Works, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Motives inciting Christians to exercise themselves to Godliness. The Vanity of other exercises; The brevity of mans life; The Patterns of others.
THirdly, I shall annex some Motives to quicken thee to exercise thy self to godliness, and then conclude the Treatise.
First, Consider, The vanity of all other exercises and labours; The wise man begins his Ecclesiastes with Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity; and after a large and exact demonstration thereof makes this use, and ends his book with, Hear the conclusion of the whole matter, fear God and keep his commandements, for this is the whole duty of man. It may be Reader, thou takest much pains, and spendest much time, thou risest early, and sittest up late, and wastest thy body, and wearest out thy strength, and toylest, and moylest about the things of this life; but alass, to what purpose? to what profit? The foot of all thy accompts, when at the end of thy life the total comes to be summed up, will be onelyonly Ciphers, and signifie nothing; Thou workest all this while at the labour in vain; like the Disciples, thou fishest all night and catchest nothing; thou spendest thy strength for what is not bread, and thy labour for what will not satisfie; If the word of truth, and the God for whom it is impossible to lye, may be beleived, all the things of this life separated from godliness, are lying vanities, broken cisternes, ashes, lyes, wind, vanity of vanities, and things of naught, Joh. 2. 8. Ier. 2. 13. 1. Sam. 12. 21. Hos. 10. 13. and 12. 1. Eccles. 1. 2. Hab. 2. 13. It is Chrysostoms saying, that if he had been to Preach to all the world, and could so have spoken that all should have heard him, he would have chosen that Text; O mortal men, how long will ye love vanity, and follow after leasing! Democritus gave that for the reason of his continual laughter, which occasioned his Country-men to look on him as distracted; That when he beheld the labour and diligence, the running and riding, the sweating and painting; nay, the fighting and killing of men to get one above another, and to heap up a fading treasure, he could not but deride their folly.
Indeed though the Heathen laughed at the ridiculousness of such persons, the sensible Christian seeth great cause to weep at the emptiness and unprofitablenss of such actions, and the madness of the Agents. Cyprian advised his friend Donatus to suppose himself at the top of the highest mountain, and thence to behold the tumults and chances of this wavering world, and told him that then he could not but either laugh at it, or pity it. Its no such wonder that brutish horses should leave good provender to feed on litter, as some Jades do; but that men who are indued with reasonable souls, that seeming Christians, who have a Table spread before them with hidden Manna, with Angels food, with meat indeed, and drink indeed, withal t…e dainties of Heaven, should neglect these and feed on ashes, may well be matter both of admiration and lamentation.
The holy Ghost tells such, that they follow after vain things which cannot profit them, 1 Sam. 12. 21. All outward things are like an olive or date stone hard to crack or cleave, but when with much labour they are opened, they are nothing worth.
The Wise Moralist speaking of such laborious loyterers as work hard for nothing, compares them to such as spend many months to learn to write with their feet, and when they have learned it, are never the Better for it. Caesar compares them to such as fish for gudgeons with a golden hook, hazard more then the fish when taken are worth. Life is precious, health, and strength, and time are precious; because all these have a relation to an eternal estate; now how foolish is he that wasteth them upon toys and trifles, and neglecteth provision for the other world? Surely every man walketh in a vain shew, surely they are disquieted in vain, Psal. 39. 6.
Observe Rearder, how dearly men pay for their guilded nothings, for their earthen potsherds coverd with silver dross; they walk up and down, run hither and thither, disquiet themselves with cares and fears, and heart piercing frights and vexations for a vain shew; The people labour in the fire, and weary themselves for very vanity, Habbak. 2. 13. Their work is hot and hard, they labour in the fire, even to lassitude and weariness. But is it about the noble concerments of their immortal souls? Is it that their sins may be pardoned, the vitiosity of their natures healed, and that their souls may be fitted for the heavenly mansions? No, it is for very vanity. For that which will not afford them the least good, or make them in any respect better, or blessed. Alas, how much below, nay contrary to reason doth man act, to cast away pearls upon swine, gold upon dross, diamonds upon dirt, to throw away his time and seasons of grace, which are more worth then rubies, then all riches, upon that which is vanity and vexation of spirit!
It was a worthy check, which Cineas the Oratour gave to the monstrous Ambition of Pyrrhus; When that King of Epyrus was solicited by the Tarentines and other people in Italy, to become the head of their league against the Romans; whilst he was musing upon that affair, his favourite Cineas came into his presence, and perceiving the King in a study, desires the knowledge of his thoughts; Pyrrhus courteously opens his heart to him, and asketh his advice whether he were best to accept of that honourable offer or no; but resolving before to joyn with them, and promised him self success; The Oratour answerd him, That in case he should joyn with them and prevail, What would he then do? Pyrrhus told him, Then Sardinia and Sicily will be at my command. Cineas consented and replied, What then will you do? Pyrrhus told him, Then Africa will soon be conquered. Cineas asked, What then will you do? Then said Pyrrhus, Grecia will yield to my victorious armes. Cineas continued, When Grecia is brought under what will you do next? The King perceiving the intention of his favourite, replied smiling, Then Cineas We will sit still rest our selves and be merry. That said Cineas you may do presently without any bloody fight or barbarous outragious acts, without tiresome marches, pinching quarters, tormenting fears of losing the day without any hazard or danger to your self or others.
Truly Reader, I may tell thee, if thou art one that busiest thy self about a throng of worldly businesses, and crowdest thy mind and heart with projects and designs, to increase thy heaps, and advance thy name, and provide for thy children, and procure thy self a comfortable subsistance for a few days, that after all thy care, and trouble, and restlesness, and vexation, and hazards, and dangers, thou wilt be never the better: Thou wilt, but like them that spend their time, and money, and thoughts for the Phylosophers stone, reap thy labour for thy pains, and find all unprofitable. Felix Platerus is of opinion, that all Alchymists are mad, in being so laborious for nothing.
May I not say to thee truly concerning thy pains and time, what Iudas did falsly concerning the Oyntment, To what purpose is this Waste? To what purpose is thy waste of time, and strength, and health? Alas, what profit will all thy pains bring thee in?
The Vanity of other labours will appear in that all other things are Unsuitable, Deceitful, Unsatisfying, Vexatious and Uncertain.
1. Vnsuitable to thy soul. Gold is unsuitable to hunger, food to the sick, honour to the weary; so are all the comforts of this life to thy soul. What is an earthly treasure to the poor in spirit? what is the best Physick garden to a wounded conscience? what are all the dainties on the table of the Creation, to one that is hungry and thirsty after the righteousness of Christ, and the grace? of the Spirit? Bodily things are not suitable to our spirits, nor temporal substance to an immortal soul. The fattest increase of the earth, is from the excrements of beasts, which must needs be far from answering the nature of an heaven born spirit.
2. Deceitful. As Iael to Sisera, the world brings forth meat to us in a lovdly dish, and saith, Come in my Lord turn in; but she puts her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the Work-mans hammer; with the hammer she smites foolish Sisera's that trust her, she smites off their heads after she hath pierced their temples. It serveth its greatest darlings in their extremity, as Plutarch reporteth Pompey to have served Cicero; who when Cicero fled to him in his misery for succour, fled out at a back door, and left him to the mercy of his enemies. The world next mans heart is the greatest cheat and impostour in the world. Like an Host it welcomes us in our Inns with smiles and embraces, but kills us in our Beds when we suspect no such matter. As the wiseman wisheth them to be moderate and abstinent at a full table, and to put a knife to thy throat, for they are deceitful meat; so I may say of all the dainties and delicates of the Creation, they are deceitful meat, pleasant but poyson. Like the Bramble the world promiseth us protection and refreshment under its shadow, if we will suffer it to be our King and reign over us, but a fire comes out of it to destroy the Cedars of Lebanon; the souls of men. As the Plover to put a man out of his way, flyeth before him clapping her wings, that he minding the noise she makes, and following her, might not find her nest. So the world with its noise and clamours, its songs and musick, keeps men still in admiration of her, and hinders them from finding out her cozenage and theivery. He that trusteth in vanity, vanity shall be his recompence, Job 15. 31. It is reported of one Oromazes that he had an inchanted egge, in which (as he boasted himself) he had inclo…ed all the happiness of the world, but being broken, nothing was found in it same wind. Truly, such is the worlds inside, wind, whatever appeararance it hath in the eye of a worldling; As the forbidden tree seemed to promise knowledge to our first Parents, but it took their knowledge from them, and brought in ignorance; so the world promiseth great matters, much joy and delight, but payeth us with the contrary sorrow and horror. The worldlings voice is like that of the thief, Come let us lay wait, &c. We shall find all precious substance, and fill our houses with spoil; when alas instead of precious substance, they find pernicious shadows; and instead of filling their Houses with spoil, they fill their hearts with Gall and Worm-wood. The world as a cunning Curtizan flattereth and fawneth upon the young gallant, to commit spiritual uncleanness with her, and then casteth him from the height of fancied delights, into the depth of real horror, Proverbs 1. 10, 11.
3. Vnsatisfying; All these sublunary comforts are but skin-deep. As a mist they may wet the blade, but leave the root of the corn dry, they may cause a smile in the face, but cannot refresh the heart, or satisfie the soul; The Country-man thinks if he were at the top of some high hill, he should touch the Heavens, but when with much pains and sweat and toil, he is gotten thither, he finds himself deceived. Men think if they could attain to such a degree of honour, or such a quantity of riches, or enjoy such brutish pleasures, then they should be satisfied, but they find their thirst after creatures, as immoderate as before; like men in a Feavor or Dropsie, the more they drink, the more they desire; He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth gold with increase; Many men have too much of the world, but no worldly man hath enough; His voice still is like the Horse-leech, Give, Give. Though he hath enough to destroy him, yet he hath not enough to content him. When the Parthians had taken Crassus the covetous Roman, who had robbed the Temple, they poured molted Gold into his mouth, saying, Drink now thy sill thou greedy wretch, of that which thou hast so long thirsted after. The Covetous Caliph of Babylon, when taken Prisoner, was set by the Great Cham of Tartary, in the midst of those treasures which he had wretchedly scraped together, and bidden eat his fill and satisfie himself, but amongst all his heaps of silver and gold, he was miserably famished. The soul will starve for all the food which the whole world af…ordeth it. A worldling is like Tantalus, who had Apples at his Lips, and water at his Chin, yet pined for want; In the midst of his sufficiency, he is in straights; If thou tryest the whole creation, and empannellest every creature upon the Iury, to enquire where satisfaction is to be had, they will write Ignoramus upon the Bill; If thou askest the Sea, it will answer as concerning wisdom; The Sea saith, It is not in me; And the Depth saith, …It is not in me; The Earth saith, It is not in me; Ask every worldly blessing particularly, and it will say, It is not in me. Thou mayst call and cry to them in thy need for comfort, as eagerly and earnestly as Rachel for children, and will each answer as Iacob did here, Am I in Gods stead, that hath with-holden thy desire from thee? Or as the Angel to the women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? he is risen, he is not here; Am I a poor finite being in Gods stead to satisfie the vast desires of thy capacious soul? Why seekest thou living comforts, amongst dead creatures, it is gone, it is not here? The World entertains its best guests, no better then Caligula did his favourites, whom he invited to a feast, and when they were come, set golden dishes, and golden cups empty before them, and told them, they were welcome, and he would have them feed heartily; All the trees in the garden of the creation, are like those trees which Solinus mentioneth in Assyria, the fruit whereof seemeth as yellow as gold, but being toucht, is as rotten as dirt.
4. The things of this world are vexatious. Their sting paineth far more then their honey pleaseth; They are like the Egyptian reed, which will not onelyonly fail them that trust it, but also pierce them with splinters, and wound them deeply, sooner or later; They who will be rich, pierce themselves through with many sorrows, 1 Tim. 6. 9. Instead of satisfaction, thou wilt find vexation. The things of this world are not onelyonly wind, for their vanity; but also thorns, for the vexation they cause. As when the blood is corrupted by a poisoned Arrow, it flieth to the heart, thinking to find some remedy there, but as soon as it toucheth the heart, it findeth death where it lookt for life. Thus men that are pressed with miseries, run to the world as their refuge, hoping to finde comfort and refreshment there; but alass, that doth increase their afflictions, and gives them rather matter of more mourning then any abatement of their sorrows. They who dive into the bottom of this Sea of the world to the hazard of their lives, instead of the pearl of contentment and happiness, which they take such pains for, bring up nothing but their hands full of the sand and gravel of vexation and anguish. All the ways of worldly delights are strowed with nettles and briars, so that its greatest darlings are but like Bears robbing a Bee hive, that with much labour get a little honey, but are soundly stung for their pains. Therefore reason, much more religion may sound a retreat, and call us off from our eager pursuit of these lying vanities. Car on il ny… ar…en a gaigner que des coups, volontiers il ny vapas: No man makes haste to the market where there is nothing to be bought but blows.
5. Vncertain. There is no constancy in outward comforts. As Brooks in Winter are carried with violence, and run with a mighty stream, flowing over with abundance of water on every side, when there is no want nor need of waters; but in the heat of Summer is dried up, when water is scanty and hard to be had. Such is the friendship of the world; twill promise us many things when we have need of nothing; but when the wind turns and afflictions overtake us, it is like a tree withered for want of sap, and as a ditch without any water to refresh us. When the sun of our prosperity is hid and coverd with a cloud, these shadows vanish and disappear. As leaves fall off in Autumn, so doth the friendship of creatures fail men, when the sap of that maintenance which commanded their company, is withdrawn from them. Man in honour doth not abide, Psa. 49. As the rising Sun, coming into our Horizon like a Giant, ready to run his race, appearing to us with a full and glorious countenance, within an hours space is obscured with mists, or darkned with clouds; and however, if it meet with neither of these, when it arriveth at its noon-day height, it declines, descendeth, setteth, and is buried under us: So the Ambitious person sheweth himself to the world as chief favourite at Court, with much pomp and pride, by and by his honour is eclipsed, by the hate of the People, or frowns of his Prince, or envy of his fellow Courtiers; or if not, yet he dyeth, and carrieth nothing away, and his glory doth not descend after him. The like is evident of earthly treasures, they are soon gone, though not soon gotten. As a gallant ship, well riggd, trimmed, tackled, manned, with her top and top gallant, and her well spread sails, putteth out of harbour to the admiration of many spectators; but within a few days is split upon some dangerous rock, or swallowed up of some disasterous tempest, or taken by some ravenous Pyrate; so are this worlds goods on a sudden taken from their owners, or their owners from them.
There is a hole in our strongest Bags, and rust in our choicest mettal. The Apostle calls riches uncertain riches, and honour a fancy, and all the things of this world a fashion, 1 Tim. 6.17. Act. 24. 1 Cor. 7. 29. We are not certain to keep these birds in our yards whilst we live; for Riches make themselves wings and flie away; but we are certain, if they do not leave us, that we shall leave them. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we shall carry nothing out of the world.
Reader, how unwise is he who neglecteth eternal substance, for fading nothings! The Romans are recorded as guilty of much folly, that in their fight with Mithridates, they were so eager after their prey, that thereby they missed taking the King, who could not otherwise have escaped their hands. Ah! how foolish art thou, if through thy violent pursuit of a perishing world, thou shouldst lose an eternal kingdom! As Constantinople was lost through the covetousness of the Citizens; so is the crown of life and glory, the City that hath a foundation through mens eager endeavours after earthly things. The beloved Disciple doth not unfitly represent all the beauties, and glories, and excellencies of this lower world, under the name and notion of the Moon, which is ever in changes, and never looks upon us twice with the same face, and when it is at the fullest, is blemished with a dark spot, and next door to declining, Rev. 12. 1.
An old man of Brasil discoursing with the Merchants of France and Portugal, and perceiving the long and dangerous voyages which they took to get riches; asked them, If men did not dye with them as well as in other Countries? They told him, Yea. He asked them, who should possess their riches after their deaths? They said, their Children if they had any; if not, their next kindred. Now, saith the old man, I perceive ye are fools; for what necessity is there for you to pass the troublesome Seas wherein so many perish, and to run so many hazards? Is not the earth that brought you up, sufficient to bring up your children and kindred also? We have children and kindred that are likewise dear to us; but when we consider that the earth which nourisheth us is sufficient to nourish them, we rest satisfied.
That busie Bee and great trouble-world Alexander, had a tart yet wise reproof from Diogenes, when being taken with the Philosophers witty answers, he bade him ask what he would and he would give it him; The Philosopher desired him to grant him the smallest portiou of immortality. Alexander said, that is not in my power to give; Then saith the Philosopher, Why doth Alexander take such pains, and make such s…ir to conquer the world, when he cannot assure himself of one moment to enjoy it! Ah! why should thou neglect thy God and Christ, and soul and eternal good, and tyre and weary thy self night and day, for these unsatisfying comforts which may leave thee to morrow, and of which thou canst not secure the enjoyment of one moment! If God complain of wicked men, and threatens them with fierce wrath and fiery indignation, for selling the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes, and would make them know that he valued his people at an higher price, and would not suffer them to be sold at such a rate: What will become of thee if thou shouldst sell thy soul, thy salvation, thy God, thy Christ, for silver, for vain, unsatisfying corruptible silver, when their value is above millions of worlds! O take heed that thou dost not cast away thy self for such transitory trifles. Let not the Worlds venison cause thee to lose thy Fathers blessing; Twas a poor change of Glaucus to exchange gold for copper; but O what a sad exchange wilt thou make to exchange heaven for earth, the endless fruition of the blessed God for a moments enjoyment of creatures!
Thou wouldst condemn that Mariner of folly, who seeing a Fish in the water, should leap into the Sea to ca…ch it, which together with his life he loseth; What a fool art thou for mortal comforts to lose an immortal crown! The women of Corinth, saith an ancient Father, did set up Tapers at the birth of every child, with proper names upon each of them, and that Taper which lasted longest in burning, had its proper name transferred to the Child. God himself gives the highest and richest, though conceited worldling, his name; Thou fool, this night, &c. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him.
The plain truth is, the world is the ruine and destruction of men. Its pleasures and honours make the sinner merry and jolly, as the hearb Sardonia the eater, who eating dyeth; They that will be rich, fall into temptations and snares, and many hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition, 1 Tim. 6. 9. The world serveth its darlings as that tyrannous Emperor did his servants, let them through a sliding floor into a Chamber …ull of Roses, that being smothered in them, they might meet the bitterness of death in sweetness; O do not spend thy strength for that which is not bread, but hearken to Christ, and thou shalt eat that which is good, and thy soul shall delight it self in fatness, Isa. 55.3,4.
Secondly, Consider the brevity of thy life. He who hath but a little time, and a great task, must work hard, or his work will not be done. The Birds know their time, and improve it; in some Countries, the shorter the days are, the faster they flye. Heathen have been sensible of this. Theophrastus cryed out on his dying bed, Ars longa, vita brevis, Time was short, and not sufficient for humane arts and sciences. Seneca saith of himself, Nullus mihi per otium exiit dies, partem noctis studiis devovi; I lose no day through idleness, but even devote part of the night to my studies. The very Devils follow their cursed trade with the greater diligence, knowing that their time is short, Rev. 12. 12.
Now Reader, Consider how few thy days are; What is your life! even a vapour, a coming, and a going, a flood and an ebbe, and then thou art in the Ocean of eternity. I have read of one, that being asked, What life was; was answered answerless; for the party of whom the question was demanded, onelyonly turned his back and went away. We come into the world and take a turn or two about in it, and God saith, Return ye Children of men; A little child may number the days of the oldest man; We project high things, and lay foundations for an earthly eternity; but the longest life is less then a drop to that Ocean. Yet alas, the most are blown off in the spring, and few continue to fall off in Autumn. Plutarch compareth Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, in regard of their short reign, to Kings in Tragedies, which last no longer then the time in which they are represented on the Stage.
The River Hypanis in Scythia, bringeth forth every day little bladders, out of which come certain Flies, which are bred in the morning, fledg'd at noon, and dye at night; Man cometh up like a flower, and is cut down, he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not, Job 14. 2.
This short time posteth away with speed; How soon do our days vanish? Iob tells us that his little time made great haste to be gone; My days are swifter then a Weavers shuttle, Job 7. 6. The Weavers shuttle is an instrument of very swift motion, and so swift that it is used for a Proverb, for all things that are swift and speedy. Radius Textoris dictum Proverbiale; Radio velocius. The Latines express it by a beam of the Sun, or a word which signifieth a ray, which is darted in a moment from one end of the Heavens to another; Such speed doth our life make to pass away.
Cardinal Bellarmin, when he had a full prospect of the Sun going down, to perceive the quickness of its motion, took a Psalter in his hand, and before he had twice read over the 51. Psalm, the whole body of the Sun was set, whereby he concluded, the earth being twenty one thousand miles in compass, the Sun must go seven thousand miles in half a quarter of an hour; However the Cardinal might be mistaken in his reckoning; Yet, Mans days are swifter then a post, they flee away, they see no good; They are passed away as the swift ships; as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey, Job 9. 25, 26. Its our shame and misery that our days should be so swift, and we so slack; that our time should be as speedy as a post or ship, or Eagle, and our hearts as slow about our eternal concernments, as a Snail. Our negligence herein speaks us brutish, and void of common sense. Reason will teach him that followeth its directions, to be most indust…ious about matters of such importance.
The Heathen Historian can agree with Scripture, in this; Vita nostra sicut fabula, non refert quam diu sed quam bene;Liv. l. 15. c. 7. Our life passeth away, as a tale that is told; it matters not much whether it be long or short, but whether it be well or ill.
Surely it concerneth thee Reader to make Religion thy business, and work the work of God, when thine everlasting happiness dependeth on it, and thy time is so short that thou hast to do it in. In the days of Ptolomeus Philopater, when the huge and great Anchor of the Ship Thalmegos was laid out upon the shore, the Children of Alexandria did ride upon the stalk and crept through the ring of the Anchor, as if it had been made purposely for their pastime, whereas wise men knew it was appointed for better uses, namely, to stable and make sure the great vessel in storms and tempests.
Truly, so do too many serve time, they play and toy, and trifle it away, as if God had given it to them for that end; when he who hath but half an eye, as we say, may see that it was given for better purposes, viz. to furnish his soul for his eternal voyage, and thereby to help to stablish and fasten him when he shall lanch into the stormy Ocean. Protogenes made himself ridiculous in the judgement of all that are sober, for spending seven years in drawing Ialisus and his Dog; for though the most excellent Pictures are longest in drawing, yet to spend years about that which may be finished in days, argueth want of wisdom. But having spoken somewhat largely to this in the sixt Chap. I am the more brief in this.
Thirdly, Consider the examples of others, who have wrought hard at this heavenly Calling. Cicero tells us, Nothing prevailes more with men then similitudes and examples; Indeed worthy patterns are of great power. Thucydides brake forth into tears out of love to learning, upon hearing Herodotus read an history that he had written. Themistocles tells us, The statue of Miltiades would not suffer him to sleep. Alexander was much provoked to valiant acts, by reading the prowess of Achilles and Hector in Homer. Cesar was so stirred to courage by reading the conquests of Alexander in his youth. that he wept for anger that he had done nothing worthy of himself at that age. Iron put into the fire is turned into fire; con…ider therefore the Prophets and Apostles of the Lord, how diligent they were at their duty, how hard they wrought for God.
The great Apostle was indefatigably industrious for his soul and his Saviour. Consider him in reference to his outward man, how unwearied was he at his Masters wo…k, and in reference to his inward man, how zealous, how fervent in spirit, serving the Lord! From Jerusalem to Illyricum I have preached the Gospel. His travails are computed to be 12970. miles. He gives us when necessitated thereunto, a brief Catalogue of his actions and passions for Christ. Are they ministers of Christ? I am more, in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Iews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwrack, a night and a day have I been in the deep. In journyings often, in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own Countrymen, in perils by the Heathen, in perils in the City, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils by false brethren. In weariness and painfulness in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness; besides those things which are without, that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the Churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 2 Cor. 11. 23. to 30.
Reader, think, thou hearest the Apostle speaking to thee, as once to the Corinthians, Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ. How did our blessed Saviour work the work of him that sent him while it was day! He went about doing good. Godliness was his meat and drink, I have meat to eat, which ye know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. He wrought so hard that he forgot to eat his bread, and was taken by his kindred to be mad. It was his sleep and rest. He went into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. He prayed with strong cries and groans: And being in an agony he prayed the more fervently. He was taken to be about fifty years old when he was little above thirty, so much was he worn out with labour for his God, Act. 10. 38. Ioh. 4. 34. Luk. 6. 12. Mar. 1. 34. Heb. 5. 7. Mar. 3. 20.
O Reader, let Christ be the Copy after which thou wilt write, and the pattern which thou wilt follow, and be a follower of others as they are of Christ Jesus. Did Christ work so hard for thee? did he lose his food, and sleep, and wear out himself, that his strength was dried up like a potsherd, and his heart was melted like wax in the midst of his bowels? and wilt not thou spend and be spent for thy Saviour? I would say for thy own soul; for in serving him thou servest thy self. Think of it when thou art trifling away thy time, and neglecting thy spiritual watch, and dull and dead in holy duties, how eager and earnest, how zealous and sedulous thy Lord Jesus was in working out thy salvation; he did not play, nor dally about the work of thy redemption, but made it his business, and did what he was called to with all his heart, and soul, and strength.