Advice to a Friend, Part 4
IV.
BUT as I would have you exceedingly in love with Religion, ſo I muſt adviſe you, not to charge your ſelf with too many or too long exerciſes of Devotion. For Honey it ſelf will cloy us; and a perpetual ſcent of Roſes may become offenſive to us. Obſerve therefore what you can do with eaſe, and a pleaſantneſs of Spirit: And when you find your ſelf to be free and forward, then you may be the longer and more enlarged in your Devotions. But when you are very heavy and ſtraitned, then it is not fit to tire your ſpirits and drag them along with you, whither they have no ſtrength to accompany you, nor any diſpoſition to comply with your deſires. Our Body is ſuch a beaſt, and ſometimes ſo dull and reſtife, that if we ſpur it on to a faſter pace, it not only quite tires; but will have no liſt to travel any more. Whereas if we bait it a while, and ſuffer it to take ſome repaſt, and give it ſome reſt; it will go along with us to the end of our Journey. When our ſpirits are dull already, we make them more dull by our reſtleſs importunity to do as we would have them. As a Child you may have obſerved, when he cannot think of his Leſſon, the more his Teacher chides and calls upon him, the more blockiſhly he ſtands, and the further it is beat out of his memory: ſo it is very frequently with the natural ſpirits of every one of us. They are ſo oppreſſed and ſtupid at certain ſeaſons, that if we labour to ſet them in motion, it doth but diſpoſe them the more to ſtand ſtock-ſtill. But if we let them alone, and for that time leave them, they will be like the ſame Child, who in a ſhort time comes to himſelf, and is able to ſay his Leſſon perfectly. They will go whither we would have them, and perhaps run before us.
We muſt do then with our ſelves, as one that is weak, and going up an high and ſteep Hill. When he feels his Legs begin to fail him, and complain that they are weary, he reſts a while and ſits him down to recruit himſelf. And it will not be long before he hear his mind calling on him, to try if he hath not gathered ſome new ſtrength, with which he marches a little further, according as it will carry him. And if he hath any cordial ſpirits in his Pocket, a little taſte of them may much revive him in this languiſhing condition: Yea, the pleaſant proſpect of the Fields round about him, and the various Objects that gratefully entertain his eyes if he caſt them on every ſide, will be a fit divertiſement for his mind, to turn it from thinking of his wearineſs. Thus I ſay, My Friend, it is adviſeable for you to do; reſt your ſelf a while, and make a pauſe, when you perceive your ſpirits begin to flag. Break your Devotions into little parts, and take not the Journey you have ſet your ſelf, all at once. When your mind tels you, that now you are better able, or prompts you to try your ſtrength, then up again and go forward. And between whiles, turn your mind aſide to ſomething or other, that is wont to pleaſe you much. Think of ſome good Friend, of the many fair accommodations that God hath afforded you, of the pleaſant Meadows (as I may call them) and the ſtill Waters by which he leads you; or betake your ſelf to ſome Divine promiſe, and take a taſte of the love of God contained therein, which is as a Cordial to chear and refreſh the Spirits; or run to the extract or quinteſſence that you have drawn (as I ſhall direct you anon) out of former Meditations: and ſome of theſe, its poſſible, may make you quite forget that you were faint and weary.
And truly, for the moſt part, I think it is beſt, not to be over long in your Devotions. I have heard of a very good man, who was wont to pray to God, that he would forgive him his long Prayers. Which though they proceeded from an honeſt zeal, yet wanted their efficacy, by being indiſcreetly tedious. For whilſt Men ſtudy to ſtretch and wire-draw their Meditations to the utmoſt length, what they gain that way, they loſe another; having the leſs of ſtrength and ſolidity, the more they have of length. No Metal, you know, is more maſſy and ponderous than Gold; yet it may be beaten ſo thin, that it may be blown away with ones breath, or broken with the leaſt touch of ones Finger. So, many times it is with our Devotions, which have ſome weight and force in them, if they be contracted and gathered into a little room: but while we ſpread them, and beat them out to a tedious length, they become ſo thin and weak, that very Object which ſtirs, blowes away our thoughts; and great breaches are made in them, by the leaſt imagination that thruſts in it ſelf upon them.
This is capable to be abuſed, I am well aware, by Souls that are not truly pious: but thoſe that are, may as much abuſe themſelves, unleſs they underſtand and uſe it. Indeed when the Soul is very ſtrong and full of heat, or when it is awakned by ſome remarkable ſtroke of Divine Providence, or when the mighty hand of the good Spirit of God is upon it, then it may, and will, let it ſelf run without any cautions or reſtraints: and we ſhall have nothing to do but to follow thoſe thoughts willingly, which in another caſe we could not perſwade to follow our wills. Our mind then will run (as it were) before us, our hearts will be pregnant and teeming with many good Meditations; which at another time we ſhall not be able to draw after us, nor make to conceive or bring forth one thought that pleaſes us. But now you muſt take great heed, leſt at this or any other ſuch happy time, you think to attain preſently to the perfection you deſire. Alas! My Friend, it is a great way thither: and it cannot be ſafe to make too much haſt, though you find your ſelf never ſo willing and forward. For many there are who running full ſpeed, have ſtrain'd themſelves, by fetching too great a leap, and diſabled their Souls for ſome time after. And therefore run not your ſelf out of breath, from an eager deſire to be at the very end of your Race. Let fair and ſoftly be your ordinary Rule: though ſometimes, in a very ſmooth Rode, and when your Spirits are brisk, you may make as much ſpeed as you can, for a little way. But we have ſeen ſeveral ride upon the Spur, eſpecially in the Morning when they firſt ſet out, who have been left behind in the Afternoon, by thoſe whom they ſeemed to have many Miles over-ſtripped. And therefore it is neceſſary counſel (to thoſe chiefly who are beginners) to Travel ſo in the Chriſtian Path, as we hope we may be able to hold out; and not to be ſo fiery at firſt, as to make us dread Zeal, when there may be good uſe of it.
There is another thing ſo nearly related to this matter, that it would have challenged the next place in this Diſcourſe, did your neceſſities require it. And that is to take heed you do not tire your ſelf with any one thing, for that will make you indiſpoſed to all the reſt. This I take to be good advice to my ſelf, who ought to be cautious, leſt by over-much ſtudy I ſo dull and blunt my Spirits, that even Devotion it ſelf become irkſome to me. And I doubt there are too many of the Gentry and better rank, who ſo diſſpirit themſelves by ſome of their recreations, that they are fit for nothing but to lye down and ſleep. But to ſuch as you, I need only ſay, that You muſt not weary your ſelf with any one pious Exerciſe. For I can tell by my Imployment, that if I keep one Author company ſo long, that I grow weary of him, I ſhall have no mind to return in haſt to him, and all others will find me more moroſe and indiſpoſed for Society with them.
Let me only add, that you will the better do this, if you labour to underſtand the true reaſon why you do every thing, and mark the fitteſt occaſions wherein it may be done. The difference between the grounds (as we ſpeak) or reaſons of our motions, and the occaſions of them, is this. The former perſwade our will either to decline or to purſue ſomething, that appeares either good or evil; and therefore the ſtronger the Reaſons and Motives are, the more ſhall we be induced either to avoid or embrace what is before us. The latter is only the opportunity or ſeaſon, the advantage of time or place, which doth not ſo properly move us to do a thing, as to do it now. Time and Tide, we ſay, ſtayes for no Man; and becauſe the opportunity doth not always happen, therefore it ſtirs up our Soul (which is already engaged by ſome reaſon) to work more powerfully at this preſent, than otherwiſe it would have done. So that if you underſtand not only good Reaſons for your actions, but mind alſo the Occaſions; you will be mightily inclined by the one alwayes, and more mightily by the other at certain times.
To grow in Knowledg and Wiſdome is exceeding neceſſary, not only becauſe it preſents us with great variety of things to entertain our mind withall, and makes Religion more pleaſant, and renders our Soul more firm and ſtrong, more ſolid and compact: but likewiſe becauſe while we ſearch into the reaſon of our actions, we ſhall diſcern whether the thing be only lawful, or it be convenient alſo and prudent, and withall neceſſary to be done. And accordingly we ſhall know how to make a proportionable allowance of our time and ſtrength, and earneſtneſs unto it. If the buſineſs be meerly lawful you will do it when you have nothing elſe to do. If it be neceſſary you will give it a more certain and likewiſe a larger portion of your time and ſtrength; and the very thought of its neceſſity, will enforce you to it. And it it be judged though not abſolutely neceſſary, yet convenient, and more acceptable to God, if you perform it; then you will do it when you are beſt diſpoſed, and in the fitteſt temper to do him that more pleaſing ſervice. And then, being poſſeſſed with an habitual love to God and to Religion, upon ſuch ſatisfactory Reaſons as you have propounded to your ſelf, and well conſidered; the obſerving of the Occaſions, which either time or place, or company, or ſuch like circumſtances preſent you, to expreſs it, muſt needs be a mighty awakening to your Spirit, to beſtir it ſelf with all diligence, in the improvement of ſuch an advantage. And theſe occaſions are therefore of ſuch force to call up our endeavours, becauſe we know, that as much may be done then, which cannot be performed at another time, ſo they will not wait upon us and ſtay our leiſure; and that as they paſs away, ſo we know not when they will come again. For May (as the Proverb is) comes not every MonethMonth: and a fit opportunity lies not, in every lock of Times head. And if there ſhould, yet it is bald behind; and we cannot call back that which is gone, which may be better, than will be preſented to us again. And if we find by experience that theſe occaſions do excite our Souls, then the obſerving and embracing them will be an excellent means to keep us from dulneſs; becauſe it is likely that God will favour us with more of them, when he ſees that we uſe thoſe well, which he hath given us already.
But yet you ought to be cautious that this do not prove matter of ſcruple and perplexity to you, if you neglect an occaſion, when you are otherwiſe neceſſarily employed. For both prudence and the forwardneſs of our affections, and every thing elſe, muſt give way to a real neceſſity: and of two neceſſary things, that ſeems to be moſt neceſſary, in which we are already engaged. Make therefore a ſhort Addreſs to God, and both comfort and quicken your ſelf, after this manner; when you are dull and indiſpoſed, or otherwiſe apt to be perplexed, upon ſuch accounts as theſe.
A PRAYER.
O My God; whoſe Name is moſt excellent in all the Earth, and ought to be celebrated with the higheſt and continual Praiſes of Men and Angels. How happy are they whoſe minds are ever delighted in the thoughts of Thee; and whoſe hearts conſtantly burn with ardent affection and devotion to Thee! It is ſome ſatisfaction to think of that vehement love, wherewith the Holy Spirits above perpetually acknowledg thy bounty to them, to us, and to all thy Creatures: and to feel my ſelf deſirous, if it were poſſible, to accompany them at all times, with the like affections of a moſt chearful and joyful heart, in that Heavenly employment. Accept, I moſt humbly beſeech thy Divine Goodneſs, of theſe ſincere deſires that thou haſt wrought in me. Graciouſly accept of theſe pantings of my Soul, after a freer and more delightful converſe with Thee. And pitty the great weakneſs and dulneſs of my nature, which will not permit ſuch ardours of love to continue always, as by thy grace I ſometimes feel, in my heart towards Thee. Pitty, O pitty, and take compaſſion upon me, when I am ſo heavy, as not to be able to lift up mine eyes towards Heaven; or when I move ſo ſlowly and faintly, as if I had no lift to ſerve thee, in the works of piety, righteouſneſs and charity. O that I may feel my ſpirit ſtirred with a greater zeal, and carried with stronger deſires, at all other times; when I am better diſpoſed for thy ſervice: that then I may run the ways of thy Commandments, when thou haſt enlarged my heart.
And endue me likewiſe with prudence, equal to that uprightneſs and integrity of heart, which I hope I ſhall always carefully preſerve. That I may neither neglect any occaſion of exciting and expreſſing a moſt fervent love to Thee; nor diſpirit my ſelf by an indiſcreet heat and forwardneſs, to the performance of any part of my Chriſtian duty. Diſpoſe me but to be ever ſerious, reſolved, stedfaſt, and watchful, to be always well or innocently imployed, and to be still going on with continued and conſtant motions, to perfect holineſs in thy fear; and I ſhall hope, by thine Infinite grace, to finiſh my courſe at laſt with joy, and to arrive at the happineſs of that bleſſed company, who, as they do thy Commandments, hearkning to the voice of thy Word, ſo they are not weary in their obedience to Thee; but with inceſſant Praiſes and Thankſgivings ſerve Thee, World without end,
Amen.