The Christian Mans Calling, Treatise · Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV. How a Chriſtian may exerciſe himſelf to Godlineſs in his Apparel and Sleep.
Apparel and Sleep being of leſs concernment then ſome other ſubjects, I ſhall ſpeak but little to them; yet becauſe in theſe things we muſt walk by the rule of Gods Word, I ſhall not wholly omit them. And firſt for Apparel. The Saints outward, as well as his inward clothing muſt be ſacred; Spiritual Prieſts do all wear (in a ſenſe) holy Garments. Sin may cleave to our cloaths; The Leproſie was not only in the Iſraelites houſes, but alſo in their Habits, Lev. 13. Some perſons carry the plague up and down in their Rayment, their Garments are ſpotted with the fleſh; with pride, and wantonneſs, and prodigality. A Chriſtian may manifeſt grace in his Garments; he may clothe his ſoul in covering the nakedneſs of his body; his Garments may ſmell of Myrrhe, Aloes and Gaſſia, Pſa. 45. Exod. 19. Numb. 11.As under the Law the cloaths of Gods people were waſhed and purified Ceremonally; ſo our apparel under the Goſpel (if we obſerve Gods Counſell about it) may be clean and pure ſpiritually. For thine help herein Reader, I ſhall ſpeak briefly,
1. To the ends of Apparel, which muſt be minded.
2. To the ſins about Apparel, which muſt be avoided.
3. To the vertues (in Apparel) which muſt be manifeſted.
Firſt, To the ends of Apparel, which are four.
1. To cover our nakedneſs. Innocency at firſt was mans comely Robe, in compariſon of which the richeſt cloaths are but naſty rags; Ah how lovely did he look in that Heaven-ſpun attire! In his primitive ſplendor, the moſt gaudy and coſtly apparel, would have been but as a Cloud over the face of the Sun, or a courſe Curtain over a beautiful Picture. But ſin cauſed ſhame, and ſhame called for clothes to cover it, Gen. 3.7. They knew that they were naked, and they ſewed Fig-leaves together and made themſelves aprons.
2. To defend our bodies from cold. Cloaths are a great ſhelter againſt the ſharpneſs of the Air, and Weather. Some mens Coats are Piſtol-proof, all mens cloaths ſhould be Weather-proof; God knew that Adams Fig-leaves were as far from keeping his body warm, as from hiding his ſoul-wickedneſs; and therefore made him a coat of skins, Gen. 3.21. This end of Apparel is mentioned, Pro. 31.21. She is not afraid of the Snow for her Houſhold, for all her ſhouſhold are cloathed with ſcarlet.
3. To adornus. Cloaths render men more comely. A decent habit is handſome, naked Ghoſts are frightful. Thoſe members of the body which we think to be leſs honourable, upon theſe we beſtow more abundant honour, Vi…e Decd… in l…c. v. ….and our uncomely parts have more abundant comlineſs, 1 Cor. 12.23.
4. To diſtinſtuiſh Sexes and perſons. One end of Apparel is to difference Sexes; The Law of nature, and the cuſtome of all Nations, do teach a diſtinction between the Habits of Men and Women. God himſelf in Scripture doth expreſly command it. The Woman ſhall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither ſhall a man put on a womans Apparel: for all that do ſo, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God, Deut. 22.5. Thoſe that have worn the Apparel of women as Caligula, Clodius and others, have been noted for the worſt of men.
Another end of Apparel is to diſtinguiſh perſons. The Nobility among the Romans, were anciently diſtinguiſhed from the meaner ſort by their Ornaments about their Shoos; As God hath made a difference among men, ſome are high, ſome are low, ſome are rich, ſome are poor; ſo doth he alſo allow a difference in their Apparel, Behold they which are gorgeouſly apparelled, are in Kings Houſes, Luk. 7.25. Robes and Rich attire become Judges, and Juſtices. They are honourable additions to their Office, and cauſe reverential apprehenſions of their perſons. The habits of men ſhould be ſutable to their conditions and honours, Dan. 5.29. Eſter 8.15. Gen. 45.42. As it is ſinful for men to go above their abilities, ſo it is ſordid for men to go much below their eſtates and places; ſuch draw contempt on their perſons. Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany, being to make a Royal entrance into Millane, there was great preparation made for his entertainment, the Houſes and Streets were beautified and adorned, the Citizens dreſt in their richeſt attire, Li… …xem.and a Golden Canopy prepared to be carried over his head, and a great expectation to ſee a glorious Emperor: but when he came into the City in a plain cloake and with an old hat on his head, the people would not beleive, their eyes but ſtill asked which was he, and laughed at themſelves for being ſo much deceived.
Secondly, The vices about our apparel, which muſt be avoided, 1. Pride. Pride is a moth which is ſoon bred in fine garments, but a Chriſtian will conſider, that the meaneſt apparel is natures garment, and the beſt but ſins garniſh; The pedigree of our raiment muſt be remembred to allay our pride. Our richeſt cloaths are characters of reproach; and as Adams livery, they are an implicite confeſſion of our ſin and ſhame. The dim-ſighted perſon is not proud of his ſpectacles; nor he who hath loſt one eye, of the plaiſter which covereth it. When the thief looketh on his fetters, he thinketh of his felony, which was the cauſe of them; When we behold our habits, we may well be humble, reflecting upon our apoſtacy, the cauſe of them; Before the Fall, Adam and Eve were both naked, and were not aſhamed, Gen. 2. ult. A murderer hath as much reaſon to be proud of his halter, as a man of his habit.
Beſide the matter of our cloaths is conſiderable; We are beholden to the beaſts for them, what are they but the skin, hair or wooll of beaſts? and the fineſt but the ſpittle of the ſilkworm? Alas, what a pin is this to peirce the Bladder of pride, and abate its ſwelling? One would think if this weed ſhould grow, it muſt be like the miſcletos out of the rocks; for here is not the leaſt earth to breed or feed it, not the leaſt cauſe for it.
This pride conſiſteth inwardly in mens valuing themſelves the higher for their habit, which indeed is Childiſh: They diſcover their want of wit whoſe ſpirits riſe with their garments, as the boat with the waters. The dogs that kept Ʋulcans temple, fawned upon a good ſute; but if a man came in ragged apparel, they would tear him in peices. They are brutiſh who judge either themſelves or others to have reall worth from the bravery of what they wear. Pride is manifeſted outwardly, by mens readineſs to follow new faſhions. It is no commendation to Engliſh men that they are French mens apes. A la mode de France, is moſt in the Gallants mouths: But they who borrow (ſaith one) faſhions of Egyptians, may meet with their botches and boiles. They who affected the Babylonian finery, had with it the Babylonian fetters, Ezek. 23.15. I will puniſh the Princes, and the Kings children, and all ſuch as are cloathed with ſtrange apparel, Zeph. 1.8. God ſpeaketh of them, who in their cloaths imitated the Egiptians, Oh what enemy of thine hath taught thee ſo much vanity? ſaid Mr Iohn, Fox to his ſon, returning from his travails, and attired in a looſe outlandiſh faſhion. Hiſt of modern Divin.or the Babylonians. Though they were never ſo high, (Princes and Kings children) yet being vain in their habit, they were ſure to feel the weight of Gods hand; I will puniſh them. Idolaters are no fit meaſure for Gods people to make their cloaths by. The prophet Iſaiah draweth up an Inventory of the Ladies wardrobe in Jeruſalem, and pronounceth both a ſharp objurgation and ſevere commination againſt them for their twinkling with their eyes, and tinkling with their feet; for their lofty gate, and ſtately garb, Iſa. 3.18, to 24. We may read there what ſtrange fury God hath for ſtrange faſhions. The daughters of London (ſaith one) do in pride of countenance and earriage, for exceed the daughters of Sion. Willet Hexa. in Levit.Alas how many men are dreſt like Poppets in a play, and women like Bartholmew babies. Some that are profeſſours, by their antick habits (which are the covers of their ſhame) become a ſhame to their profeſſion.Prodigus eſt animi vitio re tinenda Profoudens.
2. Prodigality in our apparel muſt be avoided. A man muſt cut his ſute according to his cloth. I mean, his apparel muſt not be above his rank and eſtate. Some men famiſh their bellies to make their backs fine; others turn their rents into ruffs, their riches into robes, Prodigi ſingulis auribus bina aut terna perdent patrimonia. Senec.their lands into laces, and hang (as Seneca ſaith) two or three Lordſhips in their ears; that when they have their beſt clothes on, we may ſay of them, They are in midſt of all their wealth.
Even thoſe whoſe honor may allow richer garments then the vulgar, ought to diſtinguiſh between prodigality, and what is ſutable to their places. Alciſthenes had a coſtly cloak, ſold by Dionyſius to the Carthaginians for an 120 talents. Heliogabalus had rich apparel, yet never wore it twice, his ſhoes were embelliſhed with diamonds, his ſeats were ſtrewed with muske and amber, his bed was covered with ſilver and gold, and beſet with pearl. But Auguſtus Ceſar was much on the other hand, and wore no other garments then what his wife, Sueton.his ſiſter, or his daughter, made him; and being asked the reaſon, anſwered, That rich and gay cloathing was either the enſign of Pride, or nurſe of luxury. So Alaxander Severus, Emperor of Rome, Lipſ. Exem. p. 184.did always cloath himſelf in ordinary apparrel, ſaying, That the Empire did conſiſt invertue, not in bravery.
The anceſter of us all was clad in leather, Gen. 3.21. and ſo were the Lords worthies, of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. 11.37. Though now every ſervant forſooth muſt be clad in ſilk, and for gallantry outvie their Lady. It is recorded as a peice of high preſumption, of Hubert Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Speed.that when King John had put his courtiers into a new livery, he put his ſervants into the ſame; but in our days preſumption and prodigality exceed; for peaſants can be more gaudy then their Prince. The Peacock hath more gayfeathers then the eagle the King of birds.
A wiſe man that dwelleth in an hired houſe, having no certain time of abode in it, will ſo far take care of it, that it may be a ſhelter to him againſt the weather, and poſſibly that it be neat and handſom; but he will not be at the coſt of curious ornaments or rich pictures, becauſe he knoweth not how ſoon he may have warning to be gone. Our bodies are the houſes of clay in which our ſouls dwell; we know not how ſoon death may ſeal a leaſe of ejectment and turn our ſouls out of doors; it is prudence to fence our bodies ſo well with garments, that they may be defended againſt the cold, yea to be cloathed ſomewhat ſutable to our conditions; but it is extream folly to be prodigal in garniſhing our earthly tabernacles, when (it may be) this night our ſouls ſhall be required of us. Confident I am that Taylors long bills, and their poor neighbours ſhort coats (who have ſcarce enough to cover their nakedneſs) will be little for many rich mens credit at the day of Chriſt. Reader, if thou art a wealthy man, remember this note whilſt thou liveſt, That one plain coat beſtowed on the back of the poor, will become thee better at this day, and yeild thee more comfort at the laſt day, then twenty ſilver laced ones, on thy own back.
There is another thing to be avoided about Apparel, Veſtium curio…tas, morum & mentium deformitatis indicium eſt. Bern.and that is curioſity and waſtful expence of time. Exceſſive out ward neatneſs is often accompanied with exceſſive inward naſtineſs. Seneca ſpeaketh of ſome that ſpend all their morning, inter pectinem & ſpeculum; between the comb and the glaſs, and are more troubled at a tangle in their hair, then at a diſorder in the Common-wealth. How many in our days ſpend the whole Forenoon in decking their dying bodies, and leave no time to dreſs their immortal ſouls, they ſpend that precious time between the comb and the glaſs, Cultus magna tura, virtutis magna incuria Cato.which ſhould be ſpent between Prayer and Scripture; Theſe painted carcaſſes will tell us, that if they can but dreſs themſelves by dinner time, it is as much as they deſire. Alas poor ſouls, what will they do when they come to enter into their eternal eſtates, when time ſhall be no more! A dying bed (if their conſciences be but awakened) will teach them to value time at an higher rate, and make them know that a commodity of ſuch worth is not to be waſted.
3. I ſhall ſpeak to the vertues in Apparel which muſt be manifeſted.
1. Modeſty. One end of Apparel is to cover our ſhame and nakedneſs; thoſe therefore that diſcover their naked necks and breaſts, croſs this end, and glory in their ſhame. Such women proclaim their wantonneſs. Laſcivious habits are unhandſom and unholy; That Women adorn themſelves with modeſt Apparel, with ſhamefacedneſs and ſobriety, not with broydered Hair, or Gold, or Pearls, or coſtly array, 1 Tim. 2.9. Modeſty is a womans ſpecial beauty, and a needful vertue in them that are the weaker Veſſels. As ſome tempt men to folly by their tongues, ſo others by their attire; this the very Heathen were ſo ſenſible of, that Zalucus the Law-giver of Locris enacted, That no woman ſhould be attended with above one Maid in the Street, except ſhe were drunk; that ſhe ſhould not wear embroydered nor undecent Apparel, but when ſhe intended to play the Whore.
2. Gravity, Antient men, thoſe that are in ſeats of juſtice, and profeſſors, muſt not take up every new-fangle faſhion. Cloaths of light colours on their backs will not be comely. Joſeph a child might be handſom enough in a particoloured coat, but not ſo a man. When a grave Roman Petitioned the Emperour for a favour, and was denyed, and had afterwards coloured his hair, ſhaved himſelf, and in light cloaths requeſted the ſame courteſie, he was wittily anſwered by Caeſar, who underſtood the fraud, I denyed your Father yeſterday; and ſhould I grant it you to day, he might take it ill.
Chriſtians muſt be much guided by the credit of Religion. Whatſoever things are of good report, is both a general and a ſpecial rule for a Saint to walk by in all ſuch things.
There may be excellent uſe of that place, Rom. 12.2. be not conformed to this World foreign Beza tranſlates it; faſhion not your ſelves, I love not affected ſingularity; but I like a Chriſtian Gravity, both in countenance, carriage, and attire.
3. There is another thing which a Chriſtian muſt have a reſpect to in his Apparel, and that is his calling and ability. It is diſhonourable both to a mans perſon and profeſſion, when God hath ranked him among the rich, for him to rank himſelf among the poor and ragged. Of Lewis the 11. King of France, it is written in his Chamber of accounts, Two ſhillings for fuſtian to new ſleeve his Majeſties old Doublet; and three half pence for liquor to greaſe his Boots. Ageſilaus King of Sparta was ſlighted by the Perſians for his over-plain Habit. Covetous men often pleaſe themſelves, that they are not guilty either of pride or prodigality in their Apparel, when it may be often ſaid to them, what Socrates told the ragged Grecian, A man may ſee your Pride through the holes of your Coat. As the Prodigal erreth in exceſs, ſo the Niggard erreth in defect.
One of the Jewiſh Rabbies uſed to ſay, That men ſhould apparel themſelves below their eſtates, that they may thrive the ſooner; that they ſhould cloth their Wives above their eſtates, that they might live the more peaceably; but their Children according to their eſtates, that they might Marry them the better.
Of Sleep.
I Shall now ſpeak to Sleep, which is the laſt natural action I have mentioned. In reference to which three things are principally to be minded.
1. The Quantity of it.
2. The ſeaſon.
3. The end of it.
1. The quantity of it. Thy Sleep, Reader, muſt be moderate; but how much, or how little, thy own prudence, or piety together muſt judge. No certain time can be prefixed, though ſome general rules may be propounded. Seven hours ſleep, is by Phyſitians judged ſufficient for any ordinary perſon in health; youth requires more ſleep then age; Weak men then ſtrong men. Thy diſcretion will much help thee, if thou obſerveſt thy conſtitution. Cholerick and Melancholick bodies need longer ſleep then the Phlegmatick or Sanguin, that the acrimony of Choler may be tempered, and the concoction furthered. To the Plegmatick much ſleep doth increaſe their cold and moyſt humours, and will in time make their bodies altogether ſickly; The Sanguin are apt to wax groſs, and corpulent, and unfit for action, all which is helped forward by much ſleep. Take heed of immoderate ſleep. There is no part of our lives ſo totally loſt, as that which is ſpent in ſleep. Sleep cometh like a Publican, ſaith Plutarch, and ſtealeth away a third part of our time. Laentius.Therefore the wiſe Heathen have been watchful againſt this enemy: Ariſtotle uſed to ſleep with a Bullet in his hand, over a brazen pan, that when it fell out of his hand, he might be awakened with the noiſe. Pythagoras uſed with a thread to tye the hair of his head to a beam over him, that ſo when he did but nod, he might be awakened thereby; Chriſtians have more cauſe for bodily as well as ſpiritual watchfulneſs.
David was ſo far from ſleeping at prayer, that he would break his ſleep for prayer, Pſa. 119.62. v. 147. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried; I hoped in thy word.
Many are the diſcommodities of immoderate ſleep. It waſteth time, a moſt precious talent, which is committed to us by God, and muſt be accounted for at the great day. A man aſleep can hardly be ſaid to live. Sleep is a kind of death. It injureth the ſoul, hindring it of time, robbing it of the bodies ſervice, Pro. 26.13. to 17.and by blunting its tools, dulling its faculties, that they become unfit for thoſe ends to which they were deſigned.
It wrongeth the body by weakening the natural heat, and filling the head with vapours, by abating the memory, leſſening the underſtanding, and by making the body heavy, lumpiſh, and in a word a ſink of diſeaſes.
It is an enemy to a mans eſtate. Solomon diſwades from ſluggiſhneſs, from this argument, So ſhall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man, Pro. 6.11. Wealth will not come without working. They are deceived who think to have the pleaſure of ſlothfulneſs, and the plenty of laboriouſneſs. The diligent hand maketh rich, but ſlothfulneſs will cloath a man with rags. Pro. 10.4. & 23.21.
2. The ſeaſon of ſleep; In general, the day is by the command of God and order of nature, the time for watching, and the night for ſleeping. The Sun approaching draweth forth the ſpirits from the center to the Circumferent parts, and openeth the pores of the body, both which do provoke to working and waking; but when the Sun departeth, the ſpirits return to the inmoſt parts of the body, which inviteth to ſleep; and beſides, the naturall moyſture and ſilence of the night, are according to Phyſitians, very conducible to ſleep: Wherefore to ſleep in the day, and watch in the night, is (unleſs neceſſity compelleth it) ſinful, and a perverting the courſe of nature; They that ſleep, ſleep in the night, 1 Theſ. 5.6, 7. Which may be underſtood literally of a natural, as well as myſtically of a ſpiritual ſleep. That Roman Emperor that turned the day into night, and the night into day, was abhord as a monſter in nature: Such perſons are great hinderers of their own health, and thereby of their outward happineſs; for ſleep draweth the natural heat inward, and the heat of the day draweth it outward, whereby there ariſeth a fight with nature, to the ruine of the body. Sleep after dinner in young perſons, caufeth heavineſs of the head, dulneſs of wit, defluxions of humors, lethargies, and other cold diſeaſes of the brain, and alſo palſies by relaxing the finews; Beſides it is not to be forgotten, that Iſhboſheth loſt his life, and David his chaſtity, by lazing on their beds in the day time.
The moſt convenient ſeaſon (I ſuppoſe) for ſleep (I confeſs I ſpeak in anothers art) is ſome conſiderable time after a moderate ſupper. When thou haſt commended thy ſoul to God and put off thy cares with thy cloaths, then thou mayſt commit thy body to thy bed. He giveth his beloved ſleep Pſa. 127.2. Ahaſhuerus, who commanded 127 provinces, could not command one hours ſleep, Eſter. 1.
3. The ends of ſleep muſt be minded; Sleep is given us by God, not for the ſolution or weakning, but for remiſſion and refreſhing of nature; which would be not onelyonly wearied, but quite tired out by continual labour. The effects of moderate ſleep will ſpeake its ends: Sleep will (if taken ſeaſonably, and not in exceſs) help digeſtion, recreate thy mind, repair the ſpirits, comfort the whole body: It concocteth not only the meats, but alſo the humors. By the retreating of the heat into the inner parts, the vital faculty is much ſtrengthned, becauſe the heart is abundantly ſupplyed with blood for the breeding of ſpirits.
The ends of ſleep will ſomewhat direct us about the meaſure: Sleep may be followed till the concoctions in the ſtomack and liver are finiſhed, which will be diſcovered upon our awaking ordinarily by a ſenſible lightneſs of the body, eſpecially of the head, and the paſſage down of the meat from the ſtomack.
Thus I have diſpatched natural actions, and diſcovered how a Chriſtian in eating and drinking, cloathing and ſleeping, may ſerve Jeſus Chriſt.
A good Wiſh about Natural actions, wherein the former heads are epitomized.
MY corrupt heart being prone to turn things lawfull into fuel for luſt, The introduction.like the ſpider to ſuck poiſon out of the ſweeteſt flowers, and to make what my God giveth me for a comfort, to prove, through the ſubtilty of the Serpent (as Eve to Adam) a croſs and a curſe: I wiſh in general that whilſt I uſe my meat, and drink, and ſleep, and apparel, I may never abuſe them, but that I may ſo enſure my right to them through Chriſt, the heir of all things, ſo taſte the love of my God in them, and make ſuch an holy and ſanctified improvement of them, that I may have a ſpiritual title to natural good things; may hold all in capite, and the things of this life may be whet-ſtones to quicken my holineſs, and load-ſtones to draw my affections nearer to heaven. In particular becauſe the ſnare in eating and drinking is unſeen (and ſo the leſs ſuſpicious, About eating and drinking which muſt be done sacredly.but the more dangerous) I wiſh that I may never feed without fear, but eat all my bread before the Lord, that I may not as the horſe and mule which hath no underſtanding, drink of the ſtreams, Deſiring a bleſſing.and never look up to the ſpring; but may acknowledge my God to be the author of every favour, and be ſo ſenſible of the weakneſs of the creature to ſtrenghten me without the influence of the creatour, that I may conſtantly look up to heaven for a bleſſing on that food which ſpringeth out of the earth.
I deſire that my heart may ſo relliſh the goodneſs of my God in the bounty of his hand, Holy diſcourſe at tabl….that whilſt I am filling my body, I may by ſome ſavoury ſerious diſcourſe feed my own and others ſouls, that by the bleſſings of the footſtool, as by a lader, I may mount up to the bleſſings of the throne. Lord, when thou remembredeſt me an unworthy wretch above many others, let me not be ſo ſordidly ungratful as to forget thy Majeſty; but as the rivers lead me to the Sea, Thanks after mealsſo let common bleſſings direct me to thy ſelf, the Father & Fountain of all my mercies; open thou my lips that my mouth may ſhew forth thy praiſe. O let not my thanks be onelyonly verbal, but cordial and reall; Let thy mercy be returned to thy ſelf again in ſutable duty, and thy beneficence by anſwerable obedience. If I receive curteſies from men, I eſteem my ſelf bound to requite them to my power; ah why ſhould not I then, ſince I receive millions of mercies from my God, improve all to his praiſe! I deſire that I may not as the Iſraelites beſtow that corn and oyl on Baal, (or make proviſion for any ſin with thoſe favours) which my God beſtoweth on me; but that all thoſe cords of love may draw me nearer, and bind me cloſer to himſelf; I live at thy coſt, enable me to live to thy credit; Let thy loving kindneſs be ever before me, that I may walk in thy truth.
I wiſh that I may not only take my food piouſly, Soberly.as from Gods hand, but alſo uſe it temperately, as in Gods eye. Exceſs hath been abhord by mere heathens. Beaſts know when they have drunk enough, and by no beating will be forced to more; and ſhall I who, beſide my reaſon, have the help of Religion, periſh in the waters like the Swine poſſeſsed with devils? O let my ſenſitive faculty be ſuch a ſervant to myrational, and both ſo ſerviceable to my God, that I may uſe my food as my Phyſick, receive it ſparingly, and for healths ſake, to become thereby more inſtrumental for the glory of my Saviour. I do not live to eat, but eat to live; why then ſhould I uſe my food as if like the Locuſt, I were all belly, or as ſome beaſts made only to be filled and fatted for the ſlaughter? I wiſh that I may obſerve the ſeaſons for feeding my body, Seaſonably.as well as thoſe golden opportunities for my ſoul; that I may not prefer the beaſt before the Angel within me, but may uſually every morning ſerve my God before my ſelf, and refreſh my inward, before my outward man. In a word, I beg that all my pots may be ſo ſpiced with piety, and all my meat ſo ſauced with religion, that whether I eat, or drink, or whatever I do, I may do all to the glory of my God; that ſo when I ſhall eat and drink no more in this infirm eſtate, I may drink of the rivers of his own pleaſures, and eat of that tree of life which groweth in the midſt of Paradiſe.
I wiſh in general, Apparel.that my cloaths as well as my cloſet may be perfumed with godlineſs, that the ſmell of my garments (as Iſaac ſaid of Jacobs raiment) may be as the ſmell of a field which the Lord hath bleſſed. I deſire in particular that I may ſo obſerve the ends for which apparel is appointed, that I may wholy forbear thoſe vices about them which my God forbideth, and truly exerciſe thoſe vertues on them which my God commandeth.
I wiſh that ſince garments are given me to cover my nakedneſs, I may never diſcover the luſt of my ſpirit in any lewd or looſe attire on myfleſh, nor ever be proud of thoſe rags, be they never ſo gaudy or coſtly, which call aloud to me to be humble, as being the ſigns of my firſt and moſt dreadful ſin and ſhame. I deſire that I may not be of the number of them that waſt their wealth about that which is at the mercy of the moth, yet that I may not through covetouſneſs offer my ſelf by my cloaths to juſt contempt, but may ſo walk between the two extreams, as one who wears the livery of Beligion, that my God may never be diſhonoured, nor the Goſpel diſgraced by any ſpots in my garments; O that my ſoul may ſo put on the garments of my Elder brother, and the graces of the holy Spirit, that thereby I may be known (as Davids daughters by their raiment of divers colours) to belong to the heavenly Court, and thereby be prepared to walk with my God in the white of glory. Sleep.I wiſh that I may obſerve the ends of ſleep, how my God alloweth it for the ſtrengthning, not the weakening of nature, that I may not by exceſs herein turn my friend into an enemy, and whilſt I ſeem to indulge my fleſh, wrong both fleſh and ſpirit too. O that prudence and piety might both ſo guide me, that I may ever be watchful againſt his incroaching adverſary, and not like a Dormouſe live as if I were born to ſleep. Finally, I wiſh that I may be ſo ſenſible of the worth of thoſe narrow ſtreames of time, becauſe of their tendency to the boundleſs Ocean of eternity, that like holy Hooper, I may be ſpare of ſleep, ſparer of diet, and ſpareſt of time, that I may redeem it as much as may be conveniently from thoſe natural actions which are neceſſary; and that when eating, drinking, and clothing, and ſleeping, and days, and weeks, and years, and ages ſhall be no more, I may eat of my Saviours hidden Manna, drink of the new Wine in my Fathers kingdom, be arrayed with the White Linen of the Saints, and inherit that reſt which remaineth for the people of my God, for ever and ever, Amen.