The Power of Godliness, Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 14

The Power of Godliness · Treatise · Part 3 · Chapter 14

p. 324CHAP. XIV. The eleventh help for the perfecting of Holineſs, viz. keeping of a Diary.

1. IT is certain, that it is our duty, not onelyonly to bee affected with preſent mercies, at the very time of Gods beſtowing of them, but to keep them in remembrance, for ſo David did, Pſalm 103.2. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits. Hence it is, that the Saints of old have given names to places, to their children, to continue the memory of mercies they received: So wee read, 1 Sam. 7.12. that Samuel named the place p. 325Eben-ezar, to keep in memory an outward deliverance, ſo in reſpect of ſoul mercies, David can tell you what God hath done for his ſoul, Pſalm 66.16. So Paul can tell you of the great Raptures hee had twelve years before, 2 Cor. 12.

2. There is as little doubt but we ought to remember ſins; ſo David, My ſin is ever before mee, Pſalm 51.3. Deut. 9.7. remember, and forget not, how thou provokedſt the Lord thy God to wrath, in the Wilderneſs.

3. It is a Chriſtians duty alſo, eſpecially when hee hath ſignally prayed for any mercy, to keep in memory that hee hath done ſo, or elſe when the mercy comes, it will neither bee ſo ſweet, (ſince he cannot receive it as an anſwer of prayers, if hee have forgot that hee prayed for it) nor will hee bee incouraged, upon the account of Gods anſwering his prayer, to pray with more confidence afterwards, nor yet give God the glory due to his mercies, in any meaſure, as hee ought to do, ſince the giving of a mercy, as an anſwer of prayer, doth exceedingly exalt the mercy, and in ſome caſes, is greater than the mercy it ſelf, as in temporal bleſſings.

p. 3264. It is very profitable; nay, I may ſay, it is a neceſſary duty, for every Chriſtian to examine the growth of his graces, it is a duty that God commands, 2 Peter 3.18. to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

5. It is a neceſſary duty for us to keep the vowes and promiſes that wee make to God, exactly in our remembrance; nay, and indeed, except wee keep them verbatim, they will bee very great ſnares unto us; for to many vowes, there are many circumſtantial expreſſions and cautions to be had, of which I have largely ſpoken in my Treatiſe of Meditation, Chapter the tenth.

6. It is alſo of great advantage, to know our ſins before they come to bee cuſtomary, or of any long ſtanding, to know them, when they are but a day old; which I have alſo more largely ſhown (and am not willing to repeat) in my Treatiſe entituled, (Directions for Chriſtian Perfection) in the Chapter, where the benefits and directions for Diurnal examination are ſet down.

All theſe things being duly conſidered, it being without controverſie, that all p. 327theſe fore-named duties, are neceſſary for every one that owns the name of Chriſtian: Now the onelyonly queſtion is, what is the beſt expedient to help us to remember our ſins? Gods other mercies, and in particular his ſignal anſwers of prayers, our vowes, &c. Now I am confident, there is no expedient comparable to this, viz. keeping a Diary: And whoſoever, through lazineſs, or undervaluing the performance of theſe duties above-named effectually, I ſay, if upon that account any do neglect to keep a Diary, hee highly ſins againſt God, and his own ſoul, becauſe hee neglects that ſpiritual profit that hee might reap thereby. I will ſet down ſome other benefits, and motives, that may perſwade you to keep a Diary.

1. Thy very writing down all the Spiritual paſſages of the day, will much affect thee, and neceſſitate you particularly to remember them, and ſo put you upon that profitable duty of Diurnal examination, though it is true, there is much more required to perform that duty ſolemnly, than a bare writing down what wee have done that day.

2. In times of deſertion, it will bee of p. 328great advantage, ſince wee may have recourſe to our ſongs in the night, and to all our ſpiritual experiences, and thoſe often ſealings that God hath beſtowed on us at Sacraments, ſince all ſuch things are to bee ſet down in our Diary.

3. Upon dayes of Humiliation, to look over our groſſer failings, nay, and Gods mercies alſo, will ſerve very much to the melting of our iron, and breaking of our ſtony hearts.

4. It is evident, that divers callings that are exact in their obſervations, do keep Diaries of all their proceedings; as Seamen, Travellers, States men, Phyſitians, Tradeſmen, Merchants, &c. and why ſhould onelyonly Chriſtians neglect that courſe that is ſo profitable to others? What Tradeſman almoſt is there, that doth not keep an account of his expences, and his receipts; and Merchants keep ſeveral kindes of books; nay, divers of the Heathen have obſerved this, though but in civil matters, as I could give you inſtances, if it were convenient, in this place.

But I muſt anſwer divers Queries, and divers Objections, that the way may bee made clear before you.

p. 329Quere 1. You will ask, What are the things that we muſt ſet down in a Diary?

I anſwer, I have already mentioned them, though I ſhall a little more fully and particularly ſpeak of them; you are to ſet down,

1. The mercies of God.

2. Your ſins.

3. Your ſpecial ſignal prayers for any peculiar mercy; as ſuppoſe you have ſet a day a part on purpoſe to ſeek God, in the behalf of ſuch a relation, that walks in wayes deſtructive to his own ſoul, write down, in that day, which you ſet a part for this end, the cauſe and motive of your keeping that day, a day of Humiliation.

4. If God ſhall give you an anſwer of this, or any other like ſpecial prayer, write it down.

5. You are to write down every vow, and promiſe, that you make unto God, in this Diary, on that day, when you make it, and the cauſes and motives of making ſuch a vow, if you keep a larger Diary.

6. You are to have ſome mark in your Diary, which you are to joyn to every p. 330duty, whereby you may know how you perform that duty; whether with ſpecial fervency, and inlargements, or whether in ſuch a way, as nothing is remarkable, either in reſpect of excellency, or deficiency.

7. Wee are to ſet down in this Diary, the afflictions that God layeth on us, or ours, and our carriage under them; as when God ſmites a childe with ſickneſs, ſuch a day, and I was exceedingly impatient; or through mercy, patient under it; and I examin'd what might bee the cauſe of this chaſtiſement, and I found it to bee ſuch, or ſuch a ſin, and ſet upon reformation of it.

Quere 2. What mercies, and what ſins, are to bee ſet down in the Diary? For to ſet down all, were endleſs and impoſſible, for it is in him wee live, and move, and have our being, every time wee ſpeak, breath, move &c. are mercies wereceive from God; ſo alſo for our ſins of infirmity, and humane frailty, wee may ſay of them, as David ſaith, Who knowes how often hee offends? So alſo for afflictions, we are not to ſet down every light affliction, as if a finger doth but ake a little, or if we p. 331fall in the ſtreet without any harm, &c. But I would not bee miſtaken. I do not ſay, wee are not to take notice of the lighteſt affliction, for that were to deſpiſe it, and contrary to that command, Pro. 3.11. for the meaning of thoſe words, is this, that bee the affliction never ſo great, wee are not to diſpond, or faint; ſo be the affliction never ſo light, wee ought not to deſpiſe it. So for ſin, none is ſo ſmall, but you ought to endeavour againſt it, and mourn for it, yet it is not to bee ſet down in the Diary; but thoſe that are groſſer ſins, as angry words, praying without any conſiderable marking what one prayes, or reading a Chapter, without diligently obſerving what one reads: As for drunkenneſs, lying, and ſuch abominations, I do not expect that perſons that are guilty of ſuch ſinnes, ſhould keep a Diary: But under theſe groſſer ſins, I do comprehend divers ſins of omiſſion, and divers ſins of thought, as any Atheiſtical thought, without reſiſting of it; for if it be meerly from Satans injection, they have divers times leſs guilt, than ſome ſins of humane frailty, ſo for ſome ſins of omiſſion; as for example, in many caſes, if thou heareſt p. 332one ſwear, and doeſt not reprove him, or ſeeſt one that truly wants, and doeſt not relieve him if thou canſt. So all other omiſſions of neceſſary duties, I do not mean all omiſſions in duties, but all omiſſions of duties; for whenſoever you pray, or give almes, you do omit, as to the degree of your intention, to do it to Gods glory; nor is there any act of holineſs whatſoever, wherein wee do not more or leſs ſin; ſo then, a total omiſſion of any duty, is to bee taken notice of, or a partial omiſſion, if the duty bee of any long continuance, and if it bee any proportionable part of the time that is omitted; as for example, in keeping the Sabbath to ſpend half an hour of it without Sabbath day thoughts; and ſo in a day of Humiliation, though to ſet down the minimum quod ſic, what is the leaſt portion, is very difficult; but in ſuch caſes, the uprightneſs of the upright will guide them, Pro. 11.3. Further it is to bee conſidered, that the more perfect and holy any perſon is, the more progreſs hee hath made in piety; ſo hee is to take notice of his failings, for that miſcarriage which is more than uſual, is to bee taken notice of, for that will bee p. 333more than uſual to him, which is but uſual to another; nay, that fervency, attention, and feeling, which is frequent to him in holy duties, may bee eminent and ſingular to another, whoſe graces are much weaker; as wee take notice of divers anſwers to queſtions, of the matters of Religion, as extraordinary in a childe of five years old, which are not remarkable in a grown knowing Chriſtian: So if you ask mee what mercies wee ſhould take notice of, I anſwer, extraordinary mercies, whether it bee of extraordinary actings of graces, or receiving comforts in duties, or other times. Further, wee are to be more particular and exact in the obſerving of our failings in our Maſter ſin; as if anger bee your Maſter ſin, take ſtrict notice of your failings that way.

But there are ſome objections I ſhall anſwer.

1. I have not time to do this great work.

I anſwer, It will not take up any conſiderable time, to keep a profitable Diary, ſuch an one as may bee much better than none.

I know one that writ but a line for a p. 334day, from which hee hath received much advantage, in which the main paſſages of his life were ſet down, as to the ſubſtance of them; for in ſuch a Diary wee muſt uſe letters for words, and particular marks for ſome ſins, which being of ſuch common uſe, wee cannot forget what they mean; as for example, P for prayer, M for meditation, R S for reading the Scripture, R alone, for reading other books, C for conference, a littler, to ſignifie our riſing, a V for a Vow. If God come in more eſpecially in acting our graces, or comforts in any duty, as prayer, meditation, reading, conference, &c. to give this mark — over the letter that ſtands for that duty; as for example, if God comes in much in prayer, draw over the P that mark, thus, P. If you have had many failings in prayer, then draw that mark under the letter, thus. P So you may do in all other duties, as meditation, conference, hearing, over or under, as are your incomes or failings in thoſe duties which that letter ſtands for.

But if there bee no eſpecial defect or p. 335incomes of God in the duty, then let the letters ſtand without any marks, either over or under, and when you keep daies of faſting and prayer, then put before the line you ſet down for the day F, which ſignifies a Faſt day. I ſhall give an inſtance, whereby all this may bee made more plain.

SEPTEMBER.

T. 1. r. 6. P. 6. 7. M. 7. 8. St. 12. C. 1. St. 5. C. 6. W. 2. r. 5. P. 5. 6. R. V

S. 6. 7. St. 12. C. 2. R. 3. St. 6.

V. to keep a Diary. The meaning is this: Tueſday, being the firſt day of the monethmonth, I roſe at ſix of the clock, prayed with ſpecial incomes from God, half an hour; (for when 6. and 7. are ſet down, it ſignifies half an hour paſt ſix, and ſo in other figures, when two are ſet down) meditated while half an hour paſt ſeven, with ſpecial incomes from God, either in reſpect of actings of graces or comforts, (for the ſtroke over the letter ſignifies p. 336ſo much) I ſtudied while twelve of the clock, came again to my Study at one, and ſtudied while five, and confer'd about matters of God, until ſix.

Wedneſday, being the ſecond day of the monethmonth, I roſe at five of the clock, prayed but with much deadneſs for half an hour, for the ſtroke under ſignifies ſo much; Read the Scripture, but nothing extraordinary, either for deadneſs, or incomes of Gods Spirit; for if there bee nothing over or under the letter, it is to ſignifie ſo much; ſtudied while twelve, came again to my Study at two, Read ſome devotionary book while three, with affection, ſtudied while ſix, then made a Vow to keep a Diary.

The meaning and uſe of the ſtrokes in the Margent, is, that with ones eye one may quickly ſee, what vowes, what incomes or failings have been in that monethmonth; for at the end of every monethmonth, it is convenient to ſet down, whether one is encreaſed, or decreaſed in holineſs, or comforts; and as when one makes any vow, one puts an V in the margent before that day; ſo alſo, if one hath made any ſignal prayer for any mercy, one is to put a P before that p. 337day, if one hath received any ſignal anſwer of prayer, put an A in the margent, before that day; and if one hath received any ſignal deliverance out of ſin or danger, put a D in the margent; and if you have kept a day of Faſting and Prayer, put F in the margent; and ſo in other things, common prudence will direct.

Thus you ſee that I have ſhown you how eaſie a thing it is to keep a Diary, and how little time it takes up; yet notwithſtanding, I could wiſh you would write your Diary ſomewhat larger; as when your affections are raiſed in reading the Scripture, to ſet down the verſe which moſt affects you; ſo when you hear a Sermon, when you come home, to write down thoſe paſſages that moſt affect you, and moſt concern you: So when you make any vow, to write down what was the eſpecial occaſion of making that vow; ſo when you finde your heart ſomewhat dead in duties, to ſet down what the cauſe was of that deadneſs, if you can finde it out, whether it was for want of preparation, or ſome ſin the day before, which cauſed God to withdraw himſelf: So if God comes in with any ſpecial comforts, p. 338write down that place of Scripture which was the golden pipe that convey'd them; for generally, as I have elſewhere ſaid, his comforts are the kiſſes of his mouth, that is, ſomething that the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken, ſome paſſage in the Word of God, brings our comforts. This was that which quickened David in his afflictions, Pſalm 119.50. This is that which David did eſpecially praiſe God for, Pſa. 56.4. and 10. for this it ſeems was that which convey'd to him all his comforts: Or if God doth any other way ſatisfie thy fears and doubts, as I remember it is related in the life of Mr. Murcate, that when hee was once in great doubts of Gods love towards him, this was darred into his ſoul, with a great deal of evidence and power, If I am not thy father, am I thine enemy? And at another time, upon the like occaſion, If I am not thy father, why doeſt thou follow after mee? This is ſet down, with many other ſingular paſſages, in a Diary hee kept, which was found in his Study after his death. But for all particular directions, it is almoſt impoſſible to ſet them down, but either God will direct you, if you ſet to conſider what is p. 339to bee done in the caſe, or conſult with ſome experienced friend that keeps a Diary, only I ſhall add this, becauſe it concernes moſt Chriſtians, as Scholars may ſet St, to ſignifie ſtudying, becauſe that is the work of their particular calling; ſo others, whoſe particular callings are trades, or Merchandiſe, &c. they may ſet down a great E, to ſignifie Employment, &c.

The next objection is, I have not skill, I know not how to keep a Diary. For that, I think, I have already in ſome conſiderable meaſure anſwered, by ſetting down ſeveral directions, and have alſo told you, that for other particulars that may occur, you muſt have recourſe to ſome experienced Chriſtian; only I ſhall add this, that I would have you leave about four leaves at the beginning of your book you intend for a Diary, each leaf divided into five parts, thus, and thus ſuper-ſcribed.

The reaſon of doing this, which will bee very little trouble, ſince all theſe heads do ſeldome occur, is, that you may ſpeedily finde out what vowes you have made, and ſo know whether you have performed them; what prayers you have made, and whether they have been anſwer'd; what extraordinary manifeſtations you have had, like that of Mr. Murcate, or of like nature; and whether you have given ſpecial thanks and praiſe to God for them; ſo you may eaſily ſee what groſſer failings you have been guilty of, and whether you have particularly humbled your ſoul before God for them: As ſoon as ever you made any vow, prayer, or received any deliverance, &c. you are to enter the day under the reſpective p. 341head, and when you have performed the vow, or your prayer bee heard, or given thanks for the mercy, or particularly repented of the ſin, you are to draw a line under the reſpective day of the monethmonth, under that head.

But you will object, by this means all my doings ſhall bee made publike to all the world when I die, which may be very ſcandalous to Religion, in ſeveral caſes, and to make ones graces and comforts known, though after death, may bee an occaſion, or act of pride, while wee live.

To this I anſwer: 1. If thy ſin bee publikely known, thou ſhouldſt do ſomething to make thy repentance as publikely known, as David did, Pſalm 51. but if it bee ſecret, thou mayeſt have a ſecret mark in thy Diary, to ſignifie it, which none can know but thy ſelf; and as for Gods manifeſtations, and mercies, of that nature towards thee, as anſwers of prayers, comforts, &c. thou ſhouldſt not bee too willing to conceal them, but willing to make them known to ſome of Gods people, Pſal. 66.16. But if thou canſt write Short hand, all this is anſwered; or elſe, it is probable, God may give thee ſo long p. 342time before thy death to diſpoſe of matters, as to give thy Diary into the hand of ſome Chriſtian friend.

Object. 2 is, Why do you preſs this as a duty, though not abſolutely neceſſary to all, yet of great ſpiritual advantage? How comes it then, that ſo many eminent Saints do not, have not kept a Diary?

I anſwer. 1. Suppoſe through ignorance they have neglected this duty, will you therefore conclude, that it is unprofitable to them that know it? Eminent Saints may live all their lives in a ſin of omiſſion and commiſſion; as for inſtance, in Poligamy, though our Saviour proves it to bee a ſin from the beginning, Mat. 19.5, 6. So alſo for meditation, I ſuppoſe it hath been very much neglected amongſt Chriſtians, I mean, as to the making of it a ſolemn particular duty, and yet ſolemn meditation is of ſingular uſe.

2. How do you know what eminent Saints have done, or what they do? for ſuch things as theſe are kept ſo ſecret, communicated, it may bee, not to the moſt boſome friends.

3. Some you ſay do not keep Diaries, and others do keep Diaries; and I ſuppoſe p. 343I ſhall ſufficiently ſhown you the footſteps of keeping a Diary in the practiſes of the Saints in Scripture.

4. Suppoſe no ſuch thing hath been done, doth that argue, that it's not convenient to bee done now? Printing hath not been many years, ſhall wee therefore decry it, as not expedient; ſo the Scripture hath not been long diſtinguiſhed into verſes, nor alwayes into Chapters: Do wee rather chuſe Bibles not ſo diſtinguiſhed, and account ſuch diſtinctions and diviſions uſeleſs, doubtleſs, though as to Ordinances, wee ought not by our humane prudence to invent any that are new, and not commanded in Scripture; yet as for the decent orderly mannaging of them, as may be moſt to edification, Chriſtian prudence is very uſeful, and wee commend this only upon that account, not as a thing of abſolute neceſſity, but if any better way can bee found for the performance of thoſe duties mentioned in this Chapter, or a better model for keeping a Diary, as I doubt not but many may be uſe them, but in the mean time, neglect not the uſing of any, becauſe you cannot have the beſt.

5. I underſtand not this queſtion, it p. 344is ſomewhat like a queſtion once propoſed to me, I preſsing one of my Pariſhioners, ſome years ſince, to minde holineſs, make it his buſineſs, and to ſpend one hour a day, reading and praying, &c. and giving more particular directions for the daily time ſet apart for Gods ſervice, after by many evaſions and excuſes hee endeavoured to ſhift off this exhortation, all which, by Gods aſsiſtance, I having taken off and anſwered, hee at laſt in ſome diſcontent asked mee, why I ſhould offer to preſs him to ſpend an hour a day in the immediate ſervice of God, &c. Had I preſt any of the neighbours to it, or did I ever preſs it to any other before? Why ſhould hee be the firſt that I ſhould ſpeak to? So it is for you to ask, Why ſhould I bee the firſt that ſhould keep a Diary? Though, let mee tell you, thou art not the firſt (as I ſuppoſe) of thouſands, yet becauſe Scripture is the ſoundation of all matters of Piety, therefore I ſhall ſhew many places where the year, the monethmonth, the day of the monethmonth is ſet down, when ſuch and ſuch things were done, when the waters abated, and the tops of the mountains firſt appeared, when the Ark reſted, when the p. 345earth was quite dry, the very day when Moſes ſpake to the people ſuch and ſuch things, the very monethmonth, day, and year of Solomons Reign, and from the children of Iſraels coming out of Egypt, is ſet down; when the Temple began to bee built, and the very day when it was finiſhed; the very year, and monethmonth, and day, when Nebuchadnezzar came up againſt Jeruſalem, and when the famine began, &c. Gen. 8.4, 5, 13, 14. Exod. 19.1. Deut. 1.3. 1 Kings 6.1. & 38. 2 Kings 25.1, 3, 8, 2 Kings 25.27. And as for the Prophet Ezekiel, hee hath kept a perfect Diary of ſeveral times, when the Word of the Lord came unto him, and divers other circumſtances added alſo, beſides the year, monethmonth, and day, as of place where, and perſons with whom hee was, as by theſe places following, plainly appears, Ezekiel 1.1, 2. Ezek. 8.1. Ezek. 20.1. Ezek. 24.1. Ezek. 26.1. Ezek. 29.1.31.1.32.1.40.1.

Why ſhould the Spirit of God write down ſo particularly the year, the monethmonth, and the day, ſurely it is for our inſtruction; there may bee ſome ſpiritual advantage got by knowing the very day when the p. 346Lord did beſtow ſuch or ſuch a mercy, &c. then only to know that God did beſtow it on us, but not know when: This was not only the practiſe of Ezekiel, but of other Prophets alſo; as Jer. 29.1. 2 Hagg. 1.1. Hagg. 2.1, 10, 20. ſo if you obſerve the book of Pſalmes, there are 99. that are aſcribed to David, 74. have his name prefixt, 25. of them have no name prefixt, yet ſome of them, the Scripture it ſelf, entitles David to, Acts 4.29. Heb. 4.7. and Ainſworth ſuppoſeth the reſt of the 25. to bee his alſo: Now you ſhall finde in thoſe Pſalmes, as it were, a Diary, of the moſt remarkable paſſages of Davids life; nay, you ſhall finde in many of the Pſalmes, the very prayers and meditations that David had upon ſeveral particular occaſions, as in theſe Pſalmes following, 51.52.54.56.57.59.60. ſo Pſal. 3. and many others, as by their ſeveral titles do appear. How often do you finde mention of Nathan the Prophet, Gad the Seer, Ahijah the Shilonite, Jaddai, Shemmajah, Iddo, &c. theſe were private Records, or Diaries, kept by them, of remarkable paſſages, that concern'd the Church of God; and that expreſſion, (is not this written in the book p. 347of Jaſher) Joſhua 10.13. and 2 Sam. 1.18. cannot bee meant of any particular perſon, for the ſame perſon could not live from Joſhua, till the time of David; but the meaning is, Is it not written in the book of the Juſt? for holy men in thoſe times, and ſince, uſed to keep Records, of the ſpecial mercies and judgements of God, as Grotius obſerves; and the very title of the book of Chronicles, ſignifies, (the words of daies) Now it is evident, that in civil matters alſo, not only the Kings of Iſrael, and the Kings of Judah did keep Diaries, (for where you read, Is it not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iſrael, and in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, thoſe are meant) but even Heathen Emperours, as Julius Caeſar, writ his own Commentary, that is Diary, ſo the word ſignifies. Tyberius Caeſar, and Auguſtus Caeſar, had their Diurnos Commentarios, as Gaſper Sanctius in his Prolegomena to the Kings, obſerves. So Ahaſuerus, and the Kings of Perſia, had Secretaries by them continually to write down all that they did, and ſaid, and all that befel them, as Diodate upon Heſter 2.23. obſerves.

p. 348I have been a little larger in this buſineſs, becauſe people think it is a new thing, and that there are no Scripture proofes at all for it, to prove it either a profitable, or an ancient practiſe among the people of God; but doubtleſs (as I have ſaid) if there were no ſpiritual advantage to be got, to know the particular times of matters, the Scripture would never have been ſo punctual, and particularly in ſetting of them down. But to proſecute this a little further, do but conſider, that whether you keep a Diary or no, God doth, Revel. 20.12. and in his Diary are all your ſins, and all your good works ſet down; ſurely if it were poſſible for us to ſee it, every minute wee ſhould ſee ſomething written, either in the black Regiſter of our ſins, or in the Records of our good works; and it would ſtartle us, if an Angel ſhould be by us, and we ſhould ſee him write down every idle word, as wee ſpeak it, and tell us, this you muſt anſwer for at the day of Judgement, it would make us more watchfull; yet though wee cannot ſee this done, nor read what is written in thoſe books, yet wee may do ſomething towards it, by keeping a Diary of our own, and by p. 349judging and condemning our ſelves out of our own, wee may prevent our being judged and condemned out of Gods Diary; nor was David ignorant of this truth, that God doth keep ſeveral books of Records, (to ſpeak after the manner of men) ſome where our ſins are written down, Pſalm 51.9 for blotting out, ſuppoſeth writing down; and other where the members of our bodies are ſet down, Pſalm 139.16.

A third book that David obſerves that God keeps, is of the afflictions and tears of his people, of their ſeveral wanderings, when they are driven from place to place; and as for their tears, hee bottles them up, and writes them down, Pſalm 56.8. I ſhall conclude the anſwer to this objection with this further argument, or motive, to keep a Diary; you may read of Gods Diary, that hee kept of his own works, for God hath ſet down every day what hee did; all the works of the Creation are ſet down, in their ſeveral reſpective daies, when they were created; as you may read at large, Gen. 1. Now certain it is, that this is written for our inſtruction, and I queſtion not, but for our imitation; for p. 350as Gods reviewing of his works every day, is an excellent preſident to put us upon diurnal examination, ſo his ſetting down every thing that hee did, upon every one of thoſe ſix daies, is an excellent preſident to put us upon diurnal Records of our actions.

Object. 5. To ſet down what time wee ſpend in holy duties, and the ſeveral incomes of God, as to the actings of graces, and beſtowings of comforts, ſeems to bee an act of pride, and will bee ſubject to puffe us up.

I anſwer. 1. Will not the remembrance of them have the ſame effect, though they bee not written down in a Diary? And are wee not bound to remember them, to remember our ſongs in the night, and the daies of the right hand of the moſt High? nay, are wee not bound in ſome caſes to tell others, what God hath done for our ſouls, Pſalm 66.16. In how many places of the Pſalmes do wee read of Davids fervent prayers unto the Lord, and his anſwering of them? It is ſpiritual cowardize to neglect a duty, for fear of the temptations that accompany it.

2. But I ſuppoſe, that the goodneſs and p. 351mercies of God, will rather cauſe thee to fear, than to pride thy ſelf, and nothing humbles a ſoul more, than the conſideration of Gods mercies; therefore if thou ſhouldſt finde at any time thy heart begin to bee puft up, then do but look over thy diary, and remember thy ſins, and the mercies of God will make thy ſins out of meaſure ſinful, and by conſequence, make thee more humble; and lay thee lower.

3. Inſtead of puffing thee up, thy former duties, and Gods former mercies, will ſtir thee up to more thankfulneſſe, and more obedience; for when wee ſhall ſee in our Diary, that many years ago, Gods comforts, and the actings of his graces, were ſo and ſo, and finde them no more now, it will bee a ſhame and a grief unto us, and it will provoke us to more diligence, and ſtir up the graces of God in us; and in caſe of back-ſliding, it is of ſingular uſe, for wee ſhall ſee from whence wee are fallen, and what our firſt works were, that wee may do them.

Object. 6. I can neither write nor read.

I anſwer, it is a wonderful, and a lamentable thing, and a thing that we have p. 352cauſe to ſtay all people that come by, and wiſh them to ſtand, and wonder at it that Chriſtians ſhould bee ſo negligent of the great, incomparable, ſpiritual advantages, that are to bee got by reading, and yet to neglect to learn; and the Prophet Iſaiah ſeems to ſay as much, Chapter 29. the 9. and 12. compared; for there the Prophet doth wiſh all to ſtay, and wonder, and cry out, when they ſee and conſider, that there is ſuch a deep ſpirit of ſlumber and ſottiſhneſs upon people, that any one ſhould ſay, (when the Scripture is given into their hands to read) I cannot, for I never learned to read; and I believe there ſcarce can bee a better work through England, than this, that all the children, throughout the whole Nation, ſhould bee brought up to reading, writing, and Catechiſme, that thoſe Parents that are able, ſhould be compelled ſo to do, and thoſe that are not, their children ſhould bee taught upon the Pariſh, or County charge, therefore there is no other anſwer to this objection, but that you muſt learn to write, but howſoever learn to read. I am confident it were better to have the uſe of ones eyes onelyonly for reading the Scriptures, and want them p. 353in all other things, than to have the uſe of your eyes to all other things in the world, and want them to read Scriptures. It may bee ſome will ſay, it is an imprudent thing to ſet down ſuch particular inſtances, and directions, for the keeping of a Diary, as I have done in this Chapter; but when ſince they may bee profitable, by helping thoſe that know not which way at all to mannage this duty, I am much of that Saints minde, Ignatius Jordan, who uſed to ſay, fie upon this diſcretion; I mean as hee did, when diſcretion hinders us at all in the duties of holineſs; and indeed, where one man makes uſe of his diſcretion for the furthering, ten do make uſe of it for the hindering the glory of God. In caſes where there is no ſin, and where there bee much profit to others, I think every Chriſtian ſhould ſay, Let them have the benefit, and me have the ſhame: I think generally we do ſtand too much upon punctilioes of honour, in ſuch caſes as theſe are. Now I muſt deſire you to remember, if you keep this Diary, to improve it to the utmoſt for your ſpiritual advantage, by obſerving what vowes you have made, and not kept, or prayers unanſwered, p. 354that you may keep the former, and bee more fervent in the latter, and often to review your ſins, that you may mourn for them, and ſo of the reſt; for you muſt know, the writing of them down, is not the onelyonly work you are to do, but ſerves only as an help to enable you to do thoſe ſeveral particular works that are mentioned in the beginning of the Chapter.