned on us, which way ſoever we turn; ſo are the eyes of the Lord. Zeno a wiſe Heathen, affirmeth, that God behold even the very thoughts of men: Athenodorus, another Heathen, ſaith, that all men ought to be careful of the actions of their life, becauſe God was every where, and behold all that was done. Of all men on earth, Magiſtrates and Miniſters had need pray with David, Teach us thy …ſal. 27. 1.way, O Lord, and lead us in a plain path, becauſe of our enemies; or nearer the Hebrew, becauſe of our obſervers: in all the Ages of the world, there have been Sauls and Doegs, who have looked upon God's Davids with an evil Jer 20. 10.eye, and watched for their halting: there are multitudes that will be ſtill eyeing and prying into the practices, offices, carriages and converſations of Magiſtrates and Miniſters, the more it concerns them to watch, pray, act and walk like ſo many earthly Angels, in the midſt of a crooked, perverſe and froward Generation.Phil. 2. 15.
Wiſe and prudent Governours are an unſpeakable mercy to a Kingdom or Commonwealth; which Jethro well underſtood, when he gave Moſes that good counſel: To make choice out of the people, of grave and able men, ſuch as feared God, men of trath hating covetouſneſs; Ex…d. 18. 21, 22. … tirum in …a, is a maximas true as old.and to make them rulers over thouſands, and rulers over hundreds, over fifties, and over tens: But in the Nations round, how rare is it to find Magiſtrates qualified, ſuitable to Jethro's counſel. Alphonſus, King of Spain, coming very young to the Crown; ſome adviſed, that ſeven Counſellors might be joyned to govern with him; who ſhould be men fearing God, lovers lovers of Juſtice, free from filthy luſts, and ſuch as would not take bribes: To which, Alphonſus replyed; if you can find ſeven ſuch men, nay, bring me but one ſo qualified, and I will not only admit him to govern with me, but ſhall willingly reſign the Kingdom it ſelf to him. Wicked policies are ever deſtructive to their Authors; as you may ſee in Pharaoh, Ex…d. 1. 10, 22. 2 Sam. 16. cap. 23. 23. Eſt. 7. 10.in Achitophel, in Haman, &c. As long as the Roman Civil Magiſtrates, Senators and Commanders of Armies, were choſen into places of honour and truſt, for their noble deſcent, their prudence and valour; their State did flouriſh, and did enlarge its Dominions, See Livim De… ….more in one Century of years, than it did in three, after theſe places of honour came to be venal, and purchaſed by conceſſion: For then men of no parts, were for money, promoted to higheſt dignities: whereupon civil contentions were fomented, factions encreaſed, and continual bloody inteſtine Wars maintained; by which, the ancient Liberties of that State, were ſuppreſſed; and the laſt Government of it, changed into an Imperial Monarchy. As long as the chief officers of the Crown of France, and the places of Judicature of the Realm, were given by Charles the fifth, ſurnamed the wiſe, to men of Learning, of Wiſdom, and Valour, in recompence of their Loyalty, virtue and merits, that Kingdom did flouriſh, with peace, honour and proſperity; and the Courts of Parliaments See the Hiſtory of France.of France, had the honour, for their Juſtice and equity, to be the Arbitrators and Umpires of all the differences that happened in thoſe days, between the greateſt Princes of Chriſtendom: But when theſe places of honour and truſt were made venal, in the reigns of Francis the ſecond, Charles the ninth, and Henry the third, and ſold for ready money to ſuch as gave moſt for them; then was Juſtice and Equity baniſhed, and that flouriſhing Kingdom reduced to the brim of ruine and deſolation, by variety of factions, and a bloody Civil War: The wicked Counſel given by the Cardinal De Lorraign, and the Duke of Guiſe his brother, to Charles the ninth, King of See the Maſſa… of Par… …n the In…e…tory of France.France, to allure all the Proteſtants to Paris, under colour of the Marriage of Henry de Bourbon, with Margaret de Valois, the King's ſiſter, to have them all as in a trap, for to cut their throats in their beds, as they did for the greateſt part; proved fatal to the King, to the Cardinal, and the Duke: For the King, by the juſt judgment of God, died ſhortly after by an Iſſue of blood, which came out of his mouth, ears and noſtrils, and could never be ſtopped; and the Cardinal and the Duke were both ſlain by the Commandment of Henry the third, in the Caſtle of Blois. The barbarous policy of Philip the ſecond, See the …King of Spain, to baniſh two or three hundred thouſand Mores, with their wives and children, under colour of Religion, on purpoſe to confiſcate all their Land, and to appropriate the ſame to his demeſns, was fatal to him, and to all the Spaniſh Nation; for, by the juſt judgment of God, he was eaten up of lice, and the Spaniſh Nation never thrived ſince, &c. Were it not for exceeding the bounds of an Epiſtle, I might ſhew, in all the Ages of the world, how deſtructive the wicked policies of Rulers and Governours, have been to themſelves, and the States and Nations under them, &c. But from ſuch policies, God has, and I hope, will for ever deliver your ſoul. Sir, the beſt policy in the world, is to know God ſavingly, to ſerve him ſincerely, to do the work of your Generation throughly, and to ſecure your future happineſs and bleſſedneſs effectually, &c.
Sir, I do not offer you that which coſt me nothing, or little, God beſt knows the pains, the prayers, and the Mal 1. 13, 14.ſ…dy, that the midwifing of this Treatiſe into the world hath coſt me; in the midſt of tryals, troubles, temptations, afflictions, and my frequent labours in the Miniſtry. The truths that I offer for your ſerious conſideration, in this Treatiſe, are not ſuch as I have formerly preached, in Commonly, men preach thoſe points firſt, that afterwards they print: but not knowing how long the door of liberty may be open: I have ſent this Treatiſe into the world. Eph. 5. 15, 16. …ol ſ… 4. 5. Eccl … 9. 10.one place or another, at one time or another; but ſuch as at ſeveral times, the Lord has brought to hand: and I hope, in order to the ſervice, and ſaving of many, many ſouls. And ſhould you redeem time from your many and weighty occaſions, and live to read it as often over, as there be leaves in it; I am apt to think, you would never repent of your pains, when you come to die, and make up your account with God. Sir, I muſt, and ſhall ſay (becauſe I love and honour you, and would have you happy to Eternity) that it is your greateſt wiſdom, and ſhould be your greateſt care, to redeem time from your worldly buſineſs, to acquaint your ſelf more and more with the great and main points of Religion, to ſerve your God, to be uſeful in your day, and to make ſure and ſafe work for your ſoul to eſcape hell, and to get heaven. Sir Thomas More, one of the great wits of that day, would commonly ſay, there is a Devil called negotium, buſineſs, that carries more ſouls to hell, than all the devils in hell beſide. Many men have ſo many Irons in the fire, and …uk. 10. 40, 41, 42. When one pre…ented Antipater King of Macedo …ia, wich a book treating of happineſs; his anſwer was on Scholazo, I am not at leaſure. The Duke of Alva had ſo much to do on earth, that he had …o time to look up to heaven.are cumbred about ſo many things, that upon the matter, they wholly neglect the one thing neceſſary, though I hope better things of you. The ſtars which have the leaſt circuit, are neareſt the pole: and men that are leaſt perplexed with a croud of worldly buſineſs, are commonly neareſt to God. Sir, as you love God, as you love your ſoul, as you love Eternity, as you would be found at Chriſt's right hand at laſt, and as you would meet me with joy in the great day of the Lord, make much conſcience of redeeming time daily from your ſecular affairs, to be with God in your cloſet, in your family, to read the Scriptures, to ſtudy the Scriptures, and ſuch men's writings that are ſound in the faith, and that treat of the great things of the Goſpel. 'Tis dangerous crying cras, cras, to morrow, to morrow; Mannah muſt be gathered in the morning, the orient Pearl is generated by the morningdew: There is nothing puts a more ſerious frame into a man's ſpirit, than to know the worth and preciouſneſs of time. Time (ſaith one) were a good commodity in hell, Bernard. Bleſſed Ho…p, was ſpare of diet, ſparer of words, & ſpareſt of time. And Bradford counted that hour loſt, where in he did not ſome good, by his tongue, pen or purſe. A Heathen could ſay, he lived no day without a line: that is, he did ſomething remarkable every day. Ma…k Cato was wont to ſay, that there were three things which he abhored: 1. To commit ſecrets to a woman: 2. To go by water, when he might go by land: 3. To ſpend one day idle. Plutar…h.and the traffick of it moſt gainful; where, for one day, a man would give ten thouſand worlds, if he had them. One called his friends thieves, becauſe they ſtole time from him; and certainly, there are no worſe thieves, than thoſe that rob us of our praying ſeaſons, our hearing ſeaſons, our mourning ſeaſons, &c. There was an eminent Miniſter, who would often ſay, that he could eat the fleſh off his arm, in indignation againſt himſelf for his loſt hours.
It was good counſel, that an ancient Chriſtian, that is now triumphing in glory, gave to another, who is ſtill alive, be either like Chriſt or Mary: The firſt was always doing good, the latter was ſtill a receiving good: this is the way to be ſtrong in grace, and to be ſoon ripe for glory. Certainly, time is infinitely precious, in regard of what depends upon it; What more neceſſary than repentance? yet that depends upon time, Rev. 2. 21. I gave her ſpace to repent of her fornications: What more deſirable than the favour of God? This depends upon time, and is therefore called the acceptable time, Iſa. 49. 8. What more excellent than ſalvation? this likewiſe, depends upon time, 2 Cor. 6. 4. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of ſalvation. Pythagoras ſaith, that time is anima coeli, the ſoul of heaven: But to draw to a cloſe, what can there be of more worth, and weight, and moment, than Eternity? it is the Heaven of Heaven, and the very Hell of Hell; without which, neither would Heaven be ſo deſirable, nor Hell ſo formidable. Now this depends upon time, Time is the Prologue to Eternity, the great weight of Eternity hangs upon the ſmall wire of Time: Whether our time here, be longer or ſhorter, upon the ſpending of this depends, either the bliſs or the bane of body and ſoul to all Eternity; This is our ſeed-time, Eternity is the harveſt; whatſoever ſeed we ſow, whether of ſin or grace, it cometh up in Eternity; whatſoever a man ſoweth, Gal. 6. 7, 8. 2. Cor. 9. 6.the ſame ſhall he reap. This is our market time, in which, if we be wiſe Merchants, we may make a happy exchange; of earth, for heaven; of a Valley of tears, for a Paradiſe of delights. This is our working time, I muſt work the works of him that ſent me, the night cometh, Joh. 9. 4.when no man can work; according as the work is we do now, ſuch will be our wages in Eternity: Though time it ſelf laſts …ot; yet whatſoever is everlaſting, dependeth upon it; and therefore, ſhould be carefully improved to the beſt advantage for our ſouls, and for the making ſure of ſuch things as will go with us beyond the grave.
Shall your Lady live to be an honour to God, to be wiſe 1 Pet. 3. 3, 4, 5. 1 Tim. 2. 9, 10. Eph. 6. 4. Prov. 31. 1, 2, 3, Gal. 4. 19. 1 Tim. 1. 5, 6. Iſa. 44. 3, 4. cap. 59. 21. Pſal. 112. 1, 2. Eph. 1. 3.for Eternity, to be a pattern of piety, humiliy, modeſty, &c. to others, to be a joyful mother of many children, and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; Shall you both live to ſee Chriſt formed up in your Off-ſpring, and to ſee their ſouls flouriſh in grace and holineſs, and God beſtowing himſelf, as a portion, upon them; Shall you all round be bleſſed with all ſpiriual bleſſings, in Heavenly places, in Chriſt; and ſhall you all round, be crowned with the higheſt glory, happineſs and bleſſedneſs in the world to come; Shall you all live in the ſenſe of divine love, and di… in the ſenſe of divine favour. Now, to the everlaſting arms of divine protection, and to the conſtant influences of free, rich Gal. 5. 22, 23.and ſovereign Grace and Mercy, he commends you all; who is,
Sir, Your much obliged friend, and ſoul's ſervant, Tho. Brooks.